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Issue 16 • Volume 125 Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019 www.thesandspur.org
Accessibility issues plague Rollins
Historic architecture exempts ADA requirements, students with disabilities left to navigate physical barriers By Heather Borochaner and Zoe Pearson
hborochaner@rollins.edu zpearson@rollins.edu
W
hen Renée Rivera enrolled in Rollins last fall, she was eager to join a college that prides itself on inclusivity and service. However, as
Opinion Page 7 ‣ ‘You don’t look sick’: Not all disabilities are visible
a student who uses a wheelchair, navigating the campus’ physical barriers was nearly impossible, making her feel excluded and disregarded. Participating in off-campus events was impossible, because the college’s buses are not wheelchair accessible. Many buildings she needed to access for events and classes did not have accessible entrances or elevators. Rivera’s obstacles are wide-
spread on Rollins’ campus. A survey of the campus found that 15 multi-story buildings lack an elevator—only eight of the 19 residence halls have one. It is rare to find a building entrance with push buttons to automatically open doors. The survey, manually conducted by Sandspur staff last week, counted three buildings that are completely inaccessible, lacking any sort of ramp. Even the Office of Accessibility lacks accessible door knobs. The difficulty of traversing campus caused Rivera’s chronic pain and mental health to worsen, and her grades suffered as a result. Rivera felt unsupported and after one semester, transferred to the University of Central Florida (UCF). “I wanted to be able to get my college degree without having to waste my time and energy fighting to do so,” she said. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, buildings constructed or renovated before 1992—a major-
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,
Graphic by Anastasia Rooke
ity of Rollins’ campus—do not need to be made accessible until it is scheduled for a major renovation. Yet, even more recently renovated buildings lack essential accessibility aids. While the Rice Family Pavilion, which opened
last week after a multi-million dollar renovation, has an elevator and ramp, it does not have a single push button to open its doors. “I think we are well-aware of the challenges of our campus,” said Whitney Horton, director
of accessibility services. “We sit in that tension between we fully agree that the campus needs to be accessible, and the fact that we have these century-old buildings.” ‣ See ACCESSIBILITY Page 2
Shuttles relieve campus parking disaster
College searches for ways to accommodate cars after 5 more lots close for construction By Heather Borochaner
hborochaner@rollins.edu
S Douglas Jackson
Shuttles will run from an off-campus lot to alleviate the lack of parking from five additional parking lot closures.
huttles are bringing faculty, staff, and students to campus from a nearby parking lot to relieve parking space shortages caused by slashed lots. The five additional parking lots that closed this week to make way for construction, totaling 223 spaces lost, caused tension to grow among students, faculty, and staff who already struggle to find parking spaces. In response, the College opened a new 75-space lot off of Orange Avenue and will provide a shuttle to go back
and forth to campus. The lot is called “Progress Point” and is located at 1241 Palmetto Ave., which is about a mile from campus, near Foxtail Coffee. The 28-passenger shuttle will have two stops: one at Tars Plaza and one at the corner of Park Ave. and Holt Ave. The whole loop will take about 25 minutes, and the shuttle will operate continuously from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Rollins is attempting to secure a second parking lot to further mitigate the campus’ parking impairments, which would have an additional 100 spaces for daytime use, according to Ken Miller, ‣ See PARKING Page 5
2 Established in 1894 with the following editorial:
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
The Sandspur • February 21, 2019 ‣
Rivera believes that Rollins should hold itself to a higher standard regardless of legal obligation, and that accessibility Upholding ethical obligations should be prioritized over keepUnder Title III of the ADA, ing the school’s historical integbuildings built before 1992 are rity. “The needs of their students required to adjust architectural should come first,”she said. Rivera’s initial problems barriers to improve accessibility began with SPARC Day, the as long as it is “readily achievable.” Readily achievable is de- mandatory day of service all fined as “easily accomplishable freshmen participate in during and able to be carried out with- orientation at the start of each out much difficulty or expense.” semester. Her class’ service locaIf making a building more ac- tion was inaccessible due to varcessible impacts a facility’s op- ious level differences at the eneration or is very expensive, the trance, which made it impossible institution may not be required for her wheelchair to roll inside. After consideration, the Cento make changes. Meghan Harte Weyant, dean ter for Inclusion and Campus Inof students, said that meeting volvement eventually moved her ADA requirements are really the class’ location to remain on-campus, but Rivera said the delayed “bare minimum.” “I wish we could surpass situation never should have hapthe ADA but we have budget pened in the first place. “The restraints, time constraints, and entire experience dragged on far other obstacles,” said Weyant. too long and made me feel ex“We would love to go back and cluded, hurt, and like an inconmake our old buildings accessi- venience before the school year ble but it would come at great even started,” she said. “I was expense and very time consum- not trying to ‘get out of SPARC Day altogether,’ as one of them ing.” “If students are having is- claimed,” said Rivera. When asked about this incisues on campus, they should dent, Weyant said that Rollins’ contact Whitney [Horton] as response was inappropriate. “We soon as possible,” Weyant said. “She would work with facilities need to be committed to identiwithin a day to figure out how to fying issues and coming up with solutions along with working fix the problem.” However, the speed of the better with incoming students and their issues fix would vary case before they get by case, said Wey- “I can say with 100 to campus,” she ant. While installing said. an elevator is ex- percent certainWeyant pensive and labori- ty nobody on this ous, changing door campus wants to do feels “deeply regretful” that the knobs to be ADA anything purposely experience had compliant is lowharmful to a stuthat impact on cost and requires Rivera. “I feel dent.” minimal labor. certain that the Still, many door intention was knobs across campus are round, making them not to make her feel excluded non-compliant with ADA stan- or not committed to community dards. This includes those found engagement,” she said. “I underin the basement of the library, stand and I’m sorry.” “There’s a learning curve where the Office of Accessibility is located. According to the ADA and there’s a lack of awareness website, door knobs may not re- [of accessibility issues across quire “tight grasping, pinching, campus offices],” Horton said. “But I can say with 100 percent or twisting of the wrist.” As a student who took ex- certainty nobody on this campus ams in the office, Rivera dreaded wants to do anything purposely the pain she would experience harmful to a student.” trying to get there. “Every time I Communicating the issues had to take a test, I dreaded the pain that I knew I would have to There is currently no formal deal with just from trying to get reporting system for accessibilout of the room,” Rivera said. ity concerns, but Horton said Because there are probably other inaccessible door knobs that the Office of Accessibility across campus, Horton and Facil- Services may add an online reities Services will consider what porting form to its website with time is best to change the testing an option for reporters to remain rooms’ door knobs, Horton said. anonymous. During the semester before “We want to be sure that work is her transfer, Rivera met with comprehensive,” she said. ACCESSIBILITY Continued from Page 1
Accessibility Services, Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, and other administrators to point out the accessibility problems on campus. In response, the College will hire a consultant to audit the campus to recommend what Rollins can do to improve its inclusion of students with disabilities. While they are still in the process of hiring, Weyant said it will be complete by the end of the summer. “[The auditor] will have the expertise from an ADA perspective and from a broader accessibility perspective to give us recommendations on where improvements need to be made,” said Horton. The College also plans to ask the consultant how to better alert students with disabilities that Rollins has numerous buildings that are inaccessible, wanting to make that information more public. Weyant suggested either putting a statement on the Rollins website or posting a map marking all of the inaccessible places across campus, but she said they will wait for input from the consultant before taking action. Starting next fall, students who need accessible classrooms will be marked in an online system to have buildings checked for physical barriers to allow the
Office of Accessibility to address mobility concerns before students arrive at class. Horton said that events in inaccessible spaces is a concern that had not been brought to her office’s attention until recently, but is now planning to take steps to ensure that information regarding event accessibility is more readily available. “One would hope that we’re always thinking about accessibility in our design,” said Weyant. “I think we’re doing a good job of that with our new construction projects.” Although Rivera was disappointed in her Rollins experience, she said accessibility is much better at UCF. She said nearly every building has a ramp leading up to an entrance and has at least one push button door. Most buildings have multiple elevators in case one breaks down or needs maintenance. She said the bathrooms are all accessible and some stalls even have push buttons. “All these seemingly simple things definitely make UCF feel like a more inclusive campus than Rollins,” she said. She hopes that her story will encourage Rollins to increase accessibility on campus so future students like her can be fully part of the experience that she was denied.
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The Sandspur • February 21, 2019
Shutdown’s impact will be felt for years to come
Government is open, but people are still at risk, including Puerto Ricans relying on disaster relief By Dr. Tonia Warnecke
and Puerto Rico as places from which to redirect these monies. Natural disasters do not discriminate according to politics, and OPINION neither should natural disaster relief funding allocation. We are e have all now talking about people’s lives— heard about the and their livelihoods. Is this how recent five-week- we demonstrate the Declaration long U.S. govern- of Independence’s statement that ment shutdown and the budget “all men are created equal”? battle surrounding it. But what I recently traveled to San was the shutdown’s real impact Juan, Puerto Rico, to present a on the country? speech at the 6th Women Who Certainly the group most Lead Summit. I discussed globdirectly impacted was govern- al economic trends and how ment workers. Were they able to they impact Puerto Rico. I also pay their bills? Were they forced discussed the impact of climate to work without pay? The stress change on natural disasters, the and uncertainty for these house- challenges resulting from energy holds cannot be overstated. poverty (lack of electricity and However, the shutdown clean cooking technologies), and also impacted many more peo- the ways that social enterprises ple. Processes for federal certifi- are using business acumen and cations (e.g. food safety), loans solar power to help fill in the (e.g. mortgages), and permits gaps. (e.g. construction and environDuring my speech, the ment) slowed to a crawl. Private power went out. This happens businesses that a lot in Puercontract with to Rico, which the government is plagued by lost revenue. Is this how we spotty infraSome of these structure and a t r a n s a c t i o n s demonstrate the national powwere time- Declaration of er company bound and will dealing with never occur; Independence’s bankruptcy, the monetary statement that “all restructuring, value of these allegations of planned trans- men are created corruption, actions disapand a weak equal”? peared into thin regulatory sysair. tem. The nonAs a U.S. partisan Conterritory, Puergressional to Rico has Budget Office estimated that been relegated to the outskirts $3 billion was permanently lost of public policy, and the botched from the U.S. economy as a result federal and local recovery efforts of the shutdown. Three BILLION after Hurricane Maria in 2017 dollars. What could that have ac- provide ample evidence of this. complished for our health or ed- It took a year to restore power to ucation systems, small business the entire island. A year. Can you support, or environmental initia- imagine that ever happening in tives? Answer: a lot. Florida? No way. Yes, the government reThe Puerto Rican econoopened, Congress compromised my has been seriously harmed, on a funding bill, and President and many people have fled the Trump begrudgingly signed it. island. There are still millions But the story is not over. of dollars of unpaid insurance By declaring a national claims from Hurricane Maria in emergency, the administration Puerto Rico. Hundreds of busiplans to build the wall by redi- nesspeople at the Women Who recting money earmarked for Lead summit were clearly conother projects. What are those cerned about energy and develprojects? One under discussion opment in Puerto Rico, and the has been disaster relief funding. potential impact of reallocated This could impact the states of disaster relief funding. Fla., Texas, and others. Shutdowns are not a game. However, the White House Neither is redirecting disaster has recently zeroed in on Dem- relief funding from people who ocratic strongholds of California need it.
twarnecke@rollins.edu
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Tonia Warnecke is a professor and director of Social Entrepreneurship.
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The Sandspur • February 21, 2019
Dancing dragon rings in Chinese Lunar New Year Annual campus festival supports Chinese traditions that symbolize strength and good luck By Maura Leaden
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mleaden@rollins.edu
ts lanky red-and-green body flowed in the wind while its fire-breathing mouth and glistening eyes looked deep into the souls of the students it passed. This dragon, an iconic symbol of Chinese Lunar New Year, was toted around campus last week by 10 students, a partnership between the China Club and the German Club. “It was heavy and the coordination with other members was hard to pick up on,” said Joy Ding (‘21), the vice president of public relations for the China Club. Between the up and down motions, moving right and left, and staying on beat with the music, it is more difficult than one would think. “It was meaningful being Chinese, to learn about my own culture more [and] at the same time spread it to Rollins campus and students,” Ding said. Despite it being physically demanding, she said that this connection to culture was the most rewarding part. Growing up in Shanghai, she had always seen the dragon dance performed, but she never took part in it herself. Chu Chu ‘20, president of the China Club, said that tradi-
tionally, Chinese music is played and the beans on the dragon move, making noise that matches the beat of the music. The group went through the Bush Science Center, Olin Library, and the Campus Center. “I saw a lot of people I knew and they were all cheering and laughing at me... they were
“It was meaningful being Chinese, to learn about my own culture more, [and] at the same time, spread it to the Rollins campus and students.” showing their amazement, but there were not many questions regarding [what it was]” or the tradition behind it, said Ding. The dragon dance is traditionally performed to bring luck in the new year. The history of the dragon is extensive in China. “The dragon is deemed as the emperor,” said Ding. It symbolizes “imperial power, good luck, and strength,” said Nicole Li ‘20,
vice president of the China Club. Dragon dances may also be performed at traditional Chinese weddings, said Ding. Traditionally, there is a dancer ahead of the group who holds up a ball on a stick to lead the dragon. Rollins acquired the dragon four years ago, when the Greater Orlando Chinese Professionals Association (OCPA) sold it to them. It was originally purchased in China, so the OCPA was hesitant to sell the valuable item to Rollins. Yet, Wenxian Zhang, professor of Asian Studies and head of archives and special collections, negotiated the deal. Rollins has continued its relationship with the OCPA. Students in classes with Professor Li Wei, Chinese lecturer, perform at the annual Central Florida Lunar New Year festival, which is run by the OCPA. However, students are more familiar with the dragon that appears on campus during the annual Lunar New Year Festival. This dragon is stored in the archives for most of the year, according to Wei, until it is taken out to make an appearance at the annual festival on campus. It is also used by Full Sail and University of Central Florida students.
:Courtesy of Li Wei
Ten students from the China Club and German Club carried the long, winding dragon through various buildings on campus in celebration of Chinese Lunar New Year.
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The Sandspur • February 21, 2019
Rice Family Pavilion finally opens for business Former book store opens as large, formal event space for campus and public By Ellie Rushing
erushing@rollins.edu
The Rice Family Pavilion officially opened, giving the campus and greater community a formal space to convene and host events. Originally constructed as a student center in 1942, the building was repurposed from a bookstore and cafe into a multi-faceted facility that can hold more than 200 people and houses a full kitchen downstairs. Here is how the campus plans to use the facility: What kind of events will be hosted at the pavilion? A wide range of events will take place there, including admissions events, mini concerts, receptions, dinners, and smaller fairs or expos. The pavilion can hold 239 people, making it the largest formal event space on campus aside from the Alfond Sports Center. Additionally, there is a new kitchen and freezer in the basement of the building where Dining Services or catering companies can easily prepare meals for events.
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PARKING Continued from Page 1 assistant vice president of public safety. “While not preferable, these off-campus lots will provide some level of relief until the construction of the Ollie garage is complete, Miller said. “The College has worked hard to provide alternatives to members of the campus community.” Miller asked that students use Progress Point and the SunTrust Garage as their first parking options before trying to circle campus in search of spaces. However, this does not satisfy some students. “It doesn’t seem like they really care what we think,” said student David Zebersky (‘20). “Parking is already a pain. There’s no way I’m parking a mile away from cam-
Can students rent it out? Student organizations will be able to rent it out. “We are looking at a discounted rental fee for student organization events scheduled for the weekends when we would otherwise be renting the space,” said Megan Joyner, director of Scheduling and Event Services. While a student policy has not yet been finalized, the registration process will be similar to the one that currently exists between Scheduling and Event Services and the Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement, said Joyner. Can outside events rent out the space? Yes, the space will be used to bring in revenue, according to Joyner. However, any profit made from external events will go toward an endowed scholarship fund for Rollins Crew athletes. “The city of Winter Park lacks a venue comparable to the Rice Family Pavilion in size, so I foresee this space being used a lot for events for the Winter Park community,” said Joyner. Currently, there is one wedding reception booked for a Rollins alumna in April. pus and waiting 25 minutes for a shuttle.” The All Saints Church and Keke’s Breakfast Cafe parking lots will be open for students to use between 4 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday-Friday. These locations provide 100 additional parking spaces during the evening. The five lot closures include the lot behind McKean Hall, Olin Library, parking at the Lyman building, the Ollie Lot in front of the Sutton Place Apartments, and connecting parking that extends from the new location of Campus Safety to the Cornell Fine Arts Museum (CFAM). More specifically, the McKean lot is being closed for construction of the Lakeside Residential Complex. The Olin Library parking lot is closed for construction base operations for the Mills Memorial Hall project. The 203 E. Lyman Ave. lot will be
Enzo Romano
The banquet room (top) retained the architecture of the original bookstore, while the rotunda was a new addition.
used for housing the athletic department and Center for Leadership & Community Engagement buses. The Ollie parking lot is where the new parking garage is being built. The final closure will include the Tiedtke Way and Connecting Parking, located at the roadway from Dinky Dock to just before the CFAM circle, which will be used to facilitate construction-related traffic away from campus. A boardwalk is being constructed from Sutton Place along Tiedtke way to facilitate access to the rest of campus. “The hope is that this will keep pedestrian traffic off of Fairbanks Avenue, and make it safer and easier to move around the construction in the area,” said Miller.
Courtesy of Campus Safety
A shuttle will transport students, faculty, and staff from 1241 Palmetto Ave., the new parking lot, to two campus locations.
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The Sandspur • February 21, 2019
Artist sheds light on migrants’ struggle
Guillermo Galindo will perform composition based on issues at US-Mexico border
Fred Stone Theater plans in action Building will be 5 times as large once completed in 2020
By Heather Borochaner
hborochaner@rollins.edu
C Courtesy of Guillermo Galindo
Galindo creates art and musical instruments out of lost items he finds along the U.S.-Mexican border.
By Zoe Pearson
zpearson@rollins.edu
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Mexican artist and composer who wields objects used by migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border will visit the Cornell Fine Arts Museum (CFAM) to blend humanitarian narratives with political discourse. Guillermo Galindo will perform his original composition, “Sonic Borders III,” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28. Some of Galindo’s pieces are currently displayed at the CFAM, including “Fuente de Lágrimas,” or “Source of Tears,” which is a migrant water barrel riddled with holes like those found at vandalized stations. The barrel is suspended on wooden legs, and as water droplets leak from the sides, they fall onto a metal plate that resonates sound throughout the gallery. The pieces recently acquired by the museum, “Ropófono” and “Zapatófono,” are positioned nearby and will remain on display as part of the museum’s “The Place as Metaphor” exhibition. “Fuente de Lágrimas,” on
the other hand, will be removed before the museum installs its summer exhibitions. Galindo was born in Mexico City where he was classically trained as a composer at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música. In 2006, Galindo began building his own instruments. According to an interview with Exploratorium, a museum in San Francisco, his passion for building instruments from discarded items was sparked after listening to an NPR program. “I heard this person who lived near the border, and she was explaining all the things she found of the migrants’ and children’s objects and all of the things. I was in my car and I was crying,” Galindo said. Soon after, Quinteto Latino, a wind quintet based in San Francisco, asked Galindo to compose a piece for them. He proposed a project using instruments fashioned from objects found at the border, gained visibility as the project progressed. “The rest is history,” said Galindo. Through a mutual contact, photographer Richard Misrach heard about Galindo’s instruments. Misrach spent years photographing the southern border
and was interested in collaboration. From 2012 to 2014, Galindo and Misrach took trips to the border to photograph and collect lost items for their project, “Border Cantos.” When asked what would become of the instruments in an interview with NPR, Galindo said, “They have to be kept; they’re very important. This is not trash and this is not a recycling project. These are sacred objects.” He believes that the purpose of these found items is to tell the
stories often left out of public narratives. During his performances, Galindo allows the instruments to speak for themselves. He moves methodically about his space, occasionally barking and vocalizing. The sounds coaxed from personal belongings left behind by migrants provoke further conversation. Galindo blurs the lines between art, music, and political discourse.
onstruction of the new Fred Stone Theater will begin this summer. The new black box theater will include many more features compared to the oneroom space it used to be, increasing five times in size, according to Scott Bitikofer, assistant vice president of Facilities Services. The building is projected to be completed by the start of the 2020 school year. The space will include technical and dance classrooms, offices, dressing rooms, and a variety of other amenities that the former facility did not have before, Bitikofer said. The complete plans are not yet available to the student body. “It would be premature to publicly release plans at this time,” said Bitikofer, although the theater’s features are confirmed and will be implemented. Construction of the new theater comes after the previous building, built in 1926, was demolished after assessments showed major structural issues, which were deemed a risk to students who used it. It was condemned in March 2018 and demolished in stages over the ensuing months.
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The Sandspur • February 21, 2019
‘You don’t look sick’: Not all disabilities are visibile Societal ignorance forces people struggling with chronic or mental illnesses to hide their problems By Hannah Butcher
hbutcher@rollins.edu
OPINION
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y ninth-grade algebra teacher looked down at me under her spiked eyelashes, frizzed blonde hair and deep eye wrinkles, and breathed the five words I cannot stand to hear: “But you don’t look sick.” I had just explained to her that I spent the week in the hospital, and that the administration excused me from the math quiz I missed. She assessed my round cheeks, thin shoulders, and chipped nail polish, and repeated her piercing words. “You don’t look sick at all.” I dropped my head, washed with shame. I knew, by her tone, that she was accusing me of lying, of faking a disease I had no control over. Tears plopped to my thigh. Suddenly, I felt responsible for missing school. I should have pushed through my flare up; I should not have told my parents; I should have taken that quiz. After all, if no one could see my sickness, maybe it was all in my head. I have experienced comments like my teacher’s countless times since. I generally answer the same way: no, my lupus is not visible. You cannot see how
my white blood cells attack my joints, my legs. You cannot see my overactive nerves zap down my back when I have a fibromyalgia flare up. You cannot see my arthritis. You also cannot see my anxiety, my depression, the pain I feel when I walk up stairs. When someone thinks of the word disability, of chronic bodily sickness, they think of physical limitations that you can easily see. They think of people in wheelchairs, people with canes. But, believe it or not, visibly disabled people are arguably the minority of the disability community. The majority live in secret. My mother works with adults with disabilities, and I have witnessed able-bodied people treat them with utmost kindness, beyond hate or judgment. I
Believe it or not, visibly disabled people are arguably the minority of the disability community. The majority live in secret. have witnessed sensitivity, compassion, and friendliness toward them. So while there are still ableist people and policies out there, I have not witnessed their impacts particularly strongly; however, I cannot say the same
for people who are plagued with chronic, invisible diseases. Visibility does not define disability. In my experience, people’s sensitivity to secret sicknesses, autoimmune disorders, mental illnesses, arthritis, and other chronic conditions has decreased or remained stagnant. People are not taught to treat seemingly healthy-looking people with compassion; they are not taught that they do, in fact, exist. Invisible conditions are not acknowledged in classrooms, so observers rely on their sight. Based on a glance, observers assume that the people around them are healthy, that they can do anything. Well, I cannot do anything. Just because you see me as healthy, does not mean that I am. The way you see me does not define me. The reason why secret sickness is so convincingly invisible is because people with disabilities taught themselves how to be high-functioning when they should not have to be. Since I was diagnosed at 11 years old, I taught myself how to blend in. Even after my mother injected me with my weekly dose of chemo, I still went out with friends over the weekend. I learned how to hide my sickness, which made it difficult for people to be sensitive toward my condition. After all, if no one knew about it, how could they be
empathetic? This is the core of the problem: ignorance toward secret sickness is caused by those who keep it a secret. We do not tell people because we are afraid of judgement, pity, and others’ fear. We cultivate this ignorance to-
We cultivate this ignorance toward ourselves because, deep inside, we want to be “normal”—I do, at least. ward ourselves because, deep inside, we want to be “normal”—I do, at least. I believe people with mental illnesses want the same. For instance, I often swap my anxious emotions with my roommate who has depression. I walk into the dark room and almost always see her lying in bed, awake, yet unmoving. Her depression chains her to the bed most days, but when you see her in class, you would never know. She is in the honors program; she gets good grades; she is high-functioning, but she is not healthy. Sickness comes in so many forms, but when I go through the disability line at a theme park, I do not want to be accused of taking advantage of the system, and I do not want to apologize for my lack of looking diseased. No one
else should, either. Does Rollins address invisible illnesses adequately? Yes and no. Rollins tries, but it does not always succeed. For instance, I called to make a CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) appointment at the beginning of this month, and the only open date that worked with my schedule was Feb. 25, more than three weeks hence! There are also extreme accessibility concerns when it comes to buildings on campus, which have been and will continue to be addressed in The Sandspur. At the same time, though, the fact that Rollins even offers a free counseling program is admirable, and the fact that the Office of International Programs checked in with me before my spring field study was heartwarming. So, at the moment at least, I am torn. Rollins prides itself on its inclusivity, but I encourage students to evaluate whether that holds true or not for them. The student perspective is invaluable on a college campus, especially at Rollins. If nothing else, I hope this article opens up your eyes to the possibility of empathizing more with others. You never know if your friends’ own bodies are attacking them; you never know if your friends are living with constant pain; and you will not know unless you try to.
Assistant director of CICI embarks on new chapter Destinee Lott, diversity advocate and organizer, will leave Rollins for position at Georgia Tech By Maura Leaden
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mleaden@rollins.edu
fter almost four years at Rollins, Destinee Lott, a pillar of support for Rollins students, especially those of diverse backgrounds, is leaving. Lott is currently the assistant director of the Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement (CICI) but will become the assistant director for special scholarships at Georgia Institute of Technology. “With Rollins being such a relational campus, I was able to come here and really find a home really quickly, and I think that students were a huge part of
that,” she said. Lott played a central role in the introduction of EMBARK to campus. EMBARK is a cohort-based student development and leadership opportunity that especially welcomes students from underrepresented populations. It starts as a pre-orientation program and continues throughout the students’ time at Rollins through mentorship, bonding activities, and identity exploration. The first cohort came in 2016, and Lott said she has loved seeing them get very involved on campus. Now that they are graduating, she feels a certain sense of pride. On campus, she was also
involved in the Diversity Council, where she led a task force on race at Rollins. She got to examine what race relations look like at Rollins in comparison to other colleges. In hand with this, she collaborated with the school’s admission department to facilitate the transition for students between being admitted and coming to college. During her time here, she has seen positive changes implemented on campus, primarily through visible diversity. “When I first got here, I think it was really challenging for our students of color in just the idea that there were not a lot of people that looked like them,” said Lott.
Since the beginning of her career, the Office of Admission has created a program called Diversity Envoys for recruiting students of diverse backgrounds. After almost four years of change, she said it is amazing to see how these programs and the awareness of diverse groups on campus in general have bloomed. “I think our students are much better for [it],” said Lott. Besides the students and her role on campus, what Lott will miss most from Winter Park is Lake Virginia, Antonella’s Pizzeria, and the Buttermilk Bakery. “It’ll be sad [to leave the office], but I think I’m really excited to see where the next person in this role takes it!”
In her new role at the Georgia Institute of Technology, she will work with students receiving merit-based scholarships to foster their leadership development. While the population of students she works with may be different, Lott said that her focus on student development will be similar because all students come to college to grow. Her last day is March 1. She will join her fianceé who is already working in Atlanta. The pair met during their education at the University of Central Florida.
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The Sandspur • February 21, 2019
Students shine in ‘John Proctor is the Villain’ debut Cast’s chemistry brings challenging play to life as they grapple with effects of #MeToo movement By Annie Murray-Campbell
amurraycampbell@rollins.edu
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REVIEW
f John Proctor is the villain, then the actors are the heroes. The Annie Russell Theater actors dove headfirst into their debut of “John Proctor is the Villain,” bringing the challenging new piece to life. In collaboration with the Farm Theater in New York, the Annie Russell Theatre company tells the story of a tumultuous Southern high school English class as they analyze Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.” In the play, the effects of the #MeToo movement make their way into the small Appalachian Georgia town. This brings a new perspective to the literature that they all thought they understood. Raelynn, Beth, Ivy, and Nell struggle to start a feminism club as sexual assaults come to light within the community. All the
while, their estranged friend Shelby returns from an extended and mysterious time away from school. Fear of ruined reputations, broken friendships, and not knowing who to trust all make this class’ club much more than just an assignment. A script is a show’s skeleton; a cast must breathe life into it. Standout leads Raelynn, played by Kristen Edwards (‘20), and Shelby, played by Allison Furlong (‘20), formed the heart of the show. The two had palpable tension, but they also had natural chemistry as the story progressed. English teacher Mr. Smith, played by Josh Scott (‘19), held significant and consistent throughout the play. Even though the whole cast was comprised of college students, Scott distinguished himself as an older, more authoritative presence in the school, which became significant in the narrative. Standout performances in the supporting cast also included Nell, played by Faith Artis (‘20); Mason, played by Fisher Alex-
ander (‘22); and Miss Gallagher, played by Fiona Campbell (‘19). Artis had an unmatchable energy. She delivered lines with calculated purpose, inviting difficult discussions and diffusing
Artis had an unmatchable energy. She delivered lines with calculated purpose, inviting difficult discussions and diffusing tension with humor. tension with humor. As new student Nell, Artis provided an outsider’s perspective into the lives of protagonists Raelynn and Shelby. Unafraid to call attention to herself, Artis carried Nell with confidence and natural grace. Alexander succeeded in making Mason Nell’s natural opposite. His jittery, smart-but-lazy
demeanor shone through beyond his written part. He made it clear with his line delivery and body language that Mason does not try very hard at anything until he finds something worth striving for. Though the supporting cast, as an ensemble, lacked chemistry and energy every so often, the two brought both levels up significantly. Campbell similarly rose above her station in her part as a young teacher. As a comparatively older character, she successfully separated herself from the students while still retaining the insecurity of the struggle into authority and adulthood. Much like last semester’s show, “Twelve Angry Jurors,” “John Proctor is the Villain” had a raked (i.e. slanted) stage, no microphones, and a stationary set (save for the students’ desks). The raked stage allowed for visibility of the whole cast and set, while the lack of microphones is an Annie Russell tradition and challenge for the company. It requires actors to project their voices, as well as draw attention
in other ways to convey who is speaking and keep the story flowing. Also a constant is the technical crew’s ability to excel when they could settle. The classroom setting was crisply painted and decorated down to the last detail. The lighting of the show was not only functional but extremely detailed. Lights flipped on and off as actors moved the light switch on stage. However, the most notable detail was the changing ambient light outside of the classroom window. The light changed in relation to the time of day, successfully conveying time jumps from a few hours to the next day (supplemented by a sliding whiteboard with the date written in the corner). Taking on a play and subject as heavy as “John Proctor is the Villain” and the #MeToo movement, and making it into a cohesive play is definitely not an easy task, but the cast fearlessly stepped up to the plate.
what’s new in Dining Services
SKILLMAN RENOVATION What’s coming?
Rollins is committed to excellence and innovation by renovating Skillman with a $2.4 million renovation in under 90 days. This renovation will include: • Top-to-bottom renovation with new seating, tables, and flooring • Increased seating capacity (by 100+) in preparation for more students living on campus • Reintroduction of the showcase cooking experience, with dedicated food stations • Dedicated vegan, salad, and pizza stations