08.25.16

Trinitonian CAMPUS MOURNS LOSS Trinit y communit y ref lec ts on the loss of Dr. Daniel Spiegel.

PAGE 11 PULSE

SEARCH AND SEIZURE

SOMETHING L ACKING

A summar y of Residential Life room search policies.

Athletes weigh in on reasons for lack of school spirit.

PAGE 18 SPORTS

PAGE 5 NEWS

Serving Trinity University Since 1902

Volume 114 Issue 2

August 26, 2016

Tiger baseball team victorious at national Division III tournament

A recap of the monumental win that finally gave the program what it coveted most

BY HALEY MCFADDEN

SPORTS REPORTER

Tigers baseball celebrates after receiving their championship trophy. 2016 was the first time in Trinity history that the team has won the title.

The 2016 Tiger’s baseball season was certainly one for the books. Not only did the Tigers have a record breaking number of wins, 44, but they topped it off by solidifying their place as the best program in the nation with a win at the Division III Championship.

No victory comes easy, and as any successful program knows, it requires hard work and discipline at an individual and team level. For baseball, this means players have to be willing to put in work on their own during the off-season to return in shape for the upcoming season, and then be ready to put in even more work once the season arrives. Finding the motivation to push through months of training can be challenging, but the Tigers found that past losses could be used to stay focused on potential future success.

“We worked hard in the offseason to make sure we were prepared, so whenever days got long we just reminded ourselves of the work that we put in up to that point,” said Chris Tate, Trinity senior and left-handed pitcher. “We also came in third last year, which wasn’t how we wanted to finish that year so that kept us motivated as well.”

SEE BASEBALL PAGE 20

photo courtesy of Trinity University Marketing and Communications

Quality Enhancement Plan introduced, aims “Salt, Sugar, to facilitate student-advisor conversations Fat:” You Can’t Have Just One

BY CHRISTIANA ZGOURIDES

NEWS REPORTER

A team of 15 faculty and staff has been assembled to lead the development of Trinity’s Quality Enhancement Plan (Q.E.P.), which will focus on enhancing first-year students’ learning through strategic changes to teaching, advising and support services.

The Q.E.P. is a part of Trinity’s reaffirmation of accreditation, which is required every ten years to maintain our status as an accredited institution.

“They had a number of open forums and ideas workshops for people to come together and talk about areas that they thought might be good for a Quality Enhancement Plan,” said Diane Saphire, Associate Vice President for Institutional Research and Director of Institutional Research. “Out of that process there were a number of proposals that came forward, there was a number of rounds of

vetting events and presentations to the whole campus.”

The selection of the “Starting Strong” proposal was driven in part by institutional research, which showed that Trinity lags behind peer institutions in first-year advising.

“On a lot of these questions, these questions like how many times you and your adviser discussed academic interests, course selection, academic performance — it’s not that we look terrible, it’s that almost every question we lag that group just a little bit,” Saphire said.

Additionally, institutional research has shown that in 2015, almost a third of Trinity first years had a deficient grade (D+ and below) during their first year, and 43 percent of these deficient grades were F’s.

“I think all of those things together... made a compelling argument to faculty members that this is an area that we could do better in,” Saphire said.

After a careful evaluation process, president Anderson, the executive staff, and a selection team chose the Q.E.P. proposal that will be developed this year. The selected topic has the working title, “Starting Strong: Intentional Strategies for Improving Student Success at Trinity University.”

“Everything about our proposal is intentional,” said John Hermann, associate professor of political science and chair of the Q.E.P. “We call it ‘intentional’ because we’re going to be strategic in how we help the students. We realize one size does not fit all.”

Hermann, who was a leader of the “Starting Strong” Q.E.P. from the proposal stage, expressed the importance of broad-based campus involvement in the development process.

“The proposal had suggested strategies for how we might address each of these things, but it really is not a plan,” Hermann said.

SEE Q.E.P. PAGE 3

CAROLINE GRAND

A&E COLUMNIST

Buzzfeed published an article last week titled, “19 American Supermarket Foods That Most Of The World Would Never Eat,” which prompts the inevitable question: if the rest of the world wouldn’t eat these, why would anyone?

The answer, according to author Michael Moss: “Salt, Sugar, Fat.” Moss, who famously introduced the phrase “pink slime” into the American lexicon with his 2009 exposé on processed beef, now delves deep into how the processed food companies, which dominate our grocery store purchases, have perfectly engineered their products to be immediately satisfying and highly addictive to unsuspecting consumers.

SEE SALT PAGE 15

2

WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • August 26, 2016 •

BRIEFS

Classifieds SGA

Honor Council

Every week, the Trinitonian will post a brief regarding the Student Government Association. The brief will consist of what went on at the weekly meeting. These briefs will allow students, faculty and staff who were not able to make the meeting to learn what our governing body discussed. Meetings are held on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. in the Waxahachie room in Coates University Center.

The Academic Honor Council hears all cases involving an alleged violation of the Academic Honor Code and determines sanctions when a violation has been found. Every week, the Trinitonian will post a past Honor Council case.

These are real cases and students should feel free to learn from others’ mistakes.

Help Wanted

Latin Tuttor Needed

I’m in my third semester of Latin and I’m looking for a tutor to help with grammar and translations.

I can pay you with Java City. If you’re interested please contact me at auri@trinity.edu.

The Ad Office is Hiring

Want to make your own hours/ like to be responsible for your own paycheck? Apply to be an offcampus advertising executive. Email trinitonian-adv@trinity.edu. You could be making up to $150/ week!

Meetings Philosophy club meet-and-greet

All welcome. Monday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. in Chapman 045. Enjoy casual conversation and major/ minor info. Food, drink provided!

Trinity Art Collective welcomes new and returning students to our two upcoming events: The library chalk mural on August 26, at 6 p.m., and the first TAC mixer of the year on September 2 at 7 p.m., in room 306 of the Dicke-Smith Building.

We hope to see you there!

Welcome The men of Iota Chi Rho welcome the Trinity University class of 2020 and wish them a great school year!

TUPD August 15, 8:02 a.m.

Ruth Taylor Theater Penal Code: Offenses Against Property: Burglary August 17, 11:37 a.m.

Verna McLean Residence Hall Fire Alarm August 18, 7:52 a.m.

William H. Bell Center Penal Code: Offenses Against Property: Theft August 21, 2:55 a.m.

Facilities Service Fire Alarm

San Antonio

National

International

New data shows that San Antonians on the North side of town live approximately 15 years longer than those living on the South side. The 2016 Bexar County Community Health Needs Assessment, compiled by the Health Collaborative, showed the difference in life expectancies. Bexar County officials state that the disparity is caused by differences in access to healthcare and education opportunities.

“The state of Texas, if not the worst, is certainly next to the worse in the nation in terms of healthcare for citizens,” Judge Nelson Wolff of Bexar County said.

President Barack Obama designated about 87,500 acres of land in Maine as a national monument. Under the Antiquities Act of 1906, a president can create a national monument without the approval of Congress.

This designation makes the land protected by the federal government, preventing mining, drilling, hunting and other activities. This has angered people in the area saying that this designation will limit economic growth.

Columbia and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), have called a truce, ending the longest war in the Americas. The conf lict between the Columbian government and the rebel group lasted for more than 50 years. The two parties have been in talks for four years.

This deal signals to Columbians that the war that took almost 220,000 lives and displaced more than 5 million people is finally coming to an end.

The New York Times (nytimes.com)

MySA (mysanantonio.com)

Staff editor-in- chief: Julia Elmore managing editor: Grace Fr ye business manager: Dzung Vu ad directorS: Lauren Harris & Christina Moore news editor: Alex Uri campus pulse editor: Emily Elliott arts & entertainment editor: Dylan Wagner sports editor: Markham Sigler opinion editor: Daniel Conrad photo editor: Miguel Webber graphic editor: Tyler Herron layout editor: Katie Groke web editor: Abby Birdsell circulation director: Maddie Kennedy

Index News Pages 3-4, 6 Opinion Pages 7-9 Pulse Pages 10-14

BRIEFS

A rts and Entertainment Pages 15-17 Sports Pages 18-21 Advertisements Pages 5, 22-24

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Corrections Spot a mistake? Emai l us at trin iton ian@trin it y.edu, and we wi l l happi ly run a correct ion in the fol lowing issue.

reporters: Michael Drozdiak, Chris Garcia, Elise Hester, Sidney Hopkins, Justus Cour tney, Elizabeth McEnrue, Haley McFadden, Philip McKeon, Jef f Sullivan, Christiana Zgourides columnists: Max Freeman, Mia Garza, Caroline Grand, Sarah Haley, Nick Kim, Joy Lazarus, Gabriel Levine, Alexander Perkowski, Emily Peter, Callum Squires, Naheeha Virani copy editors: Soleil Gaf fner, Julia Poage, Julia Weis cartoonist: Michael Miller photographers: Noah Davidson, Claudia Garcia, Henr y Pratt business staff: Sarah McInt yre, Krushi Patel advertising staff: Melissa Chura, Jordan Williams, Donovan Allen adviser: Katharine Mar tin

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Opinions expressed in the Trinitonian are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Trinity University, its students, faculty, staff or the Trinitonian. Editorials represent the opinions of the Trinitonian Editorial Board. The first copy of the Trinitonian is free; additional copies are 50 cents each. ©2016. All rights reserved.

NEWS • AUGUST 26, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

3

Q.E.P. CONTINUED FROM FRONT

He explained that the proposal is simply a topic with justification for why we as a campus should address it, along with some suggested strategies.

Most of the 15 members of the Q.E.P. team will sit on one or more of three subcommittees: advising, chaired by Diane Persellin; teaching, co-chaired by Victoria Aarons and Lisa Jasinsky; and support services, chaired by Alex Gallin-Parisi.

These subcommittees will include faculty, staff and students. They will develop plans for how to create measurable improvements in each of the areas covered by the subcommittees.

“We’re getting a lot of faculty interest in signing up for all three committees, so that’s really exciting, said Diane Persellin, professor of music education and chair of the advising committee. “I think the excitement will be there, I think it will be shared with faculty and chairs of departments.”

The subcommittees will present their plans at open forums where all faculty, staff and students are encouraged to share their opinions. The team will write up a final plan based on campus-wide input through the subcommittees and open forums.

Throughout the proposal stage, a number of ideas have been explored as possible means of attaining the goals of the Q.E.P. In teaching, for example, the Q.E.P will explore early-alert systems that provide low-stakes assignments that let students know how they are doing early in the semester.

“By midterms, sometimes it’s getting late,” Persellin said. “If we know by the third or fourth week, it’s like, I can get tutoring, I can go to the student success center, I can talk to my adviser about getting other resources.”

Ideas like this are likely to shift and change throughout the development phase. James Shinkle, professor of biology and member of the teaching committee, explained the importance of flexibility in the development stage.

“The reality is that the Q.E.P did have a fairly ambitious set of objectives, and adhering to the letter of those objectives may not be the way to get to the spirit of the overall outcome,” Shinkle said. “If we start by asking the question, ‘What needs to happen?’ rather than immediately saying ‘Well, we’re going to make it happen this way,’ I think we’re more likely to get to a feasible solution.”

The completed Q.E.P will be vetted by the Southern Association of Colleges Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

“They’re going to go and investigate the scene and make sure that the administration was not exclusively behind it, or myself as chair decided to push this proposal,” Hermann said. “They’re going to see that there were broad-based stakeholders that were involved.”

SACSCOC is the regulating body that grants or denies accreditation to colleges in the southern and southeastern parts of the United States.

This accreditation is indispensable to the value of a Trinity degree. It provides legitimacy so that other institutions will accept transfer credits from Trinity, graduate schools will accept Trinity graduates and Trinity students will continue to have access to the $20 million plus in state and federal aid they received last year.

“It’s a big deal to retain our accreditation,” Saphire said. “It’s something that all schools have very high on their priority list because students and the institution seven if they’re private institutions like we are rely on that aid that we get through the state and federal government.”

But the Q.E.P. is valuable to Trinity for reasons beyond accreditation.

“It helps us to ensure that we don’t get

graphic by Tyler Herron data provided by Diane Saphire

stagnant,” said Kathy Friedrich, director of assessment for the program. “It forces us to look at how our students are doing, and is there something that we can be doing better to enhance their experience here.”

The reaffirmation of accreditation process was not always so forward looking. In fact, this is only Trinity’s second Q.E.P.: before the institution’s first Q.E.P. ten years ago, SACSCOC’s reaffirmation process was largely retrospective.

“They would have to write this ten-year report reflecting back on what they had done in the past 10 years,” Saphire said.

This changed fifteen years ago, when SACSCOC changed its process to require a Q.E.P. instead of a retrospective report.

“From my perspective it was just night and day from what we used to do,” Saphire said. “It got people engaged; they were excited about picking a topic, they were excited about the possibilities of doing something to improve student learning, because they that’s what we’re all here for.”

The development process will bring some challenges, specifically limiting the scope of the plan. “[There] was recognition that the advising side and the student support side really are complementary, and to do one in complete ignorance of the other was probably not going to be the optimal outcome,” Shinkle said. “And then it was just, can we still keep this inside a reasonable sized box? Is there still a project here or is this just, let’s reinvent the entire university?”

One way to limit the scope of the Q.E.P. will be to focus only on measurable goals.

“Before they finalize what they’re going to do, I can come in and say, ‘OK this is a great idea, but we don’t really have a good way of measuring it’,” Friedrich said.

“How might we refine it a little to make sure that it is measurable and something that we can assess?”

She also expressed that limiting the scope of the Q.E.P. does not have to mean abandoning good ideas.

“We want to be sure that if something does come up that doesn’t fit in the scope of what we want to look at, that the administration’s aware of it, and it can be addressed another way,” Friedrich said.

Hermann expressed that there may also be a challenge in balancing responsiveness to suggestions from the Trinity community with adherence to “best practices”

according to the literature regarding programs focused at first-year students.

Finally, Shinkle and Friedrich identified consensus as a potential challenge.

“Getting people to a common understanding of how what they already do and what they already believe in fits,” said Shinkle, “and then on top of that the commitment to say, OK, there is a place I still have to change a little — getting them to buy in and say, I can do that.”

The subcommittees are currently looking for student input.

“Students view things very differently than we do as faculty,” Hermann said.

“Their experience tells us a lot about how we’re doing.”

While changes will not be broadly implemented until 2018 — with some pilot programs beginning in the fall of 2017 — there may be some subtler changes in the meantime.

Students interested in sitting on a subcommittee, submitting a suggestion or learning more about the Q.E.P. are encouraged to contact John Hermann.

4

WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • AUGUST 26, 2016 •

NEWS

3 artists turn tables at university sponsored Welcome Week Concert Electronic Dance Music takes center stage for Saturday’s concert

BY PHILLIP McKEON

NEWS REPORTER

The annual concert will take place on Sat on Prassel Lawn. Electronic dance music, or EDM, artists 3LAU, Robert Delong and Patrick Baker are this years performers.

Benji Gomez, student programming board concert chair and organizer of this year’s fall concert, saw the reception of the Spring Concert performer and used student feedback to decide who should perform for the Fall Concert.

“When we go through and determine every semester who we want to bring, what are we going for, who are the students into. I thought Cherub did well with their kind of electronic vibe,” Gomez said. “So I thought, you know, why don’t we see about getting a real electronic artist in here, and so I did a little research and saw that [3LAU] was doing more and more things and I liked the idea of it I thought it would be a good fit

for campus. So I watched about two hours worth of his videos, and decided that was where we were going to go.”

The vision for this year’s Fall Concert was to create a fun atmosphere for students coming back to campus.

“I think the fun thing about it is that, while a lot of people of course have their own definitions or perceptions of EDM music, I’d say the main reason I booked it is I basically see it as a fun dance party,” Gomez said. “I listen to his music, and I see how it could be applicable to a college setting and how people could dance and have fun with it.”

Matthew Hager, Trinity senior, is looking forward to seeing these performers live and for free.

“I’m mainly excited for Robert Delong, because his live show is really cool and a lot of fun. I haven’t seen or listened to much of the other guys, but Delong is a lot of fun to watch. He’s kind of like electronic alternative I think, if I had to pick a type of genre he’d fit into,” Hager said.

While there was some pushback on social media from students, Gomez is optimistic that the concert will be a success.

“It’s always kind of hard because I don’t want to ostracize someone with a certain

genre, and so the hardest thing about putting on major concerts like this is that you want to be able put on something where people aren’t going to respond saying, ‘Oh I’ve never heard of that’ or ‘I don’t like them,’ you know,” Gomez said. “So it’s hard because you have to find something that will generally make everyone happy. That being said, I think electronic, house, dance music is kind of cool because you go to a party, you go to a club, and people just want to dance. It’s a welcoming genre, it’s fun, you don’t really have to know any lyrics, you don’t have to worry about feeling like you’re not part of this inner circle that knows this random indie band. I wanted to make it truly a welcoming welcome week concert where you can just have fun and dance with your friends.”

Local artists have also taken note of the growing popularity of EDM. “Well, EDM in the industry has grown a lot since the 90s, you know, it’s trendy, and especially as humans are becoming more technologically inclined. Computers are becoming more and more prevalent in music today,” said Nic Yoes, drummer for the band Stuph. “It’s good in the way that it’s marketable. People enjoy it; they wanna listen to it and dance. You like the hook, you

like the whole song. EDM is really fun, it’s good to dance to, and it’s exciting in the way that it’s really bass driven.”

Student Programming Board is also increasing the production value of the upcoming concert.

“This is our biggest production yet in terms of actual production value. Everything from lights to projections to confetti, it’s all going to be there and it’s going to be pretty intense,” Gomez said.

In addition to the production changes, this will be the first concert in recent history with multiple performers.

“This is also the first time since my freshman year that we’re going to have a multi-artist show,” Gomez said. “We’re having a big artist, a relatively big second artist and a cool emerging artist as well, so it’s not just going to be just an hour of music, it’s going to be three hours of music, which is something we haven’t really done in recent history, and even when we did, those bands were nowhere as big as what we have for this year. That, coupled with this electronic dance vibe, is something I think people should really look forward to.”

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Students are not permitted to bring bags or large purses.

Jeremy Allen to teach Constitutional Law Greek life coordinator takes over teaching position in the political science department

BY PHILLIP McKEON

NEWS REPORTER

Jeremy Allen, Greek life coordinator, will take over the position of Constitutional Law professor. John Hermann, professor of political science, will not be teaching the course this semester.

Allen, who usually works with students outside of an academic setting in Student Involvement, is excited to get to know students inside the classroom.

“I think having relationships with students is crucial, regardless of what capacity you serve on campus. Having those relationships with students inside the classroom is just as important as those outside of it. It’s important to have that relationship so that they’re not afraid to ask questions, come to office hours.

I think it’s all about the relationship and the collaboration between staff, faculty, student; I think that’s really where a lot of the learning happens,” Allen said.

Allen said he hopes this move helps demonstrate the importance of academics and its role as the primary job of the student.

“Academics is a strong part of Greek life here; scholarship is one of our four pillars.

We talk about the importance of academics all the time with Greek Council and Greek students. I think, in a way, this kind of reinforces the message that we’ve talked about for the past year as a community, saying we want to pride ourselves on being the best and brightest at Trinity, and that’s what every student should strive for, regardless of their affiliation. So I think being able to get involved with students taking this Constitutional Law class through that academic context is going to be really exciting and challenging,” Allen said.

Christiana Ellard, sophomore and member of Sigma Theta Tau, thinks that Allen’s new position will showcase many of the positive aspects of Greek life.

“Some people assume that Greek life puts

everyone in one box, or one category, and I think that this emphasizes that it can really help people expand socially and academically, and shows that it can help in many different aspects of life. To teach, for instance, you have to have good communicative skills, and the ability to connect with people. So it goes to show that Greek life can teach you to do all of the above things and be successful as well,” Ellard said.

Hermann, who will only be teaching a First Year Experience (FYE) course, said he is confident Allen is ready to teach the course.

“When I was asked to teach this [FYE], they asked how much ownership I had over my classes, and I think that’s a terrible way of putting it. I think everyone at Trinity, whether we like it or not, we’re replaceable.

The person that’s teaching it for me, Jeremy Allen, he has two really good qualities that I don’t have. He did Teach for America, and he taught in the inner city of New York City.

And the second thing he did that was really phenomenal is that he went to law school; I don’t have a J.D. So he’s going to teach it with memorandum and do things that I may not do because I teach it more like a political scientist would. So I think Jeremy Allen can step up and do great things with this. I’m excited,” Hermann said.

Allen said his goal for the course is to make it as similar to a law school course as possible.

This includes teaching students how to brief a case, write legal memorandums, and answer questions based on the Socratic method.

“I want students to be able to see what a law school course looks like, so that’s what we’re going to try and replicate. It’s going to be as close as we can get to a real law class through the assignments, through the content, through how the class is conducted, and I think that really helps reinforce that scholarship pillar even further,” Allen said.

The class itself will remain largely unchanged because of the importance of the course material to students taking the class. Allen said he will use a nearly identical syllabus to the one Hermann created “I think Dr. Hermann has done a tremendous job building that class into what it’s become: a class that students are eager to take. It’s a full course, students are on the waitlist, and I think that speaks to how well

Dr. Hermann has been able to build that. So the vast majority of the content, the cases that we discuss, will be about 95 percent the same as what has been on the previous syllabus,” Allen said.

The course is designed to teach students critical thinking and problem solving skills that Allen believe are crucial parts of a legal education.

“I think having students understand the importance of being prepared and being

able to think on their toes is extremely important,” Allen said. “A big chunk of law school is having students think like a lawyer.

You’re never going to know the entirety of all the laws, but if you’re able to think like a lawyer, you can find that information and find a solution to the problem, and be creative with your problem solving skills.”

Allen will continue his duties as Greek life coordinator while he teaches the course throughout the semester.

JEREMY ALLEN begins his fist session of Constitutional Law by going over the importance of the Constitution to the American political system. photo by Henry Pratt

NEWS • AUGUST 26, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

5

Residential Life search and seizure policies Practices of Res Life bring into question issue of right to privacy

BY PHILLIP McKEON

NEWS REPORTER

As students settle into their rooms, Res Life staff wants to make sure they are aware of the guidelines in place for entering and searching rooms.

“Residential Life Student staff members are permitted to enter rooms, but as a courtesy to our students, it is our policy to have staff members enter a room only after they, one, knock a few times, two, clearly identify themselves and three, state that they are members of the Residential Life staff. We also ask that they enter rooms in pairs. If we believe a student is in immediate danger, we will, of course, enter the room to assist and contact emergency personnel as needed,” said Melissa Flowers, coordinator for Residential Life.

Residential Life looks for visible policy violations but does not completely search residents’ rooms.

“Residential Life staff members do not conduct room searches. They are able to look around the room to see if there are any visible policy violations and to ensure that all of the students present are included in their report. Our staff are able to check anywhere a person can fit, so they are permitted to check the closet, the bathroom/shower, and the balconies,” Flowers said.

There are some exceptions to the policy to search only where a person can fit.

Residential Life staff members are permitted to search refrigerators.

“All University staff members who are investigating a possible alcohol violation are trained to ask residents to open the room refrigerator to ensure that no alcohol remains behind. Students may refuse this request, but can expect that the Conduct Board will ask about that refusal,” according to the Residential Life Policies Board and Residential Agreement.

Emily Garret, sophomore, finds the policies reasonable, as they aim to keep students safe.

“I think they need to keep everyone safe, and I’ve never really had any problems with them overdoing it. I’ve never had anyone come and search our room without a reason.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to be able to come in and investigate if need be. They’re not overstepping and coming in every week,” Garrett said.

TUPD is responsible for conducting room searches, but these searches can only be conducted with institutional approval.

They were unable to comment on their search policies at the time of publication.

“University police officers are able to search rooms with a written approval from me, Dean Tuttle or the Chief of Police.

These can be issued if there is strong reason to believe the presence of drugs, weapons, certain types/quantities of alcohol and any other objects that may pose a direct threat to the student’s safety or the safety of other members of the community,” Flowers said.

graphic by Tyler Herron

Pet Hall opens doors Juniors off campus to new possibilities still on the meal plan New living situation allows students to keep family pets on campus

BY MICHAEL DROZDIAK

NEWS REPORTER

The Pet Hall, where students are allowed to bring and live with their cats and dogs, is opening this year. The Hall is located on the first floor of South Residence Hall.

Trinity has long been a proponent of using animals as a cure to stress, but the dogs and cats that live in the Pet Hall are likely to have an even greater impact.

“The Pet Hall was introduced in an effort to enhance the living opportunities for upperclass students, to give them more options,” said Wanda Olson, assistant director for housing operations.

The animals allowed in the Pet Hall are house pets, not specially trained emotional support animals, which have always been allowed on campus. Still, Pet Hall organizers are confident that this will provide both comfort and education for students.

“We wanted to give them that adult feeling of being able to take care of animals and being autonomous in the upper-class area,” said Lisa Chapa, Housing Assignment coordinator. “This is more of preparing the students to move out and live on their own.”

The Pet Hall was not an administrator’s idea, but was rather the result of multiple students requesting to bring their dogs and cats with them to campus.

“Some students had approached Dean Tuttle about doing this, and so we decided to offer it as a pilot program this year,” Olson said. “I don’t think we would have thought of the [it] had students not requested it.”

The Pet Hall was established after the initial requests were received. Even with the quick turnaround, applicants still had to go

through a thorough evaluation.

“We had a process that started last March and we interviewed the students that were requesting to bring the animals,” Olson said.

“It has to be a family pet, since we wanted to know the temperament of the animal.”

The establishment of the Pet Hall carried with it a rigorous set of policies designed to mitigate any potential risk. Policies focused the general upkeep of the Pet Hall building and the experience of students living on and around the Pet Hall. The restrictions preventing pets from becoming nuisances are especially strict.

“Generally we give students on the Pet Hall a warning,” Chapa said, “but it depends on the situation. If you have a pet that bites somebody, then that’s a zero tolerance thing.”

Both students and staff who are involved in the Pet Hall are aware that those who are unfamiliar with the project may be reluctant to take it seriously. They are convinced, that once the Pet Hall becomes more established, the benefits will become obvious.

“I know there are some students who are very unexcited, apprehensive, about this program,” Chapa said, “but it’s like any other pilot program in a job or anything, just give it some time.”

Even with the uncertainty of public opinion on campus, students who were able to live on the Pet Hall are relieved to live with a pet while knowing that ResLife cares enough to implement such a program.

“The ResLife support for the process has been great,” said Celeste Martin, junior and a resident on the new Pet Hall. “I’ve lived with animals my whole life, and adjusting to life without pets felt lonely. Cats have always been a good silent support for me.”

The Pet Hall is only just beginning its pilot year, but those involved are already expecting increased interest throughout the year.

“I wish more people saw support pets as a viable option for them,” Martin said, “because I’ve seen it help so many people around me to be responsible.”

Dining decision met with mixed reviews from affected students

BY MICHAEL DROZDIAK

NEWS REPORTER

Though Trinity’s meal plan requirement typically complements Trinity’s three-year residency requirement, students who were allowed to live off-campus because of the current housing shortage are finding the current system inconvenient.

Even among students who remain on campus specific and notable complaints emerge about buying both meal plans and the food provided on campus.

“Last year I had my unlimited meal plan, and I thought it worked pretty well,” said Joel Kumahata, a junior living on campus, “except for the times when there was meat involved. The meat seemed kind of subpar, I had some stomach reactions to it. I blame no employee of Mabee student cafeteria, but there were times when it provoked an adverse reaction in my body.”

Some students, however, remain sympathetic to the difficulty of maintaining a functioning dining hall that can serve the population of the entire university.

“The quality is good, I guess, I kind of see where they’re coming from,” said Dillon Akins, a first year also living off campus, “I worked in a dining hall this summer, so I can kind of understand how difficult it would be to have higher quality food.”

Trinity’s massive 2020 class, and the subsequent housing shortage, forced ResLife to release a significant number of juniors to live off campus. Often, students living off campus are given the option to use meal plans that are somewhat cheaper and more flexible, but many of the released juniors had

to get the same meal plans as students still living on campus.

Many released juniors have grievances related to being forced to buy a meal plan, regardless of cost.

“I view the meal plan as something that, theoretically, could work fine with offcampus housing,” said Davis Stubblefield, a junior who was released to live off campus, “If the POD offered more in the way of grocery options, I could use bonus bucks there more regularly.”

Along with the limited selection present at the POD and other on campus food places, many students have become somewhat jaded about possible price gouging.

“Aramark has a bit of a monopoly on the foods. I think raising prices is a bit unfair to take advantage of the fact that you really can’t get food anywhere else,” Akins said, “I know their job is to make money, but I think student satisfaction is also important.”

Regardless of whether the issues of quality and price are addressed in the near future, for some students meal plans simply remain logistically impractical.

“I’m living off campus, and my class isn’t until 3:45, and it kind of sucks that I have to either go back and forth twice or stay on campus the whole day,” Akins said.

Specific ways to improve the meal plan and food systems on campus are not immediately obvious. Alternatives to the traditional system run the risk of undermining Trinity’s philosophy of creating a three-year student community. But some students think that student meal satisfaction should take a higher priority.

“I think signing up for a meal plan should be optional, as it seems like something that is very case-by-case between different people’s dietary preference,” Stubblefield said.

Trinity University staff members have been receptive to listening to student requests in the past, but the administrators relevant to this article all declined to comment.

6

WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • AUGUST 26, 2016 •

DEAN’S LIST

The Office of Academic Affairs, on behalf of Trinity faculty, extends our sincere congratulations to these Dean’s List* students: * Dean’s List students completed 15 or more grade point carrying hours of credit in one semester and earned a 3.65 or above

Victoria Abad Jacob Mason Abajian Samy Waday Abdallah Celeste Anastacia Acevedo William Matthew Adair Paige Elise Adrian Aroosa Ajani Dallas Edward Akins Zachary Thomas Allen Samuel Vincent Ang Grace Catherine Anthony Kyle Aaron Argueta Courtney Elisabeth Asher Victoria Christine Bahr Whitney Lynn Ball Avva Bassiri-Gharb Iris Margaret Baughman Jackson Henry Beach Natalie Grace Belew Annie Nicole Belleville Matthew Edward Bender Jordan Bethea Brittney Elizabeth Blaylock Morgan Chappell Block Pooja Reddy Bollampally Shane Stewart Bono Maria Beatrice Borrero Hannah Elizabeth Braley Araceli Bremauntz-Enriquez Ellen Natalia Browder-Long Claire Hendrix Burrus Lacritia Lee Byas Julian Ismail Byles Faith Eva Alison Byrne Austin Caballero Yesenia Anna Caballero Mykaela Sabine Cali Sara Anne Calvo Amanada Marie Cantu Alejandro Cardona Natalie Christine Carrier Kelly Rose Carroll Allison Cahill Carter Thalia Salome Cedeno Stephen Michael Chang Margaret Thomas Chase Diana Chavarria Rachel Kathleen Chavez Amulya Satya Cherala Daniela Chur Corleto Evan Mitchell Cofer Matthew James Colliflower Miriam Lee Cone Daniel Thomas Anthony Conrad Ann Claire Cornelius Michael Andrew Curran Rachel Mary Daniel Oliver Patrice Dardant Samsara Davalos Reyes Timothy Frank Davison Emily Katherine Debner Lena Margaret Dennington Taylor Ann Devlin Ryan Michael Diller Rebecca Clare Earle Emily SIbley Elliot Eric James Engle Franchesca Rose Escapita Christopher Robert Fanick Sarah Anne Farrell Alexandra Paloma Levy Faust Rachel Margaret Felger Jack Koche Fiedler Molly Jondro Field Dalton Kane Foster Bryan Alexander Fowler Duncan Matthew Frasch Dakota Shelbi Frederick Maximilian Thomas Freeman Danielle Rose Freund Holly Jane Gabelmann Lina Soleil Gaffner Daniela Carolina Galarza

David Quin Garretson Alexandra Elizabeth Gereda-Gordon Elenanor Hu Gilbert Caroline Lemoine Grand Carly Grace Greenberg-Spindler Madeline Kaylee Grimes Anna Katherine Hagee Lindsay Nicole Hagmann Austen Cameron Hall Cody Joshua Hall Madeline Kay Hanes Alexander Kelly Hansen Sarah Mae Hantak Tristan Louise Harness Lauren Raquel Harris Alexander Everett Hartzell Cameron Douglas Hayes Daniel Norman Henkes Juan Carlos Hernandez Jordan Elizabeth High Mackenzie Lee Hill Zoheb Hirani Martin T Hoang Taylor Brishae Holloway Brad Christopher Hood Destiny Arnell Hopkins Henry Byers Householder Talia Annick Howard Joshua Warner Humpfreys Robert Byrd Hure Luis Hurtado Alexander Huther Alyssa Melody Izquierdo Eli Andrews Janik Caroline Elizabeth Jacques Felipe Mateo Jaramillo Maria Alejandra Jaramillo Matthew Thomas Jenkins Clara Marie Johnson Paige September Johnson Brandon Luis Jones Kate Jones-Waddell Courtney Elizabeth Justus Maria Teresa Kamel Danielle Kao Mary Kathryne Kelly Julia Yilan Huynh Kennedy Danielle Nicole King Abigail Nicole Kluetz Rebecca Kathryn Knowlton Jordan Dunn Koeller Joseph Tanner Kohfield Nicholas Ferenc Koplyay Sydney Danielle Kuhn Kristina Michelle Kummerer Zackery Kiyoshi Kurmia-Blough Walker Emmit Lands Adrien Christophe Lavigne Caitlin Marie Lawrence Rachel Kathryn Lawson Yanyi E Lee Andew Shedrick Leeds Jordan Nicole Leeper Elizabeth Irene Legg Molly C Lenihan John Armstrong Lewis Adrien Victor Lhemann Emma Alexandra Lichtenberg Christopher Joseph Dylan Lieck Po-Hung Lin Camila Londono Liezelle Chua Lopez Mariana Lopez Levi Sophia Polivka Lorber Matthew Richard Love Emma Gabriela Lucero Jessica Leigh Luhrman Nicole Christine Lumpkins Marie De Compiegne Lutz Lisa Zhang Ma Maria Celeste Macias Subrat Mahapatra Jonathan Eric Maislin

Simran Nikita Makwana Camilia Elizabeth Manca Brenton Vail Mandlekorn Cindi Marin Jonathan Armand Martinez Andrea Martinez Abrego Cantu Madison Jane Matthies Amaris Yvonne Maydon Abby Grace McCalmont Natalie Marie McCray Molly E McCullough Mikaela Nicole McDonald Dylan Reed McGee Erin Elizabeth McGee Laurel Elizabeth Meister Julia Meitz Karina Del Carmen Mendez-Perez Vail Chase Miesfeld Erika Vivienne Migeon Kathryn Margaret Millar Samatha Haley Mohun Isaiah Manuel Mora Ian Scott Morris Kevin Patrick Moss Cole Alexander Murray Haley Min-Yen Ng Amanada Hoang Nguyen Ha Phuong Ngoc Nguyen Kim Hong Nguyen Tam Minh Nguyen Truongan Viet Nguyen Christian Anthony Oakes Olivia Rose Ochoa Ashely Caecey Ogilvie Anne Katharine Ortman Amy A Payne Ethan Joshua Payne Joshua Ademar Perez Ricardo Jose Perez Victoria Nicole Perez Le Quyen Vu Pham Jessica Louise Phillips Taylor Andreus Piske Melissa Nicole Porter Camille Hollan Potts Ryan Juichien Pu Catherine Page Quigley Gabrielle Gina Racz Ethienne Gerardo Ramirez-Gonzalez Camille Sophie Reuter Ariel Nicole Reyes Miguel Angel Reyes Matthew David Reynolds Nathan Daniel Richter Thomas Russell Ritthaler Natalie Renee Rochen Analisa Bianca Rodriguez Sterling James Root Nathan Arnold Rothenbaum Luisa Marie Ruge-Jones Kendall Kroh Rymell Bethany Grace Rysak Jemima Regina Sackey-Addo Andrew Michael Sander Mariel Yanid Santos Hayley Washington Sayrs Savannah Tehya Schatte Christian Cody Schreib Adria Danielle Schroeder Jesse Kurt Schulman Curtis Kincaid Segarra Natalie Rose Seitzman Sabrina Sha Ileana Taylor Sherry Junhao Shi Julia Helen Shults Braden Owen Sides Samantha Elizabeth Simank Lily Marie Sorrentino Hunter Gordon Sosby Elena Ellie Souris Drew Torin Sposeep Sophia Markovna Spurlock

Douglas Erwin Steinman Daniel Millard Stephens Emilee Angela Strausburg Davis McKay Stubblefield Samuel Elias Studebaker Adam Ali Syed Danyal Tahseen Carl Oscar Teegerstrom Catherine R Terrace Isaac Matthew Thacker Kaitlyn Victoria Jane Thompson Sarah Elaine Thorne Alan Bernard Toscano Sara May Touchstone Mindy N Tran Danielle Cossette Trevino Marisa Brooke Trevino Alyson Nicole Tukan Zacharia Gilbert Tuten Laura Madeleine Twomey Akil Mehboobali Udawala Solomon Umana Steven Scott Vasquez Osvaldo Veloz Emilio Vernaza Alice Eleanor von Ende-Becker Garrett Cole von Rosenberg-Miesch Dung Thuy Vu Ruby Margarida Waddell Savannah Elizabeth Wagner Chloe Amelia Walker Kendall D’anne Walshak Joshua Robert Ward David Ross Warga Sean Maverick Watson Miguel Angel Webber Derek Patrick Weix Katie Noelle Welch Addison Rae White Thomas Lloyd White Melissa Brooke Whitman Todd Nathan Whittaker Grace Elizabeth Wilken Zachary Alexander Wilson Samantha Madeline Wise Madeleine Hope Witt Laura Ann Wolff Emily Erin Wood Glenn Allen Wright Sarah Marie Yaccino Mikayla Rae Yakoubek Jingqing Yang Lindsey Danese Yazbek Blake O’Brien Zeman Timothy Yang Zhang Rui Zhong

Opinion

COMMENTARY Have an opinion? Want others to hear it? For a chance to be featured as a guest columnist, please submit your article to trinitonian@trinity.edu by Monday night to be in Thursday’s issue of the paper.

EDITORIAL

The more things seem to change...

It seems like just a few weeks ago we were cramming for finals, saying goodbye to friends and making sure any damages in our rooms were hidden before our resident mentors made one final pass through the building. If we were successful, the residence halls still look the same. The buildings are still standing, parking is still impossible and, for the most part, everything is right where we left it.

But let’s not forget everything that changed while we were gone.

In June, 49 innocent people in Orlando were enjoying freedom and a sense of pride that would have put their lives at risk just a few short years ago. Their celebration was cut short as a shooter reminded us all of the level of hatred that still exists toward the LGBTQ+ community.

The following month, police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge were assassinated after clocking in to fulfill their duty to serve and protect citizens from danger.

Barely a week later, we watched in horror, though not surprise, as patriots in Nice, France frantically searched through debris in streets where excitement and unity were

on full display just minutes before.

Even more animosity came when both of the United States’ major political parties announced the candidate they will be endorsing in the 2016 presidential election.

We’re used to polarized parties, but the amount of effort from the media and the general population that has gone into attacking each candidate is unprecedented.

Perhaps the Olympic games have reminded us that we can still find common ground. For the last three weeks we have watched the world’s greatest athletes swim, jump, throw, shoot, flip and run to break world records and shatter barriers, paving the way for the next generation to set the bar even higher.

To summarize the summer, breaking news was the norm.

We experienced months where shocking events happened almost on a weekly basis, and the media barely finished reporting one tragedy or scandal before they had to race to cover the next. Some say that the frequency of violence we see, along with the subsequent media coverage, has desensitized us to the reality of death and

destruction. Others claim that our exposure to images of pain and desolation has made us more aware of social injustice. Either way, the years we’ve spent in college have been marked by a trend of tragedy, controversy and sensational stories that bombard us almost 24/7. Television stations, online newspapers, print publications and public figures on social media seem to be competing for our attention and waiting for our reactions.

As journalists, we can sympathize with the various outlets’ desire for an audience. We will concede to them and acknowledge that our publication probably will not be the first to break a story about a record-setting Olympian or a natural disaster overseas. For that, you can choose from a variety of national television stations, online news sites, newspapers or magazines with reporters who have access to national and international public figures. That’s the thing, though. Those sources are virtually interchangeable.

Here at the Trinitonian, though, we work to give you something no other information source can. We

are completely student run, so we know the questions students have and the issues that are important on our campus. We have access to the people who make our curriculum, organize our on-campus events, oversee clubs, know how our money is spent and ultimately make changes at this university, so we can graduate and impact this generation for the better.

As the saying goes, “The more things seem to change, the more they remain the same.” We know that the Trinity community is

passionate about ending this trend of turbulence that has become almost routine in our day and age.

We are passionate about making your voices heard. As we enter a new semester, we encourage anyone who has an idea, a concern or a thought that they want to express to step up and take advantage of this public forum that we print every week. Through dialogue, together we will be able to make an impact so that future summers will not remain the same as the one that just shook our nation and world.

comic by Michael Miller

Grownups, millennials and adulting A new word helps youth navigate the murky waters between childhood and new responsibilities

In order to write a b o u t adulting, I had to add it to Microsoft O f f i c e ’s SARAH HALEY OPINION COLUMNIST dictionary.

But it is a word, and a verb, according to both Urban Dictionary and the American Dialect Society (ADS).

To adult is to “behave like a grownup,” says the ADS. I find this definition disappointingly reductive.

If adulting is simply behaving like a grownup, why is it almost exclusively used by millennials, applied to themselves? What even is a grownup? And how does this relate to the Trinitonian’s Back to School issue, anyway?

Tasked with having an opinion on adulting, I instead found myself trying to define “grownup.”

Dictionary.com tells us a grownup is “a mature, fully grown person; an adult.” But fully grown in what sense? And if a sixty-year-old man is decidedly immature, is he not a grownup? The meaning, it seems, is more complicated than a dictionary definition can explain. I’m not sure if you remember learning about a word’s denotation and connotation back in high school, but this is that lesson in action. The denotation simply does not suffice.

As small children and young teenagers, applying the grownup label is relatively straightforward.

At that age, it is established as a sort of us-versus-them word, something children knowingly distance themselves from and are distanced from. When you’re a child, you can’t watch that TV show because it’s for grownups. You wouldn’t take eating your vegetables so seriously or complain about the commute because you’re not one of those grownups; that’s not you.

Grownups have real responsibilities and know what they’re doing — they’ve got life figured out. This is generally the understood meaning of grownup for childhood and adolescence. What is a grownup?

Well, it’s just what I’m not. It’s them, not us.

As teens grow into their college years, this understanding of the grownup as something the self is not becomes problematized.

The comfort of knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are most certainly not a grownup is no longer a luxury you experience. A feeling of uncertainty creeps into the definition of grownup, as young adults find themselves watching R-rated movies, doing their own laundry and taxes, living among their peers and managing their schedules. This ambiguity, coupled with a realization that grownups don’t actually have everything figured out, spurs a time of selfreflection, wherein “grownup” is redefined and explored. Turns out the transition between childhood and adulthood is gradual. Turns out it’s not seamless. This is where adulting comes in.

Yes, adulting is typically used by millennials when they are performing mundane grownup tasks that aren’t really optional, like paying the electricity bill.

But I don’t think it’s entirely accurate to cast the adulting trend as yet another manifestation of the bare minimum effort, selfcongratulatory, special-snowflake syndrome that supposedly plagues my generation, as other opinion pieces on the topic have. It’s true that paying bills and scheduling your own dentist appointments isn’t groundbreaking or particularly laudable, but doing these things for the first time is something worth having the language to describe.

For a generation that is starting families and buying houses later than any before us — even opting out of these quintessential grownup things all together at times — the transition between childhood and adulthood is elongated and fundamentally different than it used to be. If we have to work longer hours for lower wages, at least let us have adulting.

So what is adulting? Adulting is a transition. Adulting is a time in your life when you are negotiating and renegotiating your place in the world, your responsibilities and ultimately, your own identity.

Adulting is a process. Adulting is a liminal space. Adulting helps college students describe their experiences. At Trinity, due to our three-year residency rule — although I’ll concede that this has recently been blurred since so

many juniors are now living off campus — adulting is amplified during senior year. This year, as we all come back to school, be patient with us seniors and our adulting.

Let us get excited when we make

perfect mashed potatoes without Mom for the first time, get our vehicle registration renewed on our own or finally move into our own apartment. We know these actions are not moving mountains.

8

WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • AUGUST 26, 2016 •

OPINION

POINT, COUNTERPOINT, COUNTER-COUNTERPOINT

Crocs, Chacs or Trinity University of Witchcraft and Wizardry Birkenstocks?

A battle royale of some royal sandals

If you ever think we’re basically Hogwarts, you’re not alone

Ma r i l y n Monroe once said, “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can c o n q u er JULIA ELMORE the world.”

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF When I slip on my yellow Crocs, I can feel that confidence exuding from each of the little holes on top.

Crocs really took off in elementary schools in 2005. Adults started catching on shortly after, and they have been a hit ever since.

The reasons for their long-lasting popularity are obvious: Crocs are versatile, functional and, of course, fashionable.

Crocs come in a variety of shapes and styles for any occasion you can imagine. The Mary Jane style will stay on at any merry-go-round, swing set or sand box. The flip-flop style is great to wear to your child’s sporting events because you can slide them right off and tan your feet while yelling at the refs. The classic style has a handy strap that you can move behind your ankles for more rigorous activities.

No matter what style you choose, Crocs have your back. They are made of a soft foam or rubber material, and you can literally stand all day without discomfort.

They could probably even serve as flotation devices. They are waterproof and can be easily wiped clean in case of any spills. Some even have fur to keep your toes warm in the winter months.

Finally, Crocs just look good.

You can buy little jewels, which are beautiful and probably real gemstones, to put in Crocs’ holes.

Crocs come in any color imaginable, even in camo print so no one can see them and become jealous of you. Birks and Chacos look more or less the same. Coco Chanel, another fashion icon, reminds us: “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” When you choose to wear Crocs, you become irreplaceable.

As a p r o u d owner of Chacos and a sick Z-shaped tan since the tender GRACE FRYE of MANAGING EDITOR age s e v e n , my most important memories are anchored by the trusty sport sandals that literally anchor me to the Earth. While my opponents make OK points, a few key features make Chacos the ultimate sandals.

Chacos reign supreme in water.

From washing a dog to whitewater rafting, those Z-shaped rock stars keep feet protected and comfortable at all times. Hiking in a rainforest?

Chacos stay firm and keep your feet planted to the ground. Running to class in the rain? No need for expensive rain boots; Chacos are so dependable, they’ll even dry while you’re in class. The second Mother Nature even considers sprinkling, Birks either hit the closet or face waterlogged decomposition. True Crocs are waterproof, but even the most avid Crocs fan admits you’ll trip yourself without even trying.

Chacos give the owner full control to perfect their fit. Birks offer only a few straps on top of the shoe and Crocs offer zero opportunities to adjust the fit to your feet. Chacos’ OG Z1/Z2 backstrap design ensures you’ll never lose the shoes to poor fit.

If you’re ever worried about the “fashion” of sport sandals, don’t think that the extra expense of Birkenstocks somehow make them fancier. I wore my Chacos to prom and have no regrets; they were comfortable, stylish and they matched my dress. Of course I’m going to dance the night away instead of sitting on the sidelines as stilettos dig into my heels.

Chacos don’t only stand out from the crowd themselves; they make YOU stand out from the crowd.

You can’t buy confidence, but you can buy Chacos. They’re pretty much the same thing.

I’m one of many children who grew up wishing they could attend the Hogwarts MIA GARZA OPINION COLUMNIST School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the wildly famous “Harry Potter” books. So when I went off to college and ended up here at Trinity, I made the most of the university’s similarities to Hogwarts.

First, there’s the dormitories.

Sharing a room with friends on campus and occasionally spending leisure time in common rooms are both activities students at Hogwarts also partake in.

In buildings like Witt-Winn Residence Hall, there are numerous outdoor bridge walkways to get lost in, giving it a very “Harry Potter” feel. It’s not hard to get lost on the bridgeways and end up in a different building. When walking through them at night or in the early morning, when fog is in the tall trees in that area, it’s easy to pretend you’re at Hogwarts, learning how to fly on a broom instead of learning the

Birkenstocks, or Birks as I so lovingly refer to them, are truly the most incredible footwear you could ever put ALEX URI NEWS EDITOR on your feet.

First, they provide unbelievable arch support.

Why is arch support important?

Your feet go through so much hardship every single day. Think about it: not only do they move you from place to place, but they also move all the extra weight you’re carrying that day. If you’re not supporting your arches, you’re not supporting your body. Chacos, admittedly, give you some amount of support. But they don’t mold to your feet like Birks do. The longer I wear my Birks, the more

comfortable they get. The longer I wear my Chacos, the more blisters I get. Crocs are a glorified piece of plastic and therefore provide no support whatsoever. So Birks are clearly the smartest investment.

Second, they honestly go with anything. I’ve worn them with jeans, leggings, dresses and shorts.

No one, besides my mom, has ever said anything about me wearing my Birks with any and every outfit.

Chacos only really go with outfits that you could go hiking in. They’re essentially hiking boots without any of the protection. Unless you are either under the age of four or you’re gardening, do not ever think Crocs are a good fashion choice.

All in all, Chacos are not the worst shoes in the world. No matter if you like Chacos or Birks, I think everyone can agree that Crocs are the worst.

fundamentals of economics and computer science.

Though they are not yet proven to actually be magical, the Trinicats that roam the campus create an aura of mystery and comfort at the same time. They’re a different kind of magical beast.

Additionally, there’s a dining hall where you can feast with your friends and a library with books full of all kinds of knowledge. If only there was also a place to play enchanted chess.

Like at Hogwarts, some Trinity students get sorted into groups as well. The four houses at Hogwarts have their own unique strengths and students are sorted based on personality and their own personal preference. In the Greek system, the same ideas reigns, but unlike in “Harry Potter,” not all are sorted.

In “Harry Potter,” there are ghosts that wander the halls of Hogwarts, making friendly with the students and occasionally playing a prank or two. At Trinity, we have our own Calvert Ghosts that only appear on Halloween night. The tradition warrants students living in Calvert to run naked through the firstyear quad covered in baby powder, giving them a ghostly appearance.

When you catch a glimpse of these

ghastly creatures, you might feel a tingle down your spine.

Trinity was founded in 1869, and compared to other college campuses, that’s pretty old. This means that there are a lot of secrets to be found around campus, just like at Hogwarts. Rooms like ones in the Halsell and Chapman Centers, which sport wood walls, chandeliers and even fireplaces, have as much character in them as memories they hold.

Legends at Trinity are not always well known, but there are many. If you were to do the research, you’d surely come across more than one interesting story. If there is one place to find leads, it’s the special collections section of the library.

Located on the bottom floor, most of its contents are older than our professors. Many obscure pieces of Trinity and San Antonio history are on display.

So if you’re feeling mundane at Trinity, remember that you are at a school with a history, like Hogwarts. You might not be fighting the Dark Lord in an enchanted forest or meeting elves and goblins, but there there are adventures to be had and treasures to be found; you just have to remember to look.

ClassiCal ReCeptions pResents

Dreams of Power anD TruTh film series

Don’t miss our first films!

Aug 25 Sept 1 Sept 8

Star WarS the hurt Locker unforgiven

every ThursDay 7:00 Pm

rCC 320

Questions? Contact prof. Benjamin stevens (bstevens@trinity.edu)

FALL2016

every week come and enjoy films that adapt material from ancient history, literature, and myth, including: Gladiator, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Interstellar

OPINION • AUGUST 26, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

9

The importance of interdisciplinarity Crafting a schedule that bridges the liberal arts-science divide is crucial to the Trinity experience I often hear students of all classes complaining a b o u t having to take courses outside of GABRIEL LEVINE their majors.

OPINION COLUMNIST I empathize with this sentiment. No one wants to be distracted from their truest passion. However, I think that resenting Pathways and the Common Curriculum or taking the easiest blow-off classes to meet the minimum requirements is misguided and, indeed, misses the whole point of attending a school like Trinity.

Part of what makes Trinity special is the distinguished, world-class faculty in every department. It is the faculty’s consistent talent that makes the school as good as it is.

President Danny Anderson has said that the value of a liberal arts education in modern times is the creation of a well-rounded human being, whose exposure to information and styles of thinking beyond the norms of their major

make them more adaptable and more valuable in both the search for employment and life in general.

Of course, it is completely natural to resent having to take a class beyond one’s major, especially when there are so many good classes in every major’s department.

For the genuinely overloaded engineer taking three labs in a semester, there may not be enough hours in the day to dedicate to a non-engineering course. For the philosophy major who hated math, chemistry, biology and physics in high school, taking a college-level science course is even more anathema. I am a chemistry major with an interest in elements of physics, math, engineering and computer science, so I face the issue of there being simply too many courses that I want to take within the sciences, let alone outside of them.

That said, I have taken an abundance of non-STEM classes, even beyond what is required for Common Curriculum, and I plan to take more. Some of these courses, like Peter Balbert’s “American Literature 1900-Present” and David Rando’s “Literary Methods”

graphic by Tyler Herron

were material heavy and very timeconsuming. Others, like David Lesch’s “Medieval Islamic History” were somewhat less demanding, but no less valuable. From these classes I gleaned a wealth of knowledge and perspective into the functionality of other disciplines that I would never have been aware of had I solely taken STEM classes or simply chosen a blow-off class.

Indeed, after taking classes in both the liberal arts and the sciences, I am struck by common themes and problems. Across disciplines, theories are proposed and refined as they are stretched to their limits in practical application. Over time, the elements of theories that work well are kept while those that don’t

are left behind. There are common issues of intellectual property, verification and attribution of credit. Large egos and entrenched biases compromise the purity of the discipline.

Of course, there are fundamental differences across disciplines.

The liberal arts tend to be fundamentally subjective, while science is fundamentally objective.

However, this does not invalidate the practical benefit that comes from merging perspectives across fields. A gender studies perspective can help eliminate historical biases that still exist in the sciences.

Techniques rooted in science enable the preservation, and thus continued analysis, of great works of art as well as the creation of wholly new art forms. In the real world, interdisciplinarity is everywhere.

Medical schools now value students who have backgrounds in English or communication. Multi-billiondollar pharmaceutical companies rely on both chemistry majors and marketing majors in the broader process of producing and selling a drug. As a chemistry major, I know that exposure to computer science and chemical engineering

will improve my ability to conduct valuable research.

Similarly, I would surmise the political scientists naturally benefit from a knowledge of history.

Interdisciplinarity is inescapable, whether in academia or industry.

Moreover, a dedication to taking classes beyond your major will yield continuous benefits in your personal experience of the world and connection with other people for the rest of your life. It is with this in mind that I stress the importance of not simply taking an easy required class and sleeping through it, but instead actively getting the most out of it, and thus the most out of the truly unique faculty excellence across disciplines that Trinity offers (not to mention getting your tuition’s worth).

Lastly, if any faculty are reading, it is absolutely necessary to offer science classes geared specifically for non-science majors. Scientific literacy is critically important; it is as much a disservice to graduate a philosophy major without an even cursory awareness of modern science as it is to graduate an engineer who can’t write a communicative essay.

Relief and peace in the face of cancer Senior reflects on family, mortality and learning to embrace life despite the inevitability of death We are at a point in life where death is not a reality. Why should it be?

As future u MARKHAM SIGLER p p e r SPORTS EDITOR m i d d l e classers enjoying our college years, the world is an untapped oyster ripe with opportunity, success and glory. For now, we tell ourselves to soak up the sun. Relish a taxfree existence while it presents itself. Prepare studiously (when it’s convenient) for an 8-to-5 grind complete with the doubleplusgood promise brought to us by Hollywood and advertising gurus everywhere, the promise of an adulthood that will fulfill our childhood fantasies of a wonderful life. Death is far, far away from us.

My cousin Tanya’s relationship with this enticing deception was painfully short. She was 24 years old when a doctor diagnosed her with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. One can only imagine the devastating effect such news had. Why? Because she had a date that weekend with Chris, a longtime family friend who is three years her junior (a fact I seldom pass up a chance to kid her about.)

Two weeks earlier, Chris had been home for spring break. The two crossed paths at a local bar where, thanks to some good old-fashioned liquid courage, they preceded to “mug each other in front of the whole place,” as Tanya eloquently described. Apparently, Chris had

had a crush on his older sister’s friend for quite a while, and Tanya, who claims obliviousness, was taken aback as sobriety returned the next day.

Chris had to return to Aggieland, and a frustrated Tanya waited for his call. In his foolish youth, Chris was afraid that their mutual state of inebriation during the encounter relegated it to a one-time fling. But he finally called after a week, asking her to see him when he drove down the following weekend.

During the time that passed between that phone call and her scheduled date, Tanya visited the doctor because of some strange, reoccurring symptoms she could not understand. It was then that she discovered the horrible truth of her disease.

San Antonio was a small town 20 years ago, and news like this traveled fast. When Chris arrived that weekend, his parents gave him the details.

“Chris,” they said, not realizing the two had a planned date (much less that they’d committed some righteous PDA) after 16 years of knowing each other. “Tanya has cancer.”

“Tanya May?” Chris replied, referring to his own cousin, another Tanya.

“No. Tanya Yamin.”

Another situation we will never be able to empathize with: A man’s longtime love, finally within his grasp, and here death was, trying to prematurely yank her away. I am not sure how I would have responded. How can you know unless you have to?

Chris did not miss a beat.

“But what about our date tonight?”

Tanya’s beautiful smile warms the room as she recounts this story, probably for the hundredth time.

The two have been married for over 15 years and have four children.

Jude, 10, a gamer, is often found plugged into some wild Minecraft creation, communicating with his fellow compatriots in a language I cannot understand. (Chris is an architect ... it all makes sense now.) Rome, 7, is an athlete and future high school heartthrob. The 6-year-old Dante is a miniature mad genius. Most of the time, he defines the word “spaz.” But when he graces us with a moment of solemnity, I fear for the minds he is going to blow when maturity balances out his wild side. Lovely little Talia is the family’s lone daughter and a social butterfly.

Created in the image of her mother, a real estate agent, she knows how to get what she wants in a way that makes you think you wanted to give it to her all along.

The kids are vaguely aware of their mother’s current condition.

After winning her first round with the disease in her mid-20s, the cancer recurred in her breast in 2013, leading to a double mastectomy. Initially, she was cleared. In the summer of 2014, the cancer returned again, steadily spreading ever since.

This time around, the prognosis had little hope. After attempting intense chemo for a time, she chose to forgo the treatment; the pain it caused her and its lack of results left

no reason to continue. As of this summer, the battle is between what remains of her depleted immune system and the most powerful version of the pathology her body has met. It’s difficult to know what the future holds for Tanya.

Many in similar situations have led fairly typical lives; these are classic examples of the philosophy “Mind over matter” succeeding. Many other cases are not.

When death is perpetually at your doorstep, it lends perspective.

When death is something that happens to grandparents, unlucky car crash victims, Middle Eastern collateral damage and names in a history book, it evokes convoluted, ephemeral feelings of despair, sympathy and — most frighteningly — indifference.

Dwelling on death’s inevitability is not the recommendation.

As college students, we excel at ignoring the enormous smallness of our lives. We exercise precise and circuitous methods of collecting ourselves in the moment, distract our busy minds with trivial matters and rarely stop to consider the big questions, the things that matter. Deep down, we cling to the simplistic idea that if we are good, then the afterlife will be good, leaving the weighty issues of living and dying, right and wrong, and truth and falsehood to sort out themselves on their own time.

Flannery O’Connor wrote with tremendous insight into the human condition. When she was diagnosed with lupus at the age of 27, doctors told her she had a maximum of five years to go. She

passed at 39. Over the course of those 12 years, she wrote dozens of short stories and two novels that were organized posthumously in a compilation that won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction.

This woman’s brilliance radiates from the pages of her collected works, but it is a quote from one of her many lectures that I think pertains greatly to your life, my own and the point I am struggling to make in this column: “If it is presumptuous to think that faith will stay with you forever, it is just as presumptuous to think that unbelief will.”

For Flannery and Tanya, death did not follow its modern protocol.

As a result, their lives are richly enhanced in many important ways.

Rather than seeing life through the lenses of optimism, greed and ego, they are forced to recognize it for what it really is — fleeting, and physically and emotionally wrenching. The enhancement lies in death’s desire to show us the truth of this world. Chris summed this up to me plainly over beer and sushi not too long ago.

“There are no atheists in the foxhole.”

By no means does the foxhole have to inhibit this life’s many pleasures. It certainly has not inhibited Tanya and Chris, who hit the town regularly, share unconditional wisdom with me on a regular basis and exemplify the joys of a fast-paced family life when they and their four kids pile on their double couch in front of the TV on a Friday night, without any sense of restlessness or worry.

P

ulse

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT “I wish I had two more weeks [of summer]. I wish that every year and I never get them. Something’s wrong here.

David Crockett, professor and chair, political science

Spill the beans: Pullitzer Prize winner presents research on processed food

Author of the Reading TUgether novel discusses the dangers of unhealthy treats

BY COURTNEY JUSTUS PULSE REPORTER During a time of increasing awareness regarding health, the opportunity to discuss harmful eating habits was welcomed by Trinity. On Wednesday, Aug. 24, reporter Michael Moss delivered the Reading TUgether lecture on his critically acclaimed book “Salt, Sugar, Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us.” Moss has previously earned a Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting because of his work studying the food industry.

“Salt, Sugar, Fat” was chosen for the new first year students to read over the summer. Moss explores controversial subject matter in his novel and his claims and opinions will be discussed both inside and outside the classroom.

Moss was inspired to write this book through his investigation on the contamination of food.

His research focused on some of the most commonly known and discussed foodborne illnesses.

“I was writing about E-coli and salmonella and other pathogens that get into food and contaminate it. It was absolutely fascinating,” Moss said.

“One of my best sources, a scientist who tests hamburgers for E-coli, at one point said to me, ‘Look Michael, as tragic as these incidents of contamination are, you really should look at things my industry – sort of the meat industry – intentionally add to its products, over which it has absolute control.’

And he’s talking about salt, and when I started looking at salt, I then started asking, what are the other big things that they add to their products, and then I found sugar and then I found fat, and so that was the start: it was this pathogen expert steering me in the other direction.”

Moss gave his readers the incentive to adopt healthier lifestyle choices. His investigations of huge companies such as Kraft and General Mills expose dangers in common foods students may unknowingly digest. “Salt, Sugar, Fat” also aligns with Trinity’s incentive to bring students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community a wider range of healthy options; other efforts include Trinity organizations such as the Trinity Market and TU Fit:

MICHAEL MOSS discusses the dangers of digesting and interacting with tainted or unhealthy foods during his presentation in Laurie Auditorium on Wednesday, August 24. photo by Henry Pratt

the Health club.

“I’m thinking about the audience being students and just San Antonio and Trinity. I feel like it really aligned well with our wellness initiatives,” said Sheryl Tynes, professor of Sociology and Vice President for Student Life.

“I think all of us can stand to be more mindful of what we put in our bodies, and so to me that message really was perfect in terms of the timing for our campus.”

Tynes believed that significant change is occurring on the Trinity campus and beyond, as the way the community views healthy eating and processed foods is actively being challenged by reporters and students alike.

“I think that our entire culture is more aware of food-related issues,” Tynes said. “I think that

we’re at the very beginning of conversations about the role of food and our health. I think about our campus and these kinds of issues in terms of just overall health but I think there’s a message in here for all of us and so I think the committee really liked that.

They liked the fact that this could potentially change behavior.”

Throughout the book, Moss points to the addictive properties of processed foods and how large companies engage in an elaborate process in order to create products that will have their customers hooked. Trinity faculty, staff and students have picked up on this cue, and have begun discussing the consequences of this behavior on the buyers who choose to consume these food products in a variety of settings, such as seminar courses or

casual conversation.

“Considering food as like a drug, and almost thinking of it as having addictive properties, is kind of like almost a game changer,” said Zachary Carter, a first-year physics major.

Despite dealing with a difficult subject matter and exposing a number of secrets behind the processed food industry, Moss still manages to remain in good standing with several of the most well-known food giants. This is thanks largely in part to his noticeably civil personality and behavior.

“He always seemed to be pretty nice and courteous to the people he’s interviewing, and it’s almost like he understood the situation they were in,” Carter said. “A lot of times he didn’t look at them as

offenders, but almost as victims of the system, like they had to do this to stay competitive. It’s like he understands what they’re going through.”

At the end of his lecture, Moss strongly encouraged the audience of students, faculty and other citizens of San Antonio to have a real conversation about food with their loved ones and to get more people engaged in the discussion.

He stated that he understood that millions of Americans consume processed food, often not by choice and that most of them will continue to do so for a variety of reasons. His primary goal, however, is to help as many people as possible become more aware of unhealthy habits and learn how to lead healthier lifestyles in an effort to improve their overall wellbeing.

CAMPUS PULSE • AUGUST 26 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

Interns and researchers reflect on work Students consider the benefits of the jobs they had during the break

BY SIDNEY HOPKINS

PULSE REPORTER

As the summer comes to a close, Trinity students’ internships and summer research positions are wrapping up as well. Each summer, several students are hired for internships or are chosen to do research in various departments.

Students from several grade levels stayed on campus to do research with professors or were able to do internships in different places around the world.

Junior Zeina Zayat did summer research on campus for the second time this past break, and continued her studies with Steven Bachrach in the chemistry department. Zayat did her research on computational chemistry, and was even published as a co-author with Bachrach for an article in the Journal of Organic Chemistry titled “‘Planetary Orbit’ Systems Composed of Cycloparaphenylenes.”

At Trinity, students are given a lot of freedom when deciding what to research and how to do it.

“With my research, you were able

to go at your own pace… I can also keep on doing my research during the school year, which I’ve decided to do,” Zayat said.

Lavanya Hospeti, a junior at Trinity, also chose to do summer research on campus. Hospeti investigated milkweed germination and growing techniques, focusing on rehabilitating milkweed populations to help monarch populations breed during the spring, she worked with Dr. Kelly Lyons from the biology department.

“I found Dr. Lyons’ research to be interesting while I was reading up about Trinity research opportunities,” Hospeti said.

She was also able to work with other students during the summer, giving her a variety of different perspectives on how to go about conducting her research.

As for off-campus internships, Trinity student Marcus Whitten interned for Banno, a company that builds financial platforms for banks. The internship took place in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and he was able to build and maintain databases for Banno.

“The actual work was really fun, and the work environment was way different than I would have expected from a typical company,” Whitten said. “It gave me a lot of practical work experience.”

Whitten is currently still

11

Zeina Zayat analyzes and organizes some of the data she collected during her summer research in the chemistry department photo by Claudia Garcia

employed with Banno, and plans to continue working with them during the school year.

Several Trinity students recommend applying to every possible internship or summer research position. Senior Kylie Moden worked for Google in London this summer, and suggests that students interested in internships should apply wherever they can.

“Living in London was the best,”

Moden said, “however, the great culture at Google that encourages you to innovate and think big as well as promoting a work-life balance is truly why I keep coming back to work for them every summer.”

Junior Craig Burton also encourages students to try for any opportunity possible. “Reach out to every contact you can,” said Burton, who worked at Siemens, a company that works to improve

technologies for mail services.

“I got really good experience for software engineering.” He was able to help work on a new algorithm for software for the company that will be available in San Antonio.

“I felt like less of an intern and more of a contractor that was actually working on something that we’ll be able to see in the future,” Burton said.

Talk with professors for advice on the best plan for summer work.

Trinity mourns loss of physics professor Students and faculty recall their relationships with Daniel Spiegel

BY COURTNEY JUSTUS

PULSE REPORTER

This summer, the Trinity community was shocked by the sudden passing of Daniel Spiegel, who held a doctorate in physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is survived by his parents, son and ex-wife.

In the wake of this loss, students, faculty and staff are now reflecting on their relationships with this cherished and esteemed professor.

“He was a shining light in the sciences, a truly brilliant teacher and scientist who was doing cutting edge research on liquid crystals,” said Adam Urbach, professor of chemistry.

Spiegel influenced his fellow faculty members in their own studies as well.

“We had many conversations, and he became a mentor to me.”

Urbach said.

Urbach also took the time to reflect on how Spiegel impacted him and other students as a talented professor.

“I remember fondly when Dan taught a biophysics course that really captured one of our chemistry majors, Nicole Bouley Ford. Nicole talked about his class all the time, and one day she insisted that we go over to Dan’s office to talk with him about the thermodynamics they were discussing in class,” Urbach said.

The discussion that followed between the student and professors remains memorable to this day.

“It resulted in an amazing hour of lively conversation. Nicole went on to earn a Ph.D. in physical chemistry at Caltech (California Institute of Technology) and I really believe Dan played a part in inspiring her.”

Spiegel made his classes engaging by building good relationships with his students through meaningful interactions that enriched the class structure and content.

“I liked having Dr. Spiegel because he made class a lot more interesting,” said Stephen Chang, a junior physics and computer science major.

Spiegel had been able to bring humor to his more challenging classes.

“I remember one day he told us, ‘I really have to thank you guys for not making fun of me because I’m so old’. And he wasn’t that old.” Chang said.

Outside of the classroom, Spiegel was known for his volunteer work with organizations such as Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity; he enjoyed building machines from scratch, and brought his talent to life in every aspect of his life. During his time in the classrooms at Trinity, Spiegel and his work became inspirations to students and colleagues alike.

“Dr. Spiegel was greatly devoted to his research program and undergraduate involvement in it,” said Dennis Ugolini, professor of physics and astronomy. “Over two-thirds of his published papers included undergrad co-authors.”

Spiegel achieved great success in

his own research and enjoyed helping other students to prosper as well.

“He supported four student summer projects during my first year at Trinity, all completely different,” Ugolini said. “He won grants and awards for his own work, and his students were also recognized with Goldwater scholarships and NSF [National Science Foundation] fellowships.”

In the months following Spiegel’s passing, the memory of his brilliance is still burning strong in the minds of students, faculty, staff and other members of the shaken Trinity community.

“He was sharp as a tack, and whatever question followed his dissembling could take hours of thought to truly consider,” Ugolini said.

His peers were quick to praise him.

“And there was no more hardworking professor at Trinity University. Dr. David Hough once wrote about Dan that ‘when the task calls for it... days make no difference, nights make no difference; he gets the job done,’” Ugolini said.

Spiegel passed very unexpectedly and much of the Trinity community is still in shock. In the wake of this loss, many have and will come together to remember him. A memorial service for Spiegel will be held on Friday, Sept. 16 at 1:30 p.m. at Margarite B. Parker Chapel.

His passing still affects the community as classes begin.

Students and colleagues of Spiegel

DANIEL SPIEGEL worked at Trinity from 1991- 2016 photo from Trinity Website

remember him fondly and will miss him this year.

“He passed so suddenly and well before his time, and I know will be deeply missed by us all,” Ugolini said.

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • AUGUST 26, 2016 •

CAMPUS PULSE

The Trinity Market continues to flourish Business operated by alumni and students considers their future projects and plans

BY COURTNEY JUSTUS

PULSE REPORTER

The Trinity Market provides students, faculty and the greater San Antonio community numerous opportunities to reach out to others and choose from healthier eating options. Hayley Sayrs, a recent Trinity graduate, now works full time as the Market Manager to guarantee these chances.

“The position name is Outreach and Development. My role is really securing the proper funding to ensure the sustainability of the market,” Sayrs, a biology and environmental studies double major, said.

Last October, Sayrs secured a grant while working with Luis Martinez from the department of entrepreneurship, Carolyn Becker from the department of psychology and Christina Verzijil, who received the grant jointly with Sayrs and also helped to make the Trinity Market a reality.

“The vision was to have a space that connected students and entrepreneurs in the community, as well as farmers and ranches,” Sayrs said. “It’s definitely evolved into something more.”

Sayrs foresees a bright future for the Trinity Market; she is already aspiring to introduce significant changes to the way it operates.

These will allow the Trinity community to have access to healthier eating options.

In order to do so, the market is currently

partnering with companies such as ¡Por Vida! and TU Dining.

“We are launching a campuswide program to increase local procurement of goods,” Sayrs said.

“We’re going to try to get products into the PODs on campus. I’m also working to increase the catering options on our food trucks.”

In order to accomplish these goals, Sayrs must work closely with a number of parties, including Aramark and TUPD, so the process goes smoothly.

“These partnerships really just require constant communication,” Sayrs said.

From the first Saturday, the Trinity Market was a success, attracting many people and inspiring them to make a difference in their community. With the market on campus, it has become easily accessible to the variety of shoppers it attracts, including students, HAYLEY SAYRS, center, observes the condition of the market while mingling with several customers. photo by Claudia Garcia faculty and nearby residents.

“Everyone around campus has their own unique talents to give to the Trinity a junior music education major. “One day services to San Antonio citizens outside of Market,” said Zoheb Hirani, a sophomore I came up with this idea: Why can’t we just the Trinity community. chemistry major. “It’s shaped by the interests integrate these two things?”

“When I was working with the community in our community. If you have something Morgan later proposed this idea to Sayrs, garden, I wanted to make it something that incredible to offer, it’s free for students to set who was involved with the community could burst the Trinity bubble,” Morgan said. up their own tent!” garden at the time. Together, the two worked “We could make it this thing that we can all The market has also worked with KRTU together to make it a reality. grow together.” to provide live music while customers “I thought it was a really cool idea to The Trinity Market accepts donations shop at the various stands and vendors, get kids to know about the stuff we do on through its website, allowing the market to implementing the use of other operations campus,” Morgan said. “She thought it was continue to support the variety of vendors a lovely idea.” managed by Trinity students. who sell products every weekend and others As the Trinity Market continues to grow, it who contribute to the market to support the “I started out as a co-president for the community garden on campus and I was is able to provide greater outreach to Trinity emerging healthy and energized lifestyles of also working for KRTU,” said John Morgan, and the surrounding community by offering the community.

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CAMPUS PULSE • AUGUST 26 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

Student racers start training

Trinity community is encouraged to run with Dean Tuttle for half marathon

BY SIDNEY HOPKINS

PULSE REPORTER

As the new semester rolls in, several Trinity students, staff, parents, alumni and faculty will join Dean of Students David Tuttle in preparation for the eighth Annual Dean of Students Half Marathon Challenge as a part of the San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon. The marathon will take place on Dec. 4, 2016.

Participants begin to train in August with weekly group runs. Both first-time and experienced runners are welcome.

“The first time was really challenging,” said Trinity junior Mikki Hoffman. She has done the marathon twice, and plans on doing it a third time this year. “I felt almost shocked at the end of the race because I actually did it.”

Several experienced students also join in on the marathon. Madeline Kennedy, a sophomore, is an experienced half marathon runner, having previously participated in cross country in high school.

“I’ve actually run a couple half marathons before, but not at Trinity,” Kennedy said.

The program creates a welcoming atmosphere for all types of runners, as training creates a sense of camaraderie between participants who spend several hours a week training for something that can be difficult to do alone. “It really added structure to my freshman year, and it was good to have something to push me out the door.” Kennedy said.

Every year, the Trinity community lines up on the portion of the marathon that passes campus to support runners.

“Running by Trinity last year was one of my favorite things about the marathon,” said Matthew Reynolds, a senior music and urban studies double major. Reynolds ran the marathon as a junior and is planning on returning this year. “Seeing so many familiar faces made the hilliest part so much better.” Reynolds said.

At the start of school, advertisements will be around to provide information on how to begin training. Students can also join the Dean of Students Half Marathon 2016 Facebook page, or email Dean Tuttle to be added to the marathon list. All grade levels of students are welcome, whether they are new to long distance running or have years of experience in it.

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photo by Noah Davidson

WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • AUGUST 26, 2016 •

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

photo by Noah Davidson

photo by Henry Pratt

photo by Henry Pratt

Top Left: Student, faculty and staff volunteers carry first year’s belongings up stairs to their new rooms.

Top Right: First year students and parents congregate in Laurie Auditorium as NSO to kick off NSO activities.

Middle Left: Students and parents get ask questions, explore possibilities at academic fair Bottom Left: First years migrate from Laurie Auditorium to the Bell Center after the convocation ceremony.

Bottom Right: Students enter Murchison Tower for the traditional Tower Climb. photo by Henry Pratt

AE &

Frank Ocean In a strange turn of events, popular R&B and hip-hop artist Frank Ocean’s sophomore record, “Boys Don’t Cry,” dropped this week. We can only hope Ocean releases his next album in a more timely manner.

Sexual equality at Olympics comes in dead last Female athletes given substandard media treatment in Rio Olympic coverage Media coverage of the Olympics has been exceptional these past few weeks, but there has been a difference NABEEHA VIRANI in how male and female athletes A&E WRITER are represented.

Female athletes’ accomplishments were diminished and their appearances mocked.

Katinka Hosszu, a swimmer from Hungary, won three gold medals and broke an Olympic and world record. Despite her domination in the pool, all eyes were on her animated husband/coach, with NBC reporter Dan Hicks claiming Hosszu’s husband as “the man responsible” for her gold medals.

The next day, the Chicago Tribune tweeted, “Wife of a Bears lineman wins a bronze medal in today’s Rio Olympics.” The Chicago Tribune should know: she has a name. It’s Corey Cogdell, and she is a threetime Olympic medalist.

Even while women are excelling at what they’ve worked so hard for their entire lives, some people will still only view them as somebody else’s wife. These athletes will never simply be athletes. They’ll be another man’s possession. They’ll never be individuals.

When Katie Ledecky broke the world record in the 800-meter freestyle and Michael Phelps won silver in his 200-meter butterfly the same night, the Bryan-College Station Eagle featured Phelps’ victory as the main headline, with Ledecky’s victory underneath, in smaller font.

I’m not trying to take anything away from Phelps. He is the GOAT. But Ledecky demolished her competition that night while Phelps got second place. The media coverage makes it seem that a woman’s success doesn’t matter when compared to a man’s.

graphic by Tyler Herron

On the other hand, some are saying that because Phelps is more famous than Ledecky, this headline helped sell the paper. But that’s beside the point. Making rationalizations strays the conversation away from what really matters and completely changes the focus of the issue: unequal treatment of female atheletes in the media, a problem that will never go away if we ignore it. In order to fight sexism, we need to bring attention to this inequality if we ever want to fix it.

Andy Murray did a great job by making sure his interviewer recognized the accomplishments of women. A BBC reporter told Murray that he was the first person to ever win two Olympic gold medals in tennis. Murray quickly shut that reporter down, replying that both Serena and Venus Williams had previously won four gold medals each. You go, Murray.

Unlike Murray, two other men made my blood boil. Bo Dietl, a former NYPD detective, and Mark Simone, a radio host,

were invited on a Fox News segment called “Sports Court,” where they had strong opinions on female athletes and makeup.

Dietl said that he didn’t want to see a chick’s zits while she received her gold medal.

Simone said that the reason these female athletes were at the Olympics was to get more endorsements.

Judgment on female athletes’ appearances and intentions are unwelcome, unfair and childish. This is the Olympics, and athletes should be able to look the way they want to.

Two grown men should not be allowed to sit on national TV and discuss how they feel about this subject.

The media was also quick to judge female athletes from countries other than the West.

The Egyptian women’s beach volleyball team was criticized for their uniforms, which were a long-sleeved top and leggings instead of the shorter two-piece we usually see. The women also wore the hijab.

Rather than focusing on the fact that this

was the first time Egypt had participated in beach volleyball, these women were criticized for their uniforms and their religion.

The problem is that most Western countries are still getting used to the idea of change and are inherently unjust. Just because there are different cultures, religions and genders doesn’t mean that one is better than another.

We have to be tolerant and respectful, which is something the International Olympic Committee stands for. We also have to be vocal in challenging these issues in our everyday lives. We can’t let people control the issues we care about just because they control the conversation.

Fighting for justice begins one way, and that is through discussion. So I encourage you all to talk to your friends, peers and professors about what injustices you see and hear on a daily basis. Who knows, with enough intelligent conversation, maybe we’ll live in a society where all women will finally be regarded as equally important as men.

Fans anticipate two new entries to the Harry Potter world “Mysterious Beasts” and “Cursed Child” breathe new life into beloved children’s franchise After five years without a new “Harry Potter” movie or book, J.K. Rowling is bringing back the story that captivated an MAX FREEMAN entire generation.

A&E WRITER Rowling’s series of books has reached millions of kids across the world, but since her last “Harry Potter” book was written almost a decade ago, some of those kids are now adults. This year, Rowling is inviting old and new fans alike to enter the wizarding world.

Not only is the “Harry Potter” universe returning to the bookshelf, but it’s also making its way onto the big screen. I can’t help but be amazed by the ingenious approach Rowling and her collaborators have taken in getting the old fans and the new ones back into “Harry Potter”: namely, through producing new content.

For the original readers, Rowling is encouraging writers to continue what got kids interested in her work in the first place: the Harry Potter universe. This time, however, the author has decided to write her story in the format of a play entitled “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” which people can read as a script if they can’t see it live on stage.

On the other hand, Rowling introduces an entirely new story to the big screen with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Based on its teaser trailer, the movie encourages those unfamiliar with “Harry Potter” to explore the wizarding world. The setting is different from the older “Harry Potter” books, which could draw in a

different category of fans unfamiliar with the original “Harry Potter” universe.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” returns to the character Harry Potter and the young family he has with Ginny Weasley, including the focus of the play, Albus. The play is divided into two parts but is intended to be seen in one or in consecutive evenings.

The play is directed by Tony Award winner John Tiffany and written by Tiffany and Jack Thorne, along with Rowling. The original cast includes Sam Clemmett as Albus Potter, Jamie Parker as Harry Potter, Noma Dumezweni as Hermione Granger and Paul Thornley as Ron Weasley.

Unfortunately for both Trinity Students and “Harry Potter” fans worldwide, the Palace Theater in West London is the only venue housing the production. However, there are hopes that Broadway may pick up the production sometime in 2017.

If you can’t wait for a production to begin in the U.S., you can order the play in book form online, at www.cursedchildstore.com

for about $26 (or £20.00 to be exact).

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Set in New York City during 1926, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” follows Newt Scamander on his adventure in the wizarding world. Based on information from Pottermore (a website organized by Rowling), the new film will focus on magic in North America, potentially including a Hogwarts-like academy called Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This is a major departure from the Britain-centric content of the past.

Those who have doubts about the quality of movie sequels can rest easy. David Yates, director of the final four “Harry Potter” movies, has returned to the franchise to direct “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” with a promising cast. Starring in the film are Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Colin Farrell, Dan Fogler and Ezra Miller.

The film will premier in movie theaters November 2016.

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • AUGUST 26, 2016 •

SALT CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Sugar, for example, follows the same neural pathways to the pleasure center as addictive drugs. As more sugar is added to a product, consumer pleasure increases until it reaches the “bliss point”: the amount of sugar which produces maximum pleasure.

Exceed the threshold of the bliss point, and the product becomes sickeningly sweet.

Engineering the “bliss point” in foods seems like a harmless, even clever practice until Moss reveals exactly how much sugar it takes to reach the bliss point for adult consumers: a regular 12-ounce Coca-Cola, for instance, contains 39 grams of sugar, or a little over 9 teaspoons. Imagine stacking nine sugar cubes and eating them all in one sitting.

Scarier still is the fact that the bliss point for children is roughly twice as high as that for an adult. While we inherently love sugar from birth, our earliest experiences shape how much sugar we find enjoyable, and processed food industries, Moss asserts, increasingly influence how much sugar children find palatable.

It’s not an unfamiliar story: food companies market sugary foods to children, those children develop brand preferences that are carried into adulthood, and these brand preferences are passed onto their own children, meanwhile the climbing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mirrors the increase in the amount of added sugar consumed on a regular basis. Add the equally addictive ingredients of salt and fat, and you’ve created not only a best-selling food product,

but also the perfect recipe for a national health crisis.

It’s not surprising to note that the law of unintended consequences prevails in Moss’ tale of industry greed, where profit margins and competition for shelf space continue to take precedence over the health and safety of the consumer. “Win now, fix it later” is the dominant mindset of company executives and investors, but once a battle is won — say, Coca-Cola’s triumph over Pepsi — companies find it harder to cut down on the addictive ingredients that have made their product a success, facing backlash both from consumers and Wall Street when they test out the healthier versions of processed food staples. In fact, there is an incentive for companies to continue making addictive foods, as the negative health effects cannot be linked back to them directly and take years to develop.

The concept of making food taste better using the same ingredients is not a new one. Chefs have experimented with salt, sugar, fat and every other ingredient in their kitchens trying to make the most flavorful dish possible. Moss’s story struck a chord because it reveals a horrific example of what happens when consumers get too much of a good thing.

Chefs might have made food taste better in the past through experimentation, but never with the efficiency of agribusiness.

What’s new about Moss’ story is his unveiling of precisely how the bliss points for salt, sugar and fat have been calculated through years

of industry-sponsored research.

Even more intriguing are his interviews with food company executives and scientists, past and present, who only sometimes express remorse over how successfully they marketed and engineered the foods we seem to be hooked on.

Unfortunately for Moss, salt, sugar and fat, while technically different, function relatively the same, both for processed food appeal and for the narrative flow of the book. The pacing begins to plod after the first section as the success stories of addictive food products begin to look remarkably similar.

In addition, Moss only offers us a few closing lines of advice on how to combat the consumer culture we find ourselves in today: “After all, we decide what to buy. We decide how much to eat.”

It’s advice that falls a little flat after reading an entire book on how food companies manipulate us into deciding what to buy and how much to (over)eat. Perhaps the force of Moss’s words would have been stronger had he touched upon some of the more hopeful developments in America’s food culture: the rise of locally-sourced restaurants and farmers markets, the undeniable success of stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods and the increasingly prevalent demand for authenticity and transparency in what products we buy and what ingredients they contain.

Still, it’s easy to see why Moss would hesitate to be so optimistic.

Consumers have not been known to refuse food that tastes delicious,

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

no matter the long-term costs of that extra flavor or lower price point. At one point in the book, a General Mills executive describes the appeal of processed food as “minimum mess and maximum convenience.” The unavailability of produce to many inner-city areas and the new cravings from corporations would make anyone

graphic by Tyler Herron cynical.

After reading Moss’ tale of the inability of both the food industry and consumers to wean themselves from salt, sugar and fat, one can’t help but think that the commercial and cultural success of pushing processed foods has instead created a long-term mess with no convenient solution.

Dylan’s game of the summer: “Overwatch” is the real MVP Summer game release garners accolades from critics, fans alike

W h i l e there was no shortage of video game releases this summer— “No Man’s Sky” and DYLAN WAGNER “ T h e A&E SECTION EDITOR Witness” come to mind — my easy pick for game

of the summer is Blizzard’s highly anticipated “Overwatch.”

First-person shooter games have always had a following that is devoted at best and alienating at worst. This fanbase made shooter games unapproachable by more casual audiences who are averse to racial slurs and the ungodly amount of time needed to become even reasonably competent at the difficult games.

“Overwatch,” a six-versus-six team objective shooter, succeeds at overcoming this unpleasant stereotype while crafting a fun, dangerously addictive experience.

The first way the game outstrips its competition is by offering 22 characters, which all require a wide range of play styles and skill

sets to master. The characters are extremely multifaceted, each with back stories and ability kits that feel both unique and powerful. One healer can resurrect an entire dead team, while a particular defense character literally transforms into a stationary Gatling gun capable of delivering a storm of punishment to anyone foolish enough to stick around. In short, each character has at least one aspect of their playability that earns respect, if not fear, from the other team.

The characters are divided into four general roles: Offense, Defense, Tank and Support. All four categories support a general type of player. Offense characters are very active, geared towards aggressive or disruptive actions.

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Defensive characters are more specialized, rewarding players who appreciate tightly focused skill-sets.

Tank characters are rallying points for the team, soaking up damage and generally keeping the enemy’s focus off of the weaker, or “squishier,” characters. Finally, Support characters do exactly what their name implies, healing or buffing or shielding the team to give them that extra edge in a fight—or simply keeping them that much closer from death.

But gameplay is not everything.

While knowing the plot is not necessary to enjoy the game, Blizzard put immense effort into “Overwatch”’s extensive plot universe, which adds to the game’s value both through out-of-game video shorts and comic series, as well as through in-game character interaction.

Characters have back stories that include interactions with each other in-game. In the waiting room before a game starts, characters will trade dialogue specific to their particular back stories. These can be friendly, such as a motherdaughter duo exchanging warm greetings. However, they can also go the other direction. For characters Hanzo and Genji, a single comment from one brother to another can be chilling enough: “So this is what has become of you? A pity.” Of course, reading the out-of-game lore and watching the related videos make dialogue touches like this meaningful banter.

Blizzard’s large-scale plans for not only the story of “Overwatch” now, but in the future will make it

a heftier game to play, full of small touches like the aforementioned pre-game dialogue and post-death one-liners. The game has hundreds of one-liners and interactions between most of the 22 characters, that give some life to what might otherwise be a technically brilliant, but emotionless, game.

To be sure, there are nominally similar games to “Overwatch,” such as Valve’s “Team Fortress 2” or “Evolve,” sharing some qualities (such as being team-based and class-based shooters) with the game. Admittedly, Blizzard clearly took heavy cues from these games, sometimes going beyond homage to outright copying. But when it comes to video games, a medium tied to technology and building on previous work, I can forgive these faults. In any case, it is the creative character development and commitment to character playability that makes these comparisons fall short.

Last, but certainly not least, “Overwatch” players are generally nice. Of course, this is within the context of competitive video games—everyone hates to lose, and many verbalize their frustration with four-letter words. But the accessibility of “Overwatch” combined with its high skill-cap make it attractive to players of all skill levels, and I’ve found that there are almost as many people willing to shut down the bad sports as there are angry gamers whining about a loss.

“Overwatch” might be the best $40 I’ve ever spent on a video game. It’s worth every penny.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT• AUGUST 26, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

Things I only learned how to appreciate in college A new location and novel experiences bring out the value in the things left at home

Like any transition in life, moving to a collegiate atmosphere offered me many opportunities for change. Although some differences may have been voluntary, the transformation left me grateful for the following: Sleep EMILY PETER A good night’s sleep is vital to A&E WRITER maintaining mental, physical and emotional health, and can make or break your ability to conquer the day ahead. Although it is easy to remember this important fact, many times in college the execution is hard to match. As a sophomore, I can undoubtedly attest to this reality. Late nights become second nature and you can find it harder and harder to hit the hay early. While playing the role of a classic Trinity student who loves to be deeply involved in campus life at the expense of sleep, I have learned to appreciate the magic of a good night’s rest.

Home-cooked meals Just as sleep is a source of energy, food is fuel for your body.

Mabee Dining Hall is filled with buffet style options, a very different serving style than offered at home. There is a pretty great chance that when living at home, your parents were not preparing daily meals for this many students. Additionally, there was likely no fret about Mabee swipes running low or the dreaded loss of bonus bucks. Life at home meant meals from an oven and not a microwave. Even though you will likely love Mabee and its delectable cookies, and maybe even Easy Mac, it won’t be surprising if you missed your mom’s signature dish. I sure did.

Parental Advice My parents were the last thing on my mind as I walked into this new and mysterious world called Trinity University.

I was ready to live life and manage my own affairs away from the people who had guided me since birth. I thought I had it all in the bag. Ironically, I found that the old adage “absence makes the heart grow fonder” may hold some truth. Calling home when I encountered difficulties, I found that my parents’ life experiences were more valuable than ever. Even if I hate to admit it, I discovered that my folks may actually know more than I would like to admit.

Mail Although mail as a form of communication is a dying art form, parents and extended family like to bring it back into style in college. In a world of text messages and snapchats, the actual act of receiving something via snail mail is new found fun for me. Being in touch, literally and figuratively, gives a level of sentimentality when communicating with my loved ones. The pilgrimage to the mail center to claim that one item may be a trek, but receiving it is exciting. Eventually, I realized I couldn’t sort through texts and calls to feel the texture of my family. The act of receiving mail made me feel connected to my old home and snail mail found a special place in my heart.

Your own door An important part of the college experience is being forced to live with a stranger. Trinity definitely takes this seriously, requiring students to live on campus for at least three years before being given the option to live off-campus (until the recent overcrowding, which forced a reevaluation of the associated on-campus housing rules). For me, at least, privacy is golden. And for those of you who had privacy before coming to Trinity, it is one of the last things you take for granted and the first you miss.

Although your list will certainly be different than mine, during this year you’ll surely discover newfound differences that will make you appreciate your home away from home while still evoking nostalgia for your childhood.

17

Roundtable: What’s the weirdest roommate situation you’ve ever been involved in?

Grace Frye, Managing Editor The Pantyliner Incident of 2015 “Our suite was never in the dorm at the same time, but one time we all needed to take a shower at the same time. We lined up and took showers one by one. But after one of us took a shower, the next person got in and stopped. She turned around and said ‘To whomever is using the purple pantyliner, can you please stop putting them on my soap?’ Long story short, there was a used pantyliner on the bar soap and we had to make a suitewide code of shower ethics. Problem solved.”

Emily Elliott, Pulse Editor Sauna Trauma “My roommate would leave the thermostat on crazy high, like 90 degrees. All year. Even during August and September. My suite mates hated it too, so we tried to tell her to stop. She wouldn’t listen, though, so we had to figure out when she was changing it. We all combined our post-its and just put them all over thermostat. If any of them got moved, we knew she did it!

Alex Uri, News Editor The Closet Case “My friend and I were just watching ‘Law and Order: SVU’ in my room, and my roommate came back to work on a paper. We told her that we’d leave, that we’d let her work, but she said no. Then she walked into our closet and closed the door. Two hours later, she walked out like nothing had ever happened. On the plus side, we got to watch three episodes before she went to bed.”

Sports

Historical Reflections On August 24, 1989, Pete Rose was officially banned by the MLB for his infamous gambling habit. Despite this, two months ago the Cincinatti Reds elected him to their organization’s hall of fame. To this day, Rose is an incredibly controversial figure, and his exploits on and off the field are often not recognized for what they truly were. Sheer brilliance within the diamond, and an unabashed disinterest in following the rules without.

Student turnout at sporting events is notoriously low, and seldom discussed across the student/student athlete divide. As our fall sports’ season openers near, athletes gave their thoughts.

Photo illustration by Claudia Garcia

Tiger pride: ride or die?

Athletes share their thoughts on why active support remains low, despite repeated success

BY CHRIS GARCIA

SPORTS REPORTER

Trinity boasts a National Champion baseball team and Conference champions in men’s and women’s soccer, swimming, tennis and women’s golf. In addition, the University is featured in several rankings as one of the best overall schools in the region, and noted for its prestigious academic standards. Requirements, such as the three year onsite residency, have the potential to establish a communal atmosphere, and the accolades our teams and athletes collect on a seasonal basis give students plenty to be proud of. With such accolades, it would seem that students would be eager to show off their Tiger pride. So why are Trinity sporting events notorious for low turnouts and lacking school spirit?

Trinity’s population, at just over 2,500 students, does not make for the most electric fan base compared to some larger schools, but given the constant success of our teams in the

SCAC conference, it is surprising that students do not search for reasons to show up and represent. According sophomore Erica Mundinger, it may have less to do with the success of the programs and more to do with the promotional aspect of sports in general. ​“I believe the low turn-out at games has to do with, in part, the limited promotion of sporting events. Right now, I only hear about games or events from friends I have that are actually on the teams. There could be a lot more advertising of the teams and games via posters, or even having booths during student involvement fairs,” said Mundinger. “Furthermore, I feel as though there is a lack of incentive for people to go to the games, and a scarce amount of spirit and unity between the school and the teams.”

Senior Eric Engle, a former student-athlete noticed the same disconnect between students and sports teams. ​“I think the lack of unity/spirit between the student body and the sports teams is not a recent phenomenon, but rather something that has been embedded into the Trinity culture.

I think the student body expects our teams to win, especially against the teams in our conference, so they don’t show because if we win, so what, they expected that. But if we lose, it’s a disappointment. The excitement that comes with

uncertainty, uncertainty about a game’s outcome, has been removed from Trinity sports, and I think that has impacted the relationship between the two parties,” said Engle.

Students reinforced the idea that the lack of advertising for sporting events is the reason that school spirit is lacking at games and meets. Some think more people would attend if they knew the events were happening. Senior Kevin Grube feels that, even if Trinity was a bigger school, there would still be issues with attendance due to poor marketing.

“I don’t see why we don’t advertise the events better. Almost every sport is near the top of their conference, and I feel like something even as simple as putting up more posters could help attendance. Even if we were D1, I don’t think there would be more attendance. We just really need to work on the marketing side of things,” Grube said.

Perhaps the Trinity student body simply does not find sports interesting. Mundinger says that even if students aren’t necessarily fans, Trinity athletics are an important part of the university experience. ​“Not only are we a school of arts and science, but also a school for really good sports. In that sense, I believe that Trinity athletics are an integral part of the university,” Mundinger said.

What is the definition of “sport?”

What makes a sport a sport, and who does that leave out?

The Olympics have once again caused a fantastic stir across the world. Notable storylines include an Egyptian not shaking the hand of a Jew who had just out-judoed him, a manchild unable to tell the truth until his wallet forced him, a group of NBA stars humanized by assortments of crafty foreign squads and the end of MARKHAM SIGLER the magnificent Kerri Walsh Jenning’s run of beach volleyball dominance.

SPORTS EDITOR

Entertainment and intrigue manifested in a variety of forms. But that is never it. The Olympics demand an answer to the age-old dilemma that has plagued journalists and athletes for eons: what is a sport?

The question is not “Who cares how one defines a sport?”

That is not exactly a tough question—probably not many.

That does not take away, however, from the interesting arguments on semantics we can have on how the inventor of the idea of “sport” intended it to be interpreted.

Ultimately, much of the gray area consists in the connection between the word “sport,” and the words “athlete” and “athletic.” In the millennial epoch where inclusivity reigns, we mistake the latter words as automatically qualifying the activity said person participates in as a sport. Another issue is the vague, basic definition that the word ‘sport’ receives

from so-called detailed lexicons such as Merriam-Webster, which calls it, “a contest or game in which people do certain physical activities according to a set of rules and compete against each other.” So is tag a sport? What about figure skating, equestrian events and ostrich racing? Does the rapidfire thumb-pointer finger coordination that a veteran gamer develops count as physical activity? The list of double takes goes on.

Some may attempt to squelch the debate in the bud with the ultimatum, “If it is on ESPN, it’s a sport.” Well, in that case, eleven-year-old Nihar Janga is a champion sportsman, due to his massive spelling bee victory this year, which was broadcast by the network. Plus the countless professional poker players, NASCAR drivers, and competitive eaters.

SEE DEFINITION PAGE 19

SPORTS• AUGUST 26, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

19

New season, same goal: win it all Men’s soccer will rely on maturity, health and powerful defensive identity en route to nationals

BY HALEY MCFADDEN SPORTS REPORTER

The Trinity men’s soccer team has storied history of success, with a previous national championship victory in 2003 and a wellestablished presence at the national level. Last season the team took its fourth consecutive SCAC Championship.

Although the team is looking to defend its title at the conference level, the team is also looking to push beyond where they’ve gone in a while.

“We’ve had what most programs would consider to be a pretty remarkable run of success, making the national quarterfinals the past three years in a row, but we’re not satisfied with that and our goal this year is to try to get over that hump and get into the final four and hopefully win Trinity’s second national championship,” said Edward Cartee, assistant coach of men’s soccer and member of Trinity’s class of 2009.

Not only do the coaches want to win, junior defender Guy Harris said the team attitude focuses on confidence and preparation.

“I think the team’s primary goals this year are the same every year: go out, compete and try to win not only SCAC, but also a national championship,” Harris said.

Like most sports teams, men’s soccer has had its fair share of struggles with complications out of their control. Contributing factors include season ending injuries, intense school schedules and the loss of seniors.

In the past, these have hindered seasons, but this year the team is poised for success.

“Injuries have been an obstacle during the DEFINITION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 How can we determine what “sport” really means? Suppose you need parameters to prevent goofs who race down hills in large Barbie cars with no brakes from deeming their senseless endeavor on par with baseball, volleyball, soccer, etc.

My guidelines are as follows: First and foremost, the activity must necessitate a honed physical skill.

Graphic by Tyler Herron

past years, but the team looks very good physically this year, and I am sure this will reduce the chances of injuries,” said Francisco Vasquez, Trinity senior and defender.

Junior midfielder, Cooper Fyfe, recognized that amidst the departure of key players, returning team members will need to take on more responsibility and rise to the occasion.

“Although we lost a few key seniors last year, I am confident the returners will all step up to fill that void. We have a young team with lots of potential. Establishing an identity on defense, as we lost our senior captain center-back Tom Carwile, will be imperative,” Fyfe said.

The team’s first regular season game is Sept. 1 at home against Hardin-Simmons University. Despite being early in the season, the team feels ready and in shape. They’ve gone as far as to say the team feels ahead of where they were in past years.

The combination of seniors’ experience and the incoming players’ talent has produced a strong team atmosphere.

“We have a great returning group. I can say that this is the best returning group that we have had during my instance at Trinity.

We all know our responsibilities as seniors and are doing our best to help the incoming class to adapt to this highly competitive environment,” Vasquez said.

Assistant coach Cartee said he has seen a higher level of maturity in the young team.

Returning members have stepped up and training is at a higher level of intensity.

“One of the changes that I did notice is obviously we graduated some really influential and special seniors, but we also Apologies Phil Helmuth and poker players everywhere, although I think you will be just fine. Secondly, judges cannot be depended on to choose the winner. Humbly, I rule out trampoliners, divers, and even Simone Biles. Third, there must be an active form of defense employed to stop your opponent from scoring. I apologize, golf. There is something intrinsically un-sporty in watching your adversary destroy you right in front of your eyes, fully aware of the fact that you cannot lift a finger to defend yourself.

Fourth, and finally, a sport needs a ball, puck or the like. This rules out boxing, cage fighting, cock fighting, wrestling and other forms of hand-to-hand combat.

While clear, the method chosen contains interesting quagmires. Technically, ultimate frisbee is a sport, while golf, horse racing, foot racing, swimming and gymnastics, to name a few, are not. That does not feel right. The issue that I and others will have with this system takes root in our socially engineered predisposition to consider “sports” the highest rung on the hierarchy of games. Given my definition, this hierarchy is unmistakably warped. To say swimming is not a sport does not matter at all when crediting Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps with their monumental accomplishments.

Personally, I am much more awestruck and impressed when watching Aly Raisman and Simone Biles maneuver their bodies in the holiest of unholy ways than I am while watching DeAndre Jordan, a seven-foot pogo stick, airball back-to-back free throws. To say one contest is a sport and another is not is in no way to rank the former above the latter; rather, it is to provide a straightforward definition to a word that gets tossed around like a basketball in the hands of Manu Ginobili. A sport, then, is when opposing sides compete directly against each other, alternating between offensive and defensive measures, and doing so in a way that calls upon quality physical skill, and the use of a ball (or puck, or…Frisbee.)

are returning a lot of contributors from last year’s team, and there seems to be a higher level of maturity.

You can really sense the experience and I feel like even the first few days of practice, we’ve been able to train the team at a higher level than we were doing early in the season in previous Despite the loss of a number of seniors, men’s soccer has their usual high hopes for years,” Cartee the season. Coaches and players showed a noticeable enthusiasm for the season’s opener, given the teams hard work this offseason said.

The SCAC and Nationals File Photo Tournaments performed, the team is in excellent shape. We are still months away, but the team is focused and have an incredible freshman class who will ready to make this the year Trinity soccer make a big impact throughout the season,” reclaims its national title. Determined to Fyfe said. “We also have numerous players avenge last year’s loss in the Elite Eight, Fyfe returning from last year who endured that said he looks forward to how the men’s team horrific loss in the second period of overtime will grow and become one over the course of in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

We are very eager this year to go all the way the season.

“Based on the few fitness tests already and be National Champions.”

20 BASEBALL continued from front page Senior weekend was another motivating moment for the baseball team, when they lost to TLU 15-5 in the Conference Series.

“We pretty much got smoked by TLU. At home, a big conference series, they came in and beat us pretty good. And after that the players just kinda said we aren’t losing again.

And we didn’t. From April 9th through the National Championships we didn’t lose a game, and we won games in all different fashions. Blowouts, close games, come-frombehind games,” said assistant J.C. Bunch.

The winning streak was finely timed, and after sweeping both the SCAC championship

WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • AUGUST 26, 2016 •

and the West Regionals Championship, they made their second consecutive appearance at the Division III World Series. The team beat the previous champion, Cortland, before playing Keystone College in a best of three series. The first game was easily won. “There wasn’t much doubt we had won the first game,” said Head Coach Tim Scannell. “The second game, however, was much more of a nail biter, and we really had to rally together to win that one.”

Going into the second game, the team was faced with over four hours of delay due to poor weather. Once it finally started, it was far more contested than the previous, with Keystone fighting to even the series.

However, there were a few key moments that helped the Tigers clinch the victory, ike Andrew Waters’ two RBIs. Scannell referred to the now graduated Waters as one of the most important players of the series. At the end of the game, the Tigers walked away with a well-earned 10-7 victory, and Trinity’s first ever baseball national championship trophy.

“Our whole goal was to win a national championship, but when you’re in the first week of the season it’s hard to think about.

We make playoffs and win our conference and then everyone starts realizing that the championship is just a couple games away.

When we actually won, the feeling was unbelievable. Being able to accomplish that

SPORTS

feat with the group of guys was really special, so it took a moment to soak in,” Tate said.

The players were not the only ones receiving recognition. After the victory, Coach Scannell was awarded Division III Coach of the Year. Of course, like any great coach, he distributes all the praise to the players.

“That’s the type of player we have here at Trinity. Baseball is extremely important to these guys, and we had three professional players from last season with Jeremy Wolfe now up there playing with the New York Mets,” Scannell said. “They come to Trinity to play baseball, and at any given moment they were probably more focused than the coaches were, and that really paid off.”

Trinity baseball won their first National Championship last May. Photo courtesy of Trinity University Marketing and Communications

Now graduated, catcher DREW BUTLER was one of Trinity’s top players last year, and batted a remarkable .636 with 2 triples, 7 runs batted in, and four runs scored during the championship clinching series.

Photo courtesy of Trinity University Marketing and Communications

SPORTS• AUGUST 26, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

Here come the Sunshine twins

21

It did not take long for this pair of football players to earn campus-wide fame for their long locks

BY ELISE HESTER SPORTS REPORTER

Standing at around six feet tall, with wavy, dirty blond hair that falls at the shoulders, Trinity football players Tommy Lavine and Nic Hover bear a striking resemblance to each other and to Ronnie “Sunshine” Bass from the football classic “Remember the Titans.” This led their teammates to begin calling the two first years the Sunshine twins.

The two Texans don’t look as much like the real Ronnie “Sunshine” Bass as they do look like actor Kip Pardue’s depiction of the North Carolina quarterback in the 2000 film “Remember the Titans.” Nevertheless, Pardue’s depiction of a long haired Sunshine, is the most iconic. One practice when the two first years were facing one another in a speed and agility drill, teammates noticed that the two recruits shared the same long, blond hair as Pardue in “Remember the Titans.”

Thus, Hover and Lavine were christened the Sunshine twins, and the name has stuck.

“I don’t have a problem with [the name],” Hover said. “It gives us attention. I’ve been here for two weeks and I’m already in the newspaper.”

Lavine and Hover both started playing football at age six, taking up tackle around the age of eight.

Hover played the linebacker position when he was young and took up playing corner in high school.

“I got to hit people,” said Hover, first-year defensive back. “That was fun for me.”

He came to Trinity from Tomball Memorial High School, located near Houston.

“We were 4-6 my senior year,” Hover said.

Lavine also switched positions, going from quarterback to receiver three years ago.

“I was always an offensive player,” said Lavine, first-year wide receiver, “I liked scoring.”

A graduate of Cedar Park High School near Austin, Texas, Lavine had a much more successful high school football experience.

“My senior year we ended on a good note,” Lavine said. “We went 16-0 and won state.”

While the boys first heard about Trinity through football, it was the caliber of the school that sealed the deal for the two student-athletes.

“The coaches reached out,” Hover said, “I researched the school and found out it was a really good school to go to and that caught my interest.”

The football team has been on campus training for the upcoming season for the past three weeks.

“We’ve been doing football everyday, whether it’s lifting or practicing or [watching] film,” Lavine said.

While grueling and exhausting due to early morning workouts, the past few weeks as a whole have been enjoyable, as the team has been able to grow close, Hover said.

“We’ve just been with the football players, getting to bond with our teammates,” Hover said.

“I think it was pretty special,” Lavine said, “A lot of the guys, we became pretty close in the first two weeks.”

“We’re on opposite sides of the ball so we always get to go against each other. It’s pretty cool,” Hover said.

The Sunshine twins, along with the rest of the Tiger football team can be caught in action in their first game next Saturday.

The twins can be found frolicking around campus together. They will also appear in Trinity’s football opener next Saturday, Sept. 3, vs. Redlands University at 7:30 p.m. on the football field photo by Henry Pratt

Athlete spotlight: Who is Anne Agee?

Junior cross country runner arrives in Texas, excited to return to the cross country after two years off

BY CHRIS GARCIA SPORTS REPORTER

Transfer students are few and far between when it comes to the yearly count of student-athletes at Trinity. In fact, transfer orientations at the spring period usually only contain about six people. During the fall, the number rises a bit, and with incoming transfer students comes transfer athletes.

This week, we shine a light on the interesting story of new transfer student athlete, junior cross-country runner, junior Anne Agee.

Hailing from Virginia Tech, and originally from Roanoke, Virginia, I wondered what pushed Agee to make such a drastic change in location, but for Agee it was a decision that was quite easy, she said.

Agee said many different factors contributed to her move, including weather, academic reputation and class size.

“My cousin actually went to Trinity, so that’s how I heard about the school,” Agee said. “There were lots of reasons it’s a great fit for me. At my old school, classes were typically between 100 and 250 students, so to get help or to review the coursework was kind of a challenge. My number one criteria for a transfer school was that the studentfaculty ratio was low.”

Agee told me she was encouraged to transfer to Trinity due to a reputation for strong professor-student relationships.

“Trinity is known for having really good relationships between professors and students, so I am really excited to experience

that,” Agee said. “Secondly, I hate cold weather, and Texas seemed like a pretty ideal place to avoid the ridiculous amount of snow we would get in Virginia.”

Trinity also offered Agee the chance to balance school and her sport.

“Another thing I was looking for was a school that would allow me run cross country, because I have always been much happier overall when I get regular exercise,” Agee said.

One of the more interesting things about Agee’s story is that she did not participate in varsity athletics at Virginia Tech. In fact, she hasn’t competed on a team since high school.

It is often rare a student-athlete transfers to a new school and participates in a sport without previously having participated in that sport at their old school. However, Agee said she saw her opportunity to do what she loves and seized it. With a new change comes a new set of obstacles, and Agee said she is fully aware of the adjustments she will have to make to adapt to the Trinity lifestyle.

“At Virginia Tech, I felt like they kind of stressed figuring out your entire future as soon as possible. I am excited to take classes in lots of different areas and focus on what I’m learning now and try to worry less about what’s going to happen 20 years down the road. I think orienting my mind to think that way may take some time. I’m sure balancing academics and athletics will be a bit of a struggle as well, but I think it will be really beneficial for my time management skills,” Agee said.

Balancing athletics and academics may be a struggle at first, but Agee said she feels that running cross country will fit perfectly in her balance. She said the regular exercise will help with the stresses that the school year can bring. Regardless, Agee said she is prepared and excited for her classes to get underway.

As a science major, Agee said she knows she

will be challenged in her STEM courses, but she is also looking forward to the wide variety of classes Trinity offers.

“I’m really looking forward to taking classes outside of STEM courses, even though my major is science based. There is huge value in a well-rounded education and I think I will really benefit from using different part of my brain in my studies,” Agee said.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Transfer athlete ANNE AGEE looks ahead as she attempts to balance the school year and crosscountry season for the first time since high school. photo by Claudia Garcia

SEPT. 1 7am XCountry @ Olmos Basin 6pm WSoccer vs OLLU 8pm MSoccer vs.

Mary Hardin-Simmons SEPT. 3 7:30pm Football vs.

University of Redlands SEPT. 9 3pm Volleyball vs.

Whittier

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HALLYMPICS 2016 Calling all students! Come participate in an annual Tiger tradition! HALLYMPICS is a campus-wide event in which classes/ halls are split into teams and compete to win the Hallympics championship title! The schedule of events is as follows:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26 Opening Ceremony 5PM Intramural Field

Soccer 6PM Intramural Field

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27 Kickball 9AM Intramural Field

Trivia 1PM Fiesta Room Please contact your RM/RA/HM for your team color information!

Only the champs get the shirt!

ADVERTISEMENT• AUGUST 26, 2016 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

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