Issue 18 • Volume 124 Thursday, March 22, 2018 www.thesandspur.org
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Fox Day is coming Some students believe it could be here as early as March 29.
Photo by Scott Cook Each Fox Day, the fox statue is not the only furry friend on campus. The Fox mascot and Tommy the Tar come out to enjoy the holiday with the Rollins community, too.
By Kendall Clarke
A
kclarke1@rollins.edu
s students revel in the afterglow of spring break and sigh at the thought of finals week looming ahead, one thing is on everyone’s
minds: Fox Day. While keeping a lookout for the infamous Fox statue, The Sandspur gathered students’ predictions on the date of Fox Day. In a poll conducted by The Sandspur, most students foresaw Fox Day occuring in the near—but not too near—future. 26 percent of respond-
ents thought that it will fall on April 11, but April 19 and 24 are also popular candidates. A hopeful few pray that Fox Day will be as soon as March 29, April 2, April 4, or April 5. One respondent simply stated that they had no idea. The Sandspur also polled students
on what they typically do on Fox Day. Over half of the respondents reported that they go to the beach, a historically popular Fox Day activity. At 17 percent, the second-most popular activity was sleeping; the third was going to Universal. Perhaps surprisingly, zero respondents reported that they go to Disney World. One respondent reported a rather unique Fox Day activity: making a sacrifice to Odin to prepare for finals. Whoever you are, we hope it is not a blood sacrifice. Regardless of what students do for Fox Day, it is a long-standing and cherished tradition. In January 1934, a fox statue and a cat statue were gifted to Rollins College by Senator Murray Sams. Then-President Hamilton Holt founded two societies inspired by the statues: the Cat Society for women and the Fox Society for men. Each society consisted of
four members that were elected annually by the student body. These four men and women were given exclusive access to touch the fox and cat statues. To many’s despair in 1949, the cat statue was smashed beyond repair. The fox statue was then placed into storage for safekeeping. On May 17, 1956, then-President Hugh McKean placed the lonely and grief-stricken fox statue on Mills Lawn and cancelled classes for the day. McKean did not intend for this to be an annual event and discarded the tradition. However, in 1958, students resurrected Fox Day of their own accord. McKean allowed the students their day of freedom as long as they agreed to return to campus in the evening for a picnic and a choir performance in Knowles Chapel. Thus was the beginning of Fox Day.
‣See Fox Day Page 2
On-campus housing prices change Students living in residential housing will face new tiered prices based on bathroom styles. By Jojo Peloquin
jpeloquin@rollins.edu
Residential Life and Explorations recently changed on-campus residential hall pricing to be tiered and based on the style of bathrooms the dorm has access to, and whether or not it is in Sutton. The housing prices on the Rollins website now reflect the new room rates. All rates are per person and per semester. Starting next semester, a single with a private bathroom is the most expensive option, which costs
$6,000. Prices lower as the housing option is in less demand. In residential halls (excluding Sutton apartments), a single with a semi-private bathroom pays $5,750, a single with community bathroom costs $5,500, a double with private bathroom costs $4,750, a double with a semi-private bathroom costs $4,500, a double with a community bathroom costs $4,250, and a triple with community bathrooms cost $3,750. In Sutton, a one-bedroom apartment (housing 2 students) costs $5,750, a two-bedroom
apartment (housing 4 students) costs $5,500, and a single costs $6,000. Res. Life teamed up with President Cornwell to create a pricing model that they believe best fits the quality of living students experience on campus. When they first broke the news to RAs, many people had questions about whether this promotes equality on campus. As of right now, students live on a campus that allows them to work hard academically for a desired room. That does not mean singles, doubles, and triples all
cost the same— they do not—but it means that if a student wants a more-private bathroom or newer hall, they were able to work to raise their GPA in order to request housing before those with lower GPAs. The number of credit hours a student has also factors into when they can choose housing. Of course, those who choose housing after others are less likely to get the dorm and hall of their choice. With these changes, RAs and House Managers, along with other students, were concerned that this would change.
Other students also believed that this could sway some students with a lower socioeconomic status away from the school. There are two reasons this could be an issue. One, it creates class segregation; only those that can afford nicer dorms will be able to live there, creating an atypical gated community. Two, the student simply cannot afford housing on campus.
‣See RESLIFE Page 2
2 • MARCH 22, 2018
FEATURES
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Photos by Scott Cook Jackson Fiser ‘19 (top right), Lucas Batista ‘18 (bottom right), Adam Belsky ‘18 (center) and Jawaad Khanani ‘19 celebrate the 2017 Festival of Light. The 2018 festival is set to take place this Saturday, March 24, from 8:30-11 p.m. on Mills lawn.
Upcoming Festival of Light looks to unite campus Saturday’s annual event is a major part of Alumni Weekend’s activities. By Christina Oliveira
T
coliveira@rollins.edu
hroughout alumni weekend on March 2325, Rollins will host reunions, dinners, presentations, and other events to honor its alumni. The Festival of Light will be yet another festivity. The college will host the Festival of Light on March 24 from 8:30-11 p.m. as a part of the reunion-filled weekend. According to Dr. Laurie Kyle Houck, vice president for institutional advancement, the Festival of Light is a way for students and alumni to get together and celebrate. President Cornwell agreed, stating that the Festival is “a celebration of the Rollins community… it’s a very special time when students and faculty and staff
and alumni can get together and enjoy a beautiful Florida spring evening.” The event will include a dance floor and a performance by the Buzzcatz, who performed for the last Festival of Light. Blue and gold glow necklaces, honoring the college’s colors, will also be available to those in attendence. As for refreshments, Sodexo will be planning a menu based on the food served in Dave’s Boathouse. In addition, beer and wine will be served for those 21 and older. In keeping with its title, central campus buildings will have their lights turned on during the festival. String lights and morewill be strewn across campus, as well. Dr. Houck stated that Rollins will be using the globes from the 2016 Festival that were bought from the city of Winter
Park. These are the same globes used by Winter Park to light up Park Avenue during the winter holdiay season. The globes come in blue, white and gold, and will be strung across Fairbanks to the Bush Science Center. The first informal Festival of Light occurred when Hugh Mckean was named acting president, says Dr. Houck. Students lit up their windows, and the campus carried the newly elected president on their shoulders. The Festival of Light occurred again following Mckean’s inauguration in 1951 and was seen as a rededication to the Rollins motto Fiat Lux, which translates to “let there be light.” In 2016, the second official Festival of Light occurred in concurrence with the inauguration of President Cornwell. “We invited all students, faculty, staff, local alumni to attend,” said Dr.
Houck. “Everyone liked it so much, especially the students, [they] wanted to do it again.” Dr. Houck then thought that it would be best to do the Festival during alumni weekend so alumni could take part in the event. The President’s office then partnered with the Alumni office to incorporate the festival into its planned events. As for whether or not the event will continue in the coming years, President Cornwell said it is up for the students to decide. “We’re going to keep doing it as long as it remains vibrant and alive… as long as the students enjoy it and enjoy coming together, we’ll do it.” The event is open to all alumni, students, faculty, and staff.
OPINION
3 Fox Day ‣Continued from Page 1 However, not every president cooperated with the tradition of Fox Day. When President Jack Critchfield came to Rollins, he decided to discontinue the tradition and returned the fox statue to Hugh McKean. A few years later, in hopes of reviving the tradition, seven students created their own replica of the fox statue. In the early morning hours of May 3, 1976, the students placed their
RESLIFE ‣Continued from Page 1 Senior Director of Residential Life & Explorations Leon Hayner provided some numbers that he believes settles that belief. The highest rate is only rising by $300 to $500, and the least costly room (the triple) is at a 40 percent occupancy rate, so these changes do not look like they will create class segregation or sway anyone away from the school. With their numbers, Hayner was confident in saying that people on campus find a way to live where they want to live. Furthermore, these changes only affect people with private
creation on Mills Lawn, thus creating their own fake Fox Day. Classes were not officially cancelled, but of course that did not prevent students from sneaking away for a day at the beach. The original fox statue was returned in 1979 thanks to then-President Thaddeus Seymour. Thus, the official Fox Day tradition was reinstated and continues on to this day. As is clear from its long history, Fox Day is vital to the creation and cultivation of the Rollins community. This was expressed by President Grant
Cornwell, who stated, “Traditions create community. One of the great things about Fox Day is that it is an annual tradition that binds current students with generations of Rollins alumni. It is a moment when we all take a time out and simply appreciate how fortunate we are to be part of the Rollins community.” As we all wait with bated breath for this year’s Fox Day, we remember all the generations of Rollins students who have longed and fought for the same beloved day of freedom.
and semi-private bathrooms. Hayner explained that the team considering these changes spent time researching colleges within the Associate Colleges of the South as a model to see what works and what does not for schools that resemble Rollins. Some other students were concerned how these pricing changes will affect organizations like Greek Life and Pinehurst. Like the rest of the campus, rates will go up and down because of the bathroom styles. For example, Pinehurst is full of singles, and next year their single rate will go down because they have communal bathrooms. On the other hand, in Corrin Hall, Chi Omega’s house,
their rates will be go up slightly because they have semi-private bathrooms. Though the buildings and organizations are similar, the rates will still change because of the differences in bathroom accessibility. Another major concern was for RAs’ and house managers’ pay rates. They are normally given the same rate as a triple room as a benefit from their job. For this upcoming school year, there will be no rate change, but in the future it will be based on what kind of room the employee lives in. Res. Life talked about having the room rate cut by a flat rate, but they are uncomfortable making that change this year.
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By Diego Medrano
dmedrano@rollins.edu
M
any people perhaps mistake Women’s History Month as a gallery of exceptional cases; rather, the most important purpose the month serves is to give a spotlight to great women throughout history. The women honored during the month would be household names like their male contemporaries in the field had history been kinder to them. History, most often, is recorded by those in charge. Regrettably, that roster does not include very many women prior to the last few decades. For example, China has had only one sovereign female ruler in over 2000 years, Empress Wu Zetian as expressed by the Ancient History Encyclopedia. As a result, many notable women throughout history have been excluded from the popular roster. Those who would continue to support inequality of the sexes often use popular history as an argument. “More men than women have done great things in history,” they say. In reality, they have the order reversed. Historically, more men appear because of the way that women were (and still are) looked down on. Indeed, in many of these cases, the only real difference between the renowned man and his female contemporary is just that one is a man and the other a woman. It has nothing to do with talent. Charles Dickens is a name known by most English speak-
ers; Elizabeth Gaskell, who also wrote Victorian novels concerning urban poverty, is a ghost by comparison. As told by the British Library, she even had Dickens as her editor and still remained in relative obscurity. Even today, we still have to work on making a habit of recognizing women. From CEOs to heads of state, many fields remain male-saturated. Therefore, as much as we honor great male figures of the past, we should honor other women who lived in the same time period and make sure they receive due recognition. However, Women’s History Month is not just about addressing praise. In looking at our history, we naturally also reflect on the brutal attitudes taken against women in the past. We have a chance to see what went wrong, and we are less likely to repeat those same mistakes. The US is actually in the minority with its celebration of Women’s History Month, along with the UK and Canada. That should only serve to encourage these countries to continue with gusto; they set an example. After all, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia only granted women the right to vote in 2015. Most of all, celebrating Women’s History Month acts as a tangible acknowledging that yes, there are attitudes that must be corrected. Yes, schools do not teach us a great deal about great historical women, and that is to our great loss. It took several millennia to reach this point, but we are beginning to understand and act.
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FEATURES
Rollins celebrates Women’s History Month Spotlighting nine women making a difference on campus and beyond.
W
omen’s History Month spans throughout March and gives recognition to the women who helped shape and build today’s America and its surrounding countries. From Susan B. Anthony, a pioneer for women’s voting rights, to Ella Baker, a backbone of the Civil Rights Movement, women have been and continue to be changemakers for a better soci-
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ety.
At Rollins, it is no different. Rollins’ women showcase charisma, passion, and fight, all while being scholars in unique ways. The Sandspur chose nine inspirational women across all offices and majors on campus. However, while these faces are spotlighted as important parts of campus, they are just a fraction of the women making a difference on our campus every day.
Jen Herr Jen Herr finished her master’s degree and became the Assistant Director of Accessibility Services before she turned 25. In the summer of 2015, she started her internship with Disability Services at Rollins. After, she was a Graduate Assistant, Testing Coordinator, and Office Coordinator before becoming the
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Assistant Director in what is now called the Office of Accessibility Services. At Rollins, she is also the Staff Co-Chair of the Diversity Council and the Staff Advisor of Spectrum. She said she truly wants to transform each part of campus that she is a part of into the best it can be. “I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and I really can’t wait to see what else is to come!” she said.
Don’t get caught up in who you think others want you to be. Be you. Make friends that make you laugh uncontrollably. Make friends that you feel like you can talk to all day about anything. Find opportunities on campus to get involved and have fun outside of all the school work you have so you can have some balance in life- I promise, it’s just as important.
Dr. McLaren
Morgan Laner
Dr. Margaret A. McLaren teaches Philosophy and Sexuality, Women’s and Gender Studies (SWAG) as the George D. and Harriet W. Cornell Chair of Philosophy at Rollins. She has served as SWAG (formerly Women’s Studies) coordinator for much of her time at Rollins. She began her tenure track position at Rollins in 1992 and was awarded her chair position in 2004 on the basis of her research. Her areas of specialization include 20th century French philosophy, transnational feminism, and social and political philosophy, among others. She is the author of Feminism, Foucault and Embodied Subjectivity (SUNY Press, 2002).
Morgan Laner ‘18 is at the head of the student movement for sustainability at Rollins. She is president of EcoRollins, the student led environmental club on campus, where she has facilitated a plethora of club meetings and events for the campus, as well as working with Dining Services to provide zero-waste reusable tableware sets to the Rollins community. She is the lead student coordinator for the Rollins Sustainability Program,
I honestly believe that if each of us follow our hearts, and live in the world with intelligence and compassion we can work together to solve issues such as poverty, social marginalization, and conflict.
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Rollins really does have tons of opportunities to be a leader; the trick is, you just have to look for them and reach out to staff and faculty across campus. My first two years at Rollins I did not think I would be a leader, I just thought I would serve in a minor position of some executive board and that was it. But there are so many supportive upperclassmen and staff who WANT you to push out of your comfort zone and try for more ... Rollins wants to support and develop leaders, so just find your zone and go for it! You can do it!
Ashley Reed
Ms. Mae McNeal Miss Mae has been working at Rollins for 17 years. According to her, she continues to stay because she loves working with the students and her coworkers. “I just love my job and everybody here,” she said. Miss Mae reminds all young women and students to “stay positive and follow your dreams.”
the school’s official office for all things environmental. There, she has led multiple initiatives with the goal of reducing waste in the college’s recycling system. She was also the mind behind the C-Store’s transition from plastic to reusable bags. In 2017, she interned for PLAN, the Post Landfill Action Network, where she conducted extensive research on best practices for zero-waste programs on college campuses. She is currently researching her thesis on environmental attitudes and behaviors on the Rollins campus.
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Ashley Reed ‘18 is studying social entrepreneurship with a minor in Spanish. She is a Residential Assistant, as well as a work study in the Admissions Office. She said Res. Life is one of her favorite departments because, “I love being a source of help for my residents and making sure their first year of college starts off well!”
She said her favorite thing about Rollins is their push for community engagement and service; she loves that Rollins offers classes that get students out into the community and volunteering. As of right now, she does not have any plans set in stone for after post-grad. There are many passions that she would like to pursue, with one being joining the Peace Corps within the next five years.
It is easy for women to feel inferior in this society so it’s important to stay confident and know your self worth. I would also tell young women to continue to support and advocate for women and their successes.
The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of ‘The Sandspur,’ its staff, or Rollins College.
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FEATURES SJ Renfroe
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SJ Renfroe ‘18 is a Rollins community leader and Alfond scholar studying anthropology. At Rollins and beyond, SJ has worked tirelessly to help migrant communities through her research and community service. She is currently researching her thesis on gender and migration in the US. In 2017, she conducted a cross-cultural study on women and migration in Florida and Barcelona with Dr. Rachel Newcomb. They have since presented their findings at academic conferences. She is working to produce a documentary entitled “Faces of Florida DREAMers,”
interviewing local DACA recipients. When complete, she will show this documentary at surrounding colleges and facilitate a series of empathy-building conversations. She is also an intern for Mi Familia Vota, where she directs an environmental awareness and advocacy program for local high school students. In her volunteer work, she has assisted the Farmworker Association of Florida and the Hope CommUnity Center in Apopka; both organizations focus primarily on social justice for migrant communities. Last year, she led the student body in a push to keep Olin library as a primarily student-oriented space.
Women at Rollins: connect with each other! My greatest strength at Rollins has been connecting with other women and building a network of powerful, inspirational people to keep me going in the right direction. It is difficult to work with these topics ~ compassion fatigue is a thing ~ but this world is full of joy and strength. Find it in the women around you, and recycle love and power.
Micki Meyer
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Micki Meyer serves as the Lord family assistant vice president for student affairs & community at Rollins. Meyer oversees areas of campus that work directly with leadership education, social innovation, civic and community engagement, service-learning, diversity and inclusion, student involvement, and college access. Over the past 17 years, Meyer has worked closely with faculty, staff, students, and community partners to make purposeful connections between the campus and community. Over the years, Micki has been the recipient of honors and recognition for her work. In 2017, Micki was honored with the Thomas E. Gamble Service
Legacy Award, and in 2008 she was awarded the Community Engagement Educator Award for Independent Colleges and Universities (both by Florida Campus Compact). Also in 2017, Micki was identified as a Winter Park Influential by Winter Park Magazine and named one of Orlando’s “40 Under 40” by the Orlando Business Journal. During her career, Micki has been engaged throughout Winter Park and Orlando and currently serves as a board member for the Downtown Orlando YMCA Healthy Central Florida Winter Park Board. Accomplishments aside, Micki said that her greatest work in life is the role of mother (to 6 year old James) and wife (to David).
Photo courtesy of Caroline Chomanics
Caroline Chomanics Caroline Chomanics, Holt student, is an Environmental Studies and Sustainable Urbanism major. She is the manager of the Orlando branch of Fleet Farming, a bike-powered urban agriculture produce which seeks to transform environmentally
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Planet Earth cannot wait for change. Whether it is campaigning for no straws, starting a compost pile, volunteering at the Rollins College Urban Farm, or mobilizing friends for a beach clean-up, we need to act now. Community service can be a therapeutic way for you to gain confidence, become a leader, and make a noticeable change in the world.
Gabbie Buendia
Women are courageous and fierce! Live authentically, passionately, and lead with love. Hold equal space for intellect and intuition. This is your power.
Photos by Kira Bernard Alec Sanders, Heather Bernhard, and Ellie Rushing contributed to this report.
“Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputations can never effect a reform.” Susan B. Anthony
detrimental lawns into sustainable farmlettes. There, she is at the forefront of Orlando’s local food movement. Through her work with Fleet Farming, she has helped provide the community with fresh, hyper-local produce while reducing the carbon footprint of our meals. This past year, she oversaw the opening of a Fleet Farming branch in Parramore, providing fresh produce to one of Orlando’s underprivileged communities for the first time. In addition to this, she and Fleet Farming worked with Orlando City Soccer and the City of Orlando to open the Parramore Farmers Market. In addition to her work with Fleet Farming, she works at Nehrling Gardens in Gotha as a caretaker, tour guide, Plant I.D. Database Supervisor, Social Media Manager, and Horticulture Specialist. She also teaches gardening and ecology at The Living School Orlando.
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Gabbie Buendia is an advocate for social justice and sustainability in the Rollins community. She is a Work Study employee for the Lucy Cross Center for Women and Their Allies. She is also a Sustainability Coordinator for Rollins Sustainability where she facilitates the office’s “EcoRep” peer-to-peer recycling education program. Additionally, she is Co-President of Meetings for Voices for Women. Through her work with Rollins’ EMBARK program, she has helped students from underrepresented populations find their place in our community. Off campus, she is an active member of the Orange county Audubon Society, where she represents a new generation of conservation leaders.
As Twitter user @chickpeapatty once said, “I am the amalgamation of every single girl I’ve ever thought was cool.” If you’re looking for inspiration, look to your friends and support network here at Rollins! Community is so important and no one ever really makes an impact on their own.
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OPINION
Does supporting Uber challenge Rollins’ mission? College's decision to partner with the rideshare company means supporting its immoral practices.
By Alec Stanley
R Photo by Kira Bernhard
Tropical Smoothie By Kira Bernhard
I
kbernhard@rollins.edu
know March 22 is World Water Day, but sometimes we need to switch up our liquids so they do not get too boring! This tropical smoothie is easy to make, packed with protein, and refreshing. Do not be scared by the ingredients—you cannot taste the spinach, and the cottage cheese only adds to the texture! Time: 4 Minutes Servings: 1 Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients: • ½ Banana, Frozen • ½ Cup Pineapple, Frozen • ½ Cup Cauliflower florets, Frozen • ½ Cup Cottage Cheese • 1 Cup Spinach, Raw • 1 Scoop Collagen Peptides (optional) • Toppings: Granola, Chia seeds, Coconut shavings Recipe: 1. Freeze banana, pineapple, and cauliflower overnight. 2. Next morning, add everything to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. 3. If you want the texture to be thick like a smoothie bowl, be patient and only add one to two tablespoons of water to the blender. If you want it to be runnier like a drinkable smoothie, add a cup of water. 4. Add your choice of toppings.
astanley@rollins.edu
ollins and Uber recently joined forces to allow students to pay for the company’s transportation services using their TarBuc$ accounts. By doing so, Rollins is contributing to and supporting a company whose practices include abusing their workers, skirting and ignoring the law, spending a large portion of their revenue fighting labor and transportation regulations, and misogyny. While the decision to associate with Uber was certainly made with the student body’s best interest in mind, it goes against Rollins’ mission of teaching global citizenship and responsible leadership. One of the American economy’s few saving graces is the fact that there is a set minimum wage. There is a limit to just how much profit an employer can squeeze from their employees’ labor power. In a society where the capitalist mode of production prevails, minimum wage is necessary to maintain the freedom of the working class; otherwise, employees are caught in an endless cycle of working endless hours to be able to feed themselves, so they can continue working endless hours. While minimum wage on a full time schedule is already barely enough to survive in many places in America, Uber
Graphic by Gracie Street
does not even have the basic decency to pay their employees the already too small amount American lawmakers have agreed should be the minimum. In a working paper released by MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy research, it was found that the median pretax profit drivers earn is $3.37 after taking expenses into account—74 percent of drivers earn less than the minimum wage of their state. While students have every right to support such a horrid practice with their own cash, it should not be facilitated by an institution that proclaims to teach “social responsibility.” Uber would have you believe that their drivers are not their employees; they are independent contractors. This allows them to provide the drivers they rely on to exist with none of the benefits employees often need and also to squash any attempts to unionize by the drivers. However, Uber drivers are plainly not independent contractors, as independent contractors have the ability to set their own rates, while Uber drivers are subject to the whims of the app’s algorithms (in fact, Uber’s surge system sometimes keeps drivers absolutely in the dark about what they will be earning). A large portion of Uber’s revenue goes towards fighting these arguments in court so that the TNC can continue to treat their drivers as faceless drones rather than human beings with souls that need free time and stomachs that need food. By
The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of ‘The Sandspur,’ its staff, or Rollins College.
allowing students to use their R-card on the app, the school is making it easier to pay Uber, and making it easier to pay Uber supports their campaign against the rights of their drivers. No matter your opinion on labor regulations, most of the political spectrum can agree that companies should follow existing laws; however, Uber does not agree. In cities where the service was deemed illegal, Uber decided to take the “it’s not illegal if you don’t get caught” approach, and instituted the use of “Greyball,” an internal app built to track police and facilitate the continuation of their illegal operations. This app detects police through various means, most notably tracing users’ credit cards to determine if they were linked to a police credit union. Police eventually bought burner phones to avoid tracking, but Uber was very dedicated to avoiding the cops, so they had employees go to local electronics shops, figure out the cheapest devices (as the investigations often had lackluster budgets), and block those devices. This is all just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Uber’s dark deeds. In a longer article, we could cover their toxic corporate culture that has turned former Uber employees into the black sheep of the tech world (an industry already inundated with a sickeningly Hobbesian hyper competitive figures). Or the company's frequent dismissal of their service’s sexual harassment and assault problems. Or the fact that all this depravity is for nothing as the company is still hemorrhaging cash. Or the manner in which all TNC’s end up increasing congestion, as they distract from and cannibalize public transit (less a problem in central Florida, where almost all levels of government aside from the City of Orlando seem deadset of denying the public anything that is not a car). Students have the right to buy whatever services they deem fit, but Rollins still has some responsibility not to facilitate the use of cartoonishly evil companies.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
World-class Takács Quartet performs at Tiedtke Hall The award-winning ensemble took to the stage, honoring some of classical music’s greats.
Upcoming Campus Events March 22
Alumni Weekend
‣ Dr. Harrison, MD, lecture: “We Found the Holy Grail, Now What?”, Galloway, 12:30 p.m. ‣ The #MeToo Movement: Panel Discussion, Galloway, 4 p.m. ‣ Competing in the Global Luxury Market, Bush Auditorium and Lobby, 5:30 p.m. March 23
Alumni Weekend
‣ Exhibition Tour: Towards Impressionism, CFAM, 11 a.m. ‣ Musical Production: Songs for a New World, Tiedtke Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. March 24 Photo by Robert Torres (From left to right) Edward Dusiberre, Geraldine Walther, Kåroly Schranz, and Andrås Fejér blend the melodies of Mozart, Shostakovich, and Bach for the Rollins community.
By Esteban Meneses
emeneses@rollins.edu
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rounded in Beethoven and Mozart, the Takács Quartet served up conservative selections. But if part of the role of the modern-day string quartet is to revitalize great music of the past and submit it to the highest musicianship, the 43-year-old Takács is the undisputed standard-bearer. The Takács Quartet returned to Tiedtke Hall for an afternoon recital Sunday, March 18 presented by the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park. The program consisted of Mozart’s Quartet No. 14 in G major, Shostakovich’s No. 11 in f minor, and Beethoven’s great No. 14 in c-sharp minor. The opening adagio fugue of the Beethoven was something to marvel at: the individual entrances, led by the first violin, built up to a slow and meditative dirge; the arrival of the theme at the crests of the wavelike motion by which it is carried was organic and coherent. Each of the four voices came together into a unified whole, a new body of sound. András Fejér on cello was a revelation throughout the recital. He blended in best in the higher
register and, alternately, added a resonant lower end in the bass, especially in his plucked-string accompaniment. In contrast to the mournful opening fugue, there was a bouncy playfulness in the extended andante fourth movement and elegant—technically impressive—tempo decelerations in the presto (meaning very fast) section. Takács captured Beethoven’s lingering sense of humor in the presto, as the main theme continued to be picked up and tossed around, defying conventional developments. Here, Fejér did something quite astounding: he strained the bow near the bridge of the cello to create an acidic tone. Furthermore, what of the desperate cries of the adagio toward the end of the 40-minute quartet? Beethoven poured out his troubled mind, not in effusive lyrical Romanticism, but in his unique fashion: the evolution of a simple motif over a long stretch of time. The Takács musicians sifted that motivic development very thoughtfully, manipulating the flow of the phrases through time. There was both pathos and technical brilliance. More impor-
tantly, the performance achieved symbiotic flow over the uninterrupted movements: a lifelike depiction of human emotional subtleties and complexities, suspended in time. The Shostakovich—the shortest of the three—had a kind of lopsided structural design that flowed in seven connected movements. It opened with a gelid minor-key melody for first violin, spartanly played by Edward Dusinberre on first violin. The group was intrepid in the rough edges, of which there were plenty, as tends to be the case with Shostakovich. The abrupt dynamic shifts and frenetic cello lines were striking, especially following the serenity of the Mozart. There was also a remarkable forte peak with all four instruments bowing in unison aggressively; hairs from Károly Schranz’s (second violin) bow were seen lashing wildly over his violin. But as the piece traversed over its multi-part development, it ended in anti-climactic quietness, affording no ease of mind from the wintry opening gestures that inform the whole thematic design. Although it received a solid
reading, the Mozart felt more like a concert opener, subordinate to the rest of the program. Yes, there was much to savor in the Haydn-esque quartet, and it was interpreted well: the staggered iterations of the main theme in the closing molto allegro movement, or the dramatic turn to the minor mode in the menuetto. However, we can also dispense with mainstay names like Mozart every now and then— especially when we have a Beethoven masterpiece as the main act—in favor of contemporary music, much of which has yet to see the light of day in Central Florida. Formed in Budapest in 1975 and now based in Boulder, Colorado, the Grammy-winning quartet has undergone personnel changes over the years; now it consists of Edward Dusinberre (first violin), Geraldine Walther (viola), and founding members Károly Schranz (second violin until May, when he is scheduled to retire) and András Fejér (cello). To learn more about upcoming Bach Festival performances, free of charge to Rollins students, faculty, and staff, visit bachfestivalflorida.org.
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Alumni Weekend
‣ Festival of Light, Mills Lawn, 8:30 p.m. March 25 ‣ Musical Production: "Songs for a New World," Tiedtke Concert Hall, 2:00 p.m. March 26
Academic Advising Week Begins
March 27 ‣ SWAG Alumni Making History: Moriah Russo and Samantha Stribling, Lucy Cross Center 101, 5 p.m. ‣ Ideas for Good Pitch Competition, SunTrust Auditorium, 6 p.m. March 28 ‣ Offenses of Little Importance: Violence Against Women in Colombia After Independence, Bib Lab, 4 p.m. ‣ Fox Night, Bush Lawn, 6 p.m.
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SPORTS Upcoming Sports Events
March 22 ‣ HOME: Women’s tennis vs. Southeastern Oklahoma, 4 p.m. ‣ HOME: Women’s tennis vs. Southeastern Oklahoma, 4 p.m. March 23 ‣ HOME: Men’s Tennis vs. No. 2 Barry, 2 p.m. ‣ HOME: Softball vs. Eckerd, 7 p.m. ‣ Women’s Lacrosse vs. Limestone, Gaffney, S.C., 2 p.m. ‣ Baseball vs. No. 2 Barry, St. Petersburg, Fla., 2 p.m. March 24 ‣ HOME: Women’s Tennis vs. Nova Southeastern, 11 a.m. ‣ HOME: Softball vs. Eckerd, 1 & 3 p.m. ‣ HOME: Men’s Lacrosse vs. Lynn, 4 p.m. ‣ Baseball vs. Eckerd, St. Petersburg, Fla., 12 & 4 p.m. ‣ Sailing at SAISA ‣ Women’s Rowing at John Hunter Regatta ‣ Men’s Rowing at John Hunter Regatta March 25 ‣ Women’s Lacrosse vs. Lenoir-Rhyne, in Hickory, N.C., 2 p.m. March 26 ‣ HOME: Men’s Lacrosse vs. Ala.-Huntsville, 7 p.m. ‣ Women’s golf vs. Barry Women’s Invitational, Miami Lakes, Fla. March 27 ‣ Women’s Tennis vs. Embry-Riddle, Daytona Beach, 3:30 p.m. ‣ Women’s Golf vs. Barry Women’s Invitational, Miami Lakes, Fla. March 28 ‣ Men’s Tennis vs. Embry-Riddle, Daytona Beach, Fla., 3:30 p.m.
Athletes take no days off over spring break While much of campus was gone, Rollins’ student athletes played conference teams and traveled across the country. Here is what you missed last week in Rollins athletics: Baseball won six out of seven games, improving their record to 16-8 overall.
Softball advanced their overall record to 20-13 and went 5-2 for the week. Photo by Rolllins Sports Grant Long ‘21 looks to shoot against Westminster in men’s lacrosse’s 10-8 win.
Men’s lacrosse won two out of three of their games, including a 12-9 victory over fourth ranked Colorado Mesa.
Women’s lacrosse won all three games, improving to 8-2 overall.
Women’s tennis traveled to Las Vegas, Nev. where they went 1-2 on the week.
Men’s tennis went 1-3 in Las Vegas, Nev., playing four teams ranked in the top 25.
Photo by Rolllins Sports Brianna Ernst ‘19, transfer from Northwest Florida State, played third base against Florida Southern.