Southern Accent Vol. 78, Issue 12

Southern Accent

Anonymous Instagram page sparks questions regarding Title IX on campus

Alana Crosby Editor-in-Chief

Starting on Jan. 3, sau_confession, an Instagram page featuring anonymous messages submitted by various Instagram users, began receiving and posting a series of messages bringing attention to several incidents of alleged rape, pedophilia and assault at Southern Adventist University.

Several posts reference alleged sexual assaults at locations on campus. And, on Jan. 5, an anonymous Instagram user revealed a detailed

A ‘larger than life person’: Remembering Professor Ruth Williams

Blake Managing Editor

Ruth Williams, former professor in the School of Education and Psychology (SEP) at Southern Adventist University, passed away on Dec. 6, according to an email sent to faculty from the President’s Office on Dec. 9. The email stated that Williams passed following a courageous battle with cancer and described her as a legendary teacher, friend and mentor who developed strong relationships with many people on campus.

Williams worked at Southern for 26.5 years and retired last May, according to Astrid Conibear, SEP’s office manager. The email from the President's Office explained that, for many years, Williams was the director of Southern’s psychology

program, and, at some point, taught every course in its curricula.

“She challenged her students in ways that fostered incredible growth while she formed lifelong relationships with them,” the email stated, “as evidenced by the plethora of tributes we are seeing and hearing both on campus and on social media.”

Colleagues’ Tributes

Four written tributes were included in the email. Two, written by Tron Wilder, psychology professor, and Conibear, described Williams’ substantial impact on Southern’s psychology program and campus.

“She's been a wonderful leader in our program and

account of how she was allegedly sexually assaulted by a theology major in the Testing Room located on the third floor of Bietz Center for Student Life. Though the individual who submitted the post, and others who commented, identified the alleged perpetrator by name, the Accent is not publishing the identity since the information could not be verified. Attempts to interview individuals who posted the allegations were unsuccessful.

However, as a result of the Insta-

gram account’s influence, at least one case is in the process of being filed with the Southern Title IX office, according to Title IX Deputy and First Year Experience Coordinator Renita Moore. Moore provided no details about that complaint.

In an interview with the Accent, the person managing sau_confession said he recently took over the account and began posting the messages on behalf of the people who submitted them. The individual said the previous manager of

the account had been censoring such posts before he took over, and he (the individual now running the account) has received threats of potential lawsuits, bodily harm and even death as a result of his decision to post the allegations. He said he recently transferred schools, due in part to the backlash, and wishes to remain anonymous for his own safety.

“I just wanted people to be aware

an extremely supportive colleague,” Wilder said. “ … Ruth has been a trailblazer here at Southern; she has been Southern's longest-serving Black professor and is leaving her mark having crafted a strong psychology program based on science from a biblical foundation.”

Conibear, whose tribute was made at Williams’ retirement,

said the former professor’s primary passion was God and service to Him.

“She has had her faith tested in many storms, but her life is built on the Rock,” Conibear said. “ … She’s a gifted wordsmith and uses her gift to speak out forcefully to right wrongs, share ideas, and to persuade. … She loves the study of the

Alumni Tributes

A tribute from Ann Lee, alum, detailed how Williams was skilled at teaching and made students feel seen and heard.

“She instilled resilience in

Southern student Hayden Kobza discovers photos from the 1930s-40s

Kathy Zelidon Reporter

On Oct. 15, Hayden Kobza, a freshman film major, opened a green, wooden box in Dodson Dig Co., an antique store in South Carolina, where he found envelopes filled with hundreds of negatives from the 1930s-40s. On an impulse, Kobza decided to buy them, unaware of the story and photographer he had just discovered.

“When I saw that box, I was just like, ‘This is amazing,’” Kobza said. “[There are] thousands of negatives here, and maybe no one's ever seen these before besides the photographer. I thought that maybe this is some discovery that no one knows about.”

The envelopes held the negatives of Allen Morris, the owner of a large road maintenance company called Allen Road Maintainers. Mor-

ris primarily took photos of his family, travels and work. In his photographs, there are photos of children playing, Americana landscapes, his family enjoying Christmas and ordinary people living their lives.

In a time characterized by the Great Depression, World War II and the Dust Bowl, Kobza acknowledges the stark contrast between Morris’ photographs and the typical photographs from that decade.

“You have some photographers who were hired by the United States to take photographs of the Depression era. Yet all of his photographs are about family and having fun. It's just showing American life in a small town,” Kobza said. “When I first looked at them all, it seemed like a grand time, just kind of nostalgic.”

Although Morris was not a photographer by profession, Kobza

praised his work for its design and composition. The photographs share common design and artistic elements. Morris was able to capture not only moments of his life but also made them an artistic portrayal of the time period.

“I have just grown to really appreciate his work and to see he did have an eye for composition. Not every single one of his photographs are amazing, just because he did it more as a hobby, but I started to see that this is somebody who was an artist.” Kobza said about Morris’ talent. “He was thinking about composition. He was thinking about how to model these things, which is really a unique perspective. Morris knew what he was doing.”

While uncovering the photographs happened by chance, Kobza’s journey to find the identity of

the photographer did not. Kobza said that he spent months searching through the photographs and internet for the identity of the family in the photos.

“The whole point of the case was who the photographer was,” Kobza said. “I wanted to know who this guy was; I didn't want to just end up [with] some cool photographs. I wanted to have a story here.”

The envelopes in the wooden box had nicknames of his family members and the name of Morris’ road maintenance company. With only a patent, the name of a road

maintenance company and the internet, Kobza was able to track down a family member of the now deceased Morris. The family member was able to confirm that Allen Morris was the photographer of the photos he had spent hours developing.

“I kind of got attached to the project, I guess,” Kobza said. ”Because you're just tapping into somebody's life that maybe never wanted me to find it. It was just something that was amazing, like I could have just missed out on it if I didn't go to that antique store that day.”

Amanda

Ruth Williams shares a smile with her students.

(Photo provided by source)

SAU confession instagram logo (Photo courtesy of SAU_confessions)

brain and the human mind and enjoys using hers!”

(Left:) A selection from Allen Morris' photographs titled "A farmer and his cow." (Right:) Hayden Kobza develops negatives from Morris' collection.

(Photos by: Allen Morris, Matthew Rogers)

of what's going on at Southern," the account manager said of his decision to post the sexual assault allegations.. “... I just don't want us to [continue] with this culture of not talking about it, or going to the school and not going to the police. I want these voices to be heard, and I want something to actually be done.”

But, while the account was influential in bringing a case forward, Moore, of the Title IX office, expressed concern over the way incidents were revealed on the platform.

“I think sau_confession is unfortunate, because anybody can go on there and say anything about anybody, and all of a sudden they're guilty,” Moore said. “And then, a bunch of people gang up on one person and have a vendetta against them, and then everybody starts trashing that person. So it's kind of trial by fire, but there's no proof.”

In addition to the messages detailing sexual assault encounters, some anonymous individuals who

posted on the account accused the Title IX office of mishandling, and even ignoring, student reports of sexual assault. In response to such accusations, Dennis Negrón, vice president for Student Development and Title IX coordinator, said the safety of students comes before the reputation of the university in these cases.

“I can't comment as to what may have happened before I became coordinator,” Negrón said. “I take every case very seriously, and my team will tell you that I do not put the reputation of the university before students. We attempt to be transparent. That's why I put the [Title IX Report] out.”

According to the university’s 2022 Title IX Report, the number of reported Title IX incidents, which include sexual harrasment, stalking, inappropriate touch/ grouping, rape, voyeurism, dating and domestic violence, have almost doubled since 2019. A total of 42 reports were made in 2022; however, 36 of those cases were dropped by the complainant. Of the six that went forward, four were rape cases, one sexual harassment and one inappropriate touch.

“The reason our numbers are going up is because we're finally getting people to come forward,” Moore said. “ … I think part of our culture, or Adventist culture, is: ‘Don't ask, don't tell’; [it’s] taboo to talk about it. I think that's why our numbers have been so low.”

According to Negrón, Title IX is a federal civil rights law and outlines situations in which the university can take action. Both Negrón and Moore voiced frustrations over recent changes to Title IX. One such change excludes cases that occur off Southern’s campus from the jurisdiction of Title IX.

“[Off-campus cases] is the most frustrating aspect of Title IX, not only for me, but for students,” Negrón said. “The federal government is quite clear. If it didn't happen on your campus, the students should be going to the police and not to us. That said, I do have some type of recourse. I can send it to Student Conduct, the Dean of Students office, and say, ‘This person allegedly has not been living by our community standards, by our Code of Conduct, so you handle it.’ And we've actually been able to dismiss students in the past by doing that.”

In addition, the university cannot take action if the accused is not a student. However, according to Negrón, the university can put a ban on said individual, restricting their access to campus.

In an interview with the Accent, Assistant Chief of Police Jamie Heath advised students to contact the police as soon as possible with reports of sexual misconduct.

“What makes it difficult for us is when we get accusations that are months and months old,” Heath said. “As far as timeframe goes for the college, whether [it’s] an accusation from the semester before or from the school year before, if we don't get it when it happens, there's no physical evidence. A conviction or anything like that is going to be extremely difficult and nearly impossible to get in order to get that person help.”

Heath, who has served the Collegedale community for over twenty years, stated that the Collegedale Police Department has had issues with the way Southern has dealt with Title IX cases in the past. However, there have been no complaints about the most recent administration.

“In those previous administrations, there have been frustrations on how things are handled,” Heath said. “I can tell you, though, in this current administration, with Dr. Ken Shaw, with our cooperation with Kevin Penrod, Sean Haas, Campus Safety, our good working relationship with Dennis Negrón and opening up a seat on the Chief”s Roundtable Advisory Committee to a member of Southern staff – those concerns no longer exist. This current administration has been very open, very cooperative with us. Not only cooperative, but has reached out for our input, for our inclusion.”

Despite the diminishing of evidence over time, Heath stated that it is never too late for a survivor of sexual violence to come forward.

“It is never too late to tell anybody what's happened to you,” he said. “It's not only good to document things on paper, just from a legal standpoint, but it helps that person mentally.”

Regarding the posts on sau_confession, Negrón stated that in order to take action, students need to come forward with information.

Crosswalk Chattanooga to purchase church building and begin the new year in first permanent home

Charlene Arnold Reporter

Crosswalk Chattanooga, a local Seventh-day Adventist church located on 6401 Lee Highway in the building formerly owned by Venue Church, will officially call the oncerented space its new home beginning Feb. 6.

According to Justin Wampler, the church administrator, Crosswalk has rented and shared the space with Venue Church since July 2022. Upon signing the lease agreement, Crosswalk gained Right of First Refusal (ROFR).

“Essentially, this means if anyone wants to buy the building,

which was the case because there was another offer on the table from another church, [that] Venue has to come to us and say, ‘There’s an offer. Would you like to match it?’” Wampler said. “The offer was accepted, and the church had 15 days to raise $2 million. And we did that, which was phenomenal. That’s just a huge blessing; there’s no other way to explain it.”

The raising of the funds stemmed from posting the need on the church’s social media accounts, talking about it in church and calling lots of people, Wampler said.

On average, the church’s weekly attendance is between 500 and 600 people, according to Wampler. Own-

ership of the space opens up significant opportunities for the church to conduct more on-site activities.

“We’ve done a lot of outreach, but we have not been able to do much on-site,” said Wampler. “So it really opens up doors for doing outreach and just bringing people in the doors from our community. It’s such a large space that works for every department in different ways.”

Wampler estimates the square footage of the space to be around 38,000 square feet, with an additional 9,000 to 10,000 square feet that is currently leased out for the next few years as warehouse space by another company.

The large warehouse-style building was originally a Sam’s Club, which was then remodeled and bought by Venue Church, led by Pastor Tavern Smith. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Venue faced foreclosure and filed for bankruptcy prior to the sale. Membership had rapidly declined after most of the staff quit in Dec. 2021 over concerns about the church’s direction and Smith in particular. The church could no longer sustain the building’s cost.

As described on Crosswalk Chattanooga’s webpage, the satellite church brought a new style of service to the city in 2018. The webpage also states the church’s culture

and values: inclusion, momentum, (which was explained as loving through action), and experience, where church isn’t just a place, but something you feel and do.

Matthew Taylor, sophomore mass communication major, described his experience at Crosswalk Chattanooga.

“This is a church that I find inviting; it is the [best] quality of Christian music that you would find in person,” said Taylor. “There are plenty of churches that sound good; but often those that sound better, don’t exactly feel inviting to sing along. The music is quality at Crosswalk and provides an atmosphere for me to sing along.”

University Health Center (UHC) shares goals for 2023

According to Southern Adventist University’s Strategic Plan, a document released in 2022 that outlines the school’s future goals and objectives, Southern is planning to move the University Health Center (UHC) to a new location and implement several new objectives.

According to Dennis Negrón, vice president for Student Development, there are three goals in the strategic plan regarding the UHC, one of which will not be implemented.

The first goal Southern wishes to implement is adding a general health fee, which would be charged to students each semester. However, Negrón explained that this has not been approved by the university yet. Right now, students have to pay a fee every time they visit

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the UHC. With a general health fee, students would be able to go to the UHC multiple times without having to pay the visitation fee every time.

“[The] University Health Center loses money,” Negrón said.

“The university has to supplement [it] and give $210,000 a year. We don't try to make money off students. One of the things that we know is that university health centers all over the country are losing money as well. Other universities have decided one way of dealing with that loss of money is to charge every student a general health fee.”

Negrón said the university wants to ensure that the UHC has the correct amount of staff to care for Southern students.

The second goal outlined in the strategic plan involved a collaboration with McKee Foods. Negrón said this

collaboration is no longer planned.

The strategic plan set a third goal of finding a more convenient location for the UHC. The options listed in the plan include the current Collegedale Spanish-American SDA Church (SuCasa) building, Collegedale Academy Elementary and Fleming Plaza.

Negrón said Southern is gearing towards the current SuCasa location, but has not confirmed anything yet.

“We are looking at finding a way to make the UHC more convenient and accessible to our students in our big picture planning,” Marty Hamilton, associate vice president for Financial Administration said. “We just don’t know where or when yet.”

Atzy Lopez-Avila, junior biology major, shared her thoughts on the possible relocation of the UHC in an

interview with the Accent.

“When I had COVID for the first time during my freshman year, I did not own a car, and that made it more difficult for me to get to the UHC,” Lopez-Avila said. “It was Jan-

uary, and it was too cold to walk. [I didn’t go] until my roommate came back, and she took me to the UHC. It is nice to hear that Southern is thinking of having a more accessible and closer location to campus.”

Editor-in-Chief Alana Crosby Managing Editor Amanda Blake News Editor Matthew Orquia

Collegedale News Editor Elsie Pak

Crosswalk Chattanooga will officially call the once-rented space its new home beginning Feb. 6. (Photo courtesy of source)

Génesis Ventura Reporter

The front of the University Health Center. Sunday, January 15, 2023. (PhotobyAdamDeLisser)

RUTH WILLIAMS

her students, encouraging us to question our world, and helping us notice the beauty and depth of human behavior,” Lee said.

Another tribute, made by Jon Pinero, alum, during Williams’ retirement, expanded on the professor’s teaching philosophy.

“Growing up I was taught to put all your heart and soul into anything that you do; however, I have never seen anyone that lives out these words more than Dr. Williams,” Pinero said. “She has a way of teaching difficult and boring topics through the lens of inspiration and intriguing insight.”

Student Tributes

Some current psychology students at Southern spoke with the Accent about their experiences with Williams. The professor was described multiple times as inspirational, genius and passionate.

Renée Hanson, senior, shared a message she posted on Instagram after learning of Williams’ passing.

“I’m feeling so much grief. I want to say the deepest thank you to Dr. Williams, Queen of the Psychology Program, for being wind under my wings and a tidal wave of inspiration, spirituality, and professional excellence,” the message stated.

Hanson’s post continued to express her deep appreciation for Williams’ challenging teaching style, describing hours the professor spent on the phone with her “compelling [her] deeper

and deeper into accuracy, clarity, logic, and relevance.”

“If I’ve learned anything from

period had a huge impact on me because it helped me realize that, as an adult, I can and should stand up to abuses of authority. What a valuable lesson and what a powerful way to learn it. Thanks Dr. Williams!”

Zarina Gurley, also a senior, described Williams as the epitome of a teacher who goes above and beyond. She was hard on her students but also had a quirky sense of humor.

“She was this very larger than life person. She was literally a genius,” Shadley said. “On the first day … I sat there terrified, like, ‘What did I get myself into?’ She knew everything.”

Williams’ intellect was intimidating, said Shadley. She forced her students to pursue excellence, to push the boundaries and develop studies that meant something, that covered topics that weren’t mainstream.

A Life Remembered Williams’ obituary, published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, detailed her impressive educational journey, concluding with a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Williams, it’s to keep hoping, keep praying, keep laughing, keep thinking, keep praising God,” the message concluded. “So, I’m praising God for the gift of being her student, for the gift of life, for the gift of Jesus. Dr. Williams, I can’t wait to talk again!”

Levi Renner, a senior, wrote in an email to the Accent that Williams consistently told her students their generation was “too passive and unwilling to stand up to abuses of authority.”

Renner recounted a class period during which Williams ordered a student to rise and face the wall. The student obeyed, to Williams’ chagrin. She then set her sights on Renner and commanded him to leave the classroom. Renner knew what she expected, but her guise was so terrifying, all he could do was shake his head.

“When she demanded I leave again, I finally plucked up the courage to say ‘no’ aloud, and, after a really tense moment, she finally broke character and praised me for standing up to her,” Renner wrote. “That class

Although she didn’t know it at the time, Gurley and her classmates were being shadowed by a mysterious figure during last year’s annual Southeastern Psychological Association meeting in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The figure, they later learned, was one of Williams’ student assistants whom she directed to follow the group in disguise to teach the class a lesson on awareness.

Williams was simultaneously strict and fun, and she cared about her students individually, Gurley added.

“[She was] a very understanding person,” Gurley said. “ … When I needed some kind of accommodation, but I didn’t necessarily have the documentation for it, she made sure to understand what the situation was and still expected me to grow like everyone else. … Most professors haven’t quite done it the way she did.”

Moriah Shadley, master’s student, changed her major her senior year from theology to psychology. Her first experience in the program was Research Design and Statistics at 8 a.m. with Williams.

“She forced us to go outside of the normal of what you’re expected to do,” Shadley said. “ … It was always a pain … and it was amazing.”

If it weren’t for Williams, Shadley would have dropped psychology, she said. Shadley enjoys being challenged and appreciated Williams’ knack for encouraging students to utilize their unique experiences and passions. Williams helped Shadley develop practicum criteria when she chose to pursue equine therapy, hired Shadley as a reader because she knew her struggles with dyslexia would help her help others and shared Shadley’s pain when her mom was diagnosed with cancer.

Shadley said Williams was the mother of the psychology program. She wore dramatic clothes and hats, terrified her students and was there when they needed to cry.

When Shadley learned of Williams’ passing, she was surprised. She didn’t know she had been battling cancer.

“She didn’t want her problems to be other people’s problems,” Shadley said.

“However, [Williams] unapologetically expressed that her most significant accomplishment was a degree that she did not earn: her B.A. degree (‘Born Again’ into the tangible, viable kingdom of God),” the obituary stated. “An outspoken advocate for the downtrodden, oppressed and those without a voice, Dr. Williams was a passionate believer that ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’”

The obituary continued to describe William’s career in teaching, one she excelled at on an international level at multiple universities. She was repeatedly recognized for her expertise and was also a popular public speaker and preacher.

The obituary stated that Williams is succeeded by several family members, whom she considered to be “the wind beneath her wings.”

“Dr. Williams enjoyed meeting new people and making and keeping friends,” the obituary concluded. “She believed that there are fewer joys that supersede a good book, a good friend, and a good laugh! She was loved by many and an inspiration to countless students, colleagues, friends, and family.”

Student brings attention to campus accessibility concerns

Matthew Orquia News Editor

Kyla Slaughter, a senior social work major, met with Dennis Negrón, vice president for Student Development, over winter break to discuss different ways to improve on-campus accessibility for people with disabilities. Slaughter, who was born blind,

brought up several changes that Southern could make to accommodate blind individuals, specifically.

“I’ve been talking about making buildings more tactilely accessible to the blind, like making sure all the plaques for room numbers and restrooms have braille on them so that I can figure out which classroom

I need to go to, or find the bathroom in the building,” Slaughter said in an interview with the Accent.

Slaughter said it is important to consider those with disabilities when designing a new building on campus or renovating an old one.

“Think it through before you build,” Slaughter said. “It might be a great design aesthetically, … be mindful that a disabled person is going to have to use these buildings or grounds.”

Slaughter said having elevators in most buildings on campus helps make thosebuildingsmoreaccessibletothose in wheelchairs, and adding automatic doors or door-opening buttons like those at the Bietz Center for Student Life would be another helpful improvement.

From her experience navigating campus grounds with Cherish, her guide dog, she has been able to identify several areas where accessibility could be improved, said Slaughter. She suggested adding beeps to the pedestrian crosswalkbuttonssotheycanbelocated by sound, as well as having them play a sound when it is safe to cross.

As for walking around the promenade, Slaughter said she has noticed some unsafe places to walk on the upper part.

“[There are] places where the sidewalk is right next to the edge,” she said “ … It would be nice to maybe put some railings along those areas so that we could eliminate that risk.”

Slaughter added that the end of the promenade near Brock Hall could use something to indicate what direction someone is walking.

According to Slaughter, accessibility within classrooms is improving, and professors have helped by providing audio descriptions of their slide presentations. However, she said, courses with physical-only books are less accessible and suggested that audio versions could be made available as a resource.

Slaughter said that changes continue to be made to improve accessibility and mentioned that navigating courses online was made easier by eclass 4.0.

“

… Looking at it from an academic

point [of view], I love the new eClass,” Slaughter said. “It’s a lot less clunky to navigate, and it's definitely more streamlined, so it makes it easier and faster to navigate from class to class.”

Marty Hamilton, associate vice president for Financial Administration, wrote in an email to the Accent that braille signage has been discussed by Southern’s administration, but he did not know of any definitive plan to add braille signage. He also mentioned that all buildings had been looked at for automatic door openers, but no further recommendations had been made.

According to Hamilton, making campus more accessible is difficult because Southern is located on a hillside and has a variety of different terrains.

“The good news is that Southern will make adjustments to class locations and work to accommodate building access through our Disability Services office,” Hamilton wrote.

“We make every effort to offer reasonable accommodations whenever

COLLEGEDALE NEWS

Update on train derailment clean-up and arrest of driver responsible

Elsie Pak Collegedale News Editor

Jorge Luis Cruz-Vega, the tractor-trailer driver allegedly involved in the collision and subsequent derailment of three engines and 10 railway cars on Dec. 20, has been arrested by the Collegedale Police Department (CPD), according to a post made on the departments’ Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Cruz-Vega has been charged with felony reckless endangerment, failure to yield and a registration violation.

According to the investigation of the incident conducted by the CPD, Cruz-Vega began crossing the railroad behind his first escort car without ensuring his tractor-trailer could completely clear the tracks. He also did not make contact or arrangements with Norfolk Southern Railroad about his delivery route, according to police.

Cruz-Vega’s tractor stopped halfway across the tracks after his turn, which moved the trailer into the lane of on-coming traffic instead of his own travel lane. While stopped

in that on-coming lane, the tractor trailer and the concrete bridge span it carried were struck by the Norfolk Southern locomotive, resulting in the subsequent train derailment, injury of two individuals and damage to the rail system and the surrounding infrastructure, according to the press release.

Cruz-Vega is currently out on a $10,000 bond and his court date has been set for April 12, 2023, the release further stated.

Additionally, on Jan. 3 during the Collegedale Commissioners meeting, three Norfolk representatives spoke about the ongoing cleanup of the derailment site and its physical and environmental impact.

The total cleanup is predicted to take about a month, according to John Carden, the assistant regional manager of railway investigations. According to Carden, Norfolk Southern has a contractor working to cut up the rail cars and another to re-rail the cars and eventually get them out of Collegedale and closer to Chattanooga.

“The goal is to place [the railway

cars] in an area that’s more beneficial to us [in a way] that doesn’t draw quite as many onlookers,” Carden said.

According to Carden, the best projected timeline is to allow a few weeks for cutting the locomotives and three-and-a-half to four weeks for moving them, depending on the state of the weather.

“We’re going to work as fast as we can to get them out of the way,” said Carden.

Mike Frog, another Norfolk Southern representative who is in charge of Northfolk Southern Railroad Police Deartment out of Birmingham, also spoke at the commissioner’s meeting. According to Frog, his team is working within its department and with the police to keep people and tourists safe during the entire process.

Frog said although it has been attracting tourists, the railway can

be a dangerous location to explore, given its current state. So the railroad company is working to prevent trespassing and any endangerment.

Robert Wood also spoke at the meeting as the system manager of hazardous materials with Norfolk Southern. His position handles environmental cleanup, both hazardous and non-hazardous.

According to Wood, about 1,065 gallons of diesel fuel loss from the lead locomotive has been collected out of the original 1,500 to 2,000 gallons of fuel. Wood also hopes full cleanup can be finished in a month with the cooperation of the weather. When asked about the ecological impact on the creek, Wood said that there seems to be no issues as the cleanup response happened swiftly and the weather so far has helped flush out the residual mess.

Overall, the Board of Commissioners thanked the Norfolk representatives for their quick and effective response in the cleanup.

The video depicting these interactions can be found on YouTube from minutes 17:54- 32:33

possible.”

"It is important to consider those with disabilities when designing a new building on campus or renovating an old one."

(Photo by Markus Spiske)

“I’m feeling so much grief. I want to say the deepest thank you to Dr. Williams, Queen of the Psychology Program, for being wind under my wings and a tidal wave of inspiration, spirituality, and professional excellence.”

Derailment aftermath in Collegedale.

by: Ron Cabacungan)

Mid-Winter Party

Isaiah Lawrence celebrates after winning a match of Super Smash Bros. against Andrew Estrada. The winner of the game tournament received $200. Saturday, January 14, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

Agustin Mego and Jocelyn Urrutia play a game of Twister, while (L-R) Logan Enoh, Justin Park and Aunya Anderson observe and make calls.

Saturday, January 14, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

Freshmen pose for a group photo at this year's Mid-Winter Game Night event. January14,2023(Photoby:RonCabacungan)

Attendees of the Student Association Game Night were able to play a series of Latin games. Saturday, January 14, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

(L-R) Alex Radivojevic, Isaiah Lawrence, Tristan Deschamps, Oscar Taas

Coral and Raffaele Dimenza take a photo. The finale of the Super Smash Bros. tournament ends with Taas in first place and Radivojenic in second. January14,2023(Photoby:RonCabacungan)

A projector screen is set up so that attendees can play various races in Mario Kart. Saturday,January14,2023.(PhotobyAdamDeLisser)

Your brain will thank you: Mental health benefits of drinking water

Kiana Oliver Graduate Assistant

Water. Water. Water. No matter how much we’re bombarded by reminders to drink those recommended two liters a day, water doesn’t sound very exciting. Sure, we carry our multicolor Hydro Flasks around campus, but let’s be honest: drinking water can feel like a chore. But what if I told you that drinking that boring glass of H2O has

mental health benefits? Wait, really? According to researchers, the answer is yes, so let’s dive into it (pun intended).

You probably already know that about 75% of your brain is water, so it’s important to stay hydrated. But what you might not know about is the correlation between drinking water and a decreased risk of depression and anxiety.

A 2018 Iranian study by Fahimeh Haghighatdoost and others compared a group with the lowest level of daily water drink-

ing (less than two glasses) to a reference group (five or more glasses). The researchers found the lowest level of water drinking doubled the participants’ risk of depression and anxiety. In other words, water might play a hidden but important role in your mental health.

So what else happens to your brain when you’re dehydrated? Although it’s tempting to say that your brain will shrivel up into a giant raisin, the truth is that dehydration impairs our cognitive functions.

According to a 2017 article by Nathalie Pross, an experiment showed that mild dehydration does not impact the performance in healthy young adults. However, the participants’ moods were widely impaired after only a few hours of fluid deprivation. The effects included increased sleepiness and fatigue and decreased vigor and alertness. The participants were also more confused, less calm and less happy during this fluid deprivation.

The researchers also stud-

ied the effects of rehydration, and they found most of the mood impairments were reversed. However, there were no reported improvements in the participants’ fatigue, vigor and calmness after the water intake. The researchers concluded that a 24-hour fluid deprivation may have longer effects on a person’s emotional state. So the next time you’re feeling moody, you might want to reach for your water bottle instead of a sugary snack. Your brain will thank you.

The impact of Damar Hamlin on and off the football field

Jacob Nevis Sports Editor

It was Jan. 5. Damar Hamlin, who three days prior had suffered one of the scariest injuries in NFL history, had just awoken from a medically-induced coma. He was able to communicate via writing. “Did we win?” was the first thing he wrote.

“Damar, you won,” his doctors responded. “You won the game of life.”

Hamlin, a rookie safety for the Buffalo Bills, was playing during Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals. The game featured two of the

best teams in the AFC vying for playoff seeding. After only nine minutes, the injury occurred, bringing the intense game to a fervent pause.

The Bengals had the ball and were driving on the field. Joe Burrow, quarterback for the Bengals, passed the ball to wide receiver Tee Higgins. Higgins caught the ball and proceeded to lower his shoulder into Hamlin to make a routine tackle. Hamlin got up from the play but then fell back down to the ground instantly. Players called for medical staff to treat him.

The medical staff administered CPR to Hamlin for nine minutes, eventually getting him intubated and taking him in an ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center. Hamlin was later diagnosed with cardiac arrest. After the incident, both teams made their way back to their respective locker rooms, and the NFL indefinitely postponed the game - a decision unheard of in NFL history. A game has never before been postponed due to an injury, although serious injuries have occurred during games

before. The game would later be canceled and would not resume.

Hamlin inspired a nationwide cause. Users on social media found his nonprofit organization, “The Chasing M’s Foundation,” and raised over $8.7 million.

Hamlin’s initial goal for the organization was only $2,500. Each of the NFL teams changed their profile photo to the number 3 with “Pray for Damar” around it.

Hamlin started to recover slowly, later facetiming his teammates. The following Sunday, the league wore shirts in honor of Hamlin saying “Love for Damar” with the

number 3. The Bills had a home game against the New England Patriots, and the stadium was packed in honor of Hamlin.

Hamlin visited the Bills facility on Saturday, Jan. 14, to see his teammates. He stayed home to see them defeat the Miami Dolphins during Super Wild Card Weekend.

Hamlin’s story demonstrates the power of what sports can do. Everyone, regardless of what teams they cheered for or their diverse backgrounds, came together for a good cause. Football fans showed how sports can bring people together.

Editor’s note: The following article is written in partnership with Counseling Services and the Southern Accent.

Denzhel Huilar drinks water. (Illustration by: Ron Cabacungan)

football field.

Intramurals vs. extramurals: Why can’t we have both?

Amanda Blake Managing Editor

If you were to search “benefits of competitive sports” online, you would find dozens of articles on child development, perhaps a few on high school athletics. The issue I’m addressing, however, involves a question that was asked during last semester’s Student Association Town Hall: “Why doesn’t Southern have a competitive sports team?”

President Shaw gave an excellent answer. Southern, he said, has a great intramurals program. True. I’ve been participating in the program for two years; it’s organized, offers a wide variety of sports and, most importantly, is a lot of fun. Shaw added that over half of Southern’s students are involved in the program, allowing them to grow physically and mentally.

Finally, Shaw said introducing extramural sports to a college campus often decreases the quality of the school’s intramurals program and focuses attention on the few students on the competitive team instead of spreading the attention among everyone involved in athletics. Thus, Southern’s current sports program is most beneficial to the university.

I, however, believe our campus would benefit even more from a sports program including intramurals and extramurals, increasing the university’s community interaction and school spirit.

I have long thought that sports have been underutilized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church as ways to witness. I grew up Adventist, which meant, as many read-

ers will likely understand, music has always been a part of my life, sometimes against my will. Don’t get me wrong — I’ve made a plethora of great memories in music groups and gotten my fair share of goosebumps from praising God through music, one of His most unique creations.

At certain times, however, I felt like all my church and school really wanted from me, the only thing they valued, was music. They didn’t care that I connected more with people on the field than I did on a stage, or that praying with and challenging my teammates on the court brought me closer to God than band practice.

I am not saying that Southern values its music program more than its sports program, but perhaps it is this mindset so prevalent in Adventist society, the opinion that sports cannot play a role in shining our light before others, that is holding the university back from starting extramurals.

If Southern had competitive sports teams, students would travel to schools throughout the state. An increasing number of people would learn about our little Adventist university. , a And if the same Biblical principles were applied to coaching the teams that are used in other extracurricular activities on campus, I have no doubt that those people would notice a difference in our players. I know from experience that putting God first in sports while playing your best is something that stands out; the crowd can see the difference.

I am sure that it takes a

RELIGION

substantial amount of work to run Southern’s intramurals program — training and scheduling student referees, conducting captains’ meetings, keeping track of stats, etc. So, I admit, it would not be cheap for Southern to introduce competitive sports while continuing to maintain intramurals, which is embedded in Southern’s culture (just think about all-night softball). The university would likely have to hire more staff.

However, in the long run, I believe the program could become self-sustaining by increasing community interest in the university, consequently drawing in more students and perhaps more donors. The introduction of sports scholarships would attract even more young adults, and, as the pro-

gram grew, ticket sales and merchandise could contribute to the budget.

If Southern maintained both programs, I do not think extramurals would overshadow intramurals. Sure, athletes on the school’s team/s would get more attention than intramural players, but first chair violin gets more attention than second chair. Club presidents get more attention than vice presidents, yet that doesn’t stop second chairs and vice presidents from doing what they love. If Southern introduced extramurals this semester, I doubt I’d make a team. That wouldn’t ruin my intramural experience; I go because I love playing sports.

Lastly, I believe extramurals, sports teams comprised

of Southern students that travel and play other schools, would overwhelmingly enhance school spirit. We’d have something we could all root for together, people we could all pray for together and several opportunities to interact with the community together.

It would not be a simple task, but the idea of introducing extramural sports should not be dismissed by Southern’s leadership. Without a doubt, competitive teams would draw in more students and enrich the college experience for current campus members. Playing sports, for many, is a spiritual gift, and the university should, to the best of its ability, facilitate opportunities for all students to use their spiritual gifts on and off campus.

Here’s to seeking His rest this semester

Madison Wilcox Religion Editor

Rest is often a good excuse for the lazy and an inconvenience for the work-obsessed. Most of us fall into either of these two categories throughout the semester, either struggling to start or struggling to stop, avoiding duty in the name of rest or avoiding rest in the name of duty. Thus, we muddle our way through the months, feeling more tired with every passing day and wondering how it is that regardless of whether we’ve chosen to push homework into the periphery or slave away faithfully every night, we finish each week worn out.

Is rest even possible here? If it is, what would it look like?

I believe two passages hold the answers to these questions.

The first is Exodus 20:8-10: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work.”

Here, God describes rest as a holy pause – a space devoid of work – where His people follow His own example, stopping to rest after a week of labor. This kind of rest – the intentional, focused decision to pause work in recognition of the work God has completed – is built into the rhythm of the week. Every seventh day we remember that our rest is not grounded upon what we are doing but upon what He has done.

Every Sabbath we practice this act of acceptance, laying aside our

own work and trusting in His.

But there is another kind of rest, different from the full-stop of the Sabbath. This second kind is described by Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come unto Me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Here, rest is not only commanded, but personified. Rest is who Jesus is. And this rest not only knows how to stop but also how to begin again. This is a rest that moves, a rest that works, that stands up under

the yoke, dragging the plow behind.

This is precisely the reason why restful work is at all possible: it is not a solo work, a work forced out in isolation, pressed into every moment of the day, full, either of fearful desperation or of haughty independence. Instead, it is a work done together with Rest Himself, a dependent work, each step taken next to Jesus and each burden resting across His shoulders as well as our own.

But what exactly do we do under the easy yoke? Christ uses the verb “learn.” Learn is a beautiful word. It signifies growth but does not suggest hurry. At its best, “learn” speaks of humble

growth, a growing-up-together, a maturing. This is what Jesus intends to be the result of the rest He shares with us. He does not expect us to hand him a list of objectives we have met or tasks we have completed. He does not expect us to shoulder the yoke alone and plow a straight furrow across the field as He sits on the sidelines judging our efforts. He only expects us to be where He is, doing what He is doing, learning from Him.

I hope you’ll join me in seeking both kinds of rest this semester. Let us be willing to stop and willing to learn, knowing that Jesus walks beside us through every difficulty, teaching us to find the way of rest in every place.

Intramural softball player swings for his team, the Cleveland Indians. Thursday, September 2, 2021 (Photo by: Xander Ordinola)

LIFESTYLE: Arts & Ideas

All change is constant: Reflections on the passing of time

Janet Lauterhahn Contributor

Editor’s Note: This is a short story from the very first edition of Southern’s Legacy literary magazine, published in the 1965-1966 school year, deals with the theme of constant change. Some look back on the “good old days” with a feeling that, at some nearly definable point,“things began to change.” But stepping into the world of a former Southern student, we are reminded that things have always changed. We are also reminded that we are part of a community of Southern students that extends beyond our present time; as with everything else, such groups of people and ideas also change as time unfolds. But that does not make us less connected, less united. Growth is also change. Hope you enjoy the story:

Detours were in order, for it was such a short way home and there was a whole school day to do over the way I’d wished it would happen. I walked the railroad tracks from

school—spelling out my loves. A, B, C, D . . . I stumbled off on D for Duffek. Fate had given me weak ankles. How I loved that boy! He was such a whiz at multiplication tables and such a good softball player.

Sometimes I would loiter along— humped over like a hunchback— just looking for fossils. Any kind of fossils, but especially the Petoskey stone. Napolean Christensen, the depot master, had told me that if you put a petoskey stone on the tracks you could hear the trains coming south from Petoskey, the other end of the line. And old Nap was a smart man—he could talk with the telegraph.

So I always came to the depot on my journey home from school. Sometimes Nap would let me use the Dr. Pepper caps when I played checkers with him (they were luckier than the regular checkers), or he’d let me go back into the freight and pretend I was Jesse James’ girl-

friend guarding the holdup loot. But usually I just sat next to the pot-bellied stove and waited. Daily my eyes scanned the room (just in case something might have been different, but it never was). There was the same old 1949 cheesecake calendar, some yellowed prints of Williamsburg in the roaring lumber days, that sign—ALL CHANGE IS CONSTANT (I’d been so smug when I learned to read it even with the S peeled off) , the dingy swinging clock, and finally that severe grey bench (I’d never seen a passenger spend more than five minutes on it).

Nothing ever changed—except to get more dusty. Nap would sense my impatience and grunt. Then just when I thought it had forgotten for sure—the telegraph exploded in a tirade of choppy chatter. “How much longer, Nap? When will she be here?”

But I never gave old Nap time, I was

out the door and squinting down the tracks before he could reply. Who knew what might be on the train. Maybe someone would get off at the “Burg” tonight—some dignitary like Sgt. Preston of the Yukon, Gene Autry, or someone’s grandmother with presents from Petoskey. Somebody might get off . . . but usually the scattered passengers just stayed on the train and stared at the mail being thrown off.

“No trains go to Petoskey anymore”—that’s what the demolition crew told me. They were dismantling the depot for what lumber they could get out of it like scavenger gulls—picking a board here and there . . . exposing the venerated white pine ribs of a roof intact since lumber days.

I watched a cattle truck amble over the crossing followed impatiently by two cars eager for speed.

The Bouncing Bet had surely grown up between the ties. It al-

most kept a body from walking the rails properly.

All change is constant–I mused. Where had I heard that before?

A note from Kathy Zelidon, current Legacy editor:

The Legacy magazine has been a part of Southern Adventist University since 1965. It was created to showcase the artistic and literary works of Southern students. A dive into the magazine’s past issues provides a key to connecting us to the students who came before us.

Those who submit their works have a chance to be a part of this culminating album of art and story. We are still accepting submissions in poetry, short fiction, and creative non-fiction until January 31st.

Tell your story, leave a legacy.

For more information, follow Legacy on Instagram @saulegacymagazine

Dear Kevin: How do you stick to New Year’s Resolutions?

Dear “New Year, New You”: You have come to the right place. I have successfully kept my New Year’s Resolutions for the first time in my life, and I am insufferably proud about it. Here are some helpful hints for sticking to your goals this year.

Plan

This is so simple and yet so easy to ignore. You must make a game plan for anything to happen, my friend.

Be reasonable

Set the bar low so that you will be able to succeed and perhaps even exceed your expectations.

Find an accountability partner

Depending on what your resolutions are, it can be helpful to have someone with similar goals to check in with you and keep you on track.

Dear Kevin: How do I know someone is flirting with me and not just being nice?

Dear Confused Comrade:

As a duck I’m not the best to know if someone is flirting with you, but I can give you some general tips.

Flirting is often signaled by subtle signs like eye contact and leaning in. In addition, if someone is flirting with you, they’ll let you know they’re single. This may come in the form of an indirect comment in the course of the conversation.

Another hint is if said person asks questions designed to get to know you better and then listens attentively. Yet another indication may be their energy levels. A flirtatious person will try to keep the energy high and rely on humor to lighten the mood.

It’s important to remember that flirting is not always serious, so stay open-minded and don’t overthink it.

“Direction isn’t always easy to find.” (Photo by: Heidi Fin)

Matthew Howland

Erla Trevedan

Dani Howell

Melissa Maguire

Leticia Venegas

Eric Barnuevo

5:57 p.m. Sunset 7:30 p.m. Vespers: Sexual Integrity, Collegedale Church 8:45 p.m. GroupLink, Iles Gym

11:00 a.m. Convocation: Sexual Integrity, Sue Norris, Collegedale Church 5:30 p.m. Student Organization President’s Meeting, Bietz Center The Grid 9:00 a.m. Adoration Worship, Collegedale Church 9:00 a.m. Connect Worship, Student Park Goliath Wall 11:45 a.m. Renewal Worship, Collegedale Church 11:45 a.m. Merge Worship, Lynn Wood Chapel 6:00 p.m. Evensong, Collegedale Church 7:00 p.m. 3 on 3 Volleyball Tournament, Iles Gym

Weekly Birthdays

TODAY |18 Victoria Ansah

Lillian Bennethum

Michaela Lohr Nick Nieves

Annaliese Rogers

Calvin Scott II Rhett Seitz

Thursday |19 Adonna Andino

Jace Ford E. J. Garcia Kristen Killingsworth Nate Lopez

Friday |20 Maison Baldwin

Eunice Cha Lucca Despirito Juan Harmse

Alex Hongo Christine B. Kurian Carolyn Melville Migdalice Nieves Alexander J. Thomas

Saturday |21 Sienna Day Franco Franco Yosef Henry Melissa Lee Somin Lee

Caleb McQuistan Hannah Moody Hal Moore Matthew Naukkarinen

Sunday |22

Leila Alav

James DuVall Cooper Larsen Diana Li Laisha Marte

Vivienne Morana

Natalia Perry Christina Rada

Michael Segobiano

Melody Sheppard Matthew St. Hilaire Adriann Stahl Belinda Thornton Monday |23 Leilani G. Darnell

SA Announcements

Nick Laney Jisoo Lee

Jordan Luong

Liz Mapp Sonja Meadows Emmily Ndege Joseph J. Park Rory Rodney Kenneth Salmon

Abigail Touma Isabelle Touma Tuesday |24

Kimberly Adewunmi Aunya Anderson Zach Chacon Roberto Farfan Keishla Galan

Jocelyn Jara Kayla Manestar Aveann Marsden Lauren Martin

Elizabeth McDuffie Ashely Morales-Inzunza Josh Ronalds Richard Smith

All vehicles must be registered with Campus Safety Chinese New Year 6:00 p.m. Southern Union Camps Recruitment, Bietz Center

Remember to file for Financial Aid (Priority Deadline March 1) Student Week of Prayer 12:00 p.m. Sophomore Success, Presidential Banquet Room 6:50 p.m. E.A. Anderson Lecture Series, Brock 3205 8:00 p.m. Student Week of Prayer, Collegedale Church

Last day for Student Insurance - Open Enrollment, Must submit proof of a QLE (Qualifying Life Event) after this date

Last day to add a class (16 week classes(es) Census Last day to make a change without charges for 100% Tuition Refund (16 week class(es) 8:00 p.m. Student Week of Prayer, Collegedale Church

Did you enjoy the SA Game Show or are really looking forward to the SA banquet? If you would like to be a part of the team that plans all of these events, apply now. Applications are now open for the 2023-24 school year. Go to southern.edu/studentassociation to submit your application!

Check out our website! www.southern-accent.org