The Official Student Newspaper of Eckerd College
Volume 7, Issue III Oct. 23, 2015
Shifting c u lt u r e away f ro m a ss au lt
Shannon Collins and the Office for Advocacy and Gender Justice are working to create a culture at Eckerd where sexual assault is not tolerated. By Emma Cotton Editor-in-chief
photos by Cypress Hansen Students and faculty share their opinions about gun safety on college campuses.
Gun control: A new era
By Ben Goldberg Opinion Editor
October started with three school shootings in nine days. The Umpqua Community College shooting on Oct. 1 left 10 dead and more wounded. The Northern Arizona University shooting on Oct. 9 left one dead and more wounded. The Texas Southern University shooting on the same day left another dead and another wounded. “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on
battlefields of all the wars in American history,” Dean of Students and Professor of Psychology Marjorie Sanfilippo said, quoting a statistic from New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof earlier this year. Sanfilippo stands at the forefront of a movement that has arisen to try to prevent the legalization of open carry policy on college campuses. Such legislation would allow students, faculty, security and visitors to carry non concealed firearms on public campuses. The proposed bill is not yet up for a vote, but the po-
Read the full story online
Nearly 20 years ago, Shannon Collins drove to the local hospital in South Carolina on her first case as an advocate for survivors of sexual assault. She was nervous. Her client — a seven-year-old girl — was molested by a family friend during routine after-school visits. Collins entered the hospital, where nurses directed her to the child’s room. The girl sat on her hospital bed, greeting Collins politely before continuing to stare up at the TV on the wall, where her cartoons were playing. Collins turned to the girl’s family, explaining her role as an advocate. In the coming years, she would defend and stand up for these children and adults, as a lawyer would a client. Unlike the legal professionals that her clients would meet, Collins was not concerned with proving how, when and where the assault took place. She would support her clients emotionally, find any necessary resources that they needed and even help with paperwork. Her job, she explained, was to take the side of the survivor. After a while, the doctor entered. He told the girl to sit like a frog so that he could check her for injuries and collect samples for evidence. When he finished, he asked if she had any questions. The girl nodded. “Why did he do this to me?” she asked. The four adults in the room were silent. Even after decades of life experience, the question seemed impossible to answer. The doctor told the girl that he didn’t know, but what the man did was wrong, and she didn’t deserve it. “Twenty years later, and I don’t know if she ever found an answer to
that question,” Collins says. Collins wondered what would bring this girl justice. Was justice even possible? What did it mean to advocate for her? In her time as an advocate, Collins has witnessed first-hand the heinous nature of assault. Though she has seen many survivors heal and transform successfully, she recognizes that the initial shock can be devastating. “Your sexuality is such a central part of your total being,” she says. “And when someone takes control of your physical body — your physical body and your essence and just takes that away from you — it feels like you have no power in the world. Who are you after that?” As the director of the new Office for Advocacy and Gender Justice and the confidential advocate on campus, Collins now tries to bring justice to sexual assault survivors at Eckerd. President Eastman appointed Collins to lead the Office for Advocacy and Gender Justice last March. The decision to create the office was sparked by increased campus consciousness about sexual assault that resulted from the President’s forum, held last December. In addition, the Campus SaVE Act, an expansion of the Clery Act, went into effect in July of 2015. It requires campuses nationwide to respond to sexual assault proactively. “This office really wasn’t developed only to ensure compliance,” Collins says. “That’s certainly important, but I think there’s a real momentum and a real community desire to confront this issue directly.” Eckerd’s Campus Security Report, released on Oct. 1 in accordance with the Clery Act, reported 12 forcible acts of sexual assault — the highest number of cases at Eckerd from data that begins in 2009. Data is taken in calendar years, not
school years. Prior to 2014, the highest number of cases reported was five. Collins expected an increase in reporting this past year, and notes that the climb in numbers can be positive. She suggests that the number of people who feel empowered to report has changed, not the actual assaults. “The more education you do, the more outreach you do, the more we can expect the reports go up,” she says. Though this most recent report was based on data collected before Collins came into office, the high numbers may reflect the national conversation about sexual assault or the appointment of Lorisa Lorenzo to the Title IX office last year. With the data in mind, Collins will go forward by attempting to create an on-campus culture where both potential victims and bystanders can recognize and stop predatory behavior. Her goal is to tweak social norms so that any unwanted sexual behavior is rejected by the culture on campus. She has approached the college as a system, with the goal of entering each individual branch to educate faculty, staff or student leaders about strategies to prevent and understand sexual assault situations. So far, she has spoken to RAs, Peer Mentors, EC-ERT, counselors, study abroad advisors, admissions counselors and Human Experience faculty and she has more on the agenda. Collins also works with four students who connect her directly to the culture she is trying to change. Junior Clara Suarez-Nugent works as a liaison between ECOS and the Office for Advocacy and Gender Justice.
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See Collins , page 3 The Current is a free, biweekly student newspaper produced at Eckerd College. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers.
Let’s be brief
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Oct. 23, 2015
By Chelsea Duca News Editor
Palmetto hosts Halloweentown Ball
Pitchers with Professors returns
Show off your most creative costumes at Palmetto Productions’ Halloweentown Ball on Oct. 30. The event will be held at The Coliseum from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., with shuttle service provided. There will also be food, full beverage service and prizes. Tickets are currently on sale for $10 at the mail boxes until Oct. 29. If you are 21, bring two forms of I.D. with you to the dance.
The second Pitchers with Professors of the year will be on Oct. 24 at 4:30 p.m. at Triton’s Pub. Light snacks will be provided, as well as gluten free drink options and fresh root beer for students under 21. If you are 21, remember to bring your student I.D. and a second government-issued form of I.D.
Waterfront trips open for registration The Waterfront is hosting a glow kayak trip for the final supermoon of the year on Oct. 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. You can also sign up to go camping at Manatee Springs State Park from Nov. 7 to Nov. 8. Tents, food and transportation are provided. Bring $15 to the Waterfront to register. Space is limited for all trips. Carve or Be Carved Get creative and carve out a cute, scary or clever jack-o-lantern with Campus Activities on Oct. 28.
FRIDAY
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7 p.m., Miller Auditorium [CPS] ICS: Tangerines
30
7 p.m., McArthur Volleyball v. Barry 9 p.m., The Coliseum Halloweentown Ball
SATURDAY
On Oct. 24, students are invited to watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” with Weston and celebrate the spirit of Halloween with s’mores, cider and a campfire. The movie will begin at 8 p.m. Get ready to be spooked at Howl-OScream Palmetto Productions is offering tickets and transportation to Busch Gardens’ Howl-OScream for $30. The tickets are valid for Oct. 23 only. The first buses to Busch Gardens will leave at 7 p.m. Sign up soon to reserve a ticket.
SUNDAY
24
25
31
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4:30 p.m.,Triton’s Pub Pitchers with Professor’s 8 p.m., Coffee House Patio Weston’s Great Pumpkin
Watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”
Halloween 7 p.m., Soccer Field Volleyball v. Palm Beach Atlantic
MONDAY
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5 p.m., Delta Lounge Dine-n-discuss: Trigger warnings 7 p.m., Upstairs Cobb Gallery Current meeting
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7 p.m., Cobb Gallery Current meeting
Join the Waterfront for their annual Hoe Down On Nov. 13, put on your jeans and cowboy boots and head down to the Waterfront for a full-on country celebration. There will be music, southern food, line dancing and hay rides starting at 7 p.m. Spring Break Trip to Cuba is looking for participants If you are interested in going to Cuba over Spring Break, get your applications in as soon as possible. Due to regulations, the group must be finalized by Nov. 15. The trip will go from March 26 to April 2 and is estimated to cost around $650. There is room for five students, three or four alumni and two leaders. After students arrive in Cuba, various churches will provide transportation and housing. Students will learn about Cuban history and culture, as well as the relationship between Cuba and the U.S. in a religious context. For more information, mail Zoe Gipson Kendrick at zegipson@eckerd.edu or Andrew Black at blackad@eckerd.edu.
TUESDAY
27
28
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6:30 p.m., Waterfront Supermoon Kayak Glow
7 p.m., McArthur Volleyball v. University of Tampa
Editor-in-chief
Opinion Editor
Online Editor
Photo Editor
Emma Cotton
Ben Goldberg
Michael Serrati
Connor Kenworthy
thecurrent@eckerd.ed
currentviews@eckerd.edu
currentonline@eckerd.edu
currentphoto@eckerd.edu
Managing Editors Gary Furrow
Asst. Opinions Editor Brianna Spieldenner
Sports Editor
Sally Gardiner-Smith
Christina Rosetti currentsports@eckerd.edu
Sarah Raney
Culture Editor
currentme@eckerd.edu
Jennifer Lincoln
Cortney Lesovoy
currentae@eckerd.edu
Nicholas Jackson
Design Manager Hannah Hamontree currentlayout@eckerd.edu
Asst. Culture Editor James Carter
Asst. Sports Editors
Multimedia Managers Peter Bouveron
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
Egmont Key Egmont Key Beach Clean-up 4 p.m., Lewis House Talk: Investigative reporter Mike Deeson
Asst. Photo Editor Nate Gozlan
Design Editors Corelle Rokicki Dorothy Eldemire Chelsea Duca Andrew Friedman Garland Ward currentlayout@eckerd.edu
Viki Seligman
Recruitment and Retention
Fiona McGuire
currentvideo@eckerd.edu
Sydney Cavero
Chelsea Duca
Christa Perry
currentnews@eckerd.edu
currentscience@eckerd.edu
Social Media Managers
Faculty Adviser
Victoria Carodine
PR Manager
Duncan Leblond
Geoff St. John
Christina Rosetti
News Editor Asst. News Editors
Science Editors
Becky Flood
Professor K.C. Wolfe
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7 p.m., Fox Hall [CPS] The Eckerd Rainbow River Project
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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. Faculty and staff should include their title, department 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. Letters can be sent via email to thecurrent@eckerd.edu.
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News
Oct. 23, 2015
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From Collins , page 1
Her role allows her to contribute ideas in Shannon’s office, then funnels those ideas through the mainstream organizations on campus. Suarez-Nugent is also Co-President of the Women’s Empowerment Society. “As someone who’s worked in women’s empowerment before this office existed, it’s very refreshing having a faculty voice that exists to raise up the voices of the students and to respond directly, and she does a magnificent job of that,” she says. Junior Tommy Wright works with the Office for Advocacy and Gender Justice to empower men on campus to get involved with the conversation on rape and sexual assault. Wright helped organize “Check Your Male,” a performance by two male spoken word poets on Oct 1. During their visit, they talked about masculinity and ways that men can help prevent gender violence on campus. They also held a separate men’s workshop during which they talked casually about ways to address sexual assault at Eckerd. One of Collins’ most notable changes has been the RA’s sexual assault talk given to freshmen in Autumn Term each year. In years past, freshmen were given a scenario: a girl goes to a party and drinks too much, then is taken home by a boy she likes. The girl hopes they will just kiss, but the boy wants more, and has sex with her. The girl is too scared to stop him. Is it rape? Collins identifies two major problems with this program. First, it perpetuated the idea that on-campus assaults result from misunderstandings instead of deliberate, premeditated behavior. “The reality of this is not that people are confused about whether or not someone wants to engage in sexual activity,” Collins says. “It’s that, in that moment, they don’t care.” Though credible studies on perpetration are limited, existing studies suggest that perpetrators’ intentions are usually malicious. According to a sexual assault report titled “Understanding the Predatory Nature of Sexual Violence” by David Lisak, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, perpetrators make up an extremely small percent of the popu-
The Campus Security Report represents assaults that community members choose to report.
lation, but they account for a large number of assaults. “Most men are not perpetrators, would not perpetrate, and they support survivors,” Collins says. Lisak’s study states that existing perpetrators are likely to be manipulative and calculating and have often committed more than one assault. Generally, alcohol is not the cause for confusion for both parties but, rather, a weapon used explicitly to sedate victims as part of a larger, thoughtout plan. Though there are cases that involve misunderstandings, it is important to be able to recognize the behavior of a serial perpetrator. The second critique of the RA program is that it left the scenario openended. It asked college freshmen to define consent and didn’t give a concrete explanation of sexual assault. Eckerd College Policy states: “In order for individuals to engage in sexual activity of any type with each other, there must be clear, knowing and voluntary consent prior to and during sexual activity.” This statement, which can be found in the ECBook, is followed by a paragraph that clearly defines consent.
According to Collins, the program didn’t do justice to the policy. Instead, it made consent seem like a gray area. This year, instead of treating freshmen like potential perpetrators or victims, the program, titled “Many Voices, One Vision,” focused on bystander awareness. It opens with a short YouTube video showing the power of various moments — a newborn baby wiggling in its crib, a balloon popped by young boys, the turn of a book’s pages. The program goes on to emphasize that some moments in our lives matter tremendously. The RAs encouraged the freshmen to consider moments in their own lives and the lives of others, and act as responsible bystanders with this is mind. This and other programs, such as Check Your Male and the showing of “The Hunting Grounds,” which was screened in Miller Auditorium on Sept. 16, are meticulously coordinated by Collins. Her extensive background helps her understand the balance that must be struck between sensitivity and creativity when talking with the public about sexual assault.
graphic by Hannah Hamontree
Collins attended undergrad at the University of South Carolina, where she studied Archaeology and Anthropology, but soon decided to switch to social work. “During my senior year I just kind of decided that I really wanted to work with people who were living,” she said. After graduating, she worked with women in a minimum security prison in South Carolina, then completed field work at the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, an umbrella organization that oversaw all sexual assault and domestic violence agencies in the state. This gave her a background in legislative work. At the same time, she volunteered as an advocate at a sexual assault agency to understand assault on another level. “It has always been important for me to work with individuals so that I could understand what it meant in the lives of people, but also on a larger scale to create community change,” she said. “That set the stage for all the work I’ve done since.” Collins received her masters in so-
Emma Cotton Shannon Collins leads a discussion with students in the Office for Advocacy and Gender Justice.
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cial work, her graduate certificate in women’s resources and became a full time advocate at USC. There, she developed one of the first relationship violence programs in the country. She often traveled to give presentations to other schools about the program. In 2003, Collins moved to Georgetown University, which was under investigation by the Department of Education for Title IX violations at the time. She worked on mending the mistrust that existed between students and administrators. She also helped start a program called “Are You Ready?” which gave first year students mandatory education about sexual assault. The program is currently in its thirteenth year and was recently featured on NPR. Collins then moved to Chicago to be a research assistant for a professor who studied community violence. Her studies were interrupted, though, when she had her two children, who are now six- and eight-years-old. The next move was her husband’s decision. Up until Chicago, the two had been moving around for the sake of Collins’ career, so she promised her husband that he could pick the next spot. He chose St. Pete. The work that Collins does at Eckerd is consuming, but her passion keeps her going. “This is me — I’m actually bringing myself to this work, I don’t compartmentalize it,” she said. Because of her emotional investment in her job, Collins has to be extra careful to take care of herself. When she can, she steps away from her work to be with her children, meditate and do yoga. Recently, she has been spending her Tuesday nights doing gymnastics, which forces her mind away from Eckerd. “At my age, if you’re going to do
“Why did he do this to me?” she asked. a back handspring, you cannot be thinking about anything else,” she said. Mostly, though, her hope for cultural change keeps her invested. She believes we can prevent sexual assault with the right intervention, and that we can evolve into a campus where assault is not tolerated. “We’ve already seen change on this campus,” she said. “Last year, I saw students who were struggling to articulate the problem. This year, I see people who are empowered to act. That doesn’t mean that we have all the answers yet, but I think we feel like we can create change.” The students in her office are ready for the culture to shift. “Hopefully, the efforts of this office will instill a general culture where people intervene at a party and have zero tolerance for sexual assault and gender violence.” SuarezNugent said. “I think it’s going to take a while, but I’m very optimistic. Once this office came into existence, I knew it was a long-standing symbol of the cultural need for this movement.” Students can make significant change, Collins believes. In order to reform the culture on campus, everyone’s voice is important. “It’s exciting to be a part of it,” she said. “I have witnessed transformation over and over, and I love my job.”
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News
Oct. 23, 2015
Eckerd adopts 529 tuition plan By Thomas Lang Staff Writer Eckerd has joined the Private College 529 Plan, offering future students a new way to make college education more affordable. “This is a way for parents and families to save money on tuition by locking-in the cost of an Eckerd College education at today’s prices. The earlier you can start, the more money you can save,” Eckerd College’s Director of Media and Public Relations Tom Scherberger said. “Unfortunately, costs continue to rise. We have to continue to meet those expenses by raising tuition.” Tuition for the 2014-15 school year was $38,342. This year, it increased three and a half percent to $39,684. “[Rising costs] are bad for students,” Sophomore Daira Brayley said. “Eckerd’s [already] kind of expensive as a private school.” In joining the Private College 529 Plan, Eckerd hopes to mitigate the impact of these rising costs. “We did it basically as a benefit to our students and their families. We looked at it as a way for folks to plan ahead,” Scherberger said. The purpose of the plan is to help families to prepare for the future. President Eastman said that the plan is a good deal, but it takes a long time to plan for it. “One of the ideas that America doesn’t have yet is that sending a kid to college takes the kind of planning of having a mortgage or buying a house,” he said. “It’s not something you’re going to do and reap the benefits in twenty minutes or a month or two or three.” The planning pays off down the road, though. “The guarantee for the future tuition benefit – what you prepay today – is guaranteed tomorrow by our member colleges and universities,” Private College 529 Plan President Nancy Farmer said. “We’re thrilled to count Eckerd among those now.” From small liberal arts schools to large research institutions, the Private College 529 Plan has about 280 member institutions and continues to grow at a rate of about four per year. At another school, that money will cover a different percentage of the annual tuition. Private College 529 keeps track of how much tuition the account holder owns at any of the
participating institutions. In no way is a student locked into a single institution, or even a member school. “You can use the prepaid tuition at any of the participating schools,” Farmer said. “If you put in $10,000 between now and June 30, you’re buying tuition at each of the school’s current rates. At Eckerd, it might be $39,000, so you’re buying roughly 25 percent of a year.” If the beneficiary decides to attend a different school, the money can be refunded. As Farmer said, account values are calculated based on contributions made and then adjusted for market returns, which are capped at plus or minus two percent. Even if the market is down five percent or 10 percent, the value of the account will only decrease by two percent. On the other hand, when the market is up, the account’s value can increase by a maximum of two percent. Another option would be to pass the account off to a qualifying relative to use towards their education. State-sponsored 529 plans were first authorized by Congress in 1996. Eventually, a group of business officers from private institutions decided to adopt their own version of a 529 plan. After five or six years and an act of Congress, the Private College 529 Plan launched in 2003. According to Eastman, Eckerd’s decision to join the plan now was based on the college’s current financial stability. “We have the financial security to be able to handle it,” he said. The number 529 refers to a chapter in tax code that deals with college savings and tuition plans. According to Farmer, there are two primary types of 529 plans: savings and prepaid tuition. There are about 100 different 529 plans that operate around the country. “What makes us different is [that] we’re not sponsored by a state.” All other 529 plans are state-sponsored. While the Private College 529 Plan can provide significant savings for families that plan ahead, it doesn’t offer much for current students. “When you buy tuition from the plan, it has to be held for 36 months. So three years [have to pass before] it can be used at a member school,” Farmer said. A current freshman could then, in theory, open an account today to save money off of the second semester of his senior year. Nevertheless, most current students won’t be able to benefit.
photo by Anna Hoppe Freshman Darby Phillips rides her bike near the front entrance to Eckerd.
Lack of cycling safety raises concerns By Victoria Carodine Asst. News Editor
On Thursday Sept. 24, at approximately 9:40 a.m., Assistant Professor of Marine Science and Biology Jeannine Lessmann was hit by a car while riding her bike in front of Eckerd’s campus entrance, suffering minor injuries. The recent accident calls into question whether the entrance to Eckerd is safe for both riders and drivers. Lessmann declined giving the name of the student who was driving the car, as she believes it should be confidential. “I want to be ultra sensitive to this student,” Lessmann said. Lessmann was traveling westbound on the Pinellas Trail when an Eckerd student, who was in a hurry, hit Lessmann while she was riding her bike entering the crosswalk. The car was exiting campus, turning right onto 54th Ave. S., when the student collided with Lessmann. According to Lessmann, the driver neglected to check both directions before turning onto the street. “Well, if you’re going to turn right, you have to look left,” Lessmann said. Lessmann, an avid cyclist, bikes to and from Eckerd for work every day. She lives close to campus, so the Pinellas Trail is her usual route to work. The Pinellas Trail allows for bikers to feel safe without having to ride on the road with cars and trucks. “I love not being on the same road as cars,” Lessmann said. The eastbound bidirectional lane that runs parallel to 54th Ave. S, all the way to Tarpon Springs is a branch
of the Pinellas Trail. According to the City of St. Petersburg, a bicycle is legally defined as a vehicle — unless there is a designated trail or lane for bikers, they must ride on the road. Bikers must obey the same traffic laws as cars and trucks. The cyclists also have the same rights and obligations as a pedestrian. Lessmann was coming from the driver’s right, which was against traffic, but since she was riding on the Pinellas Trail, it didn’t matter that she was going against the flow of traffic. “For example, if I had been on the road, I would have been cited for traveling the wrong way. I would have been at fault if I would have been on the road,” Lessmann said. A huge aspect of road safety for cyclists and drivers is being aware of one’s surroundings. When Lessmann entered the crosswalk, the driver still didn’t check her right side. “It’s not only the biker’s responsibility, but those driving the vehicles as well to look out for each other,” Associate Dean of Students for Campus Activities Fred Sabota said. Eckerd students leave campus often by foot or on a bike to travel to Publix or CVS. Lessmann is very familiar with the Eckerd community, so she knows how frequent students are leaving campus as pedestrians. “Even if I exit and I’m turning left from Eckerd, I know there are students that are walking and biking to Publix or Wal-Mart,” Lessman said. “So when I turn left, I still look right because I’m sensitive living in this community, and I see Eckerd students there all the time.”
There are two problems that contribute to accidents in front of Eckerd’s entrance. The Pinellas trail runs against traffic, and drivers don’t expect pedestrians or cyclists to be moving in that direction. The second problem is cars not fully stopping at the light to check for pedestrians and cyclists on either side of the crosswalk. Eckerd’s campus is full of drivers that have relatively little driving experience. Stressed, hurried students have a greater chance of getting into accidents if they aren’t paying attention to pedestrian signs and looking for people crossing the crosswalk. The student who hit Professor Lessmann was in a hurry. “She had to get off campus for something really important, and get back for class. She was in a hurry so she didn’t look as much,” Lessmann said. Although the accident technically happened off campus property, it still has an effect on Eckerd. The Florida Department of Transportation decides where traffic lights and signs are put up. This is out of Eckerd’s control if it’s off campus. They can, however, pressure the city to put up more pedestrian signs. According to Sabota, the parking committee on campus is made up faculty, staff and students.They overlook the overall transportation on campus concerning stop signs, mirrors on the corners of sidewalks and parking. Sabota said the committe has expanded in recent years They meet twice a semester and discuss any issues. Students are encouraged to email parking@eckerd.edu with any concerns.
EC-SAR assists in search for boy missing from St. Pete Beach
photo by Aristeo Canales
By Thomas Lang and Victoria Carodine Staff Writer and Asst. News Editor According to Bay News 9, Cameron Bullard, 9, was playing in shallow water on Oct. 3, when a fluke wave knocked him over. He was pushed out into the Gulf of Mexico by the
current. Numerous agencies, including EC-SAR, worked into the night looking for Bullard. “The call came in to us through 911 dispatch around 3:30 in the afternoon, and all we knew at the time was that there was a young child that could not be located,” Assistant Director of the Waterfront for EC-SAR Ryan Dilkey said. “They were not aware at the time whether he was in the water or potentially just lost on the beach.” The response was coordinated by St. Pete Beach Police, which took command, and 911 dispatch. When EC-SAR responds to a call, it alerts the on-scene commander to its capabilities and equipment. “The on-scene commander might indicate what area they’d like us to focus on, but the pattern or the method in which we search, it comes through us,” Dilkey said, “as we have actually more understanding and ex-
perience in actually running that part of the rescue.” Conditions were not favorable for the search, with waves in the two-tofour foot range. As the sun began to set, the likelihood of a rescue became smaller. The Sheriff’s department provided two boats equipped with sonar to look underwater. “At sundown, the Coast Guard and SPPD made the collaborative decision to bring in the other surface assets and let the side-scan sonar boats to sweep the area,” Dilkey said. “We elected, because we had swapped crews right before sundown to run a few more patterns into the night.” EC-SAR conducted its search until about 10 p.m., after most other agencies discontinued their search for the night. Operations continued Sunday morning, but EC-SAR didn’t return to the scene. “At that point, there wasn’t enough information added to the situation that
seemed to call for it to go from a sidescan sonar type of recovery effort to switch it back into a search-and-rescue emergency phase,” Dilkey said. “The reality of [Bullard] surviving and not being found yet was beginning to diminish quite rapidly.” According to Bay News 9, the search for Cameron Bullard moved to the recovery phase on Sunday at 12:40 p.m. Bullard’s body was found by the Pinellas Sheriff’s Office boats early Monday morning on the north side of Shell Key, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “Unfortunately, this case did not have a happy ending, but my crew members and I worked for many hours in an attempt to find this boy, and that was all that we could do,” EC-SAR Boat Captain Kerrigan Lewis said. “I rest easily at night knowing that I at least did my part to help his family.”
EC-SAR not only responds to missing persons cases, but also many non-emergency cases. Missing persons cases don’t happen very often, but EC-SAR works hard to assist in operations when incidents like this occur. “Team members deal with cases involving death and injury very differently,” Lewis said. “When we are underway for something such as a PIW (person in the water), helping that person is our main concern.” Nevertheless, there can still be an emotional impact that team members have to deal with. “It’s certainly tough on college students to realize that there’s a person that has lost their life at all, let alone a small child,” Dilkey said. EC-SAR makes sure that its team members understand what human reactions to these types of tragedies are, how to deal with them and when to ask for help.
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Oct. 23, 2015
Opinion
Page 5
The Achilles’ heel of security
By Brianna Spieldenner Asst. Opinion Editor
For most students, coming to college is the first time they will be away from the protective hands of their parents and community. Traveling far, they have come to Eckerd College to finally make a way for themselves and become more independent. Because of this, college security is one of the most important things for students and parents alike. Parents want to know that their children, whom they’ve taken care of for most of their lives, are going to be well protected. A large part of maintaining the Eckerd’s safety is monitoring who comes onto campus. Eckerd depends mostly on the front gate check-in point. Many outsiders slip through the back gate, though, which poses a potential threat to campus. Guests to sneak in and stay for longer than allowed, and unwelcome visitors find their way to Eckerd’s nightlife seen. This causes a big problem for the security team. “Guests just don’t have the same level of respect that other students for the campus,” Director of Emergency Management and Campus Safety Adam Colby said. “The one thing that I try to remind students is that you’re responsible for your guests at all times. So if you bring them onto campus and they do something on campus you’re responsible for their actions.” In the words of Colby, a recurring problem has been students
teaching their guests to get around the front gate, notably by jumping the fence at the back of campus. Luckily, security fixed this problem a few years ago with a camera. Another problem is an overstayed visit by guests, whom the security team often gets reports of, then promptly escorts them off of campus. The problem is that compared to other college campuses, Eckerd’s dorms are small and spread out all over campus. Other colleges check in guests in the lobbies of their dorms, but it would be too costly to attempt to do that here, leaving the front gate as the only point for check in. One may think that security would start stricter policies to counteract this type of behavior, but instead, they’re actually not the ones in charge of making policies; the Community Standards Incident Review Committee is. As opposed to being annoyed with this lack of power, Adam Colby views this as a good thing. “They’re thinking from a student life angle how a policy would affect us. It’s a good checks and balances,” Colby said. This does not make Eckerd’s security less effective or less strict than other schools. Junior Dylan Faulkner, who has attended two other colleges, attributes our less strict security to our location. “In New Haven there were always cops because New Haven has a pretty high crime rate… it was a little bit more needed, security there,” he said. “In Maryland’s Chesapeake College there was no security because it was a very nice
Security is strict at the front gate, but people are able to sneak through the back gate.
area. Based on the location and the atmosphere that Eckerd brings I don’t see a problem with the way they have it set up.” While we lack in some areas, we make up greatly in others. “One of our biggest strengths is our student body and our size,” Colby said. “Typically when some-
thing occurs on campus we’re small enough that someone has heard about it and will tell us about it, so it’s really about trying to build a trust with the campus body because we can’t prevent everything from occurring. But if something does occur, then someone will come forward and talk to us.”
Photo by Connor Kenworthy
So, despite those who seek to take advantage of our security, they hold up just fine. While they differ markedly from other college’s security teams, Eckerd’s is more than effective for a college of such small size and strong bonds of community.
Photo by Cypress Hansen
Many sidewalks on campus are broken, bumpy, or have cracks in them that can cause skateboarders to fall.
Sidewalks: Uneven, environmentally unfriendly By Alexandria Ashman Contributing Writer
Uneven sidewalks are the enemy of every fatigued, longboarding or clumsy student. Some students may trip and fall while laughing it off, but others fall and hurt themselves. We could chalk that up to being clumsy, but if the sidewalks were even, then maybe there would not be as many people falling over. It becomes even worse when students are out at night. Students as-
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sume that it is okay to go out and walk at night because no one is really thinking about the uneven sidewalks -- until they realize just how uneven they are when they stumble and fall. I know because I thought it would be a good idea to go longboarding at night near the Waterfront, where the sidewalks are the worst. Because I had gotten there safely, I didn’t think to use a light to make sure that I could get back to the dorm safely. Then I hit the uneven sidewalk and flew over the front of my board onto the concrete, which did not hurt as much in the moment as it did afterwards.
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With a swollen pinky and a damaged ego, I walked back to the dorm while my friends called EC-ERT to clean me up. Needless to say, I learned my lesson when it came to the sidewalks, and I am sure that many other people with too much pride have also. The sidewalks are a problem for many people, but they can be fixed. “I think that the real reason to fix them [is] to make sure that our students are safe, so that no one really trips and falls and seriously injures themselves,” said Sustainability Director Evan Bollier.
This is a valid reason to fix the current situation of the sidewalks, and instead of just making them better, we could make them more environmentally friendly. There is a new type of concrete called Topmix Permeable that absorbs six hundred liters of water per minute and allows the water to drain back into the ground. This concrete makes the ground less hot and lessens the rainwater that creates small ponds in certain places. Freshman Drew Moger believes that we could benefit from this type of concrete.
“There are certain areas that water kind of pools, and if it’s smoother, it would be nice as well,” Moger said. This new type of sidewalk would make it easier for students to walk or longboard barefoot on the concrete without burning their feet. It would also be more environmentally friendly. This would also cause less accidents and make it safer for those who are drunk, longboarding, or clumsy. “I think it would be better in the long run. It’s what’s right to do,” said Bollier.
Opinion
Oct. 23, 2015
Shell ceases
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arctic drilling By Sally Gardiner-Smith Asst. Opinion Editor
In September, Shell Oil Company made an announcement to cease any activity in offshore Alaska due to the drop in gas prices, disappointing samples, and public protest. Though environmentalism may not have had much to do with Shell’s decision, it is undeniable that the planet will benefit from their decision. “Shell will now cease further exploration activity in offshore Alaska for the foreseeable future,” director of Shell Upstream Americas Marvin Odum said to the Washington Post. “This decision reflects both the Burger J well result, the high costs associated with the project, and the challenging and unpredictable federal regulatory environment in offshore Alaska.” The Burger J well result refers to exploratory drilling that Shell did in an attempt to discover where oil would be. The results were not what Shell was hoping for. That, paired with dropping gas prices, made it financially logical to cease drilling. They also faced a lot of protests from environmentalists and locals. Popular Mechanics released data saying that the amount of emissions that would be released over the course of a year drilling would be the same as 300,000 cars running for an entire year. “The main thing we’re saving our-
selves from are the long term effects of climate change,” said Professor of Marine Science and Chemistry David Hastings. “If we were to burn the oil that came out of the ground, that would produce carbon dioxide which is a powerful greenhouse gas.” Large drilling operations such as this one influence global climate change immensely. The Chukchi and Beaufort seas, located off the coast of Alaska and the site of Shell’s drilling, are home to many types of wildlife. According to Popular Science, the sound pollution caused by drilling would affect whale migration and population even though drilling wouldn’t happen during whale breeding season. Inupiat peoples, who live on the coastline, depend on the ocean as a source of food. Shell offered to compensate the locals with food shipped in from elsewhere, but this would change their culture and way of life. The most alarming prospect if Shell had decided to continue drilling in Alaska would be the threat of an oil spill. Oil spills are detrimental to the ocean and coastline, resulting in devastating effects on wildlife. “What we worry about are the accidents and the spills, and they are actually quite common,” said Professor Hastings. Vast parts of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas are uncharted. Uncharted waters are dangerous for navigation and could result in shipwrecks. Wrecked drilling vessels cause oil spills. Arctic oceans are also prone
to unpredictable and rough weather,
divest from fossil fuels. Students are
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another easy way to wreck a vessel, says Canadian Arctic author and photographer Ed Struzik in his article for Yale Environment 360. A near disaster occurred in October 2014 when a Shell barge with 950 gallons of fuel broke loose from its tether. Although this incident did not result in calamity, it shows how quickly and easily things could take a turn for the worse. Shell’s decision, though motivated by financial reasons, will save the Arctic ocean from countless types of environmental destruction. Eckerd students have expressed their devotion to keeping our planet clean and beautiful. EC divest, an Eckerd College campaign created by Josh Lewis, calls on Eckerd to
expressing their desire to wean off of fossil fuels and focus on sustainability. In an online petition, EC divest states: “For the good of our campus and our nation, and to preserve the quality of life for this and future generations worldwide, we call upon Eckerd to join a growing movement of institutions around the country that are committed to addressing the anthropogenic issues of the global environment by moving our endowment beyond fossil fuels, focusing instead on investments that are more in line with Eckerd’s mission of ‘sustaining the natural environment.’” I am one of many Eckerd College students who celebrate the end of Shell’s drilling in Alaska, but that doesn’t mean that our fragile environ-
“I’m happy that they’ve decided not to drill as far as environmental purposes go,” Senior Matthew Hardy said. “It’s a good thing to have fewer wells, it’s a good thing to have less habitat destruction. The problem is they’re not going to just give up on oil. They are going have to find another place to drill which could be just as damaging.” Shell’s decision is a wonderful step forward, but other drilling projects will still damage our earth. Shell’s announcement to desist their drilling means many things. It means the protection of a people’s culture and way of life, it means the safety of large and small marine life and it means that Alaskan waters will be safe and cold for a little while longer.
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Culture
Oct. 23, 2015
photo courtesy of Andrey Starostin-dollar photo club
Appetizing Eats with Arielle: Spring rolls By Arielle Lyons Contributing Writer This spring roll recipe is fast, healthy and can be made in the comfort of your dorm room. The ingredients in this recipe are interchangeable and can be customized to your vegetable preference. Ingredients: -Spring Roll Wrappers (rice paper) (can be purchased at Asian Markets or Amazon) -1 Large Carrot -Handful of Spinach/Lettuce -1 Avocado -Firm Tofu -1 Cucumber -Couple leaves of Basil Preparations - Cut cucumber and carrots into slices approximately 3 inches long and a quarter inch thick. Cut avocado about 3 inches long and ½ inch thick. - Cut block of tofu into 3 inch long strips that are approximately ½ inch thick. - Rip up a few pieces of basil to sprinkle in the wrap. Directions Fill a plate that is larger than your rice paper with an inch of warm water. Have another plate ready to roll your spring rolls on. Place spring roll paper in the water and make sure there are no air bubbles stuck underneath. In about 10-20 seconds, the rice paper will will be soft and workable. Carefully pick up the rice paper and place it on the dry plate. Take a small bit of spinach/lettuce and set it at the very end of the circle. Add 2-3 pieces of tofu/your choice of protein. Add 1-2 slices of avocado. Add 3-4 slices of cucumber. Add 3-4 slices of carrot. Sprinkle Basil over everything once you’ve finished adding ingredients. Carefully, pick up an edge of the rice paper and roll it like a burrito once. Tuck it in tight then fold the sides into the center. Continue rolling to the end of the rice paper. Voila! You have your finished spring roll! You can make as many spring rolls as you would like! Personally, I like to pair mine with thai peanut sauce, which is available at Publix.
DIY Halloween Costumes made easy By Maddy Rowe Contributing Writer You might be struggling to come up with a fun, easy costume for Halloween this year; worry no more. These are just a few suggestions of possible costumes that are easy to make without being boring. 1. Doodlebob: This costume requires a little bit of artistic skill. You will need two large pieces of cardboard, a sharpie, two pieces of ribbon that are equal length, and a pencil. On one of the pieces of cardboard, draw the front of Doodlebob, and leave the other blank. Attach one end of each of the ribbons to the topside of both pieces of cardboard. Now all you have to do is carry around your pencil and when people talk to you at parties answer with “HOYMENHOYMENHOY.” 2. Lifeguard: This costume is pretty self-explanatory. Throw on
your favorite swimsuit, some shorts, a visor, a whistle, and some sunscreen on your nose for good measure. Whenever you see people running around campus yell at them to, “Please walk.” In the middle of parties, you could also blow your whistle and announce it’s time for breakout. 3. Regina George: This costume only requires a white tank top. Cut two holes at chest level, and you are ready to go. If you have a car, drive around campus and say “Get in loser, we’re going shopping” to everyone you pass. You might also try finding a few other girls to follow you around and compliment you. 4. Shia LeBeouf: This costume is created using only a brown paper bag and a sharpie. Cut out two eyeholes in the bag and write, “I Am Not Famous Anymore.” Put the bag on your head. While at parties yell at people to, “Just do it.” Whenever you leave a location you have to say, “Autobots roll out.” 5. Pub Coon: This costume
leaves a little room for interpretation. You can be a dirty raccoon, or a sassy raccoon, or whatever type of raccoon your heart desires. To add to the costume you might try crawling in and around a few trashcans. You could also get a few friends to dress as squirrels and mice to make a whole rodent crew.
photos by Maddy Rowe
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Oct. 23, 2015
Culture
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Catchfools catches attention at Eckerd
By Charlie Colvin Contributing Writer
Catchfools, a psychedelic rock band from Lady Lake, FL, has been gaining increasing attention from Eckerd’s student body. What originally began three years ago as an informal punk project has now evolved into a fourpiece rock group with big plans. Playing alongside other student artists such as He She Me Wumbo and DJ Trillbot, Catchfools has recently joined the ranks among Eckerd’s favorite musical acts. Junior Blair Carlyle, the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist, has been coordinating shows at campus parties for almost two years. Catchfools has been playing show across the state of Florida since their inception in 2012. Influenced by bands such as Tame Impala, FIDLAR, The Strokes, Wavves and Led Zeppelin. The band started in a non-traditional fashion after Carlyle and his high school friends played a show together to help out a fellow musician. “Our first drummer had a gig, but his band broke up, like, a week before the show,” Carlyle said. “So, Stephen, Nate and I got with him, and we basically wrote about an hour’s worth of music in a week, then played the show. After that, Kyle quit, and Pedro became our drummer.” The first show was a success, but the rushed nature of their earliest songwriting left them with a record best described as punk – a sound that would transform and develop as time went on. “Now we’re putting a lot more
time into the writing process,” Carlyle said. “With that being said, Stephen and I had been writing songs together for the majority of high school, so we had always creatively been on the same page.” Since their first show, their sound has evolved from its punk roots to embrace a quite different genre of rock music. Carlyle describes the band as having a recent focus on “the psychedelic, effect-driven side of sound.” Catchfools released their first EP in March of this year, titled “Country Club,” which is available for stream and name-your-price download on their Bandcamp page. According to Carlyle, the band is sitting on enough songs to create a full album, and they are currently saving up the money needed to rent time in a recording studio. On the new album, which is yet to receive a name, Carlyle said, “Our newer songs are a lot better than anything on Country Club, and I’m really excited to record them. I can see our music going somewhere.” He estimates that the band’s first LP will likely be released in early 2016. Fans don’t have to wait until next year to hear their newer songs, though, as they already play them during their shows. Eckerd students can catch the band at the regularly scheduled Kappa Kitchen events, the next of which will be on Oct. 24. Catchfools describe their shows as genuine, passionate and crazy, and Eckerd students who have been to their shows can’t help but agree. Senior Corey Bracken is another Eckerd artist and drummer for He She Me Wumbo and enjoys listening to the band.
“[Catchfools] absolutely deserves more recognition, and I think they are slowly getting it,” he said. “Those guys kill it, and the entire crowd goes nuts when they start playing, even if they’re not into that kind of music.” Carlyle attributes the good vibes to the fast, loud and spirited nature of their music. “The energy is tangible at our shows, and people just get really into it,” he said. “Our goal is to make music that stirs people. If one person feels moved after hearing us, that’s worth it. The thought of affecting someone you don’t know through art is a very special thing to me. Music has played such a huge role in our lives, and I owe a lot to the bands that I listen to. If we can make someone else feel like that, well… That’s the dream.” To hear some of Catchfools’ music and support the band, visit their Instagram (catchfools_official) and Facebook (Catchfools) pages, check out their Bandcamp (http://catchfools.bandcamp.com), and come out to their next show, October 24th at Kappa Kitchen.
Listen to Catchfools’ new EP here in a playlist
Photos by Connor Kenworthy and Blair Carlyle Catchfools’ feel good music fits right in at Eckerd’s party scene.
Saturday morning market opens By Andrea Depina-Gomes Contributing Writer
Saturday Oct. 3 marked the reopening of the Saturday Morning Market – a place for good food, shopping, live music and fun. The Saturday Morning Market, located in Williams Park, St. Petersburg, began its 14th season since it was founded in Nov. 2002. The market has made it their mission to be the heart of St. Petersburg. More specifically, it is a place people can gather as a community and feel connected to St. Pete. “It epitomizes the character of St. Petersburg – the diversity of the people and the vendors and displays. The energy level is high, and a lot people come every week,” vendor of Gateau Chocolat John Cunningham said. The market is popular amongst Eckerd students who attend for a variety of reasons. If you go, chances
are you’ll see someone from campus. “I go to the market for the fun environment and because it’s a great place to buy local and organic produce,” Junior Ellen Emrich said. Food plays a large role at the Saturday Morning Market, whether it be ready-to-eat or takehome. All produce is organically and locally grown, and prices are reasonable for such quality. The market prides itself in the diverse variety of food sold there. Their website claims that they have more styles of ready-to-eat food than any other market in the U.S. Some of the 15 plus styles include Greek, Italian, French, Belgian, German, Polish, British, Cuban, Mexican, Colombian, Thai, Ethiopian, Cajun, Vegetarian and more. “There are fun, unique types of food. That is usually why I come,” Junior Carly Gilmore said. Musical entertainment is also important to the market. Market goers on opening day enjoyed
live music played by The Urban Gypsies, who specialize in tribal, disco, gypsy and bluegrass music. One of the biggest ways the Saturday Morning Market supports the community is by supporting local businesses. Not only does the market help businesses gain traffic to their stores, it allows them to connect to their customers. “The market definitely supports local businesses,” Cunningham said. “A lot of these businesses that are here today have a store that they operate out of during the week.” That being said, the saturday market is a great place to help students foreign to St. Pete become more familiar with the community. “That’s why it’s cool coming to The Saturday Morning Market. You get to pick up on some local stores,” Gilmore said. The market will continue to run through May every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The Saturday morning market is home to multitudes of Florida vendors showcasing their foods and produce.
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Photos by Caley Hansen
SCIENCe
New beekeeping club
Oct.. 23, 2015
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Making a buzz around campus
By Christa Perry Science Editor Starting this year, Eckerd will house one hive of productive bees. The Eckerd Beekeeping Club, started by Seniors Andrea Martin and Reid Powers, had its first meeting on Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. in the Kappa Lounge. “We’re facing a time where bees are becoming harmed by the environment we’re creating,” Martin said. “By providing bees habitat, we’re fostering the primary pollinators for a lot of plants and a healthy, sustainable ecosystem.” According to the American Beekeeping Federation, honeybees gather nectar, a sugar water, from inside flowers while also collecting pollen on their furry legs and bodies. As the bees gather more nectar, this pollen gets transported from flower to flower in the process known as pollination. Pollination has to occur before a flower can produce seeds, and seeds are needed to produce plants. Bees are essential to a healthy ecosystem. “They’re the building blocks of our environment,” Sustainability Fellow Evan Bollier said. “They build from the bottom up. We need a solid base if we want to grow crops, vegetables, plants and trees.” A healthy, productive hive produces about 50 pounds of honey a year. The American Beekeeping Federation website states that worker bees typically pollinate a two to five mile radius. “It goes beyond just our campus,” Bollier said. “This project could help affect other local gardens in the area. Bees are good for our whole environment and could help local community members in south St. Petersburg pollinate their gardens.” Associate Dean of Students for
photo by Cypress Hansen
The Beekeeping Club expects to have about 50 members for their pilot semester.
Campus Activities Fred Sabota has been working with the Eckerd Risk Management Office and insurance company provider to get bees on campus. “That was the biggest hurdle,” Sabota said. According to Sabota, Risk Management required answers to all of their questions, primarily about safety. They also required a protocol for how to remove the bees if anything goes wrong with the club.
“It’ll be a pilot project for a year until we know that this is something we can maintain, and it’s safe,” said. “If that happens, then hopefully we can grow upon it and do more.” The club Facebook page emphasizes its goals to bring the Eckerd community a chance to learn about environmental sustainability with bees. “I’m really hoping that it goes well and that students will also do independent research projects on the hive because there’s a lot of things to study,”
Martin said. The proposed site for the bees is Alumni Grove, a wooded section on the less trafficked side of campus. The proximity of the water, vegetation and relative quietness is an optimal spot for the hive, according to Sabota. Students do not need any experience to join the club. In fact, cofounder of the Eckerd Beekeeping Club Andrea Martin is brand new to
the beekeeping world. “I’m going to learn with our members as we go,” Martin said. Lack of experience does not seem to be stopping anyone. The club Facebook page “Eckerd Beekeepers” boasts 94 members. Martin believes the club will have about 50 active members when all is said and done. The Eckerd Beekeeping Club meets biweekly on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the Kappa Lounge.
Professor Bruce Barver recieves grant for aquaculture research Duncan LeBlond Social Media Manager Visiting Professor of Marine Science Bruce Barber, who studies aquaculture, has recently received a grant of $83,000 from the Aquaculture Research Council, which is a branch of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to fund his research. According to Barber, the grant came from a fund that was created to advance aquaculture in the state of Florida, for shellfish, tilapia, alligator, shrimp and all other sources of aquaculture. Barber’s research is focused on shellfish, specifically Macrocallista nimbosa, commonly known as the Sunray Venus Clam. He believes that the Sunray Venus Clam could be the next big aquaculture crop for Florida. The Sunray Venus is essentially an
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untapped edible natural resource that would further advance aquaculture. “They feed on phytoplankton and we won’t have to add anything to the water,” Barber said. “They will, in fact, be cleaning the water and are considered to be very sustainable as far as aquaculture crops go as they filter the water and improve quality.” This specific type of clam has not been harvested commercially in any large-scale way in the past, but Barber’s research has the potential to provide Florida’s commercial sector with the means to do so. The grant will enable him to conduct multiple experiments in an effort to study many areas of the clam’s lifestyle, from feeding to reproduction. Identifying the details related to these physiological processes will then provide answers in how to successfully farm the species. Barber started taking samples for the project a year ago, observing food
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sources of the clams. Currently, he has two Eckerd students helping him conduct this research, Junior Karl Teague and Senior Sarah Cole. These individuals are helping record the experimental observations that Barber has been working on. “We are in the early stages right now, and are trying to identify phytoplankton species throughout the year and figure out which phytoplankton induce spawning of the Sunray Venus,” Teague said. This research could have a profound impact on aquaculture quality and diversity in Florida and possibly beyond. Aquaculture is a topic that is heavily debated — its economic and environmental benefits are constantly being weighed against its downfalls. This new research that involves using an economically untapped and sustainable species could help bring the world that much closer to a solution.
courtesy of Bruce Barber Part of making the Sunray Venus a main export is lowering the cost of breeding the clams.
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Save our water, save our future
science
Oct. 23, 2015
By Fiona Maguire Science Editor
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Warm water bacteria cause worry in Florida counties By Haley Norton Contributing Writer
Florida has made national headlines this year after the death toll for the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, which has reached a grand total of 12 deaths and 25 additional cases for the year 2015 alone. The death toll since Vibrio vulnificus began to be monitored and recorded in 2008 has reached a total of 76. V. vulnificus is a pathogenic bacteria typically found in warm, brackish areas or coastal waters, making it very common in Florida waters. While the Florida Department of Health considers cases of infection to be rare, they also note that cases are often underreported. Typically, infection from this bacteria manifests itself in the form of a stomach ache or indigestion from raw or undercooked shellfish such as oysters. In more serious cases after eating raw shellfish, it will manifest itself in the form of septicemia, or blood poisoning, for which the mortality rate jumps to 50 percent. Other cases include wound infections, for which obvious signs will be skin lesions. These cases have a mortality rate of 25 percent. Those mortally infected by V. vulnificus are often elderly or have compromised immune systems. Freshman and Florida native Elizabeth Edwards is not fazed by this news. “We’ve always kind of had the bacteria in our water systems,” Edwards said, “and just being a natural Florida citizen, I know when not to go into the water, I know the signs and the warnings. I’m aware of what’s going on, it doesn’t bother me
On Sept. 30 in Miller Auditorium, photographer John Moran spoke about the importance of saving Florida’s springs and his work with the Springs Eternal Project. The project is a collaboration with scientists, researchers and artists which aims to both understand and improve the health of Florida’s Springs. Moran was awarded Florida State Photographer in 2006 and has been published in National Geographic, Life, Time, Smithsonian and the Audubon Society’s Field Guide to Florida. As a major component of the Florida experience, Moran believes it is crucial to the economy for residents to preserve and protect the aquifer and waterways, from Blue Springs to Weeki Wachee. After the lecture in Miller, guests
moved to Cobb Gallery for a reception to view the exhibit which displayed Moran’s photographs alongside information about the project. The artwork will be featured in Cobb Gallery through October. Sophomore Lucy Fitzgerald, a fellow diver and underwater photographer, enjoyed the lecture. “I found him very inspiring,” she said. “He was very passionate about what he said and it made me more aware of where we are in Florida.” In the past few years, there have been increasing numbers of mass dolphin and manatee deaths, including the 2013 record breaking tragedy in Indian River Lagoon. At Indian River, algal blooms decimated sea grass, and a mysterious illness resulted in the death of over 200 manatees. These ecosystems have been under stress from pollution, like fertilizer runoff and wastewater, and it is un-
known whether some of them will be able to fully recover. However, we do know they are far easier to protect than to restore. Moran said he has never been more involved in a project. “The vast Floridan aquifer, the source of our springs and our drinking water, is neither invulnerable to pollution nor is it infinite,” Moran said. “Resistance to change is no longer an option.” The average Floridian uses 134 gallons of water per day, which will pose more of a problem as population increases. Moran suggests reducing our water waste from supporting lawns and educating the public on the importance of stewardship. “Our springs are world class treasures, and I believe they deserve world class protection,” Moran said.
as much because I find it normal.” There are several misconceptions regarding V. vulnificus. For one, the media often refers to the bacteria as “flesh eating,” but this is only one of the ways the infection manifests itself. Due to this exaggerated fear, there has been more outcry towards Florida health officials this year from cases of infection rather than past years, resulting in higher demands for warnings and health advisories for the bacteria. While the number of infections this year is the second highest since they have started being recorded in 2008, this number is still small given the amount of beachgoers in Florida every year. Visiting Professor of Marine Science Bruce Barber is used to working with shellfish and, as a result, is very familiar with V. vulnificus and their heightened levels. “I know that even if they’re higher, it’s still a very low number and it’s still very unlikely that any of us are going to be affected by it,” Barber said. “I mean, look at how many people go into the water each year and you look how many people eat shellfish each year. The proportion is very, very small.” This story has been widely circulated both statewide and nationwide. According to Barber, the problem is not as bad as it is made out to be. “I think it’s just one of these conflicts between science and public perception and it’s just gotten a little out of whack because I think the media has really over-stated it,” Barber said. “Know your weaknesses if you’re immunodeficient and be careful if you are. Don’t eat raw shellfish and don’t go into the water if you’ve got open wounds or cuts.”
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Sports Rugby hits the mainstream in the United States Oct. 23, 2015
By Nicholas Jackson Asst. Sports Editor
Rugby is a game of huge hits, no helmets and gargantuan athletes donning short shorts. It is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and the populous at Eckerd College represent this nationwide subculture of avid rugby fanatics. Our team, although only recreational, attracts a slew of highly talented students who compete annually for a spot on the roster. In recent years, support for Triton rugby has grown significantly and has reached cultlike status. Playing home fixtures amid the idyllic backdrop of South Beach, Saturday afternoons at Kappa field have become more than a cocktail of hedonistic activity. Instead, they are home to ferocious competitiveness, fast play and frighteningly big alpha males knocking 7bells out of each other for 80 minutes. The general concepts behind rugby are roughly the same as American football although a lot of the jargon is redundant in our lexicon. ‘Scrums’, ‘lineouts’, ‘rucks’ and ‘mauls’ are words alien to the majority of us, but the concepts are not hard to decipher. The general ideas in both sporting codes are to get the ball to the end of the field and over the line. In rugby, you score a ‘try’ instead of a touchdown, and when you are tackled, a ruck forms rather than a first down. Tries are worth five points and conversion kicks through the goalposts are worth two. Scrummaging and technicalities around the break down require hands on experience to become familiarized, but is easy to digest. Barriers to entry are relatively small when it comes to rugby participation if you possess the necessary physique and adequate levels of dexterity. Sophomore inside center William Hardenbergh, who stands at 6feet 6 inches, has had an extensive background in rugby, but he is somewhat of an anomaly. “I played for four years in high
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school, however only half of my freshman class had rugby experience,” Hardenberg said. “This year’s freshman class had little prior experience of the game.” The game originated in England, and like many things English, is steeped in rich tradition. Both teams form a guard of honor once the game is over, and congregate under the South Beach pavilion to acquaint further. The clandestine rugby ‘socials’ then occur which consist of players being accused of errors performed in the match by other teammates who play the prosecutors in a spirit-lifting mock court setting. Often members from the opposing teams are present, and stay well into the night enjoying the party scene Eckerd has to offer. The idiosyncrasies of Eckerd rugby traditions are apparent, but draw parallels to the rugby culture born out of the UK. “The traditions in rugby are huge, and the camaraderie is clear,” sophomore scrum half Austin Fernandez said. “You can go anywhere and find a rugby player with similar values and cultures as you.” A key cog in the team, Fernadez highlighted the down-to-earth, unembellished nature of the game that he tried his hand at during his first year at Eckerd College. “You lay your body on the line out on the field, but off it you’re all just a bunch of ruggers,” Fernandez said. “Even if you get punched in the face it’s forgotten at full time.” It is these primitive, untouched traditions that make the sport so enticing to so many, and juxtaposes the common image of sporting prima donnas. Tactical know-how, developing strategies and unfathomable bravery are some of the ingredients that go into producing a successful team. The art of tackling in rugby highlights how the game is far less ostentatious than American football. Players are not allowed to wear helmets or protective pads to prevent injury. Tackles in rugby must be below the shoulder and executed with sound technique, which is often not the case in football.
Florida’s finest ruggers hard at work in preparation for their next match.
The United States has played in all but one Rugby World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987. They competed in the ongoing 2015 World Cup finals in England with gutsy performances against Japan and Samoa indicating the progression of the sport. Mike Geibel, who has extensive ties with Eckerd rugby, has done his part to grow the game on campus and raise awareness.
“There has been advertising from members of the team, but especially Mike Geibel, who has presented live streams of the World Cup games at the Triton Pub,” Hardenberg said. In a country home to 320 million people, there is ample room for the growth of rugby. It does not have to compete with the institutionalized sports that are woven into the fabric of American society. By creating its own niche, it can prosper and stand
photos by Aristeo Canales
side by side more archetypal sports. For years, we have heard the rhetoric that the United States is a sleeping giant of the rugby world. Although you may hear those sorts of sentiments for a few more years to come, it is a sure bet that through this perpetually expanding subculture, rugby is here to stay.
Volleyball senior leads by example By Christina Rosetti and Meaghan Kirby Sports Editor and Staff Writer In her third and final year on the volleyball team, outside hitter Tjasa Kotnik has developed into a leader on and off the field. The transfer originally hails from Slovenia and has significantly impacted the volleyball program at Eckerd with her skill and leadership. Kotnik brought her talent to Eckerd after transferring from the University of Utah after her freshman year. Though expecting a tougher transition between the levels of play from a Division I to a Division II school, Kotnik stepped into her role at Eckerd with ease. “I always thought that there was a bigger gap between divisions in sports, but I quickly learned that Division II is as competitive as Division I,” Kotnik said. Because she already had a year of
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photo courtesy of eckerdtritons.com Senior Tjasa Kotnik leads the team in kills (276).
college experience before arriving at Eckerd, Kotnik showed her maturity on and off the court. Right away, Kotnik proved to be a valuable asset on the Triton squad. Despite transferring to a school on the opposite side of the country, it was not a new place for the Kotnik family. Katja Kotnik, Tjasa’s older sister, also transferred to Eckerd but to play basketball. The basketball
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standout graduated a year before the younger Kotnik arrived. As an international athlete, Kotnik took the opportunity to come overseas in order to combine academics with the sport she loves. According to Kotnik, it is difficult to be an athlete and student at the same time because they have conflicting schedules. Listed on the roster as 6foot3inch, the outside hitter has always been one of the taller players on her teams. Kotnik has been playing high level volleyball for a long time. Prior to the University of Utah and Eckerd College, she was a member of the U14, U 16 and U 18 Slovenian National teams. During her time with the Slovenian National Team, Kotnik was named Most Outstanding U16 Player in the league. “Tjasa’s culture is what has shaped her,” Head Coach Michelle Piantadosi said. “I believe she brings a lot of maturity to the team because of coming from Slovenia and the amount she has traveled the world.” In her first year at Eckerd, Kotnik played in all 30 matches and
earned Sunshine State Conference All Newcomer Team selection. She finished in the top 15 of the SSC in hitting percentage with .273 and blocking percentage averaging 0.83 per set. Kotnik finished her first year with double digit kills in three of the final four games of the season and ranked third on the team in blocks with a total of 88. She also reached the 200 kills club during her 2013 campaign. In the 2014 season, Kotnik appeared in all 30 again. With another 17 double digit kill contests, Kotnik picked up three double double performances. During her junior season, Kotnik reached her season high of 15 digs and 12 kills against Rollins College. The outside hitter led the team in kills (315), total attacks (843) and sets played (116). In her senior year, Kotnik has played a pivotal role for the Tritons on and off the court. In the past couple of weeks she was named player of the week by the Eckerd Tritons’ website and led the team to a pair of conference wins including an upset
over No. 6 Florida Southern. In that match, Kotnik earned 20 kills, five blocks and two aces. Kotnik has appeared in all 17 matches so far this season averaging 4.16 kills per set and a .271 hitting percentage. So far this season Kotnik has tallied 264 kills, 34 service aces, 159 digs and 33 blocks. She earned her career high in kills early on in the season against Oklahoma Baptist with 25 kills. The leadership Kotnik exemplifies on the court also transfers over into the classroom. She was named to the 2014 SSC Fall Comissioner’s Honor Roll. Kotnik has impacted the team through her performance on the court and leading by example off the court. “Tjasa has grown tremendously over the last three years,” Piantadosi said. “I am most proud of her leadership. I believe she has had a huge impact on our program as she has taken on this role and the standard she has set for future leaders will be something that shapes this program in the years to come.”
Sports Major League Soccer team draws Eckerd fans
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By Christina Rosetti Sports Editor
With just one match left to play in its inaugural season in Major League Soccer, Orlando City Soccer Club has quickly gained a diehard fan following this year. The expansion team draws fans from all over the state as Florida’s only MLS team. Rae Antenucci, an Eckerd College senior from Melbourne, FL, has long awaited an MLS franchise to develop in the sunshine state. Despite three second tier soccer clubs located in
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St. Petersburg, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale, the Florida teams have not drawn a large scale following. “I think this club brings in a lot of fans because it has national recognition,” Antenucci said. “When big name teams around the country come to play in Orlando, that draws a big crowd.” Orlando City SC was developed in 2010 and originally played in the third tier United Soccer League with the hopes of soon becoming a MLS franchise. Just five years later, Orlando City SC made its debut in the top division of professional soccer in the
43,179 fans were in attendance at Orlando City’s 2-1 win over New York City FC.
United States. According to the Orlando City website, the MLS commissioner set three conditions for the club to meet before earning its spot in the league. First, Orlando City had to prove to the league that a soccer market existed in that part of the state. Next, the team needed a strong ownership group with financial resources to keep the club running and lastly, the team had to play in a soccer specific stadium. Within three years, each of the conditions were met and in late 2013, the franchise was awarded. Orlando City played its first MLS game on March 8, 2015 in front of a historic 62,510 fans and according to the Orlando City team website, it was the second largest opening weekend in MLS history. As the 34 game season comes to a close, Orlando City looks to clinch a playoff spot. With a 21 win over New York City FC, the Lions’ playoff hope was kept photo by Christina Rosetti alive. After con-
ceding a goal just minutes before halftime, Orlando City battled back in the second half in front of 43,179 fans. Cyle Larin, an MLS rookie, scored twice in eight minutes, earning his 17th goal of the season. Larin is now tied for third in the league for photo by Christina Rosetti goals scored, an Rae Antenucci and Leah Chisolm celebrate am Orlando goal. unlikely feat from Junior Leah Chisolm, co-captain an expansion team player. Orlando of the women’s soccer team, has atCity has set numerous records as an tended countless professional games expansion team in its inaugural seaat varying levels and believes that son. The diehard fan section, known the fans make an impact on the peras The Wall, contributed to setting an formance of teams. As the EC Mob MLS expansion record with an avergrows, Chisolm expects the energy age of 32,847 fans in attendance per level of the college games to increase. game. “It’s really encouraging to have “I think the environment similar passionate fans,” Chisolm said. “It to a Rowdies game, on a larger scale makes you want to perform on the though,” Antenucci said. “There is a field for them. It’s a contagious envilot of spirit and passion for the game. ronment at any level.” I think because the team is doing well Antenucci and Chisolm enjoy witand there are so many people in one nessing fans supporting the men’s place, it’s easy to get excited about a and women’s soccer teams at Eckerd game.” but they also enjoy the other side of it With the formation of the EC Mob stepping into the stands and chanting at Eckerd, students on campus can along with Orlando City fans. get a small taste of what fans on a big stage feel at MLS games.
EC Mob rallies campus at sports games
By Cortney Lesovoy Asst. Sports Editor
There’s a new fan club on campus this year, and they call themselves the EC Mob. The EC Mob is a group of students on campus who support the men’s and women’s soccer teams in the stands at the Turley Athletic Complex. At games, they sing songs and yell chants to encourage their fellow Eckerd peers on the field. The Mob has been especially supportive of the men’s team, who is having a very successful season thus far. “The EC Mob gives the crowd an identity, and it helps the players out on the field,” EC Mob coleader James Patterson said. “It lets them know that the students and fans have their backs.” The group was created by men’s soccer players Richard Ainscough, Jordan Lee and Alex Gott, who initially started a Facebook page during
Autumn Term. The players got in touch with juniors Callum Mackay, Patrick Nichols and senior James Patterson and passed their leadership role of rallying the fans over to them. Nichols and Assistant Resident Coordinator Mark Scafidi, who are a part of ECOS Athletic Relations, helped back the group to get more involvement from the students. As a result, there are now 474 members of the EC Mob on Facebook. Women’s soccer captain Taylor Tippett was also involved in the recruitment of fans once the group got started in early August. Tippett says the EC Mob has made the women enjoy playing at home since the fan base is now more than just their friends and family. “Being a women’s sport, the team isn’t used to having much fan support, and the EC Mob really changed that for us,” Tippett said. “Their pres-
The EC Mob cheers on the men’s soccer team in a match against Barry University.
ence definitely motivates us. Because the Mob is there supporting us, it makes us want to give them a win as a thank you for being there.” Mackay plays a big role in unifying the EC Mob. Many of the songs he comes up with are derived from English teams back in his hometown. He changes around the names from players back in England to the names of players on the team here, and both the crowd and the players seem to love it. “Callum is the heart and soul of the EC Mob,” Nichols said. Gott and senior Tolin Vaccaro especially enjoy a song made for Nick Jackson, “Oh Nicky Jackson, you are the love of my life. Oh Nicky Jackson, I’d let you shag my wife. Oh Nicky Jackson, I want curly hair too.” Freshman Westleigh Rush’s chant, “Hey, we want some Westleigh!” is also a fan and player favorite. Due to the creation of the Mob and the recent success of the men’s soccer team, more and more fans are
showing up to games every week. Vaccaro admits that there are four times as many fans at their games this year than there were last year. “Their chants, their encouragement, everything just makes you want to play harder,” Vaccaro said. “They get you through it when you don’t think you have anything left.” The whiteout game against Barry at home on Oct. 3 was a big eye opener for Gott. The Tritons led the game 2- 0, thanks to Jackson’s brace, until the 76th minute of the game when Barry’s forward Frank Lustig managed to head the ball into the back of the net and put one up on the board. The support from the EC Mob is what motivated the Tritons to stand tall against their opponents. “They simply drive us on,” Gott said. “When you concede one with 15 minutes to go and you know the other team is coming against you, the [EC Mob] really helps you out. When your back is up against the wall, and you don’t
want to concede a goal to go to overtime, they get you through it.” Scafidi also points out that, because of the impact the Mob has on the team, it’s like the group is another teammate to them. After every game, the players come rushing over to celebrate with the Mob, including them in the celebration as if they actually a part of the team. It lets them know that they make an impact on the game. After Eckerd beat Barry 2 - 1, the players and the Mob joined together on the middle of the field for one big chant, screaming “Undefeated!” in unison. “Celebrating with them at the end is just incredible,” Vaccaro said. Head Coach Cristian Neagu says his players feed off of the energy from the Mob. He believes that their success is strongly correlated with the amount of people in the stands. “We have the best fans in our conference, if not, the country,” Neagu said.
photo by Aristeo Canales
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