The Sandspur Volume 125 Issue 11

Issue 11 • Volume 125 Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 www.thesandspur.org

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Passersby harrass students on Fairbanks Now that theater classes have moved off-campus, students experience repeated catcalling

By Zoe Pearson

T

Graphic by Anastasia Rooke

Women’s soccer knocked out of regionals in overtime Despite their loss, the team remained undefeated at home and reflects on a solid season

By Henri Balla

T

hballa@rollins.edu

hey lost the game, but they won our hearts. The women’s soccer team has exited the regional playoffs after a heartbreaking 2-1 loss against Lee University in Pensacola after a double overtime battle.

Despite conceding after only 10 minutes, the Tars kept their cool and equalized in the first half when Kathryn O’Brien (‘20) surged through a gap in the defense to score her seventh goal of the season.

A highly contested game followed, with both keepers pulling six saves each. In the last five minutes of regulation time, Rollins even had an attempt cleared off the line.

“They had their chances, we had ours,” said Head Coach Ali-

cia Schuck. “The game could’ve gone either way.” Frustratingly, the Tars conceded with only 90 seconds left on the clock, after a commotion in the box following a deflected free kick.

Chris Hennessey, Lees’ head coach, said on the university’s athletics website, “It’s always extremely tough when we play Rollins,” also admitting that his team got “a bit lucky.”

The game was the curtain call for seniors Kiera McMeekan, Shalisa Crowell, Yaya Mbengue, Jill Richards, and Megan Welliver.

“They’re such special individuals,” Schuck said, “not just on our team, but from a community and leadership perspective, they embrace everything that Rollins wants our students to be.”

Rollins began the season with ‣ See SOCCER Page 3

zpearson@rollins.edu

heater students are reporting repeated incidents of verbal harassment from passersby as they walk to their off-campus classroom.

During a History of Musical Theater class taught by Missy Barnes, students touched on the treatment of women in American culture, and in doing so, uncovered the quiet turmoil plaguing the young women of Rollins.

Over a dozen female students shared stories of sexual harassment on and off campus.

Following the demolition of the Fred Stone Theatre, which used to be a classroom for many theater classes, students have to walk to an off-campus building located at 203 E. Lyman Ave. to attend theater classes and

late-night events. The students believe there is a correlation between the new class route and an increase in harassment toward them.

Addison Cursey (‘19), co-president of Voices for Women, an organization that promotes education on issues of inequality and aims to increase female empowerment, was part of the class discussion. “We started talking, and we realized other women on campus had experienced [sexual harassment] walking back and forth between Lyman,” said Cursey.

This move forces students to venture off campus as part of a daily routine. The temporary building is close to the student parking garage and in some cases requires foot-travel on East Fairbanks Avenue, a heavy-traffic road, which may have an impact on the types of harassment

cases students have been experiencing.

“I’m a senior, so I’ve grown a thick skin to it, but even the freshmen who just got here already have a thick skin to it and that’s disappointing,” said Cursey. Although many college-aged women experience sexual harassment, the problem has been exacerbated for theater students now that the off-campus walk to the Lyman building has become necessary in order to get to class, according to Cursey.

Tatiana Lyn (‘22) is also one of Barnes’ students. “So many times, I’ve been made uncomfortable by [men in] stopped cars or cars rolling by slowly [on East Fairbanks]. They’ve honked at me and the passenger has leaned out the window and yelled ‘Hey, ma!’” said Lyn. Lyn said that she did not re‣ See CAT CALLING Page 5

Hungry but lazy? Dining Services may offer delivery next spring

Plans in the works for students to order online from Dave’s or Campus Center

By Caroline Klouse

S

cklouse@rollins.edu

tudents may be able to get their food delivered from Dave’s Boathouse and the Campus Center as soon as next semester, according to Dining Services Director Cristina Cabanilla. Dining Services is putting together an online ordering system for students, which would deliver food to other on-campus locations.

Claudia Raccanelli (‘20), recently addressed the idea with Dining Services via a project proposal for one of her English classes. Dining Services was already considering a similar project.

Raccanelli spoke with team members from Dining Services at Rollins, and they are eager to attempt to implement her proposal next semester. However, ‣ See DAVE’S Page 6

Kira Bernhard

Students may be able to order food from Dave’s Boathouse starting next spring.

2 Established in 1894 with the following editorial:

The Sandspur • November 15, 2018

Canvas is better than Blackboard 2.0 After analyzing the two programs, it’s clear that Canvas is more convenient

EXECUTIVE STAFF Ellie Rushing Editor-in-Chief Christina Fuleihan Managing Editor

CONTENT STAFF Alex Candage Head Copy Editor Siobhan Nolet David Smith Hannah Butcher Copy Editors Maura Leaden Assigning Editor Alyssa Malto Headlines Kira Bernhard Photo Editor

DESIGN DEPARTMENT Lya Dominguez Head Designer Dana Wagenhauser Pat Murray Hannah Jahosky Designer Anastasia Rooke Designer / Illustrator

WEB STAFF Kalli Joslin Neny Lairet Katie McCree

Digital Content Editors

BUSINESS & FACULTY Greg Golden

Director of Student Media

Dr. Leslie Poole Faculty Advisor Luis Diego Student Media Graduate Assistant

ADVERTISING

Contact: studentmedia@rollins.edu

Blackboard Ultra

Canvas

By Heather Borochaner

I

hborochaner@rollins.edu

f using Canvas has taught me anything, it’s that Blackboard is outdated, limited, and time consuming. It is no wonder that every Ivy League school except one has made the switch to Canvas. The program provides users with entire classrooms at their fingertips, and the ease of its navigation makes Blackboard seem like a dysfunctional maze.

After my class was chosen to test Canvas, I have been working with it throughout the semester in order to determine its worth in action in the classroom.

First of all, Canvas just looks better. When you log onto Blackboard, every class is cluttered into an ugly list on the far right side of the page, but on the Canvas homepage, classes have recognizable thumbnails with customizable titles. For those who love to organize, the color-coding feature is also available.

Unlike Blackboard, Canvas works just as well on a computer as it does on a phone. For example, there is a Canvas app that both students and professors can use. That’s right, professors can grade, make announcements, or even add or adjust assignments from their phone. It’s really that simple and does not have as many technological issues as Blackboard.

When making assignments or posting a lesson on Canvas, there is an accessibility checker that professors can take advantage of, which makes sure that all students will be able to understand the text.

For example, it checks colors to make sure that color blind students can see and checks the formatting of the text so students who use an audio reading program will hear the lesson correctly. It will also ensure that any images used have tag descriptions so all students can know what the image contains.

Canvas comes with a to-do list right on its home page. Instead of having to dive deep into

Blackboard to find your syllabus for each class and check upcoming assignments, syllabi will be right there so students know as soon as they log in what needs to be done.

For more detailed time management, Canvas has an incredibly useful and efficient calendar system. It automatically shows your upcoming assignments and when they are due, making schedule management much more realistic. Another helpful feature is that your classes displayed on the calendar will match the color-coding you assigned on your home page.

For professors, adjusting class assignments has never been easier. Need to change the due date of an assignment for your class? Go into the calendar and drag and drop the assignment from your old due date to your new one. Students will immediately get an email notification of all changes.

The grading system, like the rest of Canvas, solves problems I did not even know I had with Blackboard. When grading an assignment, there is a comments section where students and professors can communicate. Professors can also send a message to a select group of students through the grading page.

For example, if professors need to send an exclusive message to the students who have not yet turned in their assignments, they can do that. Students can also plug in hypothetical grades to see how it would affect their average.

Additionally, Canvas has a conference call function, so a student and professor can have a one-on-one video conversation, or the students of the class can all call together for a study session.

Overall, Canvas runs smoothly, looks good, and is incredibly simple to use. There is not enough room in an article to talk about every single one of its features, but if Rollins decides to make the move to Canvas (which it certainly should), the remaining features will be known soon enough.

By Heather Borochaner

hborochaner@rollins.edu

T

he best way to summarize Blackboard’s new Ultra program is that it is too little too late.

Blackboard has been around for 20 years, and the company is finally releasing a major rework when competition is taking over the educational systems market.

I attended a demonstration of the new system that was hosted by a Blackboard representative for Rollins students. From the demonstration, I learned that the new version of Blackboard offers a mobile-friendly website, an app, a neater layout, and a messaging system for students and professors to use.

The layout of Blackboard has exceptionally improved. For example, instead of all your classes cramming your sidebar, courses are located in a separate tab and listed in the middle. Clicking on a course causes a new page to open, which contains all of your course content in an organized fashion.

While the layout looks nicer, it still takes many clicks to get to where you need to go for your coursework. Yes, it offers color-coding for classes, but it offers no customization and the colors are randomly assigned.

The Blackboard representative claimed that the company is working on adding that customization, but why wait when Canvas already offers it?

Like Canvas, Ultra displays a to-do list on your homescreen.

The to-do list also offers a way to interact with other students; you can respond to messages from professors or peers, and upon replying to them, the notifications will disappear from the list.

All messages that you send are stored in the messages tab and organized by class.

Students can also access a new discussion tab where they can create a conversation about a class topic. If there is a lot of activity on the thread, students who are not yet part of the conversation will be notified that it is occurring, and they can choose

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.

whether or not to participate.

Professors can also see how much each student participates in the discussions.

One nice feature of Ultra is that high-performing students can offer help to a student who might be struggling grade-wise.

When a student is doing well, they will get a pop-up on their to-do list in which they choose to volunteer to help a student. Students in need will get a similar pop-up that allows them to ask for help. The two students will then be matched by the system.

Professors can also choose to send messages to a select group of students (each message being sent individually), such as to those who hold grades below 70.

Professors can also choose to be notified when a student is at risk of doing poorly in the course,.

However, this seems like a strange feature to add considering most professors would likely know when their student is at risk while inputting their grades.

In addition, the system poses privacy issues for students who use accessibility services. On the student roster, for instance, those who are in need of accessibility services such as extra time on tests have a small purple flag next to their name. Professors can see the labels as a result, and Blackboard automatically knows not to penalize that student’s grade for whatever their need is.

The participation system uses this same roster to display the participating students in online class discussions; this means that the purple flag is visible to everyone in the class.

Also, professors must input students’ accessibility needs into the blackboard system themselves and are explicitly aware of students’ accommodations. This is a serious issue for the privacy of accessibility users.

Overall, Ultra has some good features, but it is simply not as effective or as personalized as Canvas. Even if it was, its handling of accessibility needs to be reworked to ensure the privacy of every student. Canvas is by far the better choice.

3

The Sandspur • November 15, 2018

Student health should come before new projects Why is Rollins prioritizing building new halls before they take care of their existing ones?

By Victoria Alvarez

valvarez@rollins.edu

OPINION

A

fter reading the article “Mold and bug concerns reported in McKean” in The Sandspur, I only had one question: Why did it have to take freshmen getting sick for McKean’s living conditions to be addressed?

The article said, “Eventually, the mold problems will be resolved, because a new residential hall will be built in place of McKean.” I understand why Rollins is demolishing McKean—it is pretty gross— but why did Rollins tear down Mills before addressing McKean? Why do we have plans in place to build a new residential hall right next to McKean, before we have plans to clean up the already standing building right next to it?

I have heard some horror stories from people that used to live there. Some of my friends have blamed chronic bronchitis, lead poisoning, and even a staph infection from living in McKean during their freshman year at Rollins. This is obviously taken with a grain of salt because no one can actually prove that McKean caused their ailments.

However, we should take note that three of my friends who lived in McKean—and had no prior health conditions—had some pretty serious health problems their first year. Interesting stuff, right?

I know the mold problems will be resolved, and I am aware Rollins cares about our health first and foremost. There is no arguing that, but I think they have dropped the ball when it comes to precautionary action.

This is not the first time that I

have heard about McKean being a gross place to live in. I am a senior, and even my first year at Rollins I remember people saying, “Yeah, I live in McKean.

I know, it sucks.”

How much do we pay to go to Rollins? Considering how crazy the tuition is, no one should be saying negative things about any living space. Being a freshman is hard; having to leave home, adjust to a new environment, and have a completely different course-load while trying to make friends is stressful enough.

Doing all of this while living in an unhealthy environment is not okay, and doing all of this while being sick is even worse.

M i l l s should not have taken priority over McKean. I am not saying they should have torn McKean down, but I think they should have tried to fix its living conditions before focusing on new projects.

Granted, the new plans for Mills will definitely benefit Rollins’ reputation of being one of the most beautiful college campuses. However, no one is living in Mills. It should not have to take freshmen getting sick, seeing dark-colored mold on their ceiling, or finding trails of bugs on their walls for it to be a topic of discussion.

McKean has always had a reputation for being the worst freshman residency. Ward and Rex Beach are drastically better, so I cannot help but wonder why Rollins just started paying attention to it when the mold got out of hand. It is an old building and even just when you walk in, feels muggy and humid. Come on Rollins, the signs were there.

Why did it have to take freshmen getting sick for McKean’s living conditions to be addressed?

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SOCCER Continued from page 1 a lot of room for improvement after a disappointing 2017 campaign, when 16 new players were introduced to the roster.

This posed difficulties for both players and coaches.

“We didn’t know the team as well as we do now,” Schuck said.

“They were too inexperienced; they did not realize how tough the conference was. We had a different lineup every game of the season last year.” Last year was a harsh learning experience for the Tars, but a learning experience nonetheless.

Things started to shift during spring preparations. Goalkeeper Kelly Rowswell (‘20) noted the progress in team chemistry, work ethic, and accountability. “Our captains showed great leadership, and we all responded to that with our best efforts and hard work,” Rowswell said.

Rowswell, arguably one of the best collegiate keepers in the country according to her coach, was the only goalie in this year’s roster, and that brought its own challenges.

“With another keeper you would split all the reps at practice, and you pushed each other and competed. My coaches handled this very well and made

sure I had proper rest and was still being pushed to my best,” said Rowswell.

For Schuck, continuous improvement is in the team’s future. Whether it is Rowswell, the top scorer O’Brien, or the rest of the team, the question Schuck asks always remains the same: “How can we make them better?” To ensure continuity at the highest level, there are no shortcuts.

“We did it not by luck, or chance, or hoping for the stars to align for us. It was a lot of work.

We earned our way through post-season to an NCAA appearance,” said Schuck.

For Rowswell, it was important to take things one step at a time. “The post-season progress was a little nerve racking but so exciting at the same time.

For most of the players, it was a new experience for them since we didn’t qualify last year,” she said.

“We became more specific.

We were much more clear on how we coached them [and] how we wanted them to play,” said Schuck, refusing to leave anything to chance.

Rowswell struck a similar note, saying, “Our coaches believed in us and gave us the tools to be the best players possible.”

The style of play thus grew

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.

from day one, especially because Rollins challenged itself against high-profile competition. “We played legit NCAA teams right away. That was a huge difference from the year before,” said Schuck.

For Rowswell, it was also important to keep both feet on the ground. “We weren’t trying to focus on the ‘what ifs’ of the future; instead, we focused on how to get better each day and how we would win our upcoming game.”

This season has laid down a foundation for the future. “What is this creating? What could happen next year?” Schuck said.

“Our goals could be larger than they were this year because things have gone in a positive way.”

In between preserving the identity of the group as a whole and reinventing players to be better, faster, and stronger, the sky is the limit for Rollins.

As we look to the future of women’s soccer, it is important to acknowledge the true dimensions of this year’s efforts.

“The legacy that this group is leaving behind, and I’m not just talking seniors, the legacy that the 2018 team leave behind is huge,” said Schuck. “That’s a part of our history now. The turn-around kids.”

4

The Sandspur • November 15, 2018

Dining receives A-rating for vegan meal options Despite stellar rating from animal rights group, vegan students believe there’s room for improvement

Kira Bernhard

Non-vegan and vegan students alike hoped the high Peta2 rating would encourage Dining Services to provide more vegan options.

By Caroline Klouse and Maura Leaden

D

cklouse@rollins.edu mleaden@rollins.edu

ining Services was awarded an A rating on their Vegan Report Card for the month of October by Peta2, North America’s largest youth animal rights group.

The national organization created the report card to analyze how 1,150 colleges satisfy their students with their supply and quality of vegan food. The state average for Florida is a C, yet Rollins received an A with an 88 percent student satisfaction rate.

A spokesperson for Peta2, contacted by the organization’s information line, explained that Rollins received an A “due to their ability to successfully provide at least one vegan entree at each meal, offer non-dairy milk, label vegan entrees, label vegan desserts, include a vegan member on its student advisory

board, promote vegan options, and offer egg/mayo replacements.”

The spokesperson declined to clarify what process Peta2 took to gather the data about the student satisfaction rate.

However, Cristina Cabanilla, director of Dining Services, said, “I am not certain if we have someone representing the vegan student body, but we are having a meeting about Dining Services on Nov. 14, where there will be a representative from Athletics, SGA, and other organizations and departments, as well.”

Even though Peta2 awarded Rollins with an A on its quantity and quality of vegan food, the organization still sees room for improvement. “Rollins is still lacking in its participation of Meatless Mondays, offering an all-vegan station, and having an all-vegan dining facility,” said the Peta2 representative.

The Dining Services team hosted a vegan expo last week in celebration of their A rating.

They served free vegan meals, including mushroom stroganoff,

stuffed artichoke wraps, meatless burgers, and gyozas.

Cabanilla said that the point of the vegan expo was to increase student familiarity with the on-campus vegan options. Cabanilla proudly said, “This is another effort the Dining Services Team is making to better communicate with the students.”

Additionally, Cabanilla also expressed her pride for Rollins’ A rating by Peta2. “We are very proud of the rating that we have and we are always looking for more diverse options for vegan students to have more nutrients.”

Many of the students who attended the expo enjoyed the food. Emmi Green (‘20) raved about the cuisine and is looking forward to choosing more animal-friendly options in the future. “The food was delicious. I am very happy that we had this expo,” said Green.

Donna Dormeous (‘21), another non-vegan student, said, “I love vegan food, but there are not a lot of options in the Campus Center. The closest vegan

option is Ethos and that is really expensive. This event gives you more opportunity to go vegan, without wondering if you can or cannot eat anything.”

Nico Ellison (‘21) also commented on the lack of vegan options on campus. Ellison has been vegan for one year. “This is the first effort on campus that I have seen to include more vegan options and more people,” he said.

However, Ellison has noticed small improvements in vegan options around campus.

“Over at the vending machines or at the quick service counters, it is getting a little bit better,” he said.

Despite the vegan expo, some vegan students at Rollins disagree with the score and hope that Peta2 will give Rollins the motivation and encouragement to offer more quality vegan options around campus on a daily basis.

Brock Simmons-Barfield (‘20), student life committee chair on Student Government Association, is very disappoint-

ed in the vegan options offered at Rollins. As a vegan himself, he sees flaws in how Rollins “only offers one vegan option at each meal and does not clarify whether or not the vegan option is entirely vegan.”

Instead, Simmons-Barfield proposed that Rollins should designate a specific day to offer two or three vegan options. “Offering one vegan option is not effective because if someone is allergic to the ingredients in that one vegan option, then they have nothing to eat.”

In the meantime, the Dining Services Team wants to hear students’ feedback and suggestions.

Cabanilla encouraged students to reach out and share which options they want more of on campus.

If students want to become vegan representatives for Rollins, they can apply to become a Peta2 Campus Representative on the organization’s website. This role would provide an initiative to launch campaigns, participate in trainings, and hold vegan outreaches on campus.

5

The Sandspur • November 15, 2018

Meet Ed Kania, the new VP of business, finance and treasurer We sat down with Kania to learn more about him and discuss his first months at Rollins er. Two very good friends and mentors let me know that the position of Vice President for Business and Finance & Treasurer was available and encouraged me to apply since they believed my personality and experience would fit in well.

Q; What was your job before coming to Rollins?

I was the Vice President for Finance and Administration at Davidson College, a top ten liberal arts college in North Carolina.

Q; What about the campus appealed to you?

Ed: I was aware of Rollins College since it is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South along with Davidson College, my previous employ-

My initial attraction was that Rollins is an amazing school dedicated to the liberal arts and located in a wonderful community. Its mission to educate “students for global citizenship and responsible leadership, empowering graduates to pursue meaningful lives and productive careers” resonated strongly with my values.

As I learned more about Rollins, I became very inspired by the fact that Rollins has many diverse ways of achieving its mission, through its talented and passionate faculty and staff, including CLA [College of Liberal Arts] that offers a variety of innovative majors, including business majors, that are all deeply grounded in the liberal arts, the

as women have learned to accept it and not respond, not report it, and not take action, because we don’t consider it a big deal until an actual assault occurs, but it is,” said Barnes.

Lyn shared her belief that education on the subject could help men understand their impact on women’s lives and clear some of the misconceptions they may have about how women receive their advances. Men on campus need to be educated on the consequences they could face if their harassment is reported, according to Lyn. Kelsey Kline (‘22) shared a story similar to Lyn’s during the class discussion. When returning to campus from the Lyman building after an improv show late at night, “I had dressed really nicely because it was my anniversary…and I ended up getting honked at, and I was just really

uncomfortable,” said Kline.

Kline recalled asking Anthony Hampson (‘22) to wait for her so she could walk back with him that night. “As a girl, you don’t walk in the dark to anywhere without a guy or a group of friends,” said Kline. Hampson helped defuse the situation by redirecting the focus of the driver who targeted her.

Hampson, a theatre major with an instinct for performance, laughed as he shared his account. “I’d heard of people catcalling people by honking, but I’d never seen it… so [when the men honked], I pulled up my shirt and flashed them. They obviously honked at somebody, so I thought it was me, and I was just giving them a good show,” said Hampson.

Hampson became more serious as he continued and shared personal anecdotes of times

Ed Kania

By Heather Borochaner

hborochanerl@rollins.edu

E

d Kania, new vice president of business and finance and treasurer, joined Rollins’ staff in June 2018. In this Q&A session, he shared that he is very eager to become a part of and interact with the Rollins community. Kania talked about his educational

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CAT CALLING Continued from page 1 port this incident to Campus Safety or the Title IX office on campus because she felt powerless to stop it. “I feel like there’s not too much I can do to tell every grown man in the universe to not catcall girls, or anyone really,” said Lyn. Campus Safety and the Title IX office recommended that students who experience similar situations take a photo of the individual or the individual’s license plate and file a report. Students who feel unsafe are also encouraged to call Campus Safety for an escort.

While these measures are helpful, Barnes suggested having a campus conversation. “I’m really concerned that this behavior exists in our culture and that we

and professional past, as well as how he hopes to apply himself to the Rollins community for its future.

Q: How did you choose Rollins?

Holt School that welcomes students at all points of their lives, the Crummer School of Business that provides excellent business skills for current and future community leaders in Central Florida and beyond, and the Alfond Inn with its mission to turn profits into scholarships.

Q; What are you most looking forward to experiencing during your time at Rollins?

I have just started meeting students, faculty, and staff.

I look forward to working side by side to achieve Rollins’ strategic goals, which are focused on student and alumni success. I recently was honored to participate in one of Dr. [Gloria] Cook’s [professor of music and piano] classes, “Successful Pathways Through Music,” and I hope to be able to meaningfully engage with our students and faculty.

I also will take time to participate in the community on and beyond the campus. I have already attended several faculty and student performances under the leadership of Dr. [John] Sinclair [chair, director, and John M. Tiedtke professor of music], and I am excited to participate in Vespers during December as the narrator.

Q: What do you like about Rollins and your position?

I love the people at Rollins.

I am truly impressed by the brilwhen men around him have engaged in catcalling and sexual harassment out of what he believed to be ignorance. When he reproached their behavior, the men were shocked that women did not appreciate the unsolicited comments and advances. He held the position that discouraging the behavior in friends and peers is imperative to change.

Kline suggested promoting active bystander techniques specific to harassment and catcalling, similar to the Title IX training first-year students receive at orientation.

Both Kline and Lyn pointed out a need for men to be allies to women and actively engage in shutting down the poor behavior of their male peers.

“As guys, if your friends go after women who have gone through this their whole lives and are really uncomfortable

liance I have witnessed already within the student body, faculty and staff. At the same time, I have been inspired by how genuinely kind, supportive, and welcoming members of the Rollins community are. My position is very wide-reaching, and I am driven by the chance to make a difference in a remarkable place that is continually striving to become more so.

Q: What do you hope to achieve at Rollins?

I hope to provide strong and supportive leadership to help the Rollins community members achieve their highest visions, individually and collectively. Included in this will be the completion of numerous construction projects.

Q: What is your alma mater and favorite college experience?

I attended St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Since I worked full-time while attending school, I did not get to participate in many student organizations. However, my love of the arts bloomed through my work in the Fine Arts Department with the faculty and visiting artists, and I did some shifts as a disc jockey to impose my diverse musical tastes on my fellow St. Joe’s Hawks.

with being catcalled, just point it out and say, ‘Hey, that’s not cool,’ because it’s really not,” said Kline.

Barnes expressed hope that professors will find ways to bring up the subject so the campus can keep talking about it and hopefully find a solution. More so, she said, “So [we can] talk with our male colleagues who may have engaged in that behavior, because I do think there is a lot of peer pressure and a lack of the rational thought that ‘Maybe yelling out the window at someone I don’t know is not acceptable behavior.’”

Barnes pointed out that many of these stories go untold simply because no one bothers to ask. She pointed to Rollins faculty and students to decide whether they will be the ones to facilitate discussion and find solutions.

6

The Sandspur • November 15, 2018

Are more peer Annie Russell stages a mentors needed? delightfully vulgar puppet musical

Providing freshmen with additional mentors in spring only coddles them

By Hannah Butcher

hbutcher@rollins.edu

OPINION

A

t the end of this fall term, Rollins’ peer mentors will set their mentees loose into the academic world, trusting that they have established stable friendships and a solid sense of the complicated liberal arts system. Mentees know that their peer mentors are still friends who they can turn to for support, and they understand that they must take responsibility for themselves now. No more coddling. No more supervision.

At least, this is how it used to be.

A new wave of peer mentors is swooping into spring semester’s 100-level neighborhood classes. You may have noticed the posters pinned to campus bulletin boards, calling for applications. Each flyer explains that the new program “helps students connect their general education curriculum to the overall Rollins experience.” With this new plan, current freshmen can now expect new peer mentors to join their general education classes.

While the first semester was a time of acclamation, the second semester should be a time for freshmen to better themselves in the college environment. They are already acquainted with their advisors, knowledgeable about on-campus resources, and familiar with the layout of the campus. Rollins does a great job of teaching its freshmen how to make it through college life, but it needs to know when to let go.

I feel as though current

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DAVE’S Continued from page 1 Cabanilla said they are at the very beginning stages of planning this program.

As of now, Cabanilla said, “The team is working on the software for the process of online ordering, but the software is slowing the process down.”

“There are a lot of exciting things coming to dining, but when the time is right, we will release the information to the

freshmen will have had enough experience at college to be able to make comfortable decisions during the spring semester. After coming back from winter break and quality time at home, they will be rejuvenated for spring classes and will no longer need to lean on upperclassmen for guidance.

Providing new peer mentors for the spring semester is not a harmful strategy. I understand its benign purpose: to provide first-years with secure, comfortable relationships. However, it is superfluous, and it unintentionally undermines the fact that freshmen are adults, too.

Peer mentors earn four credits by providing rFLA students with career and life planning advice, emotional support, and academic success strategies. It makes me wonder whether this new program is really a way to help the freshman class or if it is actually designed to offer upperclassmen relatively easy credit opportunities.

Peer mentors are a successful and integral part of the Rollins freshman experience. I do not know what I would do without the support of my peer mentors—their understanding and compassionate natures helped me through tough situations these last few months, and I am very grateful for their role in my first semester at college.

With that being said, I believe that peer mentors should be provided during the fall term and the fall term only. I could be wrong, and the spring semester might be incredibly successful due to the new peer mentors’ contributions. Only time will tell, and I look forward to seeing the results. whole community,” said Cabanilla. She expressed her hopes for offering more diverse options and accessibility to those options on campus.

Although Cabanilla will not release a targeted release date for the new program, she said, “I am hoping that it will be running by next semester.”

Raccanelli and Dining Services will work together next semester to decide where, when, and to whom the Dave’s Delivery Program will be accessible.

Avenue Q provides timely life lessons for college students

Courtesy of Annie Russell Theatre Facebook page

“Avenue Q” uses puppets similar to “Sesame Street” to tackle taboo subjects.

By Annie Murray-Campbell

amurraycampbell@rollins.edu

T

he Annie Russell Theatre’s upcoming play “Avenue Q,” which is the cousin of Sesame Street, may take you back to your childhood roots at first.

However, this satirical musical uses puppets and songs to tackle taboo subjects like sex, relationships, and racism.

Toting Tony awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score, “Avenue Q” already has a lot to offer audiences, but the Annie Russell cast promised to make it their own.

The play premiers on Friday, Nov. 16 and will run until Saturday, Dec. 1.

The story follows Princeton, a recent college graduate, as he seeks to find his purpose in New York City. He moves to the titular Avenue Q, where he encounters an assortment of colorful characters living on the shabby street.

Ranging from a kindergarten teaching assistant to, literally, Gary Coleman, this array of down-in-the-dumps characters are each seeking to find their true selves and purposes in a comedy-filled, heartfelt story.

Director Timothy Williams

is seeking to find a unique show through its cast. By helping the actors dramatize the award-winning story as well as their own characters, Williams plans on letting the show speak for itself.

He told me all of this as the cast rehearsed the opening number, “It Sucks to be Me,” behind us.

Choreographer Parker King

The cast got along in a way that embodies the... teamwork necessary for such an ensemble-heavy show to work. (‘20) and Student Director Annabelle Cutino (‘20) oversee the number, providing a peek into the rehearsal process.

The cast got along in a way that embodies the collaboration and teamwork necessary for such an ensemble-heavy show to work.

With only one cast member having previous puppeteering

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.

knowledge, the Annie Russell cast learned an entirely new skill for this show. Analise Cutter (‘22), playing Kate Monster, said that learning how to perform as a puppeteer and an actor is an entirely new and challenging experience.

Overall, as the cast becomes more accustomed to their new fuzzy puppet partners, the scenes are beginning to flow more easily and coherently.

“This cast is so talented and well-suited for their roles,” said Cutter. She added that she is excited to perform with such a great cast and could not wait for audiences to see their hard work.

Because of the way the script of “Avenue Q” handles sensitive subjects, it moves these topics from offensive to humorous. Faith Artis (‘21) said, “Even though we are saying offensive things, there is truth lying within them, which is what makes it funny and not offensive.”

With professional Orlando puppeteer Rebekah Lane teaching the cast her craft, and music direction by James Bailey, the Annie Russell Theatre’s production should be a unique, enjoyable, and fun experience.

All shows are free to Rollins staff and students.

7 Opinion

The Sandspur • November 15, 2018

Path to citizenship is more complex than you think Immigrants face the daunting challenge of navigating the labyrinth that is US immigration law

By Giselle Perez Guzman

T

Guest writer

here are many misconceptions when it comes to obtaining citizenship or permanent legal status in the United States today.

Many of the people who believe that there is a clear path to apply for citizenship also tend to assume that it is a quick and easy process that is accessible to every undocumented immigrant in the U.S. I see these misconceptions being perpetuated on a daily basis in social media, news outlets, and even casual conversations across the Rollins campus.

The truth is that the process to obtain U.S. citizenship varies with each particular case and it may take years before citizenship is granted. Additionally, applying for permanent residency or citizenship does not necessarily result in legal status for all applicants. Several things

can complicate an immigrant’s application: a criminal record, an accident, marriage issues, and asylum petitions.

I learned about all of this last summer when I interned as a paralegal assistant at Ganjoo Law in San Francisco, a small immigration law firm where I worked alongside immigration attorneys and learned about fascinating cases that reflected the complexity of obtaining legal status.

One of the many cases I worked on at the firm involved a Guatemalan woman who had unlawfully resided in the U.S. for more than a decade. She had started a process through the law firm to change her legal status.

During one of her appointments, I was there to help translate to prepare her for her court date.

We went over her personal statement on why she had fled her country of origin.

Although gang violence was

the main reason why she had left Guatemala, this was no longer a valid reason to apply for asylum in the U.S. In June 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that domestic and gang violence would no longer be grounds to apply for asylum.

The immigration attorney I translated for asked the woman to think deeply about the encounters she had with the gang members who murdered her brother and threatened her. After some questioning, we were able to conclude that she had been targeted and harassed by the gang members for simply being a woman.

She shared how a gang member violently pushed her while pregnant, threatening to cut her stomach open and kill her unborn child. She began to cry as she remembered traumatic episodes and offensive words that gang members would say to her.

The lawyer determined

that the derogatory slurs she was called while pregnant were enough evidence for the judge to consider gender-based violence as another factor for the woman’s asylum plea. Although gender-based violence is not recognized by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) as an eligible reason to apply for asylum, immigration lawyers emphasize it to highlight the persecution that women endure for simply being women. Her case was denied by the judge and she was sent back to Guatemala, a country she no longer considered home and where violence awaited her.

Through my work at this law firm, I learned about the complexity of immigration law, especially under our current political climate. I learned that some clients live out-of-state and travel for hours to Ganjoo Law in San Francisco to get legal help. I also learned that the place where

one files an immigration case may determine whether or not they get approved or denied.

An immigration attorney must know how to build a strong application by understanding legal requirements and the information provided by their clients.

Based on the many cases I helped with at Ganjoo Law and personal experiences with family members, filing cases to obtain legal status do not always guarantee anything for applicants. Cases take years to be reviewed by immigration officers and, in the meantime, undocumented immigrants live in legal limbo, fearing deportation.

The path for legal status is not as straightforward as many assume. Therefore, there is a need to challenge these misconceptions and expose the realities of how difficult it is for immigrants, like the one mentioned above, to obtain legal status in the United States.

Underpaid food workers suffer poor working conditions International Food Worker Week offers education into the struggles workers face

By Claudette Gonzalez

A

Guest writer

s a volunteer for the Farmworker Association of Florida, my eyes were opened to an abundance of injustices toward the very people responsible for our food system. This includes those who are directly involved with the growing, harvesting, delivering, serving, cooking, and selling of the food that we eat on a daily basis.

Millions of food workers around the world are not paid an income that satisfies a minimal standard of living. Information regarding these workers and the conditions under which they toil is promoted during the International Food Worker Week (IFWW).

I have learned that there are over 3 million migrant workers providing us with our food.

The migrant workers make next to nothing for harvesting bags weighing over 90 pounds, as each bag may get them 84 cents and could take over an hour to fill. Farmworkers work extremely long hours without appropriate and well-deserved breaks.

Farmworkers have to wear masks and gloves, which they usually have to provide for themselves, despite their meager incomes. They are exposed to high amounts of pesticides and heat, which result in many health risks with effects that are carried on through multiple generations. They are not provided with sustainable living arrangements, and most of the time, farmworkers and their families live in just one room. The farming corporations responsible for these workers clearly value profits over their duty to care for their employees’ well-being.

I heard stories about people who live in constant fear of not being able to ask for a raise, water, or break because, in their minds, they are easily replaced.

There are many instances in which a farmworker calls in sick and then is not allowed to return to work. My heart breaks when I hear these stories. This is why IFWW is such a valuable week.

More people should participate and join together to spread this information.

This year the seventh annual IFWW, which is organized by the Food Chain Workers Al-

liance, will be held from Nov. 11 to Nov. 18. IFWW is customarily held around Thanksgiving to be able to gain more respect and symbolize the importance of the people who work in our food system. The purpose of this week is to continuously thank all of those involved, such as farmworkers, food packers, processors, transporters, servers, and

kitchen workers.

As a society and a community, we must honor IFWW and show our deepest gratitude to the people we depend on for our daily sustenance. We must celebrate, learn about, and be thankful for all their contributions. To do that, we must take action by learning about the roles of farmworkers and the challenges they

face, as well as promote corporate responsibility and food sovereignty.

During IFWW participate in events, read the information about the wages and the working environments, and connect to the people that are responsible for ensuring that you are fed regularly. Most of all, thank a farmworker!

Courtesy of Jeannie Economos of the Farmworker’s Association of Florida

Farmworks, both young and old, work together to collect crops on Florida’s lands.

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.

8

The Sandspur • November 15, 2018

Volleyball team’s loss marks end of rocky season Despite their defeat, both returning players and newcomers shined throughout matches

By Henri Balla

D

hballa@rollins.edu

espite respectable efforts, the volleyball team lost its final game of the season at Saint Leo University. In a match filled with spectacular rallies and an inspiring display of sacrifice, the Tars ultimately fell 15-25, 1125, and 22-25.

“I was mostly pleased with how we finished the third set,” Head Coach Mika Robinson said. “I didn’t think we played very aggressively in sets one and two, but in set three we dug in and decided to play more aggressively and that was a good way to finish.”

Libero Jessika Linnemeyer (‘22), who registered a team high of 14 digs, stressed the extra motivation associated with the last game of the season. “It was a tough loss for sure. We left it all out there and we really played for the seniors, even though we didn’t pull off the

win,” Linnemeyer said.

The Tars were not inferior to the opposition by any means, but their attempts to gain momentum during the match was spoiled by simple mistakes.

For seniors Kerra Tirado, Sam Schlesman, and Rachel Fletcher, this game was their last time donning Rollins jerseys and the trio bowed out in style.

With four block assists, Schlesman stood out in a particularly good defensive performance for Rollins with a total of seven team blocks. Fletcher held seven kills of the night, more than anyone among the Tars’ ranks. Tirado, on the other hand, was a role model for efficiency with her .750 hitting percentage.

Robinson described the seniors as leaders by example, lauding their dedication and work ethic. Linnemeyer spoke of them with gratitude: “It can be tough when it’s your last year to be welcoming and to remember the dynamic of the team. But the entire season, they were so

supporting. They’re people that all the freshmen look up to and hope we can be leaders as when we’re seniors,” Linnemeyer said.

Fletcher described her last game as being surreal. The senior, who reached the 1,000 career digs mark in September, had only good things to say in retrospect.

“It was always a pleasure getting to play with Bri Civiero (‘18) and Shannon McDonough (‘18), learning from the people who were above me, and now as a senior, it is really nice getting to mentor the younger ones,” Fletcher said.

Robinson does not hide the fact that there is a lot of work to be done: “It’s obviously been a tough season. We’ve struggled, I think, with confidence throughout. We have a lot of young players and we graduated a lot of people last year, so I think there was at times a lack of confidence in the skills that they had.”

With an overall record of 4-26, it is hard to escape the cold

reality of the numbers. But, as the loyal members of the student section will tell you, to judge the Tars’ season based only on the statistics would be a disservice to their potential.

Slowly, but surely, the newcomers are starting to make their mark. Linnemeyer has consolidated herself as a reliable libero.

Candace Doxley (‘22) pulled off three block assists and four kills against Leo. Adriane Griffith (‘22) had a solid performance, too, and Rebecca Kuehn (‘22) registered the Tars’ only ace of the game and has consistently been among the top assisters in the team.

Marlee Johnson (‘22) has seen relatively less playing time due to a pre-existing shoulder injury, but she has never failed to impress in her outings. Robinson proudly said, “They have all grown a ton this season. There’s no question it is going to be something we can build on looking forward.”

With spring preparations

around the corner, now the real fun for Robinson begins. “The nice part about the spring is we get to work methodically, less focused on results and making sure that we’re building those skills that we need going into next season,” she said.

Without the pressure of competition, the Tars can allow themselves to truly be in a learning phase. “Now the young ones have a real understanding of why they need those skills,” said Robinson. “There’s going to be a hunger to get better in the spring.”

At times like these, the line between athletics and wisdom blurs. The seniors know this better than anyone.

“Never give up, it can only get better,” was Fletcher’s advice for the Tars. “Remember why you play the game each day, because eventually, one day, you don’t get to play anymore. Be grateful for that.”