THE HENDRIX COLLEGE
ROFILE VOLUME 106 ISSUE ISSUE 11 VOLUME 107
A NEW SKYLINE
CONTENTS 3
Letter from the Editor
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Arkansas Governor’s School Location Change
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New Alcohol Policy
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Construction Continues
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Construction Continues
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1stGEN@HDX
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Chi-Alpha staff banned from campus New Social Justice Minor
Modern Loving: Us Photo of Interest
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A New Face for Title IX
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P ROFILE
Editor-in-Chief: Marlee Bird Managing Editor: Jessica Frazier-Emerson Photography Editor: Alice Fan Copy Editor: Peyton Coffman Layout Editor: Monica Martinez Photographer: Graydon Carter Photographer: Sarah Pickering Photographer: Samantha Huckabay Staff Writer: Trey Dyer Staff Writer: Kaitlin Lowe Staff Writer: Alyssa Jones Staff Writer: Julia Kraus Staff Writer: Monica Martinez Staff Writer: Indigo Kroll Videographer: Mary Katherine Nail Online Editor: Sarah Gilmour
ADVISOR Dr. Alex Vernon
Liberal Arts and Dark Times
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THE HENDRIX COL-
A New Face for Title IX New Senate Election Code A Season of Changes
MISSION STATEMENT As a student-run and student-funded newsmagazine, The Profile uncovers the smart edge to campus culture: the people, places, ideas and trends that curious, confident students and faculty want, need and ought to know. By critically examining issues important to the Hendrix community, The Profile aims to act as a catalyst for change, a tool for transparency between the student body and faculty and a source of inspiration for its readers to begin thinking globally and acting locally.
Beach Volleyball at Hendrix
COVER PHOTO: CONSTRUCTION ON THE CREATIVE Quad reached new heights this month as a crane parked spot in the middle of campus. Construction started last semester and is set to finish before next fall. Photo by Alice Fan
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FROM THE EDITOR MARLEE BIRD
EDITOR IN CHIEF
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The Profile At Hendrix
Journalism is arguably more important now than it ever has been. Consumption of national and global news is exceedingly high, with an ever-increasing number of platforms creating more ways to consume large-scale news. Yet, while journalism seems to be thriving, I would like to remind everyone that it is also very much failing. We’ve expanded our scope to broader, more global scales and in turn are leaving behind one of the most essential components of democracy: local journalism. The Profile is perhaps one of the most localized publications I know, which is why I hear so many people trying to write it off. Covering a student body of less than 1400 people and 175 acres, it can often seem that this publication has nothing to talk about. After all, does anything on this campus really count as news? I would argue that this campus is full of news—policy changes, construction delays, banned clubs, new minors, election code violations—and communicating this information effectively and accurately is why The Profile exists. Most importantly, we aren’t just handing you an issue—we’re giving you a place to start. After all, this is your publication as much as it is ours. My hope is not only that you read this issue front to back, but that you talk about it at lunch, in class, with a professor in
a meeting, on the phone with your parents. Heck, maybe even a Martin Hall dance table. The reality is that Hendrix is facing many new changes, some certain and some uncertain. After this year, a brand new building will alter the way campus looks and feels. The Arkansas Governor’s School move may change enrollment demographics. Title IX and alcohol policies could transform the culture of this campus—for better or worse, I don’t know. However, what will become of this campus is not fated. Every day students, faculty, staff and alumni shape the trajectory of this college, and you are a part of that. I hope The Profile is not just a conveniently placed coffee table magazine; I hope it also serves as a very important tool for the future of this college. Sincerely,
Have a question, response, or inquiry? You can reach us anytime at thehendrixcollegeprofile@gmail. com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on the latest stories.
SEPTEMBER 2018
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NEWS
AGS Moves to Arkansas Tech
Arkansas Tech University takes over the Arkansas Governor’s School program Indigo Kroll | Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of hendrix.edu/ags Since its creation thirty-eight years ago, AGS has been hosted at Hendrix. The sixweek residential program aims at immersing rising high school seniors in critical thinking and has produced thousands of alumni—many of whom agree that their AGS experience was defined by the program’s location on Hendrix campus. Every three years, every college in Arkansas is eligible to submit a proposal to host the program—as long as they meet criteria in fields like security, facilities, and curriculum. While Hendrix has always been chosen, other schools made bids in 2007 and 2010. This year, three schools from the state submitted proposals and budgets: Arkansas Tech University, University of Central Arkansas, and Hendrix College. Hendrix received the highest overall rating from the site visit evaluations, where criteria like curriculum, dorms, security, and recreational facilities were analyzed. Despite this, nine out of the thirteen judges ranked ATU over Hendrix. The Arkansas Department of Education announced in a Facebook post that the committee will recommend Arkansas Tech University to host the 2019-2021 sessions, and soon after, the college published a response that confirmed this decision. In the statement, President William Tsuitsui thanked Dr. Lyle Rupert for working as director of AGS for twelve years. President Tsuitsui also thanked the faculty and staff who helped create a welcoming environment each summer. Dr. Rupert said that Hendrix is losing the prestige that accompanies hosting AGS, as well as the opportunity to bring awareness of Hendrix to gifted and talented high
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schoolers who might not be familiar with the school. The AGS move will also mean a loss of summer employment for those who work in the dining hall, health offices, and library. In past years, over eighty faculty and staff members worked during the summer session. While the Department of Education prohibits AGS’s host school from recruiting prospective students during the program, there’s evidence to suggest that AGS influences students to come to Hendrix, according to Dr. Rupert. Because no other summer programs have been hosted at Hendrix alongside AGS, the program’s students have had the small campus to themselves, which creates a close-knit community—and a love for the campus. Dr. Rupert added that, at Hendrix, AGS is a true gifted and talented program. “We focus on the specific needs of GT students. There’s a central focus of critical thinking, understanding processes, and epistemology. That’s the fundamentals of the governor school model.” AGS alumni may also recall Hendrix’s restriction of student’s use of technology— especially cell phones. According to AGS policy, phones aren’t allowed out of the dorms unless they are being used in class under the instructor’s discretion. Students’ involvement in real-life, face-to-face discussions and debates is an iconic part of the experience at Hendrix. The ATU proposal suggests that technology will be a central focus in curriculum; the first sentence of their submission states, “The Digital Revolution has brought about a high-tech global economy that requires a technology educated workforce.” Many alumni have argued that the pro-
posed tech-focus does not honor the spirit of AGS. Of the nearly 3,000 alumni who signed the petition to keep the program at Hendrix, many believe that ATU plans to make AGS “just another STEM camp.” Others are criticizing the curriculum for “jumping on the bandwagon” and underplaying the value of the humanities and the arts, instead favoring math, science, and technology. Parents and alumni from the thirtyeight different sessions blatantly pose the question: If it’s not broke, why fix it? Dr. Rupert advises that ATU should be careful the tail is not wagging the dog, so to speak. “Technology should be used as a tool to enhance critical thinking and epistemology. It should not replace it. [Hendrix] used technology when appropriate,” he said. The decision has been finalized, and the best alumni can do is hope that AGS will thrive at ATU. Some hope that when the selection process takes place three years from now, Hendrix will bring AGS back. In the meantime, the college will focus on finishing the Miller Creative Quad and will investigate the possibility of hosting other summer camps or even summer school. “I will miss the camaraderie I had with faculty, staff, and students. The summers were always vibrant and intellectual. I got to know a lot of the Hendrix staff, like dining hall employees and public safety, that I otherwise would not have had a connection with. Those friendships are very valuable to me,” Dr. Rupert said. Such sentiment is shared widely by the thousands of alumni who experienced the uniquely Hendrix program.
Liquor Liabilities
Faculty discuss the reasons behind new alcohol policy Monica Martinez |Staff Writer
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Photo by Alice Fan
Upon Dean Wiltgen’s email announcing the new Title IX alcohol policy, discussion swept across campus about what the new regulations meant for social life and event planning. The college’s insurance provider worked closely with faculty, including President Tsutsui, during the summer to update clauses in the student handbook pertaining to alcohol possession and gender misconduct. “The purpose of this new policy is to make Hendrix compliant with federal and state policies in addressing alcohol and underage consumption and respond to expectations of our College’s insurance group,” Dean Jim Wiltgen said. “I think it is important to say that most [students] understand that state law does not allow persons to drink alcohol if they are under 21.” The change states that all alcohol is banned from the six traditional dorms—Couch, Galloway, Hardin, Martin, Raney and Veasey. The insurance provider’s requirement of this change was motivated by a statistic which states that only 2.5% of the students living in the traditional dorms are aged 21 or older by the first day of classes. “The policy hasn’t been all that challenging,” Raney president Portia Renee said. “It is not as if alcohol was ever allowed for [underage] students. It is not a privilege being taken away— it is a privilege [they] never had to begin with. In my opinion, it’s a ‘same song, different tune’ kind of situation. Students who wish to drink underage are only being held more accountable for that decision [now].” Other motivations behind the college’s reevaluation of administrative policies were potential risks of sexual assault. “There is an expectation from the federal government that we put policies into place that are effective in addressing issues of alcohol, especially where they intersect with sexual assault,” Dean Wiltgen said. “We are obligated to review our policies and make the adjustments to make them more effective. In particular, the college is expected to address issues where underage drinking creates environments where students might be victimized by sexual assault. This part of the policy is not about victim-blaming but
is really focused on changing the environment by addressing the host-providers.” Since the announcement of the change, student discussion around campus has been centered around potential changes to future event-planning and the social aspect of the dorms. “I don’t think this changes too much about student life,” Renee said. “I wholeheartedly believe this is purely an effort on the college’s part to minimize risk factors as pertains to their insurance.” According to Dean Wiltgen, the purpose of the changes made during the summer were to make Hendrix compliant with federal and state policies in addressing alcohol and underage consumption and to respond to expectations of the college’s insurance group. “My role [in the enforcement of the policy] is to help students understand it and meet the expectations of the policy,” Dean Wiltgen said. “I answer questions and help students troubleshoot hosting events on campus. I am the person that would make a decision to allow cups at our larger events, as I have in past years.” Administration hopes to continue to work closely with student organizations on campus to create risk-free environments in which students can enjoy the social aspect of campus life. “Our goal is to work with students to create safe events on our campus,” Dean Wiltgen said. “We will continue to work with our campus and look at ways that our students host events. For campus wide events, we have the ability to approve alcohol but have an obligation to manage those events to address underage drinking.” The college’s goal during the summer’s discussions was to make social life rid of potential risk factors and to enhance the overall experience of campus-wide events. “We need to work with our students to ensure that all events have a plan for making sure that the participants are safe,” Dean Wiltgen said.
SEPTEMBER 2018
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CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES
Rachel Elmakiss
Kaitlin Lowe | Staff Writer
When students returned to campus this fall, evidence of progress on the Miller Creative Quad quickly appeared. The project “went vertical” in late September when cranes put the first steel beams in place. Construction on the Creative Quad continues amidst additional renovation projects that benefit the expansion and improvement of Hendrix College’s campus cooling loop. Residents of the Southside residence halls and houses likely noticed that a quarter of the parking spaces in Martin Circle were cordoned off. As excavation work began around the perimeter between Martin and Hardin, trenches were dug between the two dorms, and a makeshift walkway was constructed. Late in August, the east doors of Hardin were closed for a week. The work will make its way to areas surrounding Bailey Library and the Northside residence halls. These temporary obstructions foreshadow the anticipated addition of the Creative Quad as well as the improvements to existing heritage dorms on campus. As construction progresses, administration can provide more definitive details on the plans for both projects. Since construction began on the Creative Quad in May 2018, building costs have risen. Initial costs were quoted at $16 million in December 2017 but are now at $17.3 million. The Miller Creative Quad’s namesake comes from the David B. Miller Family Foundation, which donated the initial funding for the project. The largest gift to the Creative Quad comes from the Windgate Foundation, at $10.5 million. A Windgate Museum of Art will honor the Foundation’s donation in the north wing of the Creative Quad. Hendrix is still seeking an additional $2 million in funding for the museum endowment and is now is in the process of hiring a curator for the museum. The College plans to feature local, national, and international artists. This museum will make up one of the three creative elements in the Quad—fine arts, music, and film. Music faculty will move from Trieschmann to the south wing of the Quad, which will also contain new practice rooms for music students and a digital music lab. “At some point, we’ll have to renovate Trieschmann,” Dean of Students Jim Wiltgen noted. Trieschmann will still house the dance studio. The third creative element is “designed with film in mind,” Dean Wiltgen said. A 990-square-foot auditorium will serve as a space for film screenings, events, and guest speakers. “It’s going to be state-of-the-art,” Dean Wiltgen said. The upper two floors of the Creative Quad will be residence halls, with a fair distribution of both single and double units. Halls are designed to be co-ed with gender neutral bathrooms that resemble the hallway-based facilities of Market Square South. Planners are also paying careful attention to the exterior and landscape of the Creative Quad. Previous renderings of the Quad from 2017—designed by Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects—featured large glass walls along much of the first floor exterior. Now, updated images of the Quad appear slightly different. Though
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As projects continue, students anticipate the future features of new facilities the design remains the same, some of the surfaces have changed. The first-floor exterior of the south wing will replace much of the glass with tiles salvaged from the roof of Hulen Hall, the Quad’s predecessor. “Partly, it was value engineering to make everything work in the budget,” Dean Wiltgen said. “And partly, it was in response to concerns about birds.” “Glass exteriors increase bird strikes,” Dr. Maureen McClung said, a member of the Arboretum Committee for the Creative Quad, “which is one of the leading causes of death during migration.” This design decision highlights the compromises and challenges that arise in balancing the aesthetic appeal of manicured landscapes with the best interests of Hendrix’s natural Arkansan surroundings and wildlife. The Arboretum Committee strongly suggested that the landscaping “promote species that will fit with the local climate,” Dr. McClung said. The College accepted the committee’s suggestions to pursue a landscaping plan that consisted of all-native plants and trees. These species include oak, elms, and hickory trees, along with black gum, mockernut hickory, beautyberry and plum trees. However, other environmentally-friendly building goals may be too costly to attain. One of these goals is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which indicates that a building meets certain requirements for sustainable and Maria Geoly eco-friendly design and construction. Hendrix has attained this certification twice before for the Student Life and Technology Center and the Mary Ann and David Dawkins Welcome Center. “Our goals are always to strive for LEED certification levels,” Dean Wiltgen said. “However, getting LEED certified is expensive. We reserve the right to make the decision not to pursue that if the budget doesn’t allow for it, but we will construct it to LEED standard,” Dean Wiltgen stated. The Creative Quad is slated for completion in Fall 2019. The Quad’s new residence halls will offset the closing of Martin and Veasey Halls, with 123- and 115-resident capacities respectively, in May 2019. This renovation of Martin Hall, untaken by WER Architects/Planners, will follow Martin’s 100-year anniversary this year and Veasey’s 50-year anniversary in 2017. With these projects, the improvements to the campus cooling circuit will come full circle. Though the upgrades to the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system directly benefits the construction of the Creative Quad, the project will also benefit the upgrades to the heritage dorms once renovations begin. The current HVAC systems in the dorms are outdated. “One of the main objectives for renovating these dorms is to improve the quality of the air,” John Greer, Principal at WER Architects/Planners said. “Right now, each of the dorms operates independently,” Greer said. “They have their own geothermal system, which is somewhat unreliable and not performing like it needs to be. It has rust and scale from all the old pipes, so it circulates that through the
system.” “Veasey is the perfect example,” Greer said, “because we experience high humidity levels, large swings of temperature from lows to highs at irregular times. The humidity, instead of going out of the building, gets pulled back into the building because there’s a negative flow of air and that creates mold and mildew,” Greer explained. Humidity, mold, and mildew can cause a range of issues, from difficultly hanging posters to aggravated respiration problems. The improvements to the HVAC systems will greatly improve air quality in Martin and Veasey. Greer noted that “the systems will be designed for large groups in Martin.” One of the most noticeable changes that future residents of both Veasey and Martin will notice is new and improved bathrooms. Both Martin and Veasey restrooms will be reconfigured to increase the privacy and number of communal facilities. Martin will have six showers on each wing—an increase from the current number of two per floor. The first floor of Veasey will have eight private facilities, while the second and third floor swill have ten— four to five per wing. Each facility will contain a shower, toilet, and sink. Residents will be able to enter a bathroom and have their privacy while using the facilities. At least two rooms on each floor of Martin and Veasey will be sacrificed to make room for an increased number of bathrooms. This reconfiguration contributes to improving the ratio of beds to bathrooms in Veasey and Martin. Explaining that a four to one ratio of beds to showers is the typical goal, Greer noted that the ratio in the heritage dorms is much higher. “Right now, it ranges from seven to ten in some buildings,” Greer said. The hallways and lobbies of Martin and Veasey will be updated as well, with new flooring, light fixtures, and finishes. Tentative plans also include rethinking the layouts of common areas. “We’re looking at reconfiguring those areas,” Mason Ellis, Associate at WER Architects/Planners noted, “and trying more of an open space that students can use.” Despite the 150 years between Martin and Veasey and the age of other heritage dorms on campus, restoring these buildings is worth the price. “There is monetary value of historic buildings,” Greer said, “in addition to what they do aesthetically to the campus.” The cost of renovating Martin and Galloway, both on the National Register of Historic Places, can be offset by the advantage of rehabilitation tax credits. The red brick of both Martin and Veasey halls are a quintessential element of the College’s architectural signature, just as their names have become integral to Shirttails and other events. Martin and Veasey will close in May of 2019 for the entirety of the 2019-2020 school year. Once the two dorms have reopened, Hendrix plans to renovate the remaining heritage dorms in pairs over the next two years.
Photo by Graydon Carter
SEPTEMBER 2018
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1stGEN@HDX
New program provides support for first-generation Hendrix students Indigo Kroll | Staff Writer
“We’ve heard of students who’ve shown up and didn’t understand they would need to purchase textbooks. We’ve had a student show up on move-in day without sheets for her bed because she didn’t know she needed to bring them. The entire college experience, some of the things we take for granted that we already know—young students show up and have no clue,” Amber Jackson, the Program Manager for the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, said on the need for 1stGEN@HDX. Both she and Dr. Dionne Jackson, the Chief Diversity Officer, were first-generation students themselves, and the new program is something they’re passionate about. The project proposal was written up by the spring semester last year, and Amber Jackson said that she has high hopes it will receive funding soon. Until then, the office has started to roll out the program using their current budget. First-generation students—students whose parents or legal guardians have not completed a degree—are invited to receive mentoring and support through 1stGEN@HDX. Amber Jackson estimates that about 10-15% of the population at Hendrix is firstgeneration, and unlike others whose parents attended college, these students generally struggle without a support system. “[With] some of them, when there isn’t an understanding of the value of higher education, we see a pull from back home. Their parents think they’ve done fine without an education,” she said. Even with a supportive family, some of these students still lack someone who can tell them what to expect from college. “There are more complicated problems, like not understanding the degree progression, what kind of courses need to be taken, [how to] take care of your Odyssey project so it’s not put off until senior year, [getting] your physical education credits out of the way. It’s a luxury for students whose parents and siblings have been through college; they already know some of these things. They know they might have to write a thesis in their senior year, they know to get some of their requirements out of the way,” Amber Jackson said. Beyond these obstacles, students often don’t know what kind of
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support is on campus, and many of them are embarrassed to ask for it. In addition to confusion about the specifics of college life, many first-generation students experience imposter syndrome, feelings of inferiority, or fear of failure. The program aims to combat those problems by helping students adjust to academic and dorm life and by fostering a welcoming community where first-generation students are encouraged to seek assistance. Phase one of 1stGEN@HDX provides freshmen and sophomores with mentors, many of whom are first-generation college graduates employed by Hendrix. Mentees meet with mentors two times per month over the course of two years. In addition, the program offers workshops and seminars aimed toward educating students and their families about college life. In phase two, students are encouraged to attend workshops aimed at transitioning to the workforce or graduate school. Although the program is in its early stages, Amber Jackson hopes that the program will expand in the future so that every first-generation student can participate. “It was nice to have the opportunity to do a slower roll-out to see how our ideas are playing out. We’ll seek student and mentor feedback. That’s an ongoing and important process—to seek out the needs of the community,” Amber Jackson said. For now, mentors in the program are volunteers, but the program hopes to provide small stipends in the future, which would allow more interaction with mentees. The program encourages students who are not first-generation to get involved as well. “It takes a village,” Amber Jackson said. “It’s important for students to own their privileges, to reach out and support others who don’t have those privileges.” First-generation students interested in the program should reach out to the Office for Diversity and Inclusion. Amber Jackson said, “We want to make the distinction that being first-generation is something to be proud of, not to be embarrassed by. We’re just trying to help make up for that deficit of knowledge and experience.”
Staff banned from campus Campus ministry dismissed for one year after contract violations Kaitlin Lowe | Staff Writer After meeting with local and state leaders of Chi Alpha regarding allegations of misconduct, Dean of Students Jim Wiltgen and Reverend J.J. Whitney made the decision to ban non-student leaders of Chi Alpha from the Hendrix campus for one year. This decision was prompted by testimonies from students indicating Chi Alpha had violated the contract that allowed their presence on campus and had tested the boundaries of the ethical framework for religious life groups at Hendrix. Chi Alpha is a national college ministry organization affiliated with and guided by the values of the Assemblies of God, which are founded in the Pentecostal denomination. The local chapter of Chi Alpha has been present on Hendrix’s campus for two years. The allegations that suggested misconduct date back to as early as two years ago but did not come to light until this school year. Dean Wiltgen noted that nearly every campus organization has had common issues surface which needed to be corrected. Both the Dean and Reverend Whitney further stressed that the actions of
Chi Alpha staff—not its student leaders—were to blame for the ban. “This year, we started out with an issue during orientation week,” Dean Wiltgen said. “I brought it to the attention of the Chi Alpha leadership, and they understood what the concern was. But soon after this issue was resolved, testimonies arose from students within the first week of the fall semester.” “The Dean and I met with the Chi Alpha leaders, which were staff employed by the national organization,” Reverend Whitney noted. “Those were the ones that we felt were not abiding by our polices on campus… in terms of not harassing students and going into students’ private spaces.” “Additional concerns and stories were brought forward from over the past year or so of interactions with the group,” Dean Wiltgen explained. It was the first time that the Dean had seen those statements. Maddie Clendening, ’20, provided testimony which alleged that two years ago, a non-student staff member of Chi Alpha approached her outside of a dormitory at 5:00 A.M. Clendening appeared
visibly upset while speaking on the phone, and the staff member waited until the phone call ended to speak with her. The staff member suggested they have lunch later that week. Clendening met with the staff member at Hendrix. When the staff member continued walking past the cafeteria, she realized the staff member intended to have lunch off-campus. Clendening also recalled that, while at lunch, the staff member made a negative comment about her sexuality, which caused her to feel very uncomfortable, especially considering that she had ridden in the staff member’s vehicle to the restaurant. Clendening’s testimony touched on several boundaries established for student organizations. “We identified that they had possibly broken several elements of the ethics that are part of religious life.” Dean Wiltgen said. The Religious Life Ethical Framework stipulates that religious group staff “should share their faith with others in a manner that avoids harassing, demeaning, or disregarding the integrity and freedom of other persons in making their own
decisions in matters of religious faith and identity.” The framework also expects religious group staff “to respect the goals and purpose of the college.” A post on the Chi Alpha Hendrix Facebook page introducing select staff of the local Chi Alpha chapter states, “Their dream is to see the Lord change the reputation of Hendrix as a whole.” Speaking on the possible future of Chi Alpha at Hendrix after the ban is lifted, Chi Alpha student leader Jacob Buchanan ’20 expressed optimism. “I think that they thought that being kicked off campus was a good thing for us as students, because we’re going to take personal responsibility,” Buchanan said. “If we want to invite people on campus to be close with Jesus, the staff leadership of Chi Alpha want people at Hendrix to feel as comfortable as possible.”
Photo by Graydon Carter
SEPTEMBER 2018
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HENDRIX CHANGES MINOR From Education to Social Justice Alyssa Jones | Staff Writer
This will be the first year the new social justice minor is offered to Hendrix students. According to the course catalog, the minor aims “to develop students’ capacities to be change agents for a wide range of social justice-related vocations, such as teaching, policy, counseling, advocacy, and nonprofit work.” Dr. Dionne Jackson, Dr. Jay Barth, and Dr. Anne Goldberg worked to morph the education minor—which is no longer being offered—into the social justice minor. “We have had many students over the years who have had interest in social justice interdisciplinary majors,” Jackson said. “We began to think about if there was a way to craft a minor that would allow our students to better explore social justice in an interdisciplinary manner and what would it look like to provide an opportunity for students to explore topics of equity as it relates to education policy, teaching, government, being members of a community and working [for a] nonprofit.” The education minor reached a limited number of students—those who wanted to pursue a career in education—but the social justice minor is relevant to a wider group of students. Dr. Barth has his own perspective on what he would like to see come from this minor among the student body. “More conversations about the ways in which social change can come about
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through the public sector, governmental sector, nonprofit sector, or even the private sector,” Barth said. “The internship experience required for the minor gives students hands-on experiences closely tied to this work, so it’s not a theoretical discussion in the classroom but is played out in terms of lived experience beyond Hendrix.” 22 students were initially interested at the info meeting held about the minor last spring. Junior Emily Jordan is currently a social justice minor with intentions to teach. “I think the social justice minor is awesome,” Jordan said, “It’s awesome that we have that, but I do wish that we had both. I am interested in social justice issues in education but the education minor that actually certified students in the classroom was beneficial. Jordan sees social justice as a prevalent issue in schools in America, including Arkansas. This issue lies most notably in rural areas and the delta region. “There are really poor schools where students don’t have access to highly qualified teachers, where they might not have access to the physical resources they need [or] good schools,” Jordan said. “They’re being deprived of things that children in wealthier places are not being deprived of. Getting good teachers in those schools is so important to try and level the playing field.”
OPINION
Liberal Arts Education and the Darkness of Our Times Hendrix philosophy professor weighs in Many people, from across great political, social, religious, and cultural divides, seem to think that we live in dark times. Descriptions of the darkness vary greatly. But from almost every direction there come expressions of dismay about the darkness. That’s interesting, and there’s a lot to explore in it. I want to focus on this question: What is the relationship between the darkness of the times and liberal arts education? An answer I’m not going to entertain, because I believe it is false, would go like this: liberal arts education should help against the darkness. The liberal arts cannot be used as a tool to fight the darkness because liberal arts cannot be used as a tool at all—unless we’re talking about a very corrupted version of liberal arts and a very crude and clumsy tool. Any time someone wants to put liberal arts education to work—in any way—they are deeply sunk in misunderstanding. Or they are engaged in mischief. Liberal arts education, any version worthy of the name, has no purpose. It is something we do, like staring at the sea, or talking to a friend, or listening to music. If someone tells me that they listen to music, or study chess, or hand-feed wild birds, for a purpose, I doubt that I can trust them about anything. It may be true that learning the names of constellations, strolling downtown, and kayaking on a river have “payoffs.” Maybe they create in us certain feelings that we enjoy. Maybe they help us deal with stress. Maybe they make us interesting, “well-rounded” job candidates. But to call those gains the goals of those activities is to completely distort them. The same is true of liberal arts education. Some things we just do, and any attempt to justify them in terms of their outcomes is already a sign of corrosion and corruption. That this is hard to understand, that it is hard to accept, is indeed a sign of the darkness of our times. We can understand the temptation to sell the liberal arts as a productive product. We want to keep the lights on, the classrooms full, the grounds flowering, the paychecks coming. But giving in to that temptation, as almost everyone has, shows a complete lack of faith in the activity. It’s a sign that we have utterly lost our confidence. It’s a sign that we are lost. And every
DR. CHRIS CAMPOLO resulting attempt to “demonstrate” that we are not “wasting” our time or resources leads us to distort the very activity. What else shall we harness to a productive purpose: planting flowers? attending church? learning about calligraphy? A culture that regards every activity that doesn’t yield “practical payoffs” as a waste of time has lost its vitality, has lost its understanding of what makes life grander than survival. Truly, it is wasting its time. Don’t get me wrong. Survival is a prerequisite. But many things that are of vital importance have nothing to do with it. And genuine liberal arts education is among them. I am not expressing nostalgia for a purer time. There have always been those who seek, in everything, some palpable advantage. But our time is not one that merely contains those mercenary voices; it is one that has surrendered unconditionally to them. “OK, then, what are they really for?” Well. What’s wandering through a cemetery really for? What’s playing with a dog really for? What’s smoking a pipe on an autumn day really for? What’s talking about your favorite movie really for? If you think I’m headed that way, you don’t see that the question is part of the problem I’m describing. We don’t do these things for anything. We do them. They are part of who we are, and they connect us to those from whom we inherit them. They make us human. They make us us. “Shouldn’t we fight for justice?” “Shouldn’t we feed the hungry?” “Shouldn’t we find ways to help the suffering?” “Shouldn’t we get ourselves in the habit of treating everyone, and everything, better?” Obviously we should. Of course we should. But liberal arts education, real liberal arts education, is not about those things. Yes, yes, it is possible that we can bend liberal arts education in those directions. But not with great effect. And not without distorting, and quickly losing, the nature of the endeavor—and important parts of ourselves. “Maybe such a useless endeavor is an indefensible indulgence, and we should stop doing it.” If you say so. To me, that assertion is among the most telling manifestations of the darkness of our times.
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MODERN LOVING: US
The Generation on the Edge of Everything Peyton Coffman | Copy Editor
We are not Millennials. Probably. We get called Millennials, but we’re more likely Generation Z, which sounds like the last generation before the end of the world. Generational categories are hard to deny—as a group, we have a fundamentally different worldview than our grandparents did at our age—but they’re complicated. The edges are fuzzy. Experts disagree on the exact dates within which each generation is born, but it’s generally accepted that Millennials were born sometime between the early eighties and the mid-nineties and Generation Z was born sometime between the mid-nineties and the early two-thousands. Millennials, by definition, came of age around the turn of the millennium, when most of us were three or two or just being born. Alas. We are not the avocado toast generation. We’re Gen Tech, the iGeneration (yikes), Net Gen, Gen Wii (presumably coined by the oldest person alive), Digital Natives, Plurals. And of course, like every generation once was, we are The Worst. We’re the Tide Pod Generation, the Snapchat Generation, the Meme Generation. The Snowflake Generation. And we’re the Mass Shooting Generation, according to some students from Stoneman Douglas. We’re the Homeland Generation, defined by post-9/11 anxiety. We’re the generation formed by the Great Recession, by the War on Terror, by gun violence, by unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression. According to Signa’s U.S. Loneliness Index, we’re the loneliest generation. We’re distrustful of the government and disillusioned by the economy.
We are the most digitally exposed generation, recreating and advertising ourselves in zeros and ones. We are documentarians in strange new ways. We are noticing difference, and we are normalizing difference. We will not fit into the world as it is; we are the most ethnically diverse generation, the most sexually fluid. According to research firm 747 insights, we form the most racially diverse friend groups and we are the least likely to care who other people marry. We know that brave members of the generations before us fought hard to secure civil rights for marginalized groups, and as a whole, we recognize more of those rights. But we still hate people; we’re flawed. And okay, we’ll admit it, some of us want safe spaces—as vague as the term is. Is that what this snowflake stuff is about? We want safe spaces. We know that the world is not safe, that for many of us, life is a matrix of violence. We know that safety should not be controversial, that trauma should not be a rite of passage on the way to adulthood. We know that empathy is not coddling. Have our critics even stopped to consider who invented safe spaces, who safe spaces are designed for? Answer: the perpetually unsafe. We know that the concept of “we” is itself unsteady. We disagree constantly. We are not perfect, and we are not a monolith. Sometimes we are explosive in our idiocy, because we are, after all, young. We are on the edge of the world, and we are moving too fast for anyone else to catch up. Here’s to us. To everyone else: good luck finding a name that sticks.
Designed by rawpixel.com / Freepik Opposite: Using his drone, staff photographer Graydon Carter captures construction on the Creative Quad. 12
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PHOTO OF INTEREST SEPTEMBER 2018
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FEATURE
A NEW FACE DR. ALLISON FOR TITLE IX VETTER Hendrix hires Title IX investigator looking to improve policies and processes Trey Dyer | Staff Writer On February 27, after months of the #MeToo movemEnt revealing sexual assault in industries from film to finance, 120 Hendrix students filled The Burrow in a demonstration meant to “raise awareness of the pervasiveness of sexual assault and harassment” on campus. The demonstration pointed to ineffective college policies and procedures for handling instances of sexual assault and gender-based misconduct, calling for a more active administrative response, a thorough process of reporting, and enhanced education on consent and sexual assault. Six months later, just a week before the fall semester began, the college answered these calls for change with the hiring of Dr. Allison Vetter as its new Title IX Investigator and Education Coordinator, along with a comprehensive review of Hendrix’s Title IX policy and its staff involved in gender-based misconduct cases. Title IX is the statute passed in the Education Amendments of 197, stating, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Because federal aid is given to Hendrix students, the school is required to abide by this law. In the past, the enforcement of Title IX has centered around athletics, ensuring that women’s sports are treated and funded equitably across the country. Over the past several years, however, Title IX concerns have focused on sexual harassment and assault in institutions of higher learning. Harassment and assault of any kind affect a student’s ability to receive a quality education, so colleges must do whatever they can to ensure a healthy and safe campus, atmosphere, and culture. While Hendrix reviews its Title IX policies every summer, Title IX Coordinator Shawn Goicoechea acknowledged the impact of the Times Up, Hendrix demonstration and the following forums that took place on campus. “We got a lot more feedback last year,” he said, “there was obviously a lot more conversation
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on this topic going on than there had been in prior years.” While the interpretation and enforcement of Title IX is always evolving, Goicoechea explained that one of the biggest changes to Hendrix’s policies is the move away from using live hearings in cases of misconduct. Such hearings were seen as unnecessarily traumatic for those affected by sexual misconduct. “It wasn’t an ideal approach,” Goicoechea said, “so we have shifted to the panel, doing those as a closed review of the information.” In place of the hearing, questioning and information-gathering will happen through the school’s new investigator. The school will also rely more heavily on a panel when proceeding with misconduct cases, and the policies themselves will be more accessible. Instead of separate policy locations for gender-based misconduct and student misconduct, both are incorporated into the student handbook. The hiring of Dr. Allison Vetter as the school’s Title IX investigator is seen as a major improvement in the way the college handles misconduct cases, ensuring that the review of each case is both more thorough and more efficient. Before, the primary investigator for these cases was current Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Kesha Baboua. She was also the overseer of the process itself, which involves three parts: the issuance of the allegation, the investigation of the allegation, and the determination of the responsible party. “Those first two steps [Dr. Vetter] does completely now,” Baboua said, “and then that third step—she will still do some of that, but I will do some part.” Baboua will still serve as a Title IX deputy along with Dean Jim Wiltgen and others on campus, making up a Title IX team that can take reports and provide input on misconduct cases. However, when it comes to student allegations of misconduct, Baboua said, “Ideally, they’ll report to Dr. Vetter.” Dr. Vetter previously served as Title IX Coordinator at Henderson State University. At Hendrix, she will
Photo by Alice Fan
be the school’s first Title IX Investigator and Education Coordinator. “Here, my position is to investigate complaints of gender-based misconduct that are student on student,” Vetter said, “Also to coordinate all of the education, awareness, and prevention efforts across campus.” Her first goal is to “get an accounting of what’s going on, what are we doing, where are the gaps, and how can we better communicate information to everybody,” including making sure students know exactly what Title IX is and how it affects them. The review of the college’s gender-based misconduct policies occurred during the summer before Vetter’s hiring, but she says the move away from live hearings is a good thing. “In every training that I’ve been to they’ve advised that you don’t use that model,” she said. “We know in terms of how people experience trauma that can be retraumatizing and not healthy.” She also expressed her satisfaction with the implementation of a review panel in misconduct cases. “Having a panel review and make decisions instead of it falling in the lap of one person I think is good. That gives objective fresh eyes, and that person being separate from who does the investigation is also pretty important.” By restructuring the Title IX process and hiring an investigator, the role of investigation itself was moved out of the Dean of Students office, removing the possibility for conflict of interest. “They’re a resource, but they’re also investigating,” Vetter said, “so I think that’s important too that they pulled that out and I report directly to the President. Title IX processes and structures vary from campus to campus across the country. Some institutions employ a coordinator who conducts investigations, writes reports, and decides verdicts all on their own. Other campuses like Henderson State University have a Title IX committee made up of 25 to 30 faculty and staff who are trained to work with Title IX matters. Members of the committee investigate reports of misconduct at the direction of the coordinator. They also use a panel
similar to the one being developed at Hendrix to hand down verdicts. Apart from investigating, Vetter plans to implement a Title IX and gender-based misconduct education program across campus because it is not always clear what steps should be taken when handling misconduct allegations. “I would like to do more face to face where I go into a classroom, whether that’s Explorations but also for upperclassmen,” Vetter said, “because I think there’s been a lack of communication at times, or at least some students feel like they don’t always know exactly where to go or what to do or what’s going to happen.” Vetter would also like to be a guest lecturer in any class, which she did earlier in the semester. More training and resources will be offered to staff in the future to further enhance the college’s ability to handle misconduct reports. Vetter is also currently working on developing a central location where resources will be available for anyone on campus. “I’ve heard some feedback on how the website is not great,” Vetter said. “It’s kind of hard to find things, so that’s something I want to work on too.” Vetter has lived in Conway for 17 years and is friends with several members of the Hendrix community. “I feel like it’s very homey, and I appreciate being welcomed,” she said, “but what I want people to know is [that] I want to hear particularly from students, whether it’s your grievances about things that have happened and what [you] want to have better or your ideas for more education or what you feel like you need. My door is open.” Visit the Gender-Based Misconduct page on the Hendrix College website or look at the student handbook for information and resources on Title IX and gender-based misconduct policies. Remember: professors are Mandatory Reporters of misconduct information and must report it to the Dean’s office. Chaplains and counselors are not Mandatory Reporters.
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Konrad Witkowski
A NEW ELECTION CODE AND WHAT WENT WRONG LAST TIME
Maria Geoly
Student Senate adopts revised Election Code with guidance from new commissioner
Trey Dyer | Staff Writer
At the first Student Senate meeting of the semester, Elections Commissioner Jacob Turner proposed several amendments to the Election Code, which the Senate voted to adopt. These changes follow last year’s Senate General Elections held in February that were marked by multiple Election Code violations. “I found that nothing was being done according to code,” Turner said, “that essentially, the whole process was kind of being done on the fly.” According to the Election Code in place during last year’s elections, “The filing period shall be at least one week in length and begin at least two weeks prior to the elections.” Last February, however, filing was announced on the sixth, just one week before the election date and lasted only three days. The code also states, “a write-in candidate can only begin campaigning after the formal debates hosted by Student Senate have concluded.” Given that Student Senate held the formal debates the day before the election on the thirteenth, campaigning as a write-in candidate was virtually impossible. A process that—according to Election Code—should have taken at least two weeks was completed within a matter of six days. These violations were brought to light in a letter signed by more than 40 candidates, senators, and general members of the Student Association addressed to Student Senate on February 10. Current junior Anthony Bennett, Hardin Hall senator and a candidate for Senate president at the time, helped write the letter and was among those who signed. “I just wanted Senate to follow its own rules,” Bennett said. The letter’s grievances addressed the violations made concerning the time given for filing and the time given for campaigning—especially for write-in candidates. The letter also stated that “The Student Senate did not decide on the date of the election but was instead told the date of the election. Who/what body decided the date of the election?” According to Bennett, the Elections Commission at the time responded to his letter by email, informing him that “the reason the election worked like that was because it was more efficient, and it worked better for the students.” In the email, Bennett said the Elec-
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tions Commissioner, Jordan May, was under the impression that previous elections operating in line with the Election Code had seen fewer respondents filing to run because of the mandated timeline, so they shortened that timeline. “So, then my concern was: why didn’t you change it [the Elections Code]?” Bennett said. “It was just wrong.” Turner, current Elections Commissioner, was also concerned about the code violations last semester, signing Bennett’s letter and writing his own. The response to his concerns was one of indifference. “The Senate Exec members that I spoke with didn’t address the concerns,” Turner said. “They weren’t particularly caring of it, and that was what bothered me the most about it.” Turner took his complaints to Dean Wiltgen through an official complaints process. It was this process that eventually led to the recently adopted revised Election Code. Changes to the actual code are minimal; it includes more inclusive and clarified language, the Elections Commission is made slightly more independent from Senate, polling times are extended to a 12-hour window, and write-in candidates are allowed to campaign after the mandated informational meeting that all candidates officially on the ballot must attend. When asked how future elections of Student Senate will be conducted by the new Elections Commission, Turner said, “My role as Elections Commissioner is making sure those people are democratically elected into power with all of the right steps—that the people that are on Senate next year are the gold standard.”
HENDRIXPROFILE.COM
Sarah Pickering
Rachel Elmakiss
Photo by Sarah Pickering
Sarah Pickering
A Season of Changes Tennis, Golf, and Swim bring in three new head coaches Alyssa Jones | Staff Writer
Photo by Alice Fann
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SPORTS
The tennis team has a new coach this year; in August, Craig Kirchgessner replaced former coach Harold Henderson, who retired last season. Kirchgessner was previously an assistant coach at Centre College in Kentucky and has coached college tennis for three years. This is his first head coaching position. Kirchgessner has changes in mind for the cultural perspective of the tennis team—academics should be number one— but he is also excited to see the athletes’ commitment to tennis strengthen. “I would like to be top four on both sides, create a family environment where they walk away feeling accomplished. Strive for happiness; happiness comes from longterm dedication for something. If we are striving for a goal every day, I want them to look back and be happy about what they did.” Kirchgessner said. Senior Sarah Glass played under Coach Henderson for her first three years and feels that the new coach has brought in needed change. “It is nice to see a transition of us picking up our game more, focusing on our tennis fundamentals, and being the best that we can be as a team. It had been hard by the end of my junior year not winning very many, if any matches at all. There is some frustration in us not being able to do our best when we knew that we could and wanting to be pushed even more.” Glass said. “He is pushing for practices that are more intense, more dynamic, and a lot of drills. I expect him to be a leader for our team.” The new swimming and diving coach Tony Marleneanu had his first official practice
with the team on Wednesday, September 19. Team captains Lyle Alford and Journey Eubank, along with a leadership team, had been without a head coach since July. “Freshmen were coming in, expecting to have Marty, and not really knowing what to do,” Eubank said. “It was nerve-wracking not knowing what was going to come next, but coach Weever was clear that she was looking for someone who, in the long term, was going to better the program. We weren’t going to do a knee jerk reaction and just hire whoever was available. With that in mind, I was okay with the shuffle” Alford has previous experience with Coach Marleneanu; he swam with him at AquaKids this past summer. He’s excited to see what the coach will bring. “His goals are very clear; they are within our reach. I think that he is going to push this team to be faster while also understanding that it is still Hendrix. When I swam with him in AquaKids, the sets were very challenging and fun. I got faster this summer, so I am very excited to see what the team is going to do this year. He is going to be a very positive influence on the team.” Alford said. Marleneanu was already connected to Hendrix through AquaKids. Whenever the coaching position was available, he followed his goal to become a college coach and applied. “There is a very talented team; I am happy with what I found here. I am ready to take the program to the next level. In three to four years, we are trying to get someone to qualify for NCAA nationals. I would like to see team unity for this year, a positive
attitude, and [for the team to] place better at conference. I am very excited to see how they respond to the practices and how much we can improve this season,” Marleneanu said. The golf team also has a new coach, Andrew Thames. Thames was an assistant baseball coach for five years, but golf has always been his passion. “This season, I want to see [the team] break the school record. In our first tournament, we were three shots off the record. For the women, I want them to compete at the highest level they can,” Thames said. “They have all showed great growth in practice, but for both programs, I want them to have a successful season, something they can look back on at the end of the year and be happy about. The expectations are to hold yourself to a higher standard not only on the golf course but in the classroom, in the community. I just want to see them succeed.” Junior Emelia Dennis enjoys working with Coach Thames. “It’s been a change. It has gotten more geared towards improving upon your own game instead of the overall. We do a lot more drills and we work in areas so continuously playing which is really nice.” Sophomore Ben Brezette brings up individual and team goals that he hopes Coach Thames will help accomplish. “I think he is going to bring a lot to the team. He’s doing morning workouts and more individualized practice,” Brezette said. “I believe he really wants to improve the team, and he is doing all he can to do that.”
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Photo courtesy of Abilene Christian University
HENDRIX ASPIRE ADDS BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Beach volleyball is the fastest growing NCAA sport in the country. Hendrix has caught on to the trend and now stands as the fifth DIII school in the country with a beach volleyball team. Assistant volleyball coach and Hendrix alumnus MC Rogers will lead the team as head coach. “It's an amazing sport that's growing rapidly throughout the country, and I'm Kaitlin Lowe to introduce it to the Hendrix community,” Rogvery excited ers stated. In many ways, beach volleyball is more difficult than normal court volleyball, because sand makes every movement more challenging. Players have to get their “sand legs” before their movements can be coordinated, and there are several rule changes. And while indoor volleyball has six players per side, beach volleyball has two per side, changing the team dynamic. That difference in player count means indoor volleyball requires specialization, where beach volleyball requires players to be versed in every skill—passing, setting, serving, and hitting. Players can’t sub in or out and have much less access to their coaches during games; they have to solve their own problems. Weather is also a big factor, with sun, wind, and rain needing to be factored into strategy, and players are often barefoot. Considering these factors along with the team’s newness, it makes sense that the Hendrix team is still pretty small. Right now, eight indoor players are interested in playing this spring, but the program is hoping to get at least six more the following spring. That will make the first official competition season the spring of 2020; however, this spring the team will be practicing and hopes to start scrimmaging teams in the area. Despite it being a tricky sport, Rogers remains excited and hopes to see the Hendrix community at many of games. “Anyone can get involved by coming to support during competitions. We love having fans to celebrate with!”
LIVING AND LEARNING COMMUNITIES By
A rare move for DIII school
Julia Kraus | Staff Writer
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WE HAVE A WEBSITE CHECK IT OUT!
Rachel Elmakiss
SEPTEMBER 2018
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