The Gettysburgian - September 26, 2019 Magazine

FR E E

Gettysburgian The

Volume CXXII, Issue No. 1 · September 26, 2019

Serving Gettysburg College since 1897

PAG E 4

Getting to Know Susan Iuliano

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Carrying on a 122-Year Legacy

BY BENJAMIN PONTZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF On March 9, 1897, a group of Gettysburg College students published the first issue of The Gettysburgian. The following week, on March 16, 1897, the fledgling newspaper published excerpts from a series of letters received about that opening issue.

“The pluck, energy, and enterprise you manifest is worthy of the very highest commendation,” one alumnus wrote.

“It is exactly what was needed,” said another, who added, “Find enclosed [one] dollar for my subscription.”

Over the past 122 years, this student publication has presented news in a variety of shapes and sizes: newsletter, tabloid, broadsheet, and, the most recent additions, a website and social media. Today, you hold in your hands the newest entry to that veritable roster of formats: a magazine.

While a magazine carries several obvious (and some less obvious) changes, I want to open by affirming what will not change. The Gettysburgian will seek to publish stories that get to the heart of what Gettysburg College is and what it ought to be while providing a first-rate educational experience for those involved and upholding high standards of journalistic integrity as part of a constant endeavor to be a trusted institution within the campus community.

What will change is one medium for how we will pursue that vision.

This summer, I led an organizational strategic planning process that resulted in our editorial staff adopting three goals: recruit and train a talented and diverse staff, develop a distinctive print product while bolstering our online platforms, and articulate a content strategy that informs, inspires, challenges, and empowers our audience.

The concept of a magazine that enables deeper storytelling with more texture, nuance, and context is part of a broader initiative to reaffirm and reanimate our commitment to tell great stories in compelling ways. We envision this magazine being something to read slowly while thinking deeply about the community in which we each play a role. Rather than try to amalgamate troves of incident reports and game summaries—a task much better suited to our website, which continues to serve thousands of readers each week—this magazine will tell just a few stories. We hope those stories will illuminate the rhythms of Gettysburg College that point to broader themes, enrich our understanding of one another to inform campus conversation that is equal parts passionate and compassionate, and provide a little bit of insight as to how we might rise to the many challenges facing our liberal arts college.

So, on behalf of our staff, we thank you for playing the most crucial role of the journalistic process: that of a reader. We hope you will grab a cup of coffee, make yourself comfortable, and take some time to read our newest project. Of course, if you feel so inclined, do feel free to let us know what you think. My inbox is always open … and who knows, in another 122 years, perhaps your letter will be quoted in a new format of The Gettysburgian.

With much gratitude to the team that makes this operation go,

Benjamin Pontz ‘20 Editor-in-Chief The Gettysburgian

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Get to Know Susan Iuliano

An interview with Susan Iuliano on her plans at Gettysburg College

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Are support staff paid insufficiently?

What does the college plan to do?

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Support Staff Wages

Postcards from Abroad

Students Demand Action

Phoebe Doscher is a child of Sandy Hook; now she is leading a gun violence prevention organization on campus

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The Liberal Arts Lie

Gettysburgians Gauri Mangala and Benjamin Roy share stories from their travails in Great Britain

Anna Cincotta talks about her initial plan to triple major before she received some sage advice

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New Faculty Spotlight

Six new tenure-track faculty members began appointments this fall

Advice for the Iulianos

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A Deal with Under Armour

All Gettysburg athletic teams will soon be outfitted by Under Armour

Students, faculty, and staff share their advice on community acclimation and getting involved at Gettysburg

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The Post-SCOGL Plan

The Senate Committee on Greek Life released its report in June, but not everyone buys its findings half page ad_85x55 9/6/19 10:10 AM Page 1

Coming Attractions Cirque Mechanics:

Voctave Sings Disney & Broadway

42FT: A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels

Tuesday, October 22 — 7 pm At the center of every circus rests a 42-foot center ring full of thrills, laughs, and excitement — showcasing a galloping mechanical metal horse and a rotating tent frame for strongmen, acrobats, and aerialists. $51 / $45 / $39 / Children 12 & Under $15

Friday, November 1 — 7:30 pm From gospel music to musical theater, contemporary Christian to barbershop, pop music to choral specialties, Voctave voices have covered it all. $54 / $49 / $44

Tickets available at www.gettysburgmajestic.org

Where’s My Roy Cohn?

(1 hr, 37 mins) Controversial attorney Roy Cohn’s ruthless career, launched by his work with Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare, is exposed in this documentary. | One of the most controversial and influential American men of the 20th Century, Roy Cohn was a ruthless and unscrupulous lawyer and political power broker whose 28-year career ranged from acting as chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy’s Communist-hunting subcommittee to molding the career of a young Queens real estate developer named Donald Trump. Rating: PG-13

Downton Abbey The Movie opens Friday, September 20 (1 hr, 30 mins)

The cast of the PBS mega hit make their big screen debut as the Crawley Family and their household prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime visit from the royal family.

This fall, the worldwide phenomenon Downton Abbey, becomes a grand motion picture event, as the beloved Crawleys and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives. A royal visit from the King and Queen of England will unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance.

Rating: PG

Movie Show Times: Monday–Saturday 4 & 7pm • Sunday 2 & 5pm • For exact times see www.gettysburgmajestic.org THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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F E AT U R E S

Getting to Know Susan Iuliano

BY MADDIE NEIMAN, MANAGING EDITOR

O

ver inauguration weekend,

students, the faculty, staff,

and community will celebrate

the formal induction of President Bob Iuliano into college history. The president, however, is not the only Iuliano new to campus.

Susan Iuliano shares her husband’s excitement to embrace and explore her new home at Gettysburg College.

Similar to President Iuliano, Susan Iuliano has an impressive personal and professional history. After growing up in Amarillo, Texas, Mrs. Iuliano relocated to Connecticut to study Religious Studies and Political Science at Yale University.

“I hadn’t been in other parts of the country that much, so it was a great education for me in terms of just learning about people from different parts of the country, different parts of the world,” said Iuliano about her move across the nation. “Now, I think

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that’s easier. More schools do a better job of bringing in a mix of students.”

Her decision to study religion and politics stemmed from her enjoyment and interest in those subjects and coursework. She also valued the smaller size of the Religious Studies Department at Yale.

“It was a much bigger school,” she said, “so being in smaller departments was great because it provided me some of what you get here at Gettysburg, in terms of the opportunity to get to know the faculty and have smaller classes and go to more office hours.”

During her undergraduate work, Iuliano developed an interest in political philosophy and ethics, which helped formulate her decision to return to Texas and earn her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. Moving back to Texas was somewhat of a transition, “but Austin is a great city,” according to Mrs. Iuliano. After

law school, she clerked for a federal appellate judge based in Austin. There, she worked mostly on research memos and drafted opinions.

In the midst of this academic and occupational growth, Susan Iuliano experienced an exciting personal development: “While I was in law school, I met Bob.” Both Iulianos worked as summer interns at a Dallas law firm, although they were not enrolled in the same law schools. President Iuliano attended the University of Virginia School of Law, while Mrs. Iuliano was enrolled in Texas.

The next summer, they both worked in Boston and eventually settled in Massachusetts—up until their recent move to Gettysburg.

In Boston, Susan Iuliano spent a brief period working for a corporate law firm with large clients and handling labor and employment work, before becoming an attorney for the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In the latter position, she worked with an office that licensed children’s programs, including daycare, adoption, and foster care.

After about seven years working as an attorney, Susan Iuliano switched to an academic track, choosing to teach legal research and writing at the New England School of Law. “In particular, I taught students who needed or asked for additional academic support. I learned that teaching writing is challenging, but I really enjoyed it,” said Mrs. Iuliano, who remembered how critical developing better writing and analysis skills were for her while at Yale.

Beyond teaching, she also became involved with the local government and schools in Sudbury, where she and President Iuliano lived.

Having served on both the school board and Board of Selectmen, Susan Iuliano reflected, “The background that I obtained working for the state and being a lawyer was more useful than one might expect when I became involved with local government issues because I understood something about the state and the state programs and budget.”

(Photo Mary Frasier/The Gettysburgian)

She also contributed to the Sudbury Foundation, a private group that worked on such projects as openspace and historic preservation, a scholarship program aiding 15 local students for four years of college, programs involving local youth and social services, and improvements in sustainable agriculture.

Upon arriving at Gettysburg College and learning more about its programs, Mrs. Iuliano expressed her excitement at seeing her passion for public service reflected among the campus and community.

“I’m very impressed with the [Center for Public Service] program and with the students involved,” she said.

She expressed admiration not only for campus service events but also those off-campus, “where there’s this opportunity to be immersed, even briefly, in another setting to learn

about a different community and how to help in a different way.”

The relationship between the College and the community is one that greatly interests Susan Iuliano: “I’m interested in those efforts by the College, and by the students themselves, to help cross divisions within the community. In any setting, we gravitate toward people we enjoy and have things in common with, but college is such a great opportunity to learn from each other and share this wonderful opportunity. I know there’s a real effort to bring people together but also to provide an equality of opportunity or access to the things the college provides. I think that’s really important.”

Both the campus community and the town have welcomed the Iulianos with open arms since they moved to Gettysburg a few months ago.

“I’d like people to know how much we appreciate the warm welcome,” said Mrs. Iuliano. “We’re coming to a place that has been served well by all the people before us.

That’s exciting. But as thenewcomers,people have been very warm and supportive as we’ve jumped in.”

She also stressed, “I want people to know I’m anxious for those opportunities to learn more from them,” especially regarding the student experience. She is excited to “learn more about the culture, what the students think, what they want, what they enjoy.”

The First-Year Walk offered one such opportunity for Susan Iuliano to chat in an informal way with new and upperclass students about their experiences, and she expressed her gratitude at being included in that college tradition.

Although she admitted that her top personal focus at the moment is her new one-month-old grandson, Leo, Iuliano has other interests that overlap with various areas of campus.

She enjoys learning about history and is excited to further explore the battlefields and broaden her knowledge of the Civil War and of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. She labeled herself a “political junkie” and expressed a passion for local government and a desire to learn more about Pennsylvania and Adams County politics. The possibility of visiting speakers, especially in the political science realm, excites her.

“I enjoy a wide variety of music,” she further listed, “so I’m excited to be here with the Conservatory….Even at Convocation, I was so impressed with the band.”

Both of the Iulianos’ sons were wrestlers, and Mrs. Iuliano looks forward to attending various Gettysburg College athletic events.

In one attempt to understand campus culture a little better, Susan Iuliano partook in one of the college’s most popular traditions: eating a chocolatechip cookie from Servo.

“I’ve had one,” she admitted. “It was very good. I had to. I had to have a Servo cookie.”

Still in the early days of her time at Gettysburg College, however, Iuliano explained, “In general, I don’t know exactly yet where I would fit in terms of being involved in a more hands-on way because I’m still very much in a learning stage.”

“I had to. I had to have a Servo cookie.”

Enthusiastic about chatting with other Gettysburgians and welcoming to their advice, Susan Iuliano clearly takes her role as a sort-of “student” of Gettysburg College seriously. Just as she gets to know the campus and community, the campus and community will get to know her and President Iuliano throughout their inaugural year.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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F E AT U R E S

ADVICE FOR Compiled by Maddie Neiman, Managing Editor & Benjamin Pontz, Editor-in-Chief Over the past few months, President Bob Iuliano and his wife, Susan, have begun the process of getting to know Gettysburg College and its community of students, faculty, support staff, and administrators. To help them with this undoubtedly daunting but exciting journey, a group of Gettysburgians have submitted brief pieces of advice for how the Iulianos can best learn about campus and its inhabitants.

Dr. Ivanova Reyes

Assistant Professor of Economics “Welcome to Gettysburg! Below is a list of some things I enjoy from life in Gettysburg: 1. One of the best parts of Gettysburg is the easy access to nature through the various trails that surround us, like those in Strawberry Hill and Caledonia State Park.

2. Gettysburg sunsets are impressive. Driving or walking through the battlefields at sunset is definitely a must.

3. As a small town Gettysburg has its traditional events. I recommend “Wings, Wheels and Pancakes” at the airport. It offers the opportunity to speak to pilots, plane builders and even to fly over the battlefields.

4. End of the day walks are an excellent way to enjoy the beautiful campus grounds.

This also provides an opportunity to see students outside of the classroom, listen to the band rehearsing outdoors or watch teams practice sports.

5. I have found that bonding with students gets enhanced through extra-curricular activities. Decorating pumpkins for Halloween; attending club events opened to faculty and staff; learning recipes from around the world at the language TA house; making dumplings for Chinese New Year; or cooking together for Thanksgiving have left joyful marks in my relationship with Students.”

Taden Welsh `21 Biology and Neuroscience; Co-President of STEMinists, Treasurer of GECO, Treasurer and Activities Coordinator for Gettysburg Pre-Vet Club

“If I had any advice for you, it would be to attend a variety of events on campus.

You are making great strides in getting to know our campus already, but don’t overlook smaller organizations or events. Sometimes these clubs and events can have just as great an impact on campus life as the larger organizations and events.

The existence and culmination of all of these clubs are what allows for each student to be a unique individual, while also being part of the larger Gettysburg campus community. I hope this helps!”

Suzana Sarkar `21 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; International Club Vice President, Student Assistant at International Resource Center “I see a lot of motivated and well-rounded students on campus who are always up to working on new ideas and creating innovative events. One of these events is Burgburst, which takes place in December, which I would highly recommend President Iuliano to attend, as students showcase their cultural performances and food in an effort to ‘take the audience on a world tour.’ It is a great way to celebrate diversity on campus and raise proceeds to help charities in need around the world.”

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THE IULIANOS

Mariam Martinez ‘21 ~ Melanie Pangol ‘21 ~ Mariam Traore ‘21 Environmental Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Host of Voice of a Generation, Program Coordinator of the Women’s Center, House Leader for Latinx House, Member of The Advocacy Coalition Africana Studies and Peace & Justice Studies; Host of Voice of a Generation, The Butterfly Coalition, CPS Program Coordinator for El Centro, Class of 2021 Senator Environmental Studies and French; Host of Voice of a Generation, Member of Black Student Union, Member of Gettysburg African Student Association, Multicultural Coordinator in the Admissions Office

“We would like the Iulianos to hear the underrepresented voices of our campus and provide resources to upcoming organizations like the Butterfly Coalition and the underfunded offices, such as the Women’s and LGBTQA Resource Center and International Resource Center. Also, showing support by building relationships and attending events hosted by multicultural and LGBTQA+ organizations to establish trust and communication. In addition, getting to know the communities around campus, such as the Casa de la Cultura which provides programs and assistance to families of migrant workers. Finally, hire faculty and administrators of color that are specialized to assist students, for example, undocumented students and students that are neurodivergent.”

Dr. Ian Isherwood Assistant Professor of War & Memory Studies, Civil War Era Studies ”Moving is hard. The best advice, I think, that we have been given about entering a new community is to ‘accept every invitation,’ at least at the beginning and within reason. Even if it is not your type of thing, you will still learn something about the community and its DNA by showing up, and people will appreciate that you’re invested. Also, especially as you are living on campus, I think it is important to get out of town (and away from work) a few times a month to refresh perspectives.”

Kailey White `22 Studio Art and Business; Service Vice President of Alpha Phi Omega, Design/ Photography Intern for the Communications & Marketing Department, Schmucker Art Gallery Photographer, Gettysburgian Designer “Last semester I found myself in your shoes when I transferred to Gettysburg College. As you begin your journey here, my biggest advice to you both is to see the college and its students for their involvement on and off campus. I was able to see how involved the college and students here are when I joined Alpha Phi Omega. This organization gives back to the college and community through its vast array of service projects. From being so involved here at Gettysburg, I was able to find my home immediately and I have no doubt you both will too.”

Lindsey Ukishima `20 Biology and Mathematics; President of Outerspace, Program Coordinator for The Office of LGBTQIA+ Life, Member of Alpha Phi Omega, Statistician for the Softball Team

“It would be great for the Iulianos to meet with the leaders of student organizations to develop a more personal relationship and hear the concerns from the students themselves. As a queer student of color, there are lots of things that we would like to address, and unfortunately many of those concerns are lost in communication. It would be wonderful if President Iuliano were accessible and open to a direct dialogue with the students on campus.”

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Sydney Kaplan ‘22~ Camille Traczek ‘22 Political Science, Public Policy, and German; Co-President of Students Against Sexual Assault~ Sociology and Peace & Justice Studies; Co-President of Students Against Sexual Assault, Student Senator for the Class of 2022, Her Campus Editor and Senior Representative

“Gettysburg College has many students who are passionate about creating positive change and movement. Whether it is through Students Against Sexual Assault or any other organization on campus, students strive to incite positive change. Our advice to the Iulianos is to truly listen to students’ ideas for growth.

While we as students have the motivation and resources to do things ourselves, the support and understanding of the administration is key to bettering our community as a whole.”

Elaine Negron ‘20 Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Spanish, President of Latin American Students’ Association, Co-Manager of CUB Information Desk, Office Assistant in the Office of Multicultural Engagement

“A piece of advice for the Iulianos is to truly engage in Gettysburg by listening and attending club meetings, specifically cultural clubs because that is a growing community on campus. All students deserve to be understood and acknowledged on campus and that would be a great start.”

Emily Dalgleish ‘22 Political Science and Public Policy, Vice President of College Democrats, Co-Founder and Vice President of Students Demand Action for Gun Sense, Program Coordinator for EI’s Women and Leadership “Gettysburg students are not only learning how to make a positive impact through classwork: we are also learning how to do so by engaging in our community now. Ask us about the local and national issues we care about, and how we are organizing around those issues. Ask us about how we were able to reach 75% turnout in 2018 for voters registered on campus, and how we plan to do even better in 2020. Attend student-planned events to understand our vision for the future and our leadership. We need our school›s continued support in our civic engagement.”

Ian Clarke

Adjunct Associate Professor of English & Director of the Hatter Planetarium «When I saw the walking interview the Gettysburgian did with President Iuliano on his first day on the job, I thought, this man is a walker with a purpose. Gauri could barely keep up. I’d love to see him embrace that, for him to appear unlooked for in quiet academic halls, bustling athletic fields, historic streets, the surrounding land--anywhere Gettysburgians are going about their work and play.

More often than not something amazing is going on. And at the end of one of his walks I hope he takes in a show at the Hatter Planetarium.»

Maddie Caccese ‘22 Computer Science, TA for CS111, Campus Correspondent for Her Campus, Member of Alpha Delta Pi “To better understand the students of Gettysburg College, the Iulianos can visit the clubs on campus. Students voluntarily pick what clubs they want to be involved in, so by visiting club meetings, the Iulianos can truly get to know what things students are actually interested in and what they want to devote their time to.”

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Grace Bushway ‘21 Spanish and Globalization Studies, House Leader of Global Study House, President of Campus Activities Board “If you really want to get to know a Gettysburgian, all you have to do is ask. Any student on this campus would jump at the chance to talk about the organizations or classes that excite them. But I would watch, too. Watch the library fill up on a Monday morning before finals or the noon rush to Servo. I›d watch the events and service projects we organize, and the athletics competitions we undertake.

Watch and see how students make this campus into their home for the time we have here.”

Julie Ramsey

Vice President of College Life & Dean of Students “Gettysburg has an impressive array of social service organizations that are doing wonderful work in the community. The Community Foundation, SCCAP, and Project Gettysburg Leon—three very different types of organizations—all do great work in the community—and there are so many others! Many of our students derive great satisfaction in their engagement with the local community and the people of Adams County. To the extent that time allows in their very busy lives, I have no doubt the Iuliano’s would enjoy a strong connection with the local community!”

Dr. Amy Evrard Chair & Associate Professor of Anthropology ”One of the basic paradigms in cultural anthropology is cultural relativity: understanding culture from the perspective of the people who live it. I hope you’ll make your way around campus as much as possible and get to know us on our own terms, where we are. Your offer to come to department meetings and get to know the faculty by department or program is such a nice start. I hope you can also visit classes, tour dorms, eat at the Bullet Hole, attend lectures and events, and see this community from our respective points of view as faculty, staff, and students. We are excited to get to know you and eager to let you get to know us!”

Luke Seyfert ‘20 Psychology and Neuroscience, General Manager of 91.1 FM WZBT, Treasurer of Psi Chi, Treasurer of Jazz Appreciation Society, Blue Note Jazz House Leader, Marching Band “My advice for the Iulianos would be the same as the advice that First-Years are told: get out there. To understand the college community, you need to experience everything we have to offer, cheer on our teams at home games, attend departmental lectures, enjoy performances by our musical ensembles.

Be visible to the students, especially in informal situations. Spend a meal in the student side of Servo every once in a while, leisurely read in the library, sit out on Stine Lake on a warm afternoon and I guarantee you’ll learn more about us than in any formal setting.”

Janelle Wertzberger Assistant Dean & Scholarly Communications Director, Musselman Library “One way to get a sense of what is happening in Adams County is to attend the annual ‘Giving Spree’ in November, where about 80 local nonprofit organizations will be represented. The format is like a fair, so you can visit with many nonprofit staff and volunteers and quickly learn about the range of issues that are important to our community. The 2019 Giving Spree takes place on Thursday, November 7, 4-7 pm, at Gettysburg Area Middle School. If you come, I’ll greet you at the Bakewell Farm table!”

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“The reality is that we’re exclusive.”

Reflections on the SCOGL Report

BY BENJAMIN PONTZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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he Student Senate Committee on Greek Life (SCOGL) released a 15-page report in June—more than 60 days past the deadline—and had one overarching recommendation: continue the committee. The report concluded that more students ought to be interviewed, and a systematic survey ought to be conducted in order to get a better read on the pulse of the campus. Despite the committee’s charge to “combine the voices of the Greek and Non-Greek student populations of Gettysburg College in order to better address issues of community that affect both,” the report conceded such representation may not have been achieved during SCOGL’s work.

Over the summer, new Student Senate President Patrick McKenna ‘20 said he would “look forward to reinstating the ad hoc SCOGL committee in the fall.”

Upon reflection, however, McKenna said he is not convinced that would be as good an investment of people’s time as he initially thought.

“At this time, I do not plan to reconstitute the committee,” he said.

“However, I am open and willing to engage in discussions around student life in the future.”

Report oversights and administrative reaction The report highlighted concerns about the exclusivity of Greek organizations, their dominance over the weekend social scene, and relationships between Greek organizations and student organizations such as Student Senate, the Campus Activities Board, and identity-based clubs.

However, the report made no mention of sexual assault, which the college’s 2016 Campus Climate Study found

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to be a prevalent issue particularly in fraternity houses, nor did it mention the guiding principles the Board of Trustees adopted in 2017 to chart its path forward with respect to Greek Life.

“The concern is that you have a relatively smallgroupofstudents who interviewed a relatively small group of students.”

- Julie Ramsey Vice President of College Life and Dean of Students Julie Ramsey said that, while she appreciated the committee’s work (and was among the five college staff members the committee interviewed), the report had significant oversights and probably would not be a game-changer in terms of how the college approaches Greek Life.

“The concern is that you have a relatively small group of students who interviewed a relatively small group of students,” she said, adding, on the omission of a discussion about sexual assault, “I think it’s a fairly significant oversight, and I’m positive I brought it up as an issue they should pay attention to.”

Director of Student Activities & Greek Life Jon Allen, whom SCOGL also interviewed, concurred that the report contained little new information.

“The concerns and recommendations in the report are mostly in line with the work we have been doing over the past several years,” he said.

Reaction within the Greek community In addition to Ramsey and Allen, The

Gettysburgian spoke to the presidents of the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, Sigma Chi, the largest fraternity, and Tri Sigma, which had the most new members in 2018.

None of the four were interviewed by the committee, and each had a different perception of the work the committee did.

Panhellenic Council President Callie Fucarino ‘20 said that her organization is already paying attention to many of the issues the report raised.

“Panhellenic has always been open to cooperate and contribute to conversations about the campus social climate,” she said. “Internally, many of our meeting discussions have been centered around expanding our reach and inclusivity on campus.”

Becky Montross ‘20, President of Tri Sigma, said that no one in her sorority was interviewed and that the pool of interviewees was clearly too small. She took issue, in particular, with the lack of discussion about sexual assault, which, she contends, is a systemic issue within the Greek community.

“There is a total lack of education amongst fraternity men around sexual assault,” she said. “In the last few years, it seems that only sorority women have received training regarding the prevention of sexual misconduct, which reveals an unhealthy double standard.

This aspect of Greek life needs to be investigated.”

Kevin Cosgrave ‘20, Chair of the Interfraternity Council (IFC), was more positive about the report and, like Fucarino, expressed support for the idea of College Houses, the Campus Activities Board (CAB), and other campus organizations sponsoring their own social events and co-sponsoring events with Greek organizations.

“I do think these conversations are beneficial and help to stir the pot,” Cosgrave said, adding, on the social climate, “I encourage every student in the college community to look to CAB, College Houses, and other venues across campus as social outlets, as well.”

Fucarino noted that non-Greek organizations should be held to the same standards for hosting social events with alcohol including Green Dot training and Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS).

Sigma Chi President High Garst ‘20 took issue with the report framing some qualities inherent to Greek Life in a negative light.

“The reality is that we are exclusive,” Garst said. “We don’t have to explain why we hand out bids and not everyone meets our standard for membership … I’m okay with this, and I appreciate the time and information I was given during rush week to think about if I was willing to attempt to join an organization which demanded secrecy and financial contribution.”

Ramsey said in an interview that she views the exclusivity of the Greek system as “a fundamental contradiction to what the college is trying to encourage and the environment we’re trying to create for students.” Not speaking specifically about Sigma Chi, she noted that, while lots of organizations allow some members and not others, it is the way she sees Greek organizations treat others that concerns her.

“They can decide who their membersaregoingtobe,”shesaid, “but that doesn’t give them the right to mistreat other people.”

Garst argued that the report also misses a large part of what fraternities do. In Sigma Chi, Garst says that the fraternity includes three components: a secret ritual that “binds us together and makes us feel as if we are part of a greater organization which is called to more than is expected of others,” an “intimate brotherhood,” and a broader social and philanthropic organization.

“I think this committee fails to recognize that there is so much more

to a Greek organization than just the social aspect,” he said.

As for the social divide on campus between Greek and non-Greek students, Garst believes that, insofar as people believe such a divide exists, such a divide is a problem.

“I would like it to be fixed because I want all of my fellow students to feel comfortable being involved with our chapter through philanthropic participation, social functions, and community service events,” he said.

“They also deserve to feel comfortable on campus and for there to be options for social functions and greater campus involvement outside of those offered

by Greek organizations.”

SCOGL, Garst believes, did not contribute towards bridging that divide and misses a large part of what he sees as the point of Greek Life.

“I feel that continuing the committee without a close connection with IFC or Panhellenic Council would neglect the reality that the Greek system is built on a secrecy that we value, and it would fail to paint a holistic and positivepicture of Greek Life,” he said.

Montross concurred that the report overlooks important aspects of why students participate in Greek Life.

“I feel they failed to truly capture the incredibly special alumni network Greek organizations expose its members to,” she said.

“It’s a part of Greek life that doesn’tgettalkedaboutenough.”

“I would have really liked to have seen some positive, specific stories from both sororities and fraternities,” she added. “I know personally—without the support of my sisters—I would have never thought to take on a leadership position, and therefore, not known how rewarding and how much I would grow as a person because of it.”

McKenna, who is also a member of Sigma Chi, said that Senate has a role to play in facilitating conversations about student life, including Greek Life, but that this committee’s effort was not particularly successful in that regard.

“I believe that the Student Senate can and should serve an important role in discussion surrounding student life on

campus,” he said. “The SCOGL report was conceived last year to attempt to deal with student life. However, I feel that the report was written without the input of many important campus leaders, both Greek and non-Greek, and therefore missed an opportunity to add constructive discourse on campus with regards to student life.”

The path forward For her part, Ramsey said that she will continue to emphasize creating social opportunities for non-Greek students so that all students can enjoy a “rich social experience.” One manifestation of this will be enhancing opportunities for College Houses to host social functions, which, she noted, tend not to have as many conduct problems as functions in Greek organizations.

“There have been virtually no alcohol violations at College Houses that we have pursued,” she said. “There is a difference—and maybe the committee can help us dig into the details of this— with house events, I think, in that the individuals who are sponsoring these events feel more accountable, whereas, in fraternities, the organization is accountable. That is a difference that I don’t quite know how to work through.”

In the long term, the Board of Trustees plans to continue to support a Greek system at Gettysburg College, though their 2017 review notes that the system “must continue to evolve in alignment with the College’s mission, values, and new Strategic Plan.”

Ramsey said that, as the college grows more diverse, there may be less interest in Greek participation, noting that, since the 1980s, when more than 80 percent of students were members of a Greek organization, the Greek population has gradually diminished.

“I think it has reached an equilibrium for now, but that could change as the student population changes,” she said. “The College should provide an environment that the students are responsive to, and as the students change, that may also change.”

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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N E WS

Low Support Staff Wages at Gettysburg College

BY PHOEBE DOSCHER, NEWS EDITOR

I

n the spring of 2019, the Campus Climate Committee submitted a formal request to former President Janet Morgan Riggs to add members of the support staff to an existing compensation and benefits committee that would look specifically at the issue of low support staff wages.

The issue was not pursued by Riggs before she retired.

According to Co-Director of Human Resources Jennifer Lucas, “President Iuliano is aware of the issue,” but has yet to make a judgment about the next steps.

Low support staff wages In October 2017, Professor of Economics Charles Weise and Jennifer Flores ‘19 presented the results of a support staff wages survey they had conducted to members of support staff at Gettysburg College. At the time, the survey found that 44.8 percent of the support staff surveyed (35 percent of the total population of support staff) reported earning less than $15 an hour. Among those earning less than $15, 56 percent were the sole income earner of their household, and 91 percent of those sole income earners earned less than $30,000 per year, which belies the traditional conception of low wage employees as being second wage earners.

According to the presentation, 38 percent of full-time workers at Gettysburg College who earned less than $15 an hour and are the sole income earner have dependent children or adults living with them, and 21 percent have children under 18 living with them.

“I think what the survey showed was that a lot of people are trying to raise families, and a lot of people who have worked for the college for a long time

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are trying to raise families on $10, $12, $15 an hour, and that’s difficult,” Weise said.

In order to compile the results for their 2017 presentation, Weise and Flores conducted their own survey at an all-campus picnic. “[The survey] got a good response and a lot of comments from the staff,” Weise said. “Many of them said that this was something that they had been worried about, complaining about for a long time…

Part of the goal of the survey was to get people talking about it.”

A systemic problem Support staff include employees in Dining Services, Facilities Services, Public Safety, and paraprofessionals (administrative assistants). In terms of addressing issues related to support staff employees, Gettysburg College has a Support Staff Council, comprised of nine rotating members, which works with the co-Directors of Human Resources and is “committed to improving the quality of work life for support staff employees of the College and to building a sense of community among support staff, faculty, administrators, and students.”

“Without support staff, your meals would not be prepared, your dorms would not be cleaned, our beautiful

campus would not be maintained, and nor would any of the other do for you the students and countless behind the scene tasks we our campus community,” Food Production Worker/ PM Chef in Dining Services and member of the Support Staff Council Derek Brenneman said.

The issue of low support staff wages was first brought to Weise’s attention while speaking to staff members and hearing their frustrations following the release of the 2016 Campus Climate Survey. Staff voiced their concerns about low salaries in the 2016 survey, and one of the themes that emerged in the open-ended comments was that “salaries could be higher and more competitive, especially for lower-level staff and/or long-term staff.”

Although the survey found that most employees were satisfied with the benefits the college offers, many felt that long-term employees were not being rewarded for their dedication.

“...benefits don ‘t put food on the table...”

-Carol Coon

A profile of low-wage workers at Gettysburg College Among full-time workers earning less than $15/hour

Gettysburg’s benefits package

wage problem in the country as a

includes items such as healthcare and tuition for dependents, and Weise and Flores’s research indicated that the benefits are “comparatively generous” to other colleges and universities in the region. Nevertheless, those benefits are not enough, some support staff members say.

whole,” he said.

“There are low wages, and many of the reasons people come to work for Gettysburg College are for the tuition benefits for their dependents,” Support Staff Council Chair and Academic Administrative Assistant in Theatre Arts Carol Coon said. “But benefits don’t put food on the table.”

Finding a solution Since the Campus Climate Survey was released three years ago, staff has continued to voice concerns about their low wages.

“The support staff community, specifically dining employees, on this campus are marginalized and in my opinion under appreciated. While we are very grateful for the incredible benefit package we are offered by the college, our wages do not reflect the work we do here nor do they reflect the rising cost of living, tuition, and inflation,” Brenneman said.

Weise referenced in his presentation that the low wage problem expands throughout the nation.

“It’s not an issue that’s specific to Gettysburg College. There’s a low

Weise said that, although low wages are a national problem, Gettysburg College may still be able to be a part of the solution.

“The college has been going through belt-tightening for years and years, and nobody in the college has been getting big raises,” he said.

“Gettysburg is one of the largest employers in this area. And if the college offered higher wages, that would have an impact, I think, on other large employers in the area.”

“They are always trying to make wages more fair across the board. Where are they going to get the money? If money wasn’t an issue, they would have done it.”

-Carol Coon Coon said that, while she believes wages need to increase, she does not fault the college given the financial reality that exists.

“They are always trying to make wages more fair across the board,” she said. “Where are they going to get the money? If money wasn’t an issue, they would have done it.”

• 63% live with spouse or partner • 56% are sole income earners in their household • 28% have children under the age of 18 living with them • 23% have adult dependents living with them • 30% have a second job • 23% report receiving income support (EITC, SNAP, reduced lunch, medical assistance, daycare subsidies, rent assistance, energy assistance, subsidized mortgage, Head Start, disability insurance, Social Security)

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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F E AT U R E S

POSTCARDS FROM ABROAD KEEP OFF THE GRASS: MY WEEK AS A FAKE OXFORD STUDENT

BY GAURI MANGALA When I chose Bath, England as my study abroad destination, I knew that I would be in for some kind of academic culture shock.

I pictured male professors with long beards and tweed jackets smoking pipes, telling me how divine Chaucer is. For the most part, I have been wrong (minus the Chaucer bit). My tutors represent a wide range of ages, genders, and fabric choices. I take classes in the city of Bath and walk back out to shops and restaurants, just like Gettysburg.

This week, however, I was met with the culture shock I was anticipating.

Our program set us up with a week-long residency at Oxford University. Yes, the Oxford University.

The one with the 13th century buildings and the pretty green grass that you dare not touch. I sleep in a dorm outside the old quadrangle that C.S. Lewis probably walked past. I can’t help but feel like an anachronism in my ratty converse and my bright orange Gettysburg tee.

There is something so unattainable about this kind of history. You hear that a building has been around since ‘1380-something’ and it might as well have been from Ancient Egypt. But the modernity of Oxford is surprisingly apparent as well. I have found two Bubble tea shops, countless Harry Potter film locations and more delicious Thai restaurants than I know what to do with. I spend my nights playing foosball and watching bad 90s movies with my classmates and my days indulging in the history and the present of Oxford alike.

We leave for Bath in a couple of days, and while I am happy to return to my own room and inarguably better WiFi, it’s cool to know that I can toss my ponytail and say “yeah, I studied at Oxford.”

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A TRIP TO STOWMARKET

BY BENJAMIN ROY

This semester, I’m studying abroad in London and Lancaster, but when I’m on campus, I work for the Jack Peirs Digital History Project.

Jack Peirs, an officer in the British Army, served during the First World War, and Special Collections is in possession of many of Jack’s letters. From these, Dr. Ian Isherwood created the project with the help of R.C. Miessler and Amy Lucadamo. I was hired on the project last year to digitally map Jack’s Great War experiences.

Despite the years of research put into the project, until recently, we still didn’t know where Jack was buried. Last semester, Jenna Fleming ’18 finally determined the site of Jack’s grave at St. Mary’s of Grace in Aspall, England.

When I landed in London, I was on a mission to go and see Jack’s grave.

Early on a Saturday morning, I got off the train at Stowmarket, an hour northeast of London and about four miles away from Aspall. The walk to Jack’s grave would be three hours, so I tried to get an Uber, but there were no drivers.

When I tried to call a cab, nobody would answer my calls.

In the face of such a problem, I made the logical, British decision and went to the pub. Upon entering the King’s Arms Public House, a quiet pub within sight of the train station, I instantly became aware that I was being watched. Three men were sitting at the bar, and each turned and looked at me with the same blank expression. This was a real local pub, where “everybody knows your name,” and they didn’t know mine.

The woman behind the bar gave me the same evaluative look but with a kind smile. I admitted my predicament and asked for help. The woman behind the bar immediately called the local cabbie’s personal cell phone number and said my cab would be there in an hour.

Much relieved, I sat down and had a pint with the people of Stowmarket. I must admit, however, that I couldn’t understand much of what they said. The East Anglian accent is thick and sounds vaguely Australian.

They were honest, funny people. The conversation was cut short when the cab arrived and I began the second part of my journey.

The cabbie who picked me up was named Alan Kelly. Alan owns multiple cab businesses, is a father of five, and is a history enthusiast. He is also one of the friendliest and most genuine people I’ve ever met. We hit it off immediately.

After a twenty minute car ride, Alan and I arrived at St. Mary’s of Grace. It consisted of a substantial and ancient chapel, a churchyard, and a small cottage. Standing in the garden was Jenny Chevallier Guild. She asked who I was looking for in the churchyard, and when I said Jack Peirs, she smiled and asked if I was “from that American project.” Jenny obligingly let Alan and I walk around.

Alan was now totally invested in the adventure and refused to run the meter while we looked for Jack in the churchyard. Alan was actually the one who found Jack’s grave and took pictures of me next to it.

Jenny then gave Alan and I a tour of the chapel where Jack was married. Jenny was outrageously kind, and gave us free reign in the chapel.

After the tour, Alan drove me back to the train station. During the drive, Alan and I talked, and he told me that the people of Aspall and Stowmarket took care of each other, looked after strangers, and were fundamentally good people. I wholeheartedly agreed with him. When I reached out for help, the folks at the King’s Arms pulled local strings to get me where I needed to go. Alan gave up an afternoon to help me find what I was looking for. I owe an incredible debt to the people of Aspall and Stowmarket, who helped me when I needed it most.

To anyone who is thinking of studying abroad, don’t be worried about getting stranded. You will get stranded or lost. You will feel helpless. But you’re not. There are good people everywhere, who will be happy to help the next lost American. The greatest evidence I can give is my trip to Stowmarket.

If you’re ever in Stowmarket, stop by the King’s Arms Public House. If you need a ride home, call Kelly’s Cabs. And be sure to visit St. Mary’s of Grace in Aspall.

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F E AT U R E S

NEW FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

MARGARET BLUME-KOHOUT ECONOMICS

Dr. Margaret Blume-Kohout, who was a visiting assistant professor last year, has joined the Economics Department.

Originally from Baltimore, she grew up in suburban Philadelphia and earned her bachelor›s in economics from Williams College, a master›s in environmental health sciences from the University of California at Berkeley, and a PhD in Policy Analysis from the RAND Graduate School.

Blume-Kohout became interested in economics during her senior year of high school when a teacher told her that she approached her paper as an economist would. She then pursued an introductory economics class in her first semester of college, which was her most challenging but most worthwhile class that semester.

She explained, “Though my original interest was more at the intersection of international relations, environmental science, and economics, for my doctoral research I chose to focus on effects of domestic public policies on science R&D and pharmaceutical innovation.”

Blume-Kohout looks forward to teaching at a liberal arts college “where both teaching and multi-/ interdisciplinary research is rewarded.”

She is thrilled to be a part of a talented and passionate faculty who make students their priority.

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CÉSAR LEAL

SUNDERMAN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC Dr. César Leal has joined the Sunderman Conservatory of Music as Assistant Professor and Director of Orchestral Activities. Originally from Colombia, he has lived in both the United States and Europe throughout his life, receiving his bachelor’s degree from Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, his master’s degree from Florida International University, and a PhD in musicology from the University of Kentucky.

Leal grew up around music and said, “I don’t remember a time when I knew I wanted to do something different.” He had many educational interests that included business and psychology, but music was always a part of his life. At around the age of sixteen, he realized that he could make music his career.

Leal chose to come to Gettysburg because of the unique opportunity to combining a liberal arts education with a rigorous music conservatory.

He decided that it was the perfect fit for his training and his professional goals, where he could be a part of a conservatory with dedicated and passionate students, a faculty at the highest level, and a liberal arts approach.

He is most excited about working with students and seeing what they can accomplish. He said of his students, “I have been able to challenge students to a level I would have never imagined, and it is inspiring.”

GOKCER OZGUR ECONOMICS

Dr. Gokcer Ozgur has joined the Economics Department. He is originally from Ankara, Turkey and has studied and worked in Turkey and Salt Lake City, Utah. He received his BSc in Economics at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey and his PhD in Economics at the University of Utah.

Ozgur always had an interest in the social sciences, and was guided by high school friends who gave him the idea to study economics, since it draws insights from multiple disciplines. His research focuses on economic stability.

“Economic downturns can be destructive, and create social and political problems, he said. «I believe understanding the causes of economic instability is important for various reasons. We can not achieve environmental sustainability, social equality or sustainable development without economic stability. I also believe, currently, economic instability has become a major threat to political freedom on a global scale.”

Ozgur chose Gettysburg College to find “an academic community in which learning and research supports each other.”

All of his interactions so far with staff, faculty, and students have validated this, he said, and he is excited to be more involved in campus activities and college events.

BY CAMERON D’AMICA, FEATURES EDITOR

LINDSAY REID

POLITICAL SCIENCE Dr. Lindsay Reid has joined the Political Science Department.

Originally from Haverhill,

(Photos Mary Frasier and Allyson Frantz/The Gettysburgian)

Massachusetts, Reid received her undergraduate degree in Political Science and French from Gettysburg.

She went on to receive her MA and PhD in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Reid became interested in political science at an early age.

“When I was growing up, I was captivated by my grandfather’s stories from the Second World War – he was a member of the OSS and served in both France and China.

As a kid, I just thought his stories of parachuting behind enemy lines and sabotaging Nazi supply routes were exciting, but in hindsight, I think those discussions really pushed me to want to examine why wars happen and how wars might be resolved,” she said.

Reid’s research is centered around civil war resolution. “I’m driven by an interest in better understanding how civil wars can be resolved in ways that are long-lasting and also meaningful for those living in postconflict societies,” she said.

Of coming back to Gettysburg, Reid said, “The excellent students I get to work with and the engaging discussions that occur inside and outside of the classroom at Gettysburg make this the best career in the world.”

AUSTIN STIEGEMEIER ART AND ART HISTORY

Austin Stiegemeier has joined the Art and Art History Department.

Originally from small town Rathdrum, Idaho, he received a BFA in painting and printmaking from Western Washington University and an MFA from Washington State University.

Stiegemeier was always interested in art as a child. As he grew older, he said that art became “a discipline that helped me to feel empowered. Now as a teacher of studio art I look at it in the same light, as a way of helping others to empower themselves through deeper understanding, personal reflection and self expression.”

Stiegemeier’s research explores “personal freedom and broader social conditions.” He examines those ideas through paintings, “like portraiture, still life, landscape and narrative, while I strive to let them be contemporarily problematic in their aesthetic, in materials and process used, and the content they present. I think about technology, globalization, capitalism and consumer culture a lot and how they affect our lives and the environments we are a part of.”

Last year, Stiegemeier was a visiting assistant professor at Gettysburg, and, from there, he began to seriously consider working at Gettysburg permanently. “I decided to stay on as a tenure track professor because of the rich supportive community,” he said, “and the college’s commitment to tangibly supporting my artistic research pursuits.”

NATASHA GOWNARIS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Dr. Natasha Gownaris has joined the Environmental Studies Department.

Gownaris grew up in Ridgewood, Queens and attended Gettysburg College for her undergraduate degree, graduating in 2009 with a degree in Environmental Studies and Biology. She received her PhD from Stony Brook and completed threeyears of post-doctoral research at the University of Washington.

Gownaris has a long-standing passion for Environmental Studies.

“Despite growing up in an urban environment, my mom made every effort to give us experiences with nature. One of my favorite outdoor adventures as a kid was going to NY beaches and digging for sand crabs and coquina clams.

I solidified my interest with the help of my undergraduate mentor, John Commito, and the other committed faculty I interacted with at Gettysburg,” she said.

Of her return to Gettysburg, she said, “I love that students work closely with faculty outside of the classroom, which was such an empowering experience for me as a young scientist. I think it›s wonderful that Gettysburg has programs like X-SIG that encourage student-faculty research.”

Gownaris is most excited to “bring students out in the field” and into nature.

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OP-ED

Students Demand Action

BY PHOEBE DOSCHER

I’m from Sandy Hook. Now I’m Leading Gettysburg’s Charge to End Gun Violence.

I relax to the hum of my white noise machine emanating airplane-whoosh while I lie in bed in my dorm room at college. I clutch onto a tattered prayer shawl, making sure I nestle it in the curvature of my stomach, completing my nightly ritual before I drift to sleep. The shawl was once a carefully knit piece of fabric, but has deteriorated over time into long strands of yarn held together by knots.

I acquired that shawl in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that rocked my community in 2012. At the time of the shooting, I was in seventh grade and my younger sister, eight years-old at the time, was in third grade.

She was in the school that day. Scores of donations, from paper snowflakes to rubber ducks, made their way to our small Connecticut town from across the nation six years ago. Since then, handcrafted, physical manifestations of thoughts and prayers have decorated our homes, schools, and now, dorm rooms.

And the white noise machine I mentioned earlier? I’ve gotten into the routine of using that ever since the tragedy to help drown out any miniscule noise that I might perceive as a threat while trying to drift off to sleep. By now, I can get by without it, but years ago, I would lie wide awake at night, too scared to fall asleep without the droning noise to calm my hypersensitive mind.

Every day since the tragedy has been a practice in what we were told was the “new normal”— an unfathomable reality you never imagined possible. There is truly no guidance, no instruction manual that can prepare you for this sort of thing. Unfortunately, in today’s society, more communities have to learn how to proceed in the wake of a massacre. Our

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community exhibited growth and resilience, relying on kindness, love, and activism to rise above the devastation.

To this day, the weeks and months following the tragedy are a blur to me and my family, as I’m sure is the case with other members of my community and any community that has experienced tragedy. I can piece some moments together here and there, but my mind always goes back to the same initial moments: The sound of helicopter blades slicing the air over my house, the sirens and news presence, the ironically jubilant Christmas songs that still catapult me back to that time, and the shared feeling of pure dread and terror throughout the community at the unthinkable nature of our new reality.

(Photo Mary Frasier/The Gettysburgian)

A full year after the tragedy, my family and I traveled to my aunt and uncle’s house in New York for the weekend.

The one year anniversary stirred up a lot of reminders and sadness within my family and the town as a whole, so we were relieved for the change of scenery.

I felt the need to do something. And not just make gingerbread houses and bake cookies with my cousins, but actually make a difference. So I decided to hand out candy canes. I carefully hand-wrote tags with phrases like “We choose love,” “God Bless SHS,” and “Be kind,” tied each of them to candy canes, and filled them into a basket. I handed them out at the grocery store in my aunt and uncle’s town. Busy town-members hustled by, knocking off items on their to-do lists, but some stopped and accepted one, exchanging a sad, knowing smile with me and my dad.

terms with the fact that my sister very well could’ve died that day until this year. Of course, I always knew it was logically true, but one day not too long ago, it hit me.

I remember having a strong emotional realization in March of this year, while I was on my way back to Gettysburg from a class trip to Washington, D.C. I had just read about the recent suicides of two Parkland survivors—a reminder of the lasting impact of gun violence on members of the community.

My mindset suddenly shifted. My sister is a survivor, I thought to myself. She could’ve died that day.

My mindset suddenly shifted. My sister is a survivor, I thought to myself. She could’ve died that day.

Even though I was on a bus filled with students, nothing stopped the tears from streaming down my face.

I turned off my phone to silence the news notifications and sobbed as quietly as I could as the pieces of the puzzle fit together in my head.

Luckily, it was nighttime so the entire bus was cloaked in darkness and no one noticed that I was crying in a public setting. Though I kept to myself that night, I quickly sought out help coming to terms with the heartbreaking reality of the tragedy in my town and ever-growing occurences of gun violence in America.

The Washington, D.C. trip came

Even though I had cried that night, still completely unsure, a year later, as to how to comprehend the massacre, I was touched that I made something of an impact on others and reminded them that there is still love and kindness in the world, even when you come from a place that one day felt empty of it.

a mere four days before Jeremy

Oddly enough, I hadn’t fully come to

I had always viewed Jeremy as a

Richman, father of Avielle, a Sandy Hook victim, took his own life. My mom texted me that day, ensuring I heard from the news from her first— my heart sank to the bottom of my stomach and my eyes welled up with tears knowing another life had been

beacon of hope and resilience in our town. He co-founded the Avielle Foundation in honor of his daughter after the tragedy. The foundation works to prevent future tragedies through research of the brain’s tendencies towards compassion and violence and by educating communities. I’d attended a few of the foundation’s Brainstorm Experiences— talks and workshops to raise awareness surrounding brain health.

He was passionate, well-spoken, and brilliantly dedicated to preventing future tragedies.

In the days and weeks following Jeremy’s passing, my mindset began to shift. Why were so many communities impacted by senseless acts of violence? What could I do to end this cyclical routine of learning of a new community impacted by gun violence and then reverting back to fear and sadness?

I wished so badly to return home. I wanted to hug my family and seek collective comfort in my community while mourning another substantial loss. Then, I recognized the power of my new community in Gettysburg.

Everyone I knew was compassionate and willing to advocate for their beliefs. I had a strong foundation of friends and allies who enhanced my life with their consistent kindness and love, just like my community at home.

Then, I recognized the power of my new community in Gettysburg.

Everyone I knew wascompassionate and willing to advocate for their beliefs.

lost in the aftermath of a shooting.

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Instead of lying awake at night in fear, I began to research andplantobringgunviolencepreventionactivismefforts to the school.

That week, I decided to start a chapter of Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America at Gettysburg College. Instead of lying awake at night in fear, I began to research and plan to bring gun violence prevention activism efforts to the school.

I tried to remain invested in other endeavors for the rest of the semester, but all I could think and talk about was Students Demand. Even people who had heard my spiel and grand plan multiple times over were subject to me going on long tirades about potential events and meeting ideas. I’d found a healthy way to channel my fear into activism and change.

I officially approved the chapter with the national organization of Students Demand over the summer.

I started listening in on National Leadership Calls, watching training videos and tutorials from Gun Sense University Online, and feverishly planning potential meetings and events that we could hold at Gettysburg.

I am ready to start educating others on the effects and facts of gun violence and gun legislation, and to lead discussions on the impact of gun violence and the path to ending it.

I feel empowered and inspired, my heart consistently overfilled with joy just like the day I hand-wrote tags with reminders to spread kindness and distributed candy canes. I am ready to start educating others on the effects and facts of gun violence and gun legislation, and to lead discussions on the impact of gun violence and the path to ending it. I plan to hold to hold kindness and service events, bring members together to write letters to Senators, members of Congress, and legislators, and invite speakers to campus to provide new perspectives on the issue. I’m ready to use activism to finally channel my ongoing fear of living in a country where no one is safe from gun violence.

The Gettysburg College chapter of Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is officially approved as a club on campus, and I am the Co-Founder and President. You can join and take action to fight gun violence with me, but just know that these are the reasons why I’m fighting to end gun violence in America: 26 members of my community died, and I no longer want to bear witness to more communities that have to live through the same thing mine did. I don’t want anyone in America to live in fear anymore. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that my sister, my loved ones, members of my communities in Sandy Hook and Gettysburg, and any community in America never come close to dying by a gun again.

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A&E

Artful Nature and Getting There Make Waves in Schmucker Art Gallery

BY JENNIFER CLOGG

(Photo Kailey White/The Gettysburgian)

I push through the doors of Schmucker Art Gallery into a world of chilled, silent and beautiful respect. There are two functioning sides of the gallery currently; Artful Nature and the Legacy of Maria Sibylla Merian curated by Emily Roush ‘21 and Shannon Zeltmann ‘21, with direction from Professor Felicia Else and Professor Kay Etheridge, and Getting There featuring art by Andrew Ellis Johnson and Susanne Slavick.

In the Getting There exhibit, practically every inch of every wall is covered with modern works of art reflecting on immigration. Johnson’s works are all in black and white, and feature lifeboats, raging seas, travel scenes, and traditional hispanic figures in Día de Los Muertos makeup. As a viewer, you can feel the pain, struggle, and emotional turmoil that immigrants experience through Johnson’s works.

One image in particular stands out. It takes up almost an entire wall by itself and features those traditional hispanic figures, but they are riding camels and wearing scarves like those worn in the Middle East to protect the body from wind and sand. These figures are superimposed over drawings of migrants working in fields.

The work is a bold political statement referring to a remark President Trump made in regards to terrorists sneaking into the United States on caravans. It is a horribly gorgeous drawing, and speaks volumes about the current state of relations between the United States and the rest of the world. Alongside

the dark, emotional works created

by Johnson are Slavick’s works, which feature life jackets in almost every work. The pieces illustrate how difficult it is to legally come to the United States, and how many immigrants lose their lives either through natural disaster or making the journey across dangerous seas.

She even has one work of a life jacket that is made entirely from mud, dirt and silt, materials commonly found washed everywhere after disaster strikes.

Getting There opened Sep. 4 and closes on Dec. 6, 2019. This exhibit was supported by the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, Justice Studies, EPACC, and Gettysburg College.

Separated by only half of a wall but physically worlds away from the social, political, and immigration statements created by Getting There, Artful Nature curated by Roush and Zeltmann is serenity at its peak. It features some of the first in-depth drawings of our natural world dating back to the 18th century by Merian, a pioneer of art and science, whose aesthetic has inspired many others in her wake. In the exhibit, butterflies, leaves, branches, trees and flowers seem to jump off the page, drawn in exquisite detail. For more detail on this exhibit, its gallery talk with Roush

and Zeltmann will be held on Sep. 27 at 12pm; food will be provided. On Oct. 4 at 12:00 p.m., Professor Kay Etheridge will speak about the exhibit, again with food provided. This exhibit was made possible by a gift from Betsy and Bruce Stefany class of 1971, and loans from Etheridge. This exhibit closes on Nov. 12, 2019.

I spoke to Shannon Egan, Director of Schmucker Art Gallery, who explained the significance of the exhibits as well as how each work of art is accompanied by a poem, book excerpt, or description of its origin and importance. It is clear that the entire art department is bustling with enthusiasm about both of these displays; and it’s no wonder. Even when I went in to see the exhibits around lunchtime, it was filled with students who had caught word of the works on display and come to see for themselves. So far, Artful Nature and Getting There have attracted a lot of campus attention, and will most likely to do so until their closings in December and November respectively.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

21

OPINIONS

Untangling the Liberal Arts Lie

BY ANNA CINCOTTA, OPINIONS EDITOR

The sweeping curricular goals of a liberal arts institution like Gettysburg College suggest that we churn out perfect graduates—both experts in their chosen fields of study and well-rounded future professionals dedicated to bettering the world around them.

Liberal arts students leave college to pursue careers where their curiosity, flexibility, and interdisciplinary skills help them succeed … and they’re successful in the real world because of their decision to dedicate four years to developing academic dexterity.

Right?

Our mission statement responds with a resounding yes to this uncertainty. It underscores the “power of a liberal arts education to help students develop critical thinking skills, broad vision, effective communication, a sense of the inter-relatedness of all knowledge, sensitivity to the human condition, and a global perspective, all necessary to enable students to realize their full potential for responsible citizenship.”

But, despite this reassurance, we still build up the transition from a college campus to a bloodthirsty workforce— especially if we’re unsure about our post-grad plans.

And to state the obvious, there’s no shortage of these undecided, uncertain undergrads at Gettysburg College.

I mean, I should know. I’m one of them. I’m biting my nails, swallowing hard, and chugging coffee with the rest of the junior class. I think about law school periodically, as a Political Science major, because I like to pretend every few weeks that my career has a defined path.

I chose to apply to and attend a liberal arts college because I wanted small class sizes and lively debate.

Opportunities for experiential learning and encouragement from my professors to study abroad. The option to explore all of my interests and leave with a breadth of knowledge. A close campus community.

It was about halfway through my sophomore spring when I realized I was sabotaging myself in terms of

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these academic aspirations.

In my decision to double major, and then triple major, I’d used up all the free space in my remaining three semesters on campus. No time for that Women and Gender Studies class I’ve been wanting to take since my first year, and I’d have to forget about that second writing class if I wanted to graduate on time.

I had convinced myself that my social science degree wouldn’t be enough when I graduated. After some thought, I decided to meet with my advisor. In one sentence, Professor Scott Boddery made it clear to me that I was missing the point of a liberal arts degree.

“Intellectual agility is what makes you employable,” he said.

“Not double majoring.”

I left that meeting feeling less bogged down by different curricular and and major requirements and more inspired to take advantage of the years I have left as an undergraduate student.

But the most unsettling part of this whole realization? Letting go of the double major craze dominating campus culture (in 2019, 18.2% of the Gettysburg College graduating class double majored, up from 15.2% in 2018) actually sparked an interest in so many more academic interests across disciplines.

When I stopped buying into the false reality perpetuated on this campus that scares students into thinking they’re not prepared for the real world if their classes don’t connect neatly to their career aspirations, I started to feel like I was finally preparing for the workforce with a true liberal arts mentality. Just because you’re an Organization and Management Studies major doesn’t mean you can’t take an interesting literature or history course. English majors shouldn’t shy away from taking a semester of

Biology if they liked it in high school.

The striking disconnect between the liberal arts promise and our campus culture shortchanges students by putting them in boxes. By major, that is. I knew who would be in my 300-level political science class this semester before walking in the first day, and not because I’d seen the roster beforehand. To a certain extent, there’s nothing wrong with that. And my argument here isn’t to do away with majors. We need specialization of some kind in our undergraduate experience.

But we also need to achieve, institutionally, what we set out to do in our mission statement. Small class sizes inspire discussion and participation, but how much are we really getting out of these debates if we keep hearing the same voices, in the same types of classes, every day?

How is sameness going to kickstart intellectual agility, and impart the “broad vision” and “sense of the inter-relatedness of all knowledge” promised to us when we decide to invest in a liberal arts education?

I’d say that it won’t—and it never will if things don’t change. The power of a liberal arts education lies in its multiplicity. In order to save it at Gettysburg College, we’re going to need an intellectual culture shift.

Liberal arts degrees have immense value. The critical thinking and analytical skills students develop through curricular requirements, if taken seriously, have the potential to change the lens through which we view the world.

And our mission statement, pipe dream or not, sets great goals.

Attainable ones, too, if we prioritize the liberal arts in the way we’ve already claimed to.

SPORTS

A New Deal with Under Armour

BY GARRETT GLAESER, SPORTS EDITOR In June, the college announced a new deal with Under Armour for all athletic apparel. Now, four months later, some Gettysburg athletic teams are starting to see the fruits of the seven-year deal.

Prior to the agreement, each team was more or less on their own to work in conjunction with the equipment room staff to decide what athletic brand they wanted to be outfitted in.

This meant that there was a degree of variance in what teams were wearing.

For example, the volleyball team wore Mizuno, the football team wore Under Armour, and both men’s and women’s soccer teams wore Nike. Some teams even wore multiple brands in the same season, like men’s lacrosse with Nike jerseys and Under Armour practice sweats.

Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Campus Recreation Mike Mattia felt that there needed to be more consistency for the Gettysburg Bullets athletic brand.

“Partnering with one apparel provider helps with brand consistency. The color, lettering, and logos on all of our team’s uniforms and apparel will have a consistent look and feel to them while also ensuring they meet the guidelines and standards established by the college,” Mattia said.

Before joining Gettysburg last year, Mattia had served as Associate Director of Athletic Development at Johns Hopkins since 2009, where he oversaw the school’s transition from a Nike to Under Armour sponsorship.

That experience helped in the process for Gettysburg to strike a deal with the Baltimore based company. Mattia said that Gettysburg “received proposals from a number of different brands” but that “Under Armour offered us the best overall deal that would benefit the entire athletic department.”

An additional aspect of the partnership with Under Armour are financial benefits that come in the form of promotional products, purchasing discounts, and performance incentives that would not necessarily have come with a continuation of the smaller deals

the school was working with.

Mattia said that most of the performance incentives are for teams that make the NCAA playoffs and/ or win a national championship. He added that, “The further along in the contract we get there will be noticeable co-branding between Gettysburg and Under Armour.” What that collaboration may look like is unclear for the time being.

The school’s contract is through BSN’s Sports Collegiate Select Program, which “aims to make BSN SPORTS a one-stop provider for all collegiate athletic, intramural, club and staff apparel and equipment,” according to an article posted in May. BSN Sports works in conjunction with many brands in the athletic industry to provide all athletic needs to collegiate programs and high schools. In addition to uniforms and apparel, BSN will provide the necessary equipment for teams and the weight room, in addition to promotional materials. A quick trip to the Jaeger Center gym and one can already see BSN equipment being used by students.

According to the terms of the deal, Gettysburg has three years to make sure all 24-varsity teams are wearing Under Armour uniforms. Mattia added that the specific financial details of the contract are not available for public disclosure. He also said that if a team is currently still under another contract with a different provider they are able to see that through within the threeyear window.

In terms of individual athletes wanting to wear a particular brand in light of this new deal Mattia commented, “If the athletic department provides certain apparel or equipment to our student-athletes they are expected to wear/use it. “ However, “If the athletic department does not provide it, and the student-athletes are expected to purchase it on their own for use, then we have a little more leeway.”

Essentially this means that if Under Armour does not provide a particular product the athletes need, they are able to wear a brand of their choice, but if it is provided they are to wear it.

Sometimes when new athletic apparel deals are struck the providing company works in conjunction with the college or university to produce a fresh

and cohesive look. A great example is the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, which revamped its visual identity in conjunction with Nike, its sole uniform and apparel provider. The outcome was a product of two years worth of planning, culminating with the reveal of new logos and uniforms in April of this year. Now every single of Pitt’s athletic teams has the same colors, style, logos, and font.

The process will surely look different for Gettysburg being that it is an NCAA Division III institution and reaches a much smaller audience than Pitt. However, it will be interesting to see how cohesive the Bullets brand looks at the end of the three year grace period and whether any changes will be made to the logos, colors, or fonts. The last revamp of the Gettysburg brand with respect to marketing and logos came back in 2014. Mattia didn’t allude to the possibilities of any changes or updates in the near future. However, he did emphasize the marketing potential that working with Under Armour can provide for Gettysburg athletics and aid in the recruiting process.

“We are looking to reach areas of the country that we may not have tapped into before when it comes to recruiting prospective students.”

He continued to say that he felt the partnership with Under Armour would give Gettysburg an additional advantage in an “ever increasing competitive marketplace for talented students.” In the Centennial Conference it appears that Gettysburg is the third institution to partner with Under Armour, following Hopkins on July 1, 2017 and Dickinson on January 1, 2016. The remaining Centennial institutions seem to have the same type of individual team deals that the Bullets had prior to this year.

So far the fall season has produced very little visible changes to the uniforms the Bullets teams are wearing, as they appear the same as they were last season. However, more subtle changes, like the apparel and accessories each team receives, have all been in accordance with the BSN and Under Armour contract.

Though it might be a little late for fall sports to get new uniforms for this season, it will be interesting to see if any teams take the field or court in the winter and spring seasons donning new Under Armour uniforms in the signature orange and blue.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

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The Gettysburgian Staff: Benjamin Pontz, Editor-in-Chief Maddie Neiman, Managing Editor Lauren Hand, Print Editor Phoebe Doscher, News Editor Nicole DeJacimo, Assistant News Editor Cameron D’Amica, Features Editor Britney Brunache, Arts & Entertainment Editor Anna Cincotta, Opinions Editor Garrett Glaeser, Sports Editor Kailey White, Visual Editor Mary Frasier, Director of Photography Samantha Hann, Public Relations Manager Dr. Scott Boddery, Advisor

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Interested in joining us?

Contact neimma01@gettysburg.edu for more information.