The Official Student Newspaper of Eckerd College Volume 8, Issue IV Nov. 11, 2016
By Ben Goldberg Editorial Manager On Wednesday morning, Donald Trump won the Presidential Election. With his win in Wisconsin, he crossed over the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to defeat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Eckerd students took more than a half-dozen ECOS chartered buses to polling station to voice their opinion on both national and local candidates and issues. Within Pinellas County, more than a half-million votes were
cast, and Donald Trump won over Hillary Clinton by just 5,467 votes. Within District 13, democrat Charlie Crist beat incumbent republican David Jolly in the race for his seat in the house, and republican Marco Rubio defended his seat in the senate. As the likelihood of Trump’s victory became more clear, many Eckerd students were quick to voice their unease. “I think we will be in enormous danger of possibly facing diplomatic isolation from some of our most trustworthy allies, like the UK, which re-
NEWS 1-6
cently threatened to ban Trump from the United Kingdom,” senior Abigail Stanga said. Other students were more concerned with how a Trump presidency would directly impact their lives. “It’s up in the air right now, and it’s up in the air what my family is going to do and for a lot of my friends; all of my Muslim friends, all of my queer friends, all of my friends who are women. For all sorts of minorities, it’s going to be difficult,” junior R. Hettinger said. In contrast, Donald Trump spoke
of unification and national healing in his victory speech. “Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, have to get together, to all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation I say it is time for us to come together as one united people,” Trump said. Nationally, the GOP won a simple majority in both chambers of congress, and it is the first time in a decade that the party will have control of both the legislative and executive branches. On a local level, Amendment 1
FEATURES 7-10
was rejected by voters, while Amendments 2, 3 and 5 passed with the necessary levels of support to take effect. It is unclear what role the results of the election will have in the daily lives of Eckerd students, and many are uncertain about their futures. “It’s difficult being Hispanic, and with my dad growing up in a fascist state I thought that America would be better than this, and it’s not,” Hettinger said. “It’s really upsetting. I didn’t think I would be so upset, but now I don’t know if I can live here anymore. I don’t know what to do.”
OPINION 11-12
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
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Compiled By Marlene Heyning Staff Writer
CAMPUS Eckerd’s Turkey Day Eckerd is hosting its annual Thanksgiving Day dinner on campus in the main cafeteria on Thursday, Nov. 25, at 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Students on meal plans will be issued a meal card, while everyone else — staff, faculty, family etc., will have to pay 8 dollars. There will be football games projected on every television screen. Tickets are on sale now.
Intramural Kickball Intramural kickball starts on Nov. 13. Teams can have up to 15 players, but only nine are allowed on the field at one time. Sign-ups end Nov. 11. For more information, email Coordinator of Recreation and Wellness Programs Haven Allard at allardhm@eckerd. edu.
Book Sale The Eckerd College Annual Library Fall Book Sale begins Wednesday, Nov. 16, and ends on Sunday, Nov. 20. The book sale will be held in the library. Paperbacks will cost 50 cents for one or one dollar for three and hard covers will be one dollar for one or five dollars for six books. On the last day, if students bring a shopping bag, they can get as many books as they want for only one dollar.
LOCAL Blue Florida In recent polls, many Latinos have surged to the polling areas in Central Florida and along the coasts, voting Democrat. Where Republicans used to be able to count on central Floridia counties voting red, many more immigrants have moved in and are upsetting the balance of blue on the coast and red in the middle, accord-
ing to the Huffington Post.
‘Golden Girdle’ unleashed Florida’s I-4, once called the “Golden Girdle,” is now being named the most dangerous highway in the United States, according to a report in the Tampa Bay Times. I-4 has made the top 10 most dangerous highways list since 2010, and in those last six years, an accident was reported every 1.41 miles.
NATIONAL Rolling Stone’s legal troubles cont. Rolling Stone Magazine was found liable in a defamation suit over their discredited “A Rape on Campus” article, published Nov. 19, 2014. The story claimed a University of Virginia student was sexually assaulted by a group of fraternity members on campus. According to the New York Times, the suit was brought by a former dean, who said that the article made her out to be one of the biggest villains of the story. Rolling Stone already had retracted the article before the defamation suit, but faces a second lawsuit from the fraternity house where the alleged rape took place.
Playmate charged in body shaming incident According to the Los Angeles Times, Playboy playmate Dani Mathers has been charged for body shaming in the gym. Mathers took a snapchat of a nude elderly woman at her gym and posted it to her public social media account in July 2016. She was charged with one misdemeanor count of invasion of privacy. This case is one of the first “peeping Tom” cases that deals only with body shaming.
Harvard cancels Men’s Soccer
Harvard cancelled the remaining men’s soccer team games, including
playoffs, for making lists of their female counterparts and new recruits in sexually explicit terms, according to CNN. Robert L. Scalise, Harvard’s athletic director, said the school has a zero tolerance policy for any type of behavior that does not create an environment for “mutual respect, support and trust among others.”
Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, the New York Times stated. “Brexit” was voted upon by the British people in June 2015. With the High Court’s decision, it might make the process of leaving the EU take longer than initially thought, and probably longer than the March deadline of getting negotiations started that May planned for.
INTERNATIONAL
Iraqi raid on Mosul
‘Brexit’ needs May
Iraqi forces have continued their raid on Mosul, the Islamic State’s last major stronghold in Iraq. The city the forces took over was Hammam al-Alil, just south of Mosul, according to CNN. Iraqi forces have been trying to retake Mosul since the beginning
The British High Court decided that Prime Minister Teresa May must gain Parliament’s support in order to go through with “Brexit,” the United
Nov. 11, 2016
of October, and experts believe this battle could last up to weeks or even months.
Russia shows Trump support In a predictable move by the Kremlin and Russian media, they have decided to formally come forward and show their support for Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump. In an article by an ABC reporter, many Kremlin-backed TV stations in Russia (which is what the Russian public watches most) are heavily supporting the Trump candidacy, showing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton as sickly and linking to many sex scandals.
Attention readers!
The Current has a brand new website filled with exclusive online content. Log onto theonlinecurrent.com to see our award-winning news show “The Current Minute,” our live debate podcast “Friendly Fire Live” and exclusive articles published only online. Online exclusives for Issue 4 feature Operation Wallacea, Trump on campus and more.
STAFF Editor-in-Chief thecurrent@eckerd.edu
Science Editor currentscience@eckerd.edu
PR Manager currentpublic@eckerd.edu
Gary Furrow Jr.
Fiona Maguire
Andrea Depina-Gomes
Managing Editors currentme@eckerd.edu
Elaine Newbern
Editorial Manager
Sarah Raney Brianna Spieldenner
Design Manager currentdesign@eckerd.edu Hannah Hamontree
Asst. Design Editor
Asst. Science Editor
Sports Editor currentsports@eckerd.edu Nicole Ellis
Opinion Editors currentopinion@eckerd.edu Rachel Borch Mereysa Taylor
Dorothy-Mae Eldemire
Asst. Opinion Editor
News Editor currentnews@eckerd.edu
Caroline Courtenay
Cortney Lesovoy
Photo Editor currentphoto@eckerd.edu
Asst. News Editor Nicole Decker
Culture Editor currentculture@eckerd.edu Dorothy-Mae Eldemire
Asst. Culture Editor Rose Keating
Nate Gozlan Cypress Hansen
Asst. Photo Editor James Carter
Business Manager currentbusiness@eckerd.edu Tim Johnston
Ben Goldberg
Copy Editor Bobbie Wright
Faculty Adviser Professor K.C. Wolfe The Current is a free biweekly student newspaper at Eckerd College. Offices are located upstairs in Cobb at 4200 54th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33711. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of EC students, staff, faculty and administration. The Current welcomes letters to the editor. Submissions should be typed and cannot exceed 400 words. Writers must include their full name, graduation year and contact number. All submissions are subject to editing for the purposes of clarity, style or length. The Current holds the right to reject any letters deemed inappropriate.
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NEWS
Nov. 11, 2016
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New spring break Service-Learning trips announced By Marlene Heyning Staff Writer
Service-learning spring break trips lined up for March and April of 2017 go all across the United States as well as the Caribbean. Director of Service Learning Ronald Porter held an informational meeting on Oct. 27 to give students more details about what the trips entail. There will be 10 trips this upcoming year led by staff, faculty and students. There are four U.S. based trips and six trips abroad to the Caribbean focusing on immigration, permaculture, women’s empowerment, health care and religious work. Porter will lead the Puerto Rico trip with senior Mary Kelly to focus on a permaculture farm with the company Plentitude. They will be working with
FRIDAY
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Veteran’s Day 3:00 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs West Alabama, McArthur 7:00 p.m. CPS Film: “Office”, Miller Auditorium Volleyball vs Rollins College, McArthur 8:00 p.m. CPS: Stupid F***king Bird, Bininger Theater
18 7:00 p.m. CPS Film: “Les Cowboys”, Miller Auditorium
farms to ensure sustainability, and they hope to leave the surrounding community with self-sufficient farms. Porter will also run many yoga sessions for students during their time in Puerto Rico. “We have a reciprocal service learning program,” Porter said. “This type of program means that while students go out into different communities to bring help and change, they also receive benefits and experiences, which in turn they bring back to the Eckerd community in order to educate others.” Academic Service Learning Coordinator Andrea Castañeda and Academic Service Learning Americorps Intern Tatiana Hoecker will be leading a trip to Heifer Ranch in Arkansas. The trip will involve learning about ending global poverty by working with Heifer International.
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SUNDAY
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2:00 p.m. CPS: Stupid F***king Bird, Bininger Theater 4:00 p.m. Volleyball vs Embry-Riddle, McArthur 7:00 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs Delta State, McArthur
7:00 p.m. “Frack Off ” with Grandma Willi, Miller Auditorium Intramural 9v9 Kickball begins
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1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Waterfront Fishing Trips
1:00 p.m. Eckerd College Library’s Fall Book Sale ends
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Students will be volunteering on the farm, in the garden and helping with livestock. They will also be participating in a third-world country simulation for one night. Students can also travel to Costa Rica to help with sea turtle conservation where they will patrol beaches and turtle nests. A Jamaican service-learning trip will have students working in the health care industry, allowing them the opportunity to gain CPR and first-aid certifications. Professor of Human Development Nancy Janus will accompany students to Tucson, Arizona, where they will go on water runs in the Sonoran Desert to prevent the deaths of Mexican migrants due to dehydration. Students will also be going into the Sierra Mountains to discover the monasteries, experience services held
MONDAY
by monks and help with tasks such as protecting beehives and clearing forests. “These trips have been a special part of the service learning ethos for many, many years. I know I remember going on a trip, back in the day in 2005, to Venezuela to work with street children, and that essentially changed my life,” Porter said at the informational session. Porter went on to explain that his trip to Venezuela in the early 2000s was special because it showed him the ideas of service learning, particularly that of being from a more privileged background and helping the less fortunate. Past students who’ve enjoyed the spring break trips say it changed their lives as well. Senior Amy Delano echoed Porter’s statements from her own trip in 2015 to Cat Island in the
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6:30 p.m. CPS: Religious Studies is Relevant: An Eckerd Student Panel, Fox Hall 7:00 p.m. Current Meeting, Upstairs Cobb 5:15 -7:15 p.m. Super Moon Kayak Glow Trip, Waterfront
7:00 p.m. Current Meeting, Upstairs Cobb
7:00 p.m. CPS: Global Cultural Showcase, Fox Hall
7:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs Franklin College, McArthur
Bahamas. “I had never done anything like this before, but I thought it would be a unique experience,” Delano said. “While many people think of the Bahamas as a vacation spot, I got to explore an island by helping its people and learning about the culture.” Delano also believes that service -learning trips are a really special part of the Eckerd experience. “I think the service trips are a really wonderful thing for Eckerd to offer students because it’s a chance to break out of the ‘Eckerd Bubble’ and do something good for the world while having the chance to learn about other cultures,” Delano said. The spring break trips take place from March 25 to April 2 of 2017. For more information on these trips, contact the Service Learning Office. Applications are due Dec. 2.
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
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9:30 a.m Eckerd College Library’s Fall Book Sale begins 5:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs FL Tech, McArthur 7:30 p.m. CPS: Matisse Jazz Project, Miller Auditorium Men’s Basketball vs FL Tech, McArthur
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Thanksgiving Break
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5:00 p.m “What’s your story?” Latinx Indigenous Voice, Office of Service-Learning
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Thanksgiving Day
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NEWS
Nov. 11 2016
Operation Wallacea offers new research opportunites By Elaine Newbern Assistant Science Editor The Galbraith auditorium was packed this Thursday evening for a presentation by US Director of Operation Wallacea (Opwall) Scott Sveiven on conservation research organization and how its numerous projects quantify biodiversity, particularly in tropical rainforests and coral reefs. Opwall, which is based out of the United Kingdom, has offices in 11 countries. The presentation boasted a large turnout of students that came for the lecture that featured international research opportunities in both terrestrial and marine disciplines. Opwall primarily works with student volunteers and is funded by their participation. The volunteers choose the length of time and the project they want to work on that range from stereo video surveying of coral reefs in Cuba, monitoring crocodiles in Madagascar, testing sound recognition software with birds in Guyana, using butterflies graphics courtesy of Opwall.com as indicator species in Romania This map shows Operation Wallacea’s multiple field sites around the world, which focus on marine and terrestrial biodiversity and conservation. and countless other projects across ence with 24 other species still going eration Wallacea is trying to do,” funding, especially when it comes to page: At opwall.com. the globe. through the final stages of recogni- Sveiven said. “There’s an education- science,” sophomore and marine sciAccording to Associate Professor of tion. al component, there’s a primary re- ence major Courtney Tierney said. Marine Science and Biology Nancy The organization aims to establish search component, there’s a conser- “They’re always going to be funded Smith, the international component a strong relationship with the local vation component and they’re doing as long as people are interof volunteering through the organi- communities and their citizens in or- all of that through this weird model ested in doing it.” zation is one of the greatest advan- der to gain support for new conser- where it’s a tuition fee funded modThe benefits seem to tages. outweigh the costs in most vation regulations in those respective el.” “It provides the opportunity to get locations. Their work continues to The funding for the data collection cases when it comes to hands-on experience in research that encourage ecological efforts by sup- and research comes directly from the working with the projects matters,” Smith said, “real research plying data to back up the policies fees that academics pay in order to offered by Opwall, as the that can have a positive impact on already in place for long-term conser- come out and participate in the pro- price to participate helps conservation, on applying the science vation of biodiverse locations. to fund new research, gram. to policy and things like that.” Additionally, the organization push- discover new species and According to Sveiven, the sheer Research conducted by Opwall scope of projects that Opwall is do- es for interested students to fundraise conserve biodiversity has already influenced significant ing at the same time is one the most and apply for scholarships and grants around the world. impacts. Their data has contributed impressive things about the organiza- that are available for the trips. For more information on to public knowledge with over 270 tion and the programs that it offers. “The fact that they’re funded by their conservation efforts scientific publications, while official“One of the things that have been their student volunteers is really cool, and how to participate, ly committing 35 new species to sci- interesting for me is how much Op- because a lot of projects easily lose visit Opwall’s official web-
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THE CURRENT
Nov. 11, 2016
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Visual Arts Building underway, dorm renovations planned By Nicole Decker Asst. News Editor With the new academic school year underway, the construction of the Center for Visual Arts is still ongoing and plans are being made for the renovations of two more dorms, Kappa and Alpha. The construction on the Center for Visual Arts building, which began in December of last year, is scheduled to be complete by the middle of this summer. By the start of Fall 2017, faculty will have moved in, and students will begin taking classes at this new campus landmark. In addition, Kappa and Alpha have been selected as the next two dorms to undergo reconstruction. This construction project will occur during the summer of 2017. “We are making good progress,” Director of Construction Bill McKenna said. The Center for Visual Arts is shaped like a skewed cross with one bar running east and west and the other running north and south. Currently, the construction team is focusing their attention on the horizontal bar, which is larger than the other and, in turn, is considered the main part of the building. When complete, this section of the building will hold faculty offices and art classrooms. “The foundations are laid for the main bar, and we are getting ready to pour the concrete for the first floor slab within the next few weeks,” McKenna said. “We are
also in the process of preparing to pour the foundation for the south wing, which when complete, will hold the ceramics and clay classrooms.” In addition, the north wing will hold the art galleries, and the print shop will be located toward the center of the building. With regard to dorm renovations, Kappa and Alpha will be undergoing the same process that Epsilon, Zeta and Beta went through. The construction on these dorms will begin at the end of Spring 2017 and conclude right before students return to campus for Fall Term. “We have done it three times before now, so we know it is possible,” McKenna said. The dorms will look almost identical to the newly renovated Epsilon, Zeta and Beta dormsThe one difference being that the Kappa lounge will have a more open layout than the others. “Since there are a lot of events at Kappa, it makes me happy to hear that the lounge will be more open than the other lounges on campus,” junior Nola Gehring said. “There will be more room for all the people that come through it.” While the construction on campus appears somewhat static right now, Eckerd continues its strategic plan toward the completion of the Center for Visual Arts and the Kappa and Alpha dorm renovations. photos by James Carter Pillars and walls are erected from the mounds of dirt on the new art building’s plot of land.
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ECOS launches fill the bottle campaign By: Elaine Newbern Asst. Science Editor
This November, ECOS kick starts their new Fill the Bottle campaign, encouraging the use of reusable water containers, and diminishing the need for plastic one-use water bottles. Fill the Bottle is serving as a precursor to the international Ban the Bottle campaign that will make its debut for the third time this spring. The new promotion to Fill the Bottle is aiming to get students to stop buying one-use bottles as well as to get them thinking about the upcoming movement. In the past, Ban the Bottle has had a lot of support from students and staff across campus. But, it has also had its fair share of setbacks. According to 2016 alumna and Residence Coordinator Haley Burger who worked with the Ban the Bottle campaign during her junior and senior years, the largest obstacle was coordinating challenges at the corporate level through campus operations. “There’s a hurdle when it comes to removing something that makes profit. If the bookstore were to ban the bottle, then it would be a competitive advantage for the Pub and Bon Appetit to be selling the water bottles,” Burger said. “It would be unfair to one or the other, and they both had their own kind of hurdles to get through at a corporate level.” According to senior and current director of the ECOS Environmental Responsibility Committee Kayla Paige, the largest obstacle has been the Admissions office, where the one-use bottles are handed out during tours to help keep prospective students and their parents hydrated in the
NEWS
Nov. 11, 2016
Florida heat. Events such as Autumn Term move-in and graduation also posed questions for administration on the feasibility of implementing a complete ban on oneuse bottles. “An outright ban was a bit too jarring for everyone,” Burger said. There has been a lot of brainstorming on how to cut down on the one-use bottles, for instance, providing either complimentary or affordable water bottles to visiting students and families in combination with setting up tour routes to hit refillable water stations along the way. Other initiatives the campaign is looking to include this fall are organizing CPS events where documentaries educate students on the negative environmental impact of plastic water bottles as well as working with the new Starbucks to help cut back on other plastic waste. “Starbucks is really cool,” Paige said. “You can bring in your own reusable cups, they don’t have to be Starbucks brand, you tell them what size it is and they will fill it to that size so that you are not actually creating the waste.” Getting the word out that students can opt for one of their own reusable bottles and mugs instead of the disposable bottles or plastic cups links back to the initial incentive of putting the Fill the Bottle campaign into action this November. “Students are the consumers of water bottles. If they don’t care or don’t show any explicit interest in wanting or not wanting water bottles being sold in the Pub or bookstore, then what is the incentive for Barnes and Noble and Bon Appetit to stop selling them?” Burger said.
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FEATURES
Nov. 11, 2016
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Stupid F***ing Bird inspires students, teaches love By Dorothy-Mae Eldemire Culture Editor After planning throughout the summer, auditions in September, and practice four days a week, the play “Stupid F***ing Bird” will grace Eckerd College’s theater Nov. 9. The contemporary reimagining of Anton Chekhov’s classic play “The Seagull” by Aaron Posner focuses on Conrad (Con), a suffering artist who has written a play starring his girlfriend Nina and explores unrequited love, art and life itself. The play was selected in Spring 2016 by Professor of Theater Cynthia Totten, who worked on the play throughout the summer and into fall. This included meeting with the scene designers, lighting designers and costume designers. As everything fell into place, auditions for actors started during the second week of September, followed by the rehearsals on Sept. 19. From this point on, the actors schedule became packed with rehearsals Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. “We’ve got a dream team this year production-wise,” Associate Professor of Theater Jessica Thonen said. What makes this play stand out from the others is how close the audience will be to the actors. Thonen has created a set on stage where the audience is close enough to reach out and touch them. “The characters and the actors will interact with the audience,” Totten said. “They’ll talk to the audience, they’ll move through the audience, they’ll ask the audience questions, they might even hand you something to hold for
Director Cynthia Totten directs her cast in a week night rehearsal.
them.” There are about 30 people involved production-wise on the play and a cast of seven along with the Stage Manager and two Assistant Stage Managers. The Theatre Production class works with designers to build and paint the sets, create the costumes and props, hang and focus the lighting instruments, record the sound, wire the speakers, set up the audience seating and design and distribute posters and programs. Students in the class also usher, work backstage during performances and run the lights and the sound.
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“Costumers who came from our theater production class, not one of them knew how to sew at the beginning of the semester, not one,” Thonen said. “Now they are boldly going in areas that some of my work scholars are a little bit timid to go.” Thonen believes that it’s important for students to not only create, but to bask in the work that they have created. She noted that many of the students see their work on stage and say “I painted that” or “I built that sculpture there.” What’s makes the theater unique is a large percentage of the team is made up of non-the-
photo by Caley Hanse
ater majors, which results in a mix of students looking at creative challenges the way they would look at problems in their major. Students here are not only willing to conquer challenges but they also have the space to challenge themselves. Senior Dylan White has found a home on Eckerd’s theater stage and is casted this year as Conrad. “This year the cast and crew is superb,” White said. “It’s rare to find a group of such giving performers, but their professionalism and willingness to work is also refreshing.” Totten knows that the heart and soul of the play are the artists
involved. Plays demand around the clock creative work, whether in rehearsal, set design, costume design or refining a moment onstage. But she also knows that without an audience, there is no play. “We could do all this for ourselves and have a grand time,” Totten said. “But the final step is to show it to others so they can experience something real happening in front of them in real time.” Over the semester, working with her actors, she has encouraged them to look at what kind of birds their characters are, because in the book one of the characters aligns themselves with a seagull and believes that she is like a seagull in many ways. “The Seagull” is a story that was relatable and in the same way, “Stupid F***ing Bird” aims to be something that is very applicable to modern life and the things that we struggle with as humans on this planet. “It feels like you’re hugging humanity,” Thonen said. “I also think if you are at a point in your life where you’re trying to make big life decisions, I think you’ll identify with the struggle that the characters go through in this.” Taken from the late 1800s, this is a comedic story about falling in love with the wrong person and unrequited love. The play pursues questions about what makes us feel good as human beings and how we can make positive change in what can be perceived as a miserable world. “You will be different having seen the play than you were when you started,” Totten said. The play’s final dress rehearsal is on Tuesday Nov. 8 and then runs Nov. 9-11 at 8 p.m. and Sunday Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. in Bininger Theater.
FEATURES
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The most recent intramural flag football champions claim their title
Nov. 11, 2016
photo by Angelique Ulmer
Intramural Sports 101 By Nicole Ellis Sports Editor Intramural sports at Eckerd are a fun and easy way to get active without a large commitment. Unlike club sports, intramural sports are played internally and not against other schools. Likewise, club sports at Eckerd have to be officially registered with the school. There are two main types of intramural sporting events, a tournament style and a league style. Tournament style intramurals are one-day events, while league intramurals are more like a season and can last around a month. Eckerd offers a large number of intramural sports ranging from rock, paper, scissors to flag football, but the list of sports offered is not set in stone. If a student is interested in playing a sport not offered, they could contact Coordinator of Recreation and Wellness Programs Haven Allard to begin the process. If there is enough interest in the sport, then the event will take off. This isn’t limited to the usual sports, and can include sports such as Quidditch. Intramural sports at Eckerd are also a great way to get exercise, and meet new people in a stress-free environment. “It’s a good outlet for a lot of people
that otherwise don’t like going to the fitness center to work out, or cross fit isn’t really their thing,” Allard said. “Or they’re not sure they really want to join a club sport, but they still want to be active and get out and play.” Senior Zach Mitsmenn currently enjoys the 7v7 flag football tournament held on campus. Although it’s his first time participating in an intramural sport, he thinks it’s something more people should indulge in. “I think it’s a nice way to meet new people. It gives people a break from schoolwork and the monotony of the school week,” Mitsmenn said. “It would be great to get a lot more people involved, to build the community up in a fun and healthy way.” The sports are open to anyone who wants to play, with no experience needed. This makes it an ideal situation for someone who wants to try something new without overcommitting themselves. “All students should know that intramurals are really fun,” Allard said. “They’re a safe place to come out and play a sport you’ve always been interested in or want to be a little competitive in, and I highly encourage all students to make a team, find a team or contact me to join a team if they see a sport coming up that they are interested in playing.”
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THE CURRENT
Nov. 11, 2016
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A Day In The Life: Eckerd’s mom fifteen years later By Angelique Herring Staff Writer In a small office behind a typically open door, Eckerd students can easily find Associate Director of Campus Activities, Lova Patterson surrounded by a few laughing students and staff members all vying for her attention, aid and candy. This is one of the everyday moments incorporated into the aspects of a job she’s come to love. There’s no such thing as a typical day for Patterson. Her nine to five might become more of a nine to midnight depending on the season. From planning to setting up, Patterson oversees event-planning facets of Eckerd. Between Palmetto Production, Campus activities and herself, Patterson doesn’t take on every responsibility, but she focuses primarily on budgets and personal interaction with the students. Senior Ari Demetroulakos, who has been on the Palmetto staff since her freshman year, remembers feeling like she needed to know Patterson because of the presence she has on campus and the aura she gave off. “She kind of sticks herself in the middle of everything that is events on campus,” Demetroulakos said. The extent of Patterson’s busyness fluctuates based on seasons like Halloween, Springtopia and Autumn Term. With a strong belief that opportunities to socialize are what make Eckerd special, she does her best to make sure things go smoothly for each event. During these high times, it isn’t surprising to find Patterson in her office late into the evening. A large part of her job has been risk-management. Much of what she is concerned about
day-to-day is keeping people safe while preventing events from falling apart. Additionally, she works a lot with the administrative aspects of event planning, including sending emails, signing contracts, printing sign up sheets and making sure that everything is in order so events can run smoothly. For Patterson, the students are by far the best part of the job. Aside from an on-campus performance by Sweet Honey in the Rock, her proudest moments at Eckerd happen when students come into Palmetto and Campus Activities, get involved and grow as people. Of the many things people don’t know about Patterson, Demetroulakos wishes people knew how funny she is, that she really does care and love every student she interacts with and that she works 24/7. “I think that people need to know that she does her best to make sure that everyone is very happy,” Demetroulakos said. She even describes Patterson as “Eckerd’s mom” and sees her not only as a mentor but a friend. And, Demetroulakos knows that Patterson is not only passionate about Eckerd, but music as well. Patterson graduated Eckerd in 2000 with a major in music and originally planned to pursue a career in that field. Over the years she’s been a member of many bands, but currently she plays guitar and keyboard in the band Elysian Sex Drive. One of the newer members, she’s been performing, recording and practicing with the band for about 10 years now. “Years ago all I wanted to do was be a rock star,” Patterson said. “So if I would have had that opportunity to just live on the road with a band, I might have done it, but today I probably wouldn’t.”
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When she isn’t doing all she can to keep campus life fun, rocking out with her fellow band members or attending and studying for her grad school classes, Patterson enjoys the opportunity to be a bit of a homebody. She lives for the moments she can snuggle up on her couch and watch “The Walking Dead” or “Game of Thrones,” two of her favorite TV shows. Still, after 15 years and admitting to having days where she would love to stay in bed, Patterson considers herself extremely lucky to never wake up and dread coming to work. “I learned what it was like to be part of a family here,” Patterson said. Just over a decade ago, Patterson was unsure about the job. Knowing that it wasn’t just a job, but a way of life, she hesitated about applying for the position. “It becomes your life in a way that other jobs simply do not,” Patterson said. She learned this lesson from observing people that were in the position before her. After the incessant pestering by her friends to apply for the position and a phone call from Dean of Students James Annarelli, she decided to devote herself to the position and has been doing so ever since. “If there was no attachment between all of us as a family I would not be doing this,” Patterson said. With that in mind, she advises students to get involved. According to Patterson, that is one of the most fundamental things one can do at Eckerd. While she came here for the academics as a student herself, it was really the extracurricular activities, events and relationships that have kept her here.
photos by Caley Hanse (top) Patterson, pictured bottom right with Palmetto Productions when she was a student. This year makes 15 years that Patterson has worked at Eckerd college. She is known for her love of zombies and helping students
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FEATURES
Nov. 11, 2016
Alicia Keys is ‘Here’ for natural beauty, self-love, empowerment By Dorothy-Mae Eldemire Culture Editor After an appearance on the hit Fox television show “Empire” and a season on “The Voice,” New York pianist and songstress Alicia Keys released her eighth studio album “Here” on Nov. 4. Keys has been in the headlines a lot this past year after publishing a beautifully written essay titled “Time to Uncover” speaking about how women are forced to live up to standards set by the media, whether to be skinny or to wear makeup to hide their flaws. She then started the #NoMakeup movement to empower women who felt they weren’t beautiful without cosmetics or felt their natural hair wasn’t good enough. This overall message is repeated throughout her album as well. Keys seems more at home with her music than ever before. The vocals are nowhere near clean, but that’s a part of the album’s charm. She skips the vocal editing process and gives listeners a raw, gritty voice. “I swear this is the strongest, most empowered, most free and most honestly beautiful that I have ever felt,” Keys stated in an interview with Essence Magazine. On the intro track “The Gospel,” she transforms into a hiphop cypher as she sings, “How we ever gon’ live? If we ain’t gettin’ money, how we feedin’ the kids?” as she talks about what it’s really like to live in her hometown Harlem. On “She Don’t Really Care_1 Love,” she finds a home in her own version of Nas’ classic “Black Girl Lost,” similarly to how she exudes passion in the song “Illusion of Bliss” as she sings, “Sick of being high, sick of being low,
sick of all the lies putting on a show.” But, the two most poignant tracks on the album are “Holy War” and “Girl Can’t Be Herself.” In “Girl Can’t Be Herself ” Keys questions society as she sings “Who says I must conceal what I’m made of ? Maybe all this Maybelline is covering my self-esteem ... I’m so tired of that image.” The song “Holy War” is a plea to the world. You can almost feel her pain as she sings “If war is holy and sex is obscene, we’ve got it twisted in this lucid dream.” It’s clear that she’s taking a jab at the hate and anger present in today’s society, especially during this election season as she continues, “Maybe we should love somebody instead of polishing the bombs of holy war.” The song at its core is filled with love and hope, but holds a political background. What makes this album so strong is the idea that Keys has stepped away from the usual pop genre and has started to embrace herself and her own writing as a songstress. Musically, the album does not lack. Co-produced by Keys along with her husband Kasseem Dean, known as “Swizz Beatz,” they push beyond hip-hop and embrace a gritty style of R&B soul that works well with songs that feature her piano prowess. Written by a woman who has spent a lot of time in the spotlight yet still had trouble embracing her true self, “Here” is an album that was made for women, to empower women. Following in the footsteps of singers like Beyonce and Solange who have centered their albums around bringing women up in today’s society, Keys’ album is for every woman.
Lady Gaga’s ‘Joanne’ leans away from EDM By Dorothy-Mae Eldemire Culture Editor Say goodbye to disco sticks and love games. “Joanne,” a compilation of country, 90s soft-rock and 70s synth is a collection of songs meant to distance the “monster” from the electronic dance music she was famous for. Released on Oct. 21, “Joanne” received a mixed reaction from Gaga’s “little monsters” and listeners alike. With this album, she starts over with music that is raw and unrestrained. Named after her aunt Joanne who died of lupus when Gaga was 19, the album seems to be a new slate for the artist. Gaga explores new sounds, and topics like love, dying, self acceptance and even touches on Trayvon Martin’s death. While many feel that Gaga was trying too hard to distance herself from her old music, it’s hard to deny how dynamic and well-produced the album is. Produced by Mark Ronson, with features from Florence
Welch, musician Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Father John Misty and Beck, there is a distinct quality that keeps listeners wanting to hear more. While songs like “Perfect Illusion” and “A-Yo” are for rising on the charts and have a semblance of pop, the majority of the album seems to be Gaga branching out into new genres in a way that is reminiscent of Rihanna’s “Anti.” The best songs on the album include the ballad dedicated to her aunt, “Joanne,” and the song “Sinner’s Prayer” where she slides into the country genre with ease, singing “I don’t want to break the heart of any other man but you.” Another peak moment of the album is the collaboration between Welch and Gaga on the track “Hey Girl” as she sings “Hey girl, can you hear me? Are you holding out your heart for me?” But, the highpoint of this album comes at its close with “Angel Down,” a tribute to Trayvon Martin as she sings “Shots were fired on the street, by the church
we used to meet ... why do people just stand around?” According to The Atlantic, this was the first song presented to Mark Ronson when Gaga began working on the album. For an album that was intended to branch out, it has a wide variety of genres and themes that don’t necessarily mesh. One could say that the diversity of music is her experimenting with where she wants to go, but wherever that is doesn’t seem to be in one certain direction. Despite the lack of organization album-wise, Gaga’s vocals are as powerful as ever. Each song displays a unique style, whether she’s crooning on “Joanne” or channeling her inner 80s synth pop on “Come to Mama.” Whether you are a Gaga fan or simply a fan of good music, “Joanne” is worth the listen. Not only is it sonically pleasing, but it will leave listeners wondering where Lady Gaga will be going in the future.
promotional photo
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Nov. 11, 2016
OPINION
Page 11
Imagining Justice lacks imagination, justice By Rachel Borch and Caroline Courtenay Co-Opinion Editor and Asst. Opinion Editor
While many students are perfectly content with Imagining Justice taking the place of Quest for Meaning (QFM) as a senior capstone course, the recent transition has not been introduced without its fair share of qualms. The transition has required a restructuring of academic requirements, shifting focus from specific general education topics to overarching philosophical concepts, which has been met with some derision and confusion. To its credit, the new course allows students to fulfill their required 40 hours of community service over the course of all four years at Eckerd, not necessarily just within the context of Imagining Justice, so time-strapped seniors can feel relieved that their accrued hours will carry over. But while this change certainly takes stress off of students scrambling to meet graduation requirements, the underlying meaning of the course itself is not entirely clear. In spite of what its name suggests, Imagining Justice has done little to engage the full potential of students’ imaginations. Rather than challenging students with questions such as what a truly comprehensive definition of justice might entail, the course grasps at a slew of different approaches to the concept, but never fully reaches a conclusion. Rather than following a linear path to our understanding of justice, the course moves cyclically through the various benefits and drawbacks of the different ideologies governing justice, leaving students with an even more muddled definition of a concept that was
the readings are likely to be the same. It is too early to say anything with confidence, however,” Bryant said. While the course is designed to be relatively open-ended, it lacks democracy. Irby has a few suggestions for changes that, if implemented, might help students to engage with the course on a deeper level. “[Allow] the seniors to own the class — let them vote on the texts to read. Let them invite a faculty member to address them on a subject of the invited speaker’s choosing, have some kind of end-of-semester event like the Festival of Hope that celebrates the class,” Irby said. The course, though flawed in its execution, is well-intentioned in the sense that it aims to get us to reevaluate our preexisting personal beliefs and judgments with regard to finding justice. “None of the readings have been intended to present students photo by Cypress Hansen with something they should enMany students have agreed that the content of Imagining Justice is indeed interesting, but there is little engagement outside of the readings. dorse,” Bryant said. “The intent, already vague to begin with. justice, giving it parameters and raised. rather, is to stimulate thought and “The concept is a good idea, quantifying it as though it can be “This is a new class, and there is give students some information but the material shouldn’t be so tested and measured, but it’s like no doubt that like Human Expe- and arguments that they can use dense,” senior Libby McHugh trying to nail down water. Con- rience, the class will evolve based to deepen their understanding said. “There’s definitely [better] cepts like justice, truth and free- on feedback and hindsight,” Vis- and develop their own voice in ways to convey all the messages dom are impossible to fully grasp, iting Assistant Professor of Histo- the conversation.” they are trying to get across.” because they are not moral abso- ry Lee Irby, who teaches a section Imagining Justice asks students The problem with trying to de- lutes. of Imagining Justice, said. to define the limits of both our infine something that is universally This ambiguity is not helped Professor of Religious Studies dividual and social responsibility, accepted, yet unarguably subjec- by the inconsistency of the way David Bryant, who worked with and it highlights how definitions tive, is that its scope is too broad, different professors approach the members of the general educa- of justice vary from culture to and the application too personal, course. Some seniors have voiced tion faculty committee to devel- culture. for it to be anything beyond a the concern that because the cur- op the curriculum for Imagining But it should really teach us to matter of individual interpreta- riculum is so flexible, there is wide Justice, also anticipates that the challenge and reformulate existtion. variation in course content and course is likely to undergo cer- ing ideologies, not to merely reIt is easy to see why justice is workload from section to section. tain changes, although it is not yet gurgitate them. viewed as an important aspect “I feel like there needs to be a clear exactly what those changes After all, knowledge, underof our society, but most of us standard that all teachers adhere will be. standing and perspective are not are confronted with it on a much to,” McHugh said. “I am beginning to think about ends in themselves, nor things we smaller scale in our day-to-day That is not to say that the what sorts of changes will be can ever fully attain, but rather lives than the grandiose hypothet- course isn’t likely to improve over made — and there will be some working processes that we must icals discussed in course readings. time in response to the various changes, but the overall structure continue to seek every day. The The readings try to fence in suggestions and concerns that are of the course a nd a number of concept of justice is no different.
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OPINION
Page 12
Islamophobia rampant in the Tampa Bay area By Mereysa Taylor Co-Opinion Editor While the year dwindles away with talk of candidates, police brutality and political correctness, there has been one issue that of late has come to the attention of the Tampa Bay area: Islamophobia. More than one-third of Americans have a negative view of Islam, according to the Pew Research Center. Because of events like 9/11, Islam is often associated with terrorism, even though those events were committed by radical Muslim extremists. Thus, most people with these views are lacking the basic knowledge of Islam as a religion. So here’s a quick run-down: Islam is a monotheistic religion that believes in God (Allah in Arabic). Its holy text is the Koran, which is believed to be the word of God revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. Two of the most misconstrued concepts within Islam is that of Sharia law and the Jihad. Sharia law, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, means “path” in Arabic, and guides all aspects of Muslim life, “including daily routines, familial and religious obligations and financial dealings.”6 Professor of Religious Studies David Bryant tries to reconcile this lack of un-
derstanding in regards to the increase of Islamophobia in the area. “There is a fear of Sharia law, without even any real understanding of what Sharia is,” Bryant said. According to the Islamic Networks group the word “jihad” means “striving” in Arabic, but is often mistaken for “holy war.” Junior Anoosh Moshin, a Muslim student from Pakistan, thinks its extremely important for people to understand what Islam is about. “I want people to know that Islam is just a belief. A “jihad” is just a word: it’s not killing people,” Moshin said. “I want people to know that Islam is a religion of peace.” There have been several Islamophobic incidents over the last couple of years from the communities surrounding Tampa Bay that warrant close attention. Last November, mere hours after the terror attacks in Paris, a man named Martin Alan Schnitzler left a voicemail threatening to firebomb the Islamic Center of St. Petersburg and another voicemail to the Islamic Society of Pinellas County. These threats were only a few of the Islamophobic incidents that occurred in Florida last year, according to the Tampa Bay Times (June 2016).
The Pulse Nightclub shooting earlier this year definitely left Floridians on edge. But because members of the LGBTQ community were specifically targeted by one man’s proclamation of radical Islam, the general attitude towards Muslim people is one of fear and rejection. It was a tragedy that so many lost their lives that night. But instead of responding with support for the community that has lost so much, residents like Schnitzler decided to fight hate with hate, and add fuel to the fire. Just this past October, 30-year Temple Terrace resident Wael Odeh decided to run for City Council. He was then met by an anonymous letter opposing his candidacy because he is Muslim and was feared to be an “unsafe” influence to the community. Odeh is quoted in the Tampa Bay Times (October 2016) expressing his concern for the outcome of this kind of opposition. “If it was directed at me personally it would not be an issue, but this is hitting more than 40,000 Muslims living in the Tampa Bay area,” Odeh said to the Tampa Bay Times. “It is absurd. Not every Muslim is radical. We are human beings.” With so few Muslim students attending Eckerd, it’s easy to overlook the issue. But in light of the upcoming presidential election, and Donald Trump’s increasingly racist and violent rhetoric, students seem to be becoming more vigilant. Arabic Instructor Qays Majeed was asked about the state of Muslim communities regarding our current political climate. “I think that most of the Muslim community in the U.S. are taking his words [Trump’s] seriously. And they are
Nov. 11, 2016
afraid that a nominee for the U.S. presidency will actually do what he says,” Majeed said In this instance, Majeed is referring to Trump’s call for the “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” Trump, quoted saying this on his official website, is one of the main reasons we have such an upheaval of intolerance and Islamophobia in Tampa Bay and the rest of the country. His insensitivity toward an entire group fuels the hatred within the nation. There is no question that this ongoing cycle of hatred has to stop. What people need now more than anything is a thorough education of religions they don’t understand, and a level of acceptance for people different than themselves. On Nov. 3, National Interfaith Leader and Founder of Chicago Based Interfaith Youth Core Eboo Patel came to Eckerd to address interfaith relations in the United States and how we can begin to coexist peacefully. “It seems to me absolutely essential for democratic life in the 21st century, that educated people have an appreciative knowledge, a knowledge of things that they find beautiful, admirable, about another religious tradition,” Patel said. Patel emphasized the importance of cooperation between all religions and beliefs in order to reach a universal understanding, or at the very least, civil communication between parties. Islamophobia isn’t a problem that is going to go away overnight. One can only hope that by becoming more aware of it, we’re taking a step in the right direction.
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