The Hawks' Herald | Nov. 19, 2020 by Hawks' Herald

www.rwuhawksherald.com Vol. 33, Issue 10 FREE

Not just students but survivors at RWU

Instagram page highlights stories of survivors of assault on campus Ashlee Bartels Herald Contributor It is no secret that colleges around the country are facing the COVID-19 pandemic, but far more hidden is the college rape epidemic. RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, reports that among all undergraduate and graduate students, 13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation. On Oct. 9, the Instagram account Survivors At RWU (@survivors.at.rwu) launched its first story of sexism and assault on the RWU campus. Since that initial story was posted, more than 30 anonymous stories have been released in under two months. The testimonials range from sexism faced by students in the classroom, to sexual coercion, stalking and serial assaults, with stories pointing to a clear lack of response from university administration. One account detailed that upon a student’s revelation to administration, she was told that her assailant was a “good student” and it was simply a “misunderstanding.” Another story detailed a student’s assault and despite continual stalking and several more assaults, alluded that the administration has failed to protect her. Students reported that the administration has failed to act on sexual assaults and continually labels

them as “misunderstandings.” When procedures are put in place, some students say they are not reinforced. An anonymous source acknowledged that their experience went unreported as they felt it would damage their reputation, and when the said experience was reported, the student was told that their experience was not harassment since they had not been physically touched. The creators of the Survivors At RWU account expressed hope to The Hawks’ Herald that the administration would notice these stories and hold itself accountable. “We hope the administration and the Title IX office are hearing these stories and are able to see where they have failed at protecting, serving and supporting these survivors.” RESOURCES: LOCAL: Bristol Police Department: (401) 2536900 (24/7) Day One Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center: (401) 421-4100 ON CAMPUS: RWU Title IX Coordinator Dr. Jen Stanley, Title IX Coordinator and Associate Dean | Contact: jstanley@rwu.edu or (401) 254-3123 Health Services: (401) 254-3156 | Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Counseling Center: (401) 254-3124 | Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Public Safety: (401) 254-3333 (24/7)

Courtesy of @survivors.at.rwu on Instagram The new Instagram account @survivors.at.rwu is filled with many posts detailing the experiences of students.

President Miaoulis speaks to students at Senate

President defends decision to not publicly comment on Black LLC incident

Rachel Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald President Miaoulis defended his decision to not send an email following the Oct. 26 incident in the Black LLC at the Senate meeting Monday.

Rachel Dvareckas Managing Editor President Ioannis Miaoulis responded to the Senate resolution that demanded he make a public comment on the Oct. 26 incident in the Black Living Learning Community (LLC) and spoke with students directly about what they want from him moving forward. “I feel very close to the students and close to the Senate and I feel like we’re a team,” Miaoulis said. “So to be honest I was disappointed to get a resolution and a demand because normally we talk about things.” Miaoulis did not send out any correspondence about the incident, which involved a white student living in the Black LLC hanging up a Blue Lives Matter flag on the outside of his door. The incident received major backlash on social media and Vice President of Student Life John King sent an all-student email addressing that the incident is under investigation. Miaoulis’ initial lack of response prompted the Student Senate to demand communication from the president himself. In the Nov. 16 Student Senate meeting, Miaoulis took the time to speak directly with students about his reasoning behind the decision to not send out a statement following the incident. He stated that King’s email

expressed the same beliefs he has, so he felt it was not needed at the time. Student senators and students attending the meeting were given the opportunity to ask the president questions. Student Senate Parliamentarian Kayla Natalo spoke to the president about why the Senate passed the resolution and why it is important. “I think it is important to do more and take more action,” Natalo said. “We took action by passing this resolution because as the Student Senate, as the body of students who are representing the students, we feel that it is important to hear from you directly, the president of the university.” Miaoulis echoed sentiments from King that the incident should never have happened. “We’re supposed to make sure that everyone that lives there has similar beliefs and values and it was a mistake. Residence Life has changed the LLC procedures going forward,” Miaoulis said. Director of Residence Life and Housing Abbas Hill takes responsibility for the incident on behalf of his department.

See

MIAOULIS

on page 2

SECTION EDITOR

Isabella Gentile igentile470@g.rwu.edu

NEWS

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

MIAOULIS

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“The student was assigned to one of the empty spaces in the Black LLC as a result of the space restrictions the university was faced with due to the impacts of COVID-19, which contributed to a waitlist that we were working to serve at that time,” Hill said. “Unfortunately, the student did not complete the application and agreement for the Black LLC to provide them with awareness of the purpose and learning goals of the community.” Students who apply to an LLC must

be approved by the LLC coordinator moving forward, to ensure that this situation does not happen in the future. Miaoulis said he does not want to send too many emails to students and have his messages lost. He has promised to send an email to all students at the beginning of next semester where he will talk about this incident. At this time, he is giving students the opportunity to share what they think would be beneficial to add to that email. “What I’m asking you to do is work as partners together to move this university forward in the era of equity and inclusion,” Miaoulis said.

Updates on pass/no pass and internship resolutions Rachel Dvareckas Managing Editor The pass/no pass Student Senate resolution was sent to upper administration after the Faculty Senate rejected it. Upper administration reiterated what the Faculty Senate mentioned about it being too late in the semester to implement a pass/no pass option. Students may petition to

request flexibility in grading with the registrar. More information on that is available on the RWU website under forms on the Registrar tab. Deans of schools should be working with students who may be experiencing difficulty completing a required internship. Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Margaret Everett urges students to work with their advisors in finding internships to complete the requirement.

THE GAVEL

Your source for Student Senate news Hi everyone! This week we were joined by both President Miaoulis and Dr. John King to discuss the reasoning behind why the President did not make a statement about the incident that occurred in the Black LLC, and the Student Senate’s sending him a resolution demanding one last week.

November 19, 2020

Students in Human Rights Advocacy Seminar fight for imprisoned scholars Kyla Yates Herald Contributor The Human Rights Advocacy Seminar course allows students from Communications, Creative Writing and the Honors Program to come together to advocate for the release of wrongfully imprisoned scholars. The Advocacy Seminar works in collaboration with Scholars at Risk, a non-governmental organization that works to protect scholars and promote academic freedom. The advocacy seminars, taught this semester by Dr. Robert Cole, allow students to participate in hands-on activities and student-led advocacy to rebut attacks on academic freedom and individual scholars around the world. Students are able to connect with experienced academic freedom advocates, as well as students from other universities who are working on the same cases. This semester, there are two advocacy seminar groups. COMM.299 students are advocating for the release of Patrick George Zaki, an Egyptian postgraduate student who was studying Women and Gender Studies in Italy and was arrested upon his return to visit family in Egypt on Feb. 7, 2020. He is being held in apparent retaliation for his peaceful human rights research. He has not been permitted a trial, and his prison sentence continues to be extended in 45-day increments. Egyptian law allows this pattern of

imprisonment without trial to continue for up to two years. The CW.451 and HONR.300 students meet together, and they are advocating for the release of three Uyghur scholars who have been targeted by the Chinese government as part of their suppression of Uyghur voices. Ilham Tohti, an economics professor, has been imprisoned since 2014 and was sentenced to life imprisonment for false charges of separatism. Abdulqadir Jalaleddin is a literature professor who has been held in one of China’s “Uyghur Re-Education Camps” since January of 2018. Rahile Dawut, a scholar of Uyghur studies, disappeared in December of 2017 — her family has not had contact with her since. What can students do? The main focus of these students’ advocacy this semester is on raising awareness of these scholars’ wrongful imprisonments. Check out the Instagram account @ ScholarsinPrisonRWU — the link in the bio will lead students to important petitions that call for the release of these prisoners. Student-designed posters can also be seen around campus, which provide more information about the scholars and offer free stickers promoting their freedom, as well as academic freedom in general. The students in these seminars ask that people stay informed about these issues and exercise their freedom to voice their concerns about these acts against human rights and academic freedom of expression.

Upper administration voted against implementing the pass/no pass (P/NP) option this semester. However, we were told to pass along that there is a form you can fill out if you have extenuating circumstances that affected your grades so that you can implement the P/NP option. Additionally, the deans of each school are willing to assist students with finding internships before making a substitution, but are very willing to help find these substitutions as they want to ensure that everyone graduates on time. We had three pieces of legislation Monday night. The first one was a resolution calling on administration to require implicit bias training for all faculty members, which was passed. The next was a bill amending a part of the Student Senate Bylaws which was also passed. The last one was a bill removing the student activities fee for the spring semester. We have decided to remove the fee from the spring 2021 semester because the money will instead be used to help fund COVID-19 testing during that time. The Student Senate would like to thank you for participating in our Penguins to Prizes event last week as well as attending our movie showing! As always, make sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok @RWU_Senate and try to attend our weekly meetings on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom. You can find the Zoom link on our HawkLink by clicking on our weekly meeting event. The Zoom link will be available as the location.

Emily Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald Students in the Human Rights Advocacy Seminar advocate for the release of wrongfully imprisoned scholars.

SECTION EDITOR

Luke Brennan lbrennan935@g.rwu.edu

SECTION MANAGER Connor Naples cnaples248@g.rwu.edu

OPINIONS

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

November 19, 2020

POLITICAL HEAD-TO-HEAD Issues of a new presidency

In this column, the College Democrats and College Republicans of RWU go head-to-head on a different topic each week, chosen by the club members themselves. Check back every week to see a new topic being discusssed.

Democrat Jared Richardson Op-Ed Writer President-elect Joe Biden has a huge diet of issues to select from in his first 100 days. As anyone who has studied presidential history will tell you, the first 100 days of an administration form the backbone for the administration’s capabilities of handling crises and desires from the American people. In addition to dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, when Biden becomes president, his first order of business needs to be delivering economic relief. As seen during his time with former President Obama, Biden is an expert in reaching out to legislators and reaching across the aisle, including to longtime Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, now his biggest obstacle to the new administration’s agenda. Even without Congressional approval, he can still move the policies needed to establish a

plan to revitalize the American economy and help its people. An option in his toolkit that could help release stress until the 2022 midterms could be through other federal groups, including restarting the Economic Recovery Advisory Board, which was disbanded in 2013 after not being funded. This group was started in the Obama years and helped get the American economy on its feet. Until January 6, when the Georgia Senate special elections conclude and we learn who the new Georgia senators are, it is unclear how President-elect Biden will be able to proceed given the uncertainty about what his relationship with the Senate will be. Along with funds for recovering businesses, the Biden team will have to work to deal with an eviction crisis and transit system, already suffering from years of underfunding and lack of attention. Until then, we can only speculate as to what might pan out for the new administration.

republican Eben Kiesow Op-Ed Writer When President-elect Joe Biden assumes office in January, he will begin the most consequential presidential transition since Gerald Ford. When Ford took over the presidency from Richard Nixon in 1974, he was replacing a president who resigned amid impeachment trials, committed serious crimes while in office, dropped the gold standard, held office during the release of the Pentagon Papers and caused food and energy shortages through his failed effort to combat inflation. The most important task President Ford had was restoring America’s image in the eyes of its people and the world, a colossal task for any one person. Joe Biden in 2020 has very much the same responsibilities as Ford did. Putting aside his policy positions, President Trump has not exactly been a tranquil president. Trump has spent much of his time in office on Twitter, often expressing his views in a way that is far from diplomatic. He has also withdrawn from the Paris Climate Accord and the Iran Nuclear Deal and he has failed to maintain our nuclear agreements with Russia. The President has insulted and fired a number

of his own experts and insulted numerous world leaders, notably Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He has also worked hard to develop relationships with those leaders as well as President Erdogan of Turkey, Vladimir Putin of Russia and Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. This is not an issue of his policy positions, but a matter of undermining our institutions and weakening our international standing. Under President Trump, the United States has become a bad ally, an inconsistent international presence and has failed to be the beacon of democracy it is supposed to be. I am not a particular fan of Joe Biden or the policies he supports, but I am hopeful that he will work to restore our institutions, restore our faith in democracy and restore the professional nature of the presidency. In the first 100 days in office, Ford pardoned Nixon and went on to be among the most timid presidents of modern time. I hope President-elect Biden works to restore the office of the presidency in his first 100 days. Even if he accomplishes nothing else, he will still be a success and his legacy will be solidified as a unifier, rather than a divider.

Be thankful for your health Luke Brennan Opinions Editor We’ve all seen the news. COVID-19 isn’t going away or getting better. It’s getting worse. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, 45 states have reported a 10% increase in cases, bringing the national total to more than 10.9 million cases and 245,600 deaths. I know we’re all looking forward to going home and being with our families for the holidays, but it’s critical to your and your family’s safety that COVID-19 safety precautions are put in place.

I, for example, will only be celebrating Thanksgiving with three other people: my mother, my father and my aunt. While my mom normally plans a big, elaborate Thanksgiving with many guests, we are keeping it simple this year. I strongly recommend you do the same. I’m not saying you have to be completely alone, as we have learned many ways to adapt to isolation. Whether you practice social distancing or host a Thanksgiving Zoom call, you can still keep in contact with the people you care about. As we approach our first Thanksgiving

during the pandemic, I think we can all agree that our health is what we should be the most thankful for, and we should be doing everything in our power to keep each other safe. Far, far too many people have died from this disease and it’s more than likely you know someone who either contracted it or has died from it. To paraphrase President-elect Joe Biden, many of us will be attending Thanksgiving dinner with empty chairs made vacant by COVID-19. We need to get the numbers in the right direction, and the only way that can happen is if everybody does their part to keep

themselves and others safe. This Thanksgiving, if someone asks you what you’re thankful for, don’t just tell them — show them. Show them by wearing a mask. Show them by social distancing. Show them by keeping the number of people in your home at a time very small, especially on holidays. Most importantly, show them that you care not just about your health and safety, but other people’s health and safety as well. We can’t predict the future, but if we don’t turn things around soon, we’re going to have even more empty chairs next Thanksgiving.

SECTION EDITOR

Amy Martin amartin052@g.rwu.edu

FEATURES

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

November 19, 2020

A very Roger Christmas is Thanksgiving coming early

Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor

Growing up, the story of the Pilgrims’ landing at Plymouth Rock was the most notable tale about the first Thanksgiving. However, the Thanksgiving that is celebrated each year on the last Thursday of November should be attributed to Roger Williams, not the Pilgrims, even though Williams arrived in Massachusetts 10 years after the famous first Thanksgiving.

Emily Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald Roger Williams was an advocate for religious freedoms and helped create relationships with native tribes that inhabited the land.

So how did Roger Williams start the tradition of Thanksgiving? When the Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts, they were Puritans looking for religious liberty after being persecuted in England. But they did not hold the same ideals as Williams so famously did. They wanted religious freedom, but only for their religion and sect. That is where the school’s namesake comes in. Williams had been banished for spreading new and dangerous ideas. This banishment led to the creation of the place Roger Williams University students call home. Williams believed in a separation of church and state and he believed that everyone was free to practice their own religions. He befriended the natives that had already been living on the land he fled to. The story of the first Thanksgiving is riddled with falsehoods and consists of an over-glorification of the Puritans. So, while sitting around the dinner table surrounded by family, take time to thank Roger Williams. Remember him while prayers are said, no matter what religion or god it is directed to. Think of him even if the dinner commences without a prayer — it is a freedom given to Americans to do as they please with their beliefs.

Amy Martin Features Editor

It may only be November, but it is never too soon to talk about Christmas, especially now with the atmosphere in the country being so chaotic. Houses are already stringing up lights in their trees and placing decorations across their yards. As we speak, Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé are defrosting from hibernation. It has been difficult for people to stay in cheery moods lately. Students, in particular, have been struggling with the looming approach of finals joined by the consistent spike of positive COVID-19 cases. The bright side of things is looking dimmer and dimmer as each day passes, but Christmas lights might do the trick to make it more visible, even just slightly. In these gloomy times, decorating can help bring people together,

whether that be with family or friends. And the sooner the decorations are up, the sooner people can admire them. Especially if the decorations are outside, people driving by can look upon them and feel at least a little bit of serotonin. There shouldn’t be anything wrong with setting up the Christmas village early this year. At least in those tiny houses, there is no need to fear the outside world. The small neighborhood of ceramic houses and plastic pine trees may be worth the extra cheer, even if only a handful of people may see their display. Of course, there are those who find it annoying to see Christmas come early every year, but perhaps this year may be an exception for them. After months of stress and fear, Christmas could provide some people a break, and if putting up decorations early helps some people, then let’s be all for it.

What does Thanksgiving mean this year? Amy Martin Features Editor

The time of eating an abundance of foods is upon us. While finals season occupies most students’ heads, the thought of mashed potatoes and turkey drowned in gravy hangs in the back of their minds. The anticipation of various pies and other desserts is too exciting to not think about. But will this Thanksgiving be the same as ones in the past? Well, no. It won’t be. Thanksgiving this year may have to be knocked down a few notches in terms of presentation. Big families may not be able to reunite in grandma’s house this year and friends may have to push back their Friendsgivings. The grand array of foods may not be as impressive this year with less people involved. But is the food really what matters? Mostly, yes. But what about the change in what this holiday means to people now? In the past, people were thankful for

general things: being able to be around people they care about, having a nice home or having a steady income, to name a few. However, the intrusion of COVID-19 caused people’s mindsets to change. “I think it means being close to family and friends and cherishing them while they are still around,” said junior Elise Antonino. “Personally, this year, I lost a family member due to COVID-19 so it is important to be around the ones you love while you can.” Perhaps now, people will be thankful for still being healthy. They may be thankful that their families and friends are healthy. They may be thankful for still having their jobs and homes. The government lacked harshly in providing resources for its citizens, and many had to suffer as a result. Many people are still suffering, but hopefully this will turn around soon. While people sit around their tables, with a variety of tasty food in front of them, hopefully they will reflect on the past year. What they were thankful for before may have changed entirely.

Emily Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald Christmas staples such as Christmas trees, string lights and outdoor displays have already begun to illuminate homes.

SECTION EDITOR

Megan Julian mjulian020@g.rwu.edu

SECTION MANAGER

Kristen Dansereau kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

SPORTS

November 19, 2020

Athletic Director Kiki Jacobs reflects on the semester and sports moving forward

Megan Julian Sports Editor

“Challenging” is the word Athletic Director Kiki Jacobs chose to describe what she thought about the future of winter sports at this time. She is tentative to see if winter sports will have a season and cannot confirm if those will happen yet. She is currently optimistic about the start of the spring sports season. “I think it’s far enough down the line that we can start to clear the virus a little bit and we’re outdoors. So, I think that really helps,” Jacobs said. Looking forward right now, Athletics is working on schedules for the winter and spring teams as well as creating a limited schedule for the fall sports teams. Since all the teams are supposed to be competing in the spring, Athletics is hoping to have schedules for all of these sports completed by midDecember. Another obstacle Jacobs is preparing for is staffing. If things go as planned, Jacobs said it is more likely that there will be a form of competition played every day. In addition to a packed turf field, she believes teams like soccer and lacrosse will be getting a lot of use out of the grass rugby fields. “More so for soccer since they’ll be more than non-traditional season,” Jacobs said. “We’re going to do everything we can to get the spring sports to go just because they lost their season last year.” Overall, Jacobs said she knows that in order for these seasons to be successful, a lot of people are going to

have to step up. “A coach that doesn’t have a game on Saturday might be working event management for another game on Saturday, and then it might flip flop on Sunday or something like that,” Jacobs said. Jacobs is unsure about fans in the stands at this point in time and she is looking into the increase in event staff for temperature checks of opposing teams who come to campus to compete. Staff will have to clean all athletics equipment including game balls and Jacobs is unsure if visiting teams will have access to the locker rooms. When reflecting on the fall semester, Jacobs said she is extremely proud of the Athletic Department, specifically regarding how it has carried the brunt of university testing responsibilities and how the coaches have interacted with their teams. “The testing has gone well and the staff has done it without complaints,” Jacobs said. “I think that’s a win.” Jacobs couldn’t help but acknowledge how the coaches have adjusted their practices and how they have kept their athletes engaged. “Coaches have gone above and beyond the extra things, whether it’s on Zoom or meeting outside one on one with some student athletes,” Jacobs said. She believes the department has done so well and knows they have been working so hard. “We’re working hard, and you know like everyone else. We have the hurdles. But you know, it’s everybody stepping up to help,” Jacobs said. “We want it to succeed, like everyone else. We want to keep students here.”

Courtesy of RWU Athletics Junior Eli Harris competes in a basketball practice this season.

Courtesy of RWU Athletics Sophomore Kendi Barnard gets ready to shoot the basketball during a practice.

Athletic Trainer Highlight: Kristina Keddie Kristen Dansereau Sports Manager Athletic trainer Kristina Keddie has been on the staff at Roger Williams University for more than two years. She received her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training at Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts. Prior to working at RWU, she was an athletic trainer at the high school level for six years. Keddie said she was ready for a change. “I wanted the experience and the challenge in working with collegiate athletes at the division three level and when the opportunity came about, I did not want to miss out,” Keddie said. For her, the job is rewarding because she is able to help athletes recover from an injury or illness and return to

their sport. In one year, Keddie is in charge of a total of six athletic teams, handling two per season. However, with COVID-19 at a peak and athletics cautiously practicing in irregular seasons, she has spent the fall semester juggling all of her teams at once. This caused her to limit times of availability for each team. “With other restrictions in place like limited capacity and treating by appointments, I had to be firm with time management and this certainly posed a challenge at times,” Keddie said. “I enjoy this skill level, the competitiveness and this population. Outside of athletics, it is exciting to see student athletes’ work not only toward their athletic goals but their academic goals, and ultimately their career

goals.” To balance many different teams and athletes, she refers back to her professors and instructors emphasizing lessons on time management in order to balance a full workload. “At RWU, Cory, Jake [the other certified athletic trainers on campus] and I work as a team and that helps,” Keddie said. Keddie’s inspiration to be an athletic trainer came during her high school years as she watched football games and saw the work of the school’s female athletic trainer. “I thought it was really motivating to see a female athletic trainer helping the team on the sidelines with injuries, taping and concussion evaluations,” Keddie said. “I knew I wanted to work with athletes and this really sparked my interest into becoming an athletic

trainer.” She stepped into that role after college at the high school she worked at and now at RWU. Her job aspirations fully include athletic training, but she hopes to move toward the fitness field side of training. Keddie said she has always enjoyed the fitness aspect, such as training and preparation, which is why she is aiming to receive her Strength and Conditioning certification. “One piece of advice I would pass on to someone else would be to get as much experience as they can working with different populations and in different fields,” Keddie said. “I have worked in physical therapy clinics, outpatient surgery, industrial settings, at high schools and at the collegiate level. I can say that all my experiences have helped grow my skill set as an athletic trainer.”

SECTION EDITOR

Isabella Gentile igentile470@g.rwu.edu

EDITOR’S DESK

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

November 19, 2020

EDITORIAL: THANK YOU Today is November 19. Can you believe it? Can you believe that we made it this far, that we are finishing out our last few days of in-person classes for the semester, having last meals with our roommates at Commons and getting our final COVID-19 tests in the Field House until the end of January? Looking back, everything that has happened between move-in and now has been a whirlwind. Many students had to adjust to a full semester of hybrid learning, figuring out how to balance entirely new schedules while still making time for internships and jobs. Adjusting to a new schedule while wearing a mask every day, practicing social distancing and acknowledging that the normal semester at RWU was something they would not be seeing this time around. It seems as though there was a mutual understanding entering the school year as the end of August approached — there was going to be an entirely new normal, and if we wanted to be here, we needed to be able to follow it. That has remained true until this point. The fact that we have been able to run in-person classes in any capacity until this point is an achievement in itself. But there have certainly been setbacks. Large gatherings and other COVID-19 guideline violations have brought fines, student suspensions and removals from university residency. Generally, however, students have had an understanding. You either get your act in check, or go home for the remainder of the semester. We don’t believe anyone prefers the latter.

Good behavior by the majority of students has definitely played a role in the university’s relative success this semester. But now is the time to think about and appreciate what and who have truly kept us here. As our staff has gone for our final COVID-19 tests in the Field House, we have made an observation. Yellow paper signs hang from the plastic barriers most of us have become familiar with, letting you know who is administering your test and reminding you to thank them for doing so. There are not enough words to thank these university officials and staff members for what they have done in

this semester alone. For dedicating their time, putting students first and volunteering out of sheer good-will to help keep members of the RWU community safe, students should be forever grateful. It doesn’t end there either. We want to recognize employees in dining, facilities and other staff departments, who have been operating under less than ideal circumstances. We want to recognize professors who are trying to accommodate students as best they can while also keeping their families safe. We want to recognize the administration for frequently communicating with us and for testing

students coming to campus twice per week, because quite frankly, other methods do not compare. This semester has surely had its ups and downs, and has by no means fit our definition of normal. We miss life as we knew it last year and we are itching to get back to the experiences we had before. But despite it all, a lot of students had the chance to be here this fall and cherish moments on this campus, which many of us consider a second home. Not much seems positive in the world right now, but at the core, we are all extremely grateful for that.

Emily Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald Students attending in-person classes have been required to attend twice weekly COVID-19 testing in the Field House throughout the fall semester.

THE HAWKS’ HERALD The student newspaper of Roger Williams University

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THE HAWKS’ HERALD is a student publication. The views, statements, opinions, depictions, and/or representations (expressions) contained herein are solely those of THE HAWKS’ HERALD and do not, and are not, meant to represent or be attributed to the expressions of Roger Williams University, any trustee, officer, agent, employee, student, or representative of Roger Williams University, and either are such expressions authorized, accepted, or condoned by the university. THE HAWKS’ HERALD is dedicated to providing news to the university in a fair and accurate manner.

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ADVERTISERS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

SPLO ADVISOR

FACULTY ADVISOR

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

CHIEF DESIGNER

PHOTO EDITOR

ARTS & CULTURE MANAGER

SPORTS EDITOR

FEATURES EDITOR

SPORTS MANAGER

Janine Weisman jweisman@g.rwu.edu

Emily Dvareckas edvareckas213@g.rwu.edu

Emma Bartlett ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu

OPINIONS EDITOR Luke Brennan lbrennan935@g.rwu.edu

THE HAWKS’ HERALD welcomes advertisers both on and off campus. Advertising rates vary based on the patron’s specifica-tions. For pricing inquiries, please contact igentile470@g.rwu.edu to request a copy of the Media Kit. For all other media inquiries, please call the THE HAWKS’ HERALD office (401) 254-3229 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or e-mail hawksherald@gmail.com at any time.

OPINIONS MANAGER

CORRECTIONS

Kyla Yates Ashlee Bartels Courtney Caouette

There are no corrections this week.

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

Isabella Gentile igentile470@g.rwu.edu

Connor Naples cnaples248@g.rwu.edu

CONTRIBUTORS

The Hawks’ Herald · Suite 212, Campus Recreation Center · 1 Old Ferry Road · Bristol, R.I. 02809

Kayla Ivan kivan850@g.rwu.edu

Amy Martin amartin052@g.rwu.edu

BUSINESS MANAGER Adam Zerman azerman020@g.rwu.edu

Adrianne Harris aharris@g.rwu.edu

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

Megan Julian mjulian020@g.rwu.edu

Kristen Dansereau kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu

PHOTOGRAPHERS Emily Dvareckas Rachel Dvareckas

SECTION EDITOR

SECTION MANAGER DESIGNER

Emma Bartlett Kayla Ivan ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu kivan850@g.rwu.edu

ARTS & CULTURE

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

November 19, 2020

Creative ways to Tasty holiday practice self-care treats to try out

Emma Bartlett Arts & Culture Editor

Thanksgiving break is a much-needed time to kick up your feet and relax. Having a few days to destress can refuel your energy as you finish the semester. But why stop there? There’s no rule saying you have to wait for holiday breaks to take care of yourself. In fact, making self-care an active part of your daily routine will boost your mood and keep you calmer throughout the rest of the semester. Try implementing some of the following creative self-care hacks into your life today.

Card making

If you’re getting ready to send out holiday cards to friends and family, skip purchasing pre-made cards and create your own. Look up DIY holiday cards online and buy paper from Michaels or another local craft store. Stamps and calligraphy pens can add fancy accents to your card designs as well as watercolor paints. If you’re unsure about your artistic talents, purchase stencils or a card making kit that will offer a step by step tutorial. Card making can be extremely relaxing while also giving you something new to do. If you’re looking to unwind even more, throw on some music while you’re busy crafting.

Knitting

Need a new scarf for the cold days ahead? Learn how to knit a scarf or hat with online tutorials that will teach you basic stitches. If this is your first time knitting, start with one ball of yarn and get used to the stitching motions. Meanwhile, if you’re already a master with the needle, knit a scarf with more than one yarn ball or add fringe to the ends. Knitting is great to work on while you sit by the fire or watch tv. You’re sure to find the repetitive motions to be extra soothing.

Coloring

If you’ve never invested in an adult coloring book, buy one now! These books are full of fun designs and are great for when you need to mentally check out and regroup those brain cells. If you look online, you can find a variety of coloring books that suit your needs. Coloring books have everything from ocean scenes to tropical forests. Also, purchase a set of drawing tools that you like. Markers work the best if you’re looking to fill in spaces with one color, but if you want to mix colors and create different shades, go with colored pencils.

Singing

Have you ever noticed how good belting a song feels? Singing is a great way to release energy and destress. If you need to jam out to your favorite tunes, get in the car and drive around while rocking out to the radio or your favorite playlist. Making playlists for your different moods is a great idea so you have your favorite hits in one place. Personalize one to be all about self-care and include songs that make you feel like your best self.

Kayla Ivan Arts & Culture Manager

It’s the most wonderfully scrumptious time of the year! As the holiday season is upon us, there is going to be an inundation of treats to be made and eaten coming up quickly. In order to best prepare, here are a few tasty holiday treats to try. Happy Holidays!

ACORN TREATS (via Taste of Home) (Yields 4 dozen) Ingredients 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips 48 milk chocolate Hershey Kisses 48 Nutter Butter Bites Directions 1. Place 48 chocolate chips on the side for later use. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave and stir well. 2. Spread the flat side of each Hershey Kiss with melted chocolate chips and quickly place them onto the Nutter Butter cookie. 3. Secure reserved chips onto each cookie as the “stem” of the acorn. 4. Set aside on a baking sheet to cool and harden before serving.

Reading

Okay, between all the textbooks you’ve read for school, it is hard to imagine that you’ll want to pick up another book before spring semester. However, not all books have to be boring. Check out comic books or graphic novels to read from your local library or bookstore. With fewer words and more pictures, these stories fly by while still giving you entertaining content. Pick some light reads that won’t make you think too hard — you’ll want to stay calm and relaxed with whatever you choose.

Emily Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald These acorn treats are easy to make and yummy to eat.

SANTA HAT CHEESECAKE BITES (via Delish)

(Yields 8-12 cheesecake bites depending on the size of the cheesecake) Ingredients 1 plain cheesecake (homemade or store-bought) 1 1/2 cup whipped cream or Cool Whip 12 strawberries, tops sliced off

Emily Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald Step away from the textbooks and pick up books to read for enjoyment.

Directions 1. Begin by taking a circular cutter (biscuit cutter is best) and insert into the cheesecake. 2. Place the whipped cream or Cool Whip into a piping bag and squeeze on top of the cheesecake bites. 3. Place a slice of a strawberry on top (sliced from the side down). 4. Squeeze a bit of whipped cream on top of the strawberry and serve.

SECTION EDITOR

SECTION MANAGER DESIGNER

Emma Bartlett Kayla Ivan ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu kivan850@g.rwu.edu

English and Creative Writing Department revitalizes online magazine “Voices” allows students to publish artistic pieces

Emma Bartlett Arts & Culture Editor English and creative writing students now have the opportunity to share their stories with others on and off campus through “Voices,” the English and Creative Writing Department’s online magazine. Published works include poetry, non-fiction, fiction and visual art created by RWU students. While the website has been around for several years, a recent email sent out to creative writing and English students promoting the magazine stirred up student interest. “I think it’s a brilliant idea, especially because not many students in creative writing know how to start the whole process of getting their work published. The first time I heard about the publishing process was in Annie Hartnett’s narrative in writing the short story class and very few of the ones she mentioned allowed people to submit their work for free,” said junior Mackenzie Rose. “Voices” has a wide range of online content, including the anonymously published poem “We are Told to Fly,” which addresses how people are told to be themselves and display their individuality only to be ostracized

8 Hot hits:

ARTS & CULTURE

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

by society when they reveal their true identity. Another clever poem is “Apology To The Weird Bug I Watched My Cat Eat” by Kieran Binney which – as the title suggests – focuses on the bug the writer’s cat killed while also mentioning that in that critical moment, the bug needed the poem’s speaker in order to live. The speaker, however, was too removed from his own life to care or do anything. Aside from creative works, the site offers helpful posts for students, including a directory of additional publication opportunities and short blurbs about where graduates are today. “RWU’s “Voices” provides English and creative writing students with a unique opportunity to get their work published and voices heard by a wide audience,” said senior Emily Rabbitt. “With updates on alumni and information on other publishing opportunities, “Voices” provides students with a glimpse into the exciting world of publishing.” English and creative writing students are encouraged to submit their work to “Voices” to share pieces with the campus community as well as those outside the university. To find out more information or check out student work, visit rwuvoices.org.

November 19, 2020

Tubular Thanksgiving Tunes Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor

Barefoot on the balcony A dancer’s reflection on using the platform outside the library’s third floor for RWU’s Ballet I and II

Courtney Caouette Herald Contributor We feel the breeze flow through our hair and extend through our toes. In the careful beats of our accompanist Michael DeQuattro, we follow the movements demonstrated by our professor Michael Bolger. On the days where the weather is beautiful, we meet on the roof of the library. From there, we look over the balcony and see “Greece” and the cars passing below us. They are completely unaware that we exist — we know we exist though. Through repetition and variation of frappé, rond de jambe and tendu, we utilize the barre to improve our footwork. Following that, we sometimes jump or do exercises across

PLEASE RECYCLE

the floor. We often spend the end of class working on our final performance or experimenting with things we could incorporate into it. Always, we find kindness. We are courteous and helpful to our fellow classmates, accompanist and professor. In the studio, we treat things a little bit differently. Our jumps can be more full out and we get to embrace the texture of the floor on our stocking or bare feet if we so choose. I like the library, though. It is a place where we can go full out with our bodies in control and feel the unhindered sunlight on our skin. It is a place where we can watch the trees sway from the top. It is a place where we can watch people in passing. It is a place where we can come together and remember to find kindness through our existence.

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