April 30, 2021

OUTHERN S The Student Voice of Florida Southern College

Social issues and COVID-19 impact SGA board

While Florida Southern’s student body continues to search for answers to Title IX concerns, the Student Government Association (SGA) faces frustration from its members and students amid elections and COVID-19 exhaustion.

On March 21, SGA posted a statement on Instagram responding to widespread and anonymous reports of Title IX violations from alumni and students, which began appearing days earlier.

The statement addressed an outpour of concern from members of the student body but was not entirely well received.

Negative comments appeared below the post.

“Not going to lie, I was expecting more,” Florida Southern junior Mara Benton commented on SGA’s post. “More than just ‘This sucks. We’re gonna try to try something.’ I expected a plan of action even if you can’t explicitly announce what you’re doing. Because the students so desperately need their leaders to stand up right now.”

“

... SGA officers are still students who are navigating these waters at the same time as the student body.

“

-Jacqueline Inskeep Director of Student Involvement

Some members of SGA share the students’ concerns but acknowledge the numerous challenges posed by this semester.

These challenges, like long online meetings, have taken “a mental toll” on members of SGA this year, according

to Director of Student Involvement Jacqueline Inskeep.

Local and global issues have mounted since the student body was sent home from campus last year only days before the SGA election concluded on March 25 due to the emergence of COVID-19 in the United States.

Inskeep said that none of the members currently serving on the executive board “had any idea that this [was] the year they were up against” in reference to COVID-19 and Title IX. “Like all of us, SGA has been faced with a number of challenging issues this year: the pandemic, political unrest, racial injustice, recent Title IX concerns within our campus community and more. It’s important to know that in times of unrest, SGA officers are still students who are navigating these waters at the same time as the rest of the student body,” Inskeep said.

The newly elected executive board headed by Student Body President Allen Shorey, although with attentive concern, is optimistic about the future outcomes of student government at Florida Southern.

“It’s no secret this last year has been so difficult for so many of us. SGA has been the steady rock and anchor of the student body through it all,” Shorey said.

Outgoing Executive Vice President Lexi Potter believes that the comments left by students and alumni under the March 21 post have pushed the executive board to take the concerns more seriously.

“To be honest I think if those comments hadn’t happened, SGA wouldn’t be taking [Title IX concerns] as seriously as they are now,” Potter said. “It’s pushed them to want to do more.”

But over a month later, still, nearly nothing seems to be in the works, according to Potter.

“Personally, I have not been to senate since the Title IX violations have been brought to light, but I think it’s very telling that SGA took a few days to even make an instagram post,” junior Education Senator Rachael Bennett said.

While at one point a second Town

Hall focusing on these student Title IX concerns was the popular suggestion among senators, since then the initiative has been picked up by the Florida Southern administration, who on April 27 hosted a Title IX information panel.

“I honestly expected to be doing a little more,” sophomore Education Senator Kayla Rosecrants said in reference to her first year as an SGA senator. “But obviously with COVID-19 guidelines and conditions there’s only so much we can do.”

“

... it is important to stand with survivors and advocate for them...

-Allen Shorey SGA President

“

Salvatore Ambrosino Staff Writer

Shorey expressed that Title IX issues are not unique only to Florida Southern and that he plans on fully addressing these issues during his term.

“The unfortunate reality is that every college campus deals with these issues. In my opinion, I believe that we have an exceptional student body and administrative staff that is capable of working together to streamline communication about Title IX violation education and prevention,” Shorey said.

“I plan to tackle these issues immediately and consistently, because it is so important to stand with survivors and advocate for them to feel safe.”

Shorey has not previously served on the Student Government Association and is the first to serve as president without any previous experience in five years, or five previously serving presidents.

“That means I have a lot to learn. But it also means I can bring a new perspective on how things are looked at. Through a unified structure that values transparency, organization, and communication, I anticipate our teams will reach great success, together,” Shorey said.

Hot chicken quick-service opens on Beacon Rd. Salvatore Ambrosino Staff Writer On April 26, the quick-service chicken joint, LoveBird: Almost Famous Chicken, held it’s soft opening week and saw lines out the door.

Offering Lakeland a new palette of Nashville hot chicken, the restaurant features sandwiches, salads, wings, tenders along with an array of sides and desserts.

Operating in what used to be a Starbucks, the new eatery attracts students by its good smells and bare proximity to campus life, only a mile-and-a-half from Florida

SOCIAL MEDIA

Southern College on the corner of South Florida Ave and Beacon Road.

Founder Jeremy Brumely waited several months to open his restaurant, stating in October that “everything’s ready to go, we’re just really waiting on permits and the cosmetic remodel,” in an interview with LkldNow. A 46-year-old Mulberry High School and Florida Southern College graduate, the concept for LoveBird came to Brumley after many family trips to Nashville. His 17 years of experience in the restaurant industry and the many trips inspired him to “bring the hot chicken scene to his hometown.”

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

FRIDAY, April 30, 2021 VOL. 137, NO. 6

Final Exam Schedule Monday, May 10 8 to 10 a.m.

All MWF, MW, MF and WF classes starting at 8 a.m.

10:15 to 12:15 a.m.

All MWF, MW, MF and WF classes starting at 12:15 p.m.

1 to 3 p.m.

Rescheduled exams 3:15 to 5:15 p.m.

All MWF, MW, MF and WF classes starting at 1:40 p.m.

6 to 8 p.m.

All MWF, MW, MF and WF classes starting at 3:05 and 3:40 p.m.

Tuesday, May 11 8 to 10 a.m.

All TTH classes starting at 8 a.m.

10:15 to 12:15 a.m.

All TTH classes starting at 10 a.m.

1 to 3 p.m.

Rescheduled exams 3:15 to 5:15 p.m.

All TH starting at 2 p.m.

6 to 8 p.m.

All TTH starting at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, May 12 8 to 10 a.m.

All MWF, MW, MF and WF classes starting at 9:25 a.m.

10:15 to 12:15 a.m.

All TTH starting at noon.

1 to 3 p.m.

Rescheduled exams

Photo by Salvatore Ambrosino

A neon sign hangs inside LoveBird: Almost Famous Chicken.

@fscsouthern

3:15 to 5:15 p.m.

All MF classes starting at 10:50 a.m. and MW, MF and WF classes starting at 5:40 p.m.

6 to 8 p.m.

All MWF classes starting at 4:30 TTH starting at 6 p.m.

www.fscsouthern.com

fscsouthern@gmail.com

The Southern APRIL 30, 2021

NEWS

2

A deep dive into Title IX: How the legislation impacts college campuses and reporting Jillian Kurtz Editor-in-Chief

TITLE

This article is the second part of a three-part series about Title IX. The separate parts explain how Title IX legislation plays a part from the national stage all the way down to our Title IX office and resources on campus, to Florida Southern organizations and student perspectives.

The second part of this series is about how Florida Southern College’s administration has applied Title IX policies and the options students have at Florida Southern to report violations of Title IX. The first part is available to read at fscsouthern.com.

Part 2: A look at Florida Southern’s policy and resources

“

We [faculty] got excited when we saw the opportunity to apply the cornerstone values...

“

-Marcie Pospichal Associate Vice President for Student Support Southern staff nearly 15 years ago as the Director of Greek Life, eventually transitioning to work with Title IX in the role of Director of Student Education and Compliance in 2014. She now serves as the Assistant Dean of Student Development for Accountability, Education, and Compliance.

“I was on the original committee under Dr. Marcie Pospichal’s leadership that created the name of Just Ask and Dr. Pospichal was my first supervisor in this role,” Blount said. “A few years after that, the Office of Accountability, Education, and Compliance was created and we now work in the areas of student accountability

and Title IX.” In 2018, Maggie Merryday joined as the Assistant Director of Accountability, Education, and Compliance at Florida Southern. She graduated with a Master of Education degree with a concentration in Student Personnel in Higher Education from the University of Florida.

“While studying at Florida, I was introduced to Title IX work as an intern with the University Police Department Office of Victim Services,” Merryday said. “In the summer of 2018, Amanda reached out and shared that she had a position open in her office and invited me to apply.”

Katherine Pawlak is FSC’s Title IX Compliance Officer and deals with employees of the College or third-party reports.

Florida Southern College’s Title IX Coordinator, Title IX Investigators, and Decision-Makers attended the Title IX & Beyond two-day virtual training program on August 6 to 7, 2020, which was hosted

by Title IX Solutions, LLC. All of their training certificates are linked on the Florida Southern website and can be found here.

Each year, incoming Florida Southern students are required to take AlcoholEdu and Sexual Assault Prevention courses hosted through EverFi. These courses are intended to educate incoming collegians to the topics of alcohol and sexual assault on college campuses.

FSC emphasizes the different oncampus resources for students who wish to talk about their experiences, both confidential and non-confidential. The Safety Office and the Student Health Center are listed as non-confidential resources.

The Counseling Center and Chaplain Tim Wright are listed as confidential resources, but it is also specified that these resources may have to report incidents to the Title IX Officer “depending on the severity of the report.”

On the Florida Southern College

official website, there are two sexual assault reporting forms: an anonymous or a formal report.

At the top of the anonymous reporting form, there is a highlighted box that states: “Please note, as of August 2020, according to the Department of Education, the College is unable to investigate anonymous reports related to Title IX violations. Under the law of Title

“

... the College is unable to investigate anonymous reports...

The Committee is composed of various staff, faculty and students who offer insightful ideas and help us in our goal to improve awareness by serving as guides to others who may have questions about reporting.

The Florida Southern College Policy on Sexual Misconduct & Sexual Harassment is available to read in full on the website.

“We enjoy collaborating with student organizations and student leaders to continue to educate and empower our campus community,” Blount and Merryday said.

“

The creation of Just Ask at FSC was a result of the 2011 “Dear Colleague Letter.” In 2013, The Southern reported when the Just Ask Program was created at Florida Southern.

At the time, Dr. Marcie Pospichal was the Associate Vice President for Student Support and served as the student support Title IX officer.

“In April of 2011, the education department issued a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter. This explained the things we needed to do for our students and employees for Title IX to be active at the institution,” Pospichal said in the 2013 article. “We [faculty] got excited when we saw the opportunity to apply the cornerstone values in a way that could impact our campus culture in positive ways.”

That was only eight years ago.

Amanda Blount joined the Florida

-FSC Website

IX claims of gender based discrimination cannot be filed anonymously. To file a complaint of gender based discrimination including sexual discrimination or harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual orientation, gender identity or other please utilize the formal complaint form.”

Blount and Merryday emphasised that even though they are unable to investigate some reports, they still review the submission and are able to offer suggestions to Campus Safety or other parts of campus that might have an imposed risk.

“The College made the decision to keep the anonymous reporting form as an outlet for students who may still want to share information with us, even if it cannot be investigated by the college under Title IX rules,” Blount and Merryday said. “The inability to fully investigate a report does not change the college’s desire to have knowledge about possible safety issues.”

The Just Ask office operates a Sexual Respect and Awareness Committee which meets a few times each semester to discuss outreach initiatives and programs.

Screenshots from the FSC website of the formal and anonymous reporting Title IX forms.

3 The Southern APRIL 30, 2021

NEWS

Part 3: How two FSC students advocate for survivors This is the third part of the three-part series about Title IX. This part talks to a current senior and an alumna of Florida Southern about their work towards helping victims of sexual assault and bringing awareness to the topic.

In the space between the potentially intimidating process of submitting a formal complaint and wanting to tell a story, lies the FSC No More Campaign and the Lkld Collegiate Survivor Network. These two organizations aim to give voices to victims of sexual harassment or assault while also providing them resources.

FSC’s No More Campaign is a campus organization led by senior Gracie Westerfield that seeks to bring students together to create a network of welleducated individuals who are devoted to fulfilling the mission of the No More Campaign -- increase awareness, inspire action, and fuel culture change.

“

It [FSC No More Campaign] definitely has gained momentum through this movement.

“

-Gracie Westerfield President and founder of FSC No More

“I noticed a lack of a platform, that’s why I created FSC No More Campaign,” Westerfield said. “Creating FSC No More would allow peers to confidently speak up and share their experiences even if they weren’t looking to go straight to admin.”

The campaign also seeks to fundraise for organizations that help victims and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence globally and on a local level.

According to NOMORE.org, “NO MORE has grown to become the largest and most successful domestic violence and sexual assault awareness/engagement initiative

in history and is now its own 501(c)(3) public charity.”

An Instagram page anonymously created on March 19 received over 180 statements alleging sexual assault and harassment from Florida Southern students.

The account, @istandwithfscwomen, which was taken down for a period of time but is once again an active account, quickly gained popularity, with 700 followers within a single day of the account being created.

Westerfield helped formulate the Open Letter which emphasised requests to “develop a committee,” “include a public partnership with FSC No More Campaign,” to equip the Counseling Center with counselors who “specialize in survivor trauma and can help with dating violence experiences,” and more. The full open letter can be read at fscsouthern.com.

“As I communicated with Dr. Kerr, the letter was not critical of our Title IX office, it was more suggestive on how to better improve the reporting system and the resources available and changes that we can make - and they’ve acted quickly.

I would say there’s still a lot of room to grow, though,” Westerfield said.

After the influx of anonymous reports sent to the @istandwithfscwomen and then increase in conversation about sexual assault and harassment amongst Florida Southern students, Westerfield noted that the FSC No More campaign saw an 80 percent increase in membership.

“It [FSC No More Campaign] definitely has gained momentum through this movement,” Westerfield said.

Westerfield is a member of the Alpha Chi Omega (AXΩ) chapter at Florida Southern. AXΩ’s philanthropy is Domestic Violence Awareness and aims to educate on these topics. Alexandra Zimmer, a 2019 Florida Southern graduate and also an alumna of AXΩ has dedicated herself to researching and taking action with the topic of campus sexual assault.

For her senior thesis, Zimmer landed on the topic of “Campus Sexual Assault.”

She originally wanted to conduct her research on the Me Too Movement but said at the time there was not enough data to conduct a thorough thesis. As a member of Alpha Chi Omega, Zimmer saw first-

Photo courtesy of FSC No More/@fscnomore

Senior Gracie Westerfield participating in the No More virtual 5K on March 16.

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Zimmer

Zimmer holds up a denim jacket with “Believe Survivors” painted on it for Demin Day 2021. hand throughout her college experience how this topic affects people through their philanthropy.l Part of the thesis requirement was to do an analysis on current standing policy, where it falls short and potential ways to improve it.

“With everything going on lately and the Instagram page, I think it’s a really good opportunity to talk about how small schools like Florida Southern aren’t immune to this sort of thing,” Zimmer said. “At Florida Southern, we have a tendency to live in a bubble and think that some of those big school cultures don’t exist, we are just as susceptible to them.”

“A big part of the 2020 update to Title IX was that it was actually codified that the schools were obligated to do things

[in response to a Title IX report or allegation],” Zimmer said.

Zimmer created the Instagram account @lkldcollegiatesurvivorntwk, which has provided another platform for personal stories to be shared as well as be a resource for all things relating to campus sexual assault with informative posts such as “Debunking Myths About Sexual Violence” and “The Importance of Digital Consent.”

The Lkld Collegiate Survivor Network’s website launched April 30 and includes “more information on the topics discussed in infographics posted...plus you’ll find all the survivor stories, letters to survivors, and resources shared on this page,” according to the announcement post.

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Zimmer/@lkldcollegiatesurvivorntwk

A post from @lkldcollegiatesurvivorntwk explaining the importance of digital consent, specifically in the era of COVID-19.

The Southern APRIL 30, 2021

4

ENTERTAINMENT 2021 Academy Awards On April 25, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted the 93 annual Academy Awards. Highlights of the evening included the film “Nomadland” winning the title of Best Picture.

Anthony Hopkins won the title of Best Actor for his work in “The Father” and Frances McDormand won best actress for her role in “Nomadland.”

John Stamos stars in ‘Big Shot’ New Disney+ series, “Big Shot,” follows the storyline of Marvyn Korn (John Stamos). After being fired from his position as a NCAA men’s basketball coach due to an outburst, Korn takes a new positon at an elite private highschool as the girl’s basketball coach. The show was created by David E. Kelley.

‘Mortal Kombat’ movie hits theaters Directed by Simon McQuoid, Mortal Kombat tells the story of MMA fighter Cole Young, played by Lewis Tan, in his battle against the universe. Based on the longrunning video game series, Young goes on a search to find “Earth’s greatest champions” to stand againt the enemies of their home: Outworld.

‘Shadow and Bone’ tops Netflix Lee Toland Kireger directs new Netflix series “Shadow and Bone.” The show follows Alina Starkov, an orphaned mapmaker as she discovers an uknown power that can repair and change the fate of her war-torn world. The new series is based of of New York Times best-selling author Leigh Bardugo’s novel.

Olivia Rodrigo quickly rises within the music industry

Deanna Wright Staff Writer Olivia Rodrigo is becoming the new Taylor Swift of the decade.

Rodrigo has been an actress since she started in theater productions during her elementary and middle school years.

She starred in Disney Channel’s series “Bizaardvark” in 2016, where viewers could see her sing some throughout the series, as her character, Paige Olvera. Her cast member Frankie Wong, played by Madison Hu, and Olvera had their own vlog channel that had funny music videos.

It wasn’t until her role as Nini SalazarRoberts on Disney+ series, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” which premiered on Nov. 19, when fans and viewers really started to hear how talented Rodrigo is, not only as an actress but a singer as well.

“I started singing before I started acting,” Rodrigo said in an interview with Genius. “Actually, the reason that I got into acting is because I was so expressive when I sang. So people told me, ‘Hey, maybe you should get into acting. Maybe this will be something that you’ll like,’ and I loved it, and here we are now.”

One of the top songs of the first season of the series, “All I Want,” Rodrigo wrote for the show for her character to sing as her character goes through boy troubles. She stated that she thinks the song is a very relatable concept.

“I absolutely think her song from All I Want is a relatable concept and I think that partially comes from the fact she writes based [on] her own personal experiences,” junior Hope Cahusac said. “It deepens the connection between the lyrics and the listeners because it’s not just lyrics, but life.”

Since “All I Want” was released

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

“Driver’s License” singer, Olivia Rodrigo, attends the D23 Expo in August 2019. during the first season of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” Rodrigo has released two other singles separately from the series.

Her first official single, “Driver’s License,” was released on Jan. 8 and rose to the top of the Billboard chart within a week.

“I think whenever there is drama there will always be more attention drawn to whatever is surrounding it,” Cahusac said. “But with that said, I also believe that with or without the drama her song would have been a hit because of the way she makes listeners feel so deeply, like it’s their own experience they are having.”

Rodrigo is not the first artist to write from experiences that caused drama in the music industry. Her role model Taylor Swift is known to write from experiences, especially romantic ones, which is bringing fans and critics to believe Rodrigo could be the next Swift in the industry.

According to an Esquire.com article on “Driver’s License,” they believe it is going to be the new Gen Z song, like “You Belong With Me” by Swift to millennials.

“I think since Olivia and Taylor Swift do draw from very similar writing styles by using their experiences to drive their music, Olivia is definitely gearing up to be the next Taylor Swift for this generation,” Cahusac said.

Many artists use experiences to create their content of music, and just like Swift is known for writing hits about her exes since her teenage years, Rodrigo is using inspiration from her to help write about her own romantic experiences.

With Rodrigo releasing her very first album, “SOUR,” on May 21, fans and critics will have to wait and see if her album has more inspiration from Swift and if she will become the Swift for Gen Z in the next few years.

Taylor Swift re-releases ‘Fearless: Taylor’s version’ Meg Thompson Staff Writer Since her breakthrough into stardom in 2006, Taylor Swift has been shaking up the music industry. Beginning with her self-titled country album debut, Swift took over the Hot 100’s and made quite the splash in the country music scene.

Over the past 15 years, Swift has released nine studio albums, three live albums, 11 Grammy awards with 41 nominations, and nine movie appearances.

Her most recent venture is the re-recording

“

Taylor’s Version has been on repeat in my car.

It’s powerful and nostalgic.

-Elisa White FSC Junior

“

WHAT’S NEW

and release of her hit album “Fearless.”

The original “Fearless” album dropped on Nov. 11, 2008. It had global success, featuring Swift’s single “Love Story,” which sold 6.5 million copies worldwide, according to Billboard magazine.

“Fearless,” “Fifteen,” “White Horse”

and “You Belong With Me”’ were released as the other four singles from the album. It went on to become one of Swift’s most popular albums to date and won her Album of the Year in 2010.

This made Swift the youngest artist to ever win that award. Whether it was on the radio in the car or blasting in your room with your friends, these songs related to an entire generation while they experienced teenage life. Not only were teenagers impacted but the entire world too. Junior Elisa White shared a few of her fond memories about discovering Swift’s music.

“My dad was actually the person who introduced me to Taylor right around my ninth birthday,” White shared.

“Ultimately, I’m the biggest fan in my family, but my dad and I will still listen to ‘Fearless’ together from time to time.”

For all of her success, Swift has undergone challenges in her music career as well. One particularly difficult experience is what drove her to re-record some of her older music and re-release it for her fans.

She did this to regain financial and creative control of her original work.

The “Fearless: Taylor’s Version” album was released on April 9.

Old and new fans alike awaited the album, excited to relive the nostalgia that these songs bring up. White shared her skepticism about the re-release, but ultimately ended up loving “Taylor’s Version.”

“The impact of the album on me now is

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

The album design for Taylor Swift’s new album, “Fearless: Taylor’s Version.” so much greater than when I was a kid, and the fact that she now owns the album is something I really admire her for.” White said. “Taylor’s Version has been on repeat in my car. It’s powerful and nostalgic.”

The album landed Swift on the 500 chart for the tenth time in her career.

According to Rolling Stone, Swift saw 228.1 million song streams the week of the release. It is sitting Number 1 on the Top 200 Albums chart. Swift has seen an outpour of support as she goes on this journey to reclaiming her hard work.

5 The Southern APRIL 30, 2021

FEATURES

HSU and CHAARG are officially approved by SGA Fulbright winners look forward to traveling abroad

Jessica Stalter Staff Writer Two new clubs were officially added to Florida Southern’s community at the last Presidents Circle of the semester.

These clubs, CHAARG, a women’s fitness and advocacy group, and Hispanic Student Union, a group dedicated to encouraging hispanic students and connecting them with the wider campus.

Both clubs are started by freshmen.

Changing Health, Attitudes, and Actions to Recreate Girls (CHAARG), an organization in over 100 colleges and universities across the country aims to encourage girls to participate in more varied and fun fitness exercises, while also touching on the mental and dietary side of wellness.

“I wanted to bring CHAARG to FSC for many reasons,” Freshman Lindsey Flynn said, who is responsible for the startup of CHAARG at FSC. “First I strive to be an advocate for women and mental health. I am extremely passionate about empowering women and I wanted to bring a safe, comfortable, supportive community to campus that could do that.”

Flynn explained that she has always focused on physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health and that CHAARG is a platform that will educate women, enabling them to pursue healthy lifestyles.

“I know as a woman that gyms can be intimidating at times. CHAARG allows women to start their fitness journey, continue to learn, and reach their goals,” Flynn said.

The platform exists for every woman to feel confident to do anything they set their

Nathalie Moreno Features Editor

Photo courtesy of CHAARGE

CHAARGE used this post to announce their founding executive board on Instagram. mind to. “I know they can,” Flynn said.

“It involves weekly workouts where a fitness instructor from the area comes and teaches us a class. This is a great way for women to find out what they really like!

CHAARG also involves small groups, socials, events, and overall a community of empowering women that will support you in reaching your goals. I want to emphasize that CHAARG isn’t just based on physical health but we also focus heavily on mental health and one’s overall wellness,” Flynn said.

Another freshman, Dani Rangel, is working to start up a Hispanic Student Union.

“The goal of our organization is to

encourage the cultural, social, and academic advancement of Hispanic and Latinx students and to advance cultural awareness in the campus environment and beyond,” Rangel said. “Our focus once we’re completely up and running will consist of educating FSC students on various topics as they relate to understanding intersectionality of identities in Latinx and Hispanic cultures…”

Rangel explained that she found herself losing part of her hispanic identity upon entering college.

Article continues on fscsouthern.com

Sidewalks added to facilitate on-campus student traffic Faith Miller Staff Writer Home of the largest collection of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s works, Florida Southern College has to take various procedures to make the campus accessible for all students.

Vice President of Business and Finance for 33 years, Terry Dennis looks over the renovations and additions to FSC. When it comes to this, the most recent example being the sidewalk added to the west campus by Roux Library, he has to take lots of things into account, including the type of building that is being worked on.

Jeff Baker is a partner at Mesick, Cohen, Wilson, Baker Architects has worked on

projects at FSC over the past 12 years. An example of one of his works on campus is the new Admissions building.

“The first process is to have an understanding of what brought the building into being, so we know what was the building designed for,” Jeff Baker, one of the architects for the firm said.

After studying the architect Wright’s original plans and designs, along with any previous changes that have been made to the building over the years, Baker, Dennis and others are able to begin designing and planning their projects. This has to be done for inspiration purposes, Baker said.

“We have an understanding about how the building evolved, what brought it into being, and how it evolved over time and now because it’s a living breathing campus,

Photo by Salvatore Ambrosino

Pictured above is a recently constructed sidewalk added to the west side of campus.

it’s not a museum,” Baker said.

An example of the ways that campus has changed is with the esplanades. Originally designed based off of the original traffic patterns of students, they have evolved over time due to the new buildings additions on campus, causing the need for new ramps and sidewalks to be built on the sides and adjacent of the walkways.

“Have to find the balance between being inspired by the past and making it suitable to be used by current students,” Dennis said.

One of the main things that have to be taken into account is the accessibility of the campus and buildings. Building code requires that all buildings be universally accessible, but that can be difficult to implement with historic buildings, as the excess of stairs, ledges and second-stories could pose a physical challenge to some students.

“The nice thing about Frank Llyod Wright buildings is that for the most part, most of them are single floored buildings,” Baker said. “Building code also recognizes, because these are national landmark buildings, that you may not be able to do it precisely in accordance with the code, but you try to achieve as much of the universal access as possible.”

Elevators and ramps are looked at from a designer’s perspective, finding ways to make the right balance of accessibility and sustainability, in the most attractive way.

“It’s a combination of doing everything we can to make it fully accessible while also making the building as beautiful as it can be,” Dennis said.

As the end of the school year swings back around, Florida Southern College students have begun applying for postgraduation programs and scholarships.

One of the more competitive and prestigious programs is the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is an organization that provides students with scholarships and grant money that allows them to travel abroad to different countries for a unique learning experience.

Students can choose whether they want to go on a research/study trip, or partake in the English Teaching Association program.

Applicants must also be deemed eligible through a list of qualifications that include being a U.S. citizen, having at least a bachelors’ degree and meeting the language requirements of the awards and countries of interest.

For the upcoming 2022 to 2023 year, Fulbright applications opened on March 31, with the final deadline falling on Oct. 12, 2021.

FSC senior Cesar Maldonado, Fulbright recipient for Taiwan, learned about the Fulbright program from a former Fulbrighter and didn’t want to miss the opportunity to share his unique perspectives in music education with students overseas.

“I applied to Taiwan to meet the small island’s kind people, eat delicious food and to make connections with students who are learning English,” Maldonado said.

Maldonado also shares his personal pride behind the achievement of applying and being accepted into the program.

“Listening firsthand to my parents’ journey to the United States from Mexico, and hearing stories of their own challenges living and adjusting here serve as the bedrock for my application,” Maldonado said. “They showed me it is possible to achieve wonderful, beautiful things despite one’s circumstances in life.”

Anya Larson, another senior who was accepted into the Fulbright program in Spain, read about the opportunity in an article and knew it was the right fit for her.

“This opportunity means being able to expand my horizons and gain more experience in foreign language education,” Larson said. “It will be a great way to lead into my graduate degree and future career.”

Larson found her greatest assistance in FSC’s Fulbright advisor, Dr. Jenny Moffitt, asserting that Moffitt was always ready to give feedback and form and discuss new ideas. “[Moffitt] encouraged me throughout the whole cycle and made sure I believed in myself as much as she believed in me,” Larson said.

Both applicants noted that the hardest part about the whole process was the waiting period, which was about three months to hear back about any positions.

Article continues on fscsouthern.com

The Southern APRIL 30, 2021

SGA EXECUTIVE BOARD

CENTER

6

Manny Vacarez: Executive VP

SGA Pr

“As EVP, I want to focus on transparency, communication, and community building within our student organizations.

Each organization will have their voice heard and will have the ability to inspire change among our campus. I am honored to be serving as EVP and I am ready to work!”

Natalie McGinnis: Administrative VP

Allen

“I am incredibly h to serve as your President. Through to bridge the gap Administration and Most importantly, g year, I know that w anything - together “I feel so honored to be elected as a member of the executive board for SGA. My goal is to ensure that our student body feels that their concerns are heard, and that they feel unified as a group. I’m excited to make an impact here at Florida Southern College.”

7 The Southern APRIL 30, 2021

Gretchen Faraci: VP of Communication

CENTER

resident

2021

“My goal as Vice President of Communication alongside my fellow executive board members, is to focus on being the proactive voice of the student body, rather than the reactive voice. Amidst a time where social issues on and off campus are rising and the ever-changing updates of COVID-19, it is important for us to communicate with our student body...”

Carter Webb: VP of Finance

2022

Shorey

honored and proud next Student Body h my term, I want p in unity between d the Student Body. going into this new we can accomplish r.”

“One of my main goals as an executive member of SGA is to have honesty and transparency between students and exec members. [...] I will make sure there is clarity and honesty within the finances of our student government. I am very excited for this new opportunity to grow and express my knowledge!”

The Southern APRIL 30, 2021

SPORTS UP NEXT

Men’s Lacrosse 5/01 vs. Tampa* 5/05 vs. Florida Tech

Women’s Softball 4/30 5/01 5/05 5/07

vs. Tampa vs. Tampa* vs. Rollins vs. Rollins*

Men’s Baseball 4/30 vs. Tampa* 5/01 vs. Tampa 5/05 vs. Florida Tech 5/06 vs. Nova 05/08 vs. Nova* 05/13 vs. Tampa 05/14 vs. Tampa

Track 4/29 vs. North Florida* 4/30 vs. North Florida* 05/27-05/29 NCAA Division II Championships*

Women’s Lacrosse 4/30 vs. Saint Leo 5/05 vs. Florida Tech

Women’s Golf 5/03-05/05 NCAA South Regionals*

* Indicates away game

8

FSC women’s lacrosse on the road to championship John Christovich Staff Writer The Florida Southern women’s lacrosse team has a 5-1 record as they aim to qualify for one of just three spots in the South Region of the NCAA tournament.

The Moccasins rolled through all but one of their opponents so far this season as the team looks to qualify for the preliminary round of the NCAA Division II Women’s Lacrosse Championship, set to begin on May 14.

The format of this year’s tournament, which has changed structurally in recent years, will once again be adjusted in the wake of COVID-19. This year, only 12 Division II teams will earn an opportunity to compete for the championship, in contrast to 16 last year, which was an expansion from 12 in the four years prior.

This season, the most important factor to the Mocs is that only three teams from each region will qualify for the tournament. Florida Southern, which competes in the South Region as a member of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC), is in the midst of competition for one of the spots.

The team has outmatched their opponents in all games but one this season.

The Mocs defeated Florida Tech, Saint Leo, Tampa and Palm Beach Atlantic to start the year before suffering their first loss of the regular season against Rollins.

The team outscored their opponents by a combined rate of 67 goals scored to just 21 allowed, before the loss.

There’s a lot of factors that have contributed to Florida Southern’s success so far this season, with the team leading the conference in scoring the most goals per game, while also allowing the fewest goals per game.

Photo courtesy FSC Athletics

Members of the women’s lacrosse team huddle up after an intrasquad scrimmage in March.

“I would say there is not a weak area on our team at this point,” Head Coach Kara Reber said. “We have a girl on the draw who is fantastic, so that helps us get set-up for our offensive opportunities, we certainly have some great players that can finish really well on the offensive end, and we have a lot of experience back on the defense so that helps a lot.”

In the lone loss this year, the Rollins Tars beat Florida Southern 14-13, proving that they are also candidates for one of the three bids to the tournament.

As of April 24, although the schedule is subject to change, Florida Southern has just two games remaining in the regular season. Having been ravaged by injuries and COVID protocols that have prohibited some players from participating, the starting lineup could change on any given day.

“We just play with what we have and do what we can with the players we have

available, trying to maintain a positive attitude and strong work ethic, and really just battling for everyone that’s able to play in that game,” Reber said.

Senior goalkeeper Brittany Iamele is looking forward to the rest of the season and hopes that it will include playing in the tournament.

“I think at this point in our season, every moment on the field counts. We recognize that the little victories both on the field and off are the difference makers,” Iamele said Three conferences altogether are competing for the three playoff spots, as despite the numerous talented teams in the Sunshine State Conference, some will be left out.

Article continues on fscsouthern.com

Golf alum joins National Women’s Golf Association Danny Buchell Staff Writer Amanda Gartrell is an alumnus of Florida Southern College and a former record-breaking golfer for the Mocs golf program.

Gartrell originally graduated from FSC in Spring of 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

As of this spring she’s also completed her master’s in Business Administration through the Barney Barnett School of Business.

After golfing for Florida Southern during her time as an undergraduate and partially as a graduate student, Gartrell decided to pursue her dream of being a professional golfer after her final playing season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic last May. Gartrell decided to end her collegiate career despite the fact that the NCAA offered her an extra year of eligibility in response to the pandemic.

Gartrell’s decision to become a professional golfer was made official in June of 2020 when she earned her first professional paycheck from the National Women’s Golf Association.

The NWGA is still the professional tour that Gartrell is actively playing with. “[Looking back] it’s definitely kind of a shock just to see how fast everything has

transpired,” Gartrell said.

The young career of Gartrell recently reached new excitement in March as she notched her first professional tournament victory at Stonegate Golf Club at Solivita.

This excitement then carried over into April where Gartrell won her very next tournament at Eagle Dunes Golf Club.

In the blink of an eye, Gartrell has gone from a new professional on the tour, to a consecutive tournament winner.

And despite this level of success early on in her career, she holds a unique outlook about it all, especially considering that she’s a first-year pro.

Gartrell makes it very clear that she has much bigger goals set for her future in golf.

“I’m going to be honest, it’s cool to have these wins but I don’t really feel any sense of satisfaction,” Gartrell said. “I know that I needed it [the wins] but I still have so many larger goals in the back of my mind.”

Gartrell dreams of someday playing for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). In order to pursue that goal of playing on the LPGA tour, Gartrell is aiming to attend the LPGA Q-School this October, which will ideally lead to a qualifying opportunity for Gartrell if she competes well enough.

Overall, Gartrell has true hopes to play golf at the highest level and she’s putting in the daily work and seeking the

Photo courtesy of Amanda Gartrell, FSC Athletics

Amanda Gartrell posing during her senior year photoshoot with the Mocs Golf Program. opportunities to put herself in that position.

This motivation she has to be great, she credits to many of the experiences she had playing as a Florida Southern Moc. “Coming to Florida Southern taught me how to play not just for myself but for others so it kind of taught me to both have no pressure and pressure at the same time,” Gartrell said. “I feel prepared to persevere through anyone’s opinion.”

9 The Southern APRIL 30, 2021

OPINIONS

New HB1 bill derails fight for racial justice and equality Andrew Thompson Staff Writer With the passage of HB1, activists throughout the state of Florida must heed to the call of political scientists and legislators who oppose the bill. As college students, we play a unique and powerful role in the legislative process. We must stand up because the law is undemocratic and must be overturned by the courts.

On April 19, Governor Ron DeSantis visited Winter Haven, Fla. to meet with Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd to sign the infamous and undemocratic bill.

The Florida Legislature passed HB1, a package meant to curb violent protests, on April 15. Although the passage of the proposal by Republicans in Tallahassee is a major victory for DeSantis since he

has been calling for the measure to be implemented, it marks a dark period for the people of Florida.

The bill was first proposed in September 2020, during a press conference held by Governor DeSantis, Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls. These officials credited the violence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and opposition to law enforcement as reasons for the legislation.

However, Republican lawmakers have recently named the Jan. 6 insurrection as the cause in an attempt to deflect the debate from the BLM movement and racial justice. Their attempt to deflect the debate demonstrates the utter hypocrisy of Florida’s lawmakers.

The bill itself contains broad language, including measures meant to protect

Photo by John Blackie/jblackie@pnj.com

HB1 opposers protest against passing of bill in downtown Pensacola streets.

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against defacing historical monuments and the obstruction of streets. While at first glance these measures may appear to be common-sense reforms, a closer look at the law shows its infringements on personal liberty and obsession with Confederate paraphernalia.

HB1 deems mob intimidation unlawful, provides greater security to law enforcement and details penalties for desecrating the Confederate flag, among other proposals.

Due to these controversial regulations, the anti-riot measure has drawn both support and outcry from Floridians.

However, views of the bill appear to be divided on party lines.

Progressive movements across the state have voiced their opposition to the measure and numerous protests have ensued, including Democrat-led ones in Tallahassee, Fla. Democrats in Florida’s legislature have called donors to persuade them to take a stand against the measure.

“Take it to the streets, they’re ready,” Senator Shevrin Jones, a Democrat from Miami Gardens said in a post on Twitter.

Organizations have heeded to this call.

Florida College Democrats hosted phone banks and Florida State University went to the capitol to protest the bill.

“This bill is anti-democratic and antiprotest,”Ashutos Sahay, treasurer of Florida Southern College Democrats said. “It would further criminalize even mundane participation in protests, making it a felony to even be present at a protest that became violent and offering up prison sentences of up to 15 years for pulling down a Confederate statue or monument.”

Support for the bill appeared to be prominent among conservative groups and the Republican Party. However, when

SOUTHERN

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members of the Florida Southern College Republicans were reached out to, they declined to comment.

“It is the strongest anti-rioting, pro-law enforcement piece of legislation in the country,” DeSantis said as he signed the bill.

However, political scientists have warned of the dire consequences of the new law. They have cited its infringement on liberty, its unconstitutional tendencies and inherent racism as proof of its undemocratic qualities.

“The bill itself is part of the problem,” said Florida Southern College Associate Professor of Political Science and PreLaw Advisor Dr. Bruce Anderson. “It is vague, undefined and blurry. I have no idea what the purpose of this is, except to make a cheap political point.”

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees citizens the right to assemble and protest against their governments. The exercise of this human right was clearly demonstrated by activists participating in the BLM movement, but our government, who is supposed to represent the people, has set a dangerous precedent by supporting this measure.

The signing of this bill marks a major betrayal against our republic’s principles.

By passing this bill, our legislature provides greater protections to the flag representing treason than communities of color. It’s ironic how the same people who claim to be defenders of liberty are championing this piece of legislation which infringes upon it.

The government must take the advice of the numerous experts in the field who warned about the proposal. HB1 is undemocratic, unconstitutional and must be overturned by the courts.

Abby McHenry

Nathalie Moreno Sam Odom

Grace Newton

Christina DiGregory Mike Trice

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The Southern is published as an e-edition bi-weekly during fall and spring semesters of the academic year at Florida Southern College by students through the Communication Department. The Southern is unable to print a physical paper due to COVID-19, but is still available on fscsouthern.com. Opinions expressed on the opinions pages are not necessarily those of the department, the administration, the Board of Trustees or The Southern editorial board. Written and signed responses to views expressed on these pages, or relevant to other Florida Southern College issues, are encouraged and will be considered for publication.

All members of the Florida Southern community — students, staff, faculty, administrators, trustees, alumni and other friends of the college — are invited to voice their opinion in and about The Southern. All material submitted is subject to editing for length, style and taste. All material must be submitted to fscsouthern@gmail.com to be considered. The Southern office is in the Chatlos Building on Johnson Ave.

The Southern APRIL 30, 2021 10

SOUTHERN SENIORS

The Southern’s senior editors sign off for the last time Jillian Kurtz Editor-in-Chief When I came to Florida Southern, I came in with one goal: to become the Editor-in-Chief of The Southern. Four years later, here I am writing my final piece and have done more than I ever imagined I was capable of.

At first chance, I hit the ground running with writing articles and finding my way into editor meetings early in my freshman year. I always felt accepted and that my suggestions being taken to heart. I felt like I had a voice here.

Thank you, to all of my editors (more like best friends) for encouraging me, believing in me and dealing with me, even when I re-designed the Southern Lab way too many times. Even in the midst of stressful deadlines, you all made my life so much easier and enjoyable.

The Southern has been my home these past few years. In a home, you feel safe, you grow, you are challenged and you struggle. Within these four walls, I have experienced every emotion possible and have always had a shoulder to cry on or someone to celebrate with.

To the future editors and writers, don’t be afraid to take chances. You

Sam Odom Opinions Editor My time at FSC feels like a lifetime and a second all at once, and upon reflection I wonder how one place can feel so integral to my adult development yet so transitional in nature.

Basically, I have changed a lot. And that is good.

Before college I felt small and inconsequential.

As a senior I still feel those negative thoughts, but in addition to that I feel myself taking up space, I feel smart, and I feel capable.

Reflecting on my experiences and achievements, I believe the one thing that propelled me forward was taking opportunities and positions before I felt ready; essentially, I did everything afraid.

I slowly realized that if I waited until I felt ready for an opportunity, it wouldn’t still be there when I came back for it.

Once I got the hang of fighting my feelings of inadequacy and saying “yes” to opportunities, suddenly saying “yes” became my issue. This brings me to my next advice: once you get the hang of saying “yes,” you’ll need to say “no” as well. You are not a machine, you are a

have the power to make a difference in your community through this work. It’s not always going to be easy, there will be challenges and obstacles to faces, but by pushing through and seeing your final product, it will all be worth it. Push yourself, but also learn your limits and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

I’m so grateful for all those who have supported me and helped me in this period of growth. Dr. Trice, you always brought so much light to the COM building and have been an amazing advisor. Thank you for letting me run with my crazy ideas and supporting me every step of the way.

When my mom was a student at Florida Southern, she was also an editor for The Southern. It’s been so important for me to make her proud and carry on her legacy here.

I have so much confidence that the next group of writers and editors will continue to produce stellar work and bring information to this campus and community. Sophia is going to lead this group of peers with grace and ellegance. I might be going 1,000 miles away, but I’m always just a phone call away.

The Southern will always hold a special place in my heart and an extra special thanks to the famous Southern lab couch (pictured below) for all the naps.

person that deserves rest.

FSC is a really great place because you can get involved in anything and everything, and those are phenomenal resume-builders and learning opportunities. But, it is common for students here to overfill their schedules until they can barely breathe.

My advice is to really think about what you care about, and let the other responsibilities fall to other people, even if it seems impossible or selfish. You are worth taking care of, and finding rest in between a busy schedule is key to avoiding early senioritis.

Some of my favorite things about FSC are TuTu’s, the baristas at Tu Tu’s, the newspaper lab, the couch in the newspaper lab, the water dome, the ducks, Dexter the cat, driving around lake hollingsworth with my friends, Annie Pfeiffer Chapel, Campus ministries, all of the campus gardens, the yellow trees in the spring, the communication building, and the communication faculty.

I want to thank the communication professors for seeing potential in me before I did, and for encouraging me to work on the newspaper, for applying for graduate school, for getting to know us students on a personal level, and for every long talk in the communication building.

Abby McHenry Online Editor My time with The Southern was truly the highlight of my college career. I remember coming into my first Southern meeting excited about the opportunity to write with my college’s newspaper. I saw the editors at the front of the room and thought it would be so cool to be one of them.

I have always been more introverted; interviewing and reaching out to people is not a skill that has come to me naturally.

The Communication Department and Southern staff especially have helped me to step out of my comfort zone and pursue my passion for writing. I am so thankful to have made connections through writing articles that I may not have otherwise.

Through The Southern, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. and attend the National College Media Convention. I learned helpful writing, editing, layout and other tips from journalists and other content creators across the country. Attending this convention further solidified my desire to take on writing on a career and helped me to see that it is possible to pursue my passion while also being able

Grace Newton Entertainment Editor I never expected how important The Southern would become in my life. At my first meeting, I was just an English major who wanted more writing experience. I didn’t know many people in the Communication department, and I was both impressed and terrified by the editors. They seemed so confident and experienced, but they welcomed me with open arms.

Journalism was new to me, but I picked up a Communication major within a year.

Despite how much I wrote, I felt absolute terror when asked to join as an editor.

The team helped me through every moment, and this group has become one of the closest things to family I have had at FSC. They changed my entire college and career path, helping me find who I want to be after I graduate.

When I look back on all we did, it doesn’t feel real. We survived a pandemic, moved a paper fully online, figured out how to deal with a partly-remote staff.

The challenges made us so much stronger as a team, and I am so proud of what we created and who we became.

If I learned anything from this

to pay bills.

My advice for new staff members is to take articles! By writing an article each week you will see your writing improve overtime through practice while having some amazing pieces to add to your portfolio.

Do not feel bad if you have a lot of comments for edits on your first, tenth, or even thirtieth piece. It is easy to overlook things as the writer, which is why The Southern is composed of a team of editors. Check multiple sources and keep up with what is going on in the world today. Reading articles from multiple news outlets not only helps you to be a better journalist, but a more informed citizen. If you are reading this and have never attended a Southern meeting, please come!

You do not need to be a Communication major to write for the newspaper. We have people from all different majors on the staff which helps us to provide different information and viewpoints necessary to put out factual, engaging content.

I want to thank all of my Communication professors and peers for constantly encouraging me to take on new challenges and giving me the confidence to succeed post-grad.

experience, it’s to take every opportunity.

As a new writer, you might feel inclined to only write and do what you know. But take every story! Go work in production for FSC TV! Start a podcast!

Feeling unqualified doesn’t mean you are. There will always be someone who knows more, and learning from them is how you grow and become qualified! If I only took what I felt I was prepared for, I would have written about three stories in all of college, I never would have touched a camera, and I definitely wouldn’t be an editor.

I will miss every moment, from working on layouts at midnight to eating the most random assortments because I took something from everyone. From panicking over getting the election edition out to naps on the couch…from randomly sitting on the floor in meetings to trying to come up with story ideas when nothing seems to be happening on campus…from writing quotes on sticky notes to yelling for Jillian when something won’t line up just right… from getting locked in Chatlos to being so tired that everything is funny. Every high and low has made this journey such a blessing, and I’m not ready for it to end.

To all of the staff, thank you. You truly changed my life and I couldn’t be more grateful.