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The Davidsonian 12/3/25

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Volume 125, Issue 11 • For a Better Davidson • The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914 • December 3, 2025

INSIDE: Honor Council report releases data, clarifies processes, emphasizes importance of integrity PAGE 7 Behind the scenes of the Interlibrary Loan system

Top-six for Davidson at national Fed Challenge final round

DAVID ANDERSON MONTES LARA ’28 (HE/HIM)

GABRIEL RUSSNACHAMIE ’27 (HE/HIM)

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hether looking for online articles or physical copies, Davidson students are not limited to what is in the college library. Instead, they also have access to an online service called the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to expand their resources. From a novel in Virginia to a journal on the other side of the country, ILL allows students to request both digital and physical materials from other libraries and receive them with a quick turnaround. Behind the system is Interlibrary Loan Coordinator Joe Gutekanst who has been running the system for three decades. Once a request hits the system, Gutekanst sees it almost instantly. First, he checks if students can already access the source through Davidson, as sometimes the item is hidden within a database students do not think to search. Then Gutekanst reaches out to partner libraries around the world. Digital articles often arrive within hours and sometimes even minutes, through automated networks. Physical books move quickly, and most arrive within a few days. What feels like library magic on the student side is, behind the scenes, an efficient fast-cycle of request, sourc-

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which some organizations said has affected their operations. According to ATC Chair Alex Chudzik ’26, reducing organizational budgets is necessary to stabilize the reserve. He aims to keep it at about $100,000. “We’re in a position where we have [...] about $150,000 left in the reserve at this very moment in time,” Chudzik said. “We have a couple of the largest equipment requests still to be approved by SGA. After those, a rough estimate would leave us between $60,000$70,000.”

avidson took home an honorable mention in the final round of the College Fed Challenge on Nov. 21 in Washington D.C. The competition is hosted by the Federal Reserve Board and Davidson’s team was one of six finalists out of 139 schools from 36 different states. The Federal Reserve Challenge is a national competition where collegiate teams analyze economic conditions and present monetary policy recommendations to Federal Reserve officials. This year, Pace University of New York won first place. Harvard College placed second and the University of California, Los Angeles placed third. Davidson received an honorable mention alongside the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago. “Fed Challenge offers undergraduate students an opportunity to learn firsthand about monetary policy and the work of the Federal Reserve,” said Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell in a press release by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. “I thank these students for the dedication, creativity and analytical skills they

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The Activities Tax Council, a student-run organization overseen by the Student Activities Office, recommends budget allocations for all student groups to the Student Government Association. Photo by Aidan Marks ’27.

Activities Tax Council scrambles to limit fall funding requests CLAIRE IRELAND ’28 (SHE/HER)

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he Activities Tax Council is looking to reign in spending after years of over-allocating and a lack of oversight over their reserve fund. With outstanding mid-year budget requests from Davidson Outdoors and Quips and Cranks yet to be approved by the Student Government Association, reserves are at risk of dropping to around $70,000—the lowest it has been in years. Student activities are funded by the ATC, a student-run body overseen by the Student Activities Of-

fice. The majority of their funding comes from the $650 student activities fee collected annually from students which results in over $1.1 million in funds each year for clubs. Surplus funds are directed to the reserve fund to finance mid-year allocations. It is also used to support major one-time investments. After years of overallocations, the reserve is running out of money. ATC’s budget balancing efforts mark the end of years of over-allocations designed to use up over $1.5 million in reserve funds accumulated during years disrupted by Covid-19. The ATC cut student organization budgets last spring,

Student tour guides call for compensation after increased Saturday tours WYATT GESSNER ’28 (HE/HIM)

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ew demand for Saturday tours and increased regimentation in the tour guide program is frustrating unpaid student volunteers. While the Office of Admission hopes to create a more structured system and improve the visitor experience, students said changes have made tour guiding more of a burden, escalating calls that they be paid for their work. Tour guides are responsible for leading prospective students and families across campus. They share facts about Davidson as well as their experience applying to and attending the College. The Davidso-

nian obtained multiple emails and documents detailing current and past expectations and policies for tour guides in addition to student testimonials. Documents and interviews indicate tour guides are expected to lead more tours than in previous years. Changes to expectations are frustrating to students, including Madeline Kleiner ’28, who was assigned four Saturday tours this semester and had to request coverage for two of them. “When you get beyond the bounds of doing one [tour] a week, which is what I signed up to volunteer with, then that’s the point where I’m Volunteer tour guide Sylvia Cevallos ’28 leads a tour for prospective students. In the spring, she will be expected to lead one tour per week and three addiCONTINUED ON PAGE 2 tional tours on Saturdays. Photo by Wyatt Gessner ’28.

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INSIDE Emily Schmitz ’28 on the ethics of AI use Frank Howden ’26 and Sierra Koester ’28 rethink fast fashion Alex Thole ’28 on Davidson’s partnership with Under Armour David Anderson Montes Lara ’28 on Day With(out) Art Wyatt Gessner ’28 on Fall Arts Symposium

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