10.13.2017

Volume 115 Issue 09

Trinitonian Serving Trinity University Since 1902

October 13, 2017

Trinity members in Spain caught in political unrest Students were told to avoid protests KENDRA DERRIG

NEWS REPORTER The regional government of Catalonia, Spain — which includes the city of Barcelona — held a referendum on Oct. 1 to declare independence from Spain. Trinity students studying abroad in Madrid have witnessed the country become increasingly divided; this move was another step in the long history of the Catalonian separation movement. IES Abroad, which facilitates the abroad program, has told American students to avoid areas where protests are being held, including central parts of Madrid, due to the threat of police violence.

Economic unrest following the 2008 financial crisis left many Catalans feeling unequally burdened, as Catalonia accounts for roughly 20 percent of Spain’s gross domestic product. The vote was deemed illegal under the Spanish constitution by Spain’s central government, which has caused mass protests across the country, including large demonstrations in Madrid. Protests in Catalonia were primarily in favor of separation, while demonstrations in the rest of Spain were mostly against it.

Katsuo Nishikawa, director of the Center for International Engagement, commented on the decision to urge students to stay away from demonstrations.

“I understand students wanting to be a part of history; I was just about to go to

Many Spaniards in Madrid are against the referendum and show their support of the Spanish government by carrying flags. photo by SOLEIL GAFFNER

university when the [Berlin Wall] fell. I would have loved to have been there and taken part, so I understand the drive some students may have,” Nishikawa wrote in an email interview.

“But ultimately, we have to find a balance between the urge to experience this moment and student safety.”

While Trinity students studying in Spain have undoubtedly noticed the political unrest, they say their lives haven’t changed too drastically. Hunter Sosby, junior political science and communication double

major currently in Madrid, commented on his experience.

“I knew that Catalonia was an independent region with its own language and culture, and I knew that they had separatist tendencies, but I had no idea that I was arriving here at such a crucial moment in their history,” Sosby wrote in an email interview. “Here in Madrid, the demonstrations haven’t affected me too much.

There have been a lot of pro-Spain — antiCatalan independence — demonstrations, but they haven’t affected my day-to-day life.”

However, Sosby canceled a trip he had planned to Barcelona, the Catalonian capital, due to the unrest.

“I was forced to cancel my trip to Barcelona. After the referendum vote on Oct. 1, the situation got pretty bad. There were lots of protests, strikes throughout the city, including museums and public transportation, and a lot of uncertainty of what is to come,” Sosby wrote. “But, while I lost my weekend trip, Spaniards feel like they’re losing their country.”

Sosby also wrote that while the country is divided, the overall attitude in Madrid is not.

“Everyone here, especially adults — students tend to not be as bad about this, in my personal experience, at least — is quick to mention that the Oct. 1 referendum was illegal, that Catalonia has never been a ‘real’ independent country as they claim, that they exaggerated the number of people injured on Oct. 1, and even that the Catalan school system has lied in its history books. I’ve even heard that the violence against voters on Oct. 1 by national police was justified. It’s very hard to find someone who sympathizes with the Catalan desire for independence,” Sosby wrote.

Sosby wrote that witnessing another country in unrest has given him a new perspective on America.

“To be honest, I’ve been shocked about the lack of objective opinions here. I think, in the United States, we prize the objectivity of journalism, but ... even the newspapers here have taken very explicit sides on the issue,” Sosby wrote. continued on PAGE 5

Alumni Weekend features recent changes Gathering offers new opportunities, localized celebration on campus

CATHY TERRACE

NEWS REPORTER In an attempt to increase participation on campus during alumni weekend, the schedule for the celebration will feature several changes while maintaining more traditional aspects of the event. Hugh Daschbach, who was appointed senior director of Alumni Relations in the spring of 2017, is now supervising the event.

“Alumni Weekend is the primary weekend of the year that we invite all of our alumni to come back to campus, revisit their friends and celebrate their reunions if they happen to be having one,” Daschbach said. “I think the big change in general would be this theme of trying to bring different interests to the same physical location on campus, so that we’re not competing with ourselves.”

Events start on Friday and include opportunities for alumni to reconnect with academic interests, faculty and students.

Alumni are allowed to sit in on classes in the past; this year a new event, Fiesta with the Faculty, will offer additional opportunities for alumni to connect with faculty.

Students support the team at a football game during Alumni Weekend in 1995. FILE PHOTO

“This Alumni Weekend there’s a couple of new events, for instance, Fiesta with the Faculty is a new event that we’re trying to get started now. It’ll be on Friday night, and it’s a kind of social experiment to see if we put in the effort to do this, what’ll go down,” said Cristian Vargas, senior biology major and vice president of finance for Student Ambassadors.

“This will be an opportunity for alumni to reconnect with some of their old professors.”

Fiesta with the Faculty will take place from 5:30–8 p.m. at the Meadows Pavilion during the men and women’s soccer games. Several departmental receptions will be going on before the event. In past years participation has been lowered by the conflicting times, a fact which has been confirmed by alumna Amy Turlington Chambers, class of 1989 and Trinity University Alumni Association board member.

“Friday evening has always had an event on the Esplanade, but it’s been at the same time as many groups’ happy hours, so I’ve never attended,” Chambers wrote in an email interview. “This year, under Hugh Daschbach’s direction, this event has been transformed into more of a party — a fiesta, if you will.

Lighter fare, beverages and a chance to chat with the faculty. I really encourage all of the organizations and class reunions to come to this event.”

The Saturday of Alumni Weekend typically has more events and opportunities for participants to attend. Just as alumni had the opportunity to sit in on classes on Friday, they will also have the opportunity to get involved in other academic outlets this year.

“The alumni college [starts off] Saturday morning. We have Dr. Colleen Grissom, Dr. Willis Salomon and Dr. Corinne Pache each do a 30-minute program in the Ruth Taylor Theater with time for questions,” Daschbach said. “Faculty will speak about mainstream interest topics that are related to their area of academic study. ... We celebrate the exploration of intellectual conversation and critical thinking, and sometimes once you leave school, it’s hard to find those conversations in your day-to-day life, and we have found those alumni really enjoy an opportunity to continue life-long learning opportunities.” continued on PAGE 4

Aidan Burke, the one-wheeled wonder on campus

Orchestra tunes up for upcoming concert

Trinity football undefeated in conference play

Bikes are common around campus, but there is only one unicycle. Read why he chooses one wheel over two.

Trinity Symphony Orchestra prepares a selection of French music to celebrate the season.

The team won its second season game 40-34 against R hodes College.

PAGE 14 PULSE

PAGE 16 A&E

PAGE 20 SPORTS

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 13, 2017 •

NEWS

Previously, on SGA: Tampon Time!

SGA met twice this week: Oct. 09 and Oct. 11.

CAMPUS CLIMATE CHECK

Senator Lena Dennington brought up first-year Shubhankar Singh’s concerns about Wi-Fi on campus. Singh noticed that the Wi-Fi servers on campus do not allow one to host their own private server, and he wants to implement a system that will allow users to run artificial intelligence projects.

Singh has verified that there are no security issues.

Senator Juan Luevanos followed up with a previous concern about International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Luevanos attended a meeting with the ISSS board, where they discussed a few main issues seen within the department and aims to clarify the connection between international students and the department. Luevanos and a committee of senators have been working with ISSS to clarify this and similar problems for international students.

The feminine product receptacles have arrived to campus and should be installed by next week. SGA pushed to have one of the receptacles in the gender neutral restroom in CSI, but Jim Baker, the director of facilities services, opposed the idea, stating that a restroom with higher traffic would be a more sensible location. One of the receptacles will be placed in Coates Library, the other in the Center for the Sciences and Innovation.

Michael Bacon, vice president for Alumni Relations and Development, spoke to SGA about the Board of Visitors, a group that promotes career assistance by offering funds and advice.

FUNDING REQUESTS

The Black Student Union requested $2,075 for “Spoken Word with Porsha Olayiwola,” a lecture during the celebration of Black History Month. The full amount was approved.

The Chess Club requested $1,694.16 to bring national chess master Jesse Lozano to campus to play 30 people at once. The money would cover the cost of t-shirts, refreshments and prizes for the tournament, as well as the cost for Lozano to attend. The amount of $1,194.42, to cover everything except t-shirts and refreshments, was approved.

The Filipino Student Association requested $2,358.20 for the Mabuhay Festival. The amount would cover the cost of catering, t-shirts, photography

and advertisements. The amount of $1,599.70, to cover everything except t-shirts, was approved.

The senate approved the motion to endorse Senate Bill 810, a Texas bill that relates to the purchase and use of open educational resources.

CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW

• Article 6 Section 1 introduces the Judicial Chair, a position that will

hold officers accountable; the article was approved.

• Article 6 Section 2 introduces the Council of Review — the Judicial

• • • •

• •

Chair, Student Conduct Board and SGA’s advisors — where actions against the constitution of bylaws will be investigated; the article was approved.

Article 7 subsection C, which introduces Senator Emeritus, a position appointed by president and vice president; the subsection was not passed.

Article 7 subsection D, which ensures that new faculty advisors can only be approved by a two-thirds of senate quorum was approved Article 8 Section 2 subsections B, C and D were approved; all concern senate voting procedures.

Article 8 Section 3 explains the removal procedures and was approved.

Article 8 Section 4 subsection A dictates that a senator may be impeached if they betray the confidence of their electors; the subsection was approved.

The removal of Article 8 Section 4 subsection E from the constitution was approved; the subsection states that the vice president will assume presidential duties if the president is being considered for removal.

A new part was added to Article 9 Section 3 subsection C stating that newly elected senators may not vote until the first meeting after their election; the addition was approved.

BYLAW REVIEW

The senate began the discussion of changes to the bylaws. As with the constitutional changes, the group will present the changes and vote on them the next meeting.

With additional reporting by news reporter Cathy Terrace

Tune in each week for Kathleen Creedon’s SGA summaries . SGA meets at 6 p.m. on Mondays in the Waxahachie Room in Coates University Center.

Staff

DISTRIBUTION

editor-in-chief: Daniel Conrad managing editor: Alexandra Uri director of digital presence: Grace Frye business manager: Shivali Kansagra ad director: Rebecca Derby news editor: Kathleen Creedon pulse editor: Madelyn Gaharan arts & entertainment editor: Nicholas Smetzer sports editor: Julia Weis opinion editor: Julia Poage photo editor: Amani Canada graphics editor: Tyler Herron circulation director: Nicholas Smetzer reporters: Kendra Derrig, Meredith Goshell, Elise Hester, Kaylie King, Cathy Terrace, Dominic Walsh, Hailey Wilson contributors: Austin Davidson, Abigail Wharton

columnists: Soleil Gaffner, Theresa Ho, Micaela Hoffman, Gabriel Levine, Manfred Wendt copy editors: Evan Chambless, Cristina Kodadek, Nathaniel Pigott illustrators: Yessenia Lopez, Andrea Nebhut photographers: Chloe Sonnier, Allison Wolff, Stephen Sumrall-Orsak business staff: Sarah McIntyre, Tam Nguyen advertising staff: Jenna Flexner, Yusuf Khan, Benjamin Milliet, Jonah Nance, Regis Noubiab, Isla Stewart adviser: Katharine Martin

PRINT

For the Sept. 15 issue, 2,180 copies were printed.

By Sept. 22., 582 copies remained on campus.

73% of papers delivered to campus were picked up.

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Compiled by KATHLEEN CREEDON

Identification

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WEB

Corrections •

In last week’s issue, the photo on Page 5 for “New student organization plans TEDx event” was taken by Amani Canada.

• The photo on Page 1 for “McNair Scholars thrive” was taken by Stephen Sumrall-Orsak.

• The photo on Page 11 for “Campus celebrates LeeRoy’s 64th birthday” was taken by Tess Coody-Anders.

Spot a mistake? Let us know at trinitonian@trinity.edu.

NEWS • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

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McNair Scholars react to Trump’s budget proposal Threat of losing funding leads students and faculty to reflect on importance of program KAYLIE KING

NEWS REPORTER Earlier this year, Trump’s proposed education budget called for a decrease in spending for several programs, among them the McNair Scholars Program. The McNair Scholars Program is targeted towards students who are first-generation, low income or underrepresented minorities who are interested in going to graduate school. There are currently 22 McNair scholars at Trinity.

Cristian Vargas, senior biology major and McNair Scholar, described the McNair Scholars Program as one of the most impactful things he has been a part of at Trinity.

“It has allowed me to have two amazing summer research opportunities,” Vargas said. “It really gives you the liberty to go wherever you want as long as you can find somebody who can sponsor you there. My first summer with the program, I was over at the UT Health Science Center doing research on new antifungal drugs, and this past summer I was over at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston working on this vaccine development project.”

Vargas found out about the potential budget cut from his Facebook news feed. He spoke about the many ways that people can advocate for the continuation of the McNair Scholars Program.

“If other people care about it, they can certainly write to their representatives of Congress and express their concern,” Vargas said.

“However, the COE [Council for Opportunity in Education] cautioned us about the wording that we choose to use when we are trying to raise awareness about this on social media because it shouldn’t be, ‘Do not cut McNair.’ That’s sort of reactive, and it draws attention to the McNair Scholars Program. They wanted it to be more positive and proactive, so the hashtag that’s going around on social media right now is #IAmMcNair or #McNairWorks.”

Kelly Lyons, chair and associate professor of biology and director of the McNair Scholars Program at Trinity, explained that the program is designed to increase students’ likelihood of graduating from a university and attending graduate school afterwards.

“In Trump’s budget proposal, McNair was named as a program that they intend to cut,” Lyons said. “They manipulated a bunch of statistics to validate that. They said that it has a six percent success rate. The goal of the McNair scholars program is to get people to get Ph.D.s.

The likelihood of anyone in the United States getting a Ph.D. is around one percent of the population. The goal is to diversify the academy.”

Lyons explained that the McNair Scholars Program is successful and that the numbers are getting better over time.

“At the McNair Scholars Program, there’s a six percent success rate, but that’s going up over time,” Lyons said. “For some programs we are now at 10–12 percent success rate. The Trump administration determined that that was a failing rate. They also feel that it’s not the role of the federal government to diversify the academy.”

Decory Edwards, junior mathematics and economics double major and McNair Scholar, feels that he has benefitted greatly from being a part of the McNair Scholars Program at Trinity, especially because of the mentors with whom he has worked.

“Having mentors in the program that truly are there to help has really rewarded me with a group of lifetime friends,” Edwards wrote in an email interview. “However, the most profound benefit has been the guidance that the program facilitates through being a part of it. From my entrance into the program until now, I’ve been pointed in the right direction as far as my future academic aspirations. My involvement with the McNair Scholars Program has reaffirmed that being a lifelong learner and scholar can be a reality for me.”

Another McNair Scholar at Trinity, Samsara Davalos Reyes, junior sociology and education double major, was inspired to take action when she heard about Trump’s proposed budget cut.

“My feelings of anger and fear toward Trump’s administration pushed me to take action,” Reyes wrote in an email interview.

“For the first time in my life, I called my representative to invite them to the Trinity

CRISTIAN VARGAS is one of 22 McNair Scholars at Trinity. Vargas says the program is one of the most influential parts of his Trinity career. photo by CHLOE SONNIER

summer research symposium to show them my research project. In this process, I got all of my friends and family who had never called their representatives to call in defense of these programs as they has seen the impact it had made on my life. After weeks of calling, Teresa [Morrison] let us know of that our efforts were successful. It was refreshing to see that our voice was actually being heard and that our congressmen took into consideration our thoughts and experiences.”

Lyons was responsible for writing a grant to the board of education on behalf of the McNair program. The program was then renewed for five years.

“The prospects look pretty good. We applied for a grant to continue the McNair Scholars Program from the department of education, and we were just awarded it for the next five years, so barring Trump actually getting what he wants on the budget, we should be good to go,” Vargas said. “Higher education is a bipartisan issue because we have folks from specific subcommittees that are champions of McNair and that come from both sides of the political spectrum.”

Moving forward, it is very important to highlight the triumphs of the McNair Scholars so that students can continue to benefit from the program.

JANET MUÑOZ speaks about her time as a McNair Scholar at Trinity. photo by STEPHEN SUMRALL-ORSAK

“We just need to keep talking about the successes of the program,” Lyons said. “It is a very successful program, students benefit greatly.

Even if they don’t end up going on to do a Ph.D., so many of them are getting these terrific research experiences that just make them better citizens.”

More information about the McNair Scholars Program can be found at gotu.us/mcnair.

International studies department talks terrorism Guest lecture series intends to involve students in topics beyond their concentrations CATHY TERRACE

NEWS REPORTER Under the direction of Nanette Le Coat, professor of modern languages and literature and director of international studies, the International Studies Colloquium has chosen to focus on terrorism for the fall semester guest lecture series.

According to Le Coat, the specific focus of the rest of the lecture series will also involve an understanding of communication techniques used by both terrorist and counter-terrorist organizations.

“The focus this semester is terrorism, and the reason we chose that topic is that when we discussed it with students last semester of the topics they’d like to consider, terrorism was on that list,” Le Coat said.

The series for the fall kicked off with a presentation from Aaron Hoffman, associate professor of political science at Purdue

University, on Tuesday, Oct. 3. His lecture, titled “Does the business of selling news influence terrorism coverage?”, summarized his contributions to the issue of media influence on terrorism.

“My interest in terrorism started on September 11, 2001. I wasn’t a terrorism researcher before that — I worked on trust in international politics,” Hoffman said. “I grew up in New York City, and I woke up one morning, and I thought I heard on the radio that a plane flew through the World Trade Center. I really woke up when I heard a plane had gone through the second building, and that event, like so many of the people in terrorism studies now, really propelled us on research.”

Within a year of this event, Hoffman had published his first paper on the subject of terrorism and has continued similar research since then.

“Right now, I’ve done some research on whether groups are more likely to attack countries that have a lot of press working in them, but the main research I’ve been doing is about the coverage of terrorism in the news media, as well as the consequences of that coverage,” Hoffman said. “What I want students to take away [from this lecture] is that the rap on the media as being bottom-line-driven and behaving the way they do because of the economic crisis in the industry is wrong, and it’s

now showing up in the research I’ve done, and if it’s there, it’s not a major influence.”

Le Coat noted that, along with discussing the topic of terrorism with students, the department decided on the topic because it affects everyone, even if it doesn’t feel like a national issue.

“We are besieged by information on a daily basis about terrorism, but as Dr. Hoffman’s lecture showed us, that affects us emotionally without us really understanding it, so it’s an ongoing effort to stop, pause and think about some of the dimensions of terrorism,” Le Coat said.

The second lecture of the series was presented by Joseba Zulaika, professor of anthropology at the University of Nevada, on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Zulaika’s work is the result of his ethnographic research, which relied heavily on participant observation. Zulaika also stressed the importance of becoming aware of one’s place in relation to terrorism.

“My own Basque society was a traumatic reality when I was growing up there. ... On the one hand, these killers were like priests for some, and like murders for others. This combination of both components in the same people made them similar to other personages in anthropology, like sacred priests, etc. — so I needed to understand my own culture,” Zulaika said. “We should be skeptical

AARON HOFFMAN, associate professor of political science at Purdue University, was the first lecturer in the guest lecture series on terrorism. Hoffman discussed the influence of media on terrorism. photo by CHLOE SONNIER

of the whole terrorist culture, and the whole counter-terrorism culture. We should question what we are told about terrorists, and we should look into how terrorism is constructed by certain kinds of discourse, terrorism news and our own involvement in it.” continued on PAGE 6

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 13, 2017 •

NEWS

Wellness Services gears up for second Sex Week Oct. 23–27 to feature a week of promoting safe sex and open dialogue KENDRA DERRIG

NEWS REPORTER Students enrolled in the Wellness Practicum course are teaming up with Wellness Services to put on a week of programming called Sexual Awareness Week, or just Sex Week, for the purpose of promoting safe sexual practices and creating a judgement-free discussion of topics traditionally seen as taboo.

Sarah Van Alsten, senior neuroscience major enrolled in the practicum, explained the motivations behind the program.

“The goal is to help answer any questions that the student body may have regarding sex and sexuality in a judgement-free zone and to promote healthy sexual behaviors. We want to normalize the topic and help students explore what they feel comfortable with,” Van Alsten wrote in an email interview.

The Wellness Practicum course puts on many of these types of events each year, covering a variety of topics relating to student physical and mental health.

“Our goal is to coordinate campus programs that focus on public health for the Trinity community, including Mental Health Week, Sexual Awareness Week, the Body Project and nutrition and exercise programming,” Van Alsten wrote.

Katherine Hewitt, coordinator of Wellness Services, elaborated on the types of programs they are planning for this year’s event.

“Sex Week programs offer informative and inclusive discussion, posters, speakers, Q&A and more to build knowledge and

skills relating to human sexuality topics,” Hewitt wrote in an email interview.

“Wellness Services, including wellness practicum students, student representatives from TDC, PRIDE and Trinity Progressives have all contributed ideas and assisted with program planning. Programs include Q&A sexual health postcards, ‘Sex Talk’ fill-in poster in Coates lobby, speakers regarding sexuality and politics and race, STD testing, Coalition Cafe regarding campus climate and sexual assault prevention, and sexual health vendor fair.”

Hewitt also explained why the program is necessary to the university’s community.

“Many students who attend Trinity might not have received comprehensive sex ed in high school. So, this is a great opportunity for those who are new to these topics, or those students who have a little more knowledge and experience but are just interested in learning more,” Hewitt wrote.

Alex Motter, a sophomore business analytics and technology major and PRIDE member, relates to this experience that Hewitt mentions.

“I came from a background in which the only formal sex ed I received was abstinence-based. While some might be able to argue that abstinence is the only education necessary, in reality sex education is important regardless of your orientation or frequency,” Motter wrote in an email interview. “Just as important as simply knowing how to put on a condom is being able to fully understand the risks associated with the act you’re doing.”

Motter explained that sex ed, even when taught in high school, still omits important things like sex for all sexualities. Sex ed encompasses all parts of sex, including the threat of sexually transmitted infections, especially in the LGBTQ community.

“Sexual health is incredibly important

Oct. 23 - 27 Speaker

discussing politics, race and sexuality

Open table discussion w/ TDC & Pride

STD testing

free at STD testing van

Postcards available

anonymously submit questions for more information, contact Katherine Hewitt at khewitt@trinity.edu

to the gay community, particularly considering the disproportional amount of STI’s,” Motter wrote. “Sexual education is of paramount importance to LGBTQ individuals, and given the margins of people who are still unaware of the dangers of their actions events like the Sexual Awareness Week are more crucial now than ever.”

The schedule of events intends to bring awareness to campus, to give importance to a subject that often is not discussed and to educate community members of the resources that are available to them.

“Ultimately, engaging programs like this prevent public health concerns such as teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted

infections, sexual assault and more,” Hewitt wrote. “Also, knowing about campus and community resources is vital for students to become their own advocate and manage their own sexual health and wellness.”

Van Alsten also wrote to the importance of participating in Sex Week programming.

“Students should care because sex is a normal part of life, but we treat it as so taboo. A lot of people feel embarrassed and that prevents them from seeking guidance, and this can be harmful both physically and mentally,” Van Alsten wrote.

For any questions about sexual health or Sexual Awareness Week, contact Katherine Hewitt at khewitt@trinity.edu

Alumni Weekend features new, localized celebration continued from FRONT

Trinity also provides a variety of social opportunities for alumni, such as the Tiger Tailgate Festival, Greek Carnival and Alumni Artisan’s Sale, all of which will now be centralized, a new change being enacted this year. “[The tailgate is] an open invitation.

We host the party on the Prassel Lawn; the athletics department hosts a football game there. This year we’ll also induct members into the Trinity Athletic Hall of Fame, which will happen at halftime this year,” Daschbach said. “This year, we’ve coordinated that event with the Greek Carnival, which usually took place at a different venue, but we really thought it made sense to invite everyone on campus to celebrate in the same place so that it’s easier to co-mingle and see people and celebrate.”

In doing so, both the Alumni Office and Student Ambassadors hope to attract alumni to the event.

“Student Ambassadors has a lot of things lined up for alumni weekend. One way to think about the ambassadors is as the student arm of the Alumni Relations and Development office. That office is responsible for coordinating and logistically planning a lot of the events that go on, and so Student Ambassadors is the one that run the events in terms of the actual booths on

the ground,” Vargas said. “For instance, we’re excited for the opportunity to be involved in this year’s tailgate.”

For those interested in attending events, a full list of accommodations and a complete itinerary may be found on the Alumni Relations page of Trinity’s website.

Blast from the past! in this issue, 50 yea rs ago...

NEWS • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

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Departments host panel on Rohingya crisis Faculty members highlight discussion of international issues KAYLIE KING

NEWS REPORTER The departments of philosophy, sociology and anthropology and political science hosted a panel discussion on Thursday, October 12 on the current crisis that Rohingya people are facing in Myanmar. Rohingya Muslims are not recognized as citizens by the Myanmar government and thus do not have many of the rights that other people in the country do. Many refugees and families of those being persecuted have sought refuge in San Antonio.

Judith Norman, philosophy professor, was responsible for organizing the panel discussion.

“I know that there is a Rohingya community in San Antonio concerned to call attention to the violence and the distress of their relatives caught up in this crisis,” Norman wrote in an email interview. “I am pleased to be able to bring this forum to Trinity so that the Trinity community can have the opportunity to hear more about the crisis that affects international politics as well as local communities and to learn how to take effective action.”

Norman explained that attending such discussions about the Rohingya crisis is important because of the impact that we can have as Americans.

“As US citizens, we have a large footprint in world affairs and, accordingly, a profound responsibility to learn more about what happens in the world,” Norman wrote. “We can take action, for instance, by expressing our views to our political representatives, donating time and money to international humanitarian relief organizations, and working to make San Antonio a welcoming community for refugees fleeing violence.”

Habiba Noor, a First-Year Experience professor, helped Norman organize the discussion. She explained how the event came about and why it is important.

“We became aware of this because we were involved in a recent protest downtown, where many of the Rohingya folks came out,” Noor said. “We had a chance to meet some people there and so we knew that this was an issue that required some attention.

Many people don’t know what’s going on, and many people don’t know that there are actually Rohingyan refugees that live in San Antonio.”

Noor highlighted the fact that many of those affected by the crisis are calling for greater recognition of the situation.

“We thought this would be a good opportunity to share some of that,” Noor said. “This is quite a dire situation, and they are desperate for attention because they feel that this is something that has gone under the radar. People here in San Antonio have family members that are living in their villages back home and they’re seeing what’s happening.”

Students, faculty in Spain experience revolution continued from FRONT

Bladmir Ruiz, associate professor in the modern languages and literature department, is on the Madrid trip. In an email interview, he described how he sees the unrest affecting students.

“The impact has been more academic since we have had to include what is going on in our curriculum. We must responsibly, respectfully and analytically process the very important historic moment we are witnessing,” Ruiz wrote. “My role has been one that tries to present both perspectives in play, to make them respectful of both positions, to invite them to listen carefully to what people are saying and to read newspapers from both here in Madrid and in Barcelona. But also I have made clear that they are NOT to participate in any public demonstration and to avoid traveling to Barcelona while this situation is going on.”

Ruiz provided evidence for how the political upheaval, while upsetting, is a source of learning and perspective for Trinity students.

“On the other hand, our students are going through a much more complex and rich experience by witnessing what happens when nationalism and lack of real political dialogue becomes out of hand and creates this much bigger conflict we are experiencing in Spain,” Ruiz wrote. “And it is important they understand that there are many Spains in Spain. And since one of the main intellectual dynamics that is triggered when we live abroad is to compare our new reality with the one we left behind, our students have the unique opportunity to see home with different eyes. And they are also aware that there are many US’s in the US and that our country is also going through changes, conflicts, tensions and divisions that have a lot of common with what they see and feel here in Spain.”

graphic by TYLER HERRON

continued on PAGE 6

Nishikawa also commented on the importance of gaining perspective through studying abroad.

“The big takeaway for me is the importance of study abroad. Think of it this way: The world is a big and interesting place, and because this year we happen to have a cohort of Trinity students and faculty in Spain, we get to see first-hand, via our social media, people in our community at the front row of an interesting historical moment,” Nishikawa wrote.

Sosby concluded that his time in Madrid has been unexpectedly eventful, but also valuable.

“I think all of us here from Trinity have, as a group, made a conscious effort to understand what is happening and the importance of this issue,” Sosby wrote. “Everywhere you go here in Madrid you’ll see the Spanish flag hanging off balconies. I don’t think I’ve seen a single street without it. From an outside perspective, it has been a very interesting time to be here.”

Get Real.

Internships are great, but can you manage real money?

Campus Publications is hiring a business manager for 2018.

Great experience for Class of 2019 accounting major.

Spaniards display their national pride by hanging Spanish flags from buildings. photo provided by CLARISSA CASTAÑEDA

For job description & salary: kmartin1@trinity.edu

6

WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 13, 2017 •

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NEWS

International studies department hosts lecture series on terrorism continued from PAGE 3

The series is a vital part of the international studies major. With a new topic every semester, the department aims to have students engage with multiple international issues, not just their concentration.

“As the director of the international studies major, I oversee the organization of the colloquium,” Le Coat said. “It is a one-credit class that was designed to bring students in the major together to discuss a topic of global concern. Majors in international studies have options of various concentrations, but because it’s somewhat diffused, we wanted a common experience to educate students in global affairs.”

Students who declare international studies are required to take the colloquium every semester after declaration and must take it for a minimum of three semesters. While there is only one subject every semester, the topics colloquiums cover often have a wide range.

“We’ve talked about matters of global health, climate change, world cities and the emergence of megacities, which is a way of visiting different parts of the world, and ebola,” Le Coat said. “Because the major is not only international, but it’s interdisciplinary, we approach these topics from different points of view, and try to bring in speakers with various points of view.”

In an email, Le Coat listed speakers who have participated in the colloquium in the past, including Mustapha Tlili, a well-known Tunisian journalist and novelist; Masoud Noori, an Iranian jurist; Mehrad Boroujerdi, director of Middle Eastern studies at Syracuse University; and Dele Jegede, a Nigerian political cartoonist.

“We look for a set of speakers that are not just groundbreaking, but that they’re a good fit for Trinity and the type of students we have,” said Katsuo Nishikawa, director of the Center for International Engagement. “We’re not only bringing in the top experts, but between

that pool, Dr. Le Coat also has an eye out for those who are good communicators and motivators who can really engage students.”

While Nishikawa usually takes a behindthe-scenes role in the colloquium, he, along with other professors, may also play a role in finding speakers for the lecture series. Aaron Hoffman, for instance, was brought on as a recommendation of Nishikawa.

“We go to conferences a lot, like once or twice a year, to present on research, and when we’re there we see other people’s talks and meet people,” Nishikawa said. “It’s through those experiences that we can spot the talent that we can eventually tap on the shoulder and say, ‘Hey, would you like to come and talk here?’”

For those interested, lectures will be held in Northrup Hall 040 on Tuesdays, from 3:50–5:30 p.m. Next semester, the department will most likely address the issue of borders, as the focus for this school year is on security studies.

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JOSEBA ZULAIKA, professor of anthropology at the University of Nevada, was the second speaker of the series. His lecture stressed the importance of becoming aware of one’s place in relation to terrorism. photo by CHLOE SONNIER

Rohingya crisis panel to create campus discussion, awareness continued from PAGE 5

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Noor emphasized the importance of awareness about the current situation in Myanmar.

“People need to be aware of this and take some kind of action in condemning what’s happening, and kind of pressure politicians to condemn this, because [those affected by the crisis] believe that if the government of Myanmar feels pressured by American politicians, they may actually change their ways,” Noor said. “Imagine if this was the time of Nazi Germany, and people didn’t know that there were Jews that were being put into concentration camps. It’s like when there’s life and death that people are fearing in this particular systematic way, people just need to know that this happening to speak out. We live in a democratic society that speaking out

actually has impact because the people in power can listen to their constituents and say something.”

Noor also highlighted the benefits that come from speaking about this topic at a university.

“I think that the fact that this is taking place at a university is very good, for the students to become aware,” Noor said. “It’s also a welcoming place for community members and people notice that if this is something that Trinity is doing it’s taken seriously.

This kind of highlights how Trinity can actually be a place for discussions that occur beyond the classroom. I teach social justice and we talk about ‘othering’ and racism, and this is a form of racism that’s taking place in Myanmar that’s producing this genocide currently.”

Josephine Van Houten, sophomore international studies major, was interested

in the discussion because she wants to know more about what is going on in the world.

“I hope to learn not just about this crisis but also a bit of history of Myanmar, simply because this isn’t a country we hear much about and I want to see this crisis in context rather than just a story in the news,” Van Houten wrote in an email interview before the panel. “I’m interested in coming because I want to be a little more clear on what exactly is happening there. Is it ethnic cleansing?

How much of it is the leader’s fault?”

Students can become more involved in taking action against the crisis by contacting Norman or Noor, jnorman2@trinity.edu and hnoor@ trinity.edu, respectively, or by getting into contact with the International Humanitarian Crisis Initiative on its Facebook page.

LET’S HEAR YOUR VOICE.

...

Have an opinion? 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.

Opinion

FROM TH E EDITORS’ DESK

Roll with the punches, protect your values It doesn’t matter what sort of activism, agitation, provocation or even publishing you engage in.

No matter what, your efforts will upset others and invite criticism.

Things can get ugly, but the best thing to do is roll with the punches, reflect on your position and either adjust or defend it with vigor. The worst thing you can do is accept defeat, roll over and walk back on your efforts simply because you expressed a controversial view. Perseverance and resilience are necessary elements in political struggle.

Labor victories like the 40hour work week are the result of union-organized protests and strikes in the mid-20th century.

Projects for racial justice, from the abolitionists to the civil rights movement and Black Lives Matter, are led by those who faced threats of physical violence

as well as social ostracization, unemployment and more.

The week-long uprising at the Stonewall Inn in 1969, in which gender and sexual minorities battled New York Police Department officers in the streets, galvanized the queer community in the U.S. and has served as a model for gender and sexual justice movements since.

“Those loudest people, the most vulnerable, the most likely to arrested, were the ones doing the real fighting. They were the stormtroopers,” said Martin Boyce, one of the few living veterans of the Stonewall riots, in a 2011 PBS documentary titled “Stonewall Uprising: The Year that Changed America.”

This sort of unwavering commitment to justice can be difficult to maintain. Yet outsiders are too often allowed to shut

down the activities of people acting well within their human and legal rights. Those who seek to undermine democracy and its institutions often target universities.

George Ciccariello-Maher, associate professor of politics and global studies at Drexel University, was placed on administrative leave this week after he received death threats and other violent messages via email and Twitter.

The professor had tweeted his take on the Oct. 1 shooting in Las Vegas; he says that liberals’ insistence on gun control obscured the root of mass shootings, which he argues is the product of white supremacist and patriarchal attitudes.

Conservative and alt-right media outlets including Breitbart and Fox News shared the tweets, resulting in what Ciccariello-

Maher called a “flood” of threatening emails in an Oct. 10 opinion column he wrote for the Washington Post.

“By bowing to pressure from racist internet trolls, Drexel has sent the wrong signal: That you can control a university’s curriculum with anonymous threats of violence,” CiccarielloMaher wrote.

On Oct. 4, a student at the University of California, Berkeley uploaded a video to YouTube that depicts students in his class protesting an exam scheduled for that day. Citing an on-campus demonstration in support of President Trump’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals program and other troubling global events, the students demanded a take-home essay be issued in lieu of the test.

Professor Harley Shaiken, chair

of the Center for Latin American Studies at UC-Berkeley, finished listening to the students’ speech before offering a response.

“I am not about to allow …

200 right-wing demonstrators shut down a university,” said Shaiken. “Otherwise, any time 25, 50 or 1,000 people want to stop us … we’ve demonstrated that that’s what will happen.”

In both of these cases, those committed to democratic values called for the resistance of outsiders’ pressure. When your closely held ideals and principles are under attack, an opportunity arises to display bravery and courage.

Few will disagree: This is a difficult task, but it’s one all of us are called to take up. No amount of insults or threats should discourage you from pursuing what you know is right.

Junior senator: SGA advocates for you CALLIE STRUBY GUEST COLUMNIST

I decided to run for Student Government Association (SGA) at the end of election season last year in part as a reaction to the lack of efficacy I noticed during the presidential election. I ran with the goal of providing a voice to my fellow students and in particular those who feel they have yet to have one.

Whether I have achieved this goal is a matter of interpretation; what is certain, however, is that I always had my fellow students’ and the university’s best interest at heart. This was true at orientation, where I volunteered to chair the Open Educational Resources (OER) Committee, during the Greek Council decision, in the fulfillment of vacancies following multiple resignations and most recently in the constitutional review process.

As is the case with any kind of decision making involving other people, it is impossible to please everyone. There will always be someone who feels their needs are not being met, or that the system does not work for them. To those people I extend a challenge, the same one I extend to myself every day: push yourself to see that which makes you uncomfortable and displeased as something positive, and if you are still unhappy and uncomfortable then become active.

My decision to defend Greek Council and vote in favor of both protecting its University-sponsored Organization status and funding its

full budget was based on the idea that Greek Council, while it may represent (only?) 25 percent of the student body, contributes to the vibrancy and climate that encompasses our entire campus.

With that being said, I acknowledge that wrong methods were sometimes pursued to achieve this protection. During one of last semester’s more desperate moments, I supported a radical plan that sought to impeach several senators. This was later dubbed the ‘Struby Plan’ (against my will). At the time, frustrated, tired and annoyed by the lack of respect and attention to other people’s time, it seemed like the right course of action. While it was a plan supported by a majority of my fellow senators, in retrospect it was a mistake. It was a hasty decision based on unresolved emotions. But as most mature adults know, mistakes are an important part of life and most certainly of college.

They provide us with a chance to learn, grow and become more wellrounded individuals. That was my goal in joining the Constitutional Review Committee. I wanted to ensure that the plan I had supported would not be possible again and that the unacceptable circumstances which appeared to necessitate it would not arise again. I feel very strongly that we have accomplished this mission and that we have done so in an inclusive way that takes into account the opinions of the entire senate.

Nonetheless, I am, like I said, aware that as a human being in a position that requires decision making you can never please everyone. So to those who dislike the constitutional amendments proposed (which the student body will have the opportunity to vote on

CALLIE STRUBY talks at a Student Government Association meeting. FILE PHOTO

in the upcoming elections), I have one request: push yourself to see it from my point of view or that of one of my fellow senators. Try to understand how these changes might be beneficial and if you still feel that they are the wrong choice, become active. Run. Campaign. Do the work. SGA is underappreciated on this campus, and this is frustrating, plain and simple. The officeholders within SGA that dedicate themselves to fulfilling the duties asked of them do more work than the average student could conceive of doing for something considered an extracurricular activity.

We go to three-hour-long meetings, give up time on the weekends, pour

through documents and policies from other universities, travel for conferences, and yes, also give money to organizations that put on the events that so many of us know and love.

The point of this is not to ask for thanks or praise, in some ways receipt of that takes away what is so very special about SGA: it is a group of students committing themselves to something that at times is exhausting, frustrating and thankless, but they do it because they seek to be a voice and an advocate for their fellow students. I am grateful to the senators I served with both past and present, to my vice president, despite our occasional clashes, and I am most

grateful to my president, who has been a rock throughout. Due to my studying abroad next fall, I will not be running for re-election to SGA ,but I would encourage every student on this campus to very seriously consider running. For every negative experience I have had two positive ones. For every disagreement with a fellow officeholder I have gained a new perspective. For every frustrating day there has been a day for which I was grateful. Run for SGA: it is an experience unlike any other.

Callie Struby is a junior political science and sociology double major.

8

WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 13, 2017 •

OPINION

Why the Trinitonian is relevant to campus

illustration by ANDREA NEBHUT

MANFRED WENDT OPINION COLUMNIST

At a small school like Trinity, it is easy, and sometimes even fun, to attack the institutions on campus for not being as large, well-funded or putatively prestigious as the institutions on larger campuses. It is all but a part of our campus culture to mock most things on our campus. Everything from Mabee to Residential Life to Admissions to student-run organizations on campus play an integral role in the ‘Trinity experience’ that Danny Anderson and Sheryl Tynes always mention when they talk about the vital work that they do for the university. Without

all of the organizations that we have on campus, we would be left with a less enriched Trinity experience. Every organization and institution we have on campus in some way helps enhance someone’s Trinity experience.

The institutions are vital, but often times we demean them simply for existing. Yes, living in the age of smartphones and social media makes it easy for students to hole themselves inside of their rooms and emerge only for classes. However, we must remember that these institutions that are now so easy to mock once served as the original social media — how people found their friend circle and sense of community and purpose.

One of the most vital institutions on campus is the Trinitonian. The Trinitonian is the campus newspaper, the very newspaper you are reading right now (in case you didn’t know). The Trinitonian is a bastion of free speech and free press on Trinity’s campus.

It’s not a cupcake publication — it runs

hard stories on issues that affect the Trinity community. The Trinitonian has shown that it is unafraid of taking on and questioning the administration. Daring to question the administration is vital; on a number of college campuses, the school newspaper is controlled by the administration itself and the administration gets to decide what is and is not acceptable to print. Here at Trinity, the press is proudly student-run and unrestrained by arbitrary rules.

This student-run campus publication plays one of the most important roles in creating the Trinity experience. The campus newspaper serves as a common well of knowledge and information that all students are entitled and encouraged to drink from.

Without the Trinitonian, there would be no touchstone at Trinity for information on past, current and future events. The Trinitonian provides a unifying experience for all students to become informed and diligent members

of the Trinity community by supplying information about events and allowing students to express their ideas for the student body to hear. The Trinitonian also allows the administration and the student body to give and receive feedback on campus issues.

Far too often, people discredit the work that the Trinitonian and its employees do on campus. Without the Trinitonian, we would be reduced to getting our information from three sources: Facebook posts, LeeRoy emails and physical on-campus advertisements.

Without the Trinitonian there would be no unifying entity on campus to inform the campus of what’s happening. All of these Trinitonian alternatives have a slew of problems. Facebook posts are hindered by their algorithm and lack of fact checking.

LeeRoy only tells you what and when an event will happen. Finally, on-campus advertisements of events are outdated in an age where we stare at our smart phones from the moment we wake up to the second we go to bed. Demean the Trinitonian all you want, but no other campus institution is capable of doing the job that we do on this campus.

Without the Trinitonian, the campus would be much worse off. There would be no way for students to debate crucial, salient issues in print and there would be no way to easily know what has happened on campus over the past week nor what will happen.

Trinity would become an information desert.

Students would be limited to what they and their friends have noticed on campus.

Yes, sometimes the Trinitonian will publish articles giving print space to ideas that you disagree with, but don’t worry, reading different ideas won’t kill you. Colleges should be the foreground of the battlefield of ideas, and the Trinitonian allows Trinity to fulfill this role.

Manfred Wendt is a junior political science major.

To Overheard: Journalists make sacrifices EMILY ELLIOTT GUEST COLUMNIST

My name is Emily Elliott, and I’m a pretty non-confrontational, neutral person — except when it comes to the fact that there is no one the Trinitonian frustrates more than myself.

This might be the first time I’ve ever publicly voiced an opinion, so I’ll give you some context on what finally prompted me to: This weekend, the Trinitonian came under heavy fire when last week’s editorial was shared to Overheard at Trinity, a Facebook group. The editorial is a weekly commentary written by one of the head editors — in this case, it had been written by the editor-in-chief, Daniel Conrad. It is almost always written without interviewing external sources; it’s also principle to not interview members of staff for any article to avoid conflicts of interest. The editorial, simply put, is just an opinion article from one of the executives.

As hard as I tried not to follow the drama surrounding this week’s editorial, I found myself constantly checking the post to see what new complaints and responses had been posted. The editorial in question discussed how conservatives on campus are ‘winning’ — that article has been interpreted in a variety of ways, and I think everything that could be said about it has been said. I don’t want to talk about that article anymore — I want to talk about comments made towards the Trinitonian.

“See, I think the problem with this argument is that the author assumes that the Trinitonian is actually widely read or relevant,” commented Claire Steinman.

Claire’s comment was surprising, but she wasn’t the only one who was frustrated with the Trinitonian.

“In other news, the Trinitonian is made up of apparently 40 active students who belong to other organizations, so if you all talked to each other, you could figure out how to report on what is going on,” commented Andrea Avecedo.

In a now-deleted post, Andrea also accused the Trinitonian of “doing such a shit job of journalism that they don’t even know what’s going on on their own campus, much less how to write about it.” Ouch. These comments felt incredibly aggressive, and I’m not even one of the 40 active Trinitonian workers; I was, however, on staff for three years. I initially only joined my first year with the intention of meeting new people, and years later, I’m lucky to have worked alongside some of my closest friends — but not without tons of blood, sweat and tears.

On production nights, I would sit in front of a computer for about 12 hours laying out and editing my section of the paper. I would spend every moment in between classes collecting interviews, contacting sources and handling conflicts for my reporters. My boyfriend and I lived in different time zones last year, so we had limited opportunities to talk; every week, I’d have to sacrifice at least two days of talking to him because I was too busy working on the Trinitonian.

It was difficult to interact with some of my closest friends when they became my bosses, and when I had conflicts with

other members on staff, they were always disregarded. On top of everything, I was constantly talking and meeting with other members of staff to ensure that we were sharing the most relevant, informative articles possible. My experiences on the Trinitonian were rewarding, but ultimately, I felt so frustrated by how demanding it was that I felt it would be best to give up my position to someone who wasn’t so burnt out.

“I don’t think it’s fair to say that the efforts of staff members are invalid because one person wrote an opinion piece that you disagree with.”

While I may have quit out of frustration, I still admire the efforts of all of my friends on staff, and ultimately, none of us made our sacrifices only to have the paper be vilified on Facebook, of all forums — especially by someone who has little respect for the publication, but had recently been happy to be featured in the paper.

I get it — to some, it felt like Daniel may have undermined the devoted efforts of certain groups on campus; maybe it felt

right to fight fire with fire and attack the efforts of Trinitonian as a whole, but as I said earlier, that editorial is a reflection of the opinions of one person. I don’t think it’s fair to say that the efforts of staff members like sports editor Julia Weis, who is hoping to become a journalist after graduation, or advertising director Rebecca Derby, who has spent every spare second she has speaking with clients, are invalid because one person wrote an opinion piece that you disagree with.

The criticism seemed especially misplaced because the Trinitonian staff have covered these political efforts and the students who drive them in the past — they even ran an advertisement for PRIDE in the same issue this editorial appeared in.

The Trinitonian is composed of students of all backgrounds and beliefs, and the editors do an incredible job of promoting the activities and events of every organization on campus. There’s only so much that can be done, however, when students ignore requests for interviews, and the opportunity to share events escapes — this happens weekly, and I speak from experience when I say that it’s usually with people who are proud and excited to share their passions with the campus, which is an absolute shame.

To conclude, all I have to say is this: I can’t see why y’all are so overwhelmingly angry over a paper that “isn’t actually widely read or relevant.” I mean, after all, no one’s reading their articles, right?

Emily Elliott is a senior English and business double major.

OPINION • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

9

Dreaming about better legislation MICAELA HOFFMAN OPINION COLUMNIST

With the Oct. 5 date behind us — the last day for DACA renewals — there has been a lot of buzz about what Congress will do. They have five months before deportations begin.

Six different bills of legislation are being considered; here’s what you need to know.

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is a bipartisan bill known also as the Graham-Durbin bill after its proposal by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill. It offers a path to citizenship for the Dreamers who arrived in the United States before the age of 18, have been here for a consecutive four years prior to its enactment, are admitted to an institution of higher education, or have earned a GED or high school diploma or are currently enrolled in high school. They must pass a background check and must not have committed certain criminal offenses.

If Dreamers meet those requirements, they will have a conditional permanent residence status (CPR) for eight years. Eight. Dreamers who receive this status will also be able to apply for financial aid to attend school, which they do not currently receive, even under DACA. They must share an unsettling amount of their

personal information with the government — any record imaginable, like your report card from school, honorable discharge from the Coast Guard or your home address since being in the US — to get DACA status, and the DREAM Act restricts the government from using this information for purposes of deportation.

While under the CPR status, for those eight years, Dreamers cannot leave the U.S. and must obtain a degree, have given two years of service in the military or have held employment for three years. They must also be able to read, write and speak English, and understand U.S. civics.

Once Dreamers have done all of that, they can apply for a green card, which gives them legal permanent residence (LPR). Stick with the LPR for another five years and apply for citizenship. This adds up to a total of 13 years before even becoming eligible for citizenship, which could add several years to that total.

Dreamers can finally visit their ‘home’ country 13 years from now.

The BRIDGE (Bar Removal of Individuals Who Dream and Grow Our Economy) Act was introduced by the same Senators, and is intended to act as a permanent installment of DACA. The RAC (Recognizing America’s Children) Act is similar to the DREAM Act, except that there is a longer requirement for the conditional permanent residence, making it a total of approximately 15 years before citizenship. continued on PAGE 11

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 13, 2017 •

OPINION

Learning lessons from Spanish immigration

illustration by YESSENIA LOPEZ

SOLEIL GAFFNER OPINION COLUMNIST

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. I’m excited to hear about the events that Trinity’s own Trinity University Latino Association and Mexico, the Americas, and Spain program have organized (among other great clubs and organizations), but I am sad that I won’t be able to participate in any of them. To contribute to Hispanic Heritage Month, I decided to research the Latinx population in Spain.

Studies done by the European Statistical Office show that Spain nationalized the most non-Europeans of any European Union country in 2014. Many of these immigrants can be traced to Latin America. Among the millions of Latinxs who immigrate, Spain has the second-highest population of immigrants, after the United States, according to Spanish news website El País. How did Spain become the next-best place for migrants to migrate?

Due to Francisco Franco’s harsh dictatorship from 1939 to 1975 and the ensuing economic downfall, immigration has only risen exponentially in the last two decades. As a whole, it has not been long enough for hateful rhetoric to really develop to affect immigration rates.

Second, during Franco’s regime, many Spaniards left their homeland in search of democracy and freedom. Recent Spanish history opens the minds of Spaniards today, and has created a greater tolerance and empathy for immigrants.

Finally, the tainted idea of patriotism that is used in the United States’ hateful rhetoric against immigration is not seen in Spain because of Franco’s nationalist regime. Spaniards don’t walk up to people speaking another language and say, “Estás en España ahora, habla castellano!”

Spain’s economy is far from booming, though.

As of April 2017, the national unemployment rate in Spain is 17.6 percent, which is incredibly high for a developed country. Among Ecuadorians in Spain, the unemployment rate is a whopping 31 percent. When it’s already hard to get a job in

your country while being a natural-born citizen, it’s doubly hard when you’re a naturalized citizen.

In Fermin Vivanco and Rebecca Rouse’s article, “Latin American Emigrants in Spain: a Future in the Air,” the authors describe the situation that Latinx immigrants face as unpredictable. Many of them have to rely on unskilled and low-wage jobs, such as domestic work, restaurant service and elderly care. The authors also note that while 86 percent of Latin American immigrants in Spain have bank accounts, only 32 percent are used as savings accounts. Also, while 78 percent of Spain’s general population owns houses, only 12 percent of Latinx migrants do. These numbers are disheartening, and show the struggle they face every day.

However, Spain still provides as much as it can for its immigrant population. Jerome Socolovsky in his NPR article, “Many Latin American Immigrants Opting for Spain,” explains the many different organizations and enterprises being targeted towards Latinx migrant workers.

“Experts say one of the main reasons [Latin American emigrants choose Europe over the United States] is the emergence of an entire industry of financial services catering to immigrants,” Socolovsky writes.

Many Latin Americans in Spain come specifically to work and send money back to their families. To help facilitate this practice, several creative enterprises have begun to pop up in major cities. Many shops have a system where customers pay for appliances and later have them delivered to an address in their home country. One company is testing ATMs that make it possible to pay for groceries, medical treatments or cell phones in a Latin American country. Mundocredit, a branch of one of Spain’s largest banks, caters directly to immigrants and offers no-commission money transfers to Latin America. They also provide the option of getting a mortgage in Spain for a home in Latin America.

Latin American immigrants have made their home in Spain. Spain welcomes them with open arms, but can only do so much for this growing population in the face of its own economic crisis.

In the meantime, everyone works together to bring Spain to where it wants to be.

Soleil Gaffner is a junior communication and Spanish double major.

OPINION • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

11

Shortchanged by “Theatre for Social Change” GABRIEL LEVINE OPINION COLUMNIST

In last week’s issue of the Trinitonian, Arts & Entertainment writer Austin Davidson wrote a glowing review of “Theatre for Social Change: On Domestic Abuse.” Last Friday, I saw the show for myself and, though I agree with Austin on some points, there were some very disappointing aspects of the show.

The production focused on two separate, real stories of domestic abuse. For each, an actor first read a transcript of an interview to establish background and then several actors reenacted a specific scene of abuse. Next, the scene was repeated with opportunities for audience members to swap themselves with actors or insert themselves into the scene in an attempt to change the course of the abusive scenario.

I thought that the transcript reading and first depiction of each scene were excellent. The acting was sincere, convincing and uncomfortable to watch in its depiction of domestic abuse.

Watching those scenes really got me thinking about all the ways that routine familial and friend disputes in my life could have evolved into something worse if I, or someone else, had behaved differently or were mentally unstable.

For that reason, I was very much looking forward to the audience participation portions.

I attended another Theatre for Social Change last spring which addressed how difficult life can be for conservative students on campus and the audience participation portion demonstrated very effectively how intimidating it can be to speak up in a situation where someone is being unnecessarily harassed for their beliefs.

Unfortunately, this time around, the behavior of the actors degraded the quality of the audience participation portion. They would swap in and out frequently, leaving few opportunities for audience members to jump in. Sometimes, one actor would swap in, and then, a few minutes later, the actor who had been swapped out would swap back in again.

Not only was this immersion-breaking, it

LINDA READY and LAUREN HILL in a scene from last week’s show “Theatre for Social Change: On Domestic Abuse”. photo by AMANI CANADA

made humorous what should have been a very serious scene.

Beyond that, though, the manner in which the actors behaved once they had inserted themselves into the scenes was crass and shallow.

The whole point of this type of play is to demonstrate how slight or moderate changes to the behavior of people in flawed situations can, maybe, result in a better outcome. However, the approach of the actors was to simply strip away the problems entirely. For example, a drunken, manipulative father was a central component of one scene. Slight changes in this character’s behavior would likely have changed the course of events. Instead, one actor swapped in and magically replaced the drunken father with a reformed father who had been going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and was now thoroughly interested in being a good, peaceful,

Better legislation continued from PAGE 9

The SUCCEED (Solutions for Undocumented Children through Careers, Employment, Education and Defending our Nation) Act also has a 15-year path to citizenship, but has longer requirements for education, work or military service.

Now it gets worse.

The Border Security for America Act plans to invest more than $15 billion in securing the border by updating infrastructure, modernizing trading ports and paying law enforcement. Sounds like a wall, smells like a wall, reads like a wall — it is a wall.

The RAISE (Reforming America’s Immigration for Strong Employment) Act — Trump has pledged support for this one. This act aims to lower immigration entirely, including legal immigration.

This is somehow supposed to help the economy. It would decrease total immigration by 50 percent in the next 10 years by capping the number of refugees to 50,000, giving fewer protections to extended family members, and completely annihilating the Diversity Visa Lottery, which allocates another 50,000 visas to the U.S. for immigrants from countries with historically low immigration rates.

It would create a points-based system that grades a person on their level of education, ability to speak English, how many job offers they have, age and record of achievement.

This is beyond just the Dreamers, now. This piece of legislation is an assault on diversity and immigration in this country entirely. It is an excuse to be systematically nationalistic. What is the sense of limiting legal immigration? There

is room for everyone in this country, and the economic opportunities of the United States is not a zero-sum game. Those who come here to work, as my family did from Italy through legal avenues, or people you know who have green cards or have been naturalized citizens, do not threaten our society. Legislation like this suggests that these people shouldn’t be here, or that more of them don’t deserve to come. They don’t have a good enough human grade! They don’t somehow have enough points! It’s nationalism at its worst — implying that America is full of good citizens and the others, the outsiders, who are just bad. We can’t let them in anymore. It is intense and irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries.

Funny, that is also the definition of xenophobia.

Polls have been disheartening when it comes to the RAISE Act. The opposition is weak: 57% percent of Democrats oppose the notion of reducing legal immigration, while 73% of Republicans agree with the notion. Chief research officer Kyle Dropp of Morning Consulting said “Republican support is more consolidated than Democratic opposition.” After reading last weeks’ editorial, I am more aware now of the need for Democrats to unify; we can’t be apathetic about things like the RAISE Act when Republicans are chomping at the bit to pass their agenda. This extends beyond immigration, and is arguably one of the reasons we are in this mess at all.

The champions of change today are too complacent. Democrats didn’t turn out for the election, and now we have Trump. We need to get woke, Dems. This great divide of those who speak up and those who are fed up will ruin any chance we have at creating change.

conciliatory person. In the other scene, a high school party was underway and one girl’s older, abusive girlfriend had threatened to out one of the students to her conservative, Christian mother. One actor, in a wild form of deus ex machina, inserted herself into the scene as this conservative, Christian mother, showed up to a house that wasn’t hers, ignored the alcohol all around, and suddenly announced her tolerance and love for her lesbian daughter.

These nonsensical and magical changes by the actors made it nearly impossible for the scenes to maintain coherence. Worse, as the facade of the scenes collapsed and became more absurd, they took on a funny, comedic, improv show character. The opportunity to learn about real approaches for combating domestic abuse and the difficulty of speaking up in such situations vanished.

The best defense of the actors I can think of is that this was the sixth night of the show and they wanted an opportunity to test the limits of their own production. Indeed, when asked by the faculty coordinator after each scene what the thought was behind their (unrealistic) character insertions, they generally gave insightful reasons.

However, their duty as actors is to the audience, not themselves, and the fact that several of their insertions became comedic undercut their good intentions.

The audience participation format has great potential and it was worthwhile to see scenes of domestic abuse portrayed so unflinchingly. The next time around, though, the actors should take more care to respect the audience and the subject matter.

Gabriel Levine is a senior chemistry major.

Blast from the past! in this iss ue, 25 ye ar s ago...

Pulse

HAVE A STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD? Know a professor or student who embodies what it means to be a Tiger? Email us at trinitonian@trinity.edu to let us know about the people and events that should be covered in an upcoming issue of the Trinitonian.

Trinity Progressives plan gun violence vigil Students work to match thought with action MADELYN GAHARAN PULSE EDITOR

In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, the most deadly shooting in modern United States history, Trinity Progressives are pairing thoughts and prayers with political action as they plan a gun violence vigil. The vigil is intended to not only honor and remember those affected by gun violence, but educate and encourage students and faculty to become involved in the politics surrounding gun violence.

“If the massacre of 58 individuals is not enough to warrant an inquisition into why those people were able to be so easily and violent killed, into why gun violence is such an issue in our country, then it seems as if there will never be a right time for those discourses,” said Maddie Kennedy, co-president of Trinity Progressives.

Trinity Progressives argues it is their responsibility to challenge the structures that allow gun violence to be so prevalent.

“At the time of this interview, 11,986 people have died as a result of gun violence in 2017 alone. That is sufficient to classify as an epidemic, a public health problem that the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] is not allowed to cover. While there are many other types of violence in the United States, and each method is tragic, guns make it easier to kill people. Guns make it easier to commit suicide.

Guns make mass shootings possible. There is a common denominator into those 11,986 deaths that demands investigation and protest,” Kennedy said.

One of those victims was Floyd East, Jr., a Texas Tech police officer shot on Monday, Oct. 9.

“The world outside of Trinity exists outside of our bubble, but that does not mean it does not affect us. That does not mean that your

illustration by MADELYN GAHARAN

Trinity peers have not been potentially affected or touched by gun violence,” Kennedy said.

“Furthermore, as we see in the wake of the Texas Tech shooting, university campuses are not able to escape the threat of gun violence.”

The shooter was 19-year-old Hollis Daniel.

The Associated Press reported that Daniels was the son of Dan Daniels, a prominent figure in Seguin, Texas, just 35 miles northeast of San Antonio. Gun violence, and violence on campus, is not all that far away from Trinity.

From the 2001–2002 school year through the 2015–2016 school year, 64 percent of college shootings occurred in southern states with weak gun laws. Becoming involved with anti-gun activism in even small ways, makes a big difference.

“I urge students to take advantage of the resources available for the planning of such events

— the expertise, advice, funds and manpower needed to put on an event can be provided by a number of on-campus organizations that welcome such ideas. If a student is uninvolved currently on campus, but has an idea that they would like to see come to fruition, I would urge them to take initiative and reach out,” said Simone Washington, sophomore Trinity Progressives member and Student Government Association senator.

In addition to students becoming more involved with politics on campus, Trinity Progressives urge professors and other administration to take steps toward involvement both in and out of the classroom.

Trinity Progressives have reached out to several faculty, though nothing is final yet. The group aims to reach a broad array of faculty, students and staff to attend.

“I would like to see more collaboration between the administration and students when programming events of this nature. It is impactful for students to see their professors outside of the academic setting, engaging with issues that are meaningful to them,” Washington said.

Washington expressed that to best honor victims of gun violence, all thought must be paired with action. To honor victims, event planning or other programming should challenge participants to think of possible solutions and use these solutions as an outlet for students to internalize the grief associated with yet another mass shooting.

Additionally, Trinity Progressives urges students to engage and be critical of information shared about the shooter. Many popular media outlets have romanticized Stephen Paddock, the Las Vegas shooter, as a victim of mental illness, rather than portraying him as a terrorist.

“Compare the rhetoric that has been used to characterize this individual with the rhetoric that has been used to describe similar attacks. Take the time to analyze the differences between this rhetoric and ask yourself why this is the case,” Washington said.

This vigil is only the first step of action that students should feel obligated to engage with.

“I feel that students are obligated to be engaged with gun violence because they are obligated to recognize the humanity of their fellow Americans, and the suffering that we are privileged not to have to encounter. We need to find ways to care for our fellow humans. I would urge students to contact their representatives, to write, to sign petitions, to call. Political intervention matters at many different levels,” Kennedy said.

There has not been an exact date set for the vigil, but Trinity Progressives predict it will happen Sunday, Oct. 15 or Monday, Oct. 16.

Stay posted on the exact date by following Trinity Progressives on Facebook at Trinity Progressives, or Instagram at @trinity_progressives or email Maddie Kennedy at mkennedy@trinity.edu.

FYE takes field trip to Bexar detention center “A Successful Life” gets an uncommon learning experience MEREDITH GOSHELL

NEWS REPORTER On Thursday, Oct. 5, approximately 47 students from the First-Year Experience: A Successful Life visited Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center as a part of their course.

The first-years’ trip to the center is one of the Common Learning Experiences, which are programs where students are taken to a place within the San Antonio community to enhance their learning of the material being taught.

The class is segmented into three parts: what Americans see as successful and what makes them that way, barriers to that success and then finally international success. This trip falls under the barriers to success segment.

“Students begin the day with an introduction to the intake process — how somebody might end up there and what happens when they do,” said Jennifer Rowe, director of the Writing Center and one of the course’s professors. “You learn a little about how the parents get involved, so it’s a lot of

listening and watching for the students. Then we’re kind of taken through the building in a way that mimics the kids’ days.”

A large part of the juvenile system is that it focuses on rehabilitation versus punishment.

The children there, in a lot of ways, are like normal children in that they have to attend school and have a structured day. When they misbehave, they are sat down and explained to why they are being punished.

“The classroom looked exactly like my classroom in middle school: dry-erase boards marked with grammar rules, tables, chairs and cinder-block walls filled with motivational posters,” said Johnneisha White, first-year computer science major and entrepreneurship minor.

“The officers did not treat the children like criminals. Sure, the officers carried guns, keys, badges, etc., but they treat the children like children.”

However, in other ways, the students’ lives are extremely different. While they go to school and learn like normal children, they are also restricted to certain rooms and guards watch them constantly.

“In the center, I was quite nervous at first,” White said. “I knew that the workers there were nurturing, but the environment made me feel trapped. Every door was locked. For a while, I felt only a minuscule part of what the

graphic by ANDREA NEBHUT

juveniles felt- isolation and confinement. The children at the detention center aren’t allowed to use technology or come and go as they please. When I stepped out, I felt relieved.”

The students were asked to examine the children’s barriers to success and how their lives have been so adversely affected that they have committed crimes.

“There are 10 year olds in there who have committed murder,” said Sheryl Tynes, vice president for Student Life and professor of sociology and anthropology. “We ask our students to examine what may have

happened between zero and 10 that led them to that point.”

A additional reason that Trinity students are taken to the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center is because, with certain training and a criminal background check, Trinity students can volunteer. College students are in a unique position because kids love them. The youth there look up to college students and see themselves in them.

To learn more about volunteering, contact Sheryl Tynes at stynes@trinity.edu or the Bexar Juvenile Center at 210-335-8500.

PULSE • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

Sidewalk Symposium “WHAT ARE YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY TIPS?” Emily Bourgeois Sophomore English

“Starting studying early and not procrastinating. As an English major, most of my midterms are papers.

You can’t do an 11-page paper in one night and have it be good.”

Claire Los First-year

Environmental Studies “Sleep would help. Knowing how you study best — I study best alone and not in big study groups. And lots of tea.”

Alex Gordon Junior Marketing

“Time management is big. Preparing in advance — not waiting ‘till the night before. For me, repetition helps. I rewrite my notes over and over again so that it sticks in my head.”

Kit Olderson Sohpomore

Business analytics and technology “Making sure that you don’t get too stressed out.

My dad says, ‘Stress leads to procrastination, procrastination leads to unwanted behavior, and unwanted behavior leads to stress.’ So, if you don’t get into that cycle you won’t end up saying, ‘Why did I do this to myself?’” photos by STEPHEN SUMRALL-ORSAK

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • October 13, 2017 •

PULSE

One-Wheeled Wonder Aidan Burke takes a “uni”-que way to class

MEREDITH GOSHELL PULSE REPORTER

Aidan Burke is a senior biology major at Trinity University and patrols the 5th Floor of Thomas as the resident assistant. He also rides a unicycle to class everyday.

Meredith Goshell: The obvious question: why did you get into unicycling?

Aidan Burke: “When I was nine, my neighbor was showing off for the neighborhood kids and he let us all try and he told me I was doing pretty well as he was, you know, holding my hands. So, every few days, I’d knock on his door and instead of asking him if his son could play, I’d ask if I could unicycle and practice. I did that for about three months and then, I got the hang of it.”

MG: So, have you been unicycling ever since?

AB: No, actually I was afraid of getting beat up my freshman year of college so it stayed in the closet. But, after that, I’ve been pretty much riding it the whole time. Since sophomore year, I’ve been using it as my main mode of transportation.

MG: Why do you like to unicycle?

AB: It’s just fun, I guess. I can’t say it’s an adrenaline rush or anything crazy but it’s fun. It’s quick, slightly more convenient than a bike and slightly faster than a skateboard.

It’s just something I really enjoy doing.

MG: If someone was trying to learn to unicycle, what would you recommend?

AB: Honestly, just get on and practice. It took me, as a nine year old, three months to do it, but I’ve heard adults can do it in as little as two or three weeks if they practice an

hour a day. You just have to keep practicing because it’s going to suck and you’re going to fall and the unicycle is going to take a lot of hits. But you’ll get it eventually, you just have to stick with it.”

MG: Do you know anyone else on Trinity’s campus that also unicycles?

AB: I’ve heard of one woman who’s a freshman who unicycles but I haven’t seen it yet! I’ll definitely be looking out for her. Other than that, I haven’t ever seen anyone else.

MG: How many unicycles have you gone through?

AB: “I’ve gone through one, so I’m on my second right now. The reason my other one broke is because I bought it in high school and the weight limit was like 175 pounds and I was only a little bit over it so I was fine.

Once I got to college and got really good and trying to do tricks, it broke. It said right on the label don’t try and do tricks, and don’t be over 200 pounds, and I broke both of those rules so it broke. Now, I have a new one that’s much better.”

MG: What tricks do you like to do?

AB: “Nothing too crazy. I can basically hop up onto a curb and go down a few stairs.

There are a lot of people who can go down several flights of stairs and jump and 360 and all kinds of crazy stuff.”

MG: Do you have a specialized unicycle?

AB: “Yeah, it’s crazy. There are so many different ones. The one I have is a mountain unicycle. There’s street and touring and mountain and there’s one called ‘giraffes,’ which are the really tall ones that you see clowns on when they’re 50 feet in the air.

They have chains that go down to the pedals. .

There’s a whole slew of types. There’s street and touring and mountain and there’s one

AIDAN BURKE demonstrates his unicycle skills in front of Coates. photo by STEPHEN SUMRALL-ORSAK

called ‘giraffes,’ which are the really tall ones that you see clowns on when they’re 50 feet in the air. They have chains that go down

to the pedals. There’s a whole slew of types; there are just as many different types of unicycles as there are bicycle types.

ADVERTISEMENTS • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

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AE &

“Blade Runner: 2049” pleases crowds, lives up to original

Harvey Weinstein has abused position of power to sexually harrass women

Once in a blue moon, a sequel to a dormant series is not terrible. “Blade Runner” has succeeded, despite box-office performance.

The producer has been fired after sexually harrassing at least twenty five women. Another reminder that corruption and coersion still exists in Hollywood.

Orchestra tunes up for Halloween concert

Members of Trinity Symphony Orchestra prepare a selection of French music ABIGAIL WHARTON A&E CONTRIBUTOR

The Trinity Symphony Orchestra will fill the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall with its fall concert, “Tableaux, an Evening of French Music,” this Halloween. Selections include the music of Debussy, Stravinsky and Ravel with vocal collaborations and string solos. Besides offering the chance to see Trinity friends perform live on stage, the orchestra provides beautifully executed classical music from the comfort of our own campus concert hall.

No one is more excited than the musicians themselves. Allison Hill, a junior neuroscience major and cellist, believes there’s something very special about this performance.

“It features the finalist from last semester’s Concerto Competition, Natalie Rochen. She’s performing this beautiful piece for harp and orchestra — Debussy’s ‘Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane.’ It’s not very often you get to see a harp front and center, and her performance is absolutely dazzling,” Hill said.

“The piece I’m most excited to play is the Berceuse and Finale from Stravinsky’s ‘Firebird Suite’ because it’s so high-energy and it has a lot of fun sound effects, like false harmonics, that result in a really surreal sound,” Hill said.

David Clark, a sophomore mathematics and French double major and bassoonist, is equally fond of the French selections and the feelings he gets while on stage.

“It’s a close tie between Debussy’s ‘Festivals from Nocturnes’ and Ravel’s ‘Mother Goose Suite,’” Clark said. “I have always found that there is an unparalleled elation in musical performance. Nothing can compare to the profound satisfaction that fills me when everything locks in just right among the members of the orchestra.”

Hill has her own favorite moment in the orchestra’s performance.

“The best part about performing is that instant right after the final chord of a piece where the sound has just enough time to fill the hall before the audience reacts,” Hill said.

If you’re looking to do something outside of the ordinary Halloween night, keep the Trinity Symphony Orchestra in mind. In addition to a calmer night, audience members will be treated to the start of a robust lineup of Trinity talent.

“In general, our concerts feature a variety of repertoire and collaboration with other musicians within the music department, so everyone’s bound to experience something at our performances that will resonate with them — whether they’re a vocalist, instrumentalist or a general lover of music,” Hill said.

Clark has high hopes for the student orchestra’s season. “The orchestra is on a really

Members of the Trinity Symphony Orchestra rehearsing for their Oct. 31 concert. The performance will showcase a selection of French music from composers such as Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky. photo by CHLOE SONNIER

good trajectory for this year! Our director, Dr. [Joseph] Kneer, is doing some great things with the orchestra program on campus,” Clark said.

Every December, musicians and singers collaborate on Trinity’s annual Christmas Concert, which brings all of the season’s most catchy tunes to Laurie Auditorium. On deck for the orchestra’s spring schedule are some

of classical music’s most popular and difficult arrangements. In February, they will tackle Haydn’s “Creation” with the Trinity Choir and select alumni in tow. Come April, they will perform “The Barber of Seville” and “The Pines of Rome.”

“Tableaux, an Evening of French Music” will be performed on Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall.

A Q&A with dual actor of “Into the Woods” AUSTIN DAVIDSON A&E CONTRIBUTOR

After the very successful and well-received “Theatre for Social Change” project, the Trinity theatre department is once again getting ready for another big hit. Starting last week, an ‘allstar cast’ has begun rehearsals for the critically acclaimed musical “Into the Woods.” It is directed by Nathan Stith, assistant professor of human communication and theatre, who is fresh from his first year of teaching and brings with him a wealth of experience.

To get to know more about the musical and the process behind it, I interviewed one of its cast members and all-around great guy, Jackson Beach, a junior political science and theatre double major. Due to Beach’s very busy schedule, I could only interview him over email. Despite this, he had much to say about the upcoming production.

Austin Davidson: What made you want to do theatre?

Jackson Beach: I’ve been doing theater since high school, and I knew I wanted to continue pursuing that art in college. When I toured liberal arts colleges in Texas, Trinity had the best theater by far. When I did my first show with them in 2015, I was instantly welcomed into the community. It’s been a great environment to pursue my craft and I’ve made lots of friends while doing it.

AD: What made you want to do “Into the Woods”?

illustration by YESSENIA LOPEZ

JB: The department announced we’d be doing “Into the Woods” late spring last year. I didn’t know much about it, but everyone went nuts. It’s one of the most notoriously challenging musicals out there, especially for a college campus. I watched the original Broadway cast recording and was blown away. It’s truly one of a kind and difficult to explain — you kind of just have to see it for yourself.

AD: Who is your character and what does he do?

JB: I play as the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince.

The role is traditionally cast in this way, which I think is a pretty cool commentary, especially considering what my characters do. As the Wolf, I’m conniving, smooth and deceptive. I come across Little Red Riding Hood in the woods, and, well you know how the old fairy tale goes. But, the scene is a lot more complex than that. There’s

a sort of chemistry between the two characters that I think is really interesting. The best way to describe Cinderella’s Prince is through one of his lines in the show — “I was raised to be charming, not sincere.” He’s dashing, daring and not exactly the brightest. He’s truly the star of his own story.

AD: After your first rehearsal, how do you think the cast will work together?

JB: We really have an all-star cast this year.

There was so much hidden vocal talent within the theatre department — especially from the first-year students. I’m really looking forward to working with all of them.

AD: What do you think of the director?

JB: Nathan Stith is the real deal. He’s been in the touring company of “Jesus Christ Superstar” and is bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to this show. But even with his extensive experience in musicals, he’s making

sure we all feel like we have creative freedom in developing our characters. He really wants it to be our show. I can’t wait to work more with him in the coming weeks.

AD: What’s your favorite musical?

JB: My favorite musical is probably “The Book of Mormon.”

AD: Did you get the part you wanted?

JB: For most musicals, I’m happy with whatever role I’m given. But for this show, I was exceptionally happy. These two characters are some of the most memorable in the whole show, and I’m so glad I get to portray them.

Through his answers, I can tell he is ecstatic for the play, happy with the people he is working with and excited for what is to come. You can catch him and a wonderful group of people putting on a great show, opening on Nov. 10.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

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Bárbara Renaud González and “The Buttocks of JLo” Tejana journalist, activist and writer comes to campus to read from promiscuous and profound new book “Las Nalgas de JLo” LUKE DIAS A&E INTERN

Trinity University continued to celebrate Latinx Heritage Month with a Thursday, Oct. 5 presentation in the Chapman Center’s Great Hall by Bárbara Renaud González, a freelance writer, journalist and activist. With a fierce but charming energy, González not only read passages from her new book, “Las Nalgas de JLo” (The Buttocks of JLo), but also taught the audience of over a hundred people powerful, and often controversial, lessons about the world and how to live happily in it.

A Tejana, González was born in South Texas, but she grew up in the Panhandle under the care of a loving mother and alongside seven younger siblings. As she describes, things were never easy for her family, but with the help of her mother, González persevered. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a master’s degree at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

After working in Washington, D.C. for some time, González returned to Texas to work for about five years at San Antonio Express-News, where she wrote for a column that would go on to house the majority of her short stories.

Now working on a children’s book series about Texan heroes and an adult fairy tale about a girl who can create rain, González

photo by CHLOE SONNIER

stopped by Trinity to give a presentation called “Get Woke. Join the Global Tribe,” which she presented specially for us and other colleges in San Antonio, reading passages from “Las Nalgas de JLo,” a collection of her stories from 1995–2005.

Ironically, González began by reading her book’s afterword. As she said herself, “We’ll begin at the end, because the ending — in my case, or as I understand it — can also be a new beginning.”

The afterword, written on Dec. 2, 2016, speaks in retaliation to the changing political climate currently happening. In it, González expresses her concern with the recent election based on statements Donald Trump has made.

She spoke of how her mother — the primary source of her determination — crossed the Mexican border herself in order to give her family a better life. She knew that America was full of hardships, but she wanted González and her other children to have choices in life — some of which may no longer be a reality in today’s world. It was an emotional way to start the presentation, but things only ramped up from there.

“We’ll begin at the end,

because the ending — in my case, or as I understand it — can also be a new beginning.”

González informed the audience that her mother, Marina, passed away on Oct. 6, 2000, shortly before González had to take a trip to Chile. And in her next story, “I Am My Mother’s Hopes ... And Fears,” written on May 12, 1996, she details just how traumatic the experience of traveling to America was for Marina. continued on PAGE 18

BARBARA RENAUD GONZALEZ reads aloud from her book, “Las Nalgas de JLo.” González had much to say on the immigrant experience, being the daugher of an immigrant herself. photo by CHLOE SONNIER

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Deconstructing graphic novels with Dylan Meconis Graphic novelist discusses design, text and all other elements often forgotten in a comic’s compostition AUSTIN DAVIDSON A&E CONTRIBUTOR

I am a huge comic and graphic novel enthusiast; I have been reading them since I was a child and will continue until I eventually float into the Great White North.

So hearing Dylan Meconis dissect the conventions and styles of comics I’ve been reading for years in her Wednesday, Oct. 4 lecture “Blink and You’ll See It: Form and Story in Today’s Graphic Novels” was an eye-opening experience.

Meconis is a professional graphic novelist who has written and illustrated four different novels, with a continuing series called “Family Man.” She has also been awarded for a number of her works, so when she was talking about the conventions and complexity of comics, she did so with an energy and passion that only someone who truly loves what they do could have.

In the beginning of her talk, she outlined what she would be talking about, going through the five base conventions within comics: text, visual conventions, image, symbol and sequence. She then showed

different panels and described what was happening in them and their individual complexities.

Starting with text, she showed the crowd about 10 different panels, each displaying a different way to create and use text in comics.

Some of them were the quintessential clouded thought bubble and the rather plain white circular speech bubble, but then she got into the more creative uses. She showed us a panel from a “Batman” issue in which the text was mixed through the panels, the colors and fonts changed based on the character’s emotion and who was speaking.

Then she moved to one where the whole page and panel was inside a large “BOOM,” showing that a massive bomb had blown up and expressing how dominating and important sound and text are within comics.

The most interesting one, in my opinion, was when she showed the crowd how comics convey the sounds of objects or things that movies can convey without having to literally write them out. Like the sound of a fist hitting a face, “SMACK,” or the sound of wind rustling the trees and how artists can find creative ways of conveying this sound.

By doing this, the artist immerses the reader in the panel, making it as realistic as possible.

From there she moved onto visual conventions. Her presentation was very image-driven, obviously, but it kept me and the crowd engaged and interested in what she was showing. While not as detailed as her dissection of text, her presentation on visual conventions focused on how artists show the motion and emotions of characters in panels.

She talked mainly about emotion; when you change a character’s face to display how they are saying something, it speaks volumes about what is happening the panel. A very

prevalent theme in the presentation as a whole was the subtle complexity of comics and how under its simple surface is a very diverse and interesting artistic medium.

Her next section of slides was about images.

This part was mainly her describing her latest work, “Family Man,” and how she uses different sets of images to convey even more about the scene. From the emotion to the context, the images within panels add to what the text and the visual conventions have already established.

She emphasized how many layers there are to comics and how each can say something new about the panel.

Her last two sections, ‘symbol’ and ‘sequence,’ were mainly dominated by her explanation of the actual meanings of comics.

While some are simple and straightforward, others are intricate and austere experiments of

form and methodology. One of her examples depicted the many different forms people take in life, depending on the people they are around and the environment they are in. How the comic did this was by changing the character’s color and patterning to show their different forms. This section especially emphasized that comics are a medium that have the ability to tackle difficult and powerful themes in a way that results in a beautiful end product.

Meconis’ presentation was well-paced and listenable. She kept it lively, using bright and evocative images to drive her points home. She showed the crowd just how interesting and complex comics are in a well-documented, easy-to-grasp way.

I left with a greater appreciation for the artistic merit of comics and I look forward to reading with my eyes open to their details.

DYLAN MECONIS takes apart elements of a comic strip. A graphic novelist herself, Meconis’ work includes titles such as “Family Man” and “Bite Me!” photo by ALLISON WOLFF

Bárbara Renaud González reads for Latinx Month cont. from PAGE 17 “When my mother crossed the border in search of a better life, she didn’t realize what she had done,” González read. “She says that if she were to do it all over, she would have left my father in her 30s.”

Marina wanted a better life for her family, but only González kept her promise. Out of her eight children, one son died. Another received a life sentence.

One daughter is a redeemed prostitute and another struggles with her sexuality. They are not what she expected them to be — and as she reflected on this, González was almost brought to tears.

But it was at this point that González tackled perhaps the most controversial story that she told that day, “A Nation Addicted,” written on March 23, 1997. In it, González identifies the root of all her family’s problems: drugs.

Her brother Carlos had died from chronic substance abuse. The brother who was in prison, Jorge, was there due to a cocaine addiction. And the prostitute sister, Leticia, used heroin while on the

job. Even though González has never used drugs, what she suggested was shocking.

She said that it was all America’s fault, since few Mexicans actually use drugs; it’s the Americans who constantly buy them.

And to counter it, she said that we need to legalize drugs, because trying to terminate them in the war on drugs will cause an even bigger defeat than we experienced in Vietnam. Speechless, the audience did not applaud.

“Kinda quiet, huh? Haha — too quiet,” she said.

After a few more stories elaborating on the differences between American culture and the cultures of its neighbors, she came to the titular “Las Nalgas de JLo”, which she wrote on Aug. 17, 2004. In the story she described the nalgas, or buttocks, of Jennifer Lopez. In her view, everyone fantasizes about them, but all people have them. What makes J. Lo’s so special? Why did hers have to be sexualized? People are certainly more than their appearances — and that was the point of the whole book.

The title may be promiscuous, but its content speaks miles.

GOT A NEWS TIP? EMAIL US AT:

trinitonian @trinity.edu

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

19

Johann Sebastian Bops DANIEL CONRAD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A professor of classics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Craig Williams shared a wealth of information concerning the portrayal of love and the natural world in Rome. photo by AMANI CANADA

Lennox seminar: Craig Williams Illinois professor discusses animals and love in Roman texts

ABIGAIL WHARTON A&E CONTRIBUTOR

Trinity University’s second Lennox Seminar lecture took place Monday, Oct. 2, in the Fiesta Room from Craig Williams, professor of classics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Williams’ work focuses on stories of animals, humans and love in and around the time of the Roman Empire.

“I focus on literary texts that speak of animals loving us, specifically falling in love with us,” Williams said before joining the audience in slightly uneasy giggling. The packed room was soon informed that this was not an odd theme in historical documents.

Outside of the 31 ancient texts Williams has discovered over the course of his work, contemporary literature has also described love between animals and humans.

Author Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild” has enthralled readers since being published in 1903. Its protagonist Buck is a simple ranch dog that is stolen from his home in California and sold into the sled dog industry of Alaska. Before Buck becomes a feral wilderness leader, he is briefly cared for by a man named Jack. His love for the man is described like a love affair: genuine, passionate, feverish and burning.

According to Williams, there is a great deal of classical influence behind this moment from London’s novel. In Greek texts, the word used for this love is ‘eros,’ which refers to intense desire for food, drink and sexual or nonsexual companionship. The Latin texts refer to burning, passionate love influenced by the deities Venus and Cupid.

Surprisingly, these texts are not fables or myths, but anecdotes. It is always the animal who falls in love with a human, who is emphasized as being young and beautiful. These are usually love stories without copulation.

Williams referenced Pliny the Elder’s “Natural History,” Aelian’s “On Animals” and Oppian’s “Halieuticks.” Reviewing 31 texts,

Williams has tallied accounts of 10 dolphins, six birds, five elephants, two dogs, one ram, one horse and one seal explicitly showing love towards humans. Behaviors of note include courtship, physically affectionate touches and caresses, pair bonding, attempts at coparenting and brief hints at sexual contact.

“Mutual love does not require reproduction,” Williams said, as many of these stories describe interactions between male animals and adolescent boys.

So, what do these stories even mean and what was the point of their preservation?

Williams says that it’s all about power.

Though they date to before and after the Roman Empire, the Romans compiled these stories in many of their texts investigating the natural world. True or not, the phenomena truly puts man at the top of the natural world as the epitome of biological perfection.

“These stories are as much about love as they are about the natural world.”

Anthropocentric themes are heavy in Roman literature. Political leaders were heralded as glorious bulls; a famous love poem by Anacreon refers to a boy with a girlish glance that holds the reins to the author’s heart; Pliny the Elder wrote that man is an animal destined to command others. Williams believes these stories speak to this idea of natural superiority.

But what about love?

“Eros is irresistible,” Williams said. Eros is laden with joy, pain and tragedy; these stories are as much about love as they are about the natural world. Love that sees no physical boundary.

The previous Lennox Lecturer, Caroline Vout, university reader of classics and fellow at Christ’s College at the University of Cambridge, spoke on how sexuality is a force that transcends societal constraints.

The Romans are well documented as having sexual and romantic relationships outside of the male-female binary. Williams certainly seems to echo Vout’s idea, that sexuality is enigmatic but intrinsic to life and culture.

To know more about the Romans, we shouldn’t be afraid to talk seriously about sex and love.

San Antonio’s classical music community was treated to a number of novelties this weekend. The Classical Music Institute (CMI) Chamber Orchestra performed in the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall last Saturday, Oct. 7, with its 2017–2018 season opener, “Bach to Bach.”

This performance was itself the first in a new CMI series titled “To Music,” which will celebrate individual composers with a night featuring their work. The 14-piece ensemble played eight compositions representing a variety of Johann Sebastian Bach’s work.

David Heller, chair of Trinity’s music department, kicked off the night with a performance of the prelude and fugue of the second book of “The Well-Tempered Clavier in E major.” Harpsichord haters, step aside; his memorized solo performance hit all the right notes. It’s hard to hear the tinkling of a harpsichord and not imagine myself in a regal courtyard, but Heller’s performance justified the fantasy.

CMI violin soloist Mari Lee joined Heller for a performance of the first two movements of “Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Harpsichord in E major”. Beginning with its moody adagio, the pair worked together to pull out the composition’s sorrowful tones until it was time for the second movement, the allegro. An allegro to be sure; its melody was bouncing and joyful.

The whole chamber orchestra emerged to perform an excerpt from the “St. Matthew Passion,” an operatic concert piece with a sacred theme: the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Mezzo-soprano Jacquelyn Matava delivered the No. 47 aria, “Erbarme dich” or “Have mercy,” originally meant for an alto.

But if her voice was lower than Bach intended, it made no difference. She and associate concertmaster Simón Gollo led the violins through a solemn rendition of the piece, while the harpsichord, bass and cellos plucked away in a dramatic clef backing.

Then it was time for “Violin Concerto in E major”: fast, slow and rather fast (allegro, adagio and allegro assai). This concerto starts off on its allegro’s signature phrase, which was a real treat. Where the allegros are exciting, the adagio is reflective and suspenseful. I’d recommend listening online, but listening to the group resonate as they traveled up the scale together during the final allegro was

an affecting experienced that YouTube recordings can’t replicate.

The intermission followed the concerto, which is an opportunity for me to slip in a mild criticism. Putting aside the fine performances, the CMI Chamber Orchestra might have improved the transitions between each work. On occasion, there was an ungainly amount of time between the performers’ retreat after playing and the return of more players for the next piece.

After the intermission, we were back to the regularly scheduled programming.

Principal cellist Mihai Marica introduced his solo, “Cello Suite No. 1 in G major”.

The prelude is a pleasant series of arpeggios interspersed with healthy improvisation.

Then came the third and fifth movements, a French court dance and lively British dance, respectively. Cellos aren’t often scored for the melodic forefront, but Marica’s treatment was beautiful.

Heller accompanied flautist François Minaux for the second and third movements of Bach’s “Sonata for Flute in B minor”. I can’t say that the second movement, largo e dolce, did much for me; I couldn’t help but think that a piano would be a sweeter companion for Minaux’s slow, soaring flute.

The third movement, presto, was quick and full of snippy turns of phrase.

The penultimate performance was Mass in B minor No. 6: “Laudamus te,” or “We praise you.” Lee soloed as Matava sang, the violins and violas trading melodies backand-forth with the cellos and bass all the way. Praise!

The concert concluded with the “Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major”.

Its opening allegro movement began with an appropriately joyful, celebratory tone.

Minaux and Gollo drove the melody, trading phrases with compliments from the continuo group; at no point, it seemed, were there fewer than two rhythms in the air at once.

This continued until, before I knew it, an extended harpsichord solo erupted, built in technical complexity, and when it seemed to reach its breaking point, the whole ensemble came together for a fantastical ending to the allegro. A concertino formed

by Heller, Gollo and Minaux played the calm affettuoso, providing a period of much-needed mildness, a serenity after that allegro’s storm. Soon enough, the concerto was back on track, ending the celebration of Bach’s corpus with a big finish.

It was an unorthodox but excellent way to spend my Saturday night. The CMI Chamber Orchestra’s next performance, “A Modern Trifecta,” is a ways off: Feb. 10, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. in the Tobin Center. Be sure to mark your calendars.

Sports

LET THE GAMES BEGIN: • Volleyball at the SCAC Divisional Tournament, Oct. 13 and 14 • Women’s Soccer vs. Texas Lutheran University, Oct. 13, 6 p.m.

• Men’s Soccer vs. Texas Lutheran University, Oct. 13, 8 p.m.

Trinity football undefeated in conference play Tigers win second overtime thriller this season and continue pushing towards championship

Senior linebacker MITCHELL GLOBE, center left, tackles a Rhodes player to the ground. The Tigers won their game last Saturday, Oct. 7 against Rhodes 40-34. photo by ALLISON WOLFF

HAILEY WILSON

SPORTS REPORTER Trinity’s football team snagged their third conference win over Rhodes College (TN) last Saturday, Oct. 7, winning a tense game in overtime 40-34.

This win follows the Tiger victory against Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) the previous weekend on Sept. 30, when the team held on to a 26-20 victory.

“The biggest objective to keep this streak alive is to avoid complacency.”

KIEVAN BOUDREAUX-BOSTIC SOPHOMORE LINEBACKER

When facing BSC, the Tigers dominated for the first three quarters, posting seven points in the first quarter, 14 in the second, and three in the third. BSC rallied with a 20-point fourth quarter.

A fumble by BSC allowed first-year defensive lineman Kale Ridge to recover the ball early on

in the first quarter, and the Tigers jumped to a quick 7-0 lead. After two scoring drives in the second quarter, Trinity led 21-0 going into halftime. In the third quarter, Trinity’s scoring was held to a 34-yard field goal, but the Tiger defense stood strong and prevented BSC from getting on the board.

BSC began to rally early in the fourth quarter with a touchdown pass that brought the score to 24-6, but senior defensive lineman Alejandro Anzaldua sacked BSC’s quarterback for Trinity’s first safety since 2015. BSC’s late game rally came to a halt just in time and the Tigers were able to hold on to the 26-20 lead.

Senior running back Evan McDowell led the Tiger offense with 91 yards rushing on 21 carries against BSC. McDowell scored a touchdown in the second quarter.

“Last week, we came out relaxed and physical.

We were mentally prepared and that allowed us to go out and play fast,” McDowell said.

The Tigers came ready to play against Rhodes and rallied from a 20-7 halftime deficit to win 40-34. This was their fourth consecutive victory, and the Tigers now stand at 3-0 in conference play.

The Tigers struck first on a pass from Austin Grauer for an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Rhodes struck back with 20 unanswered points.

The Tigers came out strong in the third quarter and scored 17 straight points to regain a 24-20 lead. Senior kicker Colby Doyal kicked in a field goal to start the third quarter, which was followed by a fake punt pass to sophomore wide receiver Tommy Lavine.

“We have a goal of being champions.”

EVAN MCDOWELL SENIOR RUNNING BACK

Rhodes regained the momentum with two back-to-back touchdowns to bring the score to 34-24, but Michael Edmonson, a first-year running back, kept the Tigers alive with a 91yard kickoff return.

Doyal knocked in a 48-yard field goal to bring the score to 34-34. Grauer found Lavine for an 18-yard touchdown that ended the game a few plays later.

Lavine caught three touchdown passes and led all receivers with 144 receiving yards.

“I was just fortunate to be the guy to catch them. Austin threw great balls and our O-line was protecting well,” Lavine said.

The Tigers are excited about their success, but know that they have to stay focused on what they are trying to accomplish.

“The biggest objective to keep this streak alive is to avoid complacency. When a team starts to rack up wins consecutively, they begin to think that wins will come automatically without much effort,” said Kievan BoudreauxBostic, sophomore linebacker.

“The biggest thing for us is to keep the intensity and continue to have a competitive fire,” Boudreaux-Bostic said.

The team keeps their end goal in mind all week during practice, and they watch it come to fruition with win after win each week.

“We have a goal of being champions. It’s written throughout our code and part of our standard. It drives our team as we continue to make our impression on this new conference every week,” McDowell said.

The Tigers will play at home again this weekend against Centre College (KY) this Saturday at 1 p.m. The 2017 Trinity Athletics Hall of Fame will be inducted at halftime, as it is Trinity’s annual Alumni Weekend.

SPORTS • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

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Trinity rock climbing club reaches for new horizons

A look inside the expanding club and the strategy behind bouldering from three amateur climbers ELISE HESTER

SPORTS REPORTER Since its formation in the spring of 2017, the Trinity Rock Climbing Club has established a firm footing and is climbing towards the goal of competing as a team. In the meantime, the club, which has about 12 serious members but more than 70 people that have expressed interest in climbing, has given Trinity students a sense of community and a good workout.

Some prominent club members include sophomores Malcolm Fox, Grace Cline and Declan Kiely.

Fox, a religion major, is the son of an amateur mountaineer and grew up rock climbing near his home of Seattle, Washington.

A native of Houston, Texas, Cline is a psychology and religion double major who started regularly rock climbing at the age of 16.

Meanwhile, Tulsa, Oklahoma native Kiely, a environmental biology major with rock climbing experience, joined the club at Fox’s suggestion.

“I already rock climbed so I told him to sign me up on the email list,” Kiely said. “At their first meeting at the rock climbing gym, I just kind of showed up and then kept going a couple times a week.”

Cline found out about the club from a Trinity Recreation Sports’ Instagram post.

“One of those Instagrams advertised the Trinity Rock Climbing Team and I got so excited.

I was like, ‘Oh my goodness! Why have I never heard of this before?’” Cline said. “I just contacted them and said, ‘I’m very interested. I love rock climbing’ and they said, ‘Great. Come on out to The District.’”

The club meets at The District, an indoor bouldering facility on Broadway Street. The District claims to be the only 24-hour bouldering gym in San Antonio, and they offer memberships for $40 a month, in addition to $12 day passes.

“It’s a full-service bouldering gym. It’s just like boulder routes, there’s no rope climbing,” Fox said.

“They’re strategic in their route-setting, so if you’re climbing at a certain level, you’re not going to be discouraged to get off the wall. There’s usually some route at the gym that is fulfilling for you to climb and you’re gonna be able to do it if you put enough — not even physical energy, but mental energy — to figuring out the route.”

The distinction between rope climbing and bouldering is important.

Trinity’s club specializes in bouldering. While rope climbing features equipments such as carabiners and belays, the rock climbing club and The District both focus on free-climbing bouldering on 20-foot walls above soft mats.

Sophomore GRACE CLINE practices her outdoor free climbing. Cline started rock climbing at the age of 16. photo provided by GRACE CLINE

“Bouldering really works for the team vision at this point. It’s really dynamic. You’re getting a great workout,” Fox said.“It’s a bit more intense because you spend all your energy by the time you get to the top of that route because the moves are a little bit harder. You have to pay keen attention to your body position in relation to the wall.”

“It’s problem-solving on the wall with your body.”

DECLAN KIELY ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY MAJOR

Bouldering offers a great full-body workout that differs from other forms of exercise in relation to intensity and environment.

“I always tell people it’s like yoga on the rocks,” Cline said. “It’s a full-body workout, but you

usually don’t get off the wall with heavy breathing.”

Fox agrees.

“It is probably the best full-body workout in a sport you can find and I’ve played sports my whole life,” Fox said.

In addition to all of the physical strength gained through climbing, the sport is mentally engaging as well.

“It’s problem-solving on the wall with your body,” Kiely said.

Being physically fit is not enough to succeed at rock climbing.

“You can be in the best shape of your life and still not be that good at rock climbing, ’cause you have to get yourself in a state of mind where you’re not afraid of heights. You are calm and relaxed; you know how to make the moves and where to make them,” Cline said.

Fox emphasizes how enjoyable the activity is.

“You get out of it what you put into it,” Fox said.

“So you can really take a deep dive into rock

climbing and get obsessed with it really easily.

It’s really infatuating — wanting to go back to the gym and thinking about routes and wanting to solve those problems.”

The club is planning to begin competing in rock climbing before the end of the school year. If you’re thinking about rock climbing, the team says they should reach out to any members via email; Fox can be reached at mfox@trinity. edu, Kiely at dkiely@trinity.edu and Cline at gcline@trinity.edu. They say they would love to enlist more members, especially women.

“I think this is a pivotal moment for the club.

This time last year we weren’t around and now we’re actually gaining steam on campus,” Fox said.

The members encourage anyone to give the sport a shot at The District.

“You’re gonna surprise yourself with how far you’re gonna be able to get,” Kiely said. “The human body — when you use all of it together — can do some pretty amazing things you didn’t know you were capable of.”

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 13, 2017 •

SPORTS

Sports alumni discuss careers post-grad Former athletes talk about working for San Antonio Spurs, iHeartMEDIA and what athletics taught them

HILARY HOFFMAN’s close-up view of Stars games at her job. photo provided by HILARY HOFFMAN

HAILEY WILSON

SPORTS REPORTER For some student athletes, life after sports is a scary thought. After spendings years and years at practices, conditioning workouts, games and team bonding events, it can be difficult to imagine life without it all.

While the time commitment portion of sports might eventually come to a close, the memories made and lessons taught through sports are timeless. Many student athletes have broken records here at Trinity, and then moved on to break records in their respective fields.

Some student athletes haven’t moved on from their sport at all, and are still working for teams in the NFL, NBA and more.

Hilary Hoffman, a 2017 graduate, now works for Spurs Sports & Entertainment as a partnership activation associate. While attending Trinity, Hoffman played on the softball team and studied communication and sport management.

“My job is to work with the sponsors and make sure we are fulfilling their contracts, whether they have player or mascot appearances, on-court promotions, in-arena LEDs and more,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman said that the team aspect of softball has helped her in her work with the Spurs.

“Being on a team at a collegiate level has helped me with the interactions I have with others in my company. It helps me understand that we all have the same goal in mind,” Hoffman said.

“I am able to prioritize my tasks and projects and I know how to be efficient while doing the best job possible,” Hoffman said.

Another 2017 graduate, Liza Southwick, works as a research coordinator for Spurs Sports & Entertainment. Her position focuses on doing fan and market research through surveys and presentations, then analyzing the data and presenting it to other members of the organization. Southwick played tennis at Trinity and studied business analytics and sport management.

“Playing tennis at Trinity has taught me so much about myself and my capabilities. I learned how I act under pressure, how I react when I win or when I lose and how to put others before myself,” Southwick said.

“Knowing these things about myself has helped me succeed here, and knowing what motivates me has helped me learn how I can be a valuable asset to this amazing organization,” Southwick said.

Southwick names another skill that she learned in athletics and has transferred over into her workplace: time management, which helps her prioritize, plan ahead and work diligently on a daily basis.

“Trying to balance your classes, practice and outside activities can be exhausting. ... Most of that is the same here. I have been tasked with handling many different projects at the same time, but it is my responsibility to complete them within the expected time frame,” Southwick said.

Chaz Davis, a 2016 graduate who played football at Trinity, now works as a strategic sourcing analyst for iHeartMEDIA, Inc. “In a nutshell, I leverage enterprise resources to uncover operational inefficiencies, drive savings initiatives and aim to maximize best-in-class business practices,” Davis said.

Davis also creates templates and presentations that are used to track savings, which are then shared among stakeholders within the business.

Like Southwick, Davis believes being an athlete helped him learn how to manage his time more efficiently.

“I feel I had a bit of a leg up starting my career in terms of time management. As a college athlete, time is precious. ... As an analyst, that statement holds true,” Davis said.

Football also taught him how to manage difficult circumstances, which he finds extremely useful in the world of business.

“The course of business tends to throw unanticipated circumstances that force you to be open and transparent in your deliverance to those it may affect,” Davis said.

As for advice to this year’s graduates, all of the athletes had something different to say.

“Don’t lose the drive that you had on the field or the court or in the pool. ... Transfer it into the office. Also, find a job that you love — it makes coming into work every day a joy,” Hoffman said.

Southwick emphasizes the importance of setting goals. Leading up to her senior year, she had surgery on her foot. With the help of a mentor, she set goals for herself and didn’t stop working until she achieved them.

“If you want to get anywhere, you have to be disciplined and set timely, concrete goals,” Southwick said.

Davis wants all students, not just student athletes, to understand that Trinity prepares students for success.

“Know that the style of Trinity’s liberal arts education has trained your mind to think critically and challenge, with reason, things that may seem overlooked,” Davis said. “If you can withstand academics and athletics, I have full faith that you’ll thrive wherever you land.”

SPORTS • OCTOBER 13, 2017 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

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My thoughts on Cam Newton’s sexism Hester reflects on the difficulties involved in being a female sports journalist in a male-dominated field ELISE HESTER

SPORTS REPORTER Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton came under fire last week for comments made in a post-game interview.

“Devin Funchess has seemed to really embrace the physicality of his routes and getting those extra yards,” said Jourdan Rodrigue, reporter for the Charlotte Observer. The quarterback listened, his demeanor changing from bored to perplexed as the reporter continued with her question. Cam smiled.

“It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes,” he said, his voice almost laughing on the word ‘routes.’ The room was silent.

“It’s funny,” Newton smiled, a mixture of simultaneous impressed bewilderment and mockery on his face.

Newton’s aside was met with widespread disapproval from social media and members of the sports community. Personally, I do not think Newton meant his words as an insult.

And that is the biggest problem.

Not knowing it is demeaning to laugh at an expert possessing an understanding of the intricacies of her field of expertise is bad.

Thinking it is funny because she’s ‘a female’ is worse.

I am not Jourdan Rodrigue. I am the opposite. I am the unqualified stereotype the misogynists assume we all are. I did not grow up in sports, yet here I am, trying to make my way as a sports videographer and journalist.

It is foolish of me to assume gender plays no role in the way I am perceived. Men in this industry have a step up on me. I pretend they don’t. I would rather be better than bitter. I would rather prove them wrong on my own terms, but fail to realize that I may never be given that chance.

“Kindness can be insulting, especially when you just want to be treated equally.”

Being an outsider comes with challenges.

I made it through my first semester at the Trinitonian, emerging with a more complex knowledge and a t-shirt from volleyball coach Julie Jenkins, given as a warning and as a reminder that my ignorance of the role gender plays in sports is dangerous.

My editor, Markham, was too scared to let me cover real sports. He assigned me mostly human interest stories, columns and pieces that didn’t require complex knowledge. I texted him around this time last year, asking to write about the World Series.

graphic by TYLER HERRON

“Are you sure you know enough about baseball?”

Reading the words within the little blue bubble, my heart furiously pounded inside my chest. I was fully confident in my nascent abilities, but less confident that I could convey those abilities.

I didn’t text back “I played softball, you dolt,” but wanted to. I was outraged because he was wrong about me. I was outraged because he had reason to be.

My piece, “United States of the Chicago Cubs,” ran in the Trinitonian’s election issue and featured this statement: “It would have made a lot more sense for my fellow sports reporter and actual, legit baseball player, Chris Garcia, to write about the World Series, but I wanted to write about

this because I have a hunger to learn more.

I also saw a story of collective and personal human emotion, which is the kind of sports story I hope to spend my life telling through film. Forget bullpens and batting averages, this is a historical moment with the power to momentarily unite a nation.”

And come baseball season, the strength of my reporting here at Trinity surprised Markham.

“Did you read something on how to cover baseball?” he said.

I was silent. I wanted to smile and smirk. I wanted to scream out of frustration that he ever doubted me, but at the same time wished to laugh in his face at his exploded expectations. I wanted to cry tears of relief mixed with tears of disdain, but instead I stood there, as if his words had no effect on me at all.

“No,” I said blankly. “I just know about baseball.”

This semester, I have an editor who has never assumed I do not understand. It is not drastic, but it is different. She even let me write about American football. She shouldn’t have.

Looking at the recaps of the games, I saw a foreign language before me.

“In the game... uh... I don’t have it in front of me,” I said, sitting down with a player. “But in the game you received....” I trailed off.

“Touchdown. Scored a touchdown,” said receiver Rhodes Legg quickly with a smile.

“Sorry,” I said meekly.

“You’re good,” said the receiver.

The fact that he was not a stranger to me made my inadequacy feel more disgraceful.

“I’m really good at soccer,” I said, my voice trembling as if on the verge of tears, while simultaneously holding back a laugh. Legg laughed, his kindness cutting like a knife, highlighting my shortcomings.

All the players I spoke to that week were so gracious. I won’t call them sexist. I am grateful for their patience, even if it maybe came from some deep-seated sexist expectations and patriarchy bullcrap whatever. I don’t care — they were nice.

Still, as I sat in the hot sun listening to Tommy Lavine gently explain the basic principles of the sport, something felt wrong.

I nodded and smiled as the kind young player explained the game, but inside I was divided.

Kindness can be insulting, especially when you just want to be treated equally. Would you be this nice if I were someone else? Would you be so understanding if I was not a pretty young woman?

Behind smiles that convey confident cluelessness, there is a hidden fear. It’s a sinking dread that I am letting down my whole gender, a dread that I shouldn’t have to hold. When I’m fumbling through a football interview or failing on TigerTV to add to the discussion on the NBA draft, I want to scream.

I just happen to be a girl, but I am not all women. My throat clenches as if I can’t breath.

I’m not some clueless girl who doesn’t belong in sports.

This is where I belong, even though it still feels foreign, but I am not sorry that I had a different background than you. This is my strength.

It’s kind of my shtick to not know things, but in truth I do know things. I know a lot of the things. I just don’t know all the same things as you.

My perspective is different, my view is from the outside looking in at this bizarre spectacle.

I have a unique strength, a defiant sensitivity.

My assumed innocence is my power.

Wake up and smell the copy!

Join us in Coates to grab the latest paper!

Come to offer story suggestions for future issues, feedback on how we’re doing, or just come and hang out!

Every Friday morning, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 13, 2017 •

ADVERTISEMENT

Tigers, Welcome to Alumni Weekend 2017!

Our schedule is packed full of both new events and ones you already know and love.

View the full schedule of events online at gotu.us/AWevents

Friday, Oct. 13

Saturday, Oct. 14

Sunday, Oct. 15

8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

10 a.m. – noon

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Many faculty will make their classes available for alumni attendance on the opening day of Alumni Weekend.

Interested in attending one or more?

Remember to register in advance.

Space is limited.

Dicke/Smith Building, Ruth Taylor Recital Hall Come for intellectual enrichment at the inaugural Alumni College, featuring a panel of three distinguished speakers: Coleen Grissom (English), Willis Salomon (English), and Corinne Pache (Classical Studies). Also enjoy the alumni, faculty, and staff author book signing. Complimentary breakfast tacos.

Trinity University Network of Entrepreneurs Skyline Room Hear from a panel of Trinity entrepreneurs at the Skyline Bistro.

Cost is $22 per person.

Attend an Open Class

4 – 7 p.m.

Department Reunions

Various locations on campus Check the calendar for more info on reunions for the communication, education, engineering, religion, School of Business, and sociology and anthropology departments.

5:30 – 8 p.m.

Fiesta with the Faculty

All Alumni and Campus Celebration Meadows Pavilion and Paul McGinlay Soccer Field Light food, beer, wine, and margaritas. Music, door prizes and entertainment. FREE, sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations.

Alumni College

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Tailgate Party and Festival

Three fun events to show your Tiger pride!

Prassel Lawn Complimentary Admission. Beer, soda, and water provided at no charge. BBQ, burgers, and hot dogs for $15 ticket.

Greek Carnival Sponsored by Greek Alumni Advisory Council and Greek Council. Alumni Artisans’ Sale.

1 p.m. Trinity Football vs Centre College 2:15 p.m. (Halftime)

Athletic Hall of Fame Presentation

Trinity Football Stadium Support 2017 inductees: Lizzie (Yasser) Barnett, Donna Stockton Roup, and Paul Gerken, tennis; Michael Burton and John Tobola, football; Megan (Selmon) Kelly, basketball; Jack Shull, baseball; and Josh Smith, soccer.

6 – 7 p.m.

President’s All Alumni Reception

Center for the Sciences and Innovation, Innovation Center, Room 282 Includes presentation of Alumni Reunion Giving Awards. followed by...

7 p.m.

Class Reunions

Various locations on campus Reconnect with friends at your class reunion. Cost is $25 per person. GOLD, 10 year reunion, 15 year reunion, 20 year reunion, 25 year reunion, 30 year reunion, 35 year reunion, 40 year reunion, 45 year reunion, and 50 year reunion. #TigerAtHeart

TUNE Entrepreneurship Brunch

12:30 – 2 p.m.

Experiential Learning Showcase

Fiesta Room What were our undergraduates up to this summer? Come learn about their experiences in research, internships, and service learning initiatives.

Share your Alumni Weekend moments with your fellow tigers!