December 2017

REPORTER DECEMBER 2017 reporter.rit.edu

Please Recycle

REPORTER EDITOR IN CHIEF Rozie Yeghiazarian PRINT MANAGING EDITOR Bryanne McDonough ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Taylor Derrisaw COPY EDITOR Ramya Shankar NEWS EDITOR Frankie Albin TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Ryan Black LEISURE EDITOR Kevin Zampieron FEATURES EDITOR Kristin Grant SPORTS EDITOR Bella M Taylor VIEWS EDITOR Taylor Synclair-Goethe WRITERS Kasey Mathews, Taylor Synclair-Goethe, Kevin Zampieron, Dan Grinthal, Bryanne McDonough, Koshal Makhija, Bella M. Taylor

ART ART DIRECTOR Alyssa Minko ONLINE ART DIRECTOR Madeleigh Place DESIGNERS Lily Garnaat, Kathy Liu, Kevin Zampieron, Justin Frohlich, Alexis Scott, Cassy Smithies, Elin Smith, Kendra Murphy, Alyssa Minko, Zhuoxin Xu ILLUSTRATORS Henry Trettenbach, Cynthia Muniz, Justin Frohlich, Aria Dines, Monica Nguyen-Vo, Angela Krieg, Unique Fair, Juho Choi, Alexis Emma, Stephanie Chan

EDITOR’S NOTE This is an overture, and I am over churning the same problems over and over and over again. It’s like we’ve been chewing on the same piece of gum for so long, we’ve gone numb to its flavour, and yet it still sticks.

When problems arise, the predisposition is to cast blame on the administration — the easiest target. Habitually unforgiving, this broad-sweeping tendency just spells laziness, stagnation. An innocent bystander is not so until proven guilty.

We wait until the brevity of a situation reaches a threshold that, when hit, hails the inner humanitarian, unifying us. Until then, it’s not any one’s fault, rather it is taken to be the establishment’s. Really, one is propelling the problem if they do not speak up to work towards the change they expect to see.

Even still, I have witnessed this behaviour in my peers. Over the past few months, Reporter has addressed serious topics that have questioned the university in various ways. The coverage has ranged from Dr. Kontor’s case, student relation mishaps and administrative transparency to Title IX concerns regarding faculty — all matters enlivening the student body.

But why, when I witness something disagreeable in this place I have called home for quite a few years now, would I choose first to cast blame at its being?

As students attending this university, we are stakeholders of its name. I am part of RIT’s identity. We graduate into ambassadors of a brand we helped build merely by being involved in its evolution.

I am as much a part of this institution as it is now a part of who I am in my becoming. Each and every one of our voices contribute to the sound of this campus. We are the breath behind the tiger’s roar.

If something ever seems to go awry here, it is as much my responsibility as it is the faculty’s. We must accept what has slipped our attention and enact improvement. We craft the impact and impression RIT has on the world at large.

We do this together as members of this community.

In this way, we are learning to hold ourselves accountable.

PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR Joseph Ressler PHOTOGRAPHERS Daniel Vasta, Krit Upra, James Porras

BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Zachary Grzelka AD / PR MANAGER Miguel Moran PRODUCTION MANAGER Mitchell Morgan

Rozie Yeghiazarian Editor in Chief

ONLINE SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Michael Canning WEB MANAGER Efe Ozturkoglu VIDEO EDITOR James Abrams

Letters to the Editor should be sent to rpteic@rit.edu. No letters will be printed unless signed. All letters received become the property of REPORTER.

ADVISOR Rudy Pugliese PRINTING EPi Printing CONTACT 585.475.2212 Reporter Magazine is published monthly during the academic year by a staff comprised of students at Rochester Institute of Technology. Business, Editorial and Design facilities are located in Room A-730, in the lower level of the Campus Center. Our phone number is 1.585.475.2212. The Advertising Department can be reached at 1.585.475.2213. “I really want to see RIT Sonic porn.” -B.M. The opinions expressed in Reporter do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute. Reporter is not responsible for materials presented in advertising areas. Reporter takes pride in its membership in the Associated Collegiate Press and American Civil Liberties Union. Copyright © 2016 Reporter Magazine. All rights reserved. No portion of this Magazine may be reproduced without prior written permission.

December 3

TA B L E O F cover and TOC photography by Daniel Vasta | tattoo illustration by Justin Frohlich

NE WS 6

POTENTIAL COMMITTEE WILL VET RIT ENDOWMENT The Socially Responsible Investment Advisory committee would ethically evaluate RIT’s investments

TECH 8

PAY TO WIN: MONETIZATION IN GAMING Game publishers “play” you for the most possible money

LEISURE 10

14

@reportermag 4 December

REALLY MAKES YOU INK What having — and getting — a tattoo is like

AT YOUR LEISURE What your terrible holiday gifting says about you

CONTENTS F E AT U R E S 16

18

22

THE FREEDOM OF FREELANCING Freelancing can provide freedom, if you can avoid the pitfalls

HOW HOPEFUL ARE WE, RIT? Students weigh in on climate change, job prospects, politics and hope

SAFETY STUDYING ABROAD Is anyone considering your safety when you’re studying abroad?

Online Podcast Component Online Video Component

SPORTS 24

WACKY WELLNESSES RIT on wellness: Weird ways to be “well”

VIEWS 26

28

30

STUDENTS’ OPINIONS ON HATE SPEECH AT RIT What are students’ opinions on hate speech?

WORD ON THE STREET Describe your craziest relative

RINGS Text or call (585) 672-4840

reporter.rit.edu December 5

POTENTIAL COMMITTEE WILL VET RIT ENDOWMENT

by Kasey Mathews illustration by Henry Trettenbach design by Lily Garnaat Online Podcast Component

E

van Zachary, a fifth year Environmental Sustainability, Health and Safety major and Chair of Student Government’s (SG) Sustainability Committee, is currently in the process of drafting legislation that proposes the institution of a Socially Responsible Investment Advisory Committee (SRIAC) at RIT. He is now working to help others better understand both the path that led him here, as well as what exactly this proposed Advisory Committee aims to do.

During his work in sustainability, Zachary found that there is little to no data on where RIT invests its endowment, and the social, ethical, governance and environmental impacts of those investments. Frustrated, he began looking at other universities’ solutions.

“Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, there were plenty of really smart things that other campuses were already doing,” Zachary said. “So, I decided to emulate and took to the internet to see what was up.”

The path forward, however, wasn’t always crystal clear. Zachary’s original plan was to encourage divestment from fossil

6 News

fuels. However, after speaking with faculty and staff, including Enid Cardinal, senior sustainability advisor to the president, he found that RIT’s divestment from fossil fuels, while highly symbolic and a potential source of pride, would be little more than a drop in the bucket for large companies such as ExxonMobil, and would simultaneously raise costs on campus. That’s not to say the faculty and staff weren’t supportive of Zachary’s ambition; rather, they encouraged him to find a more economically sustainable and socially impactful solution.

Zachary was undeterred. Upon Cardinal’s encouragement, he began looking at RIT’s peer institutions and the actions they have taken to find a more viable and permanent solution. Out of those, he found nine had investment advisory committees, with a tenth being rallied for at the University of Rochester. Zachary then looked at Columbia University’s program, which was founded in March 2000. Their advisory committee is one of the best-established and most welldocumented of its kind in the nation, making Columbia a perfect benchmark going forward.

Borrowing some of the language from Columbia’s committee charter, Zachary worked with faculty and staff to draft a resolution and bring it before SG for their input. SG was, Zachary admits, “supportive but ... hesitant.” This is new terrain for them. They typically advocate for everyday student needs and work with departments on campus such as Housing, Dining and Facilities Management that have a direct impact on the day-to-day life of students on campus.

This proposed committee goes far beyond the standard approach of SG. That said, SG accepted the charge to create an Investment Advisory Committee. The official proposal, currently still in draft, states: “SRIAC will serve as an advisory

Committee to the Endowment Subcommittee of the Board of Trustees on ethical, social, and governance issues and will ... make recommendations to the University Trustees on issues related to investments in the University’s endowment, including but not limited to the exercise of the University’s proxy-voting rights, shareholder initiatives, and portfolio screening ...”

Essentially, this committee will review the allocation of RIT’s endowment to make and ensure that they are socially and environmentally responsible, as well as advocate for changes to purchasing if they determine that this is not the case.

Zachary worked with Dr. James Watters, the senior vice president of Finance and Administration at RIT, to gauge the feasibility of such a committee. Zachary notes that he didn’t bring out any documents or specific proposals to Watters, but rather the two largely spoke theoretically. He took both compliments and criticisms from Watters to heart. Zachary then looked into the group’s resistance to turnover in order to guarantee its longevity, as well as how the committee will manage its scope.

According to the current language of the resolution, there will be nine voting members of the committee. Two will be students, two faculty, two staff, two members from RIT’s Board of Trustees and one RIT alum. Additionally, there will be two nonvoting ex-officio members of the committee that will oversee the committee and ensure its longevity. These would be the RIT senior

sustainability advisor, currently Enid Cardinal, and RIT’s director of Endowment Accounting and Cash Management, currently Ken Buckley.

Zachary noted that the makeup of this committee is open to change as the resolution is finalized, but that his main goal is to include representation from all levels at RIT. He then began working on managing the scope of the committee — how much it aims to regularly accomplish. RIT makes thousands of investments, and it would be impossible to individually assess each and every one to gauge its social impacts. Again, the resolution is still incomplete and the specific details will likely be subject to further changes.

When asked how the student body can get involved with the proposed committee, Zachary mentioned that the SRIAC would release an annual report in one semester (either spring or fall) and hold an annual town hall in the other. Students would have access to the former and be able to voice their concerns during the latter. Zachary admitted, however, that the operations of this committee would be largely behind-the-scenes and distanced from the typical RIT student.

At the time of writing, Evan Zachary was slated to have another talk with Watters on Nov. 16. At this meeting, Zachary planned to present Watters with the resolution and work with him on specifics. After this meeting, Zachary would amend the resolution and present it to SG again, who would then vote to either continue the editing process or approve the resolution and support it going forward.

Once the resolution is passed by SG it will still

have to go through more steps and levels of governance before it is established.

Cardinal is very excited to see it through.

While she admits she hasn’t been directly involved in its creation, she has always been a resource for Zachary and other RIT students who are interested in promoting sustainability.

“This committee’s existence is an achievement in and of itself [but] I look forward to this committee because it will raise awareness of important issues not regularly understood or talked about [and will] provide an increased opportunity to discuss these investments,” Cardinal said.

Serving as the senior sustainability advisor to the president, Cardinal has not only steered Zachary in the right direction, but as of the current language, she would also sit on the committee, should it be formed.

Zachary noted that there are 110 individuals with access to the resolution in its current state and each one has offered suggestions to ensure its feasibility without detracting from its impact. What began as a desire for more financial transparency has now become a blooming movement within the SG Sustainability Committee, SG itself and RIT as a whole, to create a permanent committee to hold RIT accountable for its investments.

“This committee will review the allocation of RIT’s endowment to ensure that they are socially and evironmentally responsible, as well as advcate for changes to purchasing if they determine that this is not the case.”

News 7

PAY TO WIN: MONETIZATION IN GAMING

by Taylor Synclair-Goethe | illustration by Cynthia Muniz | design by Kathy Liu

8 Technology

G

ames are a lot more than a fun pastime.

They have played a unique role in our collective culture not only as a mode of storytelling, but a competitive outlet and even just as an enjoyable escape. Vice President of RIT’s Electronic Gaming Society and third year Mechanical Engineering major Evan Misiorski explained why he thinks so many people are drawn to games.

“Games provide a unique experience that’s accessible visually,” Misiorski said.

No matter what one wishes to get out of gaming, there is likely a platform or experience aimed at your tastes.

However, an increasing number of gamers are worrying about being able to access their passion. Overt shifts and trends in pay structures are clearly trying to engender fears of exclusion. For several, it has created feelings that you often aren’t getting the ‘fullest’ possible experience from a game. What’s evident is that game publishers have become savvy at creating and profiting off of that sentiment.

Follow the Money As games have become more sophisticated, so have their approaches to monetization.

Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that’s resolved to capitalize on our love for such entertainment. Major publishers have even gotten pushback for going too far. Examples include Warner Bros. for “Middle-earth Shadow of War” and — perhaps most notably — Electronic Arts with “Star Wars Battlefront II,” which both cost more than $50 and include ingame purchases that give players advantages.

Assistant Professor of game design Ian Schreiber will tell you that gaming companies follow a “revenue-maximizing strategy,” meaning companies want to make as much money as possible with the least possible cost.

Game companies, for example, try to suck in new players very early on with starter bundles. “[The] purpose of the starter bundles is to convince players to do one initial spend, because the data shows that any player that spends at all usually spends big,” Schreiber said.

“Get someone to spend once and they’ll spend thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the game, so the games incentivize players to get over that first hump by offering a special deal.”

The average big console game at release is $60. However, to maximize revenue game companies offer more incentives so consumers shell out more cash. Incentives can be as simple as pre-order sales, or the release of expansion packs and deluxe editions with new downloadable content, add-ons that can range from $20–$50 extra. However, the biggest money makers — particularly with free-to-play games — are microtransactions.

According to the New York Times, 93

percent of revenue from mobile games comes from in-app purchases, as opposed to paying an up-front cost or ad revenue.

“Most people play [free-to-play games] for free and a small number of players spend big to make up the difference — [they’re] unfortunately termed ‘whales’ by the industry,” said Schreiber.

“Get someone to spend once and they’ll spend thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the game.”

A microtransaction is an umbrella term that refers to online “micropayments,” or financial transactions of very small amounts of money.

In the realm of gaming, microtransactions can be cosmetic, such as purchasing new skins or accessories for an avatar. Some even provide competitive advantages in the form of “loot crates” which can contain in-game currency or high-level items.

“Microtransactions are small in-game purchases that can total up to a lot more ... there’s a lot of small things and you want to collect them all,” Misiorski said.

Pay to Win “People who are more sucked into a game shell out more and more money,” said Sean Mack, a third year student in Game Design and console officer for the Electronic Gaming Society. Mack explained that a growing problem within gaming is the overemphasis on currency to win games.

“Instead of having a ‘play-to-win’ structure now we have things like ‘loot crates’ and microtransactions,” Mack said. “So instead of the common conception that ‘if I play more I’ll get more,’ people with more money shell out in the game and get lucky.”

Mack used the “Call of Duty” series as an example, where players can buy “loot crates” that might give players better weapons and other advantages in-game. He claimed microtransactions have begun to affect people’s ability to fully play games if they lack enough of a disposable income.

A valid concern for any gamer is whether they can afford to enjoy all the amenities developers have to offer. Whether it’s paying to get a game sooner, unlocking a new level, committing to a monthly online game subscription (like World of Warcraft) or having enough currency to keep up with the whales on mobile, money has become a big influence on a gamer’s success.

“The danger is that if a low-income person also has a whale mentality and overspends, they can get themselves into major financial trouble and the games are designed to encourage this,” Schrieber said.

Gaming on a Budget In reality, there are still ways for gamers — both casual and more dedicated — to enjoy their favorite experiences while minimizing the cost to themselves. Players who are just looking to pass the time on the bus or in the five minutes between classes can probably still get a lot out of free-to-play games.

Companies will still pull in money from casual gamers with ads, merchandise and the occasional microtransaction, but it’s likely only a few bucks here and there.

Dedicated gamers have their tricks to save money too. If you don’t play competitively, for instance, wait a year or two after a game’s release to get it at a ridiculously marked down price; sometimes as little as five dollars. Misiorski said that he makes a point to buy all of his games on sale.

Alternatively, prioritize only a few games a year to put money towards. There are even subscriptions (like Xbox LIVE or PlayStation Plus) that provide free games each month.

Don’t discount indie games either, as they are usually less expensive but still equally robust experiences. A lot of small-time developers or gaming students, like Mack, create fun and interesting games. Yes, they have less development resources and can’t compete scale-wise with big-time publishers.

Yet, that often means their games are passion projects and not products of corporate revenue-maximizing strategies. Who knows, your new favorite game may be an indie.

Change in Culture Publishers continually trying to milk additional profit from every game they release can be more than a little off-putting.

Even when a gamer has paid full price for an experience, there so often exists an in-game hierarchy that is not fair to those with less spending ability. Microtransactions have certainly enabled gamers to customize and personalize their favorite games in new ways; so in some contexts they can serve a positive purpose. Yet, it is on consumers to challenge publishers (or not partake) when their approaches to monetization become exploitive. Severely limiting access to full game experiences or creating play-to-win structures are likely not emblematic of a future that gamers want.

Technology 9

INK REALLY MAKES YOU

by Kevin Zampieron | tattoo illustration by Justin Frohlich photography by Daniel Vasta | design by Kevin Zampieron Online Video Component |

Online Podcast Component

I couldn’t have been happier with the skill and professionalism of Erik Mannhardt, my tattoo artist.

Finding the right artist is one of the most important – and nerve wracking – parts of the tattoo process.

10 Leisure

A

s I sat in the waiting area and glanced at the art on the wall, I fidgeted nervously. I couldn’t help but think about the looming procedure, and while I knew that I’d be in practiced hands, my pulse didn’t get the memo. I could be in a dentist’s office, waiting to get a wisdom tooth pulled. Or I could be in a tattoo parlor, waiting to get a permanent addition to my epidermis poked into me.

Tattoos have a long and complex history.

Long considered taboo, this very visible form of body modification has undergone a remarkable renaissance. According to a 2014 Harris poll, 21 percent of American adults have at least one tattoo. And although it’ll probably be a while before we have a president with a face tattoo, there’s no denying that attitudes have shifted to become more accepting.

Tattoo Culture While it’s one thing to have a small tattoo, extremely visible tattoos are often still considered taboo. The road to being heavily inked usually starts young.

“I knew I always wanted a tattoo,” Lorelei Eschbach, a heavily tattooed medical specimen processor, said.

Eschbach has her tattoos in very visible places, including her throat and her hands.

The day she turned 18, she got her first piece.

“I thought it was the cool thing to do and I didn’t put much thought into it,” she said.

A similar sentiment was expressed by Molly Sotak, a fourth year Film and Animation major who also has multiple visible tattoos.

“It was from an album cover, and I got it three days after I turned 18 because I really wanted to get a tattoo,” Sotak said.

While this might seem like an outgrowth of youthful impulse, the process of getting a tattoo has been a rite of passage in many cultures throughout history. The indigenous Maori people of New Zealand considered the first tattoo as an important step into adulthood and the New Guinean Korafe tribe adorns its adolescent girls with facial tattoos to mark the beginning of their womanhood.

But while tattoos are marks of honor and tradition in some cultures, Western culture is far less enthused with the custom.

The European and American sailors that traveled throughout Asia and Oceania introduced tattoos into Western culture.

These sailors would get tattoos as souvenirs to commemorate the places they had been and their nautical achievements. And while this kind of tattoo would eventually grow into its own distinct style of art — typically referred to as “old school” — tattoo art’s association with sailors gave tattoos a specific connotation. The tattoo became a very visible indicator of the working class — and an easy scapegoat for the moralists of every era.

While it may seem unthinkable today,

tattooing has been legally prohibited — or at least discouraged — for much of its modern existence. New York City actually banned tattoo shops from 1961 to 1997, ostensibly to prevent the spread of Hepatitis B. For decades, tattoo artists were forced to work in secret, developing their art at a time where it was not socially acceptable.

But while the government may no longer keep people from getting tattoos, a very different gatekeeper remains: mom and dad. The approval — or lack thereof — of Eschbach’s parents impacted the speed and placement of her tattoos.

“It was slow at first because I was still living with my parents at the time and my father didn’t condone them. I had to be able to hide them,” Eschbach said. When she became financially independent, her tattoos became more public.

“I’m a grown adult, and I have a good job, so they can’t really say anything against it,” Eschbach said. “My mom knows I’m smart about where I go and she knows that it’s art.

My father skillfully ignores it.”

Sotak experienced a similar reaction from her parents.

“My mom doesn’t love me any less, but I know it hurts her on the inside,” Sotak said. “My dad’s like, ‘Please stop spending money on this.’ Neither of them have ever tried to disown me because of it.”

Getting the tattoo hurt, of course, but I could maintain a halfway-decent conversation for the hour that it took for the piece to be finished.

Leisure 11

Given the cultural context tattoos have inhabited in the past, it’s not surprising that many parents consider getting one a shocking act of deviance. For some, getting a tattoo is still like wearing a shirt that says, “I frequently black out and get in bar fights.” But tattoos are no longer just for soldiers, sailors and prisoners. And with this growing acceptance, workplaces have relaxed their regulations.

“I always tried to cover them up while job seeking,” Eschbach said.

While covering an arm or chest tattoo is easy, hand tattoos are always going to be visible. This, however, didn’t pose an issue for Eschbach’s current employers, who were fine with the tattoos.

“As soon as I got the green-light that my hands were ok, I actually got my throat done shortly after getting the job,” Eschbach said.

The idea that tattoos make it harder to get hired doesn’t account for differing work cultures, especially regarding creative disciplines.

“I’m an animator, usually the dress code is jeans and a t-shirt,” Sotak said. “I kind of knew in high school that I wanted to do something art-related, so I made those choices based off of the lifestyle I knew I was going after.”

The stigma against tattoos grows more antiquated by the year. According to a

study by Pew Research, nearly 40 percent of Americans under 30 sport a tattoo. Soon it will not be viable to turn someone down based on their inked skin.

“I feel like now so many people have them that places of employment are starting to realize they can’t judge people based on those choices,” Sotak said.

As the connotation and prejudice fades away, tattoos can become what they have always been: an art form, pure and simple.

The Tattooists At the center of this controversial art is its artists. Though tattooing is a 50 billion dollar global industry, it’s still taught by masters to apprentices.

“It’s a subculture. There are rules, but each artist has their own way of teaching and their own way of doing the work itself,” said Gabe Levitt, a 2016 RIT Illustration graduate and apprentice tattoo artist.

Levitt is honing his skill at Kastattoo Art Studio in Brooklyn, N.Y. To learn the art, Levitt practices on rubberbased synthetic skin. The fake tattoo is judged by his tattoo mentor.

“Eventually he will judge me to the point where he says, ‘Okay you can tattoo real skin.’

That’s when I holler at anyone and everyone

who wants a free tattoo, but is willing to risk it for the biscuit,” Levitt said.

Risk is a big part of the tattoo artist life, and is in many ways similar to the life of a freelance illustrator; you’re only as good as your reputation and portfolio.

“For freelance, you hope someone sees it.

For this, people wear it on their skin. And then people are like, ‘Who did that?’ and that’s where word of mouth comes into play,” Levitt said.

“People become your frames in a way,” said Levitt. “They become your walking museums.”

Getting Inked So you’ve decided to get a tattoo. Maybe it’s a portrait of a beloved pet. Maybe it’s one of your favorite song lyrics. Maybe it’s a skeleton of plesiosaur. The next step is to find a reputable shop with an artist whose style you like. It’s up to you to do the research — as well as keep an eye out for any red flags.

“It’s somewhere between art and a medical procedure,” Levitt said. “If the shop is dirty, don’t go in there.”

But beyond the high bar of not being contaminated with hepatitis, you have to gel with the artist.

“Get it from someone with the same kind of care that you have for yourself and the

I made the appointment only two days before. The design was already fully rendered, making the process quick and easy, but tattoo artists will sit down with you and help you figure out a design if you’re not sure.

12 Leisure

For the tattoo to look its best, you must to keep your newly wounded skin clean and wellmoisturized. The tattoo will fade and stretch and age along with the rest of your body.

Becuase of this, there is no true final product.

art,” Levitt said. “It’s like finding a wife or a husband. You don’t want a divorce, you want to do it right the first time.”

Next, you have to be ready for what it’s going to feel like.

“It feels like cat scratches,” Sotak said. “It’s not the kind of pain where you’re like, ‘Ouch.’

It’s the kind of pain where you want to punch someone in the face.”

Levitt gave a more direct description.

“Know it’s going to hurt,” Levitt said. “It is a needle going repeatedly into your skin, over and over again. But if it’s good, you’re probably going to love it for a long, long time.

You’re going to have to.”

I haven’t been scratched by a cat in quite a while, so I don’t know how apt that particular comparison is. But I can confirm that it felt like a needle going into my skin over and over again. That being said, if you get a tattoo on a less sensitive area — like arms, shoulders or thighs — the pain is a lot more manageable than one would think. And while the above photo may contradict this, I wouldn’t characterize the session as particularly painful. My artist Erik Manhardt has been tattooing professionally since I was a toddler, so the job was done quickly and efficiently. I walked out of Steadfast Tattoo with a sore arm, a lighter wallet and an addition to my skin that’ll be with me for the rest of my life.

Changes, Inside and Out If you have anywhere from one to 100 tattoos, you get the same question: “But what does it mean?” Sometimes the answer is straightforward, but just as often, it is not.

How does something derive meaning? Can the meaning change?

For Eschbach, meaning often comes from the story of how she got the tattoo.

“My husband and I travel a lot,” said Eschbach. “We find artists we really like online and then kind of make an adventure out it.”

For Sotak, the aesthetics come before the meaning.

“I think as I started getting more, I started caring less about what they meant to me and caring more about the quality of the work and what it actually looks like,” Sotak said.

“I think that maybe there’s two different types of people when it comes to getting tattoos. Some people are like ‘I can’t have anything on my body forever if it doesn’t mean something to me.’ And I totally understand that. But I’m just not that kind of person,” Sotak continued.

For Levitt, tattoos are a part of his own art; he even intends on tattooing himself one day.

“I want to know what it feels like from my own perspective so I can relate to my canvas

and know what they’re feeling when I start stabbing them with a needle,” he said.

Even if there is no direct meaning, tattoos may occupy a deeper place in the psyche.

A Texas Tech University study found that women with multiple tattoos have higher self-esteem than those without. The study also found a correlation between tattoos and previous suicide attempts in these same women. By getting tattoos, people can reclaim their bodies and express a different, more complete version of themselves. Through this lens, getting a tattoo is an act of self-healing.

With all of the planning, pain and potential consequences, some people just don’t understand why others get tattoos. How could you decide on what to get? What if you don’t like it one day? The answer is different for everyone with a tattoo. Some pieces have a long story behind them ... but others don’t.

And that’s fine. Tattoos can make you belong or set you apart. Tattoos can be an act of private or public expression. But most of all, tattoos are a part of your body, and nobody owns your body but you.

Leisure 13

What Your Terrible Holiday Gifting Says About You

Souvenirs

You’re just going to, lik e, travel when you graduate, yo u know?

by Kevin Zampieron | illustration by Aria Dines | design by Justin Frohlich

Niche Kitchen Appliance

s Pajama

her d neit ex an s g it in n . hav , dam e not e else n You’r o y an should

You insist on talking to other passengers when on public transportation.

Ironically Ugly Christmas Sweater You unironically listen to Father John Misty.

Novelty Mug Candy

Over half of your Facebook friends have unfollowed you.

Socks You can only become aroused when listening to All Things Considered on NPR.

at least You buy a week l a one me n. as statio from a g

A copy of REPORTER You work at Reporter.

Gift Card

Scented Candle

You didn’t cry when your grandfather died.

Ugly Christmas Sweater You were the kid who reminded the teacher to assign homework but didn’t understand when everyone hated you.

You don’t see the problem with saying All Lives Matter.

Money

Homemade Craft

tead You use coconut oil ins nt wa you and e ast of toothp ut it. abo w kno to ne ryo eve

14 Leisure

Your phone still has the default wallpaper.

An RIT Sweater

You think Sr

iracha is spic y.

HOW HOPEFUL ARE WE, RIT?

by Dan Grinthal photography by Krit Upra illustration by Monica Nguyen-Vo design by Alexis Scott Online Video Component

A

s the semester comes to a close, it’s very easy to lose track of anything beyond the RIT bubble. This time of year, our academic tunnel vision begins to tighten around feverish cramming sessions and frenzied keyboard pounding as we prepare for exams, presentations and papers looming on the horizon.

16 Features

At times like these it can be helpful to take a step back and look at the big picture.

We asked RIT students who have managed to keep their heads up while plowing through their homework to share their hopes for the future of politics, climate change and their own job prospects.

Political Divisions Fourth year Biotech and Biomedical Science major Farid Barquet has made sure to stay involved throughout his RIT career.

As Student Government president, Barquet believes strongly in civic engagement and therefore follows the current political culture in the U.S. very closely.

“The most recent U.S. presidential election saw levels of political polarization spike to concerning levels nationwide. It doesn’t seem like rhetoric exchanged between the dominant political parties has softened much since the election,” Barquet said.

Second year Computing Security major and College Republicans President Elliot Fisher also acknowledged this problem, and was concerned that it isn’t easily mitigated.

“How do we solve the us versus them issue?

The thing is, if you had a solution to this I bet you could make millions of dollars,” Fisher said. “Maybe it’s just better educating people and introducing them to people who are on the right, and who are on the left, to try and say that the solution might lie between where our two parties tend to sit. How you go about doing that, I don’t know.”

Barquet agreed that more dialogue and less vitriol could help the situation.

“If you’re in college ... you should be taking a deep look at yourself and thinking, ‘Why do I believe what I believe, and does the other side have something right to it,’” Barquet said. “If more people start doing that, then I think we can really turn this divisive time around.”

Despite the often toxic nature of our current political climate, Barquet tries to remain optimistic.

“It’s a scary time right now, but I believe that the current generation of college students that we have are so focused on change that we are going to accomplish it, Barquet said.”

Climate Change Climate change is one of the aforementioned causes many college students have rallied behind. President of RIT’s Student Environmental Action League (SEAL), fourth year Biology major Abby Frawley, is one of the students who is particularly passionate about the preservation of our planet.

“It’s weird. I look at some data and I’m very hopeful about if we can reverse our course and protect our environment, but I guess that’s balanced by the inaction of the federal government and even people in general,” Frawley said. “People are worried, but they might not necessarily talk to their representatives.”

Features 17

Third year Computer Science major and College Democrats President Jason Wolf is concerned that even when people do talk with their representatives, sometimes it doesn’t seem like they listen very well. He isn’t pleased with how the democracy’s highest elected official is representing the nation’s environmental interests.

“I’m going to have to be honest in that I’m not very hopeful about climate change because of the actions the Trump administration has been taking, and within Trump’s candidacy, on a range from denying climate change to not making any action to combat it on any level,” Wolf said. “Climate change is happening ... it’s not a good thing to add to the current set of tensions which are already rising.”

Fisher isn’t the biggest fan of the Trump administration’s environmental policies either, but he’s taking the long view.

“It really depends on how much Trump can get pushed through,” Fisher said. “There are some things I don’t agree with him on, like wanting to pull back on the Clean Water Act ... but even then it probably wouldn’t survive the next administration anyways.

It’d all be reinstated.”

Fisher is also optimistic about the environmental efforts that are being made on a global scale.

“Other nations that have been far worse than us in terms of climate policies have been making large strides toward a cleaner future,” Fisher said. “China has recently shut down thousands of factories ... that was unexpected for, I’d say, just about everyone.”

Like it or not, climate change is a highly politicized issue. Frawley tries to look beyond the politics to see solutions from a non-partisan perspective.

“I don’t associate with political parties, so sometimes it’s tough ... we have to try and reach over that partisan divide and say, ‘Hey, this is a problem that affects all of us,’” Frawley said.

Issues like climate change are complex and go far beyond any individual person. However, many students are thinking about what they can do to contribute to the solution. Frawley believes a key part of being involved in staying informed, which is a major goal of SEAL. “We actually just had a discussion on environmental justice,” Frawley said. “I know a lot of people came away learning a lot

18 Features

about problems they didn’t know about and also feeling like they had tools ... to find ways to mitigate it. I think it’s really easy to take a bleak perspective of what’s happening and you know, I think we all have those days. But I think if we all maintain our own hope then that can really help bolster the community.”

According to Frawley, celebrating every victory is essential to keeping up hope in the face of daunting obstacles.

“Something I’m really passionate about is species conservation. I’m a big animal lover, I’m a bio major. I heard that elephant poaching was down like 30 percent in the last couple years. I was really happy to hear that,” Frawley said.

Foreign Relations Climate change is a global issue, and large scale efforts to address it often hinge on the relationships between major industrial nations. Foreign relations is another area of concern for Wolf, who sees President Trump’s approach to the matter as dangerous.

“His recklessness is a legitimate threat to the stability of the country,” Wolf said. “The fact that it doesn’t really jostle me from day to day terrifies me even more because it’s a normal thing at this point. We wake up and, oh there’s another rising tension with a foreign power and that just comes out in a tweet. That’s what I wake up to.”

Fisher suggests that though Trump is a loose cannon, the world won’t unravel in response.

“Is Trump the best option for foreign policy?

Not in everything, probably not in most things, but even then I think we will still be fine in the long term,” Fisher said. “He’s only here for eight years, then we’ll have someone else. I think the majority of world leaders recognize that as well so they’re not going to declare war or cut ties just because of the current administration.”

“I’ve seen people locally in community organizations trying to make a difference on a small scale level, and that gives me hope ... I’m also involving myself in the things that I care about, so I’m at a good spot with that,” Wolf said.

What do you hope for?

"Since there's been such a large number of suicides within this local community ... I'm hopeful that people do come out and talk about it more, because that'll help end the stigma of suicide.”

–Matthew Collins, second year Finance and Management major.

“I just hope like hell that I can find a job at my age going into a job market where everybody there is in their 20s.”

–Stacy Sheppard, fourth year Graphic Design major, 49 year old former drill sergeant.

“I just hope that people stay mindful about what they say to each other ... You never know what people are going through so I want people to be more optimistic. I hope for optimism.”

–Olivia Williams, third year Packaging Science major, WOESS member.

“Right now I’m applying to grad schools. It’s stressful but I’m hopeful.”

–Farid Barquet, fourth year Biotech and Biomedical Sciences double major, SG president.

“I think if we all maintain our own hope then that can really help bolster the community.”

–Abby Frawley, fourth year Biology major and president of SEAL.

Job Prospects On a more personal level, students are optimistic that the effort they’re putting in to at school will pay off with a good job.

“I’m a computer science student, and my field seems to be growing and has high demand,” Wolf observed.

“I’m a Security major so I feel that I’m fine no matter what ... Anyone in Golisano tends to feel that way as well,” agreed Fisher.

Students in the tech-centric Golisano college may feel especially safe in today’s digitized world, but students in other majors appear to be just as hopeful that RIT has prepared them for their own job hunt.

“I’m definitely hopeful that I can get a job more easily because I’m an RIT grad.

I think that definitely gives me a leg up and has a lot more potential for me to get jobs than if I went somewhere else,” said Sam Herman, a fourth year Graphic Design major.

Sam Straub, a third year Industrial Design major, is a little more apprehensive about his personal future. As a member of the next generation of military officers participating in the Navy ROTC program, Straub is looking ahead to receiving his commission after graduation.

“That is something that I’m gonna have a hard time with because I’ve never done that before,” Straub said. “I’ve never led a group of people through lifethreatening circumstances yet and

when I do that it’s really gonna be trial by fire. I have to succeed, it’s not really an option. RIT doesn’t have me too stressed out. I’m pretty used to the way RIT works.”

Olivia Williams is a third year Packaging Science major. She offered her comments while fundraising in the SAU for her club, Women Of Excellence Supporting STEM (WOESS).

“In the future I hope just to be successful honestly,” Williams said. “I hope that my career goes forward and that I’m able to make the right decisions and just have a healthy home.”

Whether they want to avoid World War III, reverse climate change, or just survive college and get a job — the most hopeful students are the ones getting together with other people who care in order to do something about it.

Features 19

THE FREEDOM OF FREELANCING

by Bryanne McDonough |illustration by Angela Krieg |design by Cassy Smithies

E

laine Donmoyer can bring visions to life. Chase Poirier can whip up a website for a startup. Madison Yocum can design marketing material.

Karim Hassanali can tell a business’ story.

They are all students working as freelancers.

While there are many types of freelancers, they all share the freedom and flexibility to work on their own schedule. Freelancers are independent contractors who are hired by individuals and companies to provide a service. They get to decide what and how much work to take on and set their own hours.

Like any job, it has its advantages and disadvantages.

Starting Out and Finding Work “It’s kind of hard when you start out, especially online, because if you’re not known already you have to work on building yourself up as a name,” said Donmoyer, a third year Film and Animation student who makes commissioned artwork.

Poirer and Yocum, both third year New Media Design majors, hope to eliminate one of the hardest parts of freelancing — breaking into the industry.

“Ripple” is a business that Poirer and Yocum cofounded and grew through the Simone Center.

They plan to release a beta version of their product in four months.

Ripple’s webbased platform will enable freelancers to

connect with each other and grow a virtual team lead by more experienced freelancers.

Matt Olpinski, a 2012 RIT graduate of the then-New Media Design and Imaging program, is a full-time freelancing UI/UX developer who has worked for many large companies such as Facebook and Porsche.

He occasionally lectures at RIT; Yocum and Poirer said that he was influential in the beginning of their freelancing careers.

Olpinski started building his website as a freshman, and began taking on occasional projects while in school. After three years working full-time at a design agency he was getting enough clients through his website to freelance full-time.

“Build a portfolio, build a reputation, be a good communicator, work really hard and don’t be afraid to just dive in,” Olpinski advised new freelancers.

Donmoyer’s clients also reach out to her through her online presence; she posts her artwork from school or personal projects on social media. People will follow her for that content and then commission her to design their characters or illustrate their ideas.

Karim Hassanali, a third year Industrial Design major, takes a different approach to finding clients. When talking to people, he tries to evaluate what value he can add to their project and finds work that way. He mostly does web design and branding for businesses.

“Never be waiting for someone

to present an opportunity to you, just create your own opportunities,” Hassanali said.

Hassanali and Olpinski both said they started freelancing by happening across jobs, but it isn’t always that easy. Catherine Mazza, a third year Industrial Design student, used to paint nails on a freelance basis but couldn’t find clients when she came to college. Instead, she started working on “The Lounge,” an online service that connects students who want services from other students Mazza hopes to launch it by next semester.

“My purpose has been to bring people together through their needs and talents,” Mazza said.

The Risks One of the biggest challenges for freelancers is income predictability. Since their income is dependent on a constant stream of clients, a bad month can strain the wallet. However, having income come from multiple sources is more secure than working for a company that can go through layoffs.

Olpinski has enough potential clients reach out to him that he can pick and choose who to work with. He usually works on one longterm project (4–6 months to a year) and one short-term project (4–6 weeks) at a time, to ensure a variety of income sources.

Freelancers lack the benefits that come from a steady employer, like health insurance, paid vacation time and sick days. When Olpinski is sick, he can’t charge a company for that time.

Taxes are another part of freelancing that can be tricky. Normally, taxes are deducted from a paycheck, but Olpinski puts away 40 percent of his income so that he can pay come

“never be waiting for someone to present an opportunity to you, just create your own opportunities.”

20 Features

tax time. Without discipline, a freelancer could be stuck with a huge tax bill come April.

Discipline is also important when it comes to time management.

“You’re completely in control of your time, which is great if you’re good at managing it,” Olpinski said.

The Rewards “[Freelancing] is on your own terms,” Yocum said. “You can pick and choose what you want out of it, set your own hours.”

This freedom is attractive, and it can allow freelancers to turn a typical 40-hour week into an average of 36, according to a survey of freelancers from Edelman Intelligence.

It also allows individuals to have creative control and make a name for themselves.

“A lot of artists now want more freedom to do what they want,” Donmoyer said. “It’s so easy to post your art online and make a name for yourself ... when you’re part of a company, you don’t really have your own name.”

Freelancers are not the only ones to benefit from the job. Compared to paying an agency to complete work, freelancers can be less expensive and timelier.

“Companies are saying they’d rather outsource some of their work to other people so they don’t always have a full team on their own,” Poirier said.

Hassanali worked with a company that needed photographs of their lighting in museums. He offered to travel with a photographer friend for less money than a professional company would. Now he gets paid to travel to different cities while the company saves money.

Prices for a freelancer are usually based on experience. The more projects that a freelancer has in their portfolio, the more they can charge.

Donmoyer said she usually charges $100 for character designs and full illustrations and $30–$50 for smaller illustrations.

Web designers — like Poirier, Yocum and Hassanali — can charge anywhere from $500–$4,000 per project, according to NJ Creatives Network.

Freelancers earned one trillion dollars in the U.S. in 2016.

Freelancing, with its flexibility and freedom, can fit snugly into a college student’s busy schedule.

“Just freelance part-time,” Olpinski advised.

“That’s a great way to see if freelancing will work for you.”

“You’re completely in control of your time, which is great if you’re good at managing it.”

FREELANCING RESOURCES Get updates on Ripple at rippleplatform.io The Lounge is looking for an experienced UI/UX designer —Contact Catherine Mazza.

Matt Olpinski publishes advice on his website mattolpinski.com Features 21

Safety Studying Abroad

by Koshal Makhija illustration by Unique Fair design by Elin Smith

22 Features

“If you think about it, our greatest capacity for growth, change and improvement comes when we are challenging ourselves.�

F

or a lot of students, a study abroad adventure can be the highlight of their college career.

“If you think about it, our greatest capacity for growth, change and improvement comes when we are challenging ourselves,” said Jenny Sullivan, director of Education Abroad and Internal Fellowships at the Study Abroad office. “There are so many benefits to stepping out of your comfort zone and finding out how people live and the choices that they make.

You learn our way of doing things isn’t always the best way.”

Things don’t always go according to plan, however. The Study Abroad office has to prepare for the worst.

The Planning Process “There is a lot of time and energy that goes into planning that people don’t even realize,” explained Denis Defibaugh, a professor in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences.

Defibaugh is currently in the process of organizing a photography trip to Cuba, a trip he has lead since 1999. For his very first trip, he traveled with a select few people and made arrangements to bring students to Cuba. This year, 20 students will be visiting the country in the spring for an opportunity to experience and capture Cuban culture and landmarks.

That being said, Cuba faced some negative limelight late last September when U.S. diplomats stationed in the country suffered nearly 50 sonic attacks. The root of these attacks remains unknown, begging the question: is it wise for the RIT trip to continue? Defibaugh is confident that necessary safety precautions are in place.

“We stay in hotels that are very supportive about what we are doing; there are usually staff members present in case of any emergencies,” Defibaugh said. “Students are also responsible for their own safety, so we do the best we can but it’s hard to predict how a student will react.”

Faculty members are tasked with creating the itinerary and are in constant contact with travel agents in case any political or immediate situation does arise.

Faculty members like Defibaugh also have

connections in the given locations in order to truly understand the situation of a given area. The itinerary is very important as it directly impacts gaining approval from the Risk Management office.

“We want to make sure that faculty members have an in-country affiliation or partnership; this is really important in maintaining safety,” Sullivan said.

Study Abroad and Risk Management According to Executive Director of Risk Management Melinda Ward, the Study Abroad and Risk Management offices are dedicated to creating programs for students and maintaining safety of students and faculty.

“One of the first places we look is the U.S. State Department and their guidelines,” Ward said. “They are the ones who aim to keep Americans safe, such as pulling U.S. diplomats out of Cuba due to the recent sonic attack.

They are the government decision-makers and we look really closely at that.”

“There is risks in everything we do. The trip has to be smartly planned and Study Abroad tries their best in doing this.”

Risk Management assesses the travel details submitted to them by faculty and look deeper into the areas being visited. Traveling abroad almost always has several affiliates involved that operate on the sidelines, until they need to step in for an emergency. United Healthcare Global is an affiliation used by RIT to get further political details of a location and to take drastic measures in case of a international emergency.

“We don’t just say, ‘There’s a travel alert in Cuba, nobody can go to Cuba,’” Ward said.

“Most of the universities including RIT don’t usually do that because we want students to travel and learn from different experiences, sometimes, these are in areas that aren’t deemed to be as safe as the United States.”

“We advise students to get in touch with

Public Safety in case of any emergency during a study abroad trip. They are always open and can help get in touch with the right people to get immediate help,” Ward added.

The Study Abroad and Risk Management offices also inform students and faculty about certain risks of an area and strive to be as transparent as possible. They also advise students and faculty to do their own research so that they are more aware about their destination.

The Final Decision All this being said, decisions are always subject to change during the study abroad process.

“The world is constantly changing. Every day on my way to work I’m hearing about what’s going around the world and I’m thinking, ‘Do we have students here? Do we have programs in preparation to go there?

How do we need to handle this? Is this a good place?’ One day it might be a great place to go, next day it might not,” Sullivan said.

Ward was in agreement. “The truth is, traveling can be scary,” she said. “I have always been on the side of highlighting the risks of it.”

However, Ward still believes that students shouldn’t be fearful of taking some risks.

“But there is nothing more independent than going into a foreign country and immersing yourself in a culture, possibly a new language. There is risks in everything that we do. The trip just has to be smartly planned and Study Abroad tries their best in doing this.”

Study Abroad and Risk Management work hard to provide everyone a safe and memorable journey. With political situations constantly changing around the world, certain countries might be safe to visit now, but might not be quite so accessible in the future. So why not get out there and explore?

Features 23

WACKY WELLNESSES

by Bryanne McDonough and Bella M Taylor illustration by Juho Choi design by Kendra Murphy

F

rom Nerf blasters to massage therapy, RIT offers a variety of unusual wellness courses.

It’s enrollment season and while you may have signed up for all the classes you have to take, consider getting one of your two required wellness courses out of the way. Remember that the school will cover two classes up to $200 — everything after that is applied to eservices via a course fee. All ratings are from openevals.rit.edu. Professor ratings are averaged from their helpfulness, responsiveness and recommendation scores. The class scores represent whether students would recommend the class to others.

24 Technology

MAPLE SYRUP AND OUR ENVIRONMENT

INTRODUCTION TO MASSAGE THERAPY

Instructors: Enid Cardinal, senior sustainability advisor to the president and Tom Connelly, program director for the RIT Center for Recreational Sports

Instructor: Austin Baddeley, NYS licensed massage therapist

Instructor Rating: 3.80/5 and 3.83/5

Class Rating: 4.45/5

Class Rating: 4.2/5

Meeting Time: Thursday 12:30–1:50 p.m. or Thursday 2:00–3:20 p.m.

Instructor Rating: 3.57/5

Meeting Time: Meets Tuesdays 3:30–5:30 p.m. for seven weeks and Saturday March 3, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. for a field trip.

Class Size: 40

Class Size: 30

Cost: $160

Cost: $95

For: Students looking for stress and pain relief.

For: Students who love maple syrup and care about the environment

Description: Massage therapy has become a popular method for relieving stress and pain. The class will teach students a variety of massage techniques to use on themselves and others. The first third of the class is dedicated to learning techniques and then students partner up to practice.

Description: Students will learn about the production of maple syrup and how it is affected by the environment. They will learn about tree identification, biology and the nutritional benefits of maple syrup. During a field trip, students will identify trees, harvest sap and create their own maple syrup.

Student opinion: ​“I learned that maple syrup can be a healthier alternative to other sugars. It’s a natural product so if you’re worried about the fake sweeteners, it can be a much better alternative,” Becky Bogart, a fourth year Chemistry major, said.

Student opinion: “I would give the class a 10 out of 10. I still use the techniques today on both myself and others, and think I will for many years,” Katherine Cooney, a fifth year Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience major, said.

FENCING

NERFOLOGY

Instructor: Harold Goodwill

Instructor: Justin Dangler, president of the Rochester Foam Dart League

Instructor Rating: 3.67/5 Instructor Rating: 3.66/5 Class Rating: 3.56/5 Class Rating: 4.33/5 Meeting Time: Tuesday 9:30 a.m.–10:50 a.m. or Thursday 12:30–1:50 p.m.

Meeting Time: Wednesday 3:35–4:55 p.m.

Class Size: 22

Class Size: 50

Cost: $100

Cost: $175

For: Students who have always wanted to learn swordplay

For: Students who enjoy games like Humans vs. Zombies, Airsoft, laser tag or paintball

Description: The class will cover the three different fencing blades and will teach footwork, blade work and safety procedures. Classes start with warm-ups and then an introduction to the day’s topics. After practicing new techniques, the class concludes with fencing bouts.

Description: This class is about having fun while getting active. Students will play various games involving Nerf blasters both indoors and out Students track their activity via pedometers.

Student opinion: “Don’t get hit, hit the other guy and look sexy while doing it ... It’s a great class, a lot of fun,” Stanley Goldstein, a fourth year Packaging Science major, said.

Student opinion: “Nerfology was a good course to get people active in a very RIT way,” Kelly Brown, a fourth year Physician Assistant student, said.

Leisure 25

HATE SPEECH

STUDENTS’ OPINIONS ON

AT RIT

by Taylor Synclair-Goethe photography by James Porras design by Alyssa Minko

T

he alt-right movement has been gaining more and more traction within mainstream media. The current poster child for white nationalism, Richard Spencer, has held multiple talks on his ideologies at universities across the country. To refer to Spencer as controversial would be an understatement since he has made several racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic and just about every otherphobic remarks publicly without regret. He is frequently referred to as a hate speaker which is why his speeches, such as the ones at UC Berkeley or University of Florida, were heavily protested and turned violent.

26 Views

The debate between whether universities should allow for radical ideologists like Richard Spencer to speak on their campuses has become a hot button issue. Reporter asked questions via an online survey posted to the RIT Reddit and Facebook to gauge student responses.

WHERE IS THE LINE BETWEEN CONTROVERSIAL SPEECH AND ACTUAL HATE SPEECH? The first question was a short essay response and left purposely vague so students could express their opinions without constraint. Although student answers varied considerably most followed these three trends: 1. “The intention. Hate speech is meant to offend,” a third year student in New Media Marketing replied.

Many students defined hate speech as an derogatory or offensive language directed at a group of people, often in the form of slurs.

2.“Implied or actual incitation or condoning of violence,” fourth year student in environmental science Connor MacKenzie replied.

The most popular response, many students define hate speech as the encouragement of violence against a specific group.

3.“There is no line. There is no such thing as hate speech,” third year student in chemical engineering Gavin Lewis replied.

The least frequent response is that hate speech does not exist. Students replied that controversy differs too much from person to person and that labels such as “hate” limit discussion.

THE VALUE OF “HATE” SPEECH: THE REDDIT DEBATE Comments on the RIT Reddit page continued the debate of what is and isn’t considered hate speech, as well as the prospect of having Richard Spencer on campus. Again, discussions were polarized between two differing views.

First, students argued that problematic beliefs must be challenged intellectually, making college campuses the correct environment to do so. /u/ZeBushmaster wrote: “Campuses are supposed to be places where beliefs are challenged. If you genuinely think his beliefs are wrong, you should challenge them in the academic setting of a lecture/ speaking event, where you can listen to his argument and then refute it in the Q/A section.

“There are few things more embarrassing than a student half your age dismantling your argument in front of the rest of the student body. The platform argument only really matters when people can’t think for themselves, which shouldn’t happen on a college campus if

the campus is doing it’s [sic] job.

“If your time in college hasn’t taught you to question the arguments you hear, do some research yourself, and then make up your own informed opinion, then you’ve been done a disservice. I understand technical schools are supposed to teach you skills for a career, but colleges as a whole are supposed to teach you how to reason and critically think about the world.”

Other students countered that providing platforms for hateful ideologies at campuses is dangerous and morally wrong. /u/JtppaTV wrote: “Look around you, in the country that we live in today. Can you honestly tell me with a straight face that hateful, unintelligent ideology will defeat itself?

“We live in a world where free speech is more powerful than ever before, with the existence of the internet and social media being key factors. We live in a country where diseases that have been nearly eradicated, such as measles and whooping cough, are making massive comebacks due to people spreading anti-vaccination ideologies. We live in a world where white supremacists can hold rallies in the streets, and our own f***ing president doesn’t condemn them.

“I understand that free speech is incredibly important. But in this day and age where hatred, bigotry, and plain old idiocy can spread like wildfire, you can’t just let everyone say anything they want.”

DO ALL IDEOLOGIES DESERVE A PLATFORM? It is important to note that Spencer condones what he describes as “peaceful ethnic cleansing” of non-whites. Although he claims this is a nonviolent approach to white racial purity he has published on his alt-right site articles that beg to differ. For example, one article, “Is Black Genocide Right?” by Colin Liddel, which has since been retracted, stated:

“Instead of asking how we can make reparations for slavery, colonialism and Apartheid or how we can equalize academic scores and incomes, we should instead be asking questions like, ‘Does human civilization actually need the Black race?’ ‘Is Black genocide right?’ and, if it is, ‘What would be the best and easiest way to dispose of them?’

With starting points like this, wisdom is sure to flourish, enlightenment to dawn.”

Spencer condones anti-blackness, genocide of nonwhites and many other hateful beliefs, so does he still deserve to speak at major universities? Of the surveyed students, 43 percent said yes, although 14 percent added qualifiers and exceptions to their yes answers. Interestingly, over 39 percent of students surveyed also answered that they would protest a Richard Spencer event at RIT. A majority of students seem to agree that it is Spencer’s First Amendment right to speak but they also recognize their right to assemble and protest him.

Although students may be ready to demonstrate if the opportunity presents themselves, they may not get the chance to. The C11.0 POLICY WITH RESPECT TO DEMONSTRATIONS ON CAMPUS Section B reads: “The freedom of movement or speech of any individual or group shall be maintained, provided that this shall not be deemed to countenance language or actions likely to provoke or encourage disruption of, or interference with classes, educational activities, or any events sponsored by RIT or any recognized official, faculty or student group.”

Although C11.0 is currently up for review and updates, its current language could prevent students from protesting in any disruptive way. If a hate speaker were to come to campus, students seem to want it to be in a medium where they could protest and challenge the speaker’s views. If Richard Spencer were to be invited to campus, RIT students have made their stance clear.

DOES “HATE” SPEECH HAVE ANY VALUE IN AN ACADEMIC SETTING?

MAYBE

18.0%

YES 25.6%

NO 56.4%

The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER. Views 27

WOTS

photography by Karise Blount illustration by Alexis Emma design by Alyssa Minko

WORD ON THE STREET

Jodi Ann Morgan Third year Computer Engineering Technology

“MY SISTER ACTS LIKE A SAINT IN SCHOOL BUT IS REALLY MISCHIEVOUS AT HOME.”

Aliana Tejeda Third year Computer Engineering Technology

Nick Ettinger

“COUSIN, SHE TAUGHT ME IF THE COPS DON’T KNOW IT’S LEGAL.”

Third year Electrical Engineering Technology

“MY BROTHER BECASUE HE’S IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ALWAYS TRYING NEW THINGS. HE’S VERY SPONTANEOUS. HE SURPRISED ME BY JOINING THE HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL.”

28 Views

DESCRIBE YOUR YOUR DESCRIBE

CRAZIEST RELATIVE

Alyssa Keller Third year Media Arts and Technology

Lizzie Soufleris Third year Advertising Photography, New Media Design

“DAD, HE’S SOMETIMES FUNNY BUT HE USUALLY MAKES DAD JOKES. HE THINKS HE IS A STAND-UP COMEDIAN.”

“DAD SET UP A GAMING SYSTEM AND PLAYS MINECRAFT ALL THE TIME. MOST DADS DON’T DO THAT. MOST DADS ARE INTO NEWSPAPERS.”

The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

Views 29

RINGS compiled by Taylor Synclair-Goethe illustration by Stephanie Chan design by Zhuoxin Xu

“well of course you’re gonna need a tiny gun for the baby” OCT 11, 2017, 7:02 PM

Everything is on fire; metaphorically and literally… and metaphysically and literarily… and OCT 24, 2017, 8:26 PM

Why can you never find a gif of cartoon Jessica Biel starting a fire cult when you need one?

OCT 22, 2017, 1:05 AM

Look, anything can be a kink if you try hard enough and believe in yourself OCT 27, 2017, 1:21 PM What if someone hacked Donald Trump’s phone so that all his tweets became Rings instead? Pros: it’s far more likely we’d avoid nuclear war Cons: the most fucking awful Rings imaginable OCT 18, 2017, 12:00 AM

*extremely narrator voice* After being bitten by a rapid radio-active mongoose in the marshes around campus, President David C. Munson developed super acute mongoose senses & a strong dislike of snakes.

Now he is: “Mungoose” OCT 20, 2017, 10:03 AM

I am a furry hotdog OCT 21, 2017, 12:08 AM

HAVE RANDOM, FUNNY, OR EVEN A LIL’ DISTURBING THOUGHTS FROM TIME TO TIME? TEXT OR CALL US!

585.672.4840 The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER. 30 News

News 31

√

You’ve got a lot going on.

Check one thing off your list!

APPLY @ AMERICANCAMPUS.COM/ROCHESTER

PARK POINT W Jefferson Rd k Par

d rR ive ER

r

al R

tD

enth

n Poi

Low d

John

Andrews Memorial Dr

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Charles Perkins Rd

Wiltsie Dr

SAVE $150 WITH REDUCED FEES

Fees subject to change. Limited time only. See office for details.

St

Andrews Memorial Dr

THE PROVINCE

PROUD SUPPORTER OF RIT HOCKEY