The Davidsonian 9/18/24

The

Davidsonian

For a Better Davidson.

inside

davidsonian.news

College Democrats and Republicans comment on the current political climate.

Volume 123, Issue 1

September 18, 2024

3

Harris Huber ‘27 reflects on tailgating at Davidson.

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Men’s Cross Country races into the new season.

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The Yowl gives insight into the do’s and dont’s of freshman year.

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Saturday Night Games at Field 76 Bring New Challenges to PCC

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SOPHIA SCHUR ‘27 (SHE/HER) STAFF REPORTER

ince the start of the year, the Davidson administration shut down two Patterson Court Council (PCC) parties on two consecutive weekends, worrying students. The shutdowns arose due to a limited supply of police officers who are necessary for events that serve alcohol and host 80+ people.

Members of Patterson Court Council (PCC) organizations may have felt the worst of this panic. So what caused it?

The building of the new stadium, Field 76, has raised the requirement of campus police officers at football games.

PCC parties attract large crowds and serve alcohol, so if they were to occur simultaneously with home football games, there would not be enough police presence at these either.

Therefore, on days when there are home football games, PCC events that take place on Saturday nights are canceled.

“I don’t know if there was an official rule that was established, it was just that two events got denied on Saturday nights,” PCC president Alexis Lopez said. “[People] asked Shakaya [Walcott] and she said it was because of resources, football games and PCC events can’t happen at the same time.”

These rule changes are controversial amongst the student population because while members of PCC organizations pay dues for house-specific meal plans, these funds also contribute to special events. Upon hearing that events were being canceled, students’ concerns that this was indicative of a broader change heightened.

“I was definitely concerned when I heard that Warner and other PCC organizations wouldn’t be able to host on Saturday nights,” Julia Carey ‘27, an active Warner Hall House member said.

Shakaya Walcott, Assistant Director of Student Activities, shared that Davidson’s Campus Police employs 3 full-time officers, and a few part-time officers pick up an extra shift to staff PCC events. Since the officers are part-time, without advance warning it is difficult to find people for both events Additionally, campus police officers are required to work events at Field 76. “Any time that they’re anticipating a certain amount of people, [there are] certain regulations, like, the [new] stadium requires six officers, ” Walcott stated.

This means that it can be difficult, especially in a time crunch, to find someone to supervise a PCC party. However,

Davidson Students fill New Field 76 during the first home game.

Photo by Davidson College .

students need not worry that Saturday PCC events are a thing of the past. “I only declined two events, if I’m not mistaken, and they were on two different weeks, but we had back-toback home games, and that’s why,” Walcott recalled.

Previously, many students were unaware of the new PCC rules and were confused as to why their events were shut down. However, now that organizations know not to plan events during a home game, the conflict can be avoided.

“Hopefully [Warner Hall House] should be able to host during the games for the rest of the season since they’re all around noon or 1 pm,” Carey emphasized.

Moreover, Walcott emphasized that the best way for PCC organizations to ensure their parties can take place is to communicate their plans further in advance. “I think the question is always: how early would someone want to know their work schedule? And I think most people would want to know their work schedule at least two weeks ahead of time,” Walcott said.

There are also developing concerns that Davidson is putting football above Greek Life on campus. Walcott believes that

this is a false claim due to the amount of crossover between football players and social organization membership.

“A good amount of football players are also in PCC. Phi Delt has a great amount of football players, Kappa Alpha Psi, one of our NPHC [National Pan-Hellenic Council] organizations [...] eight or seven of them were football players,” Walcott stated. “So I never want to make it seem like athletics would be prioritized; [...] athletics and student activities are completely separate offices.”

However, while this new obstacle is a challenge for many PCC groups, it may allow other organizations to become more prominent in the campus community. Romeo Norris, Social Chair of the Black Student Coalition (BSC) feels excited about the potential for new opportunities. “With this new policy, several organizations with smaller presences on campus have the opportunity to host events for our community, adding more diversity to the campus,” he said.

BSC regularly hosts parties that are open to all, but may be overshadowed by the more widely known Greek Life organizations. However, since they don’t serve alcohol and do not need a Campus Pol ice officer present, Norris is optimistic that BSC may become a new hotspot of campus life following home football games.

“This decision has the potential to bring light to other organizations on campus, especially for those not associated with Greek Life,” he highlighted.

Furthermore, Alexis Lopez ‘25, the current Patterson Court Council president, met with both campus police and student activities to further quell students’ concerns about campus social life.

“I reached out to [Campus Police] and I met with them and they were super nice; [...] its not a PCC thing its just a resources thing.” She said, “[Walcott] said that now that there’s no night games [the overlap between PCC and football games] shouldn’t be an issue, and she’ll let us know if there’s any changes.”

Though the first two cancellations seemed like they might have exemplified many upcoming quiet Saturdays, all signs indicate that even the most social students have nothing to fear.

“We want to be partners with the students in trying to get these events to happen. So, I want all students to know that we are not trying to cancel parties. We want you to enjoy the social scene on campus and PCC, we just also want it to be done safely,” said Walcott.

Emily Eisenstadt Steps Up as Head of Student Activities

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CLAIRE IRELAND ‘28 (SHE/HER) STAFF REPORTER

estled in a corner of the third floor of the Alvarez College Union, the Student Activities office sits quietly as one of the driving forces of student life.

At Davidson since 2015, Emily Eisenstadt is now stepping into a new role as Director of the Alvarez College Union and Student Activities using her time at the Student Activities office, Eisenstadt has worked for two of the three previous Directors of Alvarez College Union and Student Activities across four separate roles, including Assistant Director and Program Advisor for the Student Activities office and Dean of Students office.

“I’ve seen the way the job’s been done. I’m excited to put my own stamp on it and this place,” said Eisenstadt.

This personalized “stamp” contains plans for both change and consistency. “Something that I have started doing with our Union Staff is saying: ‘Let’s look at the things we’ve done the same way for a long time and ask if we doing it that way because it’s a great way to do it, or if it’s because we’ve always done it that way,’” Eisenstadt said.

“I think change is exciting but I’m also not looking to come in and change things for the sake of change.”

Overall, the Student Activities office is experiencing a notable period of transition. Assistant Director of Student Services Candance Mulherin has worked with Eisenstadt since 2020. “The office is shifting because Emily has become the director and Brandon [Lokey] has joined us as Associate Director,” Mulherin said. “That in and of itself is a big change when you have staff coming in, but I think the main thing we’re focusing on is becoming a cohesive office again among the changes.”

Despite facing what might be considered a “transition period,” the Student Activities office is committing themselves to the various endeavors that fall under their respective domains.

“I think there has been such a big transition in the office over the last three months. With starting a new semester and welcoming a new class, we’re hitting the ground running. I’m on day 43 [...] and I’m just sprinting and that’s not a bad thing,” newly appointed Associate Director of Students Services Brandon Lokey said.

One notable consistency that can be expected within this transition from former

Director of Student Activities Mike Goode to Emily Eisenstadt is putting students at the forefront of what the Student Activities Office tries to accomplish. “I think we both have had a student-centered approach. And a similar passion for not just the Union as a building but for what it means to campus,” Eisenstadt said.

President of the Union Board, Davis Varnado ‘25, praised the accessibility to students that Eisenstadt promotes. “Emily will provide a level of transparency for students on campus. She’s so friendly, she’s so approachable. I think Emily will promote that sense of ‘come in, sit down, have a chat, we’re not these big scary figures – we do want to talk to students,’” Varnado shared.

When looking toward what the Student Activities office is specifically hoping to accomplish under the direction of Eisenstadt, the answers are varied. “She’s [Eisenstadt] been working with Mak [Tompkins, Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities] in the Dean of Students office about how to tackle hazing on campus [...] that’s something that’s she’s always been passionate about—trying to end hazing practices and trying to educate students about the harm in that,” Mulherin pointed out.

Varnado brought in a more club-centered perspective: “She’s been promoting going to event meetings; a big thing that she’s done this year is making sure that students in these organizations know how to run an event, know WildcatSync, know EMS [Event Management System].” Varnado continued by saying that “having those changes and putting them in will make students more aware of what they are doing in their clubs.”

There’s various responsibilities that fall to the Director of Alvarez College Union and Student Activities. “I oversee, broadly, the areas that fall within the Union, our Student Activities, Union Operations, Tech Services, and Davidson Outdoors,” Eisenstadt outlined.

Most importantly, what conjoins these various branches of Davidson Culture is a passion for fostering community togetherness.

When asked about her favorite memories at Davidson, Eisenstadt succinctly responded: “The moments where the community comes together, the building comes alive. It’s a good place to be together.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

News

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Eat Mor Chikin: Chick-fil-A to Open On-Campus Location in Fall 2025

SAVANNAH SORAGHAN ‘27 (SHE/HER) NEWS EDITOR

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ast Friday, SGA announced that a Chick-fil-A would be arriving to campus in the fall of 2025. The restaurant will be located at Patterson Court Circle (PCC) House #13, formerly home to the Turner Eating House. It plans to operate from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Friday, with the ability to seat 98 people both indoor and outdoor.

Abigail Przynosch, ‘27 Student Government Association (SGA) Senator and Chair of the Food and Housing Committee, and SGA President Connor Hines ‘26, spearheaded this project along with dining services and campus administration. The push for a new dining option started with Director of Dining Services Pinky Varghese. “He has been trying to add a new dining location for around five years,” Przynosch said.

The project was then taken over by Hines during his time as SGA liaison for Dining Services. After becoming president, Hines enlisted Przynosch’s help in his quest for expanded dining options.

The idea for a Chick-fil-A arose in 2022 out of a demand to increase the reach of dining dollars. One initial thought was to expand dining dollars to off-campus restaurants, like those on Main Street, but that was quickly turned down after realizing the legal difficulties it would bring.

“So we sort of started brainstorming [after realizing offcampus dining dollars wouldn’t be an option],” said Hines.

“That’s where SGA started to work with dining services and auxiliary services and making it a reality. October 2022 was the start of it all.”

One of the most important considerations for new dining options is location. Originally, the planning group heavily considered putting Chick-fil-A in the new stadium.

“For some reason or another, the stadium ended up not being able to be used. And that was [...] pretty disheartening in that moment.,” said Hines.

When Turner Eating House moved into PCC House #2, Przynosch proposed putting the Chick-fil-A in now-vacant House #13 in order to create a new dining location space open to all students on Patterson Court.

“Davidson Dining Services and SGA really wanted to [...] have this space on PCC be more like a communal space where all students are welcome, kind of like how Nummit is.

It’s a dining location, but it’s also the place that people go to study or meet with their friends,” Przynosch said.

When it came to choosing the restaurant, it was important to Hines, Przynosh and Varghese to ensure that the new dining option would provide both quality food and be well-liked around campus.

“When Dining Services began looking at the possibility of licensing a fast food outlet on campus, they conducted a student survey, which was just prior to Covid. The results identified strong interest in [...] a chicken option on campus.

Students specifically cited Chick-fil-A as the preferred national brand,” said Varghese in an email.

A myriad of different opinions about the Chick-fil-A have been developing since its announcement. Many students are

Formerly Turner Eating House, PCC House #13 will be turned into a Chick-fil-A. Photo by Davidson College.

excited about the prospect of their dining dollars being usable at another on-campus restaurant. “I was ecstatic! I actually read the email [announcing the Chick-fil-A], and my friend called me and we were jumping for joy in circles,” Romeo Norris ‘27 said.

There are some questions surfacing about the establishment’s morals. In the past, Chick-fil-A has donated to multiple antiLGBTQ+ groups including the American Family Association and Family Research Council. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a leading civil rights advocacy group, classifies both as hate groups. Some students are concerned about the message having a Chick-fil-A on campus would convey.

“When I heard that Davidson was adding a Chick-fil-A to campus, my first thought was: ‘why would we permanently fund a company that is widely known for funding antiLGBTQ+ hate groups?’ Whether or not this still happens, this is still Chick-fil-A’s connotation,” Bella Rosenfeld ‘27 said in a text message.

This is a dimension that SGA seriously considered. There are also potential plans about having an open discussion with LGBTQ+ groups on-campus about Chick-fil-A’s reputation in the event of student protest.

“I think that it’s apparent that obviously Chick fil A has some past policy decisions, specifically with homophobic

donors and stuff like that [...] but we found that, as of right now, Chick-fil-A is not making any donor shifts. I want to make it clear that SGA would never support an actively homophobic corporation,” Przynosch said.

In fact, in 2012, there were similar Chick-fil-A related concerns on campus when Union Board catered the restaurant’s food for their After Midnight events, which resulted in an open discussion, a “TalkBack,” about its presence on campus.

In a Davidsonian article from the same year, a Staff

Reporter wrote, “both sides were well represented. Supporters of the restaurant pointed to free speech and Christian beliefs as grounds to not ban the restaurant food, while opposers focused their comments on the fact that the food is funded indirectly by tuition paid by every student.”

Chick-fil-A is not the only controversial change to campus dining services. Between the new All-Access Unlimited Meal Plan for incoming classes and uninterrupted service at Vail Commons, not all of these changes to the dining plan were well received by students. After the announcement of the meal plan changes, many were concerned with the future of PCC organizations.

“I also don’t think that the Chick-fil-A should distract from the fact that a lot of students are still unhappy with the new meal plan change […] but I think the students who made this happen are awesome and I’m really excited that this is happening,” Courtney Lassiter ‘27 said.

Although the Chick-fil-A is scheduled to open in Fall 2025, a construction timeline has not been released yet.

“The good part is that the building is already built, it is just renovations that need to be done, bringing in the specific equipment that Chick fil A requested […] I wouldn’t be surprised if they already begin working on the actual building renovations this semester or next summer,” Hines said.

The announcement of the Chick-fil-A is just one piece of SGA’s efforts to improve student life on campus.

“This project is reflecting a greater communication between student government and the administration. I feel sometimes a lot of people are like, what does SGA even do? [...] I know all of its members like to work so hard on many different things, and I’m glad that this one can be visible to the student body,” Przynosch said.

Newly Promoted Eisenstadt Looks Forward to Fall 2024 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“I think a lot of really important and really exciting things happen here and we have a great story to tell and share.”

-Emily Eisenstadt Emily Eisenstadt, Director of the Alvarez College Union and Student Activities. Photo by Davidson College.

Brandon Lokey, Associate Director of Student Activities. Photo by

Davidson College.

Politics

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NC GOP Political Director Eduardo Andrade Speaks About Immigration, Values AIDAN MARKS ‘27 (HE/HIM) POLITICS EDITOR

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ast Wednesday, conservative political groups on campus sponsored a talk by North Carolina GOP Political Director Eduardo Andrade.

Andrade, who was born in Panama and immigrated to the United States with his mother and sister, is the National Committeeman and State Chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly and Campaign Manager of Harrigan for Congress.

His talk, which was geared to a conservative audience, focused on key issues such as immigration and the economy as well as the need to update Republican rhetoric to more accurately reflect traditional conservative values.

“Generally, I was glad he focused on [immigration and the economy],” President of Davidson College Republicans Stephen Walker ‘26 said. “While he did not give as much time to hotly contested specifics regarding these topics [...] we were happy to be able to bring someone on campus to begin to create conversation around these salient and often under discussed topics.”

To some attendees, Andrade’s rhetoric came across as less divisive than many of his GOP counterparts at the state and national level. “I appreciate his less hostile approach to immigrants compared to many other Republican politicians,” Austen Haussler ‘27, who attended the talk, said.

Judah Silverman ‘27, who identifies as a liberal independent, was struck by Andrade’s balanced message. “I’m Hispanic, and I grew up in a very hispanic area, so border politics are particularly interesting to me.”

“Truth be told, I don’t think that [Andrade’s perspective on immigration reform is] totally unreasonable,” Silverman said.

Indeed, Andrade argues updating conservative messaging on immigration by getting rid of demonizing rhetoric and focusing on the importance of reforming legal immigration pathways is a necessary step to drive meaningful policy change.

“I definitely agree [with Andrade] that Republican messaging on immigration is outdated. While the ‘protect our borders, we’re a failing nation’ approach has worked with conservatives, [Republicans will] need at least some liberal

support to get anything done in a divided Congress,” Haussler semester, when neither of our organizations were particularly said. active on campus for years on end,” Walker said.

Andrade’s somewhat moderate approach to immigration Regardless of political affiliation, the most important thing is stands in stark contrast to that of most Republicans at the state to get informed about the issues one cares about. and national level.

“Obviously you’re not going to agree 100% with either “I do think there’s a big disconnect [between Andrade candidate. I think it is important, though, to very critically and other Republicans]. And I think when you get to see analyze both policy positions rather than looking at it on a somebody who could be more connected with the common superficial level—you really need to think about what each man, like Andrade compared to higher level GOP officials, candidate is proposing and vote for whichever one aligns that disconnect really manifests,” Silverman said. more with your values [...] and even if you don’t agree with To Walker, however, Andrade’s talk is evidence of the everything, it’s important to vote. It’s what our country is diversity of thought that makes up the modern conservative based off of,” Cohen said. movement rather than a rift between Republicans.

“Andrade, who specifically focuses on bringing Latino voters into the GOP, has a very particular message to achieve that goal and appeal to certain groups as opposed to the country as a whole [...] Many people support the American right for different reasons and we are committed to bringing speakers to campus who reflect that fact,” Walker said.

Another component of Andrade’s message is a clear focus on traditional conservative values. Davidson College Republicans Treasurer Alexa Cohen ‘27 agrees with Andrade’s observation that voters are drawn to value-based messaging. “[One of my key takeaways] was that when you actually get to the root values of the party, it’s a lot easier to get people on board, especially people who are less inclined to be participating in politics.”

“I feel like for the more politically disengaged, when you really talk to them about the root conservative values, such as free speech, limited government intervention, low taxes, all of that, it’s really easy to get people on board, as opposed to what they see in the news, which is constant bickering between the parties,” Cohen said.

As the 2024 General Election approaches, Andrade’s talk is one of many political events to come. Walker sees this as an opportunity to promote conservative political voices on campus.

Eduardo Andrade serves as Political Director for NC GOP. Photo from “Given the backlash directed toward our co-hosts, the North Carolina GOP X account.

Davidson YAF [Young America’s Foundation] chapter, by certain political actors on campus, we wanted to publicly collaborate with them to support more right-leaning students becoming politically active than has been the case up until last

Davidson Democrats I want you to imagine the constant struggles of a recent Haitian migrant. From language barriers to casual racism and culture shock to housing, healthcare, and food, they already had their hands completely full. But what Donald Trump did on the debate stage did not just show the worst parts of this country, it reinforced them. Bomb threats, personal threats, and countrywide conspiracy theories are not what those people needed or deserved.

Their only mistake was being the wrong color and having the wrong background. Donald Trump saw them as a way to further push his agenda on immigration, and without a second thought he took it. JD Vance even had the nerve to come on television to say: “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.” You would think someone on his team would question the need to make up stories if real people are suffering. But the answer is quite obvious. Donald Trump and JD Vance don’t care about real suffering or real hardship, the things that many Haitian migrants go through every day. No, what they care about is power and control. That’s why Donald Trump sacrificed abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, workers’ rights, tenant rights, and human rights. They were in his way.

What Kamala Harris offers this country is an honest approach to governance. Her plans aren’t perfect for everybody, but they are an honest attempt to solve this country’s

problems. Whether it’s housing, food prices, gas, gun control or abortion and trans rights, Kamala Harris is showing that we have the strength and empathy to do good things. I could go on about how several Nobel Prizewinning economists have warned about the recession Trump’s economic agenda would bring, how he refused to commit to vetoing an abortion ban, or how he has the “concepts of a plan” when it comes to one of the largest healthcare reforms in American history. But truly, I want this to be about what Kamala Harris can give to this country: progress.

I’m done going in circles having the same conversations about progressive policies. But even more than that, I’m just ready for shit to get done.

We never had forever, but we definitely have right now. Davidson, I beg of you, vote.

- Kailliou Macon-Goudeau On behalf of the Davidson College Democrats

Davidson Republicans Although left-wing, “New South” extremists see the presidential election as already won, the absurd disgrace that was last week’s presidential debate made clear things are far from over. The debate, now one of many character assassination attempts against the former president, has led even non-Republicans to come forward in condemnation of such hyper-partisan spectacle as biased. Instead of answering any questions, Harris rambled about moving “forward” from the politics and policies that have defined the administration she serves as second-in-command of and the Democratic Party that has controlled the Executive Branch for twelve of the last sixteen years. How can she move forward from the party whose elites have appointed her to every major political position she has held, including as their current presidential nominee? The answer: like the liberals who have come before her, falsely promising improvements to a failed progressive doctrine, things will remain the same.

Unlike the moderators with Donald Trump, The Davidsonian has offered us the opportunity to clarify our motivations for 2024. And unlike Kamala Harris, we intend to make use of such an opportunity. Davidson has failed to present alternative perspectives to those of the left-wing extremists mentioned at the start of this blurb. The Davidson population’s passive (hiring overwhelmingly liberal professors and bringing countless progressive speakers to campus) and active

(placing tampons in men’s bathrooms, condoning public faculty endorsements of the Harris-Walz campaign, and paying for undocumented immigrants to attend Davidson over high-potential North Carolina natives) promotion of progressivism undermines students’ abilities to think critically about politics and worsens our political polarization problem. We condemn this unchecked behavior and demand better.

Unlike the cowards of 2016–who refused to challenge the status quo, misunderstood the meaning of conservatism, and were unwittingly used as political cannon fodder

by Davidson’s progressives and the leftwing Washington Post–today’s College Republican chapter believes in supporting the forgotten men and women of this country.

Comparing Trump to Hitler, calling his many dozens of millions of supporters racist, lying about existential crises like the invasion of the southern border and the Biden-Harris inability to address it or take responsibility for its role in making things worse are some of the many narratives we must challenge.

The youth vote is waking up to these truths and becoming increasingly Republican. We will no longer allow this fact to go unnoticed.

On these topics and more, Davidson has failed to offer space for robust debate. We intend to change that.

-Stephen Walker On behalf of the Davidson College Republicans

What you see above will be a recurring head-to-head column between the Davidson College Democrats and the Davidson College Rupublicans. On behalf of The Davidsonian Staff, we would like to acknowledge that the information presented is accurate and reflects the values of each organization. A lot of these claims are based on information found in alternate publications. If you are curious to learn more, please contact Claire Kelly (clkelly@davidson.edu) or Ben Peake (bepeake@davidson.edu).

Perspectives

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My Thoughts on First-Year Orientation

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LOGAN HINES ‘28 (HE/HIM)

s freshmen, we are all thrown into a new environment filled with both greater responsibilities and freedoms. These newfound aspects of adulthood, along with a general ignorance of campus facilities and offerings, are what lead the colleges and universities we attend to provide an orientation. The freshman experience here at Davidson is highly subjective, yet I want to convey my personal thoughts regarding pre-orientation, information sessions, and school-organized social events.

My first experience getting to know Davidson freshmen was during the Outdoor Odyssey pre-orientation program. Initially, I was apprehensive about Outdoor Odyssey; I simply assumed that the program would turn out to be another cheesy and unproductive “sing

songs around the campfire” type of trip where participants part ways following the program.

However, this assumption could not have been further from the truth. Every aspect of the Outdoor Odyssey surprised me. Throughout the week, I repeatedly found myself in deeper conversation with the other students on the trip. I was able to legitimately make friends and get a better idea of what kind of peers I would be surrounded by. I saw the kindness, drive, and intelligence of my crew, and it reassured me that I had made the right decision in picking Davidson. We struggled significantly through the demanding hikes, rainy nights, and hot days, but we always were the better for it because it taught us to find our strength in others. I think that the whole crew would confidently say that despite the difficulties, we are glad that we pushed through. With that said, if I were asked whether or not I would recommend next year’s freshmen to attend

Orientation leaders pose during Freshmam year move-in. Photo by Claire Kelly

President Hicks addresses the incoming freshman class. Photo by Davidson College

Outdoor Odyssey, the answer would be an unwavering yes.

With the trials of Outdoor Odyssey behind us, orientation began. Throughout the week there were required informational presentations led by various departments, resource providers, and student organizations. It was made clear through these presentations that there is a bounty of opportunity on campus. However, we were left somewhat overwhelmed as far as specifics. It seemed that we were being shown a baker’s dozen of names, locations, phone numbers, and Instagram handles in each slide show we sat through. This bombardment of information made it difficult to retain anything presented.

Another point for improvement would be an explanation on the All-Access Meal Plan. That being said, several of the informational events were surprisingly well executed. I found the Health Advisor skits to be a creative and effective way to draw attention and relay important information. I also found the mini doc-

umentary on the school’s history with slavery and reconciliation efforts to be very informative and engaging. The opportunity to ask questions from faculty immediately following the presentation significantly elevated the value provided to the students. My recommendation for the information sessions is not to change the information presented (aside from the All-Access Meal Plan), but rather to pace the presentations in such a way that it is more digestible.

One of the key indicators of an effective orientation is whether or not it facilitates meaningful relationships with other freshmen.

There were a few events organized by the orientation team, namely the Ice Cream Social and the Party A Little (Library) event, which brought all of the freshmen together. I found these events to be a lot of fun, playing games like foosball and going on a scavenger hunt with people I was just getting to know. The atmosphere allowed students to branch out and develop new connections. I also found that the assigned orientation groups facilitated the building of bridges between people who I otherwise would have never met. We had some fun icebreaker activities in my group that allowed me to get to know some of my peers.

However, many of these relations were fairly shallow and disappeared following the start of classes. Regardless, the events did allow for people to get outside their comfort zone and begin the process of finding a group of friends.

After being on campus for a few weeks now, I look back on orientation fondly. Despite some shortcomings, I believe orientation was a generally enjoyable experience that accomplished its goals (albeit with some room for improvement), and I appreciate all the hard work it took from both students and faculty to pull it off.

You Cannot Make Me Go to a Tailgate!!!

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HARRIS HUBER ‘27 (HE/HIM)

may have missed the time to make an objection, but I’ll just go ahead and say it: I do not care for tailgating. Though this has not stopped me from attending a number of tailgates over the years, coming to Davidson was a welcome shift away from the SEC school model that I had previously participated in. Full disclosure: my first year of Davidson in no part featured a football game, even as a spectator. So at least for me, Saturday mornings have been a structureless time, acting as a consistent break from both studying and socializing, with my nights punctuated by a visit to Armfield.

With the shift to tailgating though, this breath of fresh air becomes yet another social experience you would have to convince me to skip. Whether it is through the sudden scarcity of parking spots or the announcer’s booming voice that reaches far past Nummit’s picnic tables, the shift into traditional football culture makes it impossible to ignore that there is a social experience going on that you’re missing. Students are now forced to choose between the socially viable option or facing FOMO by not attending. But the social pressure to attend games is not the key issue I find with the renewed focus on football. With only so many resources, police officers to go around, time for event coordination, and a limited number of people at a 2,000+ person school, Davidson has to choose its social events carefully.

The rise of tailgating at Davidson makes it

clear that the previous social scene and the new social scene that Patterson Court Council (PCC) intends for us to participate in cannot coexist. While there has not been an abundance of difficulty yet, the first two weeks of PCC-encouraged tailgating have not been conflict-free. With the current emphasis on police availability, PCC’s focus on keeping police at the stadium has already led to several student-planned parties being canceled. One of the first casualties was Kappa Sigma’s Margaritaville party, which may be the most up-

setting for me personally. While not canceled because of the tailgates, PCC’s focus on keeping police at the stadium means tailgating takes priority over parties, making the latter obsolete in this new system. But even if the first cut is the deepest, it’s difficult to imagine this being the last compromise made to keep the focus on football and tailgating as a consistent option.

This all leads me to my main point: do I really care about football at Davidson? Obviously,

Students tailgate near The Davidson College Stadium Lot for the football game on September 6th. Photo by Will Davis.

The football team kicked off their season at Field 76 last weekend. Photo by Davidson College.

some of us have a vested interest in Davidson football. I don’t though, and I have a feeling that I’m not alone in that. With no offense to the players themselves, I think the prevailing sentiment that something is being lost with PCC choosing to help ensure that Field 76 was a good investment is not unreasonable. While at a larger school it might be much more enjoyable to spend a Saturday night with hundreds of other students excited to watch the game, especially in a closely contested rivalry match, that is not the reality I believe we face at Davidson.

But to say this is a wholly logical argument is not true; I also simply do not care for tailgating. While I can explain the ways it bothers me, or the social ramifications it may have for the school, I simply wish they had built something else. Not to get specific, but I don’t think anyone would complain about another dining hall. It remains to be seen just how deeply this shift will continue to impact our social scene and to what extent students here will take to being football fans, but I am firm in my belief that tailgating has already become an unwelcome change.

Sports

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Wildcats Blowout Win Opens Field 76 in Stellar Fashion

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COLIN DECKER ‘27 (HE/HIM) SPORTS WRITER

aturday, September 7, marked the first football game ever played at Davidson College Stadium on Field 76.

The “grand opening” marked the culmination of years of fundraising, cooperation, and hard work. No one could attest to that more than Davidson Athletic Director Chris Clunie ‘06, who has been overseeing this project since its inception. Clunie was more than pleased with the final project and the incredible impact it has had on the school, stating that “Davidson College Stadium and Game Changers Field House provided what I would call a transformative shift to Davidson athletics.”

For Clunie and the rest of the Athletics Department, the first game represents the closing of one chapter and the beginning of a new one.

“We’re so happy that we got to this point and got across the finish line and finally had the first football game. But it really is a launching pad for what’s next,” Clunie stated.

Before Davidson head coach Scott Abell could look ahead to the rest of the season, he and his team had to handle business against Catawba College. In his pregame speech, Coach Abell emphasized the history and importance of the game by tying in his program motto: ‘WE:’ Win Everything, Win Everywhere, With Everyone.

“We talked about everything that went into building this facility, and all the generations of Davidson Wildcats that had come before us to help us be here, and we touch that black PVC pipe with the ‘WE’ on it to remind us of our history and where we’re going and how blessed we are to have this opportunity tonight,” Abell said.

Luke Durkin ‘25, who started the game at quarterback for Coach Abell, took those words to heart.

“I played three years in the last stadium, and I know there [has been over a hundred years] of Davidson football that has [been] played before us. So the fact that we were able to open up this new facility was, first, a major stepping stone just in the program’s history, but then trying to honor all those guys that came before [...] was extremely important for that game,” shared Durkin.

Despite the hype and the history hanging in the air, Durkin was very clear where his head was before kickoff: “My number one goal was just to get the win.”

The game couldn’t have begun on a better note for Coach Abell and his ‘Cats. After winning the opening coin toss, Davidson chose to receive the kick and stormed down the field on a seventy-six yard scoring drive punctuated by the first of three touchdowns for junior running back Mason Sheron ‘26.

Davidson would tally six total rushing scores that game, which was no surprise given the offensive motto for the game: “N.O.R.A.,” or “number one rushing attack.”

When it was all said and done, the ‘Cats put away Catawba in dominant fashion, with the final score being 49-14. Despite the impressive offensive numbers, Durkin made sure to shine the spotlight on the defense and the offensive line.

“I think our defense played extremely well. And yeah, I mean, that was huge. [Got] some turnovers on defense, and a lot of stops […] Our offensive line, we just controlled the line of scrimmage the entire time, so we could really do whatever we wanted to,” Durkin said, with a proud grin on his face.

While Durkin was locked in on the field, he was given a chance to observe the new stadium and all the fans later in the

second half. “I think once the starters got pulled in the second half, we were able to step back and support the guys who are out there, the younger dudes, but also just look around and see the atmosphere, kind of just take it in,” explained Durkin.

The players were not the only ones on the field taking in the atmosphere—Coach Abell has learned over his thirty-one years of coaching to stop and take in the big moments when they happen.

“I looked and our student body was still there, and the fans were in the stands. It had gotten dark, so the lights were now impacting the atmosphere. I took a moment and I looked around and just found myself really thankful and grateful for all the people and the leadership and commitment that afforded us this opportunity to be here.”

Drone footage of Davidson College Stadium during the matchup against Catawba. Photo by Alex Smith.

Elon Opener Sets Cross Country Teams Up for Successful Season ANNA MORROW ‘28 (SHE/HER) SPORTS WRITER

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he Davidson Cross Country teams took control on September 6th at the Friday Night Lights Elon XC Opener. Out of the nine schools competing, the Davidson men’s team finished on top, with the women’s team coming in second.

Both coaches, Andrew Allden and Jennifer Straub, spoke highly of their respective first-year classes. Allden expressed, “I’m very excited about the talent level that we brought in and how good of cross country runners they were in high school.” After the performance on the 6th, Coach Allden is looking forward to the possibility of taking five first-years to the conference championship out of ten available spots, given two first-years, Alex Thole ‘28 and Harry Carter ‘28, took Davidson’s 5th and 6th spots. John Cooper ‘27, a returning sophomore on the team, took first place in Friday’s contest with three seconds separating him and his senior teammate, Graham Breiter ‘25. Cooper commented there were “a lot of new faces which will help push us,” and “we [returners] know each other’s strengths, we know each other’s weaknesses, and so we can help each other and try to work as well together to be the best we can be.”

On the women’s side of the track, the split between Davidson’s 1st and 5th runners was only 30 seconds. Coach Straub described, “for teams that are really successful, you have a small split, which means the time between the first runner and the fifth or sixth runner. The smaller that is, usually the more depth and talent you have on the team.”

Anne Berquist ‘25 spoke about the first-years on the team,

Davidson Men’s Cross Country huddle before the 2023 Queens Invite. Photo by Tim Cowie. saying “they are hardworking, fun teammates and dedicated to improving themselves. I think they will be a big asset to us this fall, and I’m excited to see how they race.”

Most of the athletes participate in the middle and long distance events of indoor and outdoor track, and are therefore kept busy throughout the year. Cooper runs anything from 1500 to 10000 meters during the outdoor season, with 3000 meters being his best event on the indoor track. Molly Sullivan ‘26 runs similar events in the winter with the 3000 and 5000 meters but also competes in steeplechase in the spring, a race around the track that includes obstacles such as hurdles and water ditches. She commented specifically on the steeplechase, saying “I had a lot of success with it last year, which was really exciting.”

Women’s Volleyball Standings Team

Standings Update

Dayton Duquesne George Washington Davidson Saint Louis Fordham Rhode Island George Mason Loyola Chicago VCU

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L

STK PCT

7 7 7 4 4 3 4 3 3 1

1 2 3 5 5 4 6 6 6 5

L1 W2 L1 L1 W1 W2 L1 L1 L1 L2

.875 .778 .700 .444 .444 .429 .400 .333 .333 .167

After the culmination of all three seasons, the cycle repeats with a few weeks off during the summer for these athletes to rest, recover, and prepare. Coach Allden came away from the 2023-2024 seasons very impressed with his athletes’ performance in the winter and spring seasons, and he has only seen exponential growth from the athletes coming out of the summer break. The coaching staff prescribed workouts of “moderate intensity,” as described by Cooper, to prepare for the season. Sullivan emphasized the importance of crosstraining in her workouts to prevent injury. Coach Straub had the same hope for her athletes this summer: to keep them as injury free as possible for the 2024 season.

As the season has only just begun, the final results are unclear.

Davidson is greatly looking forward to an improvement from last year where they finished last of fifteen teams. The resounding aspiration of the coaches and runners is to finish in the top half of the Atlantic-10 conference, ranking seventh or higher. As Coach Allden stated, “finishing top seven and beating half the league is a giant step and that’s what we’re shooting for.” In order to overcome this challenge, Berquist said “in hard moments during a competition, I remind myself how exciting it is that I can test my limits and improve on my past performances. I think that this mindset helps my teammates and me to become excited, rather than nervous for a race.”

The teams have four meets before the conference championships on November 2nd in Richmond, VA. With aspirations of a successful top half finish, the team is prepared for the challenge. Coach Straub said it best: “I’m just very excited about the season, and I have a tremendous amount of faith in my team.” Stay tuned to Davidson Cross Country as they hope to take the A-10 by surprise.

Arts and Entertainment 6 Wynton Marsalis Brings Joy Through Jazz to Davidson

CLAIRE KELLY ‘25 SHE/HER CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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n Sunday, September 8, musician and educator Wynton Marsalis jazzed up the Duke Family Performance Hall with a conversation on culture and civic life. Marsalis currently serves as the Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Director of Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School in New York City, and President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation. Joined by members of the Davidson community, Marsalis gave a speech, followed by a conversation with President Hicks, and a live performance with members of the Jazz Ensemble. Marsalis’s father was jazz pianist and music educator Ellis Marsalis Jr., and he encouraged him to pursue his own musical interests. When speaking of his father, he joked that there were many gigs that felt empty, but he eventually learned the value of passion within an art.

“In order to ‘play’ you have to play–you have to be there, be present,” Marsalis said.

Wynton Marsalis has shared his musical talents across the country, and continues to spread his message today. Photo from Wynton Marsalis’s website

After many accomplishments in his youth, including playing with the New Orleans Symphony Brass Quintet and the New Orleans Community Concert Band, Marsalis continued studying classical music at The Juilliard School. From there, Marsalis’s achievements only grew, and he went on to achieve a plethora of awards, including being the first person to receive Grammy Awards for jazz and classical music in the same year in 1993. “The inheritance of jazz has provided me with innu-

merable enlightening experiences,” Marsalis said.

Marsalis understands the value of music and education and has held hundreds of master classes and open sound checks for students across the world. He has also served as a mentor for many jazz musicians. However, Marsalis emphasized that we as a nation need a call to action when it comes to teaching jazz in schools. Marsalis stated that not a single state requires students to learn about jazz in school. “We clearly need a revolution in vision. [...] We need a revolution in thought and feeling.

Marsalis also touched on the disconnect that the United States has amongst itself. Marsalis opened up his discussion by talking about the ways in which people are lost. “There are three ways to be lost: the first is ‘I don’t know where I am,’ the second is ‘I don’t know where I’m going,’ the third is ‘I don’t know where I am or where I’m going,’” Marsalis stated.

He then emphasized that there is a fourth way. “I don’t know where I am or where I’m going, but I’m getting where I want to go because I feel I am going in the right direction.”

Later in his talk, Marsalis emphasized that while we should always listen to ourselves and follow our gut, there is still more we as a society can do. “Our feelings are not enough for us to be found,” Marsalis emphasized. “We need to replace exploitation with investment.”

Marsalis concluded by emphasizing that we can unite together if we take the best parts of ourselves. “We need the best of who we are instead of the worst of who we have been,” Marsalis declared.

Following his speech, President Doug Hicks and Marsalis sat down for a larger conversation about how music can overlap with the power that future generations hold. Marsalis called on young people to channel their talents and abilities and put them to good use. “Take your lives, your impact, your power seriously,” Marsalis said.

President Hicks echoed Marsalis’s words. “Mr. Marsalis lights up when he meets our student musicians, and he was equally passionate to talk about the importance of citizens to listen to one another,” President Hicks stated over email. “Listening attentively is a virtue both in jazz and in democracy.”

Marsalis then put his words to action by playing with three members of the Jazz Ensemble: Elliott Frankel ‘25, Lincoln Hayes ‘27, and Sam Cifani ‘27.

Frankel described how he and his fellow band members got to witness Marsalis’s educational spirit in action. According to Frankel, Marsalis went off script during the performance, but afterwards he took the time to sit down with them to walk through what occurred. “We talked about [a part of the piece

they played together on stage] afterwards, and that’s something that stood out to me [...] he really wanted to get it right, and so we just sat and talked about the bridge of the song [...] for like 10 minutes,” Frankel said. “His agent [...] was trying to get him to go, and he was focusing on the bridge and trying to get the right note.”

“He is the big deal [in jazz],” Frankel said when describing Marsalis’s legacy. Yet, he also emphasized how Marsalis’s modesty played louder than his trumpet. “Be humble and be gracious, and [...] be present,” Frankel said when describing what he believed to be Marsalis’s message.

Wynton Marsalis performs at Davidson. Photo by Claire Kelly ‘25

President Hicks emphasized how Marsalis’s words can relate to the Davidson community. “Davidson is a special place because we genuinely care for one another—and we seek to shape a public good in which all of us can thrive,” President Hicks said. “The trust, respect, and acceptance we show each other makes our community truly distinctive. Those are qualities that the world needs more of, and Davidson can help to shape.”

Claire Kelly ‘25 is an English major from Clarks Green, PA and can be reached for comment at clkelly@davidson.edu.

Anna Deavere Smith Discusses the Nuances of Justice CLARA OTTATI ‘27 SHE/HER ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT CO-EDITOR

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n September 5, Davidson College welcomed playwright and actress Anna Deavere Smith to campus for a presentation and conversation. Known for being the pioneer of verbatim theater, a form of documentary theater that uses the words of real people, Deavere Smith has won the MacArthur Genius Award and is a Pulitzer and Tony award nominee. Her work tackles social justice issues that face America, such as the school-to-prison pipeline in her 2015 play Notes from the Field and police brutality in her 1993 play Twilight: Los Angeles.

Sharon Green, a Davidson theater professor who introduced Smith before the talk, describes the importance of the playwright’s work: “One of the unique aspects of Anna Deavere Smith [...] is that she seeks out understanding and differences of opinion intentionally.” Green goes on to say that “what [Deavere] Smith does that I think is kind of magical is she channels [...] different people’s points of view and perspectives through her body and through her voice.” Davidson students witnessed this phenomenon firsthand when Deavere Smith performed various monologues from Notes from the Field in the Duke Family Performance Hall.

In these monologues, Deavere Smith moved between portraying an inner-city elementary school teacher, House Representative

John Lewis, and a child psychologist. When switching between characters, Deavere Smith seemed to transform into an entirely new person without altering her appearance in the slightest. Her body language, accent, and dialect would all drastically morph as she switched.

Anna Deavere Smith has played various roles throughout her career as an actress and playwright.

Photo fom Deavere Smith’s website.

Kathleen Degnan ‘27 had never seen a one-woman play before attending Deveare Smith’s performance: “My friend talked about her one-person plays that she does and I thought that was really interesting because I’d never heard of anything like that before […] I just wanted to go and see what it was about.”

After watching Deavere Smith on stage, Degnan was “blown away […] She played so many characters back to back. It was crazy […] She’s clearly a great actor.”

By portraying such a diverse array of characters, Deavere Smith was able to convey the nuances experienced by those affected by the school-to-prison pipeline. Her portrayal of an elementary school teacher displayed educators’ frustration with a lack of resource and

support in public schools. “They just need so much. And you’re just one person,” Deavere Smith pleads as her character. “I felt hopeless.”

Sharon Green mentions how performances such as this feel timely. “I actually think bringing her to campus in the heat of an election year […] I can’t recall a time, in my lifetime, where I felt like people with different points of view have felt so divided,” Green stated.

Through her work, Deavere Smith aims to bridge the gap between different experiences.

In the talk following her performance, Deavere Smith discussed the interview process that makes up her plays. “I want people to break the natural rhythm of how they speak […] That’s how I can tell I’m breaking through to someone,” She said. She also thinks about the “sonic experience,” which is what she describes as what a person sounds like when she interviews them. She mentions how one man she interviewed loudly yelled in the middle of their conversation. “That was the moment I knew I’d have to include him in the project,” Deavere Smith recalled.

At one point, Deavere Smith was asked about her portrayal of people of different racial backgrounds. When asked if she “gets a pass,” she replied: “I don’t think I should get a pass at all.” Her performances bring up questions of where the lines are when it comes to acting and race, especially in cases where the actor, like Deavere Smith, is a minority. Today, Deavere Smith concedes that she “respects the moment of heightened sensitivity” and believes that “it’s up to a community to decide what they need or want from a performance.

Sometimes it’s appropriate and sometimes it’s

not. It depends on the community you build.”

Julia Richards ‘27 enjoyed the different perspectives that Deavere Smith’s play offered, stating “she’s like a database of all these insane stories.” Richards was also impressed at how different every performance, and the history behind it, was. “It’s interesting how she seeks out many different kinds of voices.”

Deavere Smith centered her talk around the importance of community. And what does she believe it takes to build a good, respectful community? “Listening. It’s all about listening.”

Anna Deavere Smith captivates the crowd with her performance. Photo fom Deavere Smith’s instagram.

Clara Ottati ‘27 is an English major from Chicago, IL and can be reached for comment at clottati@davidson.edu.

Living Davidson

Crossword Pre-Law

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Crosswords by Victor Fleming ‘73

Across 1 Premed subj.

5 Baja buck 9 Ltr. addenda 13 Majesty lead-in 14 At the hub of 15 “No ___, Bob!” 16 Action-influencing rule 18 Treasure ___ 19 Somewhat 20 Attacked from the air 22 ___ bien 23 Movie critics, often 24 Arch locale 28 Gets around 30 Nail the exam 31 Some of Salvador’s surrealistic works 32 Established 35 Travel guides 36 Word that may precede 16- & 55-Across and 10-, 26 & 28-Down 37 Foal’s dad 38 Sheepish reaction?

39 “You ___ say that” 40 Fix a squeak again 41 “I can ___” 43 Bride- or groom-to-be 44 Dogged it 46 Affleck’s ex, familiarly 47 “Don’t dawdle around!”

49 Made more baskets than 54 Less forward 55 Helper 57 Blows a horn 58 Butler’s counterpart 59 Kind of flute or sax 60 “Compos mentis” 61 Holy Fr. ladies 62 Gunk

Down

1 Bowser’s brand 2 Ball brand

3 “Bamboo curtain” locale

4 Sawbucks 5 Divide into groups of two

6 Clean out 7 Part of RSVP

8 “To Autumn” and others 9 Jack Sparrow, for one

10 Declaration, as of faith 11 Break off

12 Bird feeder bits 15 Valuable violins

17 Ajax rival

21 Be in second place 24 Foot used to keep rhythm?

25 “Elite Eight” org.

26 Process of disuniting

27 “America” contraction 28 “Bald” bird

29 ___ the Impaler (Dracula prototype)

31 Book after Num. 33 “I Shot the Sheriff” singer Clap

ton 34 Cast opening?

36 Fills up 37 Land’s end 39 Explains, with “up” 40 Civil uprisings that are seldom civil 42 Lacking vitality ANSWERS TO LAST 43 “Drink plenty of ___” 44 Doesn’t run out SEMESTER’S CROSS45 Lorena of the LPGA WORD: THEMELESS 46 ___ and the Pussycats 48 Flat hats ... OR IS IT? 50 Adult male deer 51 Angel feature 52 “I’m ___ you!”

53 ‘Vette roof option 56 Created a lap

09/11/24, 19:24 hrs

Crime Log 09/11/24, 14:34 hrs

The Davidson Doodler

Time Reported

Description/Location Fraud Offenses: Obtaining Properties by False Pretenses Belk, Inactive Larceny Offenses: Feloncy Larceny Sentelle, Further Investigation

09/13/24, 07:44 hrs

Tresspassing Offenses Ryburn, Other

09/15/24, 00:56 hrs

Alcohol Offenses: Consume by Person Under 21 Ryburn, Inactive

6 + ( 5 , ) ) 6 & 2 : ( 5 6 , $ ' 2 5 ( , 7 $ 9 2 : $ / 5 , % ( < ( ) / $ 7 5 $ 7 ( ( 6 6 ( , 1 % 5 ( ' 7 2 0 : * 7 3 $ 1 ( / 2 8 7 $ 6 ( / , * ( 9 $ & $ % , ' ( 3 5 2 * 1 2 6 ( 6 / $ 6 2 5 ' $ 7 $ 1 * ( 1 7 ( 9 ( 1 3 $ * ( 6 , 1 $ / / + ( , 6 7 5 2 ' ( & 2 / ( ' 5 $ 0 $ ( 7 ' $ ) ) $ , 5 ' ( $ 5 / % 8 / 7 , 0 $ 7 ( % / $ 1 & $ & / ( $ 5 & 8 7 2 8 1 & ( 6 2 % 6 ( 6 6 7 $ 5 ' , ( 6 7

The

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Irreverent student journalism since 2004. Castigat Ridendo Mores.

inside

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Amphitheater A Capella Proves We Really Don’t Need to Hear Their Voices Louder Page Aca-scuse me

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Davidson Spends More Phi Delt Copies Historical on Fursuit Than What Party Theme Trend, Runs My Family Makes in a Tiananmen Square Party at Year House and There is No Documentation or Mention of It Page [Redacted] Page Mrowr

It’s Party Time!

here needs to be cultural change on campus.

With the election happening, the revamp of the Davidson Dining economy, and the sudden resurgence of live game show events, it’s clear Davidson is changing–and not for the better. Davidson students are so caught up in trivial pursuits such as getting good grades, starting yet another literary magazine, and trying to revive the rat they just accidentally lobotomized that they forget what college is really about: partying hard. Why are my only two options on a Friday night wearing a bathing suit surrounded by sorority girls or drinking lukewarm Keystone with beta males celebrating the French Revolution? Who decides to use their free time dressing up as an 18th century peasant?

There needs to be a cultural overhaul at Davidson.

We need to move from the passive party attendee to becoming the party hoster. Thus, The Yowl is requiring every dorm to host at least one party this semester.

Here are some ideas to get you started: • Freshman Hall Reunion Party – Remember the good ole times of never being able to use the lounge because a couple was always sleeping in there, constantly seeing vomit or random articles of clothing in the hallway, and the late night ragers you were never invited to? Now that some time has passed, you can rekindle all those great memories you never had with people you never speak to.

• I Don’t Know How to Interact With You Party – You know those people where you don’t know if you should say hi to them or not, so instead you just stare at them waiting for them to make eye contact with you and then if they say hi, you say hi back to them but its super inconsistent because sometimes they acknowledge you and sometimes they don’t?

Well, put an end to that because with this ‘I Don’t Know How to Interact With You’ Party, you can finally decide if you want to perma-

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

September 18, 2024

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nently say hi to them or walk past with your head down for the rest of your college career.

Hey We Should Catch Up Some Time (and Never Follow Through On It) Party – Hey, you should come to my party, we need to catch up sometime! I totally need to hear how break went! Yeah, totally we will. *Forgets party is even happening* Exes Party – Who says you can’t be friends after a breakup? If you and your ex ended on bad terms, just imagine a group of the exact same type of people with none of their issues solved all in one room together. What could go wrong?

PC Party – As someone who is a PC user myself, I always gain a sense of solidarity with someone when I see a crusty old PC fighting for its life within a sea of Macbooks. Let’s band together.

Former Crushes Party – This rainy weather is the perfect time to reminisce on all your missed chances. Seek closure by hosting a party with all your old crushes and see who you dodged a bullet with, who you missed out on, and find out who your type is (e.g., blonde frat boy, J names, etc.).

Professor Party – This can go one of two ways: either send out an email to all your professors and see who decides to show up or invite your friends over but they have to dress up as a certain professor and everyone has to guess which professor it is. Extra bonus points if you get both to happen.

Randomizer Party – Compile a giant list of people whose names you don’t even recognize and see who shows up.

No Financial Aid Party – Preppy and old money are out and streetwear and blue collar fashion is in and it’s really hurting rich peoples’ feelings. Let’s hit our diversity and inclusion goals by throwing a party for the few people on campus who pay full tuition to go here.

A Very Serious Freshman Guide

Econ is just GSS for men.

You need to feel obligated to sign up for every club.

Yes, you should start a radio show.

The people who are your friends two weeks in will be your best friends forever. It is a personal failing if this isn’t the case.

Keep playing the same single song you know loudly on the Union piano. People will love that you know 15 seconds of a song from La La Land and find it very original of you.

Doug Hicks will promptly respond to your email.

The 19-year-old Nummit barista is going to seriously check your ID when asking for a pitcher.

Don’t even bother asking for an empty cup.

People won’t give you a dirty look if you cough in class.

You should eat the fish at Commons (it’s a Soylent Green situation).

Your class members will care very deeply about your two discussion posts on Moodle. This is how they will judge your worth and value.

Your Taylor Swift class will directly lead to your employment in four years. Every liberal arts class is very, very real and needs to be taken seriously.

In two years, people will be really interested to know that you went abroad.

Your music taste is so quirky and unique.

The frat boys trying to either get you to come to a party or join their organization definitely care about you a lot and aren’t just using you as a way to boost numbers. Why would you even think that?

The

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Bo-belly Air-ick Skunkler

“-43%, -22%, -18%, -31%” - DIFA President talking about their stocks

The We’re So Back Issue

Davidson Sponsors Study Abroad Semester at an SEC School to Understand a Real Game Day Page Triple Option

Tuition Payment Screen Now Has Options to Tip 18%, 20%, or 22% Page A Few Questions

Report: After Summer Break, Couple Still Together Somehow

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oah what really? Are you sure? I thought that a long time apart would really be a problem for them. I honestly thought they had broken up at the end of last semester. Did you talk to them about it?

I really can’t believe it. I mean geez ok, if you say so I guess it’s just true, I just didn’t think they would make it through long distance. When I asked that friend of a friend that one time, they implied they were going to just take a break because of summer. Did that not happen? I suppose good for them, I’m just kinda surprised by this one.

I don’t really know them that well personally, but I still feel like this is pretty surprising. I kinda want to ask them about their long-term plans but I really think it’s not my place. Do you know them better? Are you sure they’re actually committed long-term? I really would have thought after that one party last year that they’d end it. It sounds like they are more in your general social orbit than me though, so I guess I would trust your opinion on this more.

Not to really belabor the point, I just sorta don’t get it for either of them.

Like have you talked to them while together recently? I think their dynamic individually is more fun. Are we really sure they stayed together all summer? I was totally wrong on that one set of our friends that didn’t stay together, so I guess that shows what I know. Yeah, that’s the one. Yeah no, I thought that was longterm too. Oh shit wait, I thought you knew about that breakup? Damn, I guess maybe I wasn’t meant to tell people about it then. Yeah, when you compare the two I also would have guessed the other way around on how these ended. I do wish good things for them. I don’t want to sound critical here, that’s really not what I mean. Yeah, I knew you’d know where I’m coming from. You may be right, maybe they’re better behind closed doors or without an audience. It really is not our business. I’m just a little taken aback is all. I didn’t think either of us expected that one.

RLO to Convert Nummit Bathrooms to Full Apartments

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nnouncement! Davidson’s Residence Life Office (RLO) has decided to capitalize on the Davidson Difference with an innovative new idea: transform the Nummit bathrooms into complete apartments! These luxurious spaces currently come partially decorated with a singular toilet, two sinks, and a TV playing Pirates of the Caribbean on loop. If you use your geometry skills you could easily fit two twin XL beds into the space, making it into a queen size bed. This could accommodate you and up to three close friends! But RLO prides itself on going above and beyond, so they will be providing megabed bunk beds stacked on top of each other, free of (additional) charge. Don’t worry though! Unpainted, unsanded plywood sheets will be thrown in the room to provide privacy, along with one carry-on suitcase for storage.

Not only is this a prime spot on campus (you can hear poorly mixed house music every Friday night at K-Sig!), but you also get to experience the highs and lows of the bisexual WALT-ifed paradise that is the Summit Outpost. Picture this: you wake up to the sounds of Ethel Cain screaming at 8AM and step out to buy a seasonal drink on the tab of some random club, getting back pain from a wobbly backless stool since all the booths are taken, even though it’s 8:01AM. Amazing!

Some students have brought up concerns now that the bathrooms are unavailable. RLO Area Manager Dorkotron Commons is waffling between decisions. One option is Davidson continuing to go green and putting a stick in the ground with an arrow pointing to the bushes right next to the picnic tables.

Perhaps they will put porta potties up the hill in the loading dock—this way they can pin the ever migrating toxic smell on something other than Qdoba.

RLO will soon be releasing a poll as to what the next transformed space on campus will be: • The scaffolding outside Watts • The Nest • Carved out space under the stairs of Wildcat Den (like Harry Potter) • The leftover stadium • The empty Turner House until they bring in Chick-fil-A • The sewage pond by the soccer stadium

PLEASE SEND US THINGS

ERSCHOELLNER@DAVIDSON.EDU

Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian.

Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth.