October 23, 2020

OUTHERN S The Student Voice of Florida Southern College

Non Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit 38 Lakeland, FL

FRIDAY, October 23, 2020 VOL. 136, NO. 3

All students invited back on campus for spring Jillian Kurtz Editor-in-Chief All students are invited to live and take classes in-person for the spring 2021 semester. The college sent an email to faculty, staff, students and parents on Oct. 21 stating that “the Board of Trustees approved the return of all students for spring semester who wish to live in campus housing.” Students have the option to learn remotely or be commuter students for the spring semester. The deadline for students to make this choice will be during registration for spring classes, which runs Nov. 2 -12. Vice President for Student Life, Dr. Susan Freeman, sent a follow-up email on Oct. 22 stating that the college will still have distancing protocols, enhanced rapid testing on campus and the mask policy will remain in effect throughout the spring semester. Housing assignments for the spring will be released on the Student Portal on Nov. 17, according to Freeman’s followup email. If a current residential student is assigned to a new room for the spring, the college will be providing boxes and moving the student’s belongings.

The current costs for undergraduate day program tuition, room, and board will remain the same for next year, as a commitment from the school to help students and families manage the pandemic’s economic impact.

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“...it is ultimately up to the student body to be responsible and extremely careful with how they will choose to spend their time here on campus.” -Adam Roach

According to the FSC Covid Dashboard, as of Oct. 21, the school is reporting 50 total student positive cases of COVID-19 since Aug. 31. 28 residential students, 22 off-campus commuter students and three faculty/staff cases have been reported. “I think they made the right decision,” current remote student Emma Nieves said. “As a remote student, I can truly say learning from home is not at all the same. I give the school a ton of credit for everything they’ve done, I can’t wait to be back on campus!”

Brooke Broxterman is a Resident Advisor (RA) and oversees freshman in a non-traditional freshman hall this semester. “I think that next semester will hopefully bring more positivity into their lives, and maybe more friends for them,” Broxterman said regarding her freshmen residents. Based on the available density models, the school does not have the space to maintain single occupancy rooms, so the college is making sure it is understood that the “majority of students will have a roommate,” the initial email read. “I am not worried about increasing the density in my building,” senior Adam Roach said. “There are certainly successful policies that Florida Southern has put in place that reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, but it is ultimately up to the student body to be responsible and extremely careful with how they will choose to spend their time here on campus.” Roach serves as a RA in Spivey Hall and believes having all students back on campus will have a positive impact in the Spivey community. “One of the absolute best things about living on campus is the life-long friendships that form freshman year,” Roach said. “As an RA, it is important that we serve as role models and leaders for all of the students returning to campus.”

Graphic by Jillian Kurtz

Mocs quarantine in Lake Morton Apartments Vanessa Alvarez Staff Writer

Florida Southern College is one of many colleges that established a quarantine facility on campus to house students who were exposed to or contracted COVID-19 and as the semester continues, the Lake Morton Apartments are growing in occupancy. Allison Naglieri is a sophomore at FSC who began self-quarantining when she was exposed to COVID-19 at the end of September. Naglieri immediately informed her professors of her impending absence because she knew she had to quarantine for the required time to ensure she did not spread the virus. “When I found out I had been exposed to someone who tested positive, I knew I was going to quarantine myself regardless of what the school wanted me to do,” Naglieri said. “So, I started self-quarantining and I started notifying my professors which is how I think the school knew I had been exposed.” “If the student self-identifies symptoms or reports known contact with a positive case, the student will leave the class and be directed to contact the FSC Student Health Center,” Dean of Students Mike Crawford said. “The student will then follow the directions given by the Student Health Center.” Naglieri, an out-of-state student, tested positive shortly after being exposed to the

SOCIAL MEDIA

virus and received a call from Crawford informing her that she would need to move to the school-regulated quarantine housing. Though she was asymptomatic at the beginning of her quarantine, she began experiencing symptoms shortly after being exposed. Naglieri says she experienced worse symptoms from other illnesses in the past, however, her experience of COVID -19 caused seemingly irregular side-effects. “I was exhausted. I couldn’t sit up for more than an hour,” Naglieri said. “The thing that kind of got me started with symptoms was the weird scratchy throat feeling and congestion. Then, I had weird symptoms. My face was kind of swollen. A lot of weird random things. It wasn’t too bad and it didn’t last too long which is good.” Naglieri describes her experience in the school’s regulated quarantine as “secluded,” but she was well taken care of. Naglieri says FSC always remembered to keep up with providing meals. FSC provides quarantined students with a list of options from the cafeteria that are later delivered to the individual’s front door. “It came at the same time everyday. I’m a vegetarian so at first they only gave me options with meat in it, but they were super understanding and gave me a few options. It really wasn’t that bad,” Naglieri said. Though meals were consistently provided, Naglieri advises students to come prepared when entering quarantine. She admits the apartments lack many basic necessities, more specifically hand soap.

Photo by Kiersten Bowser The Lake Morton Apartments, located on the corner of Lake Morton Dr. and E Palmetto St., are Florida Southern’s COVID-19 quarantine spaces. “You need to bring all of your own stuff. Your own comforter, your own body wash, your own soap. They gave me a little baggie of stuff, but the shampoo and conditioner would’ve lasted me a day,” Naglieri said. “Especially if you don’t like the [cafeteria] food and stuff they’ll give you, stock up on snacks and bring everything you could possibly need because it’s probably not going to be provided to you.”

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Quarantine in the Lake Morton Apartments is supervised by the college to monitor the safety and wellbeing of sick students.

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The Southern OCTOBER 23, 2020

NEWS

Halloween events adapt to COVID-19 guidelines Sarah Dube Staff Writer Halloween may look a little different in Lakeland, but businesses are finding ways to celebrate the spooky holiday. Normally, downtown Lakeland would be hosting a variety of Halloween events, like their Halloween party in Munn Park. Lots of these events have been cancelled, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still safe Halloween events that are inexpensive and fun. Silvermoon Drive-In is showing Halloween classics seven nights a week until Halloween night. Patrons can watch classics like Hocus Pocus, Nightmare Before Christmas and Friday the 13th for $6 per person. Tickets include two movies, back to back. Films can be viewed from the comfort of a car. However, if patrons decide to grab a snack at the concession stand, masks are required and there are six-foot markers in the queue line. The Polk Theatre will also be showing Halloween classics throughout the month. Masks are required inside the theatre and it is only open to 40 percent capacity. This way, the public can watch classic horror films like The Omen, Poltergeist and Halloween on the big screen while being socially distanced. Tickets for these experiences are available for purchase online or in-person for $6. The theatre has put up plexiglass partitions at the box office and at the concession stand. All of the additional guidelines are listed on their website. “We constantly monitor all official resources to have the most up-to-date information available to continue to keep everyone safe,” the Polk Theatre website says. “Governor DeSantis announced that Florida will be entering Phase 3 of reopening the state. It is still recommended that we continue with limited social distancing. We ask that you respect others while making sure you are safe.”

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“Maddox Ranch leases the

land to promoters and I have been assured that all precautions are being taken.”

-Lynne Maddox

For those interested in live music, there will be an all-day, outdoor concert series on Oct. 31 at Maddox Ranch. “Halloween Is Dead” is a series of live performances as a tribute to Grateful Dead. The event starts at 11 a.m. and lasts until 11 p.m. at Maddox Ranch, here in Lakeland. Ticket prices vary based on how involved the visitor would like to be in the experience. Prices start at $20. “Maddox Ranch leases the land to promoters and I have been assured that all precautions are being taken,” Lynne Maddox, one of the owners of the ranch said. These precautions include adequate social distancing and masks.

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Polk County candidates run for state and district positions Grace Newton Entertainment Editor Local candidates will be on the same ballot as the presidential nominees on Election Day. This includes candidates for Congress, the state legislature and the District Court of Appeals.

priorities include confronting political corruption, advocating for veterans, increasing minimum wage and fixing the U.S. healthcare system. The winner of this race could decide the political balance of Polk County in D.C.

U.S. House seats At 27, Florida ties with New York for the third largest number of representatives. The Democratic Party currently holds the House majority, but the Republican Party is placing more emphasis due to the presidential election; a net gain of 21 seats would push them to that level. In Polk County alone, there are three Congressional House seats available, with two candidates, Darren Soto (D) and Greg Steube (R), running for reelection. The third seat belongs to Congressional District 15, which is Lakeland. Incumbent Ross Spano (R) lost to challenger Scott Franklin (R) in the primary, creating a race between Franklin and Alan Cohn (D). Franklin is a current Lakeland City Commissioner, is the owner and CEO of Lanier Upshaw Inc. and has been involved with the School of Business at FSC. Some of his main priorities are defending the Second Amendment, strengthening national defense, supporting Christian values and advancing President Trump’s agenda. Alan Cohn is an investigative journalist, the creator of AMC Productions, and an Emmy-winner for work with WAMI-TV in Miami. This is Cohn’s second time running for this Congressional seat, running for the first time in 2014 against at-the-time incumbent, Dennis A. Ross (R). His

Photo by Kiersten Bowser

Early voting sign at the Polk County Government Center.

State House seats State representatives have a different responsibility, as they speak more for their district than their state. Only 10 states have full time legislatures, one being Florida, though it is a limited one. There are five State Representative offices in Polk County. Four incumbents, all Republicans, will be on the ballot. Lakeland falls in District 40, which currently seats one of those incumbents, Collen Burton (R). Incumbent Burton was previously

executive director of the Imperial Symphony Orchestra and Big Brothers Big Sisters, and she has served in Tallahassee since 2014. Her priorities include focus on economic and job growth, defending the second amendment, lowering taxes and expanding healthcare for families. As an incumbent, she is running on a different playing field. While incumbents typically conduct their campaign in generally the same method, their focus differs. “Incumbents run on their record,” Dr. R. Bruce Anderson, Associate Professor of Political Science, said. “If you’ve done your job as an incumbent, you’ve been back to your district a lot.” However, while legislative campaigns themselves are typically very similar on all levels, running for State Legislature can draw different candidates. “Some people running for State Legislature don’t have any experience,” Anderson said. Burton’s challenger Jan Barrow (D) falls into this category. A total newcomer to politics, Barrow is native Lakelander with a passion for the city and its people. “The person that is in this position should be working exclusively for Lakeland,” Barrow said in the SAAC Voter Information Session on Friday. Barrow is a graduate of FSC and has lived in Lakeland for 35 years. A licensed real estate sales associate, Barrow also served as a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Her priorities involve tackling statewide unemployment, working for job stability, protecting Florida’s water and environment, and expanding senior protection and programs. This article continues on fscsouthern.com.

Lakeland to sell swans in lottery after Roundup Jameson Champion Staff Writer Earlier this month, the City of Lakeland held yet another successful Swan Roundup, gathering the swans for necessary medical checkups. This year marks the 40th annual Swan Roundup event, and the City of Lakeland is also holding a sale on some nesting pairs of swans. This is being done as a way to keep the population from outgrowing the lake. Every year since 1980, Lakeland has held a ‘Swan Roundup,’ an event in which the City of Lakeland’s Parks Division gathers the swans nesting at Lake Morton in order to perform medical checkups on the animals. “We like to keep the flock to about 60 birds. Right now we have 80 on the lake,” City of Lakeland’s Director of Communications Kevin Cook said. “We haven’t had a sale since 2014. We only really do so when the flock outgrows the lake.” The birds will be sold on Oct. 29 at 9 a.m. where each bird will be sold for $400. “We have a number of buyers,” Cook said. “We have people making offers from everywhere: Canada, Michigan, from funeral homes and places like the Hollis Gardens. We’ve even had offers from New Port Richey and other municipalities.” While the swans are an iconic part of the City of Lakeland, it is important that the population remains manageable through these sales. The current overpopulation of swans has been attributed to the deaths of two of the birds in February when they

were struck by vehicles. The city also reports that its annual cost for feeding and caring for the large population is $10,000. “The swans are iconic, but this sale is important to keeping the population down and healthy,” Cook said. The roundup took two days to perform. On the first day, two boats were sent out onto the lake. The boats chased down a single bird at a time until it was caught in the net by one of the catchers, where the second then placed the swan inside of a cage. The boats then returned to the breeding cages on the shore of Lake Morton where the swans were kept until the medical checkup on the next day. On the second day of the roundup, veterinarians arrived to perform routine checkups on the birds and they were then released back into

Lake Morton. The first nesting pair of swans came to Lake Morton in 1957, after a Lakeland resident wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth II requesting that they be sent to the city. After their release into the lake, the swans eventually became the mascot for the City of Lakeland, even becoming part of its logo. By 1980, the number of birds in the flock had grown large enough for the City of Lakeland to decide to begin the Swan Roundups as a way to care for the animals, providing necessary medical care for the birds. The Swan Roundup has gained traction on the national level, with many news outlets talking about the swan sale because of the swans’ royal roots, as well as the large cost of feeding them.

Photo by Jameson Champion

The ‘Swan Wranglers’ of Lakeland catch one of the iconic birds on Lake Morton.

3 The Southern OCTOBER 23, 2020

FSC’s new canine counselor: Sophie Sophie Talbert Contributing Writer

There is a new four-legged addition to the counseling center this fall. Sophie, a 3-year-old golden retriever, has already made an impact on Florida Southern’s campus. David Aranda, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and the assistant director of the counseling center, has had Sophie in his family since she was eight weeks old. He decided to bring Sophie to campus in September because of the benefits she could bring to students. “Research shows that therapy dogs and pets in general can help elevate a person’s mood,” Aranda said. Although Sophie is part of the counseling team, she is not called a therapy dog because she has no clinical training or official certification. Her only formal training has been dog sense obedience, which is a regular plan that teaches basic commands and how to be properly walked using a leash. “She’s just a loving, calm, wellmannered dog that loves to give and receive love,” Aranda said. Despite not having any certified training, Sophie still serves as a source of positivity for any student who may need it. She joins Riley, another dog who is part of the counseling center team. “When I first met her, she was just so excited to see new faces and have attention,” senior Jordan Jones said. “Before I met Sophie, I would see Riley all the time in the counseling center and seeing him always helped me to calm down before or after a session.” Adjusting to life with COVID-19 restrictions has been a challenge for many students, making the counseling center resources even more important this semester.

Photo courtesy of David Aranda

Canine counselor Sophie lounges on a couch, enjoying her new office in the counseling center. “I’ve been an RA the past two years and I’ve definitely noticed a difference this semester with the stress levels in students,” senior Daria Gill said. “I always plug the counseling center as a resource students should use on campus, and I think it’s really awesome they keep adding new resources like Sophie to make it better.” Although all counseling appointments are currently virtual, Sophie is already on campus and is ready to meet new people. “Sophie is taking this semester to get

used to the counseling center and people coming in and out,” Aranda said. “Once restrictions are lifted for face to face contact, she’ll be able to attend outreach gatherings and be more available.” Right now, Sophie is only available during counseling sessions with David Aranda, but all students who come into the counseling center or see her around campus are welcome to pet her and say hello. To make an appointment with the counseling center, students can call the main office at 863-680-6236.

of experience in coaching and educating thousands in the topic. According to her website, Pettitt utilizes humor to cultivate a safe space of discussion to teach on topics including communication,

one another accountable and create a safe culture on campus and in the community. Elisa White, a member of Alpha Chi who attended one of the events, shared that the workshops were live Zoom calls facilitated by Pettitt. During each workshop, Pettitt gave a presentation and orchestrated discussion to begin conversation. Participants were able to contribute to the conversation throughout the workshops. “I think one of the big takeaways is how we all have privileges that can seem really obvious, but we also have some that are not so obvious. Our privileges affect our experiences and can blind us to oppression in other communities,” White said. The series consisted of four installments specifically covering diversity and social justice, unconscious bias, cultural misappropriation and how to be a better ally. Discussion on experiences, coexistence and self-reflection led the conversation to teach audiences how to avoid the bystander effect and begin holding others accountable. Edgar hopes this prompts a deeper discussion throughout FSC’s campus. “I think, in Greek Life, there needs to be discussion about diversity and discussion on how our chapters can be a force for change and for good on campus,” White said. “I think even just opening the door and giving the framework to have those discussions will really impact the health of diversity and inclusion on our campus.”

Alpha Chi Omega hosts diversity series

Vanessa Alvarez Staff Writer Florida Southern’s chapter of Alpha Chi Omega hosted an interactive workshop in October dedicated to bringing awareness to allyship on campus. “Being a Better You, For Each Other” was the name of the series the organization hosted in collaboration with Jessica Pettitt, a professional public speaker who specializes in diversity and leadership. Pettitt joined the sisters of Alpha Chi to host a variety of workshops open to the student body to discuss methods to cultivate a safer, more diverse community at FSC. The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and “rhetoric from student leaders on campus that failed to meet the duty of representing Greek organizations on campus” were two factors inspiring chapter president Emma Edgar to organize the workshops. “Alpha Chi Omega is committed to Domestic Violence Awareness, or in other words, the fight for love and healthy relationships,” Edgar said. “We build healthy relationships through understanding, through active listening, and through continually learning and growing in conversation with one another.” Pettitt, a recognized educator in diversity and inclusion, has over a decade

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“Alpha Chi Omega is committed to Domestic Violence Awareness, or in other words, the fight for love and healthy relationships.” -Emma Edgar, Alpha Chi Omega President

relationships, trust and culture. “Jess Pettit has worked with Alpha Chi Omega Headquarters staff and National Council conducting the very same training, so I reached out and asked if she would be willing to help us in encouraging the hard conversations that need to be had,” Edgar said. The organization hosted Pettitt at several events in the past including a Volunteer Summit and the sorority’s National Convention in 2018. This year’s series ran from Oc 1 to Oct 23, with a different topic focus for every workshop. The goal of each workshop was to provide attendees the tools and resources to prompt challenging conversations, hold

FEATURES

continued from Page 1 Lake Morton quarantine

“Safety has a constant presence at Lake Morton and we continue to expect the student body to be responsible in supporting the health and wellness of our campus community,” says Crawford. “The Community Living staff are managing the facilities and onsite on a daily basis as well.” Naglieri says staff never specified any specific rules while in quarantine, leaving students to assume what can and cannot be done. “I don’t know if they ever explicitly said you can’t leave or anything. I just [assumed] I had to stay in the room. I have heard from other people who are there now or know people who were in there that you aren’t allowed to have people drop things off anymore,” said Naglieri. “I think they’re developing more rules the more people that are there.” Crawford says students are allowed to drop off items for friends in quarantine, “as they are following all campus COVID protocols and do not enter the buildings.” Naglieri was released from quarantine a little over a week after being exposed and after she finished experiencing symptoms of the virus. Once she returned to her normal living space, she was instructed to return to in-person instruction and resume activities. Naglieri says she did not have to retest before returning to campus due to the CDC’s guidelines stating “You can be around others after: 10 days since symptoms first appeared, 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.” If a student is exposed to, and experiences symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19, they are instructed to contact 863.680.4305 for information regarding quarantine. Students who test positive are given the options of quarantining at home, in a hotel, or in the college-supervised quarantine spaces, Lake Morton Apartments or Ledger Apartments.

Coming up: The Southern E(lection) Edition

Nov. 6 Available on fscsouthern.com

The Southern OCTOBER 23, 2020

4

Depiction of Sherlock Holmes spurs emotional lawsuit

‘Fall Into Dance’ combines two semesters of work

ENTERTAINMENT

Isabella Gargiulo Staff Writer One of Netflix’s newly released films, “Enola Holmes,” has been the talk of the town recently, but for the wrong reasons. While fellow FSC freshman Kira Littlejohn believes the film was “amazing, had great character development, and the plot made sense,” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s estate would like to think otherwise. The problem isn’t even with the main character, Enola Holmes, but her brother, Sherlock Holmes, portrayed by Henry Cavill. The estate of Doyle has filed a lawsuit against Cavill’s depiction of the iconic character, because he was showing “too much emotion” and actually respected women, which violates Doyle’s copyright. Now you may be wondering, why is Doyle’s estate, out of all people and places, filing a lawsuit against the Netflix film? The answer is simple. If you don’t already know, “Enola Holmes” is based on a series of novels by author Nancy Springer. She decided to create a teenage sister to Sherlock Holmes, accompanying him on his adventures, as well as some of her own. The novels feature a variety of elements from Doyle’s stories, who is the original creator of Sherlock Holmes. Fortunately, most of the details aren’t covered by copyright, but around ten details still reside under the estate. The estate argued Springer’s stories and Netflix’s film adaptation draw too many key elements and details from those stories, prompting them to move forward with their lawsuit. This isn’t the first time any kind of Sherlock Holmes-inspired movie has dealt with a lawsuit. The Doyle estate made a somewhat similar argument five years ago against Miramax’s film Mr. Holmes, claiming the film included plot details about his retirement, but doesn’t actually occur until the final stories. Basically, if any film production company wants the greenlight on producing a Sherlock Holmes film, they need to pay up to the estate, if they even want to consider giving Mr. Holmes any type of personality. While this lawsuit may seem farfetched, the Doyle Estate just wants the centuries-old character to retain qualities of his old self. In recent years, Holmes has made the transition from an intelligent man with no heart, to a man who’s not only a great detective, but displays empathy and compassion as well. This may seem as a plus to filmwatchers who envy the iconic character, but the estate believes providing more emotionally-complex versions only gives Holmes “multiple personalities”. As we sit here with confusion, wondering when everything will unfold in this lawsuit, just sick back, and remember the wise words of Cavill: “The legal stuff is above my pay grade.”

Faith Miller Staff Writer Florida Southern College’s Dance Program will hold its first virtual performance, featuring pieces that were originally planned to be performed in spring, along with new numbers choreographed for the current fall season. “Fall Into Dance” will be performed on a live stream on Friday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 10 p.m. The performances will take place in the Branscomb Memorial Auditorium and will be streamed through the FSC Festival of Fine Arts YouTube channel. Senior Sadie Reimer described the show as “A collection of works that represent specific aesthetics or moments in time.” According to Erin LaSala-Phillips, the Dance Program Coordinator and an Associate Professor of Dance at FSC, the show will include 24 dance program majors and minors. These students will perform several styles of dance, including contemporary modern dance, jazz, and contemporary ballet. Along with this, students will also perform some numbers that were originally planned for the spring 2020 performance, an example being “Giselle,” which will be performed in the first act. The second act of the show will include faculty choreography, along with several invited guest choreographers. “I am looking forward to these works finally being shown to a larger audience,” LaSala-Phillips said regarding the pieces from the spring 2020 show. LaSala-Phillips said that she enjoys multiple styles of dance and believes each has its own “unique and intriguing qualities.” She explains the show has a “little something for everyone” and will appeal to multiple audiences. LaSala-Phillips said that some of the precautions taken to ensure the performers’ safety include temperature checks prior to every rehearsal, along with social distancing being incorporated into all the dances. “Being able to live stream the shows is certainly wonderful, especially since a lot of us have family and friends who live far away and haven’t been able to

Photo courtesy of Sorcha Augustine

Junior Sydney Rivera (left) and senior Rachel Smith (right) pose in the Dance Program’s promotional photoshoot for “Fall Into Dance.” see us perform, but it is going to feel really weird performing to an empty audience,” Reimer said. The program has limited the number of performers in each dance to a maximum of 12, since these are the guidelines in the Wynee Warden Dance Studio, where rehearsals have been taking place. All traditional partnering has also been removed, along with close proximity for extended periods of times. The guest artist this semester taught the dancers choreography for the piece through Zoom, the students would then rehearse the movements and stage the piece in the Wynee Warden Dance Studio. “There is no overarching theme for the fall concert, however I think that all

of the pieces play off of different life experiences,” Reimer said. LaSala-Phillips said that the program hopes for the possibility of a live performance for the spring 2021 show; however, if this is not the case, they will follow the safety measures put forth by the college and will do what is best for performers and viewers.

Scan this QR code to stream “Fall Into Dance.”

Netflix’s new series might not be going back to Paris Deanna Wright Staff Writer Emily should not be in Paris. Netflix’s recent series,“Emily in Paris,” is a romcom that is getting backlash after only being on the streaming service for a couple weeks. Netflix picked up the show after it was originally supposed to air on America’s Paramount Network. “I feel like it romanticizes everything, maybe a bit too much, there’s more to Paris than romance and food,” sophomore Morgan Giberti said. Many fans of Netflix shows “GLOW” and “Teenage Bounty Hunters” criticize “Emily in Paris” unsatisfied that those shows were cancelled recently by the streaming service. Many critics are criticizing the series for representing the French culture in the wrong way. They point out how many of the French people in this show actually end

up speaking more English than French. About 39 percent of the French population can speak English, but many rather speak French because of fear, pride or just laziness. Even The New York Times published an article about multiple interviews they had with French subjects. In the article one of the subjects stated there are so many cliches that they become comical in the show’s exaggeration of them. French citizens would not insult someone behind their back, like Emily’s boss, Sylvie, does stated another subject. The French radio station RTL even claims the series makes Parisians’ home and everyday life unrecognizable. “I think it shows their lives as a bit too dramatic to be believable,” sophomore Claire Dininger said. But the show is not getting all their backlash from French critics. Chicago pizza chain Lou Malnati’s does not

appreciate the dig at their pizza. In the first episode of the series, the main character, Emily throws a dig at their pizza by telling her boss, who had bad Chicago-style pizza, that she “must have gone to Lou Malnati’s and found it disgusting.” The chain was not amused by this at all and issued a press release condemning the joke and the writers of the series. Lucas Bravo, who plays a love interest to Emily, gave ET Canada a statement about the backlash. “I think they are right, in a way,” Bravo said. “We’re portraying one single vision of Paris. We have so many ways of thinking.” Even though this new series is getting backlash from critics, some fans don’t know if this vision is portraying the French culture correctly or not. “As someone who has never traveled outside of the country, I could not tell if it was an accurate presentation of French culture,” senior Alexa Dagostino said.

5 The Southern OCTOBER

23, 2020

OPINIONS

Biden campaign backs fracking amidst climate quandry Sophia Gonzalez News Editor

The Biden campaign has prided itself in creating a comprehensive environmental plan. That’s why when Joe Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, warded off her opponent, Vice President Mike Pence, when he stated that the Biden administration would put an end to fracking during the presidential debate, climate change activists and young voters concerned about the environmental crisis alike listened in shock. “I will repeat, and the American people know, that Joe Biden will not ban fracking. That is a fact,” Harris said during the VP debate. Although the statement itself isn’t shocking, I was surprised that Harris announced it so openly, but when looking at the reasoning behind their decision, perhaps it isn’t so surprising either. Soon after Harris made her statement, different Twitter accounts from both non-official and official sources showed up on my feed condemning the practice of fracking. “Fracking is bad, actually,” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted live as the nation watched the debate. It’s true. Fracking is bad. Fracking - it’s proper term hydraulic fracturing - is the process of drilling into a well and injecting water laced with chemicals and sand into the ground in order to extract fossil fuels and oil, which is then used to power our energy, according to the United States Geological Survey. Proponents of fracking claim that fracking is safe, but fracking is the cause of a lot of deteriorating consequences to the environment and farming communities. The reality is that fracking increases CO2 emissions, contaminates groundwater, pollutes surface water, endangers livestock and depletes soil quality. Scientists have also found that fracking can cause earthquakes. When oil companies drill on the ground, they are extracting oil, but during that process, they can unwittingly cause contaminated water run-off. Run-off from fracking can be absorbed by nearby plantlife or agricultural land through absorption or run-off into surface water. “[The Environmental Protection Agency]

found scientific evidence that hydraulic fracturing activities can impact drinking water resources under some circumstances,” according to the EPA Fact Sheet. It is important to note that EPA’s report also stated that it is difficult to gather information about fracking locations because they’re either not documented or just hard to get a hold of, which should be cause for concern when we are in the midst of an environmental crisis and scientists believe that fracking causes harm to the environment. Yet on top of environmental impact, fracking also impacts the livelihood of farmers as well. The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association has gathered testimonies from farmers whose crops are affected by fracking in their community. In their testimonies, farmers talk about how agricultural land suffers because of fracking. What usually happens, is that big oil companies look for land so that they can extract oil and fossil fuels from underground, so they ask farmers to sign leases to gain the right to access their land. Usually, it starts through mailing offers, but representatives are known to call almost every day and to show up at farmer’s houses. This is what’s happening to Alex Dragovich. He owns an organic farm and doesn’t want to sign a lease because he is aware that the impacts of fracking can reduce crop yields and crop quality, which could negatively impact his financial status as well, according to the The Ohio

Ecological Food and Farm Association. “My concern with fracking is the water,” Dragovich said in a video statement. “We couldn’t farm vegetables or raise our chickens without that water and for fracking to come and disturb that in any way is my biggest concern.” This is the story of many farmers who have suffered in order to benefit big oil companies. So, why isn’t it surprising that the Biden administration isn’t against fracking? Hint: it has to do with the economy. Fracking in the United States is important because it keeps our energy costs down. According to Live Science, countries around the world all practice fracking, but it’s a hot topic in the U.S. because we have experienced a surplus of fracking in order to control oil costs and secure U.S. access to energy. Importing Oil and fossil fuels from other countries is inconvenient and costly. Most importantly, banning fracking would get rid of hundreds of thousands of jobs. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there were 145k people employed in the Oil & gas extraction Industry Group in 2018,” according to Data USA: Oil and Gas Extraction. Around 26,000 of those jobs are in Pennsylvania, according to Food and Water Watch. Ohio also has a high number of jobs created by fracking. Both Pennsylvania and Ohio are swing states. Losing those votes could cost Biden the presidency. This is a difficult situation because we are

Fracking is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of bedrock formations by a pressurized liquid.

currently living through an environmental crisis, and despite individual people slowly becoming environmentally conscious with metal straws and reusable shopping bags, large companies and corporations are the largest contributors to climate change. Adjusting individual behavior is not enough to change that. However, the Food and Water Watch estimates is 630,000 jobs between 2016 and 2018 including in the private sectors, getting rid of those jobs could have devastating consequences. If Biden stood on a stage and claimed that he would put an end to fracking, many people in the U.S. would face the possibility of electing a president that would eliminate many jobs as our country is experiencing a devastating increase in unemployment and homelessness in the US as a result of COVID-19 and a refusal from our current administration to distribute funds to the American people during a pandemic. Even if he brought up the fact that switching to clean energy is a growing field with the possibility of creating more jobs and that it also offers better paying jobs, according to Green Match, it wouldn’t change anything because many people would still lose their jobs. It is important to note that the estimated job growth of oil and gas extraction was negative 1.2 percent in 2018. Creating a deal where a large number of people who work with oil companies would be guaranteed jobs in renewable energy seems like a possible solution, but would clean energy sectors agree to those terms? Coming up with a bipartisan agreement in order to make that transition also seems farfetched when examining the current state of our country. So honestly, we are in quite a predicament. To turn a blind eye to fracking would result in what could be devastating consequences to the environment, health hazards to the people coming into contact with contaminated water and financial hardships for farmers near fracking sites. But to do the opposite would hurt our economy short term by disrupting access to our current ‘standard’ energy sources and the loss of over what could be an estimate of 600,000 or more jobs. Which one do you think is more important?

shock, the announcement joined the long list of disappointments that came with 2020. “I pretty much expected that graduation would be cancelled so I wasn’t surprised at all,” Dec. graduate Olivia Kerper said. “I would have been more surprised if it wasn’t cancelled.” As someone who has taken nearly every precaution to avoid exposure to COVID-19, I understand the extremity of the decisions FSC is making to protect students, faculty and families, as that should be the primary goal right now. I will say, though, I continue to struggle to accept the cancellation of graduation for a handful of reasons. First off, schools across the nation adapted to the COVID-19 climate by creatively innovating a health conscious ceremony to celebrate graduates. Florida Southern brings together the entire school for graduation, so why not hold several ceremonies to celebrate students by department? Additionally, though I am extremely opposed to his decisions, Governor Ron DeSantis removed state regulated

after I wrap up my undergraduate career does not seem ideal. Especially because the date of the next in-person graduation ceremony is extremely unpredictable as there is still much uncertainty regarding COVID-19 to begin with. “I don’t plan to attend spring graduation, said Kerper. I am so burnt out from school and genuinely just want to finish in December and move on with my life,” said Kerper. Despite the complications that continue to rise due to COVID-19, I appreciate the efforts Florida Southern is going through to highlight the achievements of graduates. The decision to cancel an event as significant as commencement must be a challenging discussion, but the school is working hard to honor graduates in the most safe, practical way. Florida Southern still intends on celebrating graduating seniors this Dec. through a virtual ceremony occurring the morning of Dec. 19, 2020. Additionally, students will be given the opportunity to take formal pictures on campus during a designated time.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Fall graduates mourn cancellation of December ceremony

Vanessa Alvarez Staff Writer

Florida Southern sent an email to students in late September featuring updates on how the school will continue operating as the health climate evolves, which includes the cancellation of Dec. Commencement. FSC is among many colleges and universities cancelling upcoming commencement ceremonies due to COVID-19. On Sept. 24, the Tampa Bay Times published an article revealing that state officials in Florida encouraged large universities to cancel or postpone commencement ceremonies. “The College has made the difficult decision to forgo an in-person December commencement ceremony to continue to prioritize the health of our community,” the email read. “While difficult, this decision is based on expert analysis of pandemic conditions and consistent with other institutions that monitor those conditions closely.” Though it did not come across as a

COVID-19 restrictions including removing fines for mask violations and allowing businesses to open at full capacity. If a restaurant in Florida can be packed with people not wearing masks, why can’t we have a CDC compliant graduation ceremony to celebrate the hard-work and dedication from FSC’s students? Since I started at Florida Southern, graduation has been my guide to stay motivated and succeed in all aspects of my college career. Between remote learning from COVID-19, a seemingly shorter semester and the infamous “senioritis,” losing graduation has made this semester feel rather stagnant. “Graduation getting cancelled hasn’t altered my academic motivation, but this semester definitely has. everything about it—being remote, having an accelerated semester with no breaks—it’s really difficult to stay motivated and prioritize academics,” says Kerper. Similar to Spring 2020 graduates, Fall graduates were invited to attend the inperson commencement ceremony in 2021.I will admit, similar to many, participating in a commencement ceremony five months

The Southern OCTOBER 23, 2020

SPORTS

6

Florida professional sports dominate national spotlight

Grayson Skweres Staff Writer The state of Florida is dominating the national stage right now across the four major North American sports. With the Rays on the way to the World Series, it is possible that a Florida team will at least participate in the championship in three of the four major sports. The Tampa Bay Lightning captured the NHL’s Stanley Cup last month, the Miami Heat finished as the NBA runnerup, following their NBA Finals loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last week, and the aforementioned Rays will square off with the Dodgers in MLB’s World Series. Florida has an opportunity to compete for a title in the NFL this year too, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in first place in the National Football Conference (NFC) South through five weeks of play. Led by quarterback Tom Brady, they’re expected to be in the mix for the Lombardi Trophy.

“The Tampa dominance in major sports has been like a dream,” Florida Southern student J.J. Niekro said. “The most exciting thing is that everyone in the Tampa area has been following the teams and it’s all the talk around town. Fans finally get to crowd around the TVs and have hope.” It isn’t unprecedented for one city to dominate the sports limelight. Boston deemed themselves “title town” after winning championships in the NHL, MLB, and NFL in a span of four years from 2011-2014, for example. However, Florida has never experienced this type of success. When the Miami Heat were on top of the NBA world in the early 2010s, the Dolphins, Marlins, and Panthers were bad. The outlook wasn’t any better in Tampa, where the Rays, Buccaneers, and Lightning were not title contenders. The Orlando Magic were reeling following Dwight Howard’s departure, and the Jacksonville Jaguars were a consistent

bottom feeder. “The last time Florida sports were dominant was the 2000s. That was all throughout the decade though, and we never saw all three Tampa teams be good at one time. Now, it’s like a dream come true,” Niekro said. The early 2000s are really the only other time that might compare, but even then it didn’t come in one season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in 2002, the Florida Marlins won the World Series in 2003, and the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2004. The Marlins didn’t make the playoffs on either end of their World Series victory, and the Buccaneers finished under .500 during their title defense. The Lightning were a playoff team in 2003, but they weren’t in 2002. Three titles for the state in three years was impressive, but they were mostly blips on the radar for those teams, and it was still across three years. The Rays have the opportunity to make

Stanley Cup Champions

First Place in NFC South (as of Oct. 21)

OUTHERN S

Eastern Conference Champions

it two titles for the city in one year. The Buccaneers could make it three in one year, and the Heat were the runner-up. That is an impressive level of domination. “I went to the Lightning boat parade and saw thousands upon thousands of people lining the river in downtown Tampa. It really felt like the world was normal again and gave me extreme peace of mind, even if for just one day, that things would get better soon,” Niekro said. Florida fans are taking notice too. According to Forbes, The Rays and Marlins, two teams with notoriously unsupportive fan bases, saw 7% and 2% increases in local TV ratings despite ratings usually decreasing across the sports world. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been the most watched NFL team this season. Local TV ratings for the NBA Finals are currently unavailable. Regardless if the Rays win the World Series or not, this is a Golden Age of Florida sports.

American League Champions

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