Winthrop University
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Rock Hill, SC
February 26, 2020
Serving Winthrop and Rock Hill Since 1923
A call to order: the contract The Board of Trustees met in executive session to approve George Hynd’s contract Savannah Scott scotts@mytjnow.com
Courtesy of Winthrop University
Following the recent hiring of George Hynd as the new interim president for Winthrop, the board of trustees had a meeting to finalize his contract. The meeting was held on Feb. 18 and only lasted about 30 minutes. Some of the executive members were not physically present and held a conference call. Only five executive members were present as well as the student representative, Imani Belton, and faculty representative, Dr. Adolphus Belk. A few minutes after the call to order by Chairman Glenn McCall, the executive session began. The board discussed approving the employment contract for South Carolina for the university president as well as the contract of supplement from the Winthrop University foundation. All members approved the supplement from the foundation. One trustee opposed the employment contract. The meeting for approving the contract only lasted about three minutes before it was adjourned. Belk and Belton were not allowed in the executive meeting to look over the contract and were not given the contracts until the day of the meeting. When it comes to personnel matters with the contract the two representatives are not allowed to have input besides the executive board itself. “I found out that the meeting was happening yesterday, so I had no input. I think legally I wasn’t allowed to have any input,” Belton said. “This is my first time seeing it so I will be reviewing it to see …if I… have any concerns. I will be reaching out to the chairs to get clarification. If there is anything that would need to be omitted it would have to come from the board itself.”
McCall signed the employment contract on Feb. 14, which was five days before the actual meeting was held while Hynd signed it on Feb. 21. Hynd’s supplement contract is from Winthrop University’s non-profit foundation and a letter from Robert H. Breakfield, Winthrop’s foundation president, with both parties’ signatures. In the letter Breakfield wrote, “I am pleased to extend an offer for supplemental compensation from the Winthrop University Foundation based on our anticipation of your performance in the development and fundraising for the University … the Winthrop UniverSavannah Scott/ The Johnsonian sity Foundation offers the following Theboard of trustees met on Feb.18 to approve the contract of intersupplemental funding to your stateim president Dr. George Hynd. The contract was officially signed by based salary and benefits.” Hynd on Feb. 21. The benefits in this contract includes a monthly salary supplement of $11,501.75, a retirement benefit of 9.55 percent of the salary supplement and an advancement fund of $20,833 that can be used for discretionary spending. Along with this, The Agency Head Salary Commission rules state that an interim president can only receive a minimum of $183,313 and a maximum of $284,171. The state approved for the minimum amount of payment as Hynd’s salary. The next board meeting will be held in March and will go over minor details about Hynd’s process of moving to Winthrop. “[The future meeting will be about These figures were calculated the] onboarding process and makbased on Hynd’s state salary, his ing sure contracts have been signed monthly salary supplement and and that is everything is done right,” retirement benefit from the WinBelton said. “As far as Dr. Mahony throp University Foundation. moving out of the house and [Hynd] moving into the house, there will be a lot of those small minor details about this process now.”
Record number of applicants to Winthrop An in-depth look at the reasons behind the highest number of freshman applications in the history of the university Matt Thrift thriftm@mytjnow.com While college enrollment is on the decline nationwide, Winthrop University has just broken its record for the number of freshman applicants. A recent press release from Winthrop said that “[f]or the second consecutive year, a record number of prospective students have applied for admission to the incoming Winthrop University Class of 2024.” According to the release, the university had received 6,125 applications as of Feb. 5. This exceeds the “previous mark of 6,101 from fall 2019.” In the press release, Winthrop President Dan Mahony said that this increased interest from prospective first-year students “demonstrates that this strong student-centered focus at the university is working.” In an interview with The Johnsonian, Vice President for Access and Enrollment Management Eduardo Prieto said that while the high num-
bers of applicants do not guarantee enrollment, it provides the opportunity to get new students on campus. “In the golf vernacular, getting applications is [like] hitting on the green,” Prieto said. “You’ve got a chance now to make your putt.” Prieto said that the university has been “fortunate” and that this record number of applications “speaks volumes about the momentum” that “Winthrop has right now.” Since the release of the news about the record number of applications, the number has gone up even higher. As of last Monday, the number is over 6,200, according to Prieto. In a Dec. 2019 article for “Forbes,” former Missouri State University President Michael T. Nietzel reported that “[f]or the first time this decade, the nation’s fall semester’s unduplicated enrollments dipped below 18 million, a decline of more than 2 million students since its peak in 2011.” In regards to Winthrop receiving record numbers of applications during this downward trend of college enrollment, Prieto said that he be-
Matt Thrift/ The Johnsonian A recent press release from Winthrop said that the university had received 6,125 applications as of Feb. 5. lieves it is “a combination of things.” “I think for us … part of the reason there’s been a lot more interest in Winthrop is that the institution, the community, we’ve done a much better job the last several years of telling our story,” Prieto said. He went on to accolade the university for its culture of student engagement with what happens on campus and the relationships between faculty/staff and students. “I think that the engagement part, if you look at all the national surveys, we rank extremely high on the level of student engagement and I think that’s part of the fabric of who we are,” Prieto said. “I think the majority of our students enjoy coming to a community where … a lot of people are going to know who they are — if they want to be known — [and] be on a first-name basis with not only a lot of peers but know their professors well, compared
to some larger schools, especially.” Prieto elaborated on the roles of the faculty and staff at Winthrop, telling The Johnsonian that he thinks they do a “tremendous job” telling the “Winthrop story” in their “individual networks and communities.” He also cited their role in not only attracting new students to the university but also helping to retain students as well. “[The faculty] obviously do a wonderful job in that,” Prieto said. “There’s a lot of good work going on across campus.” He continued, saying that Winthrop’s staff is very “eager and passionate about the university and I think that goes a long way as well … when it comes to new student recruitment, they’re often the first people that our students and families meet and so that’s where they form one of the first impressions of Winthrop and they really do a wonderful job at that.”
A&C
Embracing natural hair
Weird and wonderful Winthrop treasures
Opinion
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mytjnow.com
Final words to Dan
Index: News 3 | Science & Tech 5 | Sports 6 | Arts & Culture 8 | Opinion 10
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February 26, 2020
theJohnsonian
The Last Lecture
Marisa Fields-Williams/ The Johnsonian Student Body President Imani Belton and Student Body Vice President Brandon Jackson gave speeches about how Mahony will leave a legacy behind on Winthrop’s campus.
On Feb. 18, President Dan Mahony addressed the student body in one final lecture leaves. Mahony discussed his journey to Winthrop and advice to help students be successful in their future.
Savannah Scott/ The Johnsonian “How much rejection can one man take?” Mahony said his path through academia and higher education was filled with more failure than success, but he did not let it slow him down. Marisa Fields-Williams/ The Johnsonian Sodexo Dining Services presented Mahony with a check for $2,500 for the Winthrop Foundation.
Savannah Scott/ The Johnsonian Students presented Mahony with several awards and gifts to show their appreciation of his dedication to students.
Savannah Scott/ The Johnsonian Students, faculty, staff and alumni filled McBryde to listen to Mahony before he leaves WInthrop.
Don’t miss out on these events GET ON A MEAL PLAN TODAY.
Late Night Pancake Breakfast
Global Chef International Flavors Visit winthrop.sodexomyway.com for more information.
About The Johnsonian
Editor-in-Chief S&T Editor Anna Sharpe Savannah Scott sharpea@mytjnow.com The Johnsonian is the weekly student newspaper of Winthrop University. Sports Editor Gabby Gardner Managing Editor your name, major and LETTER POLICY Maggie Claytor year if you are a student; Letters and feedback claytorm@mytjnow.com Assistant Sports your name and title if can be sent to editors@ La J’ai Reed CONTACT mytjnow.com or by mail you are a professor, or News Editor INFORMATION your name and profes- Matt Thrift at The Johnsonian, 104 A&C Editor Our offices are located sion if you are a member Campus Center, Rock Laura Munson in suite 104 in the DiGiof the community. Assistant News Hill, S.C. 29733. Comorgio Campus Center. Letters, cartoons and Ann Marie Juarez Photography Editor ments submitted online Phone: columns reflect the Tate Walden at www.mytjnow.com
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opinion of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Johnsonian Staff.
S&T Editor Savannah Scott
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Taxes made simple February 26, 2020
An IRS-sponsored program to help students with their taxes is operating on Fridays in Digs Matt Thrift thriftm@mytjnow.com Taxes are an unfortunate yet necessary part of living and working in most countries, and the U.S. tax system can prove to be difficult to navigate. However, there is a resource on Winthrop University’s campus this semester that can help students out with the process. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program was founded by the IRS in the early 1970s to assist Americans with filing their taxes. The program operates at various locations around the country and was designed to help Americans who make less than $56,000 per year, according to the VITA page on the IRS website. The people who help out with the VITA program and offer advice do so on a volunteer basis. One of the groups that has volunteers assisting with the program at Winthrop is Beta Alpha Psi, an organization whose purpose is “[t]o develop and enhance the professional skills and service leadership of the top students in accounting, finance and computer science,” according to BAP’s page on Winthrop’s website. BAP member MaryAllan Dolyniuk said in an email to The Johnsonian that the program will be operating on campus until April 3. Each Friday, volunteers with the VITA will either be in the DiGiorgio Campus Center lobby or in room 114 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., according to Dolyniuk.
Justin Grigg is the president of BAP. He described the VITA as being “sponsored by the IRS and run by volunteers.” “The goal is to provide people in the community with access to tax preparation and filing for free,” Grigg said in an email to The
have to undergo training and obtain a certain certification to be able to assist with the program. Furthermore, a “seasoned professional” checks over all returns before they are filed, according to Grigg. “VITA provides a way for students to file taxes for free, as well.
Maggie Claytor/ The Johnsonian Johnsonian. “The only ‘catch’ is a person’s taxes cannot be complex,” which may include rental properties or small businesses, for example. Grigg said that all volunteers
Since students often do not have complex tax situations, VITA is the perfect opportunity for tax preparation. Taxes can be confusing for students, and VITA volunteers have
the expertise to file taxes accurately,” Grigg said. “I would encourage all students who work and have federal taxes withheld from their paycheck to visit Winthrop’s VITA at some point this semester. I would also encourage students who are not sure if they should file taxes to visit Winthrop’s VITA and have their questions answered.” Dolyniuk said that the “numbers of participants” have decreased over the last several years. She said that BAP “feel[s] like a lot of students are unaware of this opportunity.” Grigg said that he thinks the decrease in the number of participants could be that students are not aware of the program. He said another guess is that students may feel uncomfortable sharing their information with others. He said that all volunteers are required to keep the information entirely confidential. Furthermore, he said that the computers that are used for the VITA program are loaded with software from the IRS which “is another reason to not worry about confidentiality,” Grigg said. Grigg said that if students wish to utilize this resource that is being offered to them, they should make sure to bring their tax documents (such as W-2 forms), social security card and bank account information, should they choose to have their tax return funds deposited directly into their account. “It usually takes an hour at most to file a tax return, so it is well worth the time,” Grigg said.
Police Blotter Here is a rundown of calls WUPO received in February
Matt Thrift thriftm@mytjnow.com On Feb. 10, the Winthrop University Police Department was contacted by a Winthrop employee regarding the ongoing harassment of another Winthrop employee by a former Winthrop employee. According to the report, the complainant told WUPD that this ongoing harassment “was making the Victim fear for her safety due to the past incidents” involving the suspect. The suspect is on a trespass notice, which bans him “from the main campus for an indefinite period of time” due to “numerous incidents” that occured while he was employed by the university. According to the report, “the safety of other employees was called into question” as a result of these events. The victim was issued a victim identification form in regards to the incident. The same suspect was involved in another incident on Feb. 13. A university employee contacted WUPD regarding the suspect harassing another Winthrop employee via email. According to the report, “[the complainant further stated that this contact was making the Victim fear for his safety due to the past incidents involving [the suspect] and the Victim.” The victim was issued a victim notification form and the incident report was assigned to interim Asst. Chief Charles Yearta “for further review and investigation.” On Feb. 17, a sergeant with WUPD was “sitting in the Eden Terrace Lot, which is owned by Winthrop University, watching the intersection of Oakland Avenue and
Eden Terrace.” While observing, the sergeant “observed a white in color Kia Soul pass him while displaying an illegal license plate.” The report states that the license plate was paper and displayed hand-written expiration date of “02/11/2020 from Hertz.” The sergeant followed the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle continued driving and made several turns before stopping “in front of the Rutledge Building … facing the wrong way on a one way street.” According to the report, the sergeant detected “a strong odor of marijuana” that was “emanating from the vehicle” while he was speaking with the suspect. The sergeant asked the suspect if there was marijuana in the vehicle to which the suspect replied that she had smoked marijuana in the vehicle about a half hour before that and that there was possibly more in her bookbag. A WUPD officer arrived on scene and the sergeant asked the suspect to step out of the vehicle, after which he “conducted a pat down” of the suspect “on camera.” After the pat down, the sergeant requested to search the vehicle to which the suspect consented. The sergeant asked if she would be willing to undergo a field sobriety test performed by the officer due to her admission that she had recently smoked marijuana and the suspect agreed to the test. Another WUPD officer arrived to assist with the search. While searching the vehicle, WUPD found a bottle of Miller High Life beer that was empty, a six pack of 12 oz. Bud Light cans with two of the cans missing and a “small plastic baggy with a white powdery substance in it.” The powdered substance tested negative
Matt Thrift | News Editor thriftm@mytjnow.com
Maggie Claytor/ The Johnsonian for cocaine. According to the report, the suspect initially stated that it was cocaine but later said that it was “old protein powder.” The suspect was placed under arrest for having an open container and was taken to the city jail in Rock Hill. Before entering the jail, the suspect’s bookbag was searched by jail staff who found “a small amount of a white powdery substance in a clear baggy, three straws, and a pink baggy with a white powdery substance” that tested positive for cocaine. Additionally, the jail staff found “another pink baggy that had a glassy white substance that is consistent with methamphetamine” in the suspect’s bookbag. The WUPD sergeant returned to campus where he typed up arrest warrants for the suspect for the drugs that were reportedly in her possession. The sergeant served the arrest warrants to the suspect
as well as the citation for the open container. The suspect was advised that she would see a judge regarding bond and a court date. On Feb. 20, an officer the WUPD was conducting a stationary patrol when a green Jeep was observed “[disregarding] a stop sign.” The officer initiated a traffic stop and was informed by the driver of the vehicle that he did not have a license on him, although he did provide the officer with a name and date of birth. The officer discovered through the SCDMV that the driver has been “indefinitely suspended from driving” due to his failing to pay traffic citations. The officer confirmed that the driver was indeed suspended from driving after which he asked him to step out of the vehicle and placed him under arrest. The suspect was taken to the Rock Hill Law Center for “booking and confinement.”
theJohnsonian February 26, 2020
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Shaniah Garrick/ The Johnsonian
Cruise contains Coronavirus After two weeks of quarantine, passengers of the Diamond Princess are finally allowed to disembark
David Botzer staff writer With Coronavirus being an ongoing issue, some countries are taking many precautions to keep their citizens safe from disease. An extreme example of this has played out over the last two weeks just outside Tokyo, Japan. Since the start of this month, the Diamond Princess cruise ship has been plagued with Coronavirus. The cruise was supposed to be a standard 14-day round trip from Yokohama, Japan. The ship departed on Jan. 20 and returned on Feb. 4 with a total of 2,666 guests and 1,045 crew onboard, according to the cruise line’s official website. The first diagnosis of the virus was confirmed on Feb. 1. A Hong Kong guest had embarked with the ship on Jan. 20 before departing on Jan. 25 in Hong Kong. He was soon
after confirmed to have the virus, causing the ship to begin taking precautions to determine if the other cruise members had been exposed. Three days later, the ship docked in Yokohama, but was delayed from releasing its passengers for 24 hours in order to allow Japanese health officials to determine if the passengers were healthy. The website reported at 6:00 p.m. that night that ten passengers had tested positive for Coronavirus, including “two Australian guests, three Japanese guests, three guests from Hong Kong, and one guest from the U.S. in addition to one Filipino crewmember.” This would be the start of a 15 day quarantine of the ship, which saw the cruise ship trying its best to keep guests placated with entertainment. There were another 624 cases confirmed over the next 15- days, according to CNN.com. NPR reported that 44 of these cases
were United States citizens. The cruise released a guest disembarkation plan on Feb. 12, which would allow guests that tested negative for the virus to leave the ship and finish the quarantine period on shore, starting with guests that were seen as most at risk. On Feb. 15, The U.S. Department of State announced they would “[charter] aircraft to bring all American persons (guests and crew) who are either citizens or permanent residents, currently quarantined on Diamond Princess, back to the United States.” Two days later, The Government of Canada released a similar announcement regarding their citizens on board. Australia followed the lead of the two North American countries the next day. Quarantine ended on Feb. 20, allowing the start of departure for guests who tested negative for the disease. These guests will be required to test negative before
being allowed to depart from Japan and are required to have an additional 14 days of quarantine once they return to their countries of origin. All guests were compensated for their troubles and gifted a future cruise credit equal to the cost of the voyage. According to NPR, 14 of the U.S. passengers who returned to the country have tested positive for the virus. These evacuees have been placed in containment and will be tested further over the next two weeks. CNN reported that the cruise unfortunately confirmed two deaths from the virus on Feb. 20. Both deceased were in their eighties. They join the over 2,000 confirmed deaths caused by the virus worldwide, mainly in China. As this number rises, we can expect to see countries holding the disease out of their mainland as best they can.
Get your semester back on track Winthrop’s Academic Success Center exists to help students along the way throughout their college career
Matt Thrift thriftm@mytjnow.com With the midway point of the semester approaching, Winthrop University’s Academic Success Center is open to students who want to see an improvement in their grades. Sierra Davis, a senior social work student and intern/peer academic coach with the ASC, said that the ASC is open this semester from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The ASC is located in Dinkins 106, in an office at the back of the main floor. “If you come to our office looking for support through us or general advice, we are happy to guide you,” Davis said. “You won’t be bounced around from place to place with the ASC.” The mission of the ASC, according to the center’s page on Winthrop’s website, “is to support the academic pursuits and life-long learning of undergraduate students, as they persist to graduation and beyond.” One of these supports is tutoring, which Davis said is “the most popular service” that is provided by the ASC. “All of the ASC’s tutors are students who were recommended by their professors,” Davis said.
“They receive special training to prepare them for working with other students.” Davis said that tutoring is provided for “the bulk of [the] general education core requirement” and that in order to be eligible for tutoring, students must attend one tutee seminar per academic year. She said that tutee seminars will be held each Friday at 2 p.m. in Sims 215 for the remainder of February and then moved to Sims 209 for the month of March. While tutoring is a large focus for the ASC, Davis said that there are “a myriad of ways” in which the ASC’s academic coaches can help students out. “We can help you create goals that are measurable and realistic,” Davis said. “We can also help you build study tactics and overcome the urge to procrastinate on important assignments.” Ultimately, the ASC’s goal is to support students during their undergraduate years, and Davis said the center’s website offers “a bank of information about campus resources, open-educational resources like Khan Academy and community resources.” “[The ASC] is here to make sure that your time [in] undergrad is as conducive to learning as possible,” Davis said.
Ann Marie Juarez | Assistant News Editor juareza@mytjnow.com
Maggie Claytor/ The Johnsonian Students visit the Academic Success Center for academic support and advice. The ASC is locted across Myrtle Drive from Dacus Library in Dinkins 106.
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theJohnsonian February 26, 2020
Embracing natural hair through empowerment and community The Collegiate Curls of Winthrop is an organization on campus that helps multicultural students embrace their natural beauty through hair and skin practices
Savannah Scott
scotts@mytjnow.com Since California became the first state to pass a ban on natural hair discrimnation through their Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act, many states have followed the same agenda. However, there are still issues when it comes to natural hair discrimination that is prevelant in America. The Collegiate Curls of Winthrop is a student organization on campus that is aimed to bring awareness to this issue. “It was originally founded a few years ago on the campus of College of Charleston but here it was founded in 2018,” Jai’Lyn Lowe, a senior sociology major, said. “Just the fact that there are so many news stories you see like kids getting sent home, kids having to cut their hair, kids being told their hair is not beautiful … [this] organization [brings awareness to these issues].” CCW empowers natural hair and people of color by being transparent and speaking on this issue. “Well I think it is big and important because as an African
American or just as a woman of color it's cool to see a bunch of other people of color. It's just representation,” Sydney GrayMcDonald, a junior biology major, said. “You don’t often have clubs like this on other campuses. I am a transfer student so I know that you often don't see women of color or different ethnicities come together to talk about hair and [skin care].” Along with this, the organization focuses on skin and hair routines that empower multicultural students on campus. “[CCW focuses on] any natural hair products that you find in the natural hair section of stores,” Destiny Greene, a junior biology major, said. “Everybody has a different hair texture, different hair pattern so it’s really important … to talk about those because everybody has to buy something that works for them.” CCW is not only for women but men as well to teach the same practices and empowerment. The organization puts on events frequently. Recently, in conjunction with other student organizations on campus, they hosted a Black History Month trivia event on Feb. 19 and a fashion show in January. For Valentine’s Day, they held an event where people wrote
Courtesy of Collegiate Curls affirmations about natural hair and self care. The organization also hosts Texture Tuesday on their Instagram @ collegiatecurlsofwinthrop where people can post a picture with a hashtag and a picture of their natural hair that will be posted on their account. They also sell t-shirts and sweatshirts with the organization’s name on it.
You can also follow CCW on Twitter @WinthropCurls and through their Facebook page, Collegiate Curls of Winthrop. CCW welcomes all new members and you can reach them through email at collegiatecurls@ winthrop.edu or through Instagram. They meet every other Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Owens Room G01.
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Save your wallet and the environment The fast fashion industry is one of the major contributors to global climate change Savannah Scott scotts@mytjnow.com The fast fashion industry creates clothing that consumers ultimately will get rid of after it goes out of style in favor of new collections or when it has lived its lifespan ends for that individual. This is harmful to the environment due to the rapid production and consumption of these products causing pollution. This industry accounts for 8% of global climate change, which is more than international airlines and shipping trips combined, according to CBS News. American’s alone throw away 10.5 million tons of clothing a year and many of these items are made from synthetic material that are hard to break down or even get rid of, according to the University of California Berkeley. The issue of how fast fashion is harmful to workers and the environment has become more prominent. Students on campus are turning to more sustainable ways of clothes shopping. “I really love [thrifting] because I think a lot of people are so caught up in the need to be wearing name brand stuff but … ignore where the clothes come from and how they are produced,” Sonny Dodds, a sophomore psychology major, said. “It helps your wallet but also … it allows a different form of expression because everyone nowadays wears the same thing.” By thrifting, students not only
Sam Ross/The Johnsonian save money but also are not consuming fast fashion products. Thrifting also allows for selfexpression, as individuals are able to create their own style instead of having to follow what the fast fashion industry thinks is in style. “You are able to make [your style] your own. If we were to stop producing new fashion and live off thrifting there would be less factories, less child [labor and] less overwhelming labor,” Dodds said. “Our environment would be better because there wouldn't be factories with all that gas emitting.” Along with this, Chloe Wright, a junior theatre tech and design major, is helping individuals
find their own sustainable style by creating and running a social media thrift store. Her particular shop consists of thrifted clothes found by her that are later resold to interested buyers that claim the product through her Instagram. “The fashion industry is the 2nd highest contributor to pollution … if we combated fast fashion more with sustainability efforts and thrifting … we can bring that number down tremendously,” Wright said. “It's very hard to eliminate fast fashion 100% from your wardrobe but you don't have to give it 100% [if you take] … small steps.” “I love that I get to do what I love in order to help people
Savannah Scott | Science & Technology Editor scotts@mytjnow.com
develop their own closets and fashion sense as well as helping myself financially and supporting myself as a college student,” Wright said. Wright and other Winthrop students on campus have similar accounts and collaborate to do pop-up shops. “The pop-up shop[s] really creates an environment where you can stand and chat while [customers] are looking at cute clothes and [we] really get to know these people,” she said. For more information about Wright’s thrifting account, sustainable style and pop-up shop dates follow her Instagram business @shop_pinklemonade.
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SPORTS theJohnsonian February 19, 2020
The will to win
Winthrop men’s tennis had their first Big South matchday of the year Lily Fremed
staff writer With twelve matches still to go this regular season, there is still hope for the Winthrop men’s tennis team, who last season made it to the quarterfinal round of the Big South Conference Championship. Prior to Feb. 21, the Eagles had a record of 0-7 for this season. But on Feb. 21, things began to turn around for the Eagles, as they had their first matchday against another team in the Big South Conference. Winthrop faced off against Hampton, winning five consecutive matches, losing one and finally ending with a win, for the overall winning score of 6-1. Freshman Abhimanyu Vannemreddy is doing excellent in his single matches, having an overall score of 4-1 in singles matches as of Feb. 15. Although he is 0-1 with senior partner Connor Williamson, his doubles matches with freshman James Hartson have them at 2-1. Aside from being able to actually play tennis, a player or coach needs “passion … and the will to win day in and day out,” Vannemreddy said. Originally from Dasarahalli Hebbal, Bangalore in India, Vannemreddy played at Roland Garros in the junior French Open at the age of 17. He moved almost 9,000 miles away from home by choosing to attend Winthrop. “Just speaking with coach Collins and some of the guys on the team made me feel like Winthrop would be the best place for me to continue my tennis journey,” Vannemreddy said. During a singles match on Jan. 26 at Furman, Vannemreddy beat
opponent Jake Munns three times with final scores of 5-7, 6-2 and 7-6. However, as a team the Eagles lost 1-6 against the Furman Paladins. Looking up to Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player who is ranked third worldwide for men’s singles tennis, Vannemreddy said his “heroes would definitely have to be [his] parents just for the fact that they had to put up with [him].” The first two games of the season against Davidson College on Jan. 19 and Queens University of Charlotte on Jan. 25 were tough losses for the Eagles as both matches had a final score of 3-4. “Our group is pretty young and we have five freshmen, but they have been doing a fantastic job adapting to the collegiate experiences and being team players,” senior Gabriel Dias said. Vanemreddy is one of four freshmen on the 10 person team this year. Before his matches, Vannemreddy routinely over-hydrates in order to prevent cramping as he plays. In a singles match on Feb. 15, Vannemreddy defeated Zak Talic of Coastal Carolina University 6-3 and 6-4. Vannemreddy and partner Williamson lost during the doubles match that same day 4-6. Despite the struggles in this season so far, Vannemreddy remains optimistic with his “super chill” team. “My teammates inspire me to be a better player everyday. They work hard and help me improve every time we are on the court,” Vannemreddy said. He is even open to the idea of professionally playing tennis, as Vannemreddy simply said when
Photo provided by Winthrop Athletics asked about this, “Yeah, why not?” No matter how fun the sport is, there is one very important thing Vannemreddy truly admires about being a college athlete: “Free t-shirts, not going to lie.” Although injured and most likely not playing for the remainder of the season, Diaz said “I’m extremely excited to be competing next to my
boys during my last season as an Eagle. We have worked really hard preparing for this season and I am confident that the results will be a positive consequence of our efforts as individuals and as a team.” The Eagles take on Wofford in a home match at the Rock Hill Tennis Center on Feb. 28 at 2 p.m.
Black History with the Eagles Women’s basketball celebrated Black History Month in the Coliseum Gweneshia Wadlington
staff writer On Tuesday, Feb. 18, the Winthrop Eagles took on the Campbell Fighting Camels in a head to head battle. The game itself was credited as a cultural event because of its theme: Black History Month. Throughout the game, videos were shown on the jumbotron of some women’s basketball team members explaining what they know about black history, what they’ve been taught about it and what it means to them. Sophomore Maleeah Langstaff touched on what Black History Month focuses on. “This month focuses on shining a light & bringing under acknowledged African American people into the shining light they deserve. This month helps African Americans remember to set their goals high because we can achieve whatever we set our minds to and so much more.” Langstaff also said that for her, “black history month means a set out time to recognize African American achievements.” Langstaff along with teammates, sophomores Jah’che Whitfield, Sydney Buckley and Kem Nwabudu, were the game’s key leaders. Langstaff ended the game after 28 minutes on the floor with eight points from the field. Whitfield ended the game with 25 minutes on the floor, scoring 10 points and recording two assists, three steals, two free throws and six rebounds. Buckley ended the game with 15 minutes on the floor, scoring 10 points and recording three rebounds. Nwabudu ended the game with 25 minutes on the floor, scoring 12 points and recording
three assists, two steals and eight rebounds.The Eagles overall scored 40.3 percent from the field, 63.6 percent from the line and 11.1 percent from behind the arc. Head Coach Lynette Woodard was also a big part of the tribute to Black History Month. During halftime, Woodard was shown on the jumbotron explaining black history within the game of basketball, what it means to essentially be a part of that history and what it feels like to be helping write the story of black excellence and black achievement. “[Black History Month] means that African Americans have made some advancements in sport particularly in basketball,” Woodard said. “When I think of black history period, I feel so honored and proud of all of the achievements.” Amongst many other accomplishments, Woodard was the first female Harlem Globetrotter. Many thank Woodard for her achievements for the advancement in basketball, especially for African American women. Langstaff said that the month isn’t just about recognizing the familiar faces of the month. “It’s also a time to thank and show our gratitude for African Americans who have paved the way and worked hard to give us a chance to show our greatness. Too many times African American achievements go unrecognized or don’t get the acknowledgement they deserve,” Langstaff said. During the game, the Eagles recorded 12 steals total, tying their season high. Unfortunately, at the end of the game, the Eagles fell 5861 to the Fighting Camels. The Eagles will next Radford in the Winthrop Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 4 p.m.
Gabby Gardner | Sports Editor gardnerg@mytjnow.com
“This month focuses on shining a light and bringing under acknowledged African American people into the shining light they deserve.” -Maleeah Langstaff
“It’s also a time to thank and show our gratitude for African Americans who have paved the way and worked hard to give us a chance to show our greatness.” -Maleeah Langstaff
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February 26, 2020
Lowenstein offers innovation to the exercise program More information about the exercise physiology lab in the Lowenstein building and how it benefits students Beneshia Wadlington
staff writer It was reported the Lowenstein building would be built in Knowledge Park with several different rooms and spaces for the advancement of the exercise science program amongst other recreational rooms. Though many rooms in the buildings are still under construction and available for lease space, many of the spaces are already up and running, including White Horse and Get Fit With Troy. The Exercise Science offices within the Lowenstein building are now fully operational among the other rooms. Dr. Joni Boyd, exercise science professor and coaching minor advisor, talked more about the facility. “The space is a lab space used specifically for students in the exercise science program,” Boyd said. “There is a classroom which holds about 35 people, and a lab space which is somewhere around 1,200 square feet and the equipment within the facility is worth about $200,000. It incorporates areas for lab board testing for exercises.” The lab is capable of many things including VO2 and max testing, metabolic testing, speed testing, power and agility testing, flexibility and mobility testing, as well as strength testing. Dr. Boyd teaches a strength and conditioning course within
La’jai Reed/The Johnsonian the facility. Among those courses Exercise Physiology I and II, Biomechanics, and Strength and Conditioning. “The advantage of having this lab is that it gives our program an advantage as it allows for research and allows for extra space for events exercise during professional development,” Boyd said. “We didn’t have anything like this in the West Center.” President Mahony also released a statement about the facility at the beginning of the
academic year. “The space includes one classroom that seats 32 students and one lab with multiple pieces of state of the art equipment (total equipment value over $200K). Five academic classes and eight lab sections are taught there with over 100 students using the space each week between lecture and lab. Four faculty members have primary teaching responsibilities in the space. The site is also used to facilitate faculty research, student research, and special training, such as CSCS Strength and Conditioning seminars.” Upon walking in the room, students are welcomed to a common space with a table, chairs, and a counter, a comfortable looking place for studying. Within the room is a classroom which seats between 32 and 35 students. There, they learn about different exercises and their significance as well as how they relate to real life issues. Then outside the classroom and behind the common space is the lab space. There students can find all types of equipment including a Bod Pod, which can measure body fat, and a jumping mat which can calculate how high you jump based off the time you jumped off the mat and the time you landed back on it. In the lab space, students learn about
how these types of equipment can be helpful with real life issues. “This is a mat that can measure which leg you lean on the most,” Dr. Boyd said as she demonstrated a piece of equipment. “In the class, students can learn that using this mat can help someone, for example, who recently went through a stroke and is in rehabilitation or even a baseball player who may want more power in their swing. We can analyze the data to help them switch up their feet to get better results.” Winthrop University prides itself omg the lab space as it’s safe to say that it is one of very few schools that have the facility, and one of even fewer schools which have the facility designed with the classroom and lab within the same room. Furthermore, Winthrop is graced to have partnered with a company in Rock Hill who actually creates the exercise machines. The company sends newly built machines for students in the class to try out. Students then are able to test out the equipment and make suggestions on if it worked, why it may or may not have worked, and how the equipment can be better. The lab has already begun to receive positive feedback from students and is being used daily within those classes.
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February 26, 2020
A showcase of written words A preview of the Creative Writing Program’s upcoming student reading event. David Botzer staff writer Later this month, Winthrop’s Creative Writing Program will be hosting a student reading, which will showcase some of the program’s most talented writers. Five of the student readers for the event were available to speak about the event, themselves, and the piece they plan to read. The first is Samantha Melander, a junior theatre performance major and creative writing minor. While Melander is no stranger to performing in front of people due to her major, she doesn’t often perform her written work. According to her, “this [story] is close to my heart. It was originally an assignment for a flash fiction written with only one-syllable words, and it ended up being double the pages Hoffman had asked for! Most of the prose is still kept choppy as in the original, but this edited version I’ll be reading does have bigger words.” Melander hopes everyone enjoys the event and believes that it is “a good opportunity to develop a sense of confidence and pride in [her] work.” Senior mass communication major Téa Franco is another participant of the event. Franco, who also has minors in creative writing and political science minor, plans to read what she dubbed an “experimental” flash fiction piece called “Up Next: I Dye My Hair Blonde.” “The narrative takes the frame of a young girl doing a YouTube tutorial on how she straightens her hair. It’s basically a parody of the beauty industry specifically surrounding the ideals that it places upon young women of color,” Franco said. “I wrote this piece actually out of necessity, as Dr. Hoffman told me I should have some experimental flash in my packet for graduate school applications, and it turned out to be something that I am proud of and
excited to share. It will be my first time reading it to an audience, and I am a little worried because the piece definitely requires a very animated read, and that’s not something I have done before.” While this will be Franco’s first time reading this piece, it is not her only time reading prose to an audience. “I participated in the creative writing student showcase last year where I read two poems and then a few months later I was given the chance to read more of my poetry at the South Carolina Arts and Humanities Festival that Winthrop hosted. Last semester I organized and emceed the student reading as I was one of the creative writing program interns, so it will be exciting to get to read at this one. I’ve never read fiction to a crowd before despite it being my dominant genre so I am excited about this opportunity,” Franco said. Joining Franco and Melander is Hayley Neiling, an English graduate student with a concentration in rhetoric and composition. Her planned piece is a “bit of an experiment that I took from George Saunders’s ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’. I wanted to create the image of a
Marisa Fields-Williams/The Johnsonian character entirely based on her perception by other people. I also wanted to include the voices of women writers who have written about other women in romantic ways, so I’ve taken snippets from Virgina Woolf, Emily Dickenson, Alison Bechdel and others like them.” Neiling has previously read poems for the English Department and was in a creative writing showcase a couple years ago. She is glad the event is giving her a chance to share her work and allowing students a chance to celebrate the “other wonderful writers at Winthrop.” Jammie Huynh, a senior Spanish and English double major who is also minoring in sociology and political science, is also reading at the event. “A lot of my poetry stems from how I grew up with my family and culture. A lot of my poems are about the trauma I’ve gone through with my father and my poems explore that.” Huynh said. Huynh hopes that this event allows them to simply “better my poems and learn how to project
them to an audience. Writing a poem and performing a poem are two different things and I want to be well versed in both.” The last reader that was able to speak was Lyric Knuckles, a senior English major and creative writing minor. Knuckles’ planned piece is “generational neglect as it follows a daughter’s relationship with her mom and grandmother. It also captures the hesitation the daughter feels to combat societal pressures.” Knuckles is no stranger to these kinds of events, having done readings and spoken words since she was in middle school. She hopes to “generate inspiration while also gaining some [her]self” at the reading and appreciates the opportunity to read her work to other Winthrop students. The Student Reading will take place on Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. in Whitton Auditorium. It is also a free cultural event. Asides from the students mentioned, other readers will include Casey Smith, Jariel Bido, Kyra Pearson and Ali Womack.
Undergrad artists take on Lewandowski gallery Foundations Exhibition features a variety of media by mostly freshman and sophomore artists Laura Munson munsonl@mytjnow.com The latest exhibition in the visual art department showcases the work of students in foundations level courses. The 2020 Foundations Exhibition is open from Feb. 25 through March 16 in Lewandowski Student Gallery in McLaurin Hall. The exhibition is a showcase of student work from foundations level classes, which include drawing 1, drawing 2, 2D design, 3D design and media studies courses. Sophomore fine arts major and education minor Jewel Edwards feels that the exhibit works as a debut for students who may not have exhibited their work before. “The showcase is really about showcasing new artists,” Edwards said. “First time students get to showcase their work to everyone, it’s kind of like your debut as an artist.” According to sophomore art education major Emily Shelton, the pieces chosen for the show are meant to “best represent the courses.” Shelton has two pieces in the show, a music video and a sculp-
ture. The music video is for the song “Take Flight” by Columbia, SC based band Bellavida, a song that Shelton says spoke to her. The video plays with different patterns, both those that occur in nature and man made patterns such as roads. Shelton’s other piece is a sculpture that examines the ways many students must “put a price on life.” The sculpture is a pig named Penny, whose stomach is slashed open with pennies spilling out of it, as “a play on a piggy bank.” The sculpture was a final project for Shelton’s 3D design course, which had to be an installation using any medium or topic. Shelton installed the sculpture next to a vending machine, with quarters and dimes mixed with the more “worthless” pennies to see if people would search through the pennies and steal the quarters and dimes, as a statement about “sacrificing art for money”. According to Shelton, all of the quarters and dimes were taken. Edwards has four pieces in the show, which are mixed media abstract pieces using materials such as colored pencils and paint. Her work deals with colorism in the black community, and specif-
ically with whitening creams used to lighten the skin. “European [beauty] ideals have always been highlighted, that white is more beautiful. So I took this idea of how white creams bleach skin,” Edwards said. The piece also focuses on the health risks posed by using bleaching creams, which can increase the risk of skin cancer, lead to liver and other organ problems and can damage the skin. “We’re using white creams to cover [our skin color] up, which actually is damaging our insides. And it’s so commercialized that we don’t really know what’s happening inside, because they portray this false
advertisement of beauty.” Edwards says much of her work is research based. “I do a lot of research to kind of understand the history of why we think white skin is beautiful, where it’s coming from, how it’s kind of gotten to modern day society. And how we’re still using bleach creams to lighten our skin.” The Foundations Exhibition runs through March 16 in the Lewandowski Student Gallery, in McLaurin Hall. For more information, visit https://www.winthrop. edu/galleries/current-exhibitions. aspx
Sam Ross/The Johnsonian
Laura Munson | A&C Editor munsonl@mytjnow.com
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Weird and wonderful Winthrop Treasures A closer look at five works of public art on campus Laura Munson munsonl@mytjnow.com A quick stroll around campus reveals a variety of large, beautiful and often bizarre works of art. These sculptures of various mediums are a vital part of students’ walk to class, but most students know almost nothing about them. According to “The Garnet and Gold,” founding president David Bancroft Johnson emphasized public art on campus, which eventually led to an ongoing program in which art and design students can create permanent works of public art that have become staples of Winthrop’s campus.
Metamorphosis While most students know her simply as “Bench Lady,” the bronze woman who sits reading at the end of Scholars Walk is officially called “Metamorphosis.” The statue was commissioned by the class of 1964 in recognition of their 50 year class reunion. The 100 pound statue highlights Winthrop’s history as a teacher training school in the early 1900s by depicting a student in an Edwardian-era Winthrop uniform. The butterfly on her book represents the class of 1964, as the butterfly was a symbol they used to represent the “metamorphosis” students experience at Winthrop.
The Amphibian Quartet The performing frogs near the amphitheatre have a surprising amount of meaning behind them. The five bronze frogs were created by artist David Stellerberg and donated to the campus by Charlotte businessman and philanthropist Irwin Belk to pay tribute to Rock Hill’s annual Come-See-Me Festival. In addition, all five of them have names. The two violinists are Igor and Leopold Frogawaski, the trumpeteers are Dizzy the Cheeks and Louie the Lip, and the ballerina is La Frogette.
Gold Tree Gold Tree is a 20 foot tall metal sculpture standing between Scholars Walk and the Conservatory of Music. The tree was created by Thomas Whichard, who graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2012, and is Whichard’s first large, permanent outdoor sculpture.
The Winthrop Eagle Irwin Belk, the same philanthropist who donated the Amphibian Quartet, also commissioned the iconic Winthrop Eagle statue in 2005. The statue and concrete pedestal were created by artist Jon Hair, and was inspired by the university athletics logo. The statue itself would go on to inspire the university’s redesigned official logo in 2018. The eagle and its pedestal stand at a combined 32 feet tall.
Purple Worm Purple Worm is a large steel sculpture created by art major Rebecca Jane Hooper. The sculpture was installed as a public gathering place, and is often regarded as a landmark and used as an unorthodox seating place. For more information on these and other works of public art on campus, visit https://www.winthrop.edu/virtualtour/arttour. aspx Olivia Esselman/The Johnsonian
Student symphonies take the stage in Tillman A look at the Winthrop Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony Laura Munson munsonl@mytjnow.com Winthrop’s Department of Music houses several student ensembles, and its ensemble concert series will continue this week with a concert by the Winthrop Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr. Douglass Presley, and the Winthrop Wind Symphony under the direction of Dr. Lorrie Crochet on Feb. 27. Band graduate assistant Alexander Dudek took some time to discuss what makes the two ensembles unique, and what audiences can expect from the concert. According to Dudek, these particular ensembles only perform a few times a year, including another concert in April. “There’s this
tangible excitement in the air, at least coming from the performers, because we don’t get to share what we do with the symphonic band and the wind symphony a whole lot,” Dudek said. “As audience members you can kind of expect to feel some of that excitement.” The upcoming concert will feature a variety of musical styles, and music composed for a variety of purposes. “The symphonic band in particular has everything from music originally written for orchestra, to music written for voice originally, and then music written for band. So there is a whole lot of variety between the two ensembles that audiences should be really excited about,” Dudek said. The Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band are both audition
based, with members undergoing blind seating auditions that determine which ensemble they are placed in. The top performers are placed in the Wind Symphony, and Dudek says the Symphonic Band is only “a little further behind.” “The quality of the ensembles is really really close. The Symphonic Band typically has more [performers] who aren’t music majors but [who] played instruments in high school,” Dudek said. “The Symphonic Band is larger, and the Wind Symphony is a little bit more pared down - just the essential instrumentation.” Because Byrnes Auditorium is offline, the concert and others like it will take place in Tillman Auditorium. “We always like to have
new people out in the audience, because ever since we moved to Tillman Auditorium from Byrnes Auditorium it’s been harder to get people out. So people should really come and see the groups perform - it’s really something special that we’re wanting to expose more people to. And even if you’re not a band person or you haven’t had much musical experience, it’s a really cool experience that people should definitely come check out,” Dudek said. The Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony will perform on Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Tillman Auditorium. The concert will last one hour and it is a free cultural event.
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OPINION
theJohnsonian
February 26, 2020
Parting words: a letter from the editor Victoria Howard
howardv@mytjnow.com Dear Dr. Mahony, Thank you. You have been a guiding light and shining star on this campus since I first got here. Since commencement, I’ve felt like we knew each other personally — like I could go to you with anything and you would offer me advice. Walking down Scholars, seeing you and waving, always brightened my day. You brought up the morale of the students, drew us closer together and inspired us to do our very best. You believed in every member of the student body at Winthrop and encouraged us to aim high and not be afraid of failure. You told us that failure is what comes before success and that we can look forward to these failures and that we should try
to find the lesson in it all. Thank you for always being open to connecting with us. Getting lunch with you was always just an email away. When I was finally able to sit down and chat with you over lunch in Thomson, I felt like you were really listening to me and offering me advice that you might offer your own children. A couple of weeks after our lunch, I was showing my grandparents around campus and we ran into you. It was a Saturday and you had just come from the gym and were sweaty and probably wanted nothing more than to shower, but you stood and spoke to my grandparents and I for 20 minutes. Being able to connect with you beyond just my life at Winthrop was incredibly important to me, and showed me that having a connection with people goes further than just the moments when you’re at work.
Thank you for the words you said at your final lecture to us here at Winthrop. It’s hard to not look at those around us and just constantly compare what we perceive about them to be the whole truth. You gave us insight into how that looks for you and the discrepancies between what your life on paper looked like versus what reality really held. I will take your words regarding criticism and surrounding myself with strong people that will support me through my last year at this university and then throughout life. Thank you for raising the standards of what it means to be a president at Winthrop. You have shown not only the student body, but also faculty and staff what we should expect from anyone in the future — dignity, dedication, connection and success. You achieved so many of your goals and truly made Winthrop
a better place, both for current students and for future students. It will be hard for any president to ever compare to the legacy that you will be leaving behind. Finally, thank you for all the dad jokes and gags. College can be lonely and uncomfortable, but your jokes, whether they’re about grandmas loving you or doing the whoa with a group of students, made this place feel more like home. I wish you well in everything coming for you and your family. The students at SIU don’t know how lucky they are about to be to have you as their president. But you’ll always be our president. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle. Ever Stand, Victoria Howard
What will you miss most about President Mahony? We asked Winthrop students attending Dan Mahony’s last lecture to tell us what they’ll miss most about the president
“He was very personal and always tried to make everyone feel like they were at home.” -Abigail Catoe, sophomore fine arts major
“I’m gonna miss seeing him on moving days helping everyone move in.” -Megan Donohue, junior chemistry major
“His ability to care for students and [knowing] that “How he made the campus feel so much their best interest is at his heart. He really allows like a community with his lunches with students to be exactly who they are and have students and such. He’s just a great guy and Winthrop be a comfortable environment for them I’m gonna really miss him.” to grow, develop, and become amazing student leaders and eventually world leaders.” -Caitlyn Yeomans, freshman -Chanel Solomon, senior psychology major English major
Victoria Howard | Opinion Editor howardv@mytjnow.com
“Being involved in every single aspect of Winthrop and supporting us, especially the athletic department.” -Alisa Soloveva, senior exercise science major
“Having somebody that is so genuinely caring for the student body as he is. [I’ll miss] having somebody that’s in such a high position being connected to any and all of the students.” -Grace Johnson, sophomore musical theatre major
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February 26, 2020
ESAs on campus Emotional support animals are great to come home to and also serve as stress relief for students on this campus Sarah Delventhal
staff writer With all the stress from classes, it is nice to come home to a pet that is always happy to see you. Sara Griffith, Allison Reed and Maggie McMillan all know what it is like to have an emotional support animal (ESA) at Winthrop. Reed, a junior biology major, who had her dog Murphy on campus only for spring semester 2019, said that the best part for her was, “having someone to come home to.” Reed was living in Courtyard at the time with roommates that were private so it was nice for her to have someone to interact with. McMillan, a junior human nutrition major, is currently enjoying the perks of having her 7-month-old cat Theo on campus with her. She loves knowing he is back at home in the dorm and, “being able to wake up to him and cuddle with him and just laugh.” These animals do not just provide the feeling of home like normal pets. Instead, they are there to help these students in whatever way possible. Griffith, a senior elementary education major, has had her cat on campus since freshman year and the fact that this is possible was one of her deciding factors when coming to Winthrop. “I am able to have extra support for when I am in crisis or when I or close friends are in need,” Griffith said. Pets are a great way to destress and no matter how you are feeling they pick up one’s mood when around them. “He just, whenever I am in a bad position, when I am in a bad mood, he helps cheer me up,” McMillan said about her cat Theo. An essential part of owning an ESA is taking care of them. “He helps keep me on track cause no matter how I am feeling I got to make sure he is fed and has water and clean his litter box,” McMillan said. It is not just about making sure she gets everything she needs to be
done for school — she knows that there is another creature who is relying on her to survive. Reed also shares the same experience. “It made me feel like I was helping someone other than myself like being part of something bigger than yourself,” Reed said. These creatures rely on their owners just as much as the students depend on them. Students chose to have ESAs for various reasons on campus. Reed made Murphy an ESA because her parents were going to be moving overseas and her two older brothers were ruled out for various reasons. McMillan could not picture living at Winthrop without her cat and has medical reasons for needing Theo on campus. As for Griffith, she knew she wanted one before coming to campus. Some may think that an ESA is used just as an excuse to have a pet on campus. These girls disagree. “ESAs are supposed to serve a purpose to help their owner, similarly to a service animal but on a lesser bar,” Griffith said. Even though people often believe that because they want a pet they can bring them in as ESAs, these pets do serve a purpose to their owner. Both Reed and McMillan believe that this policy is not abused on campus because of the procedure to get an ESA approved. Reed said the process, “was just a lot of hoops to jump through.” “You need an ESA just to get through the ESA process,” McMillan said, due to the fact as she said, “it was a long and stressful” process. The procedure is an eight step process. According to the emotional support animal page on Winthrop’s website, a student must first obtain the forms and guidelines from the Office of Accessibility. These forms include a personal statement from the student, the emotional support animal disability verification filled out by the student’s physician, and the ESA’s owner’s responsibility and guidelines form. Students will also need an up to date health record and vaccination history of their pet signed off by their veteri-
Sam Ross/ The Johnsonian narian. Once this is completely filled out, they must fill out new accommodations forms online and submit these documents with it. From there the Office of Accessibility will reach out to a student if they have any more questions or they might ask to set up an appointment with you in person. Students are required to have an appointment with the office to discuss guidelines and responsibilities for the fourth step. From there, residence life is contacted via email and will discuss housing options for students with ESAs. Once housing is figured out, roommates or suitemates will be contacted to make
sure they are okay with having them in the dorm room. If one roommate says no, the student with the ESA will have to be reassigned to a different room. When all this is done, residence life will contact the student with room information. The student is then required to meet with their Resident Learning Coordinator to review the maintenance agreement for the residence they are staying in. Finally, the student can move in with their ESA. For more information about ESAs and the approval process, visit https://www.winthrop.edu/hcs/ emotional-support-animal-guidelines-and-procedures.aspx.
Stop giving Bloomberg attention Bloomberg isn’t a good candidate and we should stop giving him such heavy press coverage Victoia Howard
howardv@mytjnow.com After declaring his running in the Democratic primaries late in the game, billionaire Michael Bloomberg has made his name relevant in conversations around the primaries. This isn’t good. The former mayor of New York City declared that he would be running in late November, when several candidates who had been on the debate stage earlier in the year had already dropped from the race. Since declaring that he would be running on the Democratic ticket, Bloomberg has been bombarding Americans with advertisements and PSAs. According to NPR, he has spent almost a $450 dollars on advertising, with all of that money coming out of his own pocket. Unable to qualify for the debate stage due to his refusal to take campaign donations from citizens, many didn’t take him to be a serious candidate. After taking the stage in Las Vegas for the ninth Democratic debate on Wednesday, Feb. 19, Bloomberg created a wave of media coverage — but not for reasons he and his team were probably hoping for. During the debate, moderators
asked Bloomberg pointed questions about past actions, both as a businessman and during his time as mayor. Other candidates also took turns drilling into Bloomberg and calling out his heinous actions. Only minutes into the debate Sen. Elizabeth Warren said, “Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.” Many who support Bloomberg want to believe that his being a businessman gives him a solid ground to compete against Trump if the general election came down between the two of them. This is a ridiculous assumption and shows how little confidence some Democrats have in the party to take the White House in November. If Bloomberg were to be nominated, America would be stuck choosing between two billionaires — one of whom has been accused of sexual harassment and the other who has been accused of discriminating against female employees. In a 2008 New York Times article, it was reported that 50 women were accusing Bloomberg of discriminating against them while they were pregnant. This year, The Washington Post reported in detail on allegations that Bloomberg was known to verbally harass women in his workplace.
Warren has been constant in her insistence in knowing the story behind the non-disclosure agreements that employees of Bloomberg’s are told to sign. She claimed that these NDAs are a way for Bloomberg and his company to hide what they are doing behind closed doors, and if he wasn’t ashamed of anything then that these people should be released from these NDAs. On the debate stage, Warren once again took Bloomberg on by demanding to know why he wouldn’t release the NDAs. Bloomberg stood by the agreements. Bloomberg is not a good person. He has a history of being unfair toward women and of not being fully transparent about what goes on within his company. He’s also cut from the same political cloth as Trump. Ads that Bloomberg has released have the same kind of childish energy that Trump appears with. Instead of focusing on how his policies will be good for America, Bloomberg has instead released ads saying “Donald Trump cheats at golf.” and “Donald Trump eats burnt steak. Mike Bloomberg likes his medium rare.” Is this really the kind of person we want running for office? Is it the kind of person that someone who
Courtesy of Bloomberg Philanthropies is against Trump for more than just issues in policy would want? It shouldn’t be. So why does the media keep giving this man coverage? We should be focused on talking about the serious candidates who have the drive to make a change in this country. Candidates like Warren or Sen. Bernie Sanders who have strong beliefs that they stand by and don’t just drag Trump for eating burnt steak.
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theJohnsonian
February 26, 2020
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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF AMERICA, FROM TOM STEYER
Your concerns about climate are completely justified and on target. It's ridiculously unfair for you to inherit an uninhabitable planet because self-interested politicians refuse to stand up to corporations. But they can’t dismiss you. Your voices rise with the conviction of truth and the willingness to act. You’ve called yourselves “the voiceless future of humanity,” but you are not voiceless. For too long, members of my generation have chosen short-term profit over anything else, even people’s lives. But you’ve broken through — using every tool at your disposal to demand a voice. It’s imperative for those in power to treat the climate crisis with the urgency it demands. I'm the only candidate who will openly make fighting climate change my number one priority. If it's not number one, it won't get done ... and it has toget done. On the first day of my presidency, I will declare the climate crisis a national emergency and invoke the emergency powers of the executive office, including enacting power plant regulations, instilling stricter pollution standards on cars, and revamping building codes. I will hold all corporate polluters accountable for their environmental crimes against humanity. No other candidate sees it this way, but we have no choice — we’re running out of time. It’s why I left my company a decade ago to start NextGen America, and worked with students all across the U.S. to mobilize the largest youth voter registration and turnout effort in American history. Young people lead the charge; and in 2020 you’ll vote out the most corrupt president this country has ever seen. Climate justice is at the heart of this struggle. Far too much pollution is located in communities that lack political agency, and especially in communities of color. My climate justice plan (tomsteyer.com/climate) focuses on bringing justice to those whose air and water has been poisoned by corporations over decades of discriminatory, environmentally racist policies. We must redress this historic and continued discrimination if we are going to build a better America and transform our economy safely and equitably.
On day one of my presidency, I will declare the climate crisis a national emergency and invoke the emergency powers of the executive office.
When we put justice at the center of fighting climate change, we'll bring this country together and create millions of good, high-paying, green jobs in the process. The future of this planet and our economic future can only be assured together. We must turn the most powerful tool in history — the American economy — toward healing our planet, restoring our communities, and building a government that is truly of, by, and for the people. This is the election that will determine the course of all our lives. Trump has made it clear that he is willing to destroy our health and our planet to please the oil and gas industry. We must stop him. We can safeguard our futures while restoring the health of the planet. We can become global leaders again through climate action. And together, we can win. Regardless of who you’re voting for in 2020, I know you’ll show up. I know you’ll speak out. I know you’ll vote, because there’s so much at stake — everything. Let’s save the world, and let’s do it together.
PAID FOR BY TOM STEYER 2020
TOM STEYER, DEMOCRAT FOR PRESIDENT Text climate to 46866