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September 8, 2021
Remembrance Service to Be Held for Marissa Borst By Olivia Slack, Co-Editor in Chief On Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 10 a.m., a Remembrance Service will be held for student Marissa Borst, '24, who died on Aug. 1, 2021. The service will be held in the grassy area in front of Jones Chapel. Because the service will be held outside, there is no RSVP required and social distancing will be enforced. In case of rain, the service will be held inside Jones Chapel, which can accomodate 150 people. Chaplain Stacy Pardue told The Herald that the College has held a service such as this whenever there has been a student death and that the service "honors the student, supports the family members and helps the campus grieve and support one another." Marissa's mother, Vanessa Borst, described Marissa as an active student in high school who hoped to continue that involvement at Meredith. Ms. Borst said that Marissa was an avid reader, loved Broadway musicals and hoped to be involved in theatre productions at Meredith. Marissa was a recipient of the Meredith Legacy Scholarship, and she was a
your feelings...don't try to psychology major who "wanted to open her own practice one day go through this alone. Even though this was conveyed to and help children" according to Marissa many times, and she her mother. She was also intalked with volved with me many the Meredith times about Autism Prothem, the gram (MAP) disease can and her fool your mother said brain into she loved thinking it "times spent won't ever with fellow get better. classmates Remember, and her Big everything Sis." is temporary Ms. and won't Borst shared last forever. that Marissa Please reach was diagout to somenosed with one if you bipolar II feel like you disorder, need help." which she For studescribed dents strugas "a physiPhoto courtesy of Vanessa Borst gling with cal disease, Marissa's death, a chemical imbalRev. Pardue said, "That's ance, that affects you mentally." normal when you come to apMs. Borst said, "The main thing preciate and love someone. It's I'd like to convey is there is no the human condition. I would shame in dealing with anxiety, encourage them to take some depression or bipolar disease...I time to be grateful for the ways just want [students] to understand that you need to talk about that Marissa touched their life,
and to share those with others who knew her and are also grieving." She added, "There... may be students or others on campus that are personally dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and I would strongly encourage them to seek immediate professional help." Rev. Pardue also said she is happy to speak with students who need to process ideas about death or suicide, and that they can email her at pardues@meredith.edu to set up an appointment. To make an appointment at Meredith's Counseling Center, email counselingcenter@ meredith.edu or call 919-7608427. In a crisis, contact the counselor on-call at 919-7608888 or the Critical Response Team at 919-612-6350. September is also Suicide Prevention Month, and there are many resources available from the Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Crisis Text Line. Read the extended version of this story with Ms. Borst's full reflection on our website.
Students Weigh In on Meredith's Water Policy
By Maggie Barnhill, Staff Writer, and Shae-Lynn Henderson, Contributing Writer As Meredith College’s fall semester begins, the school’s policies regarding COVID-19 for the 2021-2022 school year are being scrutinized by concerned students. One policy prohibits students from eating or drinking in class. This guideline, differing from policies set in place during the 2020-2021 school year, restricts students from using a straw under their mask to drink water while in class. While the College’s Community Standards discourage eating or drinking while indoors, they do not directly say that students are prohibited from drinking water in class by using a straw under their mask. From an administrative perspective, Senior Vice President and Provost Dr. Matthew Poslusny responded to a few questions regarding the new COVID-19 guidelines concerning food and drink in the classroom. When asked why students are unable to drink from a straw under their mask
this year when they were able to in the 2020-2021 school year, Dr. Poslusny stated, “Last year, students were seated six feet apart, the majority of our classes were either online or hybrid. This year, in order to have more classes on campus…we made the decision to go to three feet seating. In order for this to be successful, it is critical that masks be worn correctly. That means no gaps. When one drinks through a straw, even for the briefest of moments, that creates a gap which allows for the transmission of the virus.” Dr. Poslusny also offered insight into why students are allowed to eat and drink in buildings such as the Cate Center and Belk Dining Hall. “There are a number of differences between a classroom space and a space like the dining hall,” he said. “These factors include the size of spaces and the ability for an individual to choose whether to eat inside the facility.” He also went on to state that administration had
“consulted with the Director of [the] Health Center and also with the Assistant Director of Disability Services so that we could put into place a procedure that would protect the health of our entire population while taking into account the needs of individuals. Disability Services has been in touch with students that have accommodations to eat in class, and they have made alternative arrangements as needed.” In his final statement, Dr. Poslusny wanted to remind everyone “that the requirement has been put into place to keep people safe and that it really extends to all public indoor spaces where food is not routinely served.” Hannah Taib, ‘22, a student athlete on the field hockey team, said that she agreed with some of her teammates that having to step out of class in order to drink water puts them at a disadvantage. Taib said, “People tend to forget that we
are still students—education always comes first in order to keep playing for Meredith College.” She explained that this policy negatively impacts her and her teammates because as “student-athlete[s] in Division III, [we] do not get to slack in [our] classes.” Taib and her teammates, like Kate Erb, ‘24, don’t want to miss important information to remain hydrated. Erb said she now struggles with “headaches and fatigue [that] make it difficult to concentrate” as a result of a lack of hydration and the heat. Looking after the Meredith students is at the heart of all decisions made by Meredith staff, but some students believe the new guidelines about drinking water during class are not the best way to keep Meredith students safe.
News In-Person Classes Resume at Meredith By Rania Abushakra, Staff Writer Meredith College students, faculty and staff have returned to almost fully in-person classes this semester. While the return to the pre-pandemic college experience may give relief for some students, others feel uneasy about sitting in a classroom surrounded by many students who may not share the same concerns over COVID-19 safety. Before the semester started, Meredith’s Executive Leadership Team announced that vaccinations will be encouraged but not required for students, faculty and staff. Those who wish not to receive the vaccine must be tested each week and get cleared by the Health Center. Things are not back to normal just yet as the Delta variant of COVID-19 is a concern to the CDC and College officials. This variant is highly
contagious and more severe than the normal strain of COVID-19. The CDC also announced that while the vaccines are proven effective, there is still a chance to become infected with the virus. In North Carolina, most of the new cases are from the Delta variant of COVID-19. Madison Helton, ‘25, said she enjoys having in person classes because it was difficult to learn and comprehend information in an online setting. "Online classes felt like watching YouTube videos instead of learning. During in-person classes, I am more focused and it is [much] easier to connect with professors and other classmates," Helton said. "As long as [the Meredith community] takes precautions to ensure that the virus does not spread, I think in person classes should continue." For other students, like
Class of 2025 Elections Taking Place Next Week By Angelina Morin, Contributing Writer For freshmen, the time to vote for campus representatives is approaching. A ballot will be sent to students at 8 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 13, and voting will close on Sept. 14. On Sept. 8, students can watch speeches from candidates via Zoom to get to know their potential representatives. Students can find links to the Zoom for campaign speeches and ballot forms in
their emails. Representatives work to make changes on campus and host important events and traditions. Be sure to vote for your preferred candidate, and be on the lookout for vacant positions following the election. Information about any vacant positions to be filled by an application and interview process will be sent out following the election.
No Changes for Meredith’s Vaccine Requirement After Pfizer’s FDA Approval By Freya Dahlgren, Staff Writer Now that the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, newly branded as Comirnaty, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this does not change the lack of a vaccine requirement for students, faculty and staff at Meredith College. When asked about vaccine requirements, Melyssa Allen, Director of News at Meredith College, said, “Meredith continues to strongly encourage all students, faculty and staff to get the COVID-19 vaccinations of their choice…Campus leaders hope the FDA approval will help individuals who have been hesitant about vaccination to decide to get vaccinated now.” She also stated that Meredith is looking into holding another COVID-19
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vaccine clinic on campus. A previous clinic was held in April 2021 where the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was offered to faculty, staff and students. At the time of this article’s printing, the vaccination rate for students at Meredith is 73.6% and the vaccination rate for faculty and staff is 79.4%. In the meantime, information about vaccine availability can be found on the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) website. If any changes are made to Meredith’s COVID-19 Community Standards or safety requirements, those changes will be communicated to students and employees.
Kiran Kapur, ‘22, tions.” Photo by Madison Sholar returning to in Regardless of person classes causes a signifiwhich learning environment is cant amount of anxiety. “I am used at Meredith, continuing scared for the people who are to practice proper health and not vaccinated as they could re- safety measures like wearing a ally suffer if they become infect- face mask indoors can ensure a ed," Kapur said. "I know that if I safe transition back to normal get the virus, I will likely recover and keep the case count low. quickly since I am vaccinated and take the proper precau-
Sizzlin’ Into September By Evelyn Summers, Contributing Writer September is marked by the beginning of fall, with pumpkin spice lattes, cooler weather and many events occurring on campus. One such event in September is Meredith’s “Sizzlin’ September” festival happening Friday, Sept. 17 from 3 to 7:30 p.m. This event is aimed to bring individuals together to have fun at the beginning of the semester and become more involved in the Meredith community. There will be two different times students can attend Sizzlin’ September this year in order to comply with COVID-19 capacity requirements. Unlike years in the past when the wider Raleigh community was encouraged to attend, Sizzlin’ September will only be available for Meredith students. This event
will take place in the McIver Amphitheater and its surrounding green space. There will be a variety of food trucks, live music and socially distanced activities for the attendees to partake in. Food truck options will include Mr. Mongolian, Big Mike’s BBQ and carnival-style treats from Oak Leaf Catering. Other activities include bingo and raffle prizes randomly selected according to seating location. Vendors will be following COVID-19 safety guidelines and students are expected to follow Community Standards. Students must pre-register to attend this event and there is no cost for attendance. An RSVP invitation will be sent out via email in the coming week.
Photo by Olivia Slack
Arts & Entertainment
Duck, Duck, Pig: MC's Newest Game
By Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editor, and Hannah Taib, Staff Writer One might think that MC Ducks—@m.c.ducks on Instagram—had been an established campus phenomenon that suddenly stepped into the spotlight, but it was created on Aug. 20, 2021, just two days after the first day of classes. Within a week, the page gained over 100 new followers and a cult-like enthusiasm. Even MC Ducks was surprised by the page’s sudden popularity, saying that they never expected the project to get this big. MC Ducks is a completely student-run initiative that started as a spontaneous, 2 a.m. idea. But don’t let the name fool you—MC Ducks also hides pigs, and is even considering expanding their goods to celebrate
holidays and Meredith events. To play, students must first find a toy duck or pig around campus. Students can take a photo of themselves with their findings and send it to the MC Ducks Instagram page to let them know a toy has been found. Students can collect one of each animal, but the game doesn’t stop there. If they find more than one duck or pig on campus, they are instructed to re-hide them. When the student re-hides a duck or pig, MC Ducks asks them to send a picture of the duck or pig to their Instagram account for it to be posted or featured. MC Ducks describes it as a “take one, leave one” rule so that other students will have the opportunity to
participate in the fun. Students can participate in the scavenger hunt by starting to look for a duck or pig around campus, mainly outdoors for COVID-19 safety. As an outdoor game, MC Ducks frequently updates their followers of the weather forecast on their Instagram story to avoid any student from playing in bad weather. Even with all the fun, MC Ducks’ priority is to keep everyone safe and healthy. When it comes to the true identity of MC Ducks, don’t expect a reveal any time soon. They want people to focus on the game rather than trying to figure out who they are. MC Ducks does not have an end goal for their newest game, and
Photo by Kaylee Haas
there is no telling when this game might end. They hope that no matter what, the game will continue to bring joy to Meredith students. In their words, “It’s the little things that make people smile the biggest.”
New Clubs and Organizations on Campus By Ally Cefalu, A&E Editor
Five new clubs were started this semester, including the Meredith Hospitality and Tourism Management Club, the Meredith Student Veterans Association, the National Art Education Association Student Chapter, SummitCollege and the Meredith Media Association. Currently, Meredith has over 100 clubs and organizations for students to get involved with on campus. Information about these new clubs, their purposes and their meeting times and locations are detailed below. In addition, this information can be found on MC Connect.
various events on campus and within the community. This club hopes to “serve and set an example of Meredith’s unique flavor of southern hospitality.” The Hospitality and Tourism Management Club meets in Harris 110 but according to MC Connect, meeting times are yet to be determined. Lakey can be reached at rslakey@email.meredith.edu and club activities can be followed on their Instagram, @mchostourism.
Student Veterans Association (MSVA) MSVA is a club meant to encourage camaraderie and Hospitality and Tourism Mansupport among students and agement Club faculty who are active-duty, Rebekah Lakey is the president retired or family members of Meredith’s new Hospitality of those in the military. This and Tourism Management Club, club plans to promote educawhich focuses on organizing tion and advocacy as well as
sponsor missions and events on campus and within the community. MSVA meets on the first Wednesday of every month over Zoom. If you would like to know more, reach out to MSVA’s president, Alexis Kester, at ackester@email.meredith.edu. National Art Education Association Student Chapter (NAEA) Meredith’s NAEA Student Chapter is open to all majors and promotes appreciation of the visual arts through conference presentations, expos and workshops. Kaitlyn Barlow is the president of NAEA and can be reached for more information at khbarlow@email. meredith.edu. NAEA meets at 10 a.m. once a month in Gaddy Hamrick 206. You can follow NAEA on their Instagram, @naea_mereco.
The One Where They Became Big/Lil'
SummitCollege Ashley Grant is the president of SummitCollege at Meredith. This Christian organization’s purpose is described as a way to “create disciple-making disciples” at Meredith and around the globe. SummitCollege meets on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. For more information, reach out to Grant at ajgrant@email.meredith.edu or follow the club’s Instagram, @summit_college. Meredith Media Association Meredith Media Association is a faculty-led organization that encourages students to produce different types of media. This organization is housed in the Communication Department but is open to all majors. Professor Alan Buck is the advisor for the Meredith Media Association and can be reached for more information at dabuck@meredith.edu.
By Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor, and Jayce Perry, Contributing Writer On Aug. 25, the Classes of 2023 and 2025 celebrated Sister Share Day. Emails were sent to each Big Sis/Lil’ Sis pair informing them of their new
matches, and two socials have already taken place that have encouraged bonding between the classes. The “Central Perk Cof-
Photo by Madison Sholar
fee” social was held on Aug. 26 in the Belk Dining Hall (BDH) Courtyard, and was where Littles first met their Bigs. This Friends themed event featured a series of activities like lawn games, photo booths, to-go coffee and café snacks. This event was also the first official performance from the newly selected Oddballs. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” movie night was another social held on Aug. 28. This event was held in McIver Amphitheater, and Bigs and Littles watched Toy Story. Both socials
followed campus COVID-19 guidelines, including masks, social distancing and to-go meals to be enjoyed in private spaces. On Aug. 27, Big Sis/Lil’ Sis Co-Chairs Caroline Bell, ‘23, and Carolina Gao, ‘23, sent an email that said, “For those of you with Big/Little issues, we are working to fix any issues that have been brought to our attention.” If there are any problems with the pairing students are encouraged to reach out to the co-chairs for a new pairing or a resolution.
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Opinion Money Isn't Real By Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editor Some of my favorite people to talk to are economics majors. It’s not because I think they’re smart or I love hearing about Keynesian theory. The truth is, I really like to argue with them—especially about money. My favorite thing to ask them is, “Why can’t we just print more money?” The answer that I (and others who enjoy arguing with them) always get is that inflation would devalue the dollar. Under a government that runs a yearly budget deficit and pumped $3 trillion into the economy last year during the pandemic, I have my reservations about money being real. One of the first examples of the U.S. changing money for our benefit started during the Great Depression. With banks failing nationwide, people began to hoard their gold to prepare for the worst. This meant that less money was in circulation and made it virtually
impossible for the economy recover. To stop this, President Roosevelt offered citizens money in exchange for their gold coins, bonds and bullion. This allowed the government to control circulation and dictate the monetary value of gold. However, Nixon’s administration abandoned the gold standard altogether in 1971. It no longer served us to print a fixed amount of money based on a physical standard, so we changed the rules. We changed the concept of money’s impact to best serve interests we deemed most important. In our society, access to resources and necessities are directly tied to money. I’m not just talking about food, clothing or shelter. Things like leisure activities, safety and preferences are all things that we desire (and deserve to have considered). Everything—from basic necessities to wants and desires—is tied to a person’s
ability to receive wages. The more money you print, the less value it has because more people have access to it. The amount of money that is currently circulating is meant to provide it with a certain level of legitimacy so that people feel inclined to use it. Inversely, the less money you print, the more value it has. If we started increasing the amount of money in circulation, people with large sums of money would no longer be the only wealthy people since the dollar wouldn’t mean what it did before. However, people who didn’t have as much money in the past have more to gain because it increases their chances of having access to resources. Decreasing the value of money decreases the legitimacy of the system but not the resources that people are looking for. There is always an assumption that average people can’t understand the complexity of economic systems. I would ar-
gue that it’s that lack of knowledge that elites rely on to exploit people. For example, take the 2008 housing market crash: people with poor credit were applying and being approved for loans by large banks. They didn’t know that their misfortunes were being taken advantage of by banks looking to make a quick buck. By the end of the housing crisis, big banks were recovered while families were left picking up the pieces. This isn’t to say that eliminating the use of money will stop greed. Resource hoarding would more than likely still exist without money. What it does mean is that the power complex that wealthy people use to justify hoarding resources would no longer exist. Money exists to serve those who have it, and it shouldn’t be left up to people who have little to lose by changing it.
Biles and Viola Davis in Vanity Fair. The origins of photography, especially in color, were never really meant for Black people. The standard of developing film to face recognition comes from analyzing white skin, which can encourage colorism or the fact that not having white or light skin is inherently bad. The same thing can be said about darkening photos to make Black people disappear from the background of photos or appear threatening, like what the media did in OJ Simpson's case. Black people have undertones no matter how
light or dark they are. When lighting effects and filters are not used, bright colors with high contrast or complementary colors can drastically make a difference as to how melanin can shine. I appreciate and enjoy the photo that was taken because I’ll never forget my experience with O-Crew. However, it’s just a reminder as to how much progress society needs to make in photography to accommodate everyone’s beauty, no matter the skin tone.
Melanin Color Theory By Jeanine Carryl, Staff Writer Photos are the way we capture moments in time or communicate to others. They make us laugh, cry and change the perspectives of others. The power of photography is unquestionable. However, a photography choice such as what filter to use or lighting can have the same negative effect. My photo was taken during Orientation and I was told that I made the Meredith Instagram. I was so excited to share that photo with my family and friends since this would be the first and last time I could
participate in Orientation Crew (O-Crew), but when I saw the filter choice, my heart sank. The balloon arch looked wonderful behind me, and the bright colors shined brighter against the blue sky. But when I looked at myself I didn’t see myself: I saw a cooled down and whitened version of the melanin that I love so dearly, instead of its usual warm undertones. This is not something new with filters or photography with Black people. You can tell the difference if you look at the Vogue cover of Simone
Stay Seated (Here): Problems with the New Seating Charts By Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor Meredith's campus has seen several changes in COVID-19 class protocol since classes started on Aug. 18. These changes include new guidance on social distancing (three feet instead of six), the inability to eat or drink within the classroom and perhaps the most dreaded: seating charts. There are several complaints one may have when it comes to seating charts, especially in regards to COVID-19 safety.
Like every other Meredith student, I learned about the new seating chart procedures when I walked into class. While I understand the reasoning behind them, I do believe there needs to be uniformity among how professors do seating charts. In small classrooms where the class number reaches capacity, it is unfair to assign seats without allowing students time to figure out where they will be most comfortable. There
could be several reasons why a student prefers a seat in the front as opposed to one in the back and vice versa. Students with specific learning and physical disabilities may need a seat in the front before getting their accommodation letter from Disability Services. Immunocompromised and COVID-19 conscious students may be wary of having to sit near classmates who do not share the same regard for health safety as they
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do. How is it fair that once we sit in a seat, we are stuck there for the rest of the semester before even knowing if those around share the same regard for safety as we do? Many of us do not want to sit near someone who may not have our best interests in mind as they go out every weekend or disregard COVID-19 safety regularly. Read the full story on our website.
Olivia Slack and Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editors in Chief. Rachel Van Horne and Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editors. Ally Cefalu, A&E Editor. Molly Perry, Features Editor. Hannah Porter, Opinion Editor. Staff Writers: Rania Abushakra, Maggie Barnhill, Jeanine Carryl, Freya Dahlgren, Rylee Petty, Mia Russell, Hannah Taib. Contributing Writers: Kaitlyn Eisbacher, Shae-Lynn Henderson, Angelina Morin, Jayce Perry, Anna Prince, Liz Sharpe, Evelyn Summers, Haileigh West. Podcasting Director: Sofia Gomez. Copy Editor: Erin Wendorf. Staff Photographer: Madison Sholar.
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