The Gettysburgian - February 22, 2022

FEBRUARY 22, 2022 GET T YSBURGIAN.COM

The

Gettysburgian PAG E 18

PAG E 12

How COVID Affected the Majestic

Gettysburg’s Investments in Fossil Fuels

By Victoria Staub

By Carter Hanson PAG E 14

A Call for Transparency

By The Gettysburgian Editorial Board PAG E 16

The Cost of Sports

By Jack Herr

PAG E 6

“We’re Doing the Best We Can”

THE FINANCIAL ISSUE

The Great Resignation and Gettysburg’s Financial Situation

By Phoebe Doscher, Nicole DeJacimo & Carter Hanson

Volume CXXVII, Issue No. 4

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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Editor’s Note

the COVID minefield with head held (relatively) high.

Carter Hanson

Fiscal resilience, however, is all the more confounding, as there is a very real and exigent dining staff shortage. There are massive vacancies at Bullet and Servo, primarily among student and casual workers.

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returned from a semester abroad eager for the familiar tastes of my Gettysburg home, only to find Pete’s Paninis shuttered and the dining staff thoroughly thinned. This is not an issue, however, born from nostalgia for the halcyon, panini-ed days of yore; nor is it intended as yet another “if we controlled the gears of the great college machine, we could drive it better” anti-administration diatribe.

We wrote this, as in all good journalism (the self-flatter here is, of course, entirely accidental), to find the truth—to cut through the jungle of misinformation and rumor-mongering. Why is there a staff shortage problem? Is Gettysburg financially healthy?

How did COVID affect the fundamentals of the College— the budget, the endowment, the operating revenue? Where do my dollars go?

To answer these questions, we first talked to the administration, as well as dove head-first into a pile of documents (endowment reports, audits, fact books, etc.), to nail-down where exactly the College is financially. And while we began our investigation with the working theory that Gettysburg had fiscally seen better days, we found that (spoiler!) the College has emerged from

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For a more comprehensive vision of the financial state of the College, we had our excellent team of editors investigate the smaller—yet critical—facets of Gettysburg student life. For Sports, Jack Herr writes about the cost of sports; for Arts & Entertainment, Victoria Staub describes how COVID affected the Majestic Theater; and for Opinions, our Editorial Board (under the guidance and benevolent command of Emily Dalgleish) attempts to discern a path forward.

All of this is coupled with a redesign of the entire Gettysburgian magazine by yours truly.

Some days felt more Sisyphean that others, but we always did it for you, dear reader.

Carter Hanson ’23

Magazine Editor

Staff of the Gettysburgian Editor-in-Chief Phoebe Doscher Managing Editor Nicole DeJacimo Magazine Editor Carter Hanson News Editor Alli Dayton Assistant News Editor Laken Franchetti Arts & Entertainment Editor Victoria Staub Features Editor Gracie Meisner Opinions Editor Emily Dalgleish Sports Editor Jack Herr Faculty Advisor Prof. Scott Boddery

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Table of Contents COVID & THE 8| CAMPUS CHAT TER 18| MAJESTIC 4| Features

By Courtney Cholewa, Alicia Method, Gracie Meisner & Toni Esquivias

5| 6|

Opinions

THE COMMONS

By Ana Geddes, Brandon Neely, Ebony Waight & Emma Canfora

News

THE GREAT RESIGNATION & THE FINANCIAL SITUATION 6| INTRODUCTION

By Nicole DeJacimo

7| THE FINACIAL SITUATION

By Carter Hanson Endowment growth and the budget.

THE GREAT RESIGNATION

By Phoebe Doscher Dining Services staff shortages and student pay.

12|

News

GET T YSBURG’S INVESTMENTS IN FOSSIL FUELS

By Carter Hanson Socially responsible investing and the endowment.

14|

Opinions

A CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY

By The Gettysburgian Editorial Board How budget cuts are creating campus tension.

16|

Sports

A FLUCTUATING BUDGET

By Jack Herr The cost of sports at Gettysburg.

Arts & Entertainment

By Victoria Staub How the pandemic affected the Majestic Theater.

20| 21| 22| 23|

Arts & Entertainment MOVIE REVIEW:

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

By Laken Franchetti

Features FACULT Y SPOTLIGHT:

PROF. SCOT T BODDERY

By Gracie Meisner

Features PERSPEC TIVES:

WHAT FEELS DIFFERENT THIS SEMESTER? Features

CROSSWORD

By Carter Hanson

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F E AT U R E S

Campus Chatter Goings-on at Gettysburg

Message to the Class of ’22 Courtney Cholewa ’22, Class President The Class of 2022 is relentless, passionate and one that I am proud to be able to represent.

Watching my classmates grow from strangers to friends in such a close-knit community setting has been a privilege and one that I believe we will all remember.

My fellow officers—Ingrid Bayer, Sarah Ellis and Zach Workman—have worked diligently with me to plan fun events as well as create new traditions. The senior class has had a unique experience that allowed us to grow together over the past four years and we want to highlight that in our last semester.

We are excited for the months to come, especially with the 50 Days Celebration, which occurs 50 days before graduation to celebrate the time we have had at Gettysburg as well as the days we have left, and the start of Senior Spoons, which is a game similar to that of Senior

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Assassin, except with spoons and prizes. You can stay tuned for more information through our Instagram: @gburgclassof2022.

game in a comfortable yet private setting that allowed larger groups to gather together than a dorm room could accommodate.

Alumni on Campus Alicia Method ’23 Most students on campus are used to seeing people their own age. On the rare occasion that a young child steps foot in Servo or on Stine Lake, stares and “Aws!” accumulate. Once in a while, you might see an older couple strolling down the sidewalk holding hands. One such couple, a few students in the Conservatory have discovered, are both venerable Gettysburg grads. The couple, crowned with white hair and wisdom, can be spotted in the Jaeger Center or picking out books in the Musselman library. What a sight to see alumni enjoying Gettysburg together after so many years.

While a pair such as this is perhaps not the norm on campus, it is a pleasure to realize that Gettysburg can remain a home for people who found love, knowledge and excitement in its boundaries.

“It felt funny to relax in a room I typically learn in, but it shows how Gettysburg’s great campus buildings can be used for good,” said Ava Burchell ’25, who utilized a classroom to watch the Super Bowl with 11 of her friends.

Super Bowl Viewing Parties Gracie Meisner ’25 Why squeeze into a dorm room and crowd around a laptop when buildings around the Gettysburg College campus, many of which are open 24/7, provide the perfect setup for a viewing party?

This past Super Bowl, groups of students took to campus buildings, including but not limited to Breidenbaugh, Weidensall and Glatfelter, to watch the game. Utilizing the computers and large projector screens that each classroom is equipped with, students were able to stream the

Hanson Hall Toni Esquivias ’25 No landlines, a missing fire extinguisher and holes in the wall.

What is next for the first-year dorm, Hanson Hall? The vandalism scene has gotten out of hand, whether it be TikTok videos showing toilet paper being flushed down the toilet, roll after roll, or the inability of residents to use the hallway phone on the second floor of Hanson after it was ripped out of the wall. Is too much fun on the weekends making people act in these ways, or has seasonal depression gotten the best of our decision-making abilities?

Regardless, it must end. Jokes and good fun can only be allowed to go so far before they start to hurt our fellow Bullets.

It may be funny or entertaining at the moment, but in the long run, it will begin to tap into our pockets when no culprit comes forward and the entire dorm must split the damage costs. As a broke college student, I would prefer to spend my money on things that make me happy instead of covering the vandalism done by others that can so easily be prevented.

OPINIONS

The Commons Opinions from across campus

Global Studies House Ana Geddes ’22 The College’s decision to not renew Global Studies House next year deeply saddens me. I have been fortunate to live in the house for three years, and I am currently serving as the house leader. Bregenzer has been such a place of comfort for me and the community we built has been one of my best experiences in college. I’d like to acknowledge Grace Bushway ’21, who served as the house leader for three years and has impacted the growth of the house and its relationship to the college immensely.

I understand the decision Gettysburg has made but I would love to see the house brought back in the near future. Global Studies will hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my life, and I only hope that other students can receive the same feeling of community and home that I did. As an International & Global Studies (IGS) major,

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looking forward, I see the possibility of collaboration with the IGS department to reassert the house’s mission of global interaction and responsibility, as well as cultural learning and the continued discussion of the individual role in a globalized world. I will miss the house dearly, and I intend to make this last semester the best for me and my residents.

Halal Cart in Bullet Brandon Neely ’23 There are plenty of things that make Gettysburg wonderful—the committed professors, the beautiful campus and the abundance of history, to name a few. But none make Gettysburg feel like home more than two people in particular, and their Halal cart on the corner of Carlisle and Water. I am, of course, speaking of Billy and Moe. Of all the sights and sounds that come to mind when I think of this school, none are quite as heartwarming as the taste of lamb on rice. Many late-night study sessions have been energized by a trip to the cart. Though my waistline may not appreciate Billy and Moe, the student body certainly does.

It’s only right that Gettysburg College give back.

What better way than by allowing them to sell at Bullet? They could continue to serve students and alleviate the notorious lunch rush, freeing up current employees to speed up the process at the registers. Billy and Moe are

closer to the customers, and the College can take a small portion of the profit. Perhaps they could even be incorporated into the meal swipe economy. It’s good for everyone involved, and it brings the best part of the town together with the school. The school really ought to let this happen. Gettysburg College, bring our boys home.

Student Pay Ebony Waight ’22 The student wages are way too low but they work students hard.

The CUB desk makes $10 but barely does anything, while Bullet workers who do a lot get paid only $8. Also the portion sizes at Bullet are getting smaller but still being rung up the same. It’s not right and it’s not fair.

Religious Vaccine Exemptions Emma Canfora ’23 One of the most important rights we have is that of religious freedom. Your religious rights have few boundaries, but they do have some. There should be no religious exemption from the vaccine. We do not have religious exemptions that allow you to speed. We do not have religious exemptions that allow you to shout “Fire!” in a crowded theater. We do not have religious exemptions that allow you to threaten people. Why do we not have those things? Because they put the public in danger. Gettysburg College has a responsibility to keep its students, faculty, staff and community safe. Your religious rights end where the safety of others begins.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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NEWS

The Great Resignation and Gettysburg’s Financial Situation Introduction

BY NICOLE DEJACIMO // MANAGING EDITOR

T

he COVID-19 pandemic, an overall decline in enrollment and mass resignations have all contributed to Gettysburg College’s recent financial challenges. In 2021, Gettysburg College ran a $6.7 million deficit caused by a significant decrease in operating revenue.

At the same time, net assets grew by $79 million, $75 million of which came from growth in endowment investments, according to the 2021-22 Factbook.

Additionally, Gettysburg is facing significant staff shortages,

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particularly in dining services.

Gettysburg’s deficit mirrors a decrease in revenue for many liberal arts colleges throughout the North East since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bloomfield College in New Jersey, among others, risks closing its doors to prospective students.

Other institutions have merged with or been bought by larger universities. Boston College, for example, recently bought Pine Manor College in Massachusetts.

The National Student Clearing House reported that one million fewer students are enrolled in a college or university relative to before the pandemic. According

to the 2021 Fact Book, 17.8% of accepted students enrolled at Gettysburg College. That has steadily declined since 2012, when 34% of accepted students decided to enroll. To counteract this, the College admits a higher rate of applicants, increasing the acceptance rate. In 2018, Gettysburg admitted 45.4% of applicants; in 2021, the College admitted 56.3%. According to Executive Director of Communications & Marketing Jamie Yates, the College plans to purposefully decrease the future student population, lowering the admissions rate and guaranteeing on-campus housing for all students.

P H O T O B Y L U C A E S PA Ñ A

Gettysburg’s Financial Situation

BY CARTER HANSON // MAGAZINE EDITOR

B

etween 2020 and 2021, Gettysburg College’s endowment grew from $322.7 million to $408.5 million, an increase of $85.8 million, according to the 2021–22 Fact Book. This leap in the value of the College’s investments stands in stark contrast to the growth of the endowment in the recent past: between 2019 and 2020, for example, the endowment decreased by $1.4 million.

Why the sudden improvement in the value of the endowment?

According to Economics Professor Brendan Cushing-Daniels, the growth of the endowment reflects the growth of the U.S. economy as it rebounded from the initial shock of the COV-

ID-19 pandemic.

“If you just go back and look at what the S&P 500 did over that same period, you’ll see a big jump there as well,” said Cushing-Daniels. “You’d be shocked if the vast majority of that is not just growth in the value of our assets.”

Of the $85.8 million increase in the value of the endowment, $78.3 million is profit from market performance, while the remaining $7.5 million comes from donations, which, according to Associate Vice President for Finance Chris Delaney, is “about the average over the past 10 years.”

At the same time that the endowment is growing at the highest rate since Gettysburg began publishing endowment information a decade ago, the college is facing a steep decline in operating revenue. During the same period that the endowment grew by $85.8 million—between 2020 and 2021—the college

ran a deficit of $6.7 million, as revenue from tuition, room and board decreased by a total of $26.4 million.

This deficit was caused by the dramatic reduction in room and board revenue as Gettysburg transitioned to virtual learning during the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring and fall semesters of 2020. Spending also increased when students returned to campus as the College introduced a testing system, purchased personal protective equipment (PPE) and erected large tents for outdoor class.

“COVID was the main driver for 2021’s performance,” said Delaney. “Hopefully that deficit was a one-time event.”

Compounding the challenge of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic is the gradual shift in demographics across the country, making it more difficult for Gettysburg to find prospective students.

“Higher education in general is facing … strong financial headwinds for a whole bunch of reasons,” said Cushing-Daniels. “There are fewer kids going to college in the next couple of years. Where those children live and where our typical strong recruiting market is— those are in different places, by and large. So for a whole bunch of reasons the cash flow on a year-to-year basis is

CHART BY C ARTER HANSON

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endowment is severely limited.

facing some challenges.”

While Delaney expects tuition, room and board revenue to rebound now that the high tide of the COVID-19 pandemic is likely past, demographic changes pose a long-term challenge to Gettysburg’s financial health.

Tuition and fees, as well as room and board, are critical for the year-to-year maintenance of the College, as they accounted for approximately 75% of annual operating revenue in 2021.

After tuition, the endowment is the second most important source of revenue, providing about 12% of annual operating revenue. Although the recent growth of the endowment helps the College address the challenges of maintaining a stable budget, spending from the

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“We are restricted by both the gifts themselves— when people give large gifts they typically restrict it to something: ‘I want to give to scholarship,’ ‘I want to give to this building or that building,’” said Cushing-Daniels.

“And then we’re also restricted by law in how much we can roll off the endowment into the operating budget.”

About 75% of the endowment is restricted by donors to be used for specific purposes, such as scholarships, endowed professorships and the Sunderman Conservatory. However, 76% of the endowment is intended for “general institutional support and scholarships,” according to Delaney. This means that although most of the endowment is donor-restricted, it is still “budget relieving,” and can be used to supplement decreases in operating revenue.

Furthermore, Gettysburg’s approach to recent fluctuations in the legal limit on endowment spending may indicate that the College is more financially

healthy than it may first appear to be. Gettysburg limits its annual endowment spending to about 5% of the “pooled endowment,” which is a large subset of the endowment that the College has the most direct control over in terms of how it is invested.

This 5% limit is set by law, as Gettysburg is a not-for-profit institution. In 2020, however, this legal ceiling was raised to 10% for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 by the Pennsylvania government, in order to allow institutions to recover quickly from COVID-19.

In order to compensate for the drop in revenue from tuition, room and board in 2020, Gettysburg increased their endowment spending rate to 10%.

However, this has since returned to 5%, despite the legal allowance to continue higher spending until the end of 2022, indicating that Gettysburg remains fiscally resilient.

The Great Resignation

BY PHOEBE DOSCHER // EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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n mid-January, Gettysburg College reported that approximately one in six of all staff positions were vacant, particularly impacting Dining Services and Facilities. Dining Services is operating with only 50% of their normal staff, which comprises full time, casual and student employees.

CHARTS BY C ARTER HANSON

Vacancies & Recruitment

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oth Facilities and Dining Services reported a significant decrease in their applicant pools in the past year. The lack of applicants has caused problems in the day-to-day operations of both departments.

“Like many businesses in the area and nationally, we have been faced with the challenge of finding staff to fill some of our vacant positions,” said Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning & Management Jim Biesecker. “We have noticed a significant reduction in the applicant pool for the vacancies we have. That has impacted our ability [to] hire replacements.”

departed in the two previous months. In mid-February, three full-time workers quit over the course of three weeks to take higher-paying jobs elsewhere.

Some have left because they do not want to adhere to the masking requirement while others are worried about being exposed to COVID.

Dining Services has noticed the greatest loss in casual employees, or on-call employees who work as needed, with 75% of those positions currently vacant. There is also a shortage of student employees; Dining Services typically employs a total about 108 students, while they currently employ only 51.

“This staffing shortage is a huge problem for us and many businesses around town,” said Bishop. “We do not have the luxury of being closed on days when we are short staffed, like most of the restaurants in town that close on Mondays and/or Tuesdays.”

“Our student applicants have been very low… and many applicants only want to work four to eight hours a week,” Bishop said.

Student worker Seamus Meagher ’23 works eight hours a week at Bullet, typically in the Higher Bred sandwich line. He

In January, Director of Auxiliary Services Mike Bishop said he received fewer than 10 applications and six full-time workers P H O T O B Y L U C A E S PA Ñ A CHART BY PHOEBE DOSCHER

N O T E O N TA B L E : A L L N U M B E R S A R E A P P R O X I M AT E A S O F F E B . 2 0 2 2

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went abroad in the fall, and has returned to find changes due to shortages this semester.

“Since coming back to work, it is evident that the lack of employees is causing issues,” said Meagher. “Something that has happened is certain sections of Bullet have had to close early or not be open at all. This can make work more difficult, especially when students get annoyed and act difficult when ordering.”

During the spring semester, Bullet has frequently closed the Root salad bar and Pi, which prepares made-to-order pizza and pasta, for days at a time due to staffing shortages. In October, the Dive, a dining option located in the Jaeger Fitness Center, also shuttered as a result of staff shortages, and starting Feb. 13, Bullet began closing at 10 p.m.

“There’s not a lot of people that come from 10 to 11 p.m.,” said Retail Dining Supervisor Amy Ellicot. “Shutting down at 11 p.m. gave everybody just a half an hour to get the whole place shut down. Now with closing at 10 p.m., even with a few people, in that hour and a half they can get everything done efficiently.”

The vacancies within Facilities are not isolated to one area.

Associate Vice President Jim Biesecker said there are shortages in their housekeeping, mechanical trades and grounds department divisions, in addition to their manager and supervisor team.

“Since the vacancies are distribPHOTO BY C ARTER HANSON

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uted across the different parts of our operations, we are able to adjust schedules and services to help provide adequate campus coverage,” Biesecker said.

Without consistent employees, the Facilities department combines schedule adjustments, contractor support and overtime work to account for the losses.

They have also implemented new equipment options to make work more efficient and allow them

to shift responsibilities in lieu of workers.

“Staffing shortages do have an impact on the staff within an organization. Some of our services involve covering vacancies of a position that might have a daily building assignment,” said Biesecker. “This is a similar process we use when covering [employees’] jobs during vacations and other absences, but on a more consistent basis.”

National Trends

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he staffing shortages at Gettysburg are not a unique problem. The U.S. Bureau of Labor reported that 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in December 2021. These departures are considered part of “The Great Resignation,” which accounts for over 30 million individuals who have left their jobs since spring 2021.

“Nearly every organization throughout the nation has been impacted in some capacity, colleges and universities alike.

Our experience mirrors broader trends,” said Executive Director of Communications & Marketing Jamie Yates. “We have taken important strides to adapt to an evolving work environment and to improve recruitment and retention of employees.”

In response to the shifting workforce, the College began offering a Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP) for eligible administrators and faculty members, but did not include support staff due to vacancies. Instead, the College chose to raise wages for hourly workers to incentivize them to stay and apply.

President Bob Iuliano announced that effective March 11, the College will be raising its starting minimum wage to $15 an hour for benefits-eligible hourly employees who work 20 hours or more per week. Student employees are ineligible for this raise, and their pay will remain at $8 per hour.

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Adjustments to wages and benefits for eligible employees will be allocated progressively, and account for wage compression.

The lowest-paying jobs will receive the largest increase in pay.

The College plans to provide benefits-eligible support staff a 2% increase at least in fiscal year 2022.

The last time the College raised the starting minimum wage for hourly employees was in mid-November 2021, when they raised the pay from $11 to $13.

The College is also hosting a job fair on March 5 at the Majestic Theater to encourage job-seekers from the Gettysburg community to apply for part- and full-time positions.

The Path Forward

W

hile Dining Services and Facilities face staffing shortages, the campus community will continue to see the impacts in daily operations.

From long lines at Bullet to clo-

sures throughout campus, staff shortages will continue to have a profound impact on student life for the foreseeable future.

“I think it’s just important to remember to be patient with the workers,” said Lillian Newton ’23, a student worker at Bullet. “The non-student employees are working really hard and spending long days trying to make sure we can be open and running as smoothly as possible, which makes it possible for the student employees to have a good environment to work in.”

Dining and Facilities plan to continue working with Human Resources to recruit applicants amid the shifting workforce.

“I see the things that other schools are doing, and they’re trying to make it work for the people that they have and make a great experience for the students,” said Ellicot. “[Dining Services has] had pretty high rankings over the years and we want to continue that.

We’re doing the best we can.”

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NEWS

Gettysburg’s Investments in Fossil Fuels Socially Responsible Investing and the Endowment

BY CARTER HANSON // MAGAZINE EDITOR

G

ettysburg College has divested—or withdrawn endowment investments—for a political or social reason only one time in its 190-year history: in 1990, the Board of Trustees decided “to divest of all companies holding an equity investment or physical presence in [Apartheid] South Africa.”

In recent years, students have met with College officials to discuss their concerns with Gettysburg’s continued investment in the oil and gas industry, and to urge the administration to reprise their divestment from South Africa with divestment from fossil fuels.

“I’ve had plenty of interviews,” said Chris Delaney, Associate Vice President for Finance.

“There are students interested in this—alumni not so much.”

A few years ago, one student met with Delaney “three times at least.” By the end of their conversations, Delaney believes that they were convinced “the College is doing the right thing.”

However, while Gettysburg has made significant progress in reducing its investments in fossil fuels, approximately 2.5% of the pooled endowment—about $8.1 million—remains invested in the oil and gas industry. That 2.5% is split between a private equity

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fund called Encap and diversified investments across Gettysburg’s endowment portfolio.

Even Cambridge Associates, the firm hired by the Board of Trustees to manage the endowment, doesn’t know exactly how much money Gettysburg currently has invested in fossil fuels. That is because Cambridge’s 60 “money managers” who oversee the endowment are contractors, and not employees of Cambridge or the College.

This portfolio diversification across various money manager accounts also makes it difficult, if not impossible, for Gettysburg to employ a divestment strategy similar to their 1990 withdrawal from South Africa. “[In 1990] the endowment was primarily in separate accounts,” said Delaney. “It’s generally hard to do this [divestment] when you don’t own the individual securities, like we did in the ’90s with investment in South Africa.”

Of course, Gettysburg could find out how much of the endowment is invested in fossil fuels by telling Cambridge Associates to investigate, but there is no financial incentive to do so.

“If they really wanted to, my guess is they could find out for any of the investment funds that

we are in,” said Economics Professor Brendan Cushing-Daniels.

“Do they know that on a regular basis? My guess is no, because what’s the reason to know it? [...]

From my perspective as somebody who’s concerned about the long-run health of the institution, it’s not costless to dig in that deeply to find these things out.”

The goal of endowment investment is, according to the 2021 Endowment Report, “to maximize risk-adjusted returns, which in turn maximizes the level of support to advance the College’s mission and maintains the real purchasing power of the endowment over time.”

In other words, the goal of investing is, above all, to increase the value of the endowment.

While Gettysburg emphasizes its commitment to investing responsibly and to minimizing its investments in industries that are perceived to have a negative impact, such as the oil and gas or tobacco industries, all of this is secondary to making money.

For Delaney—who works with Cambridge Associates and the Board of Trustees to ensure that donations are successfully integrated into the endowment— donor intention is everything.

When donors give money to Gettysburg, they do so to ensure that the college remains fiscally

healthy in the long-term; most do not, however, make socially responsible investing a priority.

“There’s nothing in these [donation] documents that say ‘I don’t want you to invest this in tobacco,’” said Delaney.

Gettysburg also does not have the right, according to Delaney, to prioritize one social issue over another in managing endowment investments.

“It’s a slippery slope,” said Delaney. “Some students might be concerned with climate, some might be concerned with guns, some might be concerned with tobacco… There’s a lot of social issues out there, and the role of the endowment is not to advance some [social issues].”

shares of individual companies) and the College has not invested in an oil and gas private equity fund since 2016, when it invested in Encap.

Even before divestment became an issue in other colleges and universities, Gettysburg strived to align its fiduciary and social responsibilities. In 2018, the Board of Trustees, College administration and Cambridge Associates sent a letter to the endowment’s money managers imploring them to make environmental, social and corporate governance considerations

2.5% of endowment or

$8.1 million

is invested in fossil fuels

However, the College has embraced the overlap between its fiduciary responsibility to maintain the financial health of the College and its social responsibility to avoid investment in fossil fuels and tobacco.

4.0% of endowment

Divestment became a concern for the Gettysburg Board of Trustees after Harvard University implemented a divestment strategy in the wake of large student protests in September 2021.

Delaney looked into the extent to which Harvard’s divestment plan aligned with Gettysburg’s current policies, and found that “we’re very consistent with what they did.”

(ESGs) a priority. This strategy has been relatively successful.

Like Harvard, Gettysburg is not directly invested in any fossil fuel companies (or any other companies, for that matter, as the College does not purchase

or

$13.0 million

is invested in renewable energy

“As of September 2021, 82% of the college’s active managers reported that they integrate ESG considerations into their decision-making,” said Delaney. “Over time, that’s going to grow.”

Approximately 4% of Gettysburg’s pooled endowment— about $13 million—is invested in renewable energy. Most of this is inested in the “GMO Climate Change Fund,” which is a fund that “invests in companies focused on climate change

mitigation and adaption,” according to the 2021 Endowment Report. GMO has performed very well with returns of 23% per year. This high rate of return reflects the fact that, in addition to fulfilling the college’s secondary social responsibility to invest in green energy, it also fulfills Gettysburg’s fiscal responsibility to remain financially healthy.

In some cases, however, the fiduciary responsibility has trumped social and environmental considerations in the College’s endowment calculus. Gettysburg maintains investments in Encap, a private equity fund that invests in infrastructure for oil and gas companies.

This fund is split between older vintages (securities issued in the past) and newer vintages, and both are increasingly profitable. In recent years, the older vintages have performed at a similar level to the GMO Climate Change Fund (about 20% annual returns). The newer vintages had a difficult start due to fluctuations in global gas prices, but have begun to perform exceptionally well, with prospects of becoming far more profitable than GMO in the near future.

As a private equity fund, Gettysburg’s investments in Encap are a 10-year commitment, and, having been negotiated in 2016, will not be considered for renewal until 2026. It remains to be seen whether Gettysburg College will follow in Harvard and other institutions’ footsteps at that point, and withdraw investments from fossil fuel private equity funds entirely.

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OPINIONS

A Call for Transparency

How Financial Cuts are Affecting the College Experience

BY THE GETTYSBURGIAN EDITORIAL BOARD

I

t is impossible not to notice.

It comes up in class, in line at Bullet, during club meetings.

Students wonder, “Why do we no longer have this?”

Gettysburg is not unique in facing financial distress, nor is it something new. This was true before the pandemic as colleges faced the “demographic cliff,” a large drop-off in the number of college-age students. Of course, the pandemic only worsened higher education financial conditions with enrollment drop-offs, little revenue from housing and meal plans and increased costs of COVID mitigation.

However, this semester, the aftershocks of COVID seem to be looming more than ever before. It is no longer something heard about distantly and confined within Penn Hall. It is rippling across all aspects of the student experience. As the things we love about Gettysburg are changed and cut, the tension between students and the administration has increased, and everyone can feel it.

One of Gettysburg’s greatest draws for students is close knit connections with faculty and professors. When we first toured Gettysburg College, we heard about the 9:1 student-faculty ratio and the average class size of 17. While those statistics remain true, the College has made other

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changes that have affected students’ and professors’ abilities to form those connections.

First, the College has implemented a hiring freeze for tenured professors. This leaves some of the most popular majors with bigger classes and less department stability. As tenured professors take on the bulk of advising, there are now professors who have upwards of 40 advisees. Those professors are then unable to form close relationships with their advisees or must cut their class preparation or research time to accommodate their advisees. Neither option is positive for students or professors. The 9:1 student to faculty ratio becomes irrelevant when your advisor has 40 other advisees. Have the professors been paid more for their increased workloads? No. Salaries were frozen for two years, and some benefits had been reduced.

While we are grateful to attend a school where students care about their professors and professors care about their students, students are deeply affected by the changes made to the professors’ positions. We can hear their concerns about recent shifts in policies as well.

While students are here to learn, we also need to eat and live on campus. Recent financial changes have made it difficult for some

basic living needs to be met.

Gettysburg takes pride in—and openly advertises—the fact that we have consistently been ranked in the top 20 for many years for our food. This semester, due to service staffing shortages, especially at the Bullet Hole, food options have been significantly limited. Root, the salad bar, and Pi, the pasta option, have significantly cut their options.

The Dive, the healthy food option, is closed until further notice. There are other options for students to choose from, but students with dietary needs have far fewer choices. Almost all pre-made meal salads have animal or gluten products. As more dining options have closed, lines have become longer. As of Feb. 13, Bullet will be closing one hour earlier in the evenings.

The staff is often overwhelmed, performing many duties at once to keep up with the demand. At peak rush, long lines make the “grab-and-go” option incredibly inefficient.

In a time of turmoil, we understand that changes have to be made. There will be sacrifices across the board, but we should not be sacrificing the key elements that make students, staff, and alumni love Gettysburg.

Students have already sacrificed years of our college experience.

We paid tuition while sitting in our childhood bedrooms. We understand that the campus will never be what it was before COVID.

At the same time, students are actively going into tens of thousands of dollars of debt because we were sold on the idea that the experience of being here would be worth it. It can feel to students that that experience continues to be hacked away with little concern for the impact on students and staff. If by demanding these services we are presumed to be entitled, then so be it, because we are entitled to the quality academics and basic student services that we were told we would have and that we are paying for. Those in Penn Hall who still make upwards of $200,000 every year seem to be disconnected from that reality.

To students, it often feels like there is no plan or larger vision behind these changes. This is not the case. The College has a Strategic Plan, “Living Our Promise,” that President Iuliano announced in October 2020.

The College has been making adjustments to address the issues of concern to students and professors.

In terms of the oncoming demographic cliff, the College plans to intentionally decrease the student population. This relates to the other recent decisions to end off-campus housing, as there will be enough on campus housing for a smaller student body. With fewer students, the College hopes to sustain academics with fewer professors, and is incentivizing professors, albeit tenured and closer to retirement, to leave with the Voluntary Separation Incentives Program (VSIP).

As for solving the Dining Services staff shortages, the College has increased the minimum wage for full-time support staff to $15 an hour, and those already making above $15 will have their wages increased as well. Though it is concerning that it was lower than this previously, it may help draw more staff and encourage current staff to stay.

However, most of this crucial information is not being communicated clearly to students, and students are not effectively expressing their concerns to the administration. On the Strategic Plan webpage, there is a link for students to submit their feedback to the administration.

However, the Administration has received little feedback through this webpage because most students don’t know that the strategic plan exists.

Students do receive semi-regular updates from the College and the President via email, but these emails are often long-winded and convoluted to the point that they lack the simple answers to the questions students care about most. Some emails are as long as 2,249 words (we checked). When busy students receive an email equivalent to an eight-page essay, they tend to get far less information out of it than they would from an email that quickly outlines key points, with links for an opportunity to dig into the details if desired.

The responsibility is not on the College alone. Students can and should do more than vent to

each other in Junction or post on YikYak. The Student Senate has the opportunity for to consider students’ concerns and opinions.

Students can submit feedback on the Strategic Plan through the QR code at the bottom of this page. Additionally, Students can attend President Iuliano’s office hours, though they are only held once a month with 10-15 minutes per student. Students can even submit opinions to us, The Gettysburgian (see QR code on page 5). If students do not express their frustrations to the College, the administration will not address them.

There is a serious disconnect between the College’s financial optimism and the gradual chipping-away of essential aspects of campus life. There can be no student buy-in to solving Gettysburg’s problems if the administration fails to communicate what those problems are. What we’re asking for is transparency.

Level with us, Bob.

Share your thoughts with the College on the Strategic Plan Feedback Form THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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SPORTS

A Fluctuating Budget

Financing Athletics at Gettysburg College

BY JACK HERR // SPORTS EDITOR

“O

ur spending has varied wildly,” said Executive Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation Mike Mattia when asked about the state of Gettysburg College’s Athletics budget. With 25% of the current student body being student-athletes, sports represents a major aspect of Gettysburg, so understanding the Athletics budget is crucial to an appreciation of the College’s overall finances.

As with all areas of Gettysburg’s finances, the COVID-19 pandemic has likely permanently impacted the Athletics budget.

The inconsistency the pandemic introduced to our lives since the spring of 2020 is still being felt, especially when it comes to Athletics. While the onset of the pandemic completely shut down all sports, COVID and the restrictions that arose to combat it have had lingering effects: teams could only play a limited number of games last year, team training trips have been canceled and postponements and cancellations of games this year have all contributed to making pinning down a consistent Athletics budget “difficult,” according to Mattia.

But where does the money for Gettysburg Athletics come from? According to Mattia, the College itself shoulders almost all of the financial burden, contributing roughly 95% of the to-

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tal budget. Outside of the College funds, the Athletics department uses the Orange and Blue Club (O&B), Athletics-specific endowments, and a handful of sponsors who provide the extra funding needed to round out the budget.

If you have been to a game on the Gettysburg College campus or have watched a livestream hosted by our Athletic communications team, you have likely heard an advertisement for the Orange and Blue Club asking for donations. O&B acts as the fundraising arm of the Athletics department and is connected to College Advancement. Each team fundraises through O&B, which Mattia said is used to “help enhance the overall experience for student-athletes,” going beyond “covering the costs of basics such as uniforms, equipment, travel, officials fees and recruiting, which the general fund covers.” O&B also hosts an annual “golf classic” fundraising program to further support the Athletics budget.

Since 95% of the Athletics budget comes directly from the College, whose overall finances have been at the mercy of COVID, it is easy to link this to the tumultuous state of the Athletics budget. Executive Director Mattia did not provide specific numbers for how each of the 24 varsity teams on campus are funded, saying that “with all of

the discord of the last few years, providing numbers would show an incomplete look at the actual costs to run the athletic department.”

This “discord” has made it hard to track the Athletics budget; according to Mattia, there are no real trends to point out, and overall spending has fluctuated from team to team depending on whether a team’s season was fully canceled or partially limited due to the pandemic. Any money that was given to Athletics and then funneled to a specific team would also have to have been sent back to the College administration if a team’s season was cut short, meaning those funds could be lost for good going forward.

However, it is safe to say that teams such as football, lacrosse and baseball require the most funding given the size of their rosters and coaching staffs (football, for example, had 101 rostered players and eight coaching staffers in the 2021 season, compared to women’s golf who has seven players and two coaches), the facilities and fields they practice and compete on and the equipment and training they require. Looking at the football example, though, a team who went 1-9 this year and has not had a winning season since 2015, calls into question whether a team’s level of success should be a factor in determining how much funding they receive.

P H O T O B Y A LY L E I A W E I N

According to Mattia, the Athletics department has also been affected by the College’s hiring freeze and currently has five unfilled positions. These positions include a few assistant coaches, an athletic trainer and athletic communications administrator, all crucial to the proper functioning of teams and the department as a whole.

COVID has certainly put the future of the College’s Athletics budget in question. Executive Director Mattia referenced the anticipated decrease in the overall student body in the coming years, highlighting how that will make student-athletes constitute an even greater proportion of the students on campus.

“I obviously want to be a good steward of the College’s resources and properly manage the budget for the Athletics department,” Mattia said. “However, we want to continue the great tradition of Gettysburg Athletics.” This means continuing

to allow coaches to be able to attract the best possible prospective student-athletes, provide a great experience for current student-athletes and put nationally competitive teams out on the field, court, track and pool.

While certain teams like football, baseball, tennis and cross-country have faced struggles in recent years, Gettysburg has a substantial lineup of successful teams. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams are positioned to enter the Centennial Conference playoffs this season. As of February 2022, the women have a 22-3 overall record and a 19-1 conference record that has them ranked at the top of the standings and they are positioned to do well in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the men’s basketball team are currently 11-7 in the Centennial, third in the standings, and poised to make a similar playoff run.

Women’s lacrosse is entering

their season ranked ninth in a national Division III poll and have won the national championships in 2011 and 2017. men’s lacrosse is set for similar success this spring after securing a rank of 17 in a national coaches’ preseason poll. Softball has earned their first national ranking in their history this preseason, ranked 24th in the country. men’s swimming, who will compete in the Centennial Conference championships, has won consecutive conference crowns from 2011–2018. Finally, women’s golf has had arguably the most success of any Gettysburg varsity team, claiming 10 Centennial Conference titles from 2008–2019.

Several Bullets teams have found success on the local, conference and national levels, and properly maintaining the Athletics budget has been crucial to those accomplishments. The recent concerns with the budget could put future success in jeopardy, but Executive Director Mattia and his staff are up to the challenge.

“With the understanding that our future budgets will be negatively impacted,” Mattia said, “we will need to put a greater focus on increasing our Orange & Blue Club donations, and finding additional forms of revenue through increased sponsorships and other sources.” While this strategy will put more weight on the fundraising skills of the department, the future of Gettysburg Athletics depends on it.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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A&E

How COVID Affected the Majestic Theater

BY VICTORIA STAUB // ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR to the new landscape of the

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has caused a variety of issues within the entertainment industry, the most critical being a sharp decline in the number of moviegoers. Gettysburg’s historic Majestic Theater has not been spared from the effects of COVID and has been forced to adapt

film industry.

During the pandemic, the Majestic was forced to close its doors for 431 days between midMarch of 2020 and late-May of 2021, according to Jeffrey Gabel, the Majestic’s Founding Executive Director. This closure was similar to many other cinemas,

including the theater powerhouse AMC that neared bankruptcy as a result of the pandemic. AMC only recovered due to a $917 million cash infusion from investors. This was not an option for a small-town cinema like the Majestic, and financial losses from the lack of live shows, film screenings and theater rentals forced the Majestic to cut down on spending and seek new sources of revenue.

“We laid off all our part-time staff, most of our full-time staff took short-term furloughs, we cut reduced expenses, [and we] pursued grants and donations,” said Gabel.

Despite these actions, it is undeniable that the entertainment industry overall is still experiencing the effects of the pandemic, specifically with the rise of streaming services. However, Gabel does not seem too worried.

“If there’s one thing we’ve all experienced during the pandemic [it] is how bored we are of always staying home,” said Gabel.

“Movie theaters still present a much more impactful viewing experience. ... The Majestic’s fresh, hot, buttered popcorn is way better than Jiffy Puff.”

Overall, though the pandemic financially harmed the Majestic, the historic cinema is optimistic that it still has a critical place in the campus and town commu-

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nities. However, some Gettysburg students still believe that the Majestic should cater more towards student interests, and therefore increase the theater’s profit, by adding more blockbuster films to the lineup.

The Majestic’s close proximity to the College makes it an optimal destination for students wishing to see a movie—especially those without a vehicle. When asked about the movie selection process at the Majestic, Gabel explained that he selects movies “with the help of a professional film booker who screens all the films at festivals and press screenings in NYC.” This booker, he elaborated, “has the buying power to negotiate more competitive distributor fees for the Majestic,” meaning that obtaining some films may be a pricey task for a local theater.

Despite the practical challenges in bringing blockbusters to the Majestic, its lack of popular movies drives many students to competing theaters, such as the Gateway Theater, despite the inconvenient distance. The Majestic understands this issue, and the theater has been attempting to recapture the student body’s attention since April 2004.

For twenty months, starting that April, the college closed the Majestic for renovation and expansion. According to Gabel, during these months, two new commercial theaters were built nearby “with more than a dozen screens and free parking,” which put a massive economic strain on the small, downtown theater.

Gabel believes these renovations allow the Majestic to shift PHOTOS BY C ARTER HANSON

programming and rebrand as a premier performing arts center.

“In order to offer the community alternative programming that was more appropriate for a performing arts center,” Gabel said, “the Majestic introduced independent films, fine art films and the Metropolitan Opera live telecasts that were not available in a 30-mile radius of Gettysburg.”

The Majestic positions itself as competitive because it is the only place in Gettysburg offering these culturally engaging experiences. This unique strategy has paid off, as demonstrated by the Majestic’s annual presentation of “A Christmas Carol,” which was its highest-grossing event in the past year. According to Gabel, this production “had a dozen performances which sold 3,926 tickets,” demonstrating that the Majestic remains successful despite pandemic pitfalls. Regardless of these successes, the Majestic could still do more to engage with the student popu-

lation during the school year.

While catering to the greater Gettysburg community needs establishes the theater’s uniqueness, its lack of student engagement is somewhat of a missed opportunity for the Majestic, as Gettysburg students could be a major demographic of patrons.

Gettysburg students may want to support the theater, but are already fortunate enough to engage in unique cultural experiences within the college, therefore diminishing the Majestic’s role as a cultural center for Adams County.

Financially, the Majestic Theater appears to be thriving even with the lack of student engagement. While the relationship between the theater and the students could be more symbiotic, the Majestic plays an incredibly large role in introducing the greater Gettysburg area to alternative art forms that most Gettysburg students have access to through other facets of the College.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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A&E

Movie Review

Spider-Man: No Way Home

BY LAKEN FRANCHETTI // as viewers remember. Before sending the villains back home, ASST. NEWS EDITOR

A

rguably the largest movie of 2021, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” introduced a multitude of new concepts and characters for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

With his secret identity revealed, Peter Parker comes under investigation and needs a really good lawyer. Early in the movie, Matt Murdock, otherwise known as Daredevil, is introduced. Having Charlie Cox in the MCU is a huge step for including Marvel characters from Netflix series into future projects (Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand).

Peter goes to Doctor Strange to cast a spell that would cause everyone to forget he is Spider-Man, yet the botched result brings people from other worlds who knew Spider-Man’s real identity to the MCU. Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man universe contributes villains Doc Ock and Sandman. Andrew Garfield’s universe provides the Lizard and Electro, who receives a new (and appreciated) look. Electro’s appearance in the film raises questions, however, as he never knew Spider-Man’s real identity.

The largest villain return is Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin from Maguire’s Spider-Man. The famed antagonist remains just as maniacal (and disturbing)

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Peter decides to try to “cure” them so that they will (hopefully) not die upon their return.

In the midst of this, Norman Osborn is taken over by his alter ego. As Green Goblin said (and Dafoe brilliantly delivered), “Norman’s on sabbatical, honey.”

A fight erupts between Peter and Green Goblin, and Aunt May is caught in the cross hairs.

Before succumbing to her injuries, Marisa Tomei delivers the famous line, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

After May’s death, MJ and Ned devise their own plan. Ned, who supposedly now has powers, uses a sling ring to “find Peter Parker.” After successfully creating a portal, Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man appears. After proving that he is Spider-Man (and getting hit repeatedly with dinner rolls), Ned tries once again. The next to emerge from the portal is Tobey Maguire: cue the audience going absolutely crazy.

Having all three Spider-Men on the screen together allowed for dorky jokes (Maguire does look like a youth pastor) and the infamous pointing meme to be recreated. A highlight of the final battle is when Andrew Garfield’s Peter saves MJ, and as Garfield cries while holding her in his arms, the audience can not help but feel that Gwen was

redeemed. Another highlight was when Electro says that there must be a black Spider-Man out there somewhere. This Miles Morales hint leans into the fact that his Spider-Man will one day join the MCU. To save their universe, Strange casts a spell so that everyone will forget who Peter Parker is.

Before the characters from other universes disappear, Holland’s Peter gives a heartfelt thank you to Maguire and Garfield.

This scene appears to be shared among the actors more so than their characters.

Peter’s arc now follows the repercussions of his forgotten identity.

Will Ned and MJ ever know Peter as they once did? And with those memories gone, does Ned remember that he is supposedly a wizard? This memory erasure will impact Peter’s relationship with the Avengers as well, so how do they feel not knowing Spider-Man’s identity?

Of course, it would not be a Marvel film without end credit scenes. First, the venom symbiote is now in the MCU, opening the door for a new Eddie Brock.

The second scene shows the “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” teaser. This movie includes a large set of characters and will likely discuss the impact the multiverse has on the MCU. However, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” will be a tough act to follow.

FE AT U R E S

Faculty Spotlight

Prof. Scott Boddery

BY GRACIE MEISNER // FEATURES EDITOR

D

r. Scott Boddery, who has held an assistant professorship in the political science department since 2017, recently received tenure status.

Originally from Rochester, NY, Boddery received his B.A. from Coastal Carolina University before earning his J.D. from Florida State University and Ph.D. from Binghamton University.

Prior to Gettysburg College, Boddery taught at Davidson College. When the job at Gettysburg College opened up, Boddery jumped at the opportunity.

“I got so excited,” said Boddery.

“I was lucky enough to get an interview, and then the job offer.

It was Gettysburg’s reputation, its history and its liberal arts settings that drew me there.”

Boddery’s love of teaching stems from the interactive and personal classroom setting that he is able to create at Gettysburg, which allows him to build meaningful relationships with his students.

“I had some really strong and impactful mentors when I was in college and in law school, and, looking back, if I hadn’t interacted with those professors, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Boddery. “I see it as a way of paying it forward. Liberal arts colleges are the ideal setting for these relationships to develop. I learn from students just as much as they may learn from me.”

In the classroom, Boddery strives to bring all voices into the conversation, promote a back-and-forth dialogue with students and create an environment where diversity of dialogue is valued and students can practice talking about politics without it being contentious.

“Classroom discussions are better when more voices are heard, which is funny coming from me, because I’m actually an introverted person,” said Boddery. “I consider a perfect class period one where everybody has spoken and contributed to our discussion.”

In 2018, Boddery was the recipient of the Ralph Cavaliere Endowed Teaching Award for his excellence in the classroom.

Boddery’s former student and mentee, Zachary Workman ’22 praised Boddery for his ability to facilitate learning experiences across the political spectrum.

“One of the things I respect most about Professor Boddery is his sense of fairness and equality,” said Workman. “Especially in political science, where people have some passionate beliefs, it can be hard to remain neutral or present both sides of an argument fairly. However, in my experience with Professor Boddery, he has concealed his own opinions ... to present both sides of the argument with equal weight, even when the issue is divisive.”

Boddery specializes in judicial politics and institutional design.

He is working on a National Science Foundation application to study the Supreme Court and public opinion. With tenure status, Boddery looks forward to becoming more involved with the Eisenhower Institute, where he will be running a summer program centered around civic engagement.

Outside of the classroom, Boddery enjoys woodworking and photography, and he and his wife recently had a daughter, Grace, in December 2021.

“I feel incredibly lucky to be here,” said Boddery. “I was lucky enough to get this job offer and I’m lucky enough to have tenure here. ... Gettysburg College is my home now and I will forever pay it forward.”

Professor Boddery is the faculty advisor for The Gettysburgian.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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F E AT U R E S

Perspectives What Feels Different This Semester?

COMPILED BY GRACIE MEISNER // FEATURES EDITOR Lou Mohan ’25, Servo Student Worker “There are a lot fewer student workers this semester. During the fall semester, I was one of ten or so student workers at Servo, and at the start of the spring semester, I was one of two. My coworker told me that, to date, there are three student employees, and they are currently training more, but only three people returned from last semester. Especially last semester, and into this semester as well, I’ve seen stations

and food options get removed because people quit their jobs and there weren’t enough employees. I feel like it’s partially because people didn’t expect the workload to be so difficult, because working at Servo isn’t a job where you can just sit back and not worry. But, at the same time, pay plays a huge role, to be honest. It’s only $8 an hour. It is a lot of work for a job that pays so little. I do love the job, though, because the staff are incredible and it’s cool to play such an important role in helping the College function.”

Allie Acero ’23, German Studies and Political Science Double Major “Everything this semester feels different to me because, after Omicron spiked, we are starting to hopefully leave the pandemic and go into a post-pandemic time. We are going back to classes and it is the first time in almost two years where Zoom isn’t as

much of an option unless necessary. The transition has been really hard, because I think a lot of us feel like we are falling behind, because we are still getting used to going back into fully in-person classes.”

Greg Brown, Head Coach, Men’s and Women’s Swimming “The biggest difference this semester is that everyone’s general concern is a lot greater.

People are skeptical that things could still get worse in a situation that hasn’t been very fun. Two years ago, college kids were mostly worried about their school responsibilities and their social life, and it was a natural college experience. I think that last semester started with more hope, and this

semester started with more concern. People thought that we were getting past the pandemic, and cases were going down, and it felt good. And then we started this semester with Omicron, masks and quarantine. I think that makes people skeptical and wonder when the next ‘shoe’ will drop, when we’ve already had so many shoes drop.”

Xingyi Puckett, Assistant Professor, Economics “I would say that the fall semester was more relaxed than this semester. The spring semester started with COVID-19 being very intensely concerning, and students came back still needing to do a lot of testing and follow protocols, compared to the fall when things were easing up a lot more. I could see that students were more comfortable sitting around and chatting last semester.

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Going through the past two years of professors and students learning to use Zoom and switch to hybrid learning models, I think this semester strikes me as particularly different, because students are so resilient.

I’m feeling hopeful, especially as it’s getting warmer and the COVID situation on campus is getting better. I think the spirit on campus is going to pick up a lot more.”

F E AT U R E S

The Crossword MADE BY CARTER HANSON

Across

1. Recently closed Gettysburg coffee shop, briefly 6. “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country” speaker 10. Maria’s hills in the Sound of Music 14. Wafer brand 15. Where the needle is 17. Beating around the bush 19. Pen name of Theodore Geisel 20. Aid in finding a lost pet 21. U.S. Army base named for a Confederate general 22. Inits. of McKinley’s successor 23. The Science Guy 24. Necromances 27. Eric Holder, for President Obama 28. 1973 decision currently challenged

by Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization 30. Country of the U.K., for short 31. Raised to the __ power 33. Hymn in a biblical book 34. Pfizer and Moderna, for example 35. Gettysburg College’s mantra: “Do ___ Work” 37. Brain injury caused by repeated concussions, often in football 38. Kuwaiti prince 39. Stranger 41. Belgian river flowing into the North Sea 44. Acid 45. Reaction to Amazon failing to deliver?

47. Foreign foot 49. U.S. spy agency during WW2 50. Flashy star?

52. Mexican corn cup popularized in the U.S. by Taco Bell 56. Condiment for 52 across?

57. Smooth, in music 58. Portmanteau for a place where cars sleep?

59. Boxing announcement 60. Greek god of war 61. Mistake by Yoko?

63. 1982 sci-fi blockbuster, which surpassed Star Wars as the highest grossing film of all time 64. The “Father of the American

Cartoon” who took on Boss Tweed 65. Like Harry Potter’s Cauldron 66. Long-running Broadway musical whose 2019 movie adaptation was a box-office bomb

Down

1. A Frenchwoman’s “one” 2. Title character of a Shel Silverstein book 3. Medieval address to a noblewoman, say 4. Traditional province of Northern Ireland 5. Greek personification of the Earth 6. Silk Road-era dynasty 7. “I see” 8. Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr, for the Beatles, for example 9. Pupil protector 10. Adrift 11. Preceding “Vegas” 12. Culture War pejorative 13. Swedish acting family, the patriarch of which recently starred in Chernobyl and Dune 16. Rhetorical demand for a lawsuit, say 18. Shrek and Fiona 21. “____ Towers,” John Cleese sitcom of the ‘70s 22. Swindle involving Williams or

Osaka?

25. Flee to danger, briefly?

26. Xi Jinping, since a 2018 amendment to the constitution 27. Red character in “Inside Out” 29. Decided not to 32. Track from Footloose: “Holding out for a ___” 34. “Between the World and __” by Ta-Nehisi Coates 36. Element Plato determined to be hot and wet 40. Action after using yarn or film 42. Feeling what others feel 43. Corned beef on rye 46. Homeland of Mandela 48. Aztec god of rain 51. Questlove’s band, with “The” 52. Scottish tribe 53. Queen of the Greek Pantheon 54. Has another birthday 55. New Testament banquet 56. Pippin of the Lord of the Rings 58. Extinct mega-bird of New Zealand 62. State home to Chimney Rock National Historic Site

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23

This Month at the Majestic

Catapult: Magic Shadows!

Sunday, March 6 - 3 pm

HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis Friday, March 18 - 7:30 pm March 12, 1 pm - Ariadne auf Naxos March 26, 12 pm - Don Carlos Student tickets: $17

Coming to the cinemas: Cyrano, Oscar Nominated Shorts, The Outfit, The Worst Person in the World, The Duke, Huda’s Salon, and more!

2 shows daily / Open every day / $9

25 Carlisle Street • Gettysburg, PA 717.337.8200 • gettysburgmajestic.org

Interested in joining our staff?

Scan here!

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