ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
CATALYST
MOTE MARINE
NET NEUTRALITY pg.
pg.
9
3
MARCH 4, 2015 VOLUME XXXVII, ISSUE III
A student newspaper of New College of Florida
WHAT’S Meet the Co-Presidents: Statham and Pellaton win special election INSIDE
5
BY COLT DODD AND JASMINE RESPESS
TREE BEACH
6 SIS LS E TH RRE CA
12 GLAMOUR KILLS TOUR
This year’s New College Student Alliance (NCSA) presidential election was unlike any other. Due to the quick departure of the recently sitting second-year president, Carlos Santos, a speedy special election had to be held. Candidates on the ballot included second-years Kira Rib and Allen Serrell and presidential elects second-years Shelby Statham and Paige Pellaton. The usual campaign is a 10-day process, but this special election was only seven days. Pellaton and Statham sat down with the Catalyst to dicuss the campaign process and their upcoming plans. Since it was a special election, was it just like any other campaign? “We really mobilized very quickly. Shelby was actually the one who asked me to run,’ Pellaton said. “I was definitely interested in running in the past […] We sent out our campaign email and made our emails over the course of three days, our whole campaign was a very dense three days of activity and work.” “I think it was really different,” Statham said. “We chose to run because we would be the right transition team.”
Colt Dodd/Catalyst
Newly elected co-presidents Shelby Statham (left) and Paige Pellaton (right) will be working together until their term ends on June 31st.
As presidents, are you going to take up where Carlos left off or do you have some of your own ideas? “Since we are coming in a little bit late to the semester a lot of it is figuring out where Carlos left off and how we can pick up,” Pellaton said. “Mostly we are trying to narrow down what Carlos was working on and complete those task before the end of the semester.” “A lot of the things Carlos was working on I was working with him,” Statham said. Statham explained that she has been involved in the Peer
Education Program and has been cooperating with the Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC). Pellaton and Statham also said they want to restore the late night library hours that past presidents Cassie Corrado and Carlos Santos worked to put in place. Statham said one of her ideas was for a different cabinet member plan an event every month, “Movie nights, treasure events, everyone brings a
continued on p. 11
Library late hours still to be determined BY RYAN PAICE Late night studiers may be treated to another hour or so of library time within the next week or two, depending on whether or not the New College Student Alliance (NCSA) and the dean of the library can come to an agreement. Newly appointed NCSA co-presidents Paige Pellaton and Shelby Statham are to meet with Brian Doherty, dean of the library, to discuss recently shortened library hours. While the library was open until 4 a.m. last semester, it has been closing at 1 a.m. so far this semester, sending many confused late library-goers adrift in the night with only more work to do. “I am bitter and upset. I want to do more homework,” thesis student and Student Court Counselor Casey Dodge said about being forced from the library so early. “The reason the library is closing early – from what I understand from going to cabinet meetings – is that the person who is in charge of the library demands that we have a security guard to keep the library opened later,”
Dodge said. Dodge believes that hiring a security guard would not be helpful, stating that “We have a cop shop right around the corner, which is a far more effective security response than somebody with pepper spray.” “I don’t really see why you would need a security guard, there is a blue light right outside of the library,” agreed first-year Mimi Chenyao. “There are more options than just hiring a security guard.” A frequent late librarygoer, Chenyao was in the library at 12:45 a.m. when a voice over the intercom announced to students that the library will be closing in 15 minutes and that they need to leave the premises. “A lot of people are complaining about it because it is really screwing with their study habits,” Chenyao said in regards to the situation. “We started late hours as a pilot project a few years ago – Michael Long was the student body president – and we did it as a test during finals week,” Doherty said. “After that we met with Michael and figured out a plan where students would generally fund other
Ryan Paice/Catalyst
The library is a convenient study space for late-night sessions.
students to come and staff the library during the late-late hours. But now we are moving in the direction of making this as safe of a place as you can.” After the shooting in Florida State University’s library last fall, Doherty insists upon
the NCSA funding a security guard. “We had a meeting of all of the deans of the libraries and have begun to come up with some best practices,”
continued on p. 11
CATALYST
BRIEFS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
PAGE 2
briefs by Bianca Benedi
Star Trek actor Nimoy dies “Star Trek” actor Leonard Nimoy died in his home on Feb. 27 from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The illness had been announced last year, attributed by Nimoy to decades of smoking. Nimoy played the character of Spock, a half-human Vulcan and second-in-command of the U.S.S. Enterprise for the show’s run from 1966-1969. He returned to the role in several more episodes and films for the rest of his acting career, including for the 2013 film “Star Trek: Into Darkness”, the last film on which he worked. Nimoy published two autobiographies related to his life as the actor of Spock. The first, published in 1975, was titled “I Am Not Spock.” Twenty years later he published a follow-up: “I Am Spock.” Nimoy had come to identify with the character that defined his acting career and life. On Twitter, Nimoy signed off all his tweets with “LLAP,” an acronym for Spock’s famous Vulcan phrase, “Live long and prosper”. Aside from acting, Nimoy’s career included a plethora of artistic pursuits such as poetry, directing, photography and music (his jaunty song, “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins”, written about the character from “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien, comes with an accompanying comical and charming music video). In response to his death, many fans worldwide have created tributes to Nimoy. In Canada, fans began “spocking” currency – turning the image on their $5 bill, which is of Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier, into the famous character with some creative penmanship. Nimoy had been hospitalized earlier in the week. His final tweet, published after his release from the hospital five days before his death, read, “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.” Information for this article taken from Twitter and CNN.
New tattoo removal technique A new tattoo removal system has been developed by Alec Falkenham, a Canadian Ph.D. student in pathology at Dalhousie University. Tattoos fade naturally over time; Falkenham’s technique includes a cream that speeds up the function of the white blood cells that cause the breakdown of ink and eventual fading. No injection is required, and Falkenham claims this method is virtually painless. Currently, the most popular method of removing tattoos is by laser removal, which breaks down the ink until it is absorbed into the body, much like the natural process of fading in the sun will do. However, this technique is painful and slow – the laser can burn and scar the skin, and multiple sessions
with several weeks in between are required. Some inks are impossible to completely remove and the method is expensive. Current costs for laser removal can vary up to several hundred dollars. Falkenham estimates that his cream removal technique could cost less than $10 per treatment. The cream is not yet available commercially, but demand is certainly there. About 14 percent of American adults with tattoos regret them, according to a poll done by Harris Interactive in 2012. Information for this article taken from cbc.ca
photo courtesy of Wiki Commmons
The Vulcan hand sign for 'Live long and prosper,' shown above, was based on a Jewish ceremonial blessing. Nimoy, who practiced Judaism, proposed the hand sign himself.
Flaunt Your Kink: Kink Positive Kink Positive, the club on campus dedicated to kink discussion and events, is hosting Flaunt Your Kink on Wednesday, March 4, in the Black Box Theater (BBT). Students are invited to come to the BBT to photograph themselves representing their kinks (legally and fully clothed), and will then be given the photos, with all originals deleted for safety. “It’s an event we’re hosting in response to a lot of student interest in having some kind of capacity for expressing Kinky Pride at New College,” fourth-year and club organizer Katherine Mueller said. This event follows a string of recent Kink Positive events, including “BDSM in Popular Media” held on Feb. 26 during which invitees discussed how kink is represented in the media, and the “What is Kink’’ panel held on Feb. 16, where students asked questions about various kink practices. “[Kink Positive] works on two fronts,” Mueller said. “We want people to feel comfortable being openly “kinky” on campus, and to provide the resources that enable people to engage in these practices in a way that prioritizes consent, communication, safety and critical awareness.” The club has had a campus presence for several years (Mueller has been a member since her first year) and hosts a traditionally wide array of kink-related events, most of which build up to Kink Week, this year to be held April 27-May 1. Kink Week will include an erotic reading, several movie showings, crafting events and finally, the popular Fetish Ball, this year held on May 2. Other upcoming events for the club include one in April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month called “Kink After Sexual Assault.”
photo courtesy of Twitter
Nimoy’s last tweet.
“I wear a necklace, cause I wanna know when I’m upside down.” -Mitch Hedberg © 2015, the Catalyst. All rights reserved. The Catalyst is available online at www.ncfcatalyst.com, facebook.com/NCFcatalyst, @ncfcatalyst The Catalyst is an academic tutorial sponsored by Professor Maria Vesperi. It is developed in the New College Publications Lab using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign and printed at Sun Coast Press with funds provided by the New College Student Alliance.
General Editor Managing Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Layout Editors Staff Writers & Photographers
Sara Mineo Pariesa Young Yadira Lopez Caitlyn Ralph Bianca Benedí and Jasmine Respess Colt Dodd, Katelyn Grimmett, Giulia Heyward, Haley Jordan, Sydney Kruljac, Adilyne McKinlay, Ryan Paice; Kaylie Stokes
Direct submissions, letters, announcements and inquiries to: The Catalyst 5800 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, Florida 34243 ncfcatalyst@gmail.com The Catalyst reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, space and style. No anonymous submissions will be accepted. Submissions must be received by 12:00 p.m. Friday for consideration in the next issue.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
NEWS PAGE 3
New bill may allow Florida students to carry a concealed weapon
BY GIULIA HEYWARD
Numerous school shootings across the country have raised questions about campus safety. A new bill, approved by the Florida House of Representatives on Jan. 20, and on its way to the Senate, attempts to address these concerns through legislative action. If passed, Florida will become one of eight states that allow concealed weapons on college campuses. Currently, Florida is one of twenty states that have classified college campuses as “gun free zones.” This extends for other areas as well, such as banks. In fact, the New College Student Code of Conduct states that the unauthorized possession, use or sale of any weapon or firearm “constitutes an offense for which a student will be subject to the student disciplinary process.” The bill will specifically allow students over the age of 21, as long as they do not have a felony or drug related conviction, the right to carry a concealed weapon on campus. Florida State Representative Greg Steuber is behind this bill. Supporters believe that the bill will equip students with the self-defense needed in dangerous situations on campus. One of the most recent school shootings occurred this past November at Florida State University (FSU) resulting in the death of three students and the gunman.
Giulia Heyward/Catalyst
One hundred New College students were surveyed over their feelings towards gun safety for Florida campuses.
“Would it have been better or worse, I ask myself, if there had been a non-active shooter, but someone who wasn’t the perpetrator who was [also] thrown into that equation with a gun?” New College Police Officer Wesley Walker said, linking the incident at FSU with current concerns about this new bill. “It’s kind of hard trying to prove a negative but the bottom line is that, from a tactical, first responder situation [...] It’s bad enough that I have to worry about if there’s a police undercover on the scene, but now I have to worry about every citizen there [containing a concealed weapon] within that location?”
Most concern surrounding the bill is centered on how students armed with concealed weapons will influence the dynamic of a situation in which there is a threat on campus. Other criticism surrounds the current method for obtaining a gun in Florida. Gun laws in the state do not require background checks on private sales, and allow for the purchase of assault weapons, a specific type of firearm. In Florida anyone who is former military, former police, or is able to demonstrate competency with firearms may obtain a gun. Benny Heyward, who is former military and the father of firstyear Giulia Heyward, explained that
after submitting the correct paperwork, photographs and fingerprints an individual is able to qualify for a gun. If the new bill were to pass, yet another issue would be this level of competency that individuals need to demonstrate in order to purchase a gun. “There is no set state of competence that one must demonstrate. Technically, if you go to a gun show and you sit in the gun show nowadays and sit through that class and take a written test and then go out to the gun range and as long as you don’t draw blood when you’re shooting [...], you just demonstrated competency,” Walker said. “As far as I know, there is no delineated specific level of competency, it’s pretty much left to the evaluator or the person who signs off.” Different students have taken varying views on the possibility of their fellow classmates carrying concealed weapons on campus. “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable but I don’t necessarily support it either,” transfer student Corey Culbertson said. Culbertson has spent time handling firearms on gun ranges and believes that it is a legitimate hobby so long as the necessary precautions and protocols are taken. If approved by the Senate, the new bill will become active this July in time for the 2015 fall semester. Information for this article was taken from www.jrn.com, and www.msnbc.com
FCC votes on new rules to protect net neutrality BY PARIESA YOUNG Activists cited a major victory last week when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted on new rules which effectively protect net neutrality. The rules ensure that the Internet is treated as a public utility by prohibiting paid “fast lanes” offered by Internet service providers (ISPs). Net neutrality, or open Internet, posits that all legal Internet content should be fully accessible to consumers and that neither governments nor ISPs should favor or block online content. Similarly, ISPs should not charge consumers higher prices for faster Internet. Using Title II of the Telecommunications Act, the Internet was officially reclassified as a telecommunication service rather than an information service. The rules in Title II were altered from their beginnings in phone company days to reflect the modern consumer of the Internet. “These are a 21st-century set of rules for a 21st-century industry,” FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said. They were approved with a 3-2 vote. The fights between activists and lawmakers date back to 2010, when the FCC passed the first set of rules protecting net neutrality. These rules, called the Open Internet Order, which
activists said did not go far enough, kept Internet providers from being able to speed up or slow down certain websites. Further progress was halted last year when a federal appeals court said the FCC did not have the right to enforce the rules. Big telecom companies such as Verizon and Comcast have sued the FCC over open Internet decisions, and the Commission anticipates more lawsuits with the approval of these rules. “The big dogs are going to sue,” Wheeler said. In the midst of an emerging debate over net neutrality – a term coined by Columbia law professor Tim Wu – even the White House got involved. “I personally, the position of my administration, as well as a lot of the companies here, is that you don’t want to start getting a differentiation in how accessible the Internet is to different users,” Barack Obama said in August 2014. “You want to leave it open so the next Google and the next Facebook can succeed.” The following November, the president released a statement saying “An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life.” He went on to suggest four main rules that the FCC should adopt: no blocking, no throttling, increased transparency and no paid prioritization. These were main components of the FCC’s recent
regulation. Earlier this month, Wheeler unveiled the rules which, for the first time, would also give the FCC the power to enforce and police them. As advocacy organizations, most prominently Save the Internet as well as open, content-based sites like Tumblr, Facebook and Google, lobbied for increased government protection of net neutrality, opponents to the rules have other complaints. The opposition, made up of Republican lawmakers and telecommunications companies, argues that increased regulation hurts business, competition and creativity, or that the government should not meddle in the private telecom industry. Republicans in Congress may be working on a bill that would override the FCC’s new rules. Internet providers argue that the regulations deter them from necessary prioritization of internet traffic, such as in the case of emergency communication lines. After the FCC’s decision was announced, the president released a statement lauding the new regulation. It cited that more than four million people wrote to the FCC in favor of net neutrality and said the decision “will protect innovation and create a level playing field for the next generation of entrepreneurs.” “I certainly see the Internet as a
great vehicle for freedom of expression and opinion, and this means that the government should protect it as such,” second-year NCSA President and net neutrality supporter Paige Pellaton said in an email interview. Pellaton went on to say that the absence of net neutrality regulation could pose serious risks. “Internet service providers could heavily discriminate against certain websites, blocking access to content altogether or charging domains different prices for varying speeds of service and delivery to the consumer.” Although these new rules effectively “free the Internet,” the Internet is still far from free. “As of now, Internet access is a privilege given only to those who can afford it, though ideally that will change down the line,” Pellaton said. “I truly believe that information should never be pushed behind a paywall, and though net neutrality is a step toward that by ensuring nondiscriminatory practices, I look forward to a day when open and free Internet is easily accessible to all and abused by few.” Information for this article was taken from nytimes.com, whitehouse.gov, fcc.gov.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
NEWS PAGE 4
Anthropology department hosts Fulbright scholar BY ADILYNE MCKINLAY “Israel has very good access to health care,” Fulbright scholar Nora Gottlieb said. “If you’re not a citizen or Jewish migrant you do not get this care.” On Feb. 25, Gottlieb visited New College and gave a talk on migrant health care rights in Israel. She came to campus through the Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF). According to the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), the OLF allows Fulbright scholars to speak at institutions that are “underrepresented in the Fulbright program.” This refers to colleges that might not be able to afford Fulbright speakers otherwise. For Gottlieb’s lecture, the OLF paid for transportation, and New College provided an honorarium. According to Professor of Anthropology Maria Vesperi, Gottlieb was at the University of Florida (USF) in Tampa giving a presentation with
Heide Castañeda, an associate professor of anthropology at the university. Castañeda recommended New College to Gottlieb, who reached out to Vesperi. The lectures scholars give through the OLF are meant to increase cultural awareness for both the scholar and the audience, while also allowing for an exchange of ideas between the scholar and faculty. “I was impressed with the presentation and the way she situated the case study, government response and the role of NGOs,” Vesperi said. “I think we were able to draw parallels to the United States.” The talk began with an introduction. Gottlieb noted that she has been in the United States for almost a year and is currently working with the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois in Chicago on a Fulbright postdoctoral fellowship. She received her Ph.D. at the Faculty of Health Science of Ben-Gurion University in Be’er Sheva, Israel and
Bailout extension granted for Greece BY SYDNEY KRULJAC Nearly a month after the election of Greece’s new prime minister, Alexander Tsipras, the eurozone has finally agreed on a four-month extension of the Greek bailout. Although this green light is without doubt good news, a longer fight is in store for Greece. The new four-month extension plan ensures that Athens will not run out of funds. The decision was made over a conference call during which the eurozone reviewed the Greek economic reforms. These proposals were very much a compromise between Greece’s creditors, the Syriza party, and the Greek electorate, leaving all sides slightly unsatisfied. In regards to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Greece was cautioned that its proposals do not meet its very own expectations. The European Central Bank warned Greece they could only replace existing austerity measures with a new plan that is just as effective. In Berlin, patience for Greece is slowly dwindling. The Germans expect the Greeks to be grateful for the compromises they have created. Instead, they appear disrespectful, according to the Guardian. As soon as a 17-week loan was declared for Greece, its finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, decided to increase demands and required the massive debt be partly written off. Even though the German Bundestag approved the extension, Greece will have trouble getting funded until it meets the requirements of its creditors. Some members of parliament have doubts, yet the extension passed easily. According to BBC, much of the motive behind granting the extension is in attempt to keep Europe united.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble sees the extension as providing extra time to a country in need to successfully end the bailout. Professor of Political Science Frank Alcock believes Germany should try to help Greece as much as possible. “I think that it is wise for Germany to do everything it possibly can to salvage Greece’s ability to overcome its financial and fiscal crisis and stay within the eurozone,” Alcock said. “It might not be possible, and Tsipras may fail even with the latest bailout package. However, the extension does three things: It provides some possibility greater than zero that Greece will turn things around. Without the extension, Greece crumbles; it provides a measure of reassurance to market players that the major economies will do everything in their power to avert collapses; it buys a little more time to prepare for a Greek exit.” Despite its extension, Greece must carry out its reform program by April before they can receive the final amount of 7.2 billion euros. In the meantime, Greece must also start repaying its increasing debt, including two billion euros to the IMF by March and 6.7 billion euros to the European Central Bank by July and August. “I don’t have a lot of confidence in Tsipras’ promises but a little hope is better than none,” Alcock said. “I think it’s more likely than not that he will fail to save the Greek economy. But sometimes I’m wrong and the world turns out better. So I hope I’m wrong.” Information for this article taken from theguardian.com, bbc.com
Adilyne McKinlay/Catalyst
After the lecture, Gottlieb (center), students and faculty discussed the current global state of health care rights, and Gottlieb gave more insight into her personal interests and reasons for working within the communities she studies.
continued to work with the university on a PRAT post-doctoral research fellowship. Though originally from Germany, her work mainly focuses on migrants’ and ethnic minorities’ health rights in Israel. “I’m a migrant myself,” Gottlieb said. “I think I began studying what I do out of my own interest. I mean, I am a Jewish migrant. I was privileged. I still feel like I have a bit of a story to tell.” Gottlieb’s talk was titled “Medical Humanitarianism, Human Rights, and Political Advocacy. The curious case of the ‘Open Clinic’ in Tel Aviv-Yafo.” It discussed the story of an open clinic in Tel Aviv, the second largest city in Israel, that purposefully closed in order to improve migrant access to health care. The clinic opened in 1998 under the Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, a non-governmental organization (NGO). Gottlieb began volunteering at this clinic in 2006, at which point the average number of patients seen daily was 10 to 12. In the middle of 2006 this number increased into the hundreds. The clinic was overrun with patients and had to turn many away. It was discovered that these patients were asylum seekers from North East Africa that crossed into Israel through the Sinai Peninsula and then-open border. The original catalyst for this migration was an open shooting by Egyptian officials during a demonstration where 27 individuals were killed. During this time, the staff at the clinic began seeing that these patients were more destitute and had no other place to turn besides the one open clinic in Tel Aviv. “Israel doesn’t have an active asylum system,” Gottlieb said. “So typically what would happen is these individuals would cross the border and be picked up by military personnel. The military personnel wouldn’t know what to do with them, so they’d be taken to the police. They would be detained and then after a few days they would be released at a central bus station at Tel Aviv.” When Israel asked Egypt to address the problems leading to the asylum seekers, the response was the use of armed force at the border. Additionally,
many individuals used existing smuggling and trafficking networks in the Sinai Peninsula. Traffickers began holding people hostage, either asking for ransom or subjecting them to human trafficking. The clinic began seeing patients with gunshot wounds and burns, and the number of women asking for abortions skyrocketed. “In the middle of all this mayhem, it was hard to step back and think ‘what is causing this?’” Gottlieb said. Eventually the clinic brought the situation to light. However a solution was still needed. The clinic was overfilled and close to collapse. Gottlieb noted that conditions were inadequate from a medical standpoint, with no confidentiality and the risk of infectious disease spreading. As tension formed between the humanitarian work and political work of the clinic, staff and administrators began considering the role of the institution. According to Gottlieb, it was decided that the clinic was not fulfilling principles or political goals, because as long as it was operating, the government “could sit back and pretend the problem didn’t exist or that they had a solution.” The clinic shut its doors and stopped operating. At first the problem was brought to the public eye and it seemed as though the outcome would be positive. “The Israeli Ministry of Health asked for a budget to treat asylum seekers,” Gottlieb said. “This was in part due to very sympathetic media coverage and public discourse.” Soon, anti-immigrant sentiments took over. No solution was reached. The government established a new clinic in Tel Aviv. A few months later, the original clinic reopened. “Until today there is no solution for asylum seekers’ healthcare,” Gottlieb added. Gottlieb discussed NGOs roles in state policies in our world today where “neo-liberal policies are shrinking the welfare state while immigration regimes are tightening.” As more marginalized groups form from this, NGOs can either fill the vacuum or demand political
continued on p. 11
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
NEWS PAGE 5
Writer in Residence position fills long-held creative writing void BY YADIRA LOPEZ Despite substantial student interest in creative writing there is no full time, tenure-track professor in that field at New College. The Writer in Residence program has been the sole academic creative writing opportunity at the school. The program hires a published writer to teach creative writing classes and hold workshops on campus each spring semester. Now in its 14th year, it has welcomed 12 writers ranging from poets to novelists. Established in 2001, the program was deemed a good first step in the direction of a full-fledged creative writing program. Like many others, Professor of Art History Malena Carrasco and Provost Stephen Miles, who were among the first to suggest the Writer in Residence program, hoped that before long the school would provide full time creative writing faculty. The search for a Writer in Residence begins in late fall with a committee usually comprised of three professors from the Division of
Humanities. In addition to submitting usual application materials such as a writing sample and curriculum vitae, applicants must submit a course proposal for an introductory multigenre course as well as an advanced course in their area of specialty. The Writer in Residence is offered a salary totaling $22,750 before taxes for the semester. Lodging and benefits are not included. This academic year there were 23 applicants. The committee tries to alternate between poetry and fiction every few years to accommodate varying student interest. Current Writer-inResidence Michael Tod Edgerton marks the third consecutive year a poet has been selected for the position. Professor of English Andrea Dimino, chair of the most recent search committee, explained that in addition to the strength of applicants’ course proposals, experience is also taken into consideration. "The Writer in Residence should have extensive knowledge of the practical aspects of being a writer –
how you deal with literary magazines, agents, editors and publishers,” Dimino said. “New College students need to know what a writer's life is like." Preferred applicants would have an MFA, MA or equivalent degree and at least two years experience teaching creative writing at the college level. “[We look for] exciting writing, exciting teaching and a personality that will go well with the people here,” Professor of English Margaret Konkol said. Konkol, although not an official committee member for the most recent search, served as an invaluable poetry consultant. The Writer in Residence position has historically only been open in the Spring semester, however, moving forward, there has been talk of offering a yearlong position. “It was an excellent thing for us to allocate money for the Writer in Residence program,” Dimino said. “Every good school in the country has creative writing. Now it's time for us to expand the position to the usual length, a full year. If we had a yearlong position
our applicant pool would be, without question, substantially bigger than it is now.” Dimino envisions two tenuretrack creative writing professors in addition to a rotating visiting writer each year. "There is so much interest in creative writing at New College […] Our students deserve a first-rate program,” Dimino added. “Student demand is absolutely enormous, and it's not just because people like to write. They know that they'll learn to think in new ways and that all the skills they gain will be valuable for their education as a whole." The committee would eventually like to bring in a playwright to satisfy student demand for theater. Lodging for the Writer in Residence is also up for discussion; given the slim time frame between the hiring process and the start of the Spring semester, finding housing is often a struggle and may even make the position less appealing to potential applicants since many other schools provide lodging for a similar position.
Tree Beach under construction BY JASMINE RESPESS Tree Beach is the semi-secret haven where a few members of the Longboat Key community as well as New College students go to enjoy music, partying, swimming, tree climbing, photography and picnics on a small hook-shaped beach. Also known as Greer Island and Beer Can Island, in recent years the beach has suffered from increased erosion and the Australian pines that grow on its shore have become intertwined. This has led to dangerous access points to the beach and now a construction program is underway to fix the erosion problems, but some beachgoers and boaters worry it will end recreational use in the area. In the past boaters have pulled right up to the shoreline to fish, but after the project is completed that will not be possible. Tree Beach is not the only beach that has been affected by erosion at Longboat Key, but it is a spot that many New College community members, past and present, have appreciated. “The last time I tried to go to Tree Beach I couldn’t get to it because of all the construction,” third-year Sydnie Petteway said. In addition to a decrease in recreational use of the beach, property values could also be affected. An issue is that the homes in the area have been built too close to the shorelines, creating greater erosion. In the Longboat Key News, Editor and Publisher Steve Reid writes, “The economic pressure has ushered in another set of beach engineers and Town Commission adopting a far different approach that targets
Jasmine Respess/Catalyst
With construction under way, future visitation to Tree Beach is in question.
addressing hotspots – areas of severe erosion – and structural solutions such as cement groins to trap sand and stand against the ravages of wave action.” In 2014, Longboat Key Town Manager Dave Bullock proposed a plan to hire the Olsen Engineering firm to upload sand and create a protective beach over the course of several months using many trucks and other heavyduty equipment. “In 2011 we put down $4 million worth of sand, and in seven months it was all gone,” Bullock said. The total cost of the beach restoration projects is $3,529,636,
according to the Town of Longboat Key Project Detail. “A couple thousand trucks will be noticed for weeks and weeks and weeks,” Bullock told Longboat Key News. “It will be a conga-line of trucks coming in and out and going on the beach and dumping sand all day. It is unlike a dredge, which is relatively silent. This is a bunch of disruption.” “I have never had the time to go to Tree Beach,” second-year Hannah Carlo said. “Since it is under construction I don’t know if I will get the chance to go. If the beach were further
eroded, it would be impossible for recreational visitation as it has been now and in the past. At present time, it is only possible to reach the beach at low tide and only through a low stretch of semi-dry land with low-hanging vegetation. It is not doable for the elderly and children, unless they come on a boat, which will not be possible after the reconstruction. “Beer Can Island will continue to erode and at a faster rate,” Reid writes. “There could one day be a breach or break on the north end of Beer Can Island and it would then become a true island once again.”
S I L S E E R H R T CA BY KAYLIE STOKES
Hannah Gilbert AOC: Environmental Studies and Anthropology Thesis: qidiččaa·tx / Makah: Cultural Self-Representation and the Struggle for Human Rights “My thesis is on cultural self representation as it relates to human rights struggles, and my case study is on the Makah which is a group of American Indians in Washington that are trying to restart their traditional whaling practice, now that the whale that they hunt has been removed from the endangered species list. I went to their reservation and interned at their museum and researched how they represent themselves in various ways like through the exhibits and public speaking. I’m looking at how those methods are able to impact and maybe swing public opinion to their favor so that they can restart their practice.” Tips: “The biggest first step is to pick a topic that you really are interested in and you won’t get sick of spending a bunch of time on, and to not buy into the hype that the thesis process is horrible because if you don’t buy into that hype and you focus and think of it like one step at a time it’s a much less miserable process.” Carrel: “So I decorated my thesis carrel like almost immediately just because I was super excited about it. So I have pictures of trips I’ve been on and like cards from my mom and other friends that are inspirational. And then I have my abstract and the New College calendar and some other work I’ve done about the Makah and little cards that talk about my central themes for my thesis so it can be like a reminder. It’s a combination of comforting nonacademic things and academic things. I really love having a carrel so I don’t have to lug my stuff around and I don’t have a desk in my off-campus house, so I basically live here.”
CRUNCH
Olivia Levinson AOC: Philosophy and Psychology Thesis: The Three Horsemen of the Epistemic Apocalypse: Implicit Biases Regarding Gender, Reason and Emotion in Philosophy “For philosophy I’m working with epistemic injustices, which is when people are denied the ability to be established as knowers based off of certain categories that they fall into. And I’ve developed a theory about a form of epistemic injustice that nobody has really talked about yet called inquisitory injustice – when people are denied the ability to participate in group inquiry or just to be participatory members of the decision making and question asking process of knowledge. And then for psychology I’m creating an empirical study where people who have taken philosophy have taken implicit association tests regarding gender, reason and emotion and trying to see why there is such a big gender disparity within philosophy and to sort of have an empirical grounding in order to try and fix that.” Tips: “Just spit it out there and then worry about if it makes sense later on and edit a lot. Also don’t be afraid to ask for help. There was one time when I needed caffeine and I put something on Facebook about it and next thing I knew I had like three different people bring me coffee.” Carrel: “I have my notes from my friends on the sides, and I let my friend who lives off-campus store her massive textbooks on my top shelf. Underneath my curtain I have a mess, but there’s writing utensils, honey, hot sauce – always Cholula – a selection of essential oils and I have a bag of clothes and different sweaters, and there’s always chocolate. Oh, a snuggie. That’s really important. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have a snuggie in my carrel.”
(left page) Thesis student Hannah Gilbert’s carrel. (right page) Thesis student Olivia Levinson’s carrel all photos Kaylie Stokes/Catalyst
CATALYST
FEATURES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
PAGE 8
A conversation with the Darkroom TA: Revealing one of campus’s darkest secrets BY CAITLYN RALPH Arguably one of the most underused resources on campus, the darkroom, hidden away in the corner of Hamilton “Ham” Center, possesses an abundance of free film materials and learning opportunities for students. Third-year Tricia Johnson, current technical assistant (TA), and thesis student Andrew Fiorillo, former TA, revealed one of campus’s darkest secrets. “Being in the darkroom so much and having that access to a free darkroom gives you the opportunity to really explore as much as you would like,” Johnson said. A darkroom eliminates light to allow for the proper development of sensitive film and photographs. The darkroom is sponsored by the New College Student Alliance (NCSA) and provides digital and analog camera checkout, film for black and white processing, a film scanner, audio and visual recorders, passport photos, the appropriate chemicals and paper and film development and photo enlargement services. “And it’s all for free,” Johnson added. Fiorillo explained that while small, the darkroom budget is enough to sustain those who use the space. “Historically, students have access to free film, paper and chemistry to capture, process, and print all the pictures they’d like,” Fiorillo said in an email interview. “If many more people started using it, which would be great, extra money should definitely be invested to repair some of the enlargers and a larger annual budget would be necessary to support the additional material costs.” Johnson learned how to use the darkroom during her first Independent Study Project (ISP) and expanded on her abilities with a tutorial hosted by the previous TA. However, being the
Caitlyn Ralph/Catalyst
The campus darkroom is a resource sponsored by the NCSA and offers students an entirely free film capturing, processing and printing experience.
TA herself is what has really allowed Johnson to hone in on her skills. Fiorillo began using the darkroom around the same time as Johnson: spring of his first year, late at night in lieu of doing problem sets. “The darkroom always felt like a very tranquil space where I could focus on something enjoyable and purely recreational, rather than constantly trying to be productive,” Fiorillo said. He realized that utilizing the free resources available to him in the darkroom here on campus was cheaper than printing his own digital photos. “Every time I go in there I make a new picture, I develop a new role of film, I’m furthering my skill as I learn a little more about the technique, and I’m learning how to experiment,” Johnson explained. “I finally feel like I can walk in and do it.”
To gain access to the darkroom, students have two options. They can learn how to use the equipment properly or prove they already know how. Johnson then puts their name on the key list. Once on the list, students can use the darkroom whenever they would like. “Actually, I don’t think people really know that [the darkroom] is there,” Johnson continued. The darkroom also displays a small gallery of students’ prints. Not only does this wall present student artwork, it also demonstrates how a variation of methods, such as different filters, work. Johnson thinks the gallery is a great learning opportunity. “I personally would like to see more people using the darkroom and exhibiting their art around campus,” Fiorillo said.
Caitlyn Ralph/Catalyst
The student gallery displays a variety of work mostly from previous TAs.
In the future, Johnson would like to host a series of workshops. “You can come in for a couple hours at a time and learn what an ISO is or how to choose the correct F-stop or how you would guess what speed to put your shutter on,” Johnson said. However, while taking a film photo is very different than taking a digital photo, Johnson’s plans go beyond those logistical techniques. Her goal is to teach students how to experiment with different film enlarging techniques as well. Johnson would like to present these sessions in a recreational atmosphere, rather than academic. “Working directly in that workshop group setting would be really incredible,” she noted. “It’s also more accessible instead of them choosing eight or 10 people for a single tutorial, anybody could come in and play around and experiment.” Fiorillo mentioned one opinion that he continuously told students who came through the darkroom: professional film photography is extinct because compared to digital, working with film takes a lot more time, money and portability. “As a hobby, though, it’s a wonderful way to spend time producing art in a way that’s very unlike sculpting, drawing, painting, etc.,” he explained. “Learning how to process and print in the darkroom teaches a person how light is controlled to actually make a photograph and it will make them a better photographer.” Johnson’s TA office hours are weekly, usually Mondays from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Thursdays from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.; however, these times are subject to change. “In that time I’m there to help anybody troubleshoot, I’m there to give out free film, I’m there to teach people how to develop film and enlarge their photos,” Johnson said.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
FEATURES
PAGE 9
Baby fish make a splash at Mote Marine Aquarium BY ADILYNE MCKINLAY Mote’s new temporary exhibit “Oh Baby! Life Cycles of the Sea,” comes complete with a shark touch-tank, comic book theme and baby fish so small, a magnifying glass is needed to see them. The exhibit, which opened on Feb. 14, is designed to educate guests on the mating and breeding behaviors of marine animals, as well as the reproductive cycle of certain fish. Information is laid out according to different reproductive behaviors and formatted in a style reminiscent of classic comic books, with eye-catching fonts, Ben-Day dots and bold shades of red, blue and green. “That was the work of our graphic designer,” Assistant Vice President for Mote Aquarium, Evan Barniskis said during a phone interview. “She took the content that the education department gave her and reworked it into an excellent design. Reproduction is interesting to talk about […] The design is fun and educational at the same time.” According to Barniskis, the exhibit was built with a combination of funds from Mote and a Tourist Development Council (TDC) grant from Sarasota County. Planning for the exhibit was initiated at the end of 2013. Construction began in October of 2014, following the
close of Mote’s last temporary exhibit “Survivors.” Barniskis noted that there were no “major setbacks or difficulties” during construction. The exhibit was finished in the middle of February, shortly before opening day. “The idea for the exhibit came about by a few of us sitting and talking about the animals that we breed here at Mote, and what a fantastic job our aquarium biologists do,” Barniskis said. “We don’t really talk about the process, and we wanted to inform our guests.” According to Rachel Ewing, an aquarium biologist at Mote, the team first researched organisms they wanted on display, then planned out and built each system specifically for the exhibit. “Building the systems was probably a two-month project before the exhibit opened,” Ewing said. “We each put in about ten hours a week, 80 hours altogether for each aquarium biologist. We have 12 or 13. Quite a lot of work was put into this.” She notes that while all the aquarium biologists came together to build the exhibit, two aquarium biologists specifically maintain the new organisms. Each of them works upwards of 40 hours a week. Mote breeds marine mammals at its different facilities, including a variety of seahorse and jellyfish species, yellowheaded jawfish, game fish, pipefish and cuttlefish. All of these organisms are on display either in the general aquarium or
Photo courtesy of Mote Marine Laboratory
Mote has two resident diamondback terrapins, Cecil and Pearl. They have two babies on display in the temporary exhibit. Diamondback terrapins lay about 18 eggs at a time.
temporary exhibit. Species of jellyfish, pipefish, sharks and garden eels that have never been shown at Mote before can be found in the temporary exhibit. Mouth and pouch brooding, egglaying and broadcast spawning are among the reproductive behaviors that are exhibited at “Oh Baby!” Many of these behaviors are studied by Mote
scientists as part of conservation efforts. “The idea for this exhibit was very cute,” thesis student and marine biology AOC, Sean Patton, said. “There was a lot of empty space between certain exhibits, which was mildly awkward,
continued on p. 11
Mote Marine celebrates its 60th Anniversary BY KATELYN GRIMMETT In the midst of their 60th anniversary and the undertaking of a corresponding fundraiser called “Oceans of Opportunity,” Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium grieves for a special member of its family: the famous “Shark Lady” Eugenie Clark, founder of Mote, who passed away last Wednesday at age 92. Despite this loss, Mote carries on strong with its active and impressive agenda. Clark was an extraordinary woman. A dedicated and innovative marine scientist, she was the author of best-sellers as well as hundreds of scientific papers and the leader of many advanced scuba dives. On her last birthday, turning 91, Clark naturally went scuba diving. Strong and involved with Mote to the end, Clark lived to see the 60th anniversary and celebration of her lab. The president and CEO of Mote, Michael Crosby, announced plans for a Eugenie Clark Day of Celebration in the near future. On Thursday, Jan. 22, Mote started their 60th anniversary with a celebration and announcement of a prestigious new $50 million fundraising campaign focused on expanding the lab’s impact on marine education. The campaign reveals a vital moment for the Mote’s science and education goals and can only clear the way for more endeavors and result in remarkable effects on the local community and even the world. “Whether Mote is monitoring
Photo courtesy of Mote Marine Laboratory
Coral catsharks and epaulette sharks are housed in the shark touch tank. Pictured here is an epaulette shark, distinguishable by the large spots above its pectoral fins.
for red tide, rescuing endangered animals, assessing the health of our marine ecosystems or reaching out to school children across the U.S., the missions of Mote serve us all,” Judy Graham, a Mote trustee and 60th anniversary chair, said to Mote.org. “Mote and the community support each other – that is what Oceans of Opportunity is all about,” she added. Looking back from 1955, when Clark began Mote Marine as a oneroom lab, all the way to the beginning of this prosperous year for Mote, the sheer growth and development of the nonprofit organization is inspiring. “Oceans of Opportunity” aims to fire this growth forward and, with the funding, achieve their vision for expansion in
the lab’s directing blueprint, the 2020 Vision and Strategic plan. This plan includes goals such as adding more Ph.D. scientists to the team of now 35, employing more staff, sustaining the lab’s group of 1,600 volunteers, and increasing its annual economic impact in Florida from $86.8 million to $145.801 million. Mote hopes to expand its local and global science to support sustainable use of marine resources and develop its research enterprise. As of January, the community has already donated generously and helped the campaign reach $30 million of its goal. In addition to this fruitful fundraiser, Mote has partnered up with Positive Tracks, a national and youth-
centric nonprofit, to create a $37,000 youth fundraising challenge that leads up to the 29th Annual Run for the Turtles 5K. “We are looking for runners for our event, especially runners under 23 years old because every dollar raised by participants under 23 is doubled by Positive Tracks,” Chris Pfahler, Positive Tracks coordinator for Mote, said. “Runners can register and create teams on www.active.com.” The partnership encourages the youth of southwest Florida to give back to the ocean and learn about Mote’s research and programs. All proceeds will be donated to Mote’s sea turtle conservation and research efforts in Sarasota. This fundraiser allows for all kinds of creative ideas for raising money and leading to experiencing philanthropy firsthand. While a partaker can ask individuals or businesses to support them as runners, inventing new ways of fundraising is supported as well. Either way, every dollar raised by participants under 23 is matched by Positive Tracks. Pfahler’s son raised money for the cause through Pogoing for Pennies and exceeded his goal of $200. Other ideas for funding could include bake sales, art shows, dance competitions or even dodge-ball play-offs. The fundraiser culminates April 4 with the 5K run for Turtles so Positive Tracks and Mote encourage getting started on fundraising ideas as soon as possible.
CATALYST
Wall previews BY GIULIA HEYWARD Friday, March 6: Broads All Abroad - Sydnie Petteway & Bailey Peterson Broads All Abroad Wall, hosted by third-years Sydnie Petteway and Bailey Peterson, is a welcome back party for students who have finally returned after having studied abroad either fall semester or during the Independent Study Project (ISP). “Most of my close friends and I were abroad in various countries last semester, so this seemed like a great way to celebrate being back together as well as our time abroad,” Petteway said. Saturday, March 7: Holi Wall - Jubin Shah, Blake West, & CJ Lee The Holi Wall, hosted by exchange student Jubin Shah and second-years Blake West and Cornell “CJ” Lee, is inspired by Holi festivals celebrated in different parts of the world, most notably India. “By interacting with students at New College, I see there is quite a demand for students to have a taste of the Indian culture,” Shah said. “However Indian culture is much more than sitars, yoga and incense. Visit Mumbai today and you will see the current culture is quite American; however with more fashion, vegetarian food and Bollywood dancing.” Wall attendees can expect music, water balloons and other activities that depict the spirit of the traditional Holi festival.
3/4 Librarians Who Lunch Ham Center 12 p.m. Repurposed Art Exhibit Ringling 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers Ed Smith Stadium 1 p.m. Hillel Club HCL 7 p.m.
FEATURES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
PAGE 10
Indie makeup: A beauty alternative BY BIANCA BENEDI Cosmetics are a booming industry, generating more than $56 billion in the U.S. alone. Major brand names take most of the share, with companies like L’Oreal dominating the market. Bigname makeup brands including Nars, Urban Decay, Maybelline and Covergirl are familiar to makeup consumers. The world of makeup, however, extends beyond what can be found in Sephora, and companies like Shiro Cosmetics, Detrivore and Fyrrinae are finding their niche. Indie makeup companies are booming. Small and usually run by a handful of people at most, these companies make comparatively smaller batches of their products than large companies, almost always at cheaper prices, and with far more customer service (given that the customerto-employee ratio is typically much smaller). Products range from loose eye shadows and nail polish to bath soaps and perfumes. Second-year Allya Yourish started making her own nail polishes about three years ago. Starting off as a nail polish blogger reviewing major companies, Yourish’s move into the nail polish making business placed her in small company. “I got into the business before indie cosmetics boomed, so there weren't actually many places for me to have purchased from at that time,” Yourish said. Learning how to make nail polishes was trial and error. “I had to just figure it out myself. I knew what kind of base I needed, but figuring out appropriate pigments and glitters had a learning curve,” Yourish said. Yourish's company, Paints, has sold about 200 bottles so far. "The colors I design myself – noncustom ones – are more interesting
Photo courtesy of Allya Yourish
Allya’s Paints focuses on glittery, shimmery nail polishes which can be custom-ordered.
and unique than anything else on the market," Yourish explains, stating that the increased range of options is what draws customers to indie companies. And indie companies are rapidly improving to meet or exceed the standards set by mainstream companies. Life's Entropy, a science-themed company started in 2014, has released in their first few months products similar to OCC liptars, Anastasia Beverly Hill dipbrow and NARS Audacious lipsticks. Companies like Shiro and Victorian Disco release products themed after popular cultural references like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, and the variety of perfumes available is dizzying. Silk Cosmetics offers foundations in several different colors and undertones, and the owner of the company encourages potential customers to email a photo of themselves and receive a personalized approximation of what
foundation colors might work for them. Sample sizes of products are almost universal for being significantly cheaper than the full sized products, and many companies will throw in extra samples or treats for customers. Indie makeup is also subject to many of the problems found in bigger companies. Successful indie Lime Crime Cosmetics has been under fire recently for a major credit card security breach, as well as long lasting allegations of claiming products are vegan when they are not, unsanitary working practices, selling repackaged product at a significant markup and harassing reviewers. Nevertheless, the indie trend is expanding, with new companies and a customer base growing steadily.
EVENTS: MARCH 4 - 11 3/5
Ringling Underground Ringling Museum 8 p.m. Full Moon Walk Crowley Natural History Center 8:45 p.m.
3/6
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles Charlotte Sports Park 1 p.m. Dali and Beyond Film Series The Dali Museum 6 p.m. Broads All Abroad Wall Palm Court 10 p.m.
3/7
The Abortion Diaries Sudakoff Center 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Vagina Monologues Sainer Auditorium 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
3/8
Daylight Savings Remember to turn your clocks forward an hour! Film Screeening HCL 7 5:30 p.m.
3/9
STOP Meeting Gender and Diversity Center 9 p.m.
3/10
Open Mic Growlers 9 p.m.
3/11 Thesis Crunch WRC 10 p.m.
Sumi-e Exhibit Marie Selby Botanical Gardens All Day
Want your event to be featured on our calendar? Email ncfcatalyst@gmail.com by the Friday prior to your event.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
JUMPS PAGE 11
Presidents CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 different idea of what is fun.” “We are really behind the cultural exchange affair,” Pellaton said. “That would involve bringing together a bunch of club heads and trying to figure out what the school needs. How will you make changes to Title IX? “The conflict of interest that many students saw is that Dean Murray is our Dean of Students and also our Title IX investigator,” Statham said. “That was a problem, because he interacted with students on multiple levels. Murray is opening the pool of investigators to several other individuals in student affairs and he is going to open it up to other faculty and interested staff.” Statham hopes this will lead to more diversity among investigators, so NCF students who come forward can feel more comfortable. The position will be opened up to five or six people and there will be two people on the case. The co-presidents expressed that they had a meeting the next day to discuss the involvement of students in the investigator hiring process. What’s going on with the CWC? “We met the beginning of January with the CWC to create a peer education program,” Statham said. “We initially met with them to try and alleviate some of the weight that the CWC has with all the counseling, but after meeting with them we realized that would not be the best way to frame what we were trying to do, however the peer education program is meant to reduce mental health stigma and form a cohesive group of students who can talk together.” Both Statham and Pellaton explained that the CWC would have to face the reality that the University of South Florida will be pulling funding from the center at some point in the next five years. There has also been talk of getting the CWC off students’ health fee and onto the Education General Fund. “Fixing it in the current is hoping to convince student health fee committee and BOT by 7-8 percent whatever maximum health raise,” Pellaton said. “Something really has to
be set foundationally if we are going to move forward and offer the same services to the student body.” What will you do with the Forum? “As it stands there are no official plans for the Forum,” Pellaton said. “We have gauged in the last couple months that students have said that the Forum has been incredibly hostile and a lot of students have approached us about it,” Statham said. “We are interested in looking to see what other students want to do with the Forum.” “We are not getting rid of the Forum, we are not planning a large censoring of the Forum” Pellaton said. “We don’t have any plans to delete the Forum, and believe it is helpful when students are using it in a healthy and proactive way […] We have to go with the student body opinion.” What are you going to do about the hiring process for a new cabinet? “We are trying to do it in the most non-biased and transparent way possible,” Pellaton said. “Largely we felt that it was kind of uncomfortable to maintain a cabinet where they had not gone through the formal processes.” Both Statham and Pellaton expressed that their ultimate goal is that there is a cabinet that works well together and best with them. “We are very adamant about making sure that the current cabinet is reapplying,” Pellaton said. “Because we definitely feel that they come with very strong qualifications and backgrounds that we want to continue to keep.” The co-presidents said they are meeting with applicants next week. They said the current cabinet is in favor of the plan, and that Serrell and Rib would have handled the hiring process similarly. Applicants can submit an old application, resubmit an application or edit their current one. Will you run again in the future? “We would have to make that decision in the next couple of months,” Pellaton said. “If we chose to run again we will have to be in another election in mid April.”
Librar y
Fulbright
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
Doherty said. “And given our situation, we really need to have that extra layer of security.” “The security guard is not someone who is going to confront students, or do much of anything except be here to deter anything and to contact the police if the need comes about,” Doherty said. “But we need to have a security guard funded for the extra hour that we understand the students want the library open for. The funding is $15 an hour, so it is not unbelievably expensive.” With Doherty standing firm in his demand for a security guard, newly appointed co-presidents Pellaton and Statham are addressing the situation as a student priority. “We are currently working with Dannie Benedi, our vice president of relations and financial affairs, and our Vice President of Academic Affairs Kira Rib, and the library head Brian Doherty, to try to rectify the situation,” Pellaton said. While she would like to get late hours back, the 4 a.m. closing time may be a stretch. “There was talk for a while of the NCSA extending late hours to 4 a.m., but after a student survey we found out that that wasn’t necessarily a popular idea or the library wasn’t getting as utilized during those hours of 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.,” Pellaton said. “I can definitely see the NCSA extending late night hours until 2 a.m..” “Largely it does become a budget question, about whether or not the NCSA has the ability to fund those hours,” Pellaton said. While the library may not stay open until 4 a.m. like it did last semester, progress is being made to get late hours back – even in a limited capacity. With the NCSA having to pay for both the students who staff the library during late night hours and the security guard that Doherty demands, late hours might not be able to stay the same. Progress is being made, however, and a new plan for late library hours might be agreed upon and implemented soon enough.
change. Gottlieb gave an engaging lecture. About 15 people were in attendance. “I thought Nora’s presentation and paper did a really great job at bringing awareness of a refugee migration that I was not previously aware of,” third-year Garrett Murto said in an email interview. “Furthermore, I think it was very important that her discussion centered around the clash of long term political goals and immediate humanitarian goals. It’s a theme that is sure to be important to be understood in many other humanitarian aid scenarios.” Gottlieb currently works at the Chicago Department of Environmental Health and Safety Management. She noted that the two main projects she works with are access to worker’s compensation and community based health in a primarily Latino area. According to Vesperi, Gottlieb researched New College before she came. She was impressed by how informed students were on a variety of topics and the questions that they asked. “Dr. Gottlieb gave a beautifully organized and insightful presentation, and it was really valuable to hear her experiences as someone who not only researched the clinic, but spent considerable time volunteering there,” second-year Christina Harn said. Information for this article was taken from cies.org
[INSERT YOUR AD HERE] Interested in advertising with the Catalyst?
EMAIL US at ncfcatalyst@gmail.com
Baby fish CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 but the animals all looked well. The adults were breeding, which is a sign of good health. Mote has always had a very good pipefish and seahorse program.” Of particular interest to guests, volunteers and staff alike are the garden eels. As with a number of other species at the aquarium, Eugenie “Genie” Clark, the founder of Mote Marine, studied garden eels. “They’re fantastic animals that display one of the reproductive types: broadcast spawning,” Barniskis said. “It’s a tremendous exhibit. We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from visitors on the garden eel exhibit.” According to Ewing, another exhibit that has been eliciting comments is the new shark touch tank. She notes that most of the sharks in the tank were acquired from other aquariums. However a couple of the sharks have since been born at Mote. There are egg casings on display that are backlit so visitors can see the embryos’ movements. “I think it’s cool that the exhibit has a theme,” first-year Kaylynn Low said. “I didn’t know Mote did themed exhibits. It was very informative. I feel like I learned a lot.” The exhibit is open until Sept. 27. Mote Marine Aquarium is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The ticket price for adults is $19.75. Information for this article was provided by Mote Marine Laboratory.
CATALYST
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst
THE BACK PAGE
PAGE 12
Set It Off begins Glamour Kills Tour BY CAITLYN RALPH At some live shows the connection between a band and its fans is tangible. Sustained by the venue’s atmosphere, the act’s willingness, and the crowd’s response, these concerts integrate performance and experience, uniting a space into a single encapsulation of energy. Tampa natives Set It Off successfully blurred the line between performers and audience last Thursday with an impressive start to this year’s Glamour Kills “Spring Break” tour. Indie clothing label Glamour Kills emphasizes the blend of music and style by annually hosting its own tour, headlined in the past by The Wonder Years, We Are The In Crowd and Mayday Parade. At the Orpheum , an exposed brick exterior bleeds into a wooden interior, framing the stage as a focal point and merging the concert hall setting with a private club feel. Up-and-coming locals Airsickness opened the show. By immediately beginning their set with crowd engagement, charismatic frontman Owen Jago established a good mood for the rest of the strong performance. The band will be back headlining The Orpheum on Sat., March 28 for the release of their EP “Between All the Lies.” UK pop-punkers As It Is followed with a fun, bouncy and exciting set. Lead singer Patty Walters commanded the stage with his endless energy, involving the crowd constantly. After recording their debut album in Florida last October, this show marked an important milestone for the newcomers: their first time performing in America. “For any UK pop-punk band, to play anywhere in America, is a dream, so to do it alongside Against The Current and Set It Off on the Glamour Kills tour is surreal,” Walters said. “It was beyond our expectations, and we had a brilliant freaking time.”
New Yorkers Against The Current continued the night of career benchmarks with their first show in Tampa. Lead singer Chrissy Costanza did a great job entertaining the crowd. Their cover of “Uptown Funk” featuring Set It Off frontman Cody Carson, recently posted on the band’s YouTube channel, was the centerpiece of the overall solid set. Set It Off has not played a hometown show since May of last year, adding to the evening’s exhilaration. “I always look forward to their shows at The Orpheum because it feels like homecoming,” Orpheum owner and alum Jerry Dufrain (‘89) said. “This time Set It Off are just returning from a successful tour in Europe and they are going out on what I think is their biggest most high profile headlining tour. So there is an air of excitement for this show.” Set It Off, once again, exceeded all expectations. “Forever Stuck in Our Youth,” the perfect song to start a set on the “Spring Break” tour, captured the quintessential, carefree “live while you’re young” mentality in a chorus that proclaims “I’m on a permanent vacation” and “I don’t owe an explanation.” The performance contained newer material, understandable since their newest album “Duality” is still so fresh, but not without throwing in some oldies to satisfy demands of the more seasoned fans. During “Breathe In, Breathe Out,” the house went crazy as frontman Carson did his signature “crowd walk” where he literally, as the title suggests, walks on the crowd. Early into the show, before playing the vibrant song, Carson notified the audience of the band’s newest music video for “Ancient History” by thanking director and longtime friend Freddy Marschall. “We had 150-plus Set It Off fans on set, and they were cooperative,” Marschall, a Tampa cinematographer,
Caitlyn Ralph/Catalyst
Clermont on acoustic guitar and Carson on vocals for a special melody of the songs ‘Swan Song’ and ‘Horrible Kids’ during the encore.
Caitlyn Ralph/Catalyst
Clermont on acoustic guitar and Carson on vocals for a special melody of the songs ‘Swan Song’ and ‘Horrible Kids’ during the encore.
said about the music video. “They seemed to be very down to earth fans that would do anything to help the band.” One of those extras was avid Set It Off fan, and sister of the author, Charlotte Ralph. “The exhilarating feeling of walking onto your favorite band’s set for a music video is one you'll never forget,” Ralph said. “With Set It Off being so grateful and kind about each and every one of us coming, it soothed the nerves and made the experience just that much better.” “The band has done a very good job at making the fans feel like they are a part of all the band’s endeavors,” Marschall said. This fact was apparent by Set It Off’s performance, particularly for the anthem “Dream Catcher” and its followup “Tomorrow,” which featured a duet with Against The Current frontwoman Costanza. In accordance with the songs’ inspiring lyrics, Carson spits a bitingly salient speech, encouraging the crowd to follow their dreams and write their future with tenacity, devotion, and perseverance, just like they did, no matter the obstacles. For kids who may not have the luxury of hearing those powerful words in their personal lives, the message is representative of the important impact musicians can have on their fan base. Dufrain touched on Set It Off’s example of hard work and success that Carson referenced. “It feels like the guys are on the brink of really breaking through after years of hard work,” he said. “I'm glad The Orpheum can be a small part of that.” “I personally can relate to a lot of Set It Off's music and lyrics,” Carrigan Vanboekhout, also an extra in the band’s music video, said. “I feel like they get me more than anyone else."
The encore began with a special acoustic melody of “Swan Song” and, a personal favorite, “Horrible Kids” by Carson and guitarist Dan Clermont. After a night full of crowd surfers and stage divers, Set It Off ended with their most popular single off “Duality,” “Why Worry,” escalating the energy in the room to an indescribable level. The band always seems sincerely star struck by the increasing popularity. Playing in Tampa causes Carson to forget his words on stage, leaving him speechless. “I hadn't really listened to any of the bands much before the concert, but it was still so much fun, and I want to listen to them more now. All the bands were full of energy and played really well,” Glamour Kills tour attendee and first-year transfer Addie Allen said. “I definitely want to see Set It Off again. They were the highlight of the show for sure!“ “I have been booking the boys in Set It Off since some of them were in high school,” Dufrain said. “It is one of the most gratifying professional experiences in my life to see a young hungry bunch of kids grow into the national touring unit that they are today.” “Working with bands and artists and watching them develop and evolve is one of the many perks of this job,” Dufrain added. From pop-punkers Airsickness and As It Is to pop-rockers Against The Current and Set It Off, the Glamour Kills tour boasted a diverse bill of new acts that all have the potential, a combination of looks and hooks, to dominate the scene in the next few years. Each valued the importance of crowd engagement and interaction, resulting in a show that everyone, fans and bands alike, will remember for a while.