Spring 2020 - Issue 5

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CATALYST MARCH 11, 2020 VOLUME XL ISSUE V

New College of Florida's student-run newspaper

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Merger bill dies in House due to lack of Senate support

BY JACOB WENTZ House Bill (HB) 7087, which would merge New College and Florida Polytechnic University into the University of Florida (UF), was officially declared dead in the Florida Legislature on Friday, March 6. This declaration came before a scheduled floor vote on Monday, March 9 and after the bill passed two House committees. No companion bill was ever introduced in the Senate.

“It wasn’t going to get the support in the Senate so we abandoned it,” House Speaker José Oliva said after the House adjourned late Friday evening. “It’s a shame, but that’s the process.”

Proponents of the bill argued that the state spends too much money on New College and Florida Polytechnic. Bill sponsor Rep. Randy Fine (R-Palm Bay), cited an “obligation to taxpayers to generate degrees at the lowest possible cost.”

The Tuesday before the session,

Photo courtesy of Ellie Young

Students approach the Florida Capitol building in Tallahassee to advocate for independence on Tuesday, Feb. 25. "I was proud to stand with students, parents, alumni and faculty to advocate for New College's independence," Rep. Margaret Good said.

Florida TaxWatch, an independent, nonpartisan taxpayer research institute and government watchdog, urged the Legislature to “pump the breaks” until a better understanding of any cost savings and the effects of the mergers on Florida’s economic and workforce goals became avail-

able. The organization noted “the optics are bad” because the introduction of the bill mid-session made it look like “the fix is in for Florida Poly and New College.”

“I think that this is proof that advocacy matters,” Rep. Margaret Good (D-Sarasota) said, referencing

student, parent, faculty and alumni opposition to the bill. “We were able to highlight the issue in such a way that TaxWatch prepared that report that I think was really valuable in advocacy efforts.”

Three amendments were proposed to the bill before it was postponed on Friday. Good proposed the first at 12:39 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4. The amendment called for a study to be conducted by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to analyze the impact of a merger on the three institutions and their students.

“The reason I proposed that amendment was because I wanted to be able to talk about the fact that there was no evidence that this was going to save Florida any money; that there was no evidence that New College would be able to retain its high quality education; that it would continued on p. 10

Emerging coronavirus cases spur Florida health concerns

BY CHUCK LEAVENGOOD

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On Sunday, March 1, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a public health emergency in the state of Florida after two “presumptively positive” cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) were found in a man in his 60s in Manatee County and a woman in her 20s in Hillsborough County who had traveled to Italy. One of the individuals with the virus was treated at Doctors Hospital of Sarasota.

As of March 9, there have been 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Florida and two deaths. Both of the people who passed away were in their 70s. There have not been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

“We know we’ll get through this,” President and CEO of Sarasota Memorial Hospital David Verinder said in a press conference on March

WHAT’S INSIDE

Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency and announced he expected the state to receive $27 million in federal funding to help fight the spread of the virus.

3 with Vern Buchanan.

Public Information Officer of the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County (DOH) Steve Huard stated that the DOH is monitoring health trends on a daily basis in case

6 Fashion Show

the virus spreads to Sarasota.

“DOH Sarasota is preparing for the possibility that COVID-19 may become a global pandemic and ensuring that local plans, resources and capabilities are in place to respond to

8 Josh Groban

a widespread outbreak and lessen the impacts on Florida’s communities,” Huard said.

The Sarasota Memorial Hospital stated that it is following CDC protocols for the virus.

According to Director of Marketing and Communications Anne Comer-Woods, New College is also following these protocols. Program Director of the Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC) Anne Fisher and Interim Dean of Student Affairs Randy Harrell have been in contact with Sarasota County Emergency Management.

Florida ranks as the 39th most prepared state for public health disasters. Some of the largest public health issues tied to the economy are lack of paid-time off to prevent the spread of the disease and uninsured continued on p. 10

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BRIEFS BY SOPHIA BROWN

Calling all creeps, Moonlight Motel brings late-night horror movies to campus Welcome to the Moonlight Motel, a midnight movie club that favors everything obscure, campy and aesthetically intricate. Run by third-year Dorn Martell, the Moonlight Motel offers a uniquely creepy viewing experience every Saturday at 11:30 p.m. in HCL 8 since Feb. 15.

Martell says that he doesn’t consider himself a film expert, but has an affinity for pretentiously artsy or “schlocky” B-movies so underground that no one has ever heard of them, including Martell himself.

Martell takes inspiration from a Miami movie theater called the Nite Owl as well as local neighborhood businesses along Tamiami Trail. He is dedicated to keeping up the “latenight TV horror” tradition.

“It’s very 1950s-motel inspired because we live essentially in the motel district in Sarasota,” said Martell.

“I wanted a slightly grimy late-night feeling.”

Martell is taking suggestions for potential movies to screen and is currently working through a back-

log of films. He takes care to prescreen each film before adding it to his queue to ensure they get proper content warnings and to make sure the film is “bad” without being a downright miserable experience. His favorite part of each meeting are the discussions the films inspire.

“Watching a movie by yourself, you’re kind of stuck up in your head in terms of your own interpretations,” said Martell. “But once you watch a movie and you’re able to gauge how other people react to it, it can open

up how you see the film and you can get more interpretations of it.”

Martell plans to continue these screenings until he graduates and welcomes all students to visit him on Saturday nights at HCL 8, “the best seat in the house,” he says.

“The Moonlight Motel is always calling for more creeps,” said Martell, sporting the tagline on Moonlight Motel advertisements. “As many creeps as we can physically fit into HCL 8 are nice.”

Writing Over Spilled Tea extends Friday WRC hours Thesis students and Student Writing Assistants (SWAs) Bailey Cowden and Nora Flower recently kickstarted Writing Over Spilled Tea. Held in the Writing Resource Center (WRC) every Friday from 3 to 5 p.m., this writing group provides a casual space for students to do work, write or just drop in for tea outside of official WRC hours.

Cowden and Flower have both been SWAs for two and a half years.

Writing Over Spilled Tea is their final SWA project or “SWA-ject,” a specialized writing group each SWA is required to organize. The two have collaborated to hold meetings in the late afternoon and provide tea to attendees whereas previously the WRC only served coffee. Cowden and Nora are sure to include both an herbal and a caffeinated option for every meeting and favor cold brew tea to

combat the warmer weather.

“Clearly the most important part is the puns,” Flower said when asked why they chose to serve tea.

“The fact that it’s easy to make it into a pun was a big selling point. But [it’s also] another beverage we can have in the WRC.” While Writing Over Spilled Tea is technically a writing group, Cowden and Flower also welcome students who just want to sample the tea that week.

“We do encourage people to come in and grab some tea even if they can’t stay, because we have tea to share with them and also because it does help them at least to get into the WRC,” Flower said. “Some of them have never even been into our room before so that’s exciting to bring them in for the first time.”

Cowden and Flower also offer

Photo courtesy of Bailey Cowden

Cowden (pictured) and Flower started this group as their final SWA project.

basic peer instruction during these meetings to those seeking it.

“We’re also there as SWAs if people need help with writing specif-

ically,” said Cowden. “We wouldn’t be doing any one-on-one appointments, but we can answer quick questions about writing.”

First-year students rekindle T(rans) Party First-years Lee Collings, Charley Frey and Javier Nunez have rekindled New College’s transgender support group, T Party, after the torch was passed along to them by original host, thesis student Elan Works.

Collings, Frey and Nunez now aim to continue what Works had started and provide trans students a place on campus to call their own.

T Party has acted as a support group with a variety of events keeping trans needs in mind. Notable past events have included clothing

exchanges and shopping trips to Goodwill. Collings, Frey and Nunez had all been interested in T Party during orientation in the fall, but when official meetings never started, they reached out to Works and decided to take up the responsibility of running it themselves.

“We were like, ‘We want this thing to happen. If you’re okay with it, we’re going to take it over,’” said Frey, describing their conversation with Works.

All three aim to continue mar-

"Man 2002 hits different." © 2020 the Catalyst. All rights reserved.

The Catalyst is available online at www.ncfcatalyst.com, facebook.com/NCFcatalyst instagram.com/NCFcatalyst twitter.com/ncfcatalyst The Catalyst is an academic tutorial sponsored by Professor Maria D. 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 Division of Social Sciences.

keting T Party as a safe place for trans students and continue hosting the same type of events Works did.

“We definitely want to keep the support group [aspect],” Frey said.

“It’s good to have a place where trans people can come and unload about all of the stress that they feel.”

On the other hand, Collings, Frey and Nunez also have plans to introduce original events into T Party’s schedule. One example is T Party and Chill, the club’s debut event on Feb. 19 which they hope to make re-

Editor in Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Layout Editors Staff Writers & Photographers

Jacob Wentz Anna Lynn Winfrey Claire Newberg Cait Matthews & Sergio Salinas Sophia Brown, John Cotter, Vianey Jaramillo, Chuck Leavengood, Ky Miller, Sofia Lombardi, Willa Tinsley, & Hayley Vanstrum

curring. Working with the Pride Hall LLC to spread the word, T Party and Chill provided all interested students in attendance with tea, decoratable squishes and a place within T Party as its newest set of members.

A more regular schedule will be available to students later this week, but Collings, Frey and Nunez intend to keep T Party going for as long as they can.

Direct submissions, letters, announcements and inquiries to: The Catalyst 5800 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, Florida 34243 catalyst@ncf.edu The Catalyst reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, space and style.

No anonymous submissions will be accepted.

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Residential Life anticipates increase in cost of housing

BY IZAYA GARRET MILES There are 11 dorm buildings on campus, where roughly four out of every five students regularly reside.

On-campus housing is the largest expense that an in-state student will pay and will very likely be increasing for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The Board of Trustees (BOT) has yet to decide on what the size of this increase will be and students, with the deadline to apply for off-campus housing past, are left uncertain of how much they will need to pay.

“We anticipate an increase,” Mark Stier, Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs, said in an email interview. “Housing prices typically are discussed every other year with the Board of Trustees. We alternate with Dining Services. This year it is Housing's turn.”

Stier did not reply when asked for an estimate of what that increase would be.

According to the 2018-2019 Factbook, the most recent Factbook available on the college’s website, 79 percent of students are living on campus, with the percentage increasing to 92 percent of first-years.

The vast majority of students live on campus, and this is unlikely to

Jacob Wentz/Catalyst

Concerned students can schedule a meeting with Mark Stier in HCL 1.

change for next year. Student Affairs very much encourages this situation, boasting of the boons that on-campus housing can bring to students: the application for off-campus housing states that on-campus students have superior grades, express greater satisfaction with their overall college experience, utilize campus resources to a larger degree and enjoy “a strong sense of camaraderie and community.”

New College encourages oncampus housing to the extent that it is mandated by default for all students that are not over 24, married, pregnant, parents, military veterans with more than two years of service, already living within 30 minutes of New College or living with a disability “that cannot be reasonably accommodated in residential housing” per the determination of the Office of Disability Services.

“Compared to the housing in the area [the price of on-campus housing] is much higher,” third-year Adam Johnson said. “Which is why a lot of people want to live off campus.

They’re not able to, because [New College] artificially restricts us from being able to live off campus.”

The current price of student housing varies widely, depending on what style of room a student chooses. The cheapest option is a Pei Triple (with roommates assigned by the college), costing $5,197 a year, and the most expensive option being a studio single, which costs $9,736 a year.

Renovations will be continuing into the next year, with several rooms located in Pei 1 being reopened. Due to a flaw in the design of the rooms, many rooms in Pei 1 were shut down for this year while renovations could be done. In addition, there were repeated concerns over mildew and mold festering inside the rooms, though there was no immediate cause for concern according to Student Affairs. There was serious water damage in the floor and the ceilings of some rooms that needed addressing, but general renovations were due.

Student launches interactive online edible plant library

BY KY MILLER The glistening, royal violet skin of ripe mulberries greets curious foragers viewing the first frame of third-year Kendall Southworth’s interactive edible plant library, which was officially published on the New College website in February. The edible plant library is the combination of an interactive map and a library of ecological knowledge, lush with personal stories and poetry submitted by students and alumni as well as the natural history of each of the edible plant species around the New College campus.

Visitors can click through the map and virtually visit each location with a species of edible plant while simultaneously viewing photos, reading creative submissions and natural histories of each species.

Some notable fruiting plant species in the map include Malay Apple, Lychee, Tamarind and Imbe, the last of which is one of the rarest fruits that can be found on campus.

Southworth, who studies Environmental Studies and East Asian Religions, began the edible plant library as Independent Study Project in January 2020, but the project quickly blossomed into a community-centered, ongoing initiative to make ecological knowledge and re-

sources on campus more accessible, permanent parts of students’ lives at New College.

Southworth said that she recognized early on that she deeply valued a relationship with nature “that isn’t just based off of what you can get from it, but mutual connectedness and exchange.” As Southworth’s time at New College grew longer, she developed an intimate knowledge of the campus environment and “realized that there was this disconnect fundamentally between the campus community and this landscape that we are a part of, whether we’re conscious of it or not.”

Southworth’s inspiration for the edible plant library was the need to address that disconnect and to preserve fundamental oral knowledge about the New College environment in a permanent way that would be accessible to future generations rather than isolated within the circles of “a small handful of Environmental Studies AOCs who survive off mulberries and only wear Birkenstocks.”

The wisdom and traditions that make the New College community so special are most commonly spread through this kind of student-to-student storytelling. Southworth recognized that while oral tradition has its place as a cherished avenue of knowledge-spreading among the campus

community, it could also be limiting, circulating within closed groups and, if not spread to others, “lost to the four winds.”

Originally Southworth planned to create signs for each of the edible plant species around campus, but after speaking to Physical Plant Facilities Planning Coordinator Angela McTigue (’19), Southworth decided to pursue the project in a digital format using her prior knowledge of the interactive mapping software StoryMapJS. The software includes the ability to feature photographs and information about each of the edible plants and, incorporated into the website, represented an opportunity to have a longer-lasting, dynamic resource for campus natural history.

Max Kucera and other students and alumni suggested Southworth ask for submissions of personal stories, poetry and anything else inspired by the edible plant species on campus, which Southworth accomplished by calling for submissions on the Forum and reaching out to NCF Daimon, an alumni Facebook page.

Southworth received almost 100 responses, ranging from alums describing fond memories with specific species, such as the mulberry trees, to congratulating Southworth’s initiative as a necessary, beautiful project a long time in the making.

Past students, such as Orion Morton (‘13), have also created edible plant maps for the New College community. Morton’s 2015 map was made using ArcGIS and included edible leaf vegetables as well as fruit trees. Many of the species are still there, and Southworth’s map has incorporated and expanded the scope of Morton’s in order to create a more comprehensive collection accessible for student use.

As more and more students and alums submitted their stories, Southworth’s interactive edible plant library came to fruition as the readily-accessible web page that students can access today, because, as Southworth emphasized, “it’s not just about the knowledge I’ve gained and can share, but it’s this entire community interaction” creating and preserving sources of ecological knowledge and community stories that might otherwise be inaccessible.

One such story, Steven Lubka’s (’13), took place in the Northeast backyard of the Four Winds Café, which is home to a special collection of 10 mango trees planted in the shape of a star. The mango trees were planted to honor and remember Kit Reilly, a well-loved, mango-loving continued on p. 12

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Travel influencer Jessica Nabongo visits campus

BY WILLA TINSLEY Jessica Nabongo is an entrepreneur, travel blogger, brand influencer and self-proclaimed first Black woman to visit every country in the world. On March 3, she arrived in Sarasota to give a presentation organized by the SA[u]CE Office and Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Ringling College of Art and Design.

“I’m gonna talk about who I am, the journey to every country in the world, which is what everyone cares about, and what I find to be the universal truths and how to create the life you want to live, which is what I did. That’s the meat and potatoes,” Nabongo explained.

Nabongo was born in Detroit, Mich. to Ugandan parents. Her love for travel emerged early on; Nabongo had already visited seven countries by her high school graduation. After completing her undergraduate degree in English literature (with a minor in advertising) at St. John’s College, Nabongo took a six-figure job selling pharmaceuticals back in Detroit. Although she felt that she had achieved “the American dream” by landing a lucrative career and buying her own home at such a young age,

Photo courtesy of the SA[u]CE Office Nabongo gave her talk in the Sainer Auditorium.

the work didn’t satisfy her.

At 23, Nabongo quit her job, began renting out her condo for extra income and left to teach English in Japan. Shortly thereafter, her travel blog (@thecatchmeifyoucan) was born. Thus began Nabongo’s journey of creating the life she wanted to live, which would eventually take her to all 195 recognized UN member countries and finally New College’s Mildred Sainer Pavilion.

After a period of travel, Nabongo made a four-year pit stop in Great Britain to study International Development at the London School of Economics.

“I couldn’t get a job, despite my

past work history and such an amazing institution,” Nabongo said. “I was dating a guy at the time who got an internship in Benin in West Africa, one of the poorest countries in the world. And I said, ‘I’ll just go with you.’ And so I did. We were living in rural Benin, and it was awful. We were there for six months. He was moving to rural Kenya after that, so I said, ‘I’m moving back to Europe, enjoy.’”

Nabongo went to Rome to work for the United Nations for a few years, then returned to the U.S. to work at a consulting firm in Washington, D.C. “USAID was my client and I was

absolutely miserable,” Nabongo said.

It was her first time living in America in seven years and she did not enjoy the tense political climate or the indoor office situation.

“It was my first time working in a US office space; cubicles are not my thing,” Nabongo said. “That was very difficult for me as well. I ended up quitting my job and I had to sue that company for racial discrimination—long story. And after that, I never worked for anyone else again.”

Nabongo is now a full-time travel influencer. After leaving her office job, Nabongo founded Jet Black, a “boutique travel agency” that focuses on tourism to Africa. She has since created The Catch, a “luxury lifestyle brand for that on-the-move jet-setter who wants to evoke style and sophistication as they reach their destination or for the person who just wants to bring a piece of the world home!” Her travels are funded by the proceeds from these businesses, her influencer contracts, various speaking engagements and miscellaneous hustling and the occasional GoFundMe page. continued on p. 10

Super Tuesday narrows the candidate field down to two Warren

Candidate Delegate Count

Biden

Super Tuesday was the tipping point for multiple candidates in the presidential race. Two leading candidates, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have dropped out. Bloomberg sent his support and resources to Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign. Senator Warren has yet to send support to either of the remaining candidates.

Massachusetts was a determining primary for Warren. Her home state was predicted to be a winning state for her, but this turned out to not be the case. Warren secured only 21 percent of the votes. This resulted in Warren receiving just 17 delegates from the state that she serves.

Sanders also experienced a surprise upset in Minnesota. Biden beat out Sanders by 10 whole points. Minnesota had polled extremely high with Sanders before Super Tuesday.

However the losses in Minnesota and Massachusetts should not overshadow Sanders’ victory in California. The Senator from Vermont secured 33 percent of the votes from the largest state in Super Tuesday.

Biden claimed victory after Super Tuesday. Solid victories in Texas, Massachusetts and Minnesota gave Biden the lead going into the next set of primaries. Biden was predicted to win the southern states like Alabama

and Tennessee. However his upsets in the northern states can be linked to events that happened before Super Tuesday.

Prior to Super Tuesday, Mayor Pete Butigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the race and sent their support to the Biden campaign, reducing the moderate vote down to two candidates. This led to a significant boost in Biden’s numbers. At the same time this hurt Sanders’s campaign. Sanders previously benefited from a torn moderate vote. Now that Biden is the only remaining moderate candidate Sanders now faces a united moderate opposition.

Professor of Political Science Jack Reilly had this to say, “Why Bernie looked so strong a week ago was because no one really imagined that Buttigieg and Klobuchar would drop out. It was [strategic move] to drop out when they did, before Super Tuesday and throw their support as strongly behind Biden in a way that would coalesce with such a strong [Super Tuesday] victory to produce this wave in just the right way”.

There are some existing concerns with the Biden campaign that have long plagued his race. Biden has struggled to fundraise and primarily relied on large donors to fund his campaign. This problem may be solved by Bloomberg dropping out

Sanders

BY JOHN COTTER

John Cotter/Catalyst

and supporting Biden. But the problems in the Biden campaign should not lead to voters underestimating him. “[Biden] won states where he didn't have a single field office, where he never had a campaign, where he never even made a meaningful appearance,” Professor Reilly said.

This in part is due to the recognition of his name. Biden has his history of being a senator for 40 years and vice-president to Barack Obama.

This name recognition has made him an easy choice for moderate voters.

This is something that previous candidates fought hard to obtain.

In the upcoming weeks voters

will be tuning in to the debates. They will see only two candidates on the stage. These debates have played a major role in voter’s decisions. It will be a major change following a debate stage that previously had more than four candidates battling for air time.

When asked what his predictions were for the Democratic Nominee, Professor Reilly was hesitant to name a winner: “If you look at the forecast for the primary there, it's hilariously jumping back and forth, they have been oversensitive because they're essentially trying to predict what is a fundamentally and largely chaotic process.”

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Giulia Heyward/Catalyst

OPINION: The argument

The Activist Newsletter

BY CHUCK LEAVENGOOD Throughout this month (March 11 onward), activists have the opportunity to participate in volunteering opportunities, early voting and more. Read on to find out how to be more politically, socially and environmentally active.

Wednesday, March 11 Planned Parenthood Sarasota: Monthly Volunteer Meeting @ 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

736 Central Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236 Planned Parenthood Sarasota strives to provide safe healthcare and reproductive knowledge to people in Sarasota.

During their next monthly volunteer meeting, there will be a table training session so that volunteers can table at Manatee Pride. For more information visit plannedparenthood.org or call the Sarasota location at (941) 9534060.

all supervisor of elections offices during business hours and at additional early voting locations.

The number for the Supervisor of Elections for Sarasota is (941) 861-8600. For more information and for additional voting locations, visit sarasotavotes.com.

Saturday, March 14 Monthly Flyering for Liberation Breakfast @ 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

1919 Dr Martin Luther King Way, Sarasota, FL 34234

Learn about how rising sea levels affect coastal Florida at the Ken Thompson Climate Walk.

Activities include plant and animal identification. Admission is $20 per walk, but there are discount codes on sarasotaaudubon.org for those interested in signing up for more than one walk. For more information call the park at (941) 263-6386.

On the third Saturday of every month, the Liberation Breakfast is held in Newtown by Answer Suncoast and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL).

Professionals, students, activists and community organizers gather together at the Newtown Estates Park to provide free breakfast and literature by authors of color.

The books are provided through donations from the group’s Amazon wishlist and cover topics such as Black empowerment, socialism and ways to organize communities against the violence and oppression caused by current U.S. and global power structures.

They can be checked out and then exchanged at each breakfast.

Saturday, March 14 End of Presidential Primary Early Voting @ 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Terrace Building, 2001 Adams Lane, Sarasota, FL 34237

Saturday, March 21 Manatee Pride Festival @ 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Riverwalk Pavilion & Event Area, 452 3rd Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34205

The Primary Election voting will occur over spring break, and that means that a lot of students registered to vote in Sarasota would not be able to participate.

Early voting makes participation in the Primary Elections possible for these students. There are a number of voting locations available, one of which is listed above. Vote-bymail ballots may be dropped into a secure drop box located inside

Join LGBT+ activists on Saturday March 21 at the Manatee Pride Festival. The festival is a fundraiser for the Prism Youth Initiative, which strives to provide a safe and supportive environment for the LGBT+ youth of Manatee County. The festival will include live entertainment, food and family fun. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit manateepride.com.

Friday, March 13 Ken Thompson Climate Walk @ 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Ken Thompson Park, 1700 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236

for ranked-choice voting OPINION BY SOFIA LOMBARDI With an unusually large presidential primary field, American voters are facing unique challenges in determining who their vote should go to. Rather than simply choosing their favorite candidate, voters often feel as if they have to account for “electability.” In the face of a narrowing field, many voters complicate their decision in an attempt to ensure their vote will go to a candidate who is viable, instead of prioritizing their preferred candidate.

Open primary elections present yet another issue for voters. In open primaries, any registered voter is able to cast a vote, leading many illintentioned voters to participate in primaries not for their preferred party affiliation, in an attempt to sway expected results. Seventeen states in the United States have completely open primary elections, and eleven states hold partially open primaries, meaning this issue is more commonplace than many believe it to be.

In a country wracked by not only issues like these, but extreme hyperpartisanship, a switch to rankedchoice voting incentivizes civility and compromise in elections, rather than polarizing toxicity. Rankedchoice voting largely accomplishes this through allowing voters more freedom than the current two-party system.

The traditional voting system in the United States works under the rule of a simple plurality, in which candidates are able to win an election without a true majority—this is especially common in crowded primary fields. Under this system, third-party and independent candidates have extremely narrow chances of winning, and high-dollar corporate candidates are in better luck than hardworking, grassroots ones.

How would a switch to rankedchoice voting differ from this system? Instead of voting for one candidate, these elections consist of voters typically ranking potential candidates in order of preference. When one candidate receives a majority of first-preference votes, they win, similar to the traditional system. However, in elections with more than two competitors, ranked-choice voting eliminates the candidate who came in last. Individuals who voted for this eliminated candidate have their votes counted for their second preference, then allowing for the re-tal-

lying of votes. This process continues until one candidate wins an outright majority. This system ensures fairer elections, in which independent and third-party candidates actually have a chance of winning, rather than detracting from “bigger” candidates.

Through allowing voters to rank their candidates, the traditional goals of campaigns are redirected as well. The majority of current political campaigns place an emphasis on motivating a specific voter base, and often harm other campaigns in attempts to distinguish themselves.

Under ranked-choice voting, more than just the voters’ first preference counts, leading campaigns to appeal to potential voters on all sides. This leads to more civil discourse among candidates, and encourages individuals who are not career politicians to run for office.

Additionally, ranked-choice voting helps to expand diversity amongst elected officials. Research has shown that with the implementation of ranked-choice voting, female candidates and candidates of color, particularly women of color, run and are elected at higher rates than in traditional elections.

Some critics of ranked-choice voting argue that the implementation of this system will lead to decreased voter turnout, particularly from low-income and minority voters. While this concern is valid, research conducted by Fair Vote has actually shown that the only demographic that may be significantly impacted by a switch to rank-choice voting are older voters, and that voter turnout is roughly the same as in traditional elections.

Forms of ranked-choice voting are used around the world by 11 countries and by 19 cities in the United States, with five more to be joining the group in the upcoming year. If you think that the United States should prioritize positive campaigning and fair elections over toxic partisanship and undemocratic values, join the movement to fight for ranked choice voting across America.

In 2007, the city of Sarasota passed a ballot initiative to implement ranked choice voting, but a lack of statecertified voting software has led to it not yet occurring. Find out how you can help at rankmyvoteflorida.org.

Information about early voting in Florida, including poling locations, can be found on p. 11.

NEW COLLEGE FASHION SHOW SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT STYLE

BY VIANEY JARAMILLO As the sun was setting, the Black Box Theater summoned all students to take a moment to watch their peers perform under blue and purple lights while they strutted the runway in an array of unique outfits.

A notable part of New College culture is reflected in the way students dress. There are a variety of styles students rock that are both trendy and original. However, stereotypes implemented to define the clothing styles at New College have caused students to question this aspect of the school’s culture. In an attempt to discover what those stereotypes are, a New College Fashion Show was held for the first time in the Black Box Theater on Saturday, Feb. 29 to celebrate the diversity of clothing students are drawn to wear.

The idea to host a Fashion Show came from third-year Tommy Finnan when he was told that he didn’t dress like a typical New College student.

“So it got me thinking, ‘Well, what does the typical New College student look like?’ and just by looking around you can tell right away that everyone dresses differently,”

Finnan said.

The Fashion Show consisted of 10 students who represented New College fashion. Some wore floral shirts, others wore tight fitting jeans, short shorts, baggy pants, light and dark colors; the choice of clothing differed among students.

“When I brought the idea up I didn’t think a lot of people would be that much behind it or support it, but I was very happy with the turn out,” Finnan said.

Thesis student Robert Chin, who walked the catwalk twice, presented two of his go-to styles.

“For my first outfit, I wore a shirt that my dad designed in Jamaica and the jacket had floral patterns and plants on it,” Chin said. “The second one was a lot of blues and browns. Those are my two favorite colors to wear.”

When thesis student Maya Holt-Teza strutted down the runway, she displayed the heights of K-pop fashion.

“I basically wear very similar things on a daily basis, it’s comfy, it’s stylish and it’s not over the top,” Holt-Teza said. “Also, it follows the many trends that I like to see when I watch K-pop.”

Third-year Marcela Prado-Zapata shimmered down the catwalk two times to show everyone what type of clothing makes her feel confident.

“My outfits were really inspired by the things I like to wear on a daily basis and the things that kind of make me feel good,” Prado-Zapata said. “So my first outfit, it represented feeling good and it’s comfy, and then on the second outfit makes me feel good too.”

As students flaunted their outfits that were faintly dyed from the colored lights, supportive students clapped and hollered for them.

“Seeing everybody express themselves is great here because they’re not cookie cutter like a lot of other colleges,” Chin said. “I go to a lot of other colleges and everybody is kind of in a prep uniform with certain pressed shirts, ties, suit kind of thing, and a lot of people wearing generally similar things, but here people branch out and express themselves.”

Some students also recognize the changes in styles as years pass by.

“During my first year the fashion was very one-note, a lot of people wore similar things to each other, and not that that’s wrong, but as

we’ve gone on, I see so many looks nowadays and it’s really exciting,” Holt-Teza noted.

Clothing can also be an avenue through which to explore identity.

“I actually really like that New College fashion tends to be very experimental, but everyone takes that in their own direction which is cool,” Prado-Zapata said.

The styles students create to shape New College fashion on and off the runway can’t be tamed.

“It’s hard to describe, but I mean as long as you can express yourself without being pressured to be anything other than yourself, that’s what New College is about,” Finnan said.

“So even if you're expressing yourself through your clothing, that’s New College fashion.”

The first ever New College Fashion Show was a success. It has also inspired Finnan to think about making the show a recurring thing.

“If I could find a first or second year that wants to [continue the fashion show], I’d like to work with them to try and make it a regular thing to see how styles change through the years,” Finan said.

"If you're expressing yourself [through] your clothing, that’s New college Fashion," Finnan (in plaid pants) said.

Finnan posed with fashion show attendants and participants to document the occasion.

All photos Vianey Jaramillo/Catalyst

"I actually really like that New College fashion tends to be very experimental, but everyone takes that in their own direction which is cool,” Prada-Zapata said.

Holt-Teza's (center left) daily looks are often inspired by K-pop fashion trends.

Second years David Perkins (left) and Eliot Greene (right) sported floral shirts and blue jeans.

Third-year NCSA president Steven Keshisian walked the catwalk excitedly.

“Seeing everybody express themselves is great here because they’re not cookie cutter like a lot of other colleges,” Chin (right) said.

“I never really thought I was super duper fashionista, but it was fun trying,” PradaZapata (outer edges) said.

An iconic bag of Cool Ranch Doritos graced the red carpet.

“I do appreciate the sentiment that is there of just because you look a certain way does not mean you are not a New College student. We all dress very differently [and] it was a nice experience,” Holt-Teza (outer edges) said.

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Dancing, dreaming and connecting at Dionysian Bacchanal Palm Court Party

BY HAYLEY VANSTRUM Residential campus, from the typically busy and bustling Hamilton Center to the farthest reaches of Dort and Goldstein, was dead silent on the morning of Saturday Feb. 29—a clear indication that this semester’s highly anticipated Bacchanal Palm Court Party (PCP) was a major success. Friday night’s festivities brought students of all years, AOCs and social groups together to celebrate in style, following third-year students and PCP hosts Ella Rennekamp and Isaac Denner’s elaborate Dioysian theme.

“New College (NCF) is all about freedom—academic, social, and existential,” Rennekamp and Denner wrote in their initial theme proposal email. “The Bacchanal—an ancient Greek festival of Dionysus—is a celebration of complete freedom and revelry. As we see NCF become more and more vanilla, shedding its founding student-first principles of freedom in favor of more conventional university institutions, we’d love to embrace a self-determined, studentled NCF.” The night, which featured local band performances, student DJ sets and striking visuals, undoubtedly lived up to the hosts’ expectations.

Students spent their time jumping from location to location, dancing the night away in Atlantis (the Old Mail Room) and Hades (the Band Room), enjoying live music of all varieties at the Coliseum (Z Amphitheatre) and the Bacchanal (the Nook) and taking some time to recover in Elysium (HCL 7).

“The vision was basically people just letting loose and running around and socializing with each other and just feeling good,” Rennekamp said.

“It’s always amazing at PCP, it is very fast-paced a lot of the time, but then you run into someone and have this really enthusiastic encounter with them. All the interactions that you have feel very meaningful that night.”

Third year and “Aphordite’s dungeon” DJ Danielle Whiting also cited the friendly and supportive atmosphere as one of her favorite parts of the night. To many students, Whiting included, PCP is all about the community that surrounds it and the student-to-student connections it facilitates.

“It's a good opportunity to really see how much the New College community cares about one another and just let go and dance together, in the spirit of the Bacchanal,” Whiting said.

Bacchanal PCP brought the New

College community together in more ways than one—preparing for the party, according to Rennekamp, took many hours of hard work and collaboration from the helpful students who assisted their hosts in turning their PCP dreams into reality.

“We started making the decorations pretty late and we put them up the last day,” Rennekamp explained.

“We kind of just encouraged everyone who was helping out to use their creative insight and do whatever they thought looked best and it really paid off, like the Banyan tree looked amazing. I would say the lack of planning for decoration was stressful but that gave people the freedom to do what they wanted with the decorations and it was very collaborative, which was cool.”

Students also made this campus-wide event possible through their hourly volunteer positions as Fairies (floating caretakers) and Dryads (supportive sitters). Second year and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) member Beau Perkins, who worked in both positions this PCP, believes that having these resource-providing, guiding forces around campus is essential to the night’s success.

“PCP is a magic gift of tradition,” Perkins said. “With it unleashes a hectic and unpredictable air of catharsis all across residential campus. Often, though, the magic can be a little too much, and there arises a need for a grounding force. Dryads and Fairies are that force, providing home functions and harm reduction to our community.”

All involved students played equally important roles in making this year’s Bacchanal PCP the Grecian wonder that it was. However, it is clear that Rennekamp and Denner put everything they had into providing the New College community with an unforgettable night, and by Rennekamp’s standards, it was entirely worth it.

“I spent most of the night just watching other people, and most of the time it looked like they were having a lot of fun,” Rennekamp said.

“What I’ve always gotten out of PCP is that it reminds me that New College is special. You can have a good time here and it’s not just about the academic stress. There’s some seriously unique, incredible people here, and under a circumstance like PCP, which is just about having fun and letting loose, you actually get to see that side of those people.”

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SONGS YOU SHOULD HEAR

BAYSI DE SU NS ET EDITION

BY HAYLEY VANSTRUM “Sunsets”

by Habibi Brooklyn-based garage rock band Habibi sets the bayfront scene with “Sunsets,” a mellow, intimate track off the group’s 2014 self-titled album. The song, which features Habibi’s recognizable 1960s girl group-style harmonies, is ideal for laying underneath the camphor tree with friends and watching the evening sky slowly fade to black. “Little leaves, the leaves are changing,” lead vocalist Rahill Jamlifard sings, highlighting the value in appreciating the small, transient wonders of life.

“Acolyte”

by Slaughter Beach, Dog “Man, it cuts like a dull knife when you're young and you're told, ‘Makes sense when you're older,’ darling, let's get old,” Jake Ewald, previous co-frontman of pop-punk band Modern Baseball, sings on Slaughter Beach, Dog’s simple yet memorable love song, “Acolyte” from the 2017 album Birdie. The band’s strength lies in Ewald’s storytelling abilities, something that shines through in this beachy folk-rock track. “Acolyte” is sweet without being sickening, the perfect song for a sunset date and solo bayside bike ride alike.

“Apartment”

by Young the Giant “Apartment” as the first track off alternative rock band Young the Giant’s 2010 debut self-titled album effectively captures the anxious, emotional energy of midterms and mid-Pisces season on campus.

The song’s lyrics epitomize the experience of being young and messy, coming off both casual and dramatic simultaneously and bursting with self-doubt and angst.

“I hit the sidewalk and this is how it starts, hide in a raincoat when

things are falling apart,” frontman Sameer Gadhia sings, encouraging the listening to revel in their own personal letdowns for a moment before returning to reality. “haunt me (x 3)”

by Teen Suicide Revert to a sad, Tumblr teen version of your current self with “haunt me (x 3),” one of indie rock band Teen Suicide’s most quintessential ambient works.

The short-lived but successful group, made up of vocalist and guitarist Sam Rey and drummer Eric Livingston, is best known for its emo, experimental sound, perfectly exemplified by this chill yet somewhat troubling track.

“Whether you're aware of it or not, I am willing to bet you that there is a way that you are disappointed in yourself,” the sampled voice states, ending the song with a heavy, emotionally-charged message. “haunt me (x 3)” is hypnotic, made for miserable days concluded by beautiful, rewarding bayside views.

“Evening Sun” by the Strokes Off the Strokes’ 2006 album, “First Impressions of Earth,” “Evening Sun” feels like the hottest days of summer coming to a bittersweet end. “I'll be dreaming I was sunburned, I don't wanna break your heart in, break your heart in two halves,” lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas sings regretfully, embodying both warmth and heartbreak in equal, deliberate measures. “Evening Sun” is undemanding, its repetitive lyrics and soothing vocals letting the listener simply forget the world and unwind.

Check out the Spotify playlist for this column at https://spoti.fi/2TAyZF2.

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Renowned opera singer Josh Groban performs at Van Wezel for his first show in Florida since 2016

BY CLAIRE NEWBERG Grammy and Tony award nominee Josh Groban’s album “Bridges” brought him on a tour of the United States in 2019, but Groban never made it to Florida due to scheduling conflicts from filming his role in the Netflix show “The Good Cop.” To make up for this, Groban and his management team put together a series of intimate stops in Sarasota, Orlando, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach and Clearwater, the first of which took place at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on the evening of March 9, Groban’s first performance in Florida since 2016.

From the beginning of his career, Groban proved that he had the talent to match that of esteemed artists, working with the likes of Celine Dion, Sara Bareilles and Andrea Bocelli numerous times in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Groban began his career as a 17 year old when he stood in for the renowned blind opera singer Andrea Bocelli during a Grammy rehearsal in 1997. Bocelli was performing his song “The Prayer” with FrenchCanadian singer Celine Dion, but was unable to attend the rehearsal.

“This kid comes on stage and he looks like he’s 12 years old—the

cutest thing,” Dion said in the 2008 CBS special “That’s Just the Woman in Me.” “He’s so nervous and shaking.

I said, ‘Oh, I feel bad for this little kid.’ I was feeling nervous for him.”

From there, Groban launched into the song with gusto and the rest is history.

Groban rose to international fame in 2005 after the release of his single “You Raise Me Up,” which earned him a Grammy nomination in the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category. Groban did not win the award that year, but by then, the world knew his name.

In 2016, Groban made his Broadway debut as Pierre Bezukhov in the musical “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” which is an adaptation of a 70-page segment of Leo Tolstoy’s infamous 1869 novel “War and Peace.” Phillipa Soo, known for portraying Elizabeth Schuyler in the original Broadway cast of “Hamilton,” originated the role of Natasha Rostova in the same musical.

Groban’s show on March 9 at the Van Wezel was the first in the series of intimate Florida performances. He started the show with the song “Pure Imagination” from “Charlie and the continued on p. 11

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Josh Groban (left) and Andrea Bocelli (right) performing "The Prayer" in honor of Luciano Pavarotti during the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, Feb. 10, 2008.

Inclusive campus climate: anticipating a change in the “weather” SUBMISSION BY THE COMMITTEE ON CAMPUS CLIMATE AND CULTURE ("4C") Many in our community will remember a flurry of campus climate-related activity this past Fall. There was a Catalyst article in September (“Campus Climate: turning a new page at New College”).

Next came Towne Halls focused on campus climate in October and November, along with campus visits from three management consultants specializing in diversity and inclusion. These consultants were auditioning for a contract to guide New College towards creating a campus environment that was more inclusive, cohesive and supportive.

Accelerate Coaching and Consulting, led by Uneeda Brewer, was chosen, based on the quality of their proposal and feedback from the students, faculty and staff who had an opportunity to interact with Brewer and get a feel for her vision for the

college. By the end of March, more than 170 New College faculty and staff will have completed a day-long Inclusive Campus Climate workshop, learning skills that will support their ability to engage difference and manage conflict, understanding concepts like microaggressions and implicit bias, and leveraging these learnings to better avoid or defuse the tensions that can result.

But we’re not done yet. And when we say “we,” we truly mean all of us. To move the climate of a college campus isn’t something that can be achieved in a single workshop, or by a group of employees. It will take a concerted, collective effort, including the President and the leadership of the college, and the faculty, as well as every student and employee. Stay tuned for what comes next, and get ready to be a part of it.

CATALYST@NCF.EDU

The Committee on Campus Climate and Culture is represented by: Bill Woodson, chair Hugo Viera-Vargas and Jessica Young, faculty representatives Duane Khan and Sheila Foley, staff representatives Alexandra Barbat and Steven Keshishian, student representatives Donald O'Shea and David Harvey, ex officio

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Merger bill

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 remain one of the top public liberal arts colleges in the country; that it would continue to be able to produce those Fulbright scholars,” Good said.

“Without having a plan and without proper analysis, we should never make these kinds of huge decisions that are going to impact not only students, parents, faculty and alumni, but also our university system and the quality of the education that we provide.”

At 3:51 p.m., Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) proposed a second amendment to merge both New College and Florida Polytechnic University with the University of Central Florida (UCF) instead of UF. “No one knows why we’re doing this,” Smith told Florida Politics.

“The university that these institutions are merging into has changed

Coronavirus

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 people. Almost three million people in Florida do not have healthcare.

Only around 40 percent of Florida’s population received a flu vaccination this year.

“The flu shot is helpful in the sense that, if you got it, you wouldn’t get [COVID-19] and the flu,” Fisher said. “If you’ve got both at the same time, it’d be a double-whammy because they are two different strains.”

Currently, the CWC does not offer any flu vaccinations, but Fisher suggested checking local pharmacies and grocery stores. Fisher also wanted to remind students that February and March are considered part of the annual flu and pollen season and that it would be best for students to get tested at the CWC if they have symptoms, but remember to practice mindfulness and manage their stress levels to promote wellness.

“We do have some students

Nabongo

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Nabongo said the impetus behind her goal of visiting every country in the world was twofold: first, she’s always been a “geography nerd.”

“I grew up with two sets of encyclopedias in my childhood home, atlases, my childhood globe, which is still in my home now,” Nabongo said. “Traveling with my family exposed me to the world and made me more curious about other cultures and countries. I always wanted to be a geography teacher, legit, but that salary wouldn’t support my lifestyle.

So I let that dream go. But what I love about social media is that it's really allowed me the opportunity to live

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at every committee stop, so I figured, why not add UCF into the mix?”

Smith said he did not want New College or Florida Polytechnic University to be merged with any other institution, noting that the majority party created the chaos that led to his amendment proposal.

Fine proposed the third amendment at 3:55 p.m., just before the 4 p.m. deadline to submit amendments. Fine’s amendment changed the bill from a merger to an acquisition, so as to not affect UF’s accreditation. In discussions with the school and with the Board of Governors, Fine learned that if it continued with a merger, UF would need to become reaccredited.

The bill’s opponents argued that the proposed merger was too hasty, but the ultimate cause of the bill’s demise was the lack of support in the Senate Senate President Bill Galvano, a Republican from Bradenton who

represents the district that includes New College, earlier said that he would not be opposed to hearing the bill. However, as reported by Florida Politics, Galvano also stands by his commitment to the school’s values amid broader shifts in higher education.

“During my 16 years of service in the Florida Legislature, I have consistently supported New College of Florida as an important and unique component of Florida’s State University System,” Galvano said. “With the seemingly endless choice of higher education options for today’s students, New College provides a unique balance between a traditional liberal arts experience and a modern, innovative curriculum.”

Galvano noted, however, that New College’s average cost per degree of $197,681 remains the highest in the State University System and is a problem the school must work to alleviate. In comparison, UF’s average

cost per degree is $31,598.

“The questions the Florida Legislature must ask about New College, along with every other institution within Florida’s No. 1 ranked highereducation system, are: does the exorbitant per-student cost of this particular student experience produce a return on investment for Florida taxpayers who support it, and does that return on investment require an administratively independent New College?”

With New College’s plan to increase enrollment to 1,200 by the 2023 school year, Galvano mentioned the work President Donal O’Shea and the Board of Trustees are doing to address enrollment issues and other performance metrics.

“I support those important efforts,” Galvano said. “Therefore, in my view, a merger at this point would be premature, and so I decided to not allow it to move forward.”

who are immuno-compromised here, so we want to be careful about it, but data coming in says that it is the elderly with compromised immune systems that are the most at risk,” Fisher said. “New College is as prepared as it’s going to be.”

On the Campuswide Alerts Page, Metz has ordered more sanitization stations and wipes, provided wrapped utensils, sanitized serving stations every 15 minutes and changed tongs at self-serving stations every 30 minutes. The Campus Fitness Center stated that it will undergo extra cleaning. Students were encouraged by Donal O’Shea to follow general flu precaution guidelines and stay home if they were sick.

On March 2, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Barbra Feldman sent an email detailing plans for video-communication if multiple students or professors are unable to physically attend class. The State University System (SUS) Board of Governors has directed all faculty,

staff and students returning from travel to China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea to self-quarantine for 14 days and not return to campus for 14 days after their return. Two students fall under this directive and have complied with it.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that the virus is spread through respiratory droplets produced from the cough or sneeze of an infected person. The distance that these droplets can travel is up to six feet. Wearing a facemask is ineffective for people who do not have the virus and are most needed by infected people and hospital staff working closely with infected people.

Currently, there is no vaccine for COVID-19, but the CDC recommended avoiding close contact with sick people, disinfecting public spaces and surfaces, staying home when one is sick and washing one’s hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.

Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath and may appear

between 2-14 days after exposure.

On the CDC website for COVID-19, there is a page dedicated to social stigma surrounding the virus that included people of Asian descent, people who have traveled and healthcare professionals.

“We need to show care and empathy for each other, it’s one of the strengths of our community,” Comer-Woods said. “We are facing a challenge, but it’s better to face it as a community than as individuals”.

According to Johns Hopkins, about 55 percent of all global confirmed cases have resulted in recovery while .035 percent have resulted in death.

out my teacher dream without having to do the teacher salary.”

Her second goal is to “change how people see the world.” Nabongo shows the positive side of every country she visits to challenge negative Western stereotypes. She is particularly interested in showcasing wealth in Africa, and serving as an example to others of a Black female entrepreneur and travel blogger.

“Also, the representation piece: the travel industry is very male and very white,” Nabongo said. “Oftentimes when I would see ads for travel for airlines or whatever, I didn't see people who looked like me. And what I found particularly annoying, is when I see adverts for black and brown countries like the Caribbean, African Safari, I still don't see people

who look like me. If I do, they're the workers. So we still have a long way to go. But I'm working every day to help change that.”

Nabongo’s “universal truths”, intended as guidelines for “manifesting the life you want to live,” are as follows: 1) Most people are basically good.

2) Most things have already been done, but they have not been done by you.

“Remember that no matter what it is you do in life, it's special because you are doing it, and you are a unique individual,” Nabongo proclaimed.

3) Live your life unapologetically for you.

“In the words of the great philosopher Drake: YOLO.”

4) Trust the universe, it conspires in your favor.

“You have to really think about something that you want, accept it as a fact, and then release it into the universe, because the universe will carry you there.”

5) Discover what makes you happy. Find a way to fill your life with whatever it is.

6) Be yourself. Love yourself.

Know that you are enough.

7) Be positive.

8) Be honest with yourself and others, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you or the other person feel.

And finally, 9) Know when to move on.

Know when to let go. Move on. Let go.

The Sarasota Memorial Hospital has launched a public coronavirus hotline at 941-917-8799.

Information for this article was gathered from arcgis.com, cdc.gov, heraldtribune.com, nbcmiami.com, nbcnews. com, nytimes.com and tampabay.com

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Because Florida’s presidential preference primary is held over spring break on March 17, here is all you need to know about early voting: Beginning on March 7 and ending on March 14, you can vote between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

PAGE 11

Been there, done that The NEW New College advice column

SUBMITTED BY SYDNEY ROSENTHAL How does one go about getting closure and moving on from a romantic situation when both parties are acting like it never happened?

Dear Ghosted,

You can only vote if you are a registered Democrat in the state of Florida.

Make sure you bring a signed photo ID or your passport!

Where can you vote?

Supervisor of Elections Terrace Building 2001 Adams Lane Sarasota, FL 941-861-8600

Sarasota Square Mall 8201 South Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 941-861-8600

North Sarasota Library 2801 Newtown Boulevard Sarasota, FL 941-861-8609 Supervisor of Elections R.L. Anderson Admin Building 4000 Tamiami Trail S Venice, FL 941-861-3760

Josh Groban

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Chocolate Factory.” Groban’s smooth operatic vocals lulled the excited audience into an impenetrable calm with every lyric.

In contrast, Groban spent the time between songs recounting humorous anecdotes from his career or giving insight into the inspiration for his songs. His charming, bubbly personality easily won over the crowd.

A notable occurrence from the evening was when Groban brought a 15 year old named Ashley onto the stage from the audience after she held up a sign that said, “Sing with me and make my dream come true!”

Ashley ran up to the stage,

Supervisor of Elections Biscayne Plaza 13640 Tamiami Trail North Port, FL 941-423-9540 excited as can be, and requested to sing “All I Ask of You” from the musical “Phantom of the Opera.”

Groban readily complied.

“Any fog—can we get some fog out here?” Groban said jokingly, setting the stage for the spontaneous duet.

Ashley briefly gushed about her musical theater experience and Groban relayed stories from his own musical beginnings. The two of them then sang a minute of the song before Groban returned to the regularly scheduled programming and Ashley ran back to her seat after snapping a selfie with him.

One of the more beautiful songs Groban sang was a stripped down rendition of “Bring Him Home” from the Broadway classic “Les Miserables,” from a scene where Jean Valjean prays that God will bring his son-in-law home from war

I am a champion of open communication but I would be lying if I said I haven’t ghosted someone or that I haven’t been ghosted. There’s a lot of power in pretending that a romantic situation didn’t happen, even though it’s innately shitty. This past summer I reconnected with a childhood friend and ended up crushing on him, hard. We would text each other constantly and he even took me on a ride on his motorcycle (hot!). He had just had his heart broken by a girl who wouldn’t commit to him and I just wanted to be there for him as a friend, but our sexual chemistry made things complicated. He ended up ghosting me the same weekend our moms went on a girls trip together. My mom kept asking me about him until I finally explained that I didn’t know what happened.

I tried reaching out a couple of times, sending memes and “How are you?” texts, but I finally realized he wanted to pretend like it never happened. I felt gaslighted, remembering telling secrets on the beach and his promises of late-night motorcycle rides. The funniest thing to me is that the girl who had broken his heart had ghosted him.

In my experience ghosting happens out of emotional exhaustion, immaturity, and fear. I feel fortunate to have closure from a lot of my ghosting experiences and the excuses are always some version of, “I wasn’t ready.” This is why it’s important to make your expectations with your romantic partners clear before engaging in any sexual acts. I know that’s hard, and that expectations change, but it’s one of the few ways to prevent this situation from happening again.

Now that you’re here, you could, of course, try to reach out if you’re feeling brave and are ready for rejection. Not that rejection is inevitable, it’s just a possibility. If you don’t want to talk to this person ever again, that’s fine too. One of my favorite things to do when I’m feeling emotionally conflicted is to write a long text message that I’m never going to send. It’s always really helpful to have a close friend tell you that you deserve better.

You deserve better!

At the end of the day, avoidance equals fear. Do you want to be in a partnership with someone who’s afraid? so his daughter can be happy with her lover. Groban sang the song only with his pianist for accompaniment.

Despite not being a French man in his 70s, he matched the songs intent and intensity perfectly and received a standing ovation at the end of it.

Groban wrapped the show up with his song “You Raise Me Up” and Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” for which he brought out a local choir to accompany him.

In each tune, the combination of Groban’s enchanting voice and the power of the choir made for an inexplicably religious experience.

With a last bellowing of the lyric, “Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down,” Groban closed the show. As the audience left, there were discussions and musings of Groban’s impeccable musicality and excitement for what is to come from him.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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All photos Sergio Salinas/Catalyst

STUDENT LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE ONLINE

EDIBLE PLANT LIBRARY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

former New College student who passed tragically in 2003. Lubka’s story is included below: “My first summer I stayed in Sarasota I discovered something magical. When I walked past the Four Winds I saw a cornucopia of mangoes glistening bountifully in the summer heat. As one of my favorite fruits, a quick current of joy lit me up as I immediately sought to find a way to pick some of them. I realized there were several different varieties, the normal ones I was used to buying in the store and a variety I had never seen in the shape of a crescent. The crescent shaped ones would become my

new favorite mango. I got an extendable fruit picker and went to work at the joyous and nourishing takes of gathering from one’s environment.

Biting into those juicy mangoes, warm from the summer heat, is one of my favorite memories.”

Southworth’s guiding ethos of a “compassionate development of a conscious relationship with the land that cradles and provides for us” can help to inform future students of the responsibility to be responsible stewards of themselves, and of the natural world. In the future, Southworth plans to include a thread below the StoryMap for anyone to go on the website and submit content for others to see, “like” and learn

from. Southworth said that after she graduates she hopes another student could be appointed as steward of the thread in order to preserve and update the interactive library as the campus landscape changes.

“I just hope that this project is an illustration of how, if you feel called to do something on this campus, it is so within your capability” Southworth said in reference to the overwhelming support from alumni, students and the office of communications and marketing, which facilitated the project’s incorporation into the New College website.

“Not only is it in your capability, it is actively encouraged—not only by other members of the peer

community but by the hundreds of alums that are willing to do whatever they can do support you, and in those upper channels, too, those individuals also recognize that this is valuable,” Southworth reflected.

“All of that is possible.”

In the coming months, Southworth’s interactive plant library will continue to be updated with more information, plants, and creative submissions. An extension of the map to include the Food Forest and the Caples campus flora is also in the works.

In the meantime, students can access the interactive map at www.ncf.edu/plant-library

Ky Miller/Catalyst

The mango trees behind the Four Winds Cafe were planted to honor Kit Reilly.

The flowers of the malay apple, which are offered in dedicated to the volcano goddess Pele in Fijian and Hawaiian mythologies, are striking.

Students cannot agree whether the mystery citruses behind Dort and Gold are bitter oranges, hybrid lemons, or even limes "falling from the sky."