davidsonian 2-23-22

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French artist Amandine Gay screens films, hosts workshops

Volume 120, Issue 12

February 23, 2022

Olympian Evy Leibfarth ‘25 talks Tokyo, Paris

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Composting workshop preps monument for planting

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The Yowl reports a new policy for auditioning F playlists

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CDC, Campus Constraints Drive COVID Policy Changes Students Question Provided KN95s, Comment on Dining, Testing

MCKINLEY LETTRE ‘24 (SHE/HER) STAFF WRITER

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mong these ever-changing pandemic times, Davidson’s campus has begun to adopt a sense of normalcy. Fraternities, sororities, and eating houses have resumed recruitment events, students are permitted to gather maskless in residence halls, and classes are back in-person. While some COVID rules remain in place, such as masking in academic buildings and common spaces such as Union and Baker, the general pandemic protocol allows for a significant amount of social freedom.

The relaxed COVID measures this academic year have led to a significant improvement in student mental health. Dr. David Graham, the Director of Student Health and Well-Being, says he believes the overall mental wellness of students is “much better” compared to last year, where protocols forced isolation.

“Students are actually able to interact now,” Dr. Graham explains. “The residence halls are open for them to have more organic interactions, and feel more like home.”

Yet Davidson saw a spike in cases at the start of the semester, largely thanks to the Omicron variant. The COVID update email sent on February 18 states that there are 23 active cases, a significant number for a campus of this size with 99% of the population vaccinated and boosted.

Food While Quarantining or Isolating: Sophia Monte ‘24 and Anaya Patel ‘25, who both isolated in the Homewood Suites, report that Davidson was very accommodating during their quarantine. The student health center “called every day to see how I’m feeling and also offered counseling services while I’m in isolation,” says Patel. “Additionally, they brought me any supplies if I needed them—cough drops, water, Gatorade, etc.”

Davidson originally provided food from Vail Commons for those in isolation at the Homewood Suites, but switched to giving Doordash gift cards, according to Monte and confirmed by Director of Media Relations Jay

Pfeifer. Students isolating off campus are given $125 in Doordash credit for every two days they spend in quarantine. This allows students to accommodate individual dietary preferences and restrictions, as well as provide comfort during isolation. Students isolating in college-owned housing, such as the Guest House, still receive meal deliveries from Commons.

Davidson-provided Masks: High-filtration masks such as KN95s are a highly effective way to slow the spread of COVID, especially the Omicron variant. On January 24th, Davidson told students via an email,“When you return to campus, you will find two high-filtration masks, KN95 models, in your mail box.” According to Luca Voichick ‘23, these masks, marked as KN95, may not meet the standards set by the CDC for this model of mask that is required to guarantee >=95% filtration efficacy. Voichick notes that the masks delivered by Davidson College lack many of the features present on genuine KN95 masks. According to the New York Times and the CDC, masks marked KN95 must have an expiration date, company branding, and GB marking, among other criteria. Voichick pointed out that the Davidson-provided masks lack all of the aforementioned elements. The New York Times also cautions that many “KN95 masks offered on Amazon and through other retailers are being sold without authorization for use in health care settings from the Food and Drug Administration.”

Some Davidson professors require the use of high-filtration masks, operating under the assumption that Davidson provided KN95s that filter the pathogenic particles promised by this model of masks.

Voichick alerted the COVID Core Response Team to this issue the day before classes began and received a response two weeks later. The email he received did not satisfy his concerns as to the efficacy of the masks, and the team offered to assist him in doing a Google search for different masks if he felt uncomfortable with those provided. “I thought that if I alerted them to a problem they would try to fix it right away,” said Voichick, “It just felt so dismis-

Students with COVID-19 isolate in an off-campus Airbnb paid for by the college. Photo

by Brigid McCarthy ‘25. sive and condescending.”

For Voichick, the COVID Core’s response highlighted a bigger issue: “Instead of correcting clear problems in a timely fashion, it seems like the COVID Core Response team is more focused on ensuring that the legal culpability never falls on them,” he says. “If something goes wrong, they just need to be able to say that ‘it wasn’t our fault, it’s the students’, the professors’, the masks distributor’s, or the CDC’s fault.’”

When asked to comment, Pfeifer stated via email “The aim of distributing the masks was to provide, for those who wanted one, a mask with a high level of filtration. No one has suggested these [masks] don’t provide that, including at least one faculty member who dissected one. We purchased the masks from a vendor with whom we have a trusted history, and I’m sorry that we don’t have detailed information on the manufacturing history. We are not requiring the use of the masks we distributed, and anyone who has questions or concerns should get a different mask with

which they are comfortable. Mark [Johnson, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer and member of the Core COVID Response Team] offered this same information to Luca.

At the same time, I would urge caution about labeling something counterfeit based on a student’s reading of a New York Times article.”

Testing Regulations: If a student suspects they have contracted COVID, testing is free and easily available at the health center from 8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. On weekends, students can test in the Tomlinson Hall conference room from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

However, the tests offered to students are rapid antigen tests, not PCR tests. Antigen tests, which are cheaper and give results faster, sacrifice accuracy for ease. According to the Mayo Clinic, PCR tests are significantly more accurate than antigen tests, especially with the Omicron variant. Patel knows this firsthand:

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Campus Commemorates Eating Disorder Awareness Month ANIKA BANERJEE ‘24 (SHE/HER) CO-NEWS EDITOR

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ebruary 21 was the beginning of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

The purpose of this week is to encourage healthy eating habits and body positivity while also aiding people in identifying disordered eating. Last year, COVID-19 prevented Davidson from hosting the activities and speakers they wanted for Eating Disorder Awareness Week, so this year, the school decided to extend this week into a month to make up for lost time.

On February 16, there was an event in Vail Commons where students, who participated anonymously, wrote down a physical or personality aspect of themselves that they love.

These notes were then posted around Com-

mons and surrounded the students with positive reminders of the numerous ways in which you can love yourself. After writing the note, students could then spin a wheel for tickets and then enter themselves into a raffle for different prizes.

“It was nice to have an eating disorder awareness event right in Commons,” said Sean Dick ‘24, a participant in the ‘Spin The Wheel of Love’ event. “People in college are always in fear of the ‘freshman fifteen’ and it is good to remind them that there is nothing wrong with eating what you want in moderation while also teaching us to be comfortable in our own skin.”

Susan Denny, a counselor and the Coordinator of Eating Concerns Committee, spoke to the importance of bringing eating disorder awareness related events to campus. “Espe-

cially as we’re coming into spring and the summer months, and people start kind of concentrating more on their body a little bit and how it’s going to be perceived, there’s so much we’re working against [with social media and beauty standards], it is almost like swimming upstream trying to change some of these thought processes and the mindsets.”

Denny, along with some of her colleagues, have been working on creating a community of trust so that manifesting body positivity becomes second nature. She spoke about the ‘Love Your Tree’ campaign where the trees surrounding Chambers have purple ribbons which display QR codes that people can scan to read more about personal narratives about eating disorders and other related content.

These trees also serve to help people consider how their relationships with food and their

body might be distorted.

Davidson’s athletic director Chris Clunie ‘06 seconded Denny’s feelings. Over the past two to three years, Clunie said that the athletic department at Davidson has been pushing for an increase in mental health resources. He noted that along with the excess mental health stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, “it’s really hard to be a division I scholar-athlete, I don’t think people realize how hard it is…Like there are schools that compete at the highest level athletically and sacrifice academically, [and vise versa],” said Clunie. “We are different in that we are really good on the court, in the pool, on the field—and we’re really,

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News

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Amandine Gay: Artist in Residence Visits

Filmmaker Documents Experience of Blackness and Identity in France

Left: Screening of Gay’s film Ouvrir la voix on February 16. Photo by Bailey Maierson ‘25. Right: Amandine Gay. Photo courtesy imdb.com.

CHARLOTTE SPEARS ‘24 (SHE/HER) STAFF WRITER

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mandine Gay was frustrated with the limited opportunities for Black, female actresses in French films, so she decided to create her own. After the successful creation of documentary films highlighting Blackness and identity in France, Gay is touring the United States to share her stories on college campuses. Last week, Gay visited Davidson as the artist in residence.

Gay hosted two film screenings, a lecture on anti-racism and intersectionality, a workshop exploring the deconstruction of white privilege, and attended class meetings. Professor Caroline Fache, chair of the French and Francophone Studies department and professor of Africana studies, was the force behind bringing Amandine Gay to Davidson for the second time in the past four years. According

to Fache, Gay’s work was well-received at her events.

“I like the format of the residencies because if someone wants to engage for more than just one evening for a lecture they would be able to do that,” Fache said. “Especially like a Black female filmmaker, it’s important to have these folks visible for representation. It’s a good way to show what these folks are doing and how they are doing it.”

Fache noted that the residency was transformative for some students.

“There were a few women of color at one of the screenings and they said ‘it was so refreshing to see a Black woman, who is a film professional, brought to campus and to see her success story,” Fache said. “Because some folks are never represented and getting that glimpse is very important.”

Gay’s work to document Black women in France has resonated across many countries.

Her films have been seen by tens of thousands

of people across Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Canada in movie theaters and film festivals, and the reactions generate conversations about global Blackness.

“Film really allows you to have people be touched on a non-intellectual way,” Gay said. “Images are really powerful. To bring emotions, to displace people. It’s about being surprised about things you have never heard about or experiences that you didn’t think existed, and you only get that in cinema. Cinema is much more accessible than academic literature. With cinema, you are going to attract all [kinds of] people.”

Gay is on an American tour to screen her new documentary A Story of Ones Own about international adoption. She said she’s quite curious to hear students’ thoughts on the film.

“It’s really interesting to see the different reactions from students on this tour,” Gay said.

“We’ve had intense conversations about the form of the film, and [at Davidson], we had

conversations about who is the intended audience.”

Students and staff were consistently interested in the events, according to Fache, who incorporated Gay’s work into her classes.

“The level of engagement from the students was high, good questions and answers and the applause at the end of class was very telling that they had a good time and it was a cool moment, you could tell it was energizing,” Fache said.

Felix Simmons ‘24 was able to spend lunch with Gay and her partner.

“They talked about how the way they went about the film industry in France was so uncommon, that their success and presence in the industry disrupts the standard system,” Simmons said. “It was truly life-changing.”

The French and Francophone Studies Department’s next event this semester will include visits from Francophone musicians later this spring.

Davidson Expands ED Awareness Week Into a Month CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 really good in the classroom. So that’s hard to balance.”

As a result, athletes become more susceptible to eating disorders and body image issues.

He also emphasized that this issue exists with both athletes and non-athletes on the campus.

In his position, Clunie has seen the impact of eating disorders and decided to cosponsor one of the events happening on campus. He credited Victoria Garrick coming to campus to Natalie Nattichia ‘23, a member of the field hockey team, and her efforts.

Nattichia stated that, “This has kind of been a long time coming. I think I have noticed throughout my career here at Davidson, and especially even more so now, that eating disorders in female athletes are ramping and it has affected some of the closest people in my life.” She had been researching speakers and came across a TikTok and Instagram personality named Victoria Garrick who was a former scholar-athlete that struggled with eating disorders. Nattichia was determined to bring someone to Davidson who both athletes and non-athletes looked up to and interacted with.

After trying to reach out to Garrick on her own, Nattichia struggled to grab her atten-

tion, and that is when she went to Clunie. “I emailed Chris Clunie, and I was like, ‘listen, the resources that we have on campus are great, but I think there’s so much value in having someone that people look up to as a role model coming in and sharing their story.’

She’s very open about eating and the mental health struggles of being a female athlete… and then it all fell into place,” said Nattichia.

Now, Garrick is scheduled to come to Davidson on March 28.

Along with Garrick coming to speak on campus, there are a few other events that will be taking place in the following weeks. Julie Whittington, one of two registered dietitians on campus, provided some insight into the remaining events. “Starting on the 21st, we’re going to have body image queues all over the tables at Commons, the Den, and Union. So those will have quotes and affirmations and statements to help encourage you to think about your relationship with body and food and how you can kind of encourage healthy comfort stations at mealtime and be thinking about yourself in healthy ways.”

Following this, on February 22 and 25 from 11am-1pm at Union, there will be an eating assessment called the Eat 26. It is a 26 question survey which can help you understand your mindset towards food and if you have ‘disor-

Trees adorned for the ‘Love Your Tree’ campaign. Photo by Bailey Maierson ‘25. dered eating habits.’

Whittington and Denny also provided some advice for how the student body and faculty at Davidson can create a body-positive attitude all year round. They advised finding trusted people to confide in about your feelings, being conscious about what you say, and acknowledging that it is okay to seek the advice or help

of on or off campus counselors, dietitians, or medical professionals. Denny stated, “I think what would be helpful as a community is to almost make a pledge to yourself or your friends to hold each other accountable…and make sure we think about what we say before we say it and to filter things out that could affect the people around you.”

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February 23, 2022

Lula Bell’s First Annual Free Store Deemed Success SOHAN GADE ‘23 (HE/HIM) STAFF WRITER

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n Wednesday, February 16 students flocked to the Union’s Sprinkle room for the Lula Bell’s Resource Center’s first major event of the semester, a pop-up shop. Inside, there were tables filled with a wide variety of items, from kitchen supplies to dress shoes. Everything in the “store” was free of charge, with no catch or caveat.

Since its opening in 2017, Lula Bell’s Resource Center has taken on many different roles. Students can rent clothing, purchase food, and participate in its social and educational events.

During the pandemic, Lula Bell’s staff created innovative programs, such as “an ingredient of the month” to engage with the student body. Sadie Blackshear ‘23 discussed her experience working at Lula Bell’s last year.

“In Fall 2020, we had to do pre-ordered packages, where people would order online and we would set up baskets for them to pick up. We also transitioned away from that Spring 2021, when we had appointment-based shopping, so that we had a lower capacity inside of the building,” said Blackshear.

Lula Bell’s Assistant Director, Elayna Coleman, explained that she started working at Lula Bell’s during the pandemic.

“I started at Davidson in August 2020….I was never really remote. [This was] only because Lula Bell’s stayed open throughout the whole pandemic, but it was definitely interesting,” said Coleman.

The idea to have the pop-up shop is not new; it has been discussed for several years.

The difficulties that came with the pandemic, including the staff shortages and need for social distancing, delayed the event for a few semesters.

“A free store is something that has been talked about since Lula Bell’s opened…It took a while to get Lula Bell’s off the ground…we didn’t have a full-time person [working]. This semester, we felt like we had things under control, and we could start trying something,” said Coleman.

Midway through the event, Coleman deemed the shop as successful.

“We’ve had over 100 people come throughout the day, and we still have a couple hours left,” said Coleman.

Given the copious amount of planning required, Coleman explained her biggest challenge in building the pop-up shop.

“One of the biggest challenges… is to make sure that when we’re collecting donations, [that] we bring a variety. That goes from everything [from] like the categories of items to the sizes of clothing…. we want any student who wants to come here to feel like they can find things for them,” explained Coleman.

This year, the center is also looking to increase student engagement by focusing on getting underclassmen involved.

“We had a big open house just to kind of introduce first years to the services. We had some people from other classes that came in that may not have been familiar with us before,” said Blackshear.

First-year international student, Julia Rembisz ‘25, visited the event and discussed her shopping experience and the wide variety of items available.

Q&A: Israel Palencia ‘23, Incoming SGA President

Items “for sale” at the Lula Bell’s Resource Center’s free store on February 16th. Photo

by Sydney Schertz ‘24 “I love Lula Bell’s. I wasn’t looking for anything specific. It was great overall. It was a good opportunity and I got some school supplies. My friend took some clothes too,” said Rembisz.

Lula Bell’s employs several first-year students, including Daniel Presa ‘25.

“The work environment has been really good. My coworkers—the other student employees—have been great,” said Presa.

As part of student staff, Presa also explained that, even as a first-year, he had a major role in making the event happen.

“I helped coordinate the shop volunteers. I also helped with preparing the items before

COVID Campus Update CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

her first antigen test from the health center was negative. Less sensitive tests can lead students to unknowingly spread the virus to other community members. On the other hand, antigen tests ensure those suspected of a close contact can test themselves several times with ease and receive results almost immediately every time.

If an antigen test finds that a student is COVID positive, the student’s close contacts are notified via email. Pfeifer says students are “encouraged to self test within five days,” though they are not required to test within this window. They are told to monitor their Jereme Corbin ‘23 (left) and Israel Palencia ‘23 (right) were elected SGA’s new Vice President and President, respectively, on Monday night. Photo by Raphael Oettl ‘22

KATIE STEWART ‘23 (SHE/HER) CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

KS: Is there any message you want to send to the student body now that you’re president?

Katie Stewart (KS): How does it feel to win?

Israel Palencia (IP): It’s super exciting. For myself, I feel like this is a win for myself, my family, minority students on campus, [and] first generation students on campus. So yeah, [I’m] just really excited.

IP: Just that thank you for everyone who believed in me. And that I’m gonna do my best to really enhance our community during my time as SGA President. And that I want every student to feel supported, to feel heard, and most of all, just to be involved. So that we can make this effort together.

KS: What’s your first big goal that you want to get accomplished?

KS: Is there anything you’d like people to know about you?

IP: My first big goal—I’d say some projects definitely take longer than others. But something I hope to do very quickly is find a solution for parking on campus. That [could] be through adding a structure, like a garage, get[ting] some more [...] services for just more parking spaces, or SGA creating a relief fund that can help students who have been affected by not being able to find parking [and] having to park in certain places that are not allowed by campus police. So that’s just something that I hope to get done quickly.

IP: A lot of the things that we do are policies, and sometimes can be tied to like the politics of it all. But that’s not really me. Like, for example, what I want to do in my career is be a physician. So I’ve always just been really interested in the people and that’s the reason I do this. It’s really to just build those connections [and] help out those much like I’ve been helped throughout my time here. I just want everybody to know that I ride for the people.

And that’s what we’re going to continue to do.

bringing them over,” said Presa.

Approaching its five year anniversary, Lula Bell’s has helped create community among students. According to Coleman, the shop is a reminder to all Davidson students that Lula Bell’s is an extraordinary resource for them and serves as a safe space for students who otherwise may not have one.

“So with everything, [we offer our services to] any student who needs it. A lot of our programs and services are intended for students who may have financial barriers or transportation barriers, but truly any student is welcome.

All students are welcome,” said Coleman.

symptoms and wear a mask in crowded indoor areas: actions which students do regardless of their COVID exposure. The email acknowledges this, concluding with “note that all of the above items are things we expect you to do regularly as part of our shared responsibility.”

Pfeifer also reiterated the college’s commitment to monitoring the COVID situation and implementing changes in policy if circumstances demand it. “Our guidelines and decisions throughout the pandemic have been premised on adjusting as circumstances guide us, and that will continue to be the case” he said.

Crime Log

Time Reported

Description/Location

02/15/22 at 15:30 hrs

Underage Consumption

02/13/22 at 18:44 hrs

Hit and Run

Duke, Dean Referral/Medic Transport

Belk Lot, Further Investigation

02/13/2022 at 01:14 hrs Underage Consumption Chidsey, Dean Referral

02/05/2022 at 17:45 hrs Poss. of Alcohol Underage Belk, Dean Referral

Perspectives

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Reconsidering Davidson’s Late Return to Campus

Was this Decision Really Made with Students in Mind?

SAMANTHA EWING ‘23 (SHE/HER) PERSPECTIVES COLUMNIST AND FEATURES EDITOR

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magine after spending a long month on winter break, your upcoming return to campus finally approaches. Most of your friends have already returned to their respective schools. You’ve done your part to protect yourself and your community by getting every vaccine dose for which you are eligible. You’ve had your flights booked, and other travel arrangements solidified for weeks — you’ve been anticipating and counting on the return to basic necessities on campus on January 18th. Suddenly, twelve days out from your anticipated move in, the school announces you won’t be allowed access to campus or its resources as you were promised for another ten days, leaving you with no refund and no contingency plan.

If you’re a student, you don’t need to imagine this scenario because this was our reality this past January.

On January 5th, the college sent out an email announcing our return to campus would be pushed back from January 18th to January 28th. As the email explains, the primary reasoning for delaying our arrival was that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is more transmissible than the other variants—the decision to delay was made with the hope that the virus would “dissipate more quickly than its predecessors.” On January 7th, [President] Carol Quillen sent a follow-up email to the student body regarding the delayed return. In this message, she attributed much of the school’s decision to the hope that an extra ten days would give the college more time to learn about the effectiveness of vaccines and how Omicron spreads.

These messages imply that the school was acting on the best interest of the student body. And, of course, I understand that limiting the spread of COVID is good. However, with Omicron being so highly transmissible, I imagine the decision to delay our return likely had very little impact on our case numbers. In the past several weeks, we saw our case numbers triple from what was reported on February 2nd—an increase that was inevitable regardless of the timing of our return. We had done everything that we could to protect ourselves and our community with a 99% vaccination rate among the student body and 99% having received booster shots among those eligible.

For these simple and evident reasons, the decision to delay our return was unnecessary and likely made little difference in the spread of Omicron on campus. I am also eager to hear what new information the school learned in the extra ten days before

our return. Our COVID regulations on campus have changed very little if at all, which leads me to believe there was no addition of information substantial enough to impact student life.

Not only was the school’s decision ineffective, it disproportionately impacted students’ well-being and raised many equity issues in the process. Leaving students with no housing or meal plan ripped the carpet out from beneath most of our feet. Twelve days in advance is a ludicrously short amount of time to find affordable options for resources that we were depending on the school to provide on January 18th. For students who don’t live within driving distance of the school, this short notice caused complications, as many of us needed to rebook flights and rearrange shipping plans.

Our delayed return also prevented us from accessing counselors and other basic health care services through the Center for Student Health and Well-being — another essential resource included in our tuition. Our being tasked to find food, housing, and health resources elsewhere was exacerbated by the fact that

For the amount that we as students invest in this school, I am extremely disappointed by how we were treated with so little consideration. the school refused to refund any amount of our tuition or room and board, despite the decrease in academic instruction and access to housing during this drastically shortened semester.

Overall, the decision to push back our arrival was made at the expense of underprivileged students who were relying on these resources from the school the most.

Additionally, the timing of the announcement conveniently ensured that there was little opportunity for negotiation or for students to have a voice in the decision at all. For the amount that we as students invest in this school, I am extremely disappointed by how we were treated with so little consideration.

Similar to the trust the Honor Code is meant to instill, there does seem to be an implied contractual obligation between the school and each student — that, given good academic performance and good behavior, students have a right to utilize the resources from this institution in which we have invested. With the hasty decision to delay our return and lack of communication from the school, that contract now feels bent at best and seems, at worst, partly broken. Yes, the school sent us many

emails to provide reasoning and closure about the decision.

However, despite the empathetic tone, these emails had little substance and did not address many of the actual problems caused by the decision to delay our return.

With all of this in mind, it is difficult to fathom how exactly this decision was made in the best interest of the student body. Did the immediate, inevitable, and certainly negative impacts of this delay not outweigh the potential benefits? The consequences of such a late and critical decision beg the question of whether student safety was ever a priority; or, rather, if changing college policy has become more performative than effective.

We had done our part as students. We had taken precautions to protect ourselves and others. We had complied with all of the college’s regulations and were still stripped of the resources we were depending on and for which we had already paid.

The college decided at whim to revoke their obligation to provide us the benefits of food, basic health care, and education.

What little remaining trust students had in the administration before now appears more and more precarious.

In the future, if the college truly hopes to make decisions in a way that benefits the students, our perspectives must be taken into account. While I appreciate the effort to make students’ voices heard through the virtual town hall, perhaps it would have been more effective to hold the forum weeks before a final decision was made. The college shouldn’t have the universal, unpredictable prerogative to change every aspect of students’ lives at a moment’s notice.

For decisions as significant as the delayed start, we need stronger communication upfront. Even if a town hall is not possible, it should be communicated with us ahead of time when decisions like this are being considered. I transferred to Davidson in hopes of being treated as an individual rather than a number—an adjustment in Davidson’s approach to including student perspectives in their decision-making can serve as a step towards treating us with dignity and as valued members of the community.

Samantha Ewing (she/her) is an English and communications double major from Atlanta, GA. Samantha can be reached for comment at saewing@davidson.edu.

There’s No Place Like Home: The Trauma of Homelessness and its Solutions CATE O’MALLEY ‘23 (SHE/HER)

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dults experiencing prolonged homelessness have mortality rates three to four times that of the general population. In Charlotte alone, over 3,000 individuals currently experience homelessness and more than 28,000 Mecklenburg County households are at risk of eviction as of last August. As cities like Charlotte continue to grow, homelessness increases exponentially due to decreases in affordable housing and accessible housing resources.

Homelessness proves to be a significant social problem as it both creates and exacerbates trauma caused by the instability of secure housing and social relationships. As illustrated in McCabe and O’Connor’s qualitative study examining the experiences of homeless individuals, to be without a home creates feelings of unbelonging, identity confusion, and a frantic search for being. Additionally, the absence of a secure base can generate confusion around the social norms of living and decrease an individual’s sense of competence while increasing feelings of isolation, anxiety, and rejection. As a result, individuals struggle to support themselves when transitioning out of homelessness as unprocessed trauma combined with the deprivation of adequate resources creates inhibiting challenges.

Thankfully, homelessness is not irreparable, and trauma is not irreversible. The solution? Affordable housing. Through a Housing First model (HF), individuals can quickly move off the streets into permanent housing through community-based integrated treatment and rehabilitation-support services. Additionally, HF leads to significant cost offsets for the government and taxpayers. In a cumulative review of Housing First’s impact on cost offsets, Ly and Latimer found that shelter costs and emergency department (ED) visits decrease significantly

for HF groups. Providing housing to homeless individuals to support and stabilize mental health conditions positively correlates with a decrease in police arrests and court appearances.

Ly and Latimer also observed the positive impact of HF on social assistance and income supplements. While homeless individuals with mental illnesses may have neglected enrolling in income assistance programs, HF support providers were likely to ensure that individuals receive assistance.

In addition to cost offsets, Housing First proves to be a sustainable option that alleviates the adverse effects of trauma perpetuated by homelessness and leads to significant improvements in quality of life. In Phoenix, Arizona, 47 homeless individuals received housing and peer support through a local project H3: Homes, Health, Hope. In a longitudinal study evaluating the success of H3, ninety-eight percent of participants remained in housing after 12 months. Housed individuals reported a significant increase in their utilization of planned health care services, reductions in their involvement in the criminal justice system, and enhancements in their overall quality of life. These results most prominently showed up during the first six months of housing but continued throughout the 6–12-month period of housing. Enacting early and intensive support for newly housed individuals creates longevity in housing sustainability and an overall improved quality of life.

Ultimately, homelessness is fixable. What stands in the way are systemic barriers to housing among unsheltered people that affect and slow progress specifically for marginalized individuals and minorities. Barriers such as obtaining required identification documents, lack of accessibility of shelters amid complex healthcare needs, and waiting as part of the process contribute to frustration, alienation, and administrative burden within the housing process. These barriers disproportionately affect minority groups who often lack the social support to navigate

complex systems and experience direct discrimination within bureaucratic policies and shelters.

The high number of systemic barriers placed on unsheltered people combined with the lack of affordable housing makes homelessness a salient issue requiring more focus and attention than currently allotted. With roughly 580,000 people currently experiencing homelessness in the United States, current efforts evidently prove insufficient.

What remains is this: to resolve the housing crisis and mediate the undue trauma caused by homelessness, we must fight against the rhetoric convincing us we have nothing to do with the problem and consequently cannot be part of the solution.

Arguing against the notion of homelessness as a symptom of laziness allows people to view homelessness rather as a product of circumstance, systemic discrimination, and cyclic poverty.

Only through the development of a compassionate and empathetic understanding of the experiences of homeless individuals around us can we begin to see change. How, you ask?

Beginning to adopt a conscientious awareness of the organizations you donate money to, the housing properties you support, and the extensive housing barriers that people experience daily is a place to start.

Cate O’Malley ‘23 (she/her) is a religious studies major from Kettering, Ohio. She can be reached for comment at caomalley@davidson.edu.

Sources for this piece can be found on the Davidsonian website.

Sports

Athlete Spotlight: Evy Leibfarth ‘25

LIA DOUGHERTY ‘25 (SHE/HER) STAFF WRITER

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eet Evy Leibfarth: a trailblazer, an Olympian, and the newest member of the Davidson class of 2025. Leibfarth, a North Carolina native, is no stranger to uncharted territories. At 17-years-old, Leibfarth became the youngest whitewater slalom competitor at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which was comprised of 82 athletes from 34 countries. She also was the first American woman to compete in WC1, or women’s slalom canoe, since its debut last year, nearly 30 years after men started competing in 1992.

Leibfarth has been called the “future of American kayaking,” and it’s clear to see why.

Lia Dougherty ‘25 (LD): When did you first get into paddling? Who set you on the path?

Evy Leibfarth ‘25 (EL): I first got into paddling when I was three or four years old. My dad was a coach for the national team before I was born, so it was pretty natural for me to get into kayaking. I’ve loved it since I was super young. When I was twelve, I kind of decided that I really wanted to shoot for the Olympics in kayaking, so I started focusing on it [and] traveling internationally for races.

LD: How did qualifying and competing in the Olympics go?

EL: I started qualifying for the Games in 2019. Three months before Covid started, I was in Tokyo for a pre-Games training camp. I ended up getting fourth at the Worlds in 2019, and that’s when I got a quota for the Olympics. I got points towards my selection, and then my actual selections weren’t until last April. Fun fact about that: I got into Davidson and then made the Olympic team within two weeks. Yeah, there were a lot of tears. It was a very emotional thing for me because it was just something I had been dreaming of for so long. Literally every qualifying race, I’d get to the bottom and I’d just start crying happy tears. And then the Games, honestly, were just the coolest experience of my life. It didn’t go how I wanted. I had a hard time dealing with the pressure, but I learned so much [and] I definitely want to take that with me in the next Games. It was such an inspiring experience.

LD: Going off that, how did competing at the Olympics at such a young age feel? How did you handle that pressure?

EL: I’ve been working with a sports psychologist for the past two years, which has really helped. When I was younger, the pressure didn’t really affect me. My first year competing as a senior was 2019, so that season was kind of exciting and there weren’t really any expectations. Then all of a sudden it was like, ‘Oh my god what do I do now?’ I never had any expectations like that, so I started working

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Leibfarth ‘25 competes at the 2021 ICF Canoe Slalom & Wildwater Canoeing World Championships in Slovakia in September 2021. Photo courtesy Red Bull Content Pool. with a sports psychologist and was able to talk through some strategies to help manage it. It really helped me see races as a way for me to improve, rather than be like, ‘I have to do well at this.’ Every race that I do, I get more experience and I learn how to deal with it more.

LD: How has the transition been to Davidson?

Did it feel strange coming from the Olympic stage to small town Davidson?

EL: It’s just been so amazing. Everyone has inspired me in so many different ways. Everyone has such a different passion and story

about coming here. It’s super cool to meet everyone. It’s definitely been different. I’ve been used to picking up and going somewhere for training camps. So it’s a bit weird being in a routine, but I love it. I’m stoked to be here.

Leibfarth’s love for the sport, in conjunction with her skill, ensures a long career ahead of her. Leibfarth says she “feels so happy on the water, so it’s something [she] wants to be doing for a long time.” As of now, she is setting her sights on the next Olympics, set to take place in Paris, France in 2024. And no doubt, she’ll have a ‘sea’ of ‘Cats rooting her on.

Women’s Basketball Closes Out 2021-2022 Season

CAMERON KRAKOWIAK ‘24 (HE/HIM) SPORTS WRITER

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or the Davidson women’s basketball team, their season has been full of ebbs and flows.

After a hot start of 11-3, the Wildcats began to struggle playing their Atlantic 10 counterparts. Prior to heading into Sunday’s senior game at Belk arena, the Wildcats had only won two of their last eleven outings, all against A-10 rivals, making their overall record 13-12. Looking to stay above .500, they were in dire need of a win on Sunday when they faced UMass, the fourth best team in the A-10 and a 21-6 record overall.

Prior to the game, senior star Chloe Welch announced that she would return to Davidson for a fifth season, already claiming 100 games on her resume. She wrote to Davidson in an Instagram post explaining her decision: “I want to take advantage of the

Elle Sutphin ‘24 takes a shot in Davidson’s contest against Dayton on January 30. Photo courtesy Tim Cowie extra year of eligibility to stay to pursue a second degree and play another year of basketball. Davidson is very much my second home and this community has created an environment that inspires me to grow and

be the best scholar-athlete I can be every day.”

Non-returning seniors, Sarah Konstans and Cassidy Gould, were playing their senior game after an eventful four years. Konstans, who

has started in all of Davidson’s contests this year, summed up her Davidson experience via a Davidson women’s basketball Instagram post: “I spent four of the most memorable and challenging years of my life [at Davidson]. Playing the game I love with the people I love. We have truly been through it all together, you have brought me far greater success and far greater failure than I could ever imagine.”

Gould spoke about the feeling prior to Sunday’s game, saying, “there was both excitement and sadness. To think our college careers are coming close to the end does bring up a lot of emotions, because we couldn’t do this without our teammates. We also really needed a win coming off a string of losses and we knew it was going to be difficult against a top team in the A10.”

That excitement led to a splendid performance by the Wildcats. Taking an early 20-6 lead in the first quarter, they never gave it away.

The seniors gave a great performance: Welch scored 16 points going 5-10 shooting and Gould led the team with rebounds (9) and assists (5). The young stars showed out as well, Issy Morgan ‘25 and Elle Sutphin ‘24 combined for 28 points.

Davidson won 76-67 versus UMass in an unforgettable game.

Gould summed up the game perfectly saying, “yesterday was a day I’ll remember forever. We’ve had up and downs as a team including recent injurie—but yesterday we were able to come together as a whole team and lock into our identity as Davidson Women’s Basketball. There was a lot of joy and relief but overall, I was just so proud of the way our team fought all the way until the final buzzer sounded.”

The Wildcats look to wrap up their season on a high note against George Washington this Wednesday at home and on Saturday at Fordham, before heading into the A10 tournament in Wilmington, DE starting March 2nd.

The

DavidsonianStaff Editors-in-Chief News Editors Features Editor Senior Political Correspondent Perspectives Editor Arts and Culture Editor Sports Editor Living Davidson Editor Yowl Editors Photographer Web Editor Cartoonist Senior Copy Editors Multimedia Editor Social Media Manager Business Manager Design Editors

Hope Anderson ‘22, Nada Shoreibah ‘23 Katie Stewart ‘23, Erin Papakostas ‘23 Ben Pate ‘22 Hunter Callaway ‘22 Ross Hickman ‘22 Julieta Lessne ‘24 Varun Maheshwari ‘23 Nora Klein ‘24 Josie Hovis ‘23, Emma Begley-Collier ‘25 Sydney Schertz ‘24 Ben Gordon-Sniffen ‘23 Richard Farrell ‘22 Grace Hwang ‘24, Brigid McCarthy ‘25 Jared Herr ‘22 Hailey Tsuda ‘24 Landon Schabes ‘22 Bailey Maierson ‘25, Brigid McCarthy ‘25, Isabelle Easter ‘25

The Davidsonian is currently recruiting new writers to join our staff!

Email Brigid McCarthy at brmccarthy@davidson.edu or Katie Stewart at kastewart@davidson.edu for more information on how to put your own pen to paper.

Arts and Culture

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Amending The Soil: Compost for Art

Community members prep the soil to plant Catawba corn later this spring. Photo by Bailey Maierson ’25

U

CLAIRE BEGALLA (SHE/THEY)

nshadowed Land by Nicholas Galanin is an outdoor sculpture exhibition on the Belk Visual Arts Center’s Lawn that was created during the 2021 fall semester by students, staff, and community members. The sculpture is a site of exposed soil in the shape of the shadow of the monument of Andrew Jackson that is currently standing in Lafayette

Square in Washington, D.C. This past week on February 10, 2021, community members, students, staff, and members of the Catawba nation came together to take the next step in the exhibition: amending the soil. The final goal of the exhibition is to plant Catawba corn in Jackson’s silhouette by mid-April. So, this past week we sought to create a nutrient-rich foundation for that corn to be able to thrive. The meaning behind the entire restoration can be

found on the Van/Every Smith Galleries’ website.

As a gallery intern and resident of the Sustainability Cooperative, I have a good understanding of the basics of composting.

On February 10, I was asked to participate in a composting workshop to provide insight into what helps produce the right foundations for growing plants and, for this exhibition, Catawba corn. Composting is one of the best ways that you can amend soil: valuable fertilizer develops from the decomposition of recycled organic matter. Compost is often referred to by farmers as “black gold” because it is so rich in nutrients that it can be used for gardening, horticulture, and agriculture.

For the workshop, I went over some of the benefits of home composting and why the ‘Susty-coop’ chooses to compost.

Some of these benefits are reducing personal food waste, cutting methane emissions, and improving soil health. I went into detail explaining the reasons why composting your personal waste is more beneficial to the environment than simply throwing away your food scraps and compostable goods. By placing these goods in an environment where they can be nourished by the four key elements—nitrogen, carbon, air and water—your waste can become valuable fertilizer instead of contributing to methane and carbon emissions!

Last Thursday was truly the perfect day for the workshop because it was sunny and warmer than most days in February!

Everyone was in a good mood and was happy to be outside, which definitely helped my energy as a nervous public speaker.

I felt so lucky that I was able to play a role in this exhibition by explaining how to create the necessary foundations for the growth of Catawba corn. Taking these steps and bringing the community together to directly participate in anti-racist work, I believe, is so much more powerful than we realize.

Claire Begalla ‘24 (she/they) is a digital and screen media major from Deland. FL. She can be reached for comment at clbegalla@davidson.edu.

A Night of Music

The Jazz Ensemble’s Concert with Delfeayo Marsalis ETHAN CLARK (HE/HIM)

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elfeayo Marsalis knew my name before I even met him. The Marsalis name carries with it the immense body of work that Delfeayo and his siblings Wynton, Branford, and Jason have created in their illustrious careers playing jazz music.

However, my name carried a little more of an embarrassing quality to it: I was late to the first rehearsal with Mr. Marsalis because I went to the wrong practice building.

From that point forward, I had my work cut out for me; I had to prove to Mr. Marsalis and my fellow jazzheads that I was serious about jazz music and my performance at the concert. Nevertheless, from the moment Delfeayo played his first chorus, I instantly knew that I no longer had to prove anything. Jazz is an improvisational art form, so practice focuses less on learning to play the same thing every time, and more on getting better at playing different things every time, as well as honing improvisational instincts. Given the integral role that spontaneity and fluidity play in jazz music, the cohesion of a drummer and a soloist who thoughtfully manages the rhythms and harmonies of a song produces an abstract, mystical quality. Through the soloist being inventive in a solo, the accompanying rhythm section and non-soloist members of the band learn how to make their own solos better. As a drummer, Mr. Marsalis’ playing had a particularly strong impact. My principle task as a drummer is to make sure that the Jazz Ensemble’s songs swing (groove), and swing hard. When Delfeayo Marsalis played, he removed so much of that imperative that swinging became almost effortless. He did what was supposed to be

my job so well that I could focus on my other responsibilities as a drummer; I concentrated on complementing the performances of other soloists and providing drum “fills” to spice up the otherwise monotonous and droning nature of jazz swing by utilizing different parts of the drum kit than usual. Playing along with Delfeayo Marsalis that night of February 12th was a liberating, relaxing experience that—much like jazz itself—is hard to encapsulate with mere words on a page.

In other words, you had to be there to feel the pure electricity emanating from Delfeayo Marsalis’ trombone and how that energy had a multiplier effect with the rest of the band’s playing. Mr. Marsalis’ humor shined through his storytelling of how the late, great Charles Mingus chased his landlord away with a shotgun and his recitation of the lyrics to his song, “Fauci’s Science” (“Gotta have a mask, need to have a mask; please, just wear your mask”). The playful joy of moments such as these are hard to capture in mere description.

Dr. Lawing also displayed an ear to ear smile that peaked above his mask upon the resoundingly successful completion of his penultimate concert as director of the Davidson College Jazz Ensemble. The joy of these more intimate moments in a concert often resist description.

However, just two weeks prior, the Jazz Ensemble’s prediction of the events for February 12th were far more bleak. Given the late arrival to campus, we had two fewer rehearsals to prepare for the concert. Since the concert was scheduled for very early in the spring semester, we were unsure if we could prepare ourselves in time to play with such an accomplished player as Delfeayo Marsalis. After all, he has been a professional jazz trombonist for over thirty years. He has released eight studio

Delfeayo Marsalis performing with the Jazz Ensemble. Image courtesy of Awais Abid ‘24. albums, and is part of the most famous family in jazz music history; his presence demanded a sense of professionalism and preparedness from the Jazz Ensemble that we were worried we wouldn’t be able to deliver. However, thanks to Mr. Marsalis’ creative brilliance in songwriting and performance, his valuable instruction during our workshops and practices, and the determination of the ensemble, the concert was a raving success!

If you didn’t get the chance to come see us play with Delfeayo Marsalis and you would like to see the Jazz Ensemble (or the smaller Jazz Combos that make up the wider Ensemble) perform, we have plenty of performanc-

es this semester that we would love for you to attend! On March 31st, Jazz Combos will be playing a Live Thursday set in the Student Union. On April 23rd we will be playing a concert with the remarkable jazz violinist Regina Carter, and on April 28th the Jazz Combo concert will take place. On behalf of the ensembles, we cannot wait to see all of you at the next Jazz event!

Ethan Clark ‘24 (he/him) is a political science major from Richmond, Virginia. He can be reached for comment at etclark@davidson. edu

Living Davidson

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Placement Day In Person Again

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ABBY TRUE (SHE/HER) ‘25

pring semester at Davidson means the beginning of first years’ involvement in Patterson Court. For the college’s gender minorities, this means the opportunity to join an eating house on Placement Day, which took place this weekend on Saturday, February 19.

Davidson is currently home to four eating houses: Rusk House, Warner Hall House, Connor House, and Turner House. The tradition of eating houses began in 1977, when Rusk was founded, five years after the college began admitting women. Five years later, Warner followed. Connor and Turner were then established in 1993 and 1998 respectively.

The eating houses aim to provide students with community and friendship and to simultaneously give back to the community through philanthropic ventures. Unlike traditional sororities, the houses choose members using an algorithm instead of using hand selection and bids. Prospective admittees are asked to rank their choices and are then sorted without human input, a design intended to make the process as fair and equitable as possible.

For the houses, Placement Day is one of the most important and fun events of the year!

Placement chairs (two sophomores from each house) spend countless hours planning and organizing, and members spend weeks anticipating the action-packed celebration.

On the big day, festivities began bright and early at the back of Vail Commons as hordes of first years battled February temperatures, anx-

iously awaiting the reveal of their new house.

Usually, current eating house members would run through the halls of the dormitories to welcome new members. However, due to COVID policies, this wasn’t allowed, so the organizations had to get creative this year. When the moment arrived, each new member excitedly opened their designated paper bag to find out where they’d been placed based on which shirt they received.

After donning their new shirts, the masses of eager initiates ran towards their designated house to begin the day’s fun. First on the itinerary was time at the house to begin the process of getting to know one another. Each house followed a fun theme for the day: Ruskies raced around under “Moo Moo Meadows,” the new Turner Tadpoles boogied on during their “Groovy 70s,” Connor Jesters skied around campus, and the Warner Weebs flew around as fairies all day and night long.

The festivities allowed members to get dressed up and celebrate in their decorated houses—a much needed break after the stressful start to the semester. The early morning parties and breakfast at Commons were followed by a day of icebreakers and introductions, broken up by scheduled relaxation time.

After a busy day, the evening featured house dinners and sisterhood (or Turnerhood) parties, where the first years were given more of their first taste of life in an eating house. And finally, once it all concluded, for perhaps the first time since before 7 A.M., everyone headed to sleep.

QUEER

Corner

With Black History Month coming to a close next week, it’s the perfect time to enjoy some films and TV shows that center on queer and trans Black characters. Allow us to make some recommendations.

Winner of the 2017 Academy Award for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Moonlight is a groundbreaking film about a Black man’s journey of self-exploration. The movie shows its protagonist, Chiron, at multiple significant stages of his life as he discovers his sexuality, comes to terms with his upbringing, and faces the struggles of growing up as a Black man.

Another award-favorite, four-time Emmy winner Pose is both a testament to the work of LGBTQ+ activists of color and a tribute to the lives lost during the AIDS epidemic.

Taking place in New York during the 1980s and 90s, Pose follows the lives of Black transgender women as they navigate the

Photos courtesy the eating houses’ social media managers

WITH

DAVID SOWINSKI (HE/THEY) ‘25 & ANAYA PATEL (SHE/THEY) ‘25

ball culture world and an increasingly capitalistic United States. If you want to laugh, cry, and get up in arms about classic American injustice, watch Pose.

Also a winner of four Emmys and a milestone for Black trans representation, Orange Is the New Black is an obvious addition to our list. While it may not boast the number of trans actresses that Pose offers, Orange Is the New Black’s Laverne Cox is the first openly trans Black actress. Cox plays a transgender woman, and in 2014, she became the first transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy Award in an acting category—an award she was nominated for three more times.

End Black History Month by watching one of our recommendations. You’ll be glad for the entertainment, and you’ll benefit from learning about the realities of people whose identities you may or may not share.

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Turnerhoods Not Called Sisterhoods Because Fuck Cis-exclusivity; Also So The Group Sex That Ensues Is Not Incestuous Page Lesbian Drama

Next Walt Party Theme Announced To Be “Spotify’s Joe Rogan Controversy”

10 Ridiculous Over-Reactions to Getting Your Third Eating House Choice

Page Pro Apple Music

Page We Get It Already

F Aux Wars

By Eric Schoellner

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The No-Anonymity Issue

February 23, 2022

fter receiving numerous complaints over the quality of the music being played at F, Davidson SGA has announced plans to democratize the playlists at F for the rest of the semester. Students will run for the newly created position and voting will be run as part of the student government elections happening this week. Instead of a campaign, candidates have been asked to make five playlists which will be played at the official First Annual SGA F Apartment Block Aux Czar Debate.

In order to get more themed parties at F, each playlist is expected to have a different incredibly specific theme, and candidates will be judged on creativity behind themes as well as actual music quality. Current frontrunners include: “Bands that are from the UK but are not British”, “Songs from animated Disney movies of the past decade”, and “Just Mario Kart Music”. Any requests for ideas for incredibly specific music selections can be directed to anyone running the music at Nummit at any time. Questions about the election process, including the submission of any original music or beats created exclusively for a new campaign playlist, can be directed to sga@davidson.edu.

SGA Elections: Momentous Decisions Were Made Page Student Body What Again

Secret Society Self-Selection

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Ad-Full Lullabies

By Ben Gordon-Sniffen & Co.

By Emma Begley-Collier

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The

Yowl

WRITERS You already know who we are

facing the tower in the center, until contractors informed the Davidson board that there would be no room for overpriced vending machines in this particular design, as well as no designated space for books.

A recent study conducted at Davidson found that the increase of YikYak as a platform is directly caused by Union’s panopticon design. Investigators described this correlation, saying “YikYak is a weak grasp to reclaim anonymity in the face of visibility.” So if you see someone in Union on their phone with a look of retribution and autonomy, chances are they just Yik Yaked something that could never be said out loud in the visibility of Union. So the next time you see a college tour group passing by, make sure to share with them this tidbit and that visibility is a trap.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “This is a short, easy reading.”

--My professor talking about a 100 page reading (Source: Annie Kaplan)

By Josie Hovis

s eating house placement day came and went, other members of the student body quietly awaited another equally-egalitarian placement day: secret society self-selection.

“Yeah, I guess my pink Warner hoodie is nice,” says Ellie Blossom, a new weeb, “But I really can’t wait to be wearing my new secret society robes to my very first sacrificial ritual.” (This Yowl reporter has never heard of a sacrificial ritual, but likes where Blossom’s head is at and hopes she works to shape her secret society to fit that dream.)

Secret society self-selection is a little less exciting than eating house placement, considering there are only two options for you to rank, [REDACTED] or [REDACTED]. But some aspects hold true: “Everyone says you’re pretty much guaranteed to get either your first or second choice,” Blossom said.

Another similarity? Using self-selection as an excuse to consume copious amounts of alcohol. “There’s nothing like reading some heady philosophical theories and then getting absolutely sloshed on PBR,” says Manny Bryant, who has been in [REDACTED] for the past two years. He remembers his placement day fondly: “You really don’t ever get another excuse to get up at 6 am to throw down a few shots and play a drinking game loosely based on the poetic corpus of e.e. cummings while classical music is blasted on a record player.”

One distinguishing factor of secret society placement is that there are no regulations on hazing. Reports in recent years have mentioned a high-stakes drinking game called “Name That Poststructuralist,” but given that these societies are, in fact, secret, many claims have gone unsubstantiated.

Despite many first years being extremely preoccupied about which secret society they’ll get in– “I’ve heard that [REDACTED] feels like more of a secret coffee chat, while [REDACTED] seems a little more professional in its exclusionary academic pursuits,” Blossom says–many upperclassmen reassure prospective initiates not to worry. “You know what they say,” Bryant says. “You can really be happy in any secret society.”

The Union Panopticon icture this: you are waiting for your flatbread in Union. Maybe you have the urge to pick your nose a bit, but as you raise your hand, you make eye contact with The Carol Quillen herself, mingling about Union. Plan foiled. You might think that this is a coincidence, but only true Davidson College history buffs know that it was no coincidence that the Union building consists of three open floors of which you can see the majority of at any given time.

Our institution, like all schools, is largely a mirror image of Foucault’s panopticon, with attendance records, exams, campus police, the centrality of social media, and the Honor Code. But Davidson College decided to take Foucault’s theory a little further and a little more literally and design the Union building after a panopticon. Former Davidson librarian Diane “Dia” Scipline said that when when Robert Vagt, predecessor of President Carol Quillen, requested to check out the blueprint of Bentham’s prison design, she “didn’t think much of it.” After all, when questioned why his architectural request mirrored the panopticon, Vagt insisted that the structure was symply an homage to Bentham and not a tool of social control.

Interestingly enough, the Alvarez Union building was not the first to be considered for the literal interpretation of the panopticon. First designed was the library. Construction got half-way to having little study cubicles in a circle, windows

Carrying Nummit Drink From Nummit Back To Dorm Row Every Day Page We Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy

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s I lay in bed on Saturday night, recovering from a long day of tripping over drunk girls dressed like cows and hitting the slopes (wink, wink… snort, snort) with the fine ladies of Connor, the gentle party tunes of Warner house eased me into a slumber. That was until the music cut out. Instead of being peacefully dropped into the next mid2000s party hit, I heard a cold voice say, “tap the banner for 30 minutes of ad-free listening.” I shot out of bed in horror. For all the jokes I’ve made about the rich, posh, snotty Davidson college students, we have an entire eating house of penny-pinchers, too frugal to purchase a $5.99 per month subscription. Here

are some of the ads which played: - President Putin requesting for college students to enlist in the Russian military Spotify Premium (played 12 times, yet no one got the memo) - Arby’s vodka ad (this is when we know our devices are listening to us) - Ads for both Healthy Living magazine and used Cadillac SUVs (a reminder that this Spotify user shares an account with her mom) - Monistat 3 Day - Monistat 1 Day - Monistat 7 Day - Expand your world: voluntourism mission trip to sub-Saharan Africa - Those really fucking annoying first name initial necklaces

I have a following. It’s kinda nice to be a pseudo-celebrity.

By Max Shackelford Even my parents can pick out my writing! They get the Davidsonian a week late in the mail, but every time my words are printed, I get a text message from my mom asking, “HEY, IS THIS YOU? LOVE, MOM.” And yes, dear readers, she texts in caps-lock and signs her texts. A double whammy of embarrassment. It becomes even a triple whammy when the article slowly devolves into a tirade of sexual humor. No one wants their mom to read about the possible orgies happening in their dorm room. But we all make sacrifices here at the Yowl. Mine is just set out to be eternal parental embarrassment.

Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian.

Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth.