The Sandspur Volume 124 Issue 1

Issue 1 • Volume 124 Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 www.thesandspur.org

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HARVEY HITS HOME Photos by Emily Walton

Heather Borochaner

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Writer

ust over a week ago, Hurricane Harvey hit the gulf coast of Texas, killing up to 50 people, destroying nearly 100,000 homes, and breaking the hearts of millions around the country, including those of Rollins students and alumni.

Despite the country’s aid and preparation for the tropical storm in Texas, the damage to the state has been catastrophic.

The storm has dumped an estimated 27 trillion gallons of rain over Texas and Louisiana over six days, which CNN reports would fill the Houston Astrodome 85,000 times or San Francisco Bay 10.6 times at high tide.

Making landfall in Rockport, Texas on Friday, August 25, Harvey set the record for tropical cyclone rainfall measured in any one place in the U.S. over the past 50 years. Some areas reached nearly 50 inches of rain in a 48 hour period, comparing to Hurricane Katrina which dumped 5-10 inches within the same timeframe. To make matters worse, the dam in Houston overflowed.

“Once the nearest bayou overflowed, I watched water fill the streets and crawl up to my door all day on Sunday,” said Emily Walton ‘16, who moved to Houston a year ago.

“There was a point on Sunday when I wanted to evacuate, but there was no way out. It was

like being trapped on an island; water was all around. Not only was my community flooded, but all of the streets and highways around me were underwater too.

The city is designed to flood the streets first, and we definitely saw that happen here.”

Luckily, the water never made it inside Walton’s home; however, she was prepared for the worst. “I had bags packed and was planning to call for help if water got inside, but thankfully that never happened. The only way people were able to get out was by boat or helicopter, and there was a 2.5 hour wait to even get through to 911 on Sunday.

Walton explained that although the events taking place were incredibly sad, she has nev-

Should Confederate statues be removed?

Student opinions on the Campus Center

Heather Borochaner ‘21 argues against removing all Confederate statues to preserve history.

Two students chime in on their feelings about changes to the meal plans.

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er witnessed such a strong sense of community. “Since there were so many people that the city had to rescue, the citizens of Houston (and others from around the country) stepped up and started rescuing people in their private boats.”

Along with other colleges across the United States, Rollins College students and organizations have contributed time, effort, and materials for those in Texas. Students traveled to Clean the World last week, a local notfor-profit assembling disaster relief hygiene kits for those in Houston and Louisiana who lost access to basic needs, such as soap or a toothbrush.

Kara Wagstaff ‘20 expressed how rewarding it was to volun-

teer for Clean the World, “I really enjoyed all the people there and it felt really great knowing I can help even though I’m so far from Texas.” The organization has also expressed a need for soap donations in the upcoming weeks. “I encourage everyone to volunteer there these next few months because all their efforts are currently for Houston!” said Wagstaff.

In just a day and a half, Clean the World was able to put together 19,000 hygiene kits, far beyond their expected goal. They originally believed it would take two weeks to put together 20,000 kits.

‣ See HOUSTON Page 2

Inside Rollins Film Society nearly dismantles

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Why does Rollins Film Society face copy rights issues, but REP does not?

2 • SEPTEMBER 7, 2017

OPINION

Should all Confederate statues be taken down?

Established in 1894 with the following editorial:

Borochaner ‘21 explains her thoughts on a local confederate statue. The statues should be removed, but should still be considered historically important and moved to another public location.

EXECUTIVE STAFF Ellie Rushing Editor-in-Chief

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BUSINESS & FACULTY Greg Golden

General Manager of Student Media

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Heather Borochaner

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Writer

n June of 2017, a Confederate statue of Johnny Reb was removed from Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida.

Like many similar incidents, its removal has caused much community discourse, from heated debates to less-than-peaceful protests. Many point to these nationwide conflicts as one of the sources of the public racial divide America faces today, and while I agree that those who enslaved people due to the color of their skin should not be glorified, we need to be careful with how we handle what are truly relics of history, albeit gruesome ones.

First things first, I want to focus on the statue in Lake Eola Park, which was the statue of Johnny Rebel, nicknamed Johnny Reb. The most important piece of information is Johnny Reb himself. He was not some random Confederate soldier; he was, and still is, a symbol of the Confederacy, a personification of the Southern states during that time period.

Rivaling him was Billy Yank, a symbol of the Union, and personification of the Northern states. This establishes an important fact: Johnny Reb was not a real person, instead a vague representation of all Confederate soldiers during the time of the Civil War. How does this information make Johnny Reb any different from the other statues that have been taken down, or even the ones left standing? Well, Johnny Reb was not a soldier following orders. He was not someone who died believing that they were dying for a country they loved. He is a symbol of every-

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thing the Confederacy stood for: freedom to use whatever form of labor they pleased (which many Southern farms literally relied on), and yes, for many, white supremacy. Let us not forget, however, that this was nearly a nationwide value at the time.

Even Abraham Lincoln himself wanted to move all of the freed slaves to their own separate nation in Liberia after the war. He did not even want them in the United States, so the Union was not wholly innocent either.

In the case of Johnny Reb, I believe the right call was made to move his statue to a graveyard.

The Civil War was bloody and terrible, resulting in far too many unnecessary deaths. Glorifying it in any way, shape, or form is distasteful. However, censorship of the events that transpired is arguably just as distasteful as its glorification, so making Johnny Reb and those like him publicly accessible is key.

T h e r e are plenty of other statues that show real soldiers from that conflict.

As much as some people do not like it, those soldiers are a part of our American history. The creation of the statues themselves holds great historical value, and it is an incredible waste to destroy or isolate such relics from over a century ago.

History that is destroyed or isolated is inevitably forgotten, and history that is forgotten is doomed to be repeated. I am sure that everyone reading this agrees that something akin to the Civil War is something no one wants repeated.

Then what should be done with the remaining statues? I think the best course of action would be to move them but not to keep them away in a ware-

house or have them destroyed.

These statues need to be kept intact and taken care of, and local historical museums are the perfect place for that. This way, the history remains, but it is no longer glorified as any kind of town centerpiece. If someone wishes to expose themselves to the history of the Civil War, students are required to go by a teacher, or parents wish to educate their children, then all the history they could ever absorb would be

standing right in front of them.

People who do not wish to see the Confederate statues do not have to, but I personally would never recommend censoring yourself to history. It is far too important, and thus why it needs to be so carefully preserved, appreciated, and most importantly, learned from.

History that is destroyed or isolated is inevitably forgotten, and history that is forgotten is doomed to be repeated.

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

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OPINION

Fashion freedom for freshmen College allows students to explore and discover what they want to do and what they want to wear while doing it.

Meredith Klenkel

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Writer

ollege is commonly referred to as the four-year time slot in a young person’s life during which one is given the opportunity to discover who they are in deeper ways than ever before. It is also rather common for freshman students to feel liberated in the newfound power of being able to pick and chose what they wish to wear, especially if those students arriving on campus had spent all of high school restricted by the dress code rules and regulations of private institutions. A student accustomed to walking through hallways in starchy, uncomfortable garments including polo shirts, button-downs, and khaki skirts and pants salivates at the mere concept of slipping on a casual, convenient outfit suitable for not only learning or working out, but for the most vital college afternoon activity of all—napping.

Although in their future careers Rollins students will wear lab coats, smocks, suits, and other professional attire in coordination with the dress code of their passion, there is no uniform in college. We are living in a rare and precious environment specifically built for fashion experimentation and exploration.

In a place where your status is determined by merit rather than the brand label on your shirt, it is imperative to allow ourselves

‣ Continue from page 1 Along with student volunteers, the Rollins Athletic Department, headed by Office Coordinator Jessica Deese, is also collecting gear to send to Houston, such as old or unused team jerseys or T-shirts.

President Trump plans to donate $1 million and the White House is expected to request $14.7 billion in relief funding.

However, this surmounts to only a fraction of what it will take to bring Houston back to the city it once was. According to federal officials, it may cost up to $200 billion in total.

to thrive, unrestricted by judgments or societal style demands.

As freshmen, we can officially leave behind the disapproving glares we may have received when subjected to the limitations of a school uniform in high school. Some freshman step onto the sunny cobblestone paths of Rollins with absolutely no idea who they want to be one day. Some enter their college career with specific goals, dreams, and precise plans to be doctors, artists, entrepreneurs, and more.

Now is the time to view college through a fashionably spontaneous lens, allowing us to watch as our style preferences sway like a pendulum depending on our mood and feelings on any given day.

For students who previously suffered the oppression of bland, stifling school uniforms created to suffocate self-expression, the clothes shopping process prior to college is a whirlwind consisting of mixed emotions and tough decisions. Upon entering college, we question what we want to look like as we make new friends and form relationships, ultimately questioning who we are based on our style.

However, the most special and unique attribute of the college experience is the wiggle room it grants you, giving you the time and proper means to gallivant, explore, adventure, and make mistakes. As we drift through college and try our best to treasure each moment before it slips out of our hands, we dis-

cover which mistakes we wish to continue making and which ones we know to avoid in the future, all through undergoing the harmoniously natural process of messing up.

Just as we learn and grow throughout these four years in various other aspects of life, we learn about our style and what pieces of clothing make us feel like we can seize the day, shouting from the rooftops that this life is for living and we are ready to make it ours. Embarking on a fashion journey as new students in a new atmosphere means that it is not the time to worry about what we will look like in four, ten, or even twenty years.

Instead, it is a time to break out that sequined mini skirt that you neglected in high school.

It is a time to find out that overalls are far too sweat-inducing for our southern climate. It is a time to treat this campus like our own personal runway. Maybe workout shorts and a souvenir t-shirt from your favorite ice cream shop back home warms your heart. Perhaps old converse and ripped jeans remind you of good times on a Saturday night.

Whatever it may be that you find yourself wearing around campus this semester, keep in mind that just as we have been given the time and space here at Rollins to figure out who we are and what we want to do, we also have the next four years to uncover what we want to wear while we are doing it.

Federal officials, and locals such as Walton, continue to stress the importance of supporting the people of Houston.

“I know a group of guys out there rescuing people on a boat, and they were still working as of yesterday. It’s not over yet for a lot of people here,” said Walton.

“I hope that people don’t forget about our city once the media coverage slows down. It will take years to rebuild this beautiful city, and thousands of people are in dire need right now.” The need for volunteers, donations, and prayers is far from over.

Currently, another hurricane brews off the coast of the Caribbean islands. As of Mon-

day, September 4, Hurricane Irma was heading towards the Leeward Islands, projecting to hit the Bahamas and Cuba on Friday morning. Scott Rayburn, Rollins’ Safety and Emergency Planning Coordinator, sent a campus-wide e-mail Sunday, September 3 assuring the Rollins community that the hurricane was being monitored closely.

Just last year, Hurricane Matthew came through Florida, causing destruction and cancelling all school activities and classes for two days. “We encourage you to please take this time to review your personal emergency plans,” stated Rayburn.

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

A tasty breakfast to fuel your day Kira Bernhard

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Columnist

ot all of us have the luxury of a kitchen here at Rollins, so I am letting you in on my go-to breakfast, which only requires a microwave, some ingredients, a bowl, and a spoon(ful of delight). If that has not convinced you to make this yet, notice that this dish contains 28 grams of protein and will keep you fueled through your morning classes. Although this oatmeal recipe has vegetables in it, which some of you may not be used to, I promise once you give it a try, there is no turning back!

Ingredients: ½ cup quick-cooking oats 1 scoop collagen (optional source of added protein) 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoon chia seeds (optional but packed with omega-3’s and

fiber) 1 ½ cups riced cauliflower ¾ cup water 3 tablespoon liquid egg whites Toppings (measure by eye): fruit and nut butter Recipe: Add oats, collagen, cinnamon, chia seeds, riced cauliflower and water to a microwave safe bowl and cook in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Pour in egg whites and stir until well combined. Cook for another minute until fluffy.

Finish off with your favorite toppings; mine are banana and nut butter.

I understand college students can be on a tight budget, so if you would like to invest in some collagen, you can use the discount code “SPOONFULDELIGHT” at https://www.furtherfood.com/ shop/.

Photo by SpoonfulDelight Instagram

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pulitzer Prize winner John Meacham to speak on September 12 Newsweek magazine veteran, Executive Editor of Random House publishing company, and a Pulitzer-Prize-winning author will inspire students.

Sydney Brown

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Writer

on Meacham, winner of a Pulitzer Prize, New York Times bestselling author, and renowned visiting professor at The University of the South and Vanderbilt University, will be making an appearance on campus for a one-night speaking engagement in partnership with the Winter Park Institute on September 12 in the Knowles Memorial Chapel. During the presentation, Meacham will be sharing his knowledge on leadership, politics, and the American presidency.

Born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Meacham attended The McCallie School, a boys’ college-preparatory academy, for middle and high school before continuing on to receive his Bachelor of Arts in English

Literature from The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Not only did Meacham graduate summa cum laude, but also as salutatorian and a member of America’s most prestigious academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa.

In January of 1995, he joined the staff of Newsweek, a popular American weekly magazine, as a writer. After just a few months, he was named National Affairs Editor and in 1998 became Managing Editor. He served in that position until 2006, when he was named Editor-in-Chief of the publication. Prior to and following his departure from Newsweek in 2010, Meacham has also been associated as a reviewer at The New York Times and The Washington Post.

His presidential biography of Andrew Jackson entitled American Lion: Andrew Jackson in

the White House won a Pulitzer Prize, arguably one of the highest distinctions awarded for journalism and the arts, for the Biography category in 2009.

After receiving the Pulitzer, Meacham went on to write several other critically-acclaimed, New York Times best-selling novels including Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation, and Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship.

Additionally, Meacham holds a number of honorary doctorates from a variety of institutions including Middlebury College, Wake Forest University, and the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University.

Meacham’s accomplishments are innumerable but some of his most notable positions and distinctions include serving as

the Executive Editor of Random House Publishing Company, being an active member of the Council on Foreign Relations and of the Society of American Historians, and co-hosting the popular PBS program “Need to Know” with Alison Stewart from 2010 to 2011. Additionally, he has appeared on a variety of CNN programs, as well as MSNBC’s “The Morning Joe” as a frequent guest and political commentator.

His presentation at Rollins College on September 12 will explore lessons from the American presidency and extensively examine the principles of leadership and politics. Hosted by the Winter Park Institute, the event will be held in Knowles Memorial Chapel and will begin at 7:30 p. m.

Students, faculty, and community members are all invited to attend the event while tickets

remain available. Student Ana Kingsborough ’21 is, “looking forward to participating in the experience of a lifetime and eager to hear Meacham’s opinion of our current political climate.”

Similarly, Bridget Gorman ’21 described her anticipation by exclaiming, “(Meacham)… is incredibly knowledgeable of government and politics and I think everyone who attends will get a lot out of the presentation.”

Tickets are available through the Winter Park Institute’s website, but Rollins students, faculty, and staff can get in for free.

Make sure to purchase yours today in order to participate in this historic event and learn about some of today’s most pressing issues from one of America’s most prominent public intellectuals.

You can learn more about Jon Meacham at his website, www. jonmeacham.com.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Rollins Film Society nearly dismantles after copy right issues Alec Stanley

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Writer

rom the spring of 2016 until the following year, Rollins Film Society held weekly film screenings for students, but after copyright concerns were raised last February, the fate of the organization hangs in the balance. Founded

by Fiona Campbell ’19 and Jerry Abril ’19, the Film Society was started for the purpose of entertaining Rollins students with public screenings of noteworthy films and introducing them to classics and essentials in the world of cinema to provide a forum for the discussion and examination of films as well as to foster community through a shared love of cinema via the critical examination and discussion of films. Through Film Society screenings, Jerry and Fiona hoped to encourage the continued creation of films in both the Rollins community and beyond.

At the involvement fair that took place August 31, the Film Society piqued the interest of 83 new students.

The films shown were decided upon democratically. Potential selections were based on categories and themes chosen by the Society’s officers with heavy

input from attending members.

These categories included women in cinema, Academy Award winners, Paul Thomas Anderson films, and many more that ensured that regular attendees would become well-rounded cinephiles. This democratic voting process, along with Abril’s pre-film trivia and the post-film discussions, kept members deeply engaged with what they were watching on the screen.

For the first year of the organization’s existence, things went swimmingly. Attendance was a little slow to start, with two non-officers (myself included) attending the first screening of Peter Weir’s critically acclaimed examination of privacy and celebrity culture The Truman Show (1998), but attendance quickly climbed to a peak of 27 attendees in one screening: Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 masterpiece Spirited Away. With the help of the Rollins Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement (CICI), the Film Society maintained steady attendance for over 25 screenings without any major issues, and the society was set to continue growing, receiving the emails of 156 interested students at last spring’s involvement fair.

But that all changed when CICI’s approach shifted right be-

fore the January 27 showing of The Goonies (1985), which would be shown under the category of Films that Inspired Stranger Things. Suddenly, CICI required Abril and Campbell to purchase the expensive rights to any film before the screening would be approved for GetInvolved.

This is not to say CICI or the Film Society were unaware of copyright rules (which hinged on the distinction between public and private screenings) before this time; almost a year earlier, when the Film Society and EcoRollins wanted to partner-up and hold an outdoor screening of Into The Wild (2007), they were told that the screening would have to take place indoors, as otherwise it would be considered public and the rights would have to be purchased. Within a week of these new concerns being brought up, Rollins Entertainment Program (a division of CICI) announced its screening of Moana (2016), the first in a continuing series of popular movie screenings.

The timing of these events raised a few eyebrows among the Rollins community. According to Abril, when he voiced his concerns about the screening he was told that the two screening series would be distinct, as REP’s

screenings were to only include films that were not available for digital or Blu-Ray/DVD release.

This distinction was enough to satisfy Abril and other Society members, and held true for REP/ CICI’s first few screenings (Moana, Love is Sweet, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Office Christmas Party). By the fifth screening, however, this distinction evaporated when REP presented Bad Moms over four months after the physical release, and even longer after the digital release. Last week’s screening, Guardians of The Galaxy vol.

2 (2017), has been available for digital purchase since the second week of August.

The provided contact email for REP’s movies did not answer

questions about how films are chosen, or on what criteria (since the reportedly original criteria of unavailability is obviously no longer the case), but there seems to be no evidence of student involvement in the selection process beyond REP’s officers. The two screening series are still distinct in that sense at least, as well as in the lack of discussion and critical examination at REPs screenings.

Despite these setbacks, Abril, Campbell, and new officer Jack DeGhetto ’19 still have hopes for the club’s future and their ability to adapt the organization to the changes in copyright rules (or, at least the changes in how willing CICI is to overlook existing copyright rules).

SPORTS

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Women’s soccer to host first home game following victory Manny Rodriguez

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Writer

he Tars women’s soccer team had a challenging week in Cleveland, Tennessee versing two very competitive teams. Rollins opened their 2017 campaign against Mississippi College on Friday, September 1, which was the first-ever match between the colleges ending with a 0-1 loss for Rollins College. Then the Tars took on regional foe Lee University, winning 1-0 and creating a streak; in their previous face-off, Rollins beat Lee 2-0. With the competitive games this season, the Tars have been focused on staying organized defensively, practicing on shooting, and working on some combination plays to get the W this Friday against the Minnesota Golden Eagles, who lost their previous game 0-6 against Lindenwood University.

Alicia Schuck, the head coach for the Tars women’s soccer team, commented on how the two previous teams were very good opponents and gave the team wellearned experience.

Last season a total of 11 seniors graduated, handing over the spotlight to the returning players and 16 newcomers.

Coach Schuck believes that the new, growing team at Rollins is

very competitive and will love to see them continue to develop in the journey that they take.

Shalisa Crowell, ‘19 commented for the game coming up, “To the team, I would like to say just play how we have been training, work hard for one another, and give these games everything you have.”

Kat Weiss, ‘18 is very excited for the games lying ahead. “We had a few great tough weeks of training and we’re just going to go out and play and have fun. I’m excited as a senior and captain to be leading this team; we have a natural and special connection and I’m just really proud on how hard we are working and definitely excited to take on my last season with them. We graduated 11 seniors last year who were really significant players in our program, but new players that have come in this year are rising to the level of play and I think this class has been super strong and have adjusted greatly to the technicality and pace of the college game.

They have really added to our program already in this short amount of time and I’m really excited to see where this season goes for us.”

Coach Schuck has been keeping an eye on the freshman to help them as much as she can.

She complimented them saying

they are very committed to success and that this year will be very exciting.

Crowell mentioned for the upcoming game against Minnesota Golden Eagles, “I am preparing by just mentally blocking out everything else going on right now and focusing specifically on soccer and this game as well as physically, so just drinking lots of water and eating right. To the team, I would just say to play how we have been training, work hard for one another, and give these games everything you have. Also with there being a lot of new girls on the team, I think they fit in with us really well, they are a really good group of girls and help make our team extremely competitive and fun to be a part of.

Being captain, I would hope I’m leading others to a greater future but there are a lot of returners on our team who have stepped up and become leaders so I think with all of us working together we will become very successful in the future.”

This next game will be at home on Friday at 7 p.m. Come help support our first women’s soccer home game and cheer them on to victory against the University of Minnesota Crookston. Go Tars!

Photos by Kira Bernhard