Volume 107, Issue 6

P ROFILE

THE HENDRIX COLLEGE

VOLUME 107 ISSUE 6

THE HENDRIX COLLEGE

P ROFILE

Table of contents 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 18 19

Farewell, Late Night?

New Animal-Free Zones New Debt-Eqiuity Initiative to Be Unveiled Creative Quad Changes It’s Not Goodbye, Just See You Later Galloway Ghost Chimes In Meet The Watson Goodbye is Hard Time 2 Go

Us Film Review Diversity on Campus Hendrix Horoscopes

Editor-in-Chief: Marlee Bird Online Editor: Sarah Gilmour Managing Editor: Lauren Berry 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: Nicola Bryan Staff Writer: Alyssa Jones Staff Writer: Julia Kraus Staff Writer: Anna Norman Staff Writer: Indigo Kroll Videographer: Mary Katherine Nail Online Editor: Sarah Gilmour

Advisor Dr. Alex Vernon

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.

Esports on Campus The New Face of Hendrix @Hendrixprofile

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The Profile At Hendrix

hendrixprofile.com Cover photo by Alice Fan, design by Lauren Berry and Monica Martinez

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

MARLEE BIRD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

This issue started as the April Fools issue and soon became the Fake News issue, for reasons that are fairly obvious given our current cultural situation. What was a fun light-hearted issue is still fun, but the light-heartedness dissipates a little more each year. This issue has become a real reflection on how we understand what is and isn’t real news.

True to past Fake News editions, fake stories are sprinkled among real ones in this issue.

Every year we encourage readers to figure out the difference for themselves—and to only look for answers at the end, which are provided on p.

19. I don’t think it will be hard for you to decipher the real from the fake, but I do hope a few stories trip you up.

This issue also ends Volume 107, and with that, my time as Editor-in-Chief. It has been amazing to see the interest from students, teachers, staff, and alumni in The Profile this year. It was our goal to facilitate conversations on campus, and I think to a large degree we accomplished that. But of course, endeavours

like this are never really done. There are always more conversations to be had, more topics to cover, and more work to be pursued. My hope for this publication is that it continues to push campus conversations forward in new and exciting ways.

It has been my pleasure leading this team of excellent writers, photographers, layout designers, videographers, and editors. The work of The Profile would literally be nothing without you. Thank you all for a year well done.

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.

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NEWS

FAREWELL, LATE NIGHT?

Potential budget cuts including shortened late night hours cause a stir among students Julia Kraus|Staff Writer The caf’s late night hours—currently 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. from Monday through Thursday—will likely be reduced next year as the college attempts to cut costs.

While the specifics of the cut have yet to be finalized, the school is considering closing the caf at 8 p.m. according to Dean Wiltgen.

On the rationale behind the changes, Dean Wiltgen said, “We really don’t want to affect the student experience negatively, and so, we looked to see if we could cut any part of late night to see if there would be some savings. There’s a drop in attendance starting at 10 o’clock and it trickles down at 11 o’clock.”

Despite this, some students are concerned with the change.

Sophomore Madeleine Castator said “Late night is a very Hendrix-like institution. Every day, if you don’t like what’s in the caf, you can go to get late night. You can get coffee, you can hang with friends in a setting that’s not as chaotic as the cafeteria usually is and doesn’t conflict with your schedule as much. I’m actually on a limited meal plan, so I spend about half my meals on lunch and about half on late night.”

However, to students worried about cuts to the program, Dean Wiltgen said, “There are two options. We don’t want to increase our rates—we think that we’re charging enough—but that means if we want to keep the rates the way they are we have to find savings, and one way to do that is to cut back late night. The reality is that we have had, over the last four years, about 50 students lower than we’d like to from a budget standpoint. If we were to have more students, then we wouldn’t be where we’re at.”

Concerned students should communicate worries and ideas to their senators.

Photo by Samantha Huckabay

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Photo by Sarah Pickering

NEW ANIMALFREE ZONES

Due to student concerns, some residence hall floors are going animal-free Indigo Kroll|Staff Writer When room selection for next year began, Residence Life announced new animal-free residential areas.

Hendrix’s Academic Success office has worked hard to meet the needs of the student body. More and more therapy and emotional support animals are being used across campus, meaning stricter regulations are being created so that all students get the support they need.

While therapy animals may soothe and comfort their owners, other students with phobias and allergies face real challenges while living near these animals. A variety of animals are approved to live on campus—like cats, dogs, and rats. Allergies to pet dander and fur can be severe, even if the resident is a few rooms away, and can cause skin rashes and asthma. Hives, sneezing, itching, and wheezing can all occur when exposed to an animal.

Students with animal phobias face similar issues. Pet lovers might not realize that others may experience extreme anxiety and panic when faced with the possibility

of encountering an animal. The new animal free zones will allow students to feel more secure in their building. Students will still enjoy living with their approved animals, and others will be able to live at a comfortable distance from said animals.

The current rules prohibit residents from letting their approved assistance animal out of their room. This is to maintain the safety of both the students and animals, as well as the hygiene and cleanliness expected of living spaces. Only service animals are allowed in other campus buildings and facilities. Additionally, students who room with the owner of an assistance animal are asked to sign an agreement to live with said animal. Next fall, the following areas will be animal free: the second floor of Hardin Hall, the third floor of Raney Hall, the third floor of Miller Hall, and the fourth floor of Market Square East. All other living areas will follow the current rules regarding assistance animals.

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NEW DEBT-EQUITY INITIATIVE TO BE UNVEILED Hendrix financial aid crafts cutting-edge program to fight inequality Trey Dyer| Staff Writer In hopes of combating increasing income inequality, Hendrix is said to be introducing a debt-equity initiative by the fall of 2019 that would assign student debt to those who meet certain requirements.

An anonymous senior financial aid administrator told the Profile that the school is finishing its work on a program that would “even the playing field.”

“We’ve been mulling over several ideas to ease the strain of income inequality on our students and their families,” our source said, “so we first devised several potential plans.” Some of these plans included offering “rustic living” housing options in which students would live in tents on Bailey Lawn or the Village Green. This plan was ultimately found nonviable given those areas’ “propensity for unsuitable water conditions.”

The senior official also made note that one of the more practical ideas included opening the wildlife reserve across Harkrider Street to hunting activities to allow more students flexibility in their meal plans.

The debt-equity initiative being launched in the fall, however, proved to be the strongest option—especially when presented to the Board of Trustees.

“They were extremely pleased with our plans to distribute debt to our students.” The administrator said.

“They were so excited that many of them proposed that their own businesses be involved in the program!”

The specifics of the program itself, which is rumored to be called the Hendrix More-for-All Initiative, are still being finalized according to our source. However, our source outlined the basics.

The More-for-All Initiative will look at a student’s

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FAFSA information and their parents’ annual incomes.

This data will be entered into an algorithm developed by a consulting firm to determine how much debt will be applied to a student’s account.

Our source said that this will work to bring the growing inequality on our campus to a “manageable level.”

“From there,” the source said, “the Financial Aid office can appropriately determine the final cost of attendance for our students on top of that assigned debt. It truly is revolutionary!”

When asked if this would apply to students already enrolled or only to incoming freshmen, the administrator said that this program was meant for everyone because “all students deserve the chance to take on more debt— all students deserve equity.”

The process of paying back debt is simple, according to the senior official. The loan can be repaid one of three ways. The first is similar to any other loan, “with an interest rate of 11 percent, you pay it back over the course of your lifetime.” The second option is to agree to eight more years at Hendrix, paying normal tuition as you earn whatever degree you choose.

The third is a labor repayment option in which a student agrees upon graduation to work on campus until any outstanding debt is satisfied. “It’s a little unconventional,” the administrator admitted, “but that’s what makes Hendrix, well, Hendrix!”

We asked rising junior Teresa Hutchins what they thought about the initiative and they said, “You’ve got to be f------ kidding me.” Wade declined to comment further and instead took the opportunity to weep profusely.

CREATIVE QUAD CHANGES

Photo courtesy of Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects

Hendrix adds new features to Miller Creative Quad Nicola Bryan| Staff Writer

The Miller Creative Quad, part of the $110 million #BeHendrix campaign, will be completed this year.

The project will cost a total of $24 million ($16 million for construction and an $8 million endowment). The Creative Quad will include residence halls on the second and third floors of both buildings and firstclass facilities for the creative arts, including music practice rooms, music faculty offices, a digital music lab, and a 990-square-foot auditorium with a film screening room.

One of the best features of the Creative Quad will be its very own tattoo shop. The tattoo-shop will be open twenty-four hours a day and available to all art students that need to get their tattoo or piercing fix.

There was some debate about whether to include a tattoo shop in the Quad initially. But after every single art student indicated that it was a necessary and integral part of the creative arts culture, Hendrix decided to include the tattoo shop in the construction plan. This way, art students won’t be forced to leave campus just to get tatted at a sketchy local tattoo shop in Conway. The tattoo shop is expected to be a big hit among Creative Quad residences and the center of socialization in the Quad.

Another notable feature of the Creative Quad will be its graphic tee station. The station will be located by the entrance of the Creative Quad, where art students can grab a graphic tee on their way out.

With this station, art students will have the graphic tee collection of their wildest dreams available right at their fingertips. The thought is that art students will be able to pick and choose graphic tees of their liking to wear throughout the day, so that they can be easily identified as art students and Creative Quad residents by other students on campus. After all, a major goal for art students is to stand out from their uncreative peers.

Furthermore, a salon will be located on the first floor of the Creative Quad. Hendrix considered the fact that hair is an important means of expression for many art students. The hair salon will stand as a place where art students can channel their creativity, either by working as part-time hair stylists or by requesting imaginative hairstyles. The special hair services that will be offered at the salon will include, but are not limited to, hair dying (only crazy, unnatural colors offered), wispy bangs styling, and even buzz cuts.

Although the Miller Creative Quad began as an initiative for additional residence housing, the project has since turned into an initiative to create an idyllic place for art students. With its first-class features, tattoo shop, graphic tee station, and hair salon, the Miller Creative Quad is promising to be just that.

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OPINION

IT’S NOT GOODBYE, JUST SEE YOU LATER

A (temporary) farewell to Martin and Veasey Since 1968, Veasey Hall has been a structure that gives a home to girls becoming women while learning to love themselves and each other. Within those walls, countless ladies have written papers, pulled all nighters, Veasey crawled for shirttails (and other reasons), puked in the toilets, stumbled up and down the stairs at ungodly hours of the night, covered those famous checkered floors in glitter, made questionable decisions and lifelong memories, cried until they laughed, and laughed until they cried. VZ embodies what community means, and while we won’t miss the moldy air conditioners, roach infestations, and distinct scent, we will miss the friendship that radiates in this place. Thank you, Veasey, for giving me a place that I can call my home away from home and wonderful ladies to share this bond with. Once a VZ girl, always a VZ girl.

-Lauren Berry, Veasey Hall President (2019-2020)

Growing up in Central Arkansas, I had always heard great things about Hendrix. I had also heard legends and stories originating from Martin Hall, one of Hendrix’s most historical buildings. The moment I paid my housing deposit, I was faced with a choice. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting myself into, but I marked Martin down as my number one choice of residency for my freshman year. I have not regretted it a day since. The wonderful community and fellowship Martin Hall provides to not only its residents but the campus as a whole is unmatched. The social aspect of Martin has allowed me to come out of my shell, discover more of myself as an individual, and make lifelong bonds with those I am blessed to call my friends.

I sure will miss it, but we are working hard to keep the Martin culture and spirit during our year of vacancy. I ensure you all Martin will be back and better than ever for the school year of 2020-2021. Remember to never let the Martin spirit die, have a great summer, and party hard.

-Creighton Polk, Martin Hall President (2019-2020)

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GALLOWAY GHOST CHIMES IN

Dorm renovations are murder: here’s why Julia Kraus| Staff Writer

Since 1933, I’ve haunted this campus from the practically central location of the Galloway attic. I was lonely for years, just a couple Martin-based poltergeists and me, southern bell that I am. Sure, Raney came in ’58 and it was nice to have another girl around, but not until Veasey did I find a rival for my level of queen. And now, the College is gutting her.

Where will Veasey’s specters go when there are no more cobwebs to crawl in? What dancing freshmen will replenish their souls with life? And, the bathroom upgrades! J.K. Rowling got plenty wrong, but she was right that old piping really makes a ghost feel at home.

As it stands, I will watch two of my dorm fellows become husks this summer, and soon after I will follow. For a year, no giggling girls will browse Tinder under my knowing gaze, nor swagger to parties down my hallowed halls. For that

matter, who will I scare? A workman or two in the light of day could never compare to the terror of coeds’ during the witching hour. Since my unemployment has not been worked into the plan, I’ll have to find a new place to take up residence in the meantime. Maybe the Murphy House; I hear they have funding.

The point is, nothing needs to change. Mold free rooms?

Centralized air conditioning? This Generation Z entitlement has gone too far. If all the skeletons are removed from Hendrix closets, we will have removed our heritage.

Finally, students, go outside. Look at the mud, look at the turf grass that refuses to take, see that not only am I rebelling, but so is nature. The squirrels stay up in their trees because they know what the whole of the campus knows—that these red bricks were never meant to be refurbished or cleaned.

APRIL 2019

Photo by Alice Fan

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FEATURE

MEET THE WATSON

Allison Monroe named newest Hendrix recipient of Watson Fellowship Trey Dyer|Staff Writer

Allison Monroe ’19, a biology and Spanish double major, was chosen as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow—making her one of 41 other graduating seniors from six different countries and 18 states to receive this award.

The Watson Fellowship grants a graduating senior $30,000 worth of funding for one year of “purposeful, independent exploration” outside the United States. This exploration can take any form. It’s up to the applicant how they wish to spend their year, but they must create a detailed proposal and budget—crafted and tuned by the applicant over several months. They must then complete an interview with a Watson representative who visits campus.

Essentially, the Watson is an Odyssey project on a much grander scale. Monroe said that her experience in proposing her own Odyssey projects over the years helped her in applying for the Watson. “When you think about it,” she said, “it’s like this really big, open pot of money that you can do anything with.”

The Watson Fellowship is only offered to students at partner colleges, which include institutions like Amherst, Rhodes, and Wellesley. The last Hendrix recipient of the Watson was Jessa Thurman ’16 who, like Monroe, studied insects with her fellowship.

Monroe’s selection was a relief to Hendrix, whose partnership status with the Watson Foundation would likely have been under review

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had no Hendrix students been selected this year. 2018 marked the first time since the mid-90s that Hendrix went two years without a Watson Fellow.

When Monroe explained her project, she spoke excitedly, like she was already abroad.

She wore her enthusiasm on her face. Her project is called “Building Agency through Bioliteracy: Modern Insect Conservation.”

In June, Monroe will leave for Madagascar to work alongside a woman with two PhDs who is running a public health initiative in the northern peninsula of the island.

There, she will work to address lemur conservation, the reintroduction of a native species of insect, and food insecurity. These issues culminate in a crisis of public health; the exploitation of the island has left Madagascar with one of the most malnourished societies in the world.

After a few months, Monroe will travel to Cape Town, South Africa where she will work with a professor on conservation efforts and how they intersect with land ownership. “Africa is known for big, mega fauna conservation like elephants and giraffes and things like that,” Monroe said, “but Africa is also the most biodiverse in insects.”

Conservation efforts, like ensuring migration corridors between conservation areas, meet the “touchy” issue of land ownership in

Photo by Alice Fan

South Africa. The professor Monroe will work with is known for addressing these concerns in his research papers. “He says things like ‘it’s time to get out of the ivory tower and address stakeholder interests and landowner interests,’” Monroe said. “And you don’t see claims like that in scientific papers.”

Following her time at Cape Town, Monroe will end her fellowship in the northeast corner of Costa Rica, a country that suffers from increasing ecotourism. She’ll work alongside researcher Dr. Daniel Janzen, who studies butterflies and moths and has worked since the 70s to personally purchase land and convert it to conservation areas and national parks.

Janzen, according to Monroe, strictly hires Costa Ricans, pays them living wages, and credits them in his published work. “I’m really excited to work with him too.”

Although Monroe will spend 3 months in Madagascar, 4 months in Cape Town, and 5 months in Costa Rica, she wants to be able to understand the culture in which she is living.

“My project is very community-based, so I want to get to know the communities I’ll be working in.” she said. “I’d be nervous to spend less than three months in a place.”

The emphasis of community is something Monroe said she learned here at Hendrix. “In my work at Hendrix in ECC (Environmental Concerns Committee), or on CSFC (Campus

Sustainability Fund Committee), or in Naturalist Club, you quickly realize that if you don’t have the backing of the student body, you can’t get anything done. I think that’s true in every conservation organization I’ve worked with.”

Monroe has previously worked with the Natural Heritage Commission and the Nature Conservancy. “All of them have outreach programs for a reason,” she said.

When asked what comes after the Watson, Monroe said she isn’t worried about what’s next. Graduate school is in her future. Becoming a professor is also on the table, but Monroe said she’s concerned that she wouldn’t be as involved in her community as she’d like.

“Arkansas is my home, and I want to come back here at the end of the day. It’s remarkable, the biodiversity we have here.”

If you speak to Monroe about bugs or conservation, you quickly realize that it’s more than those two things that drive her passion.

It’s about the land and the people on it and how each piece of the puzzle that is an ecosystem beautifully intertwines and shapes the others. It’s about the complexity of it all—and the urgency.

“There are so many problems in the world, and we have to stop pretending like we can just solve one at a time.”

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GOOD-

BYE IS

HARD Hendrix community says goodbye to beloved professor and alumni, Dr. Jay Barth Anna Norman| Staff Writer

Dr. Jay Barth recently announced that he is retiring. The numerous initiatives that he has spearheaded or been heavily involved with make Hendrix the school that we know today; his work on the Odyssey Program, The Engaged Citizen, and other curricular initiatives are a part of his legacy at Hendrix and will continue to benefit students for years to come.

Dr. Barth, as an alum of the college, might initially seem like the type of Hendrix student who couldn’t wait to come back and relive his glory days, but he insists that this wasn’t the case.

“I think most folks assume that this was kind of this dream to return to my alma mater,” Barth said. “My undergraduate years here were good in a lot of ways, especially academically, [but] it was not the happiest period of my life. I did not have that same kind of desire to return.”

However, after earning his PhD at the University of North Carolina, a job opportunity at Hendrix came along, and his parents encouraged him to take the job.

“Then, I really fell in love with Hendrix in a new way,” Barth said. “In a very different part of my life, it really became much more of a true alma mater.”

He attributes this to the role that he has gotten to play at Hendrix and his interactions with students. He also says this is why he has stayed at Hendrix for the past twenty-five years.

“There were a handful of occasions where I did look at options elsewhere, and what kept pulling me back was the opportunity to work with really bright, funny, energetic, sociallyminded students in that kind of magic period between 18 and 22,” Dr. Barth said.

In addition to teaching, Barth has enjoyed helping students discover their passions. The Odyssey Program, which Barth has been a part of since its inception, is a great example of this. In 2004, he served on the original task force, which was created to develop an engaged learning program. He eventu-

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Photo by Rett Peek

ally served as chair. According to Barth, the original Odyssey concept is very similar to the program that we know today, with six categories, three credit requirements, and the option to use courses, pre-approved activities, or projects towards the requirements.

“That does show the durability of the project in a lot of ways,” Barth said, “It was a curricular innovation that worked incredibly well in terms of putting Hendrix in a new place in terms of its national prestige, bringing new students to campus, and reshaping the student body in a way where there was a lot more focus on energy toward connecting the classroom to the world beyond.”

Since its implementation, Dr. Barth has remained involved with Odyssey, serving on the committee, as a faculty advisor on student projects, and as Director for the last three years.

After deciding to retire, Dr. Barth found a new burst of energy and looks forward to a normal fall semester, where he will get to enjoy the things he likes about Hendrix. He will also teach an inside-out criminal justice course. During the spring, Barth will return to teach one class, Southern Politics, which is the first class he ever taught as a graduate student in 1990.

“It feels like a right way to leave. It’s not sudden. I have a nice period for me to reflect on things and enjoy what I do, and then I’ve got to figure out what collection of things are next.”

Although he hasn’t decided exactly what he’s going to do once he leaves Hendrix, he knows that they will involve politics, public service, civic engagement, finishing up a book, and teaching in some form or another.

“I want to be in a classroom fairly regularly for the rest of my life,” Barth said. “I’m putting retirement in quotation marks.”

TIME2GO Martin alum forced out of building due to renovations Anna Norman | Staff Writer

As Martin Hall prepares to close down for a year of major renovations, current residents will move out and find new homes for next year, including Hendrix alum Douglas “Dougy” Pinkerton, class of 2009. The self-entitled “forever Martin man” has been living in the basement of Martin ever since he graduated in 2009, making him the longest-ever resident of the legendary dorm.

“It has been a super cheap place to stay, since no one knew I was living there,” says Dougy. “All I really have to spend money on was the rat poisoning and insecticide.”

Dougy moved into Martin his freshman year—2005—and has stayed there ever since.

Coming into college, he really didn’t know anything about the dorms, but quickly fell in love with what can only be described as the damp stickiness of Martin Hall. He made so many good friends and had so many wild nights that when housing selection rolled around in the spring of his freshman year, he decided to remain there for sophomore year. And then junior year. Once senior year came, he knew that there was nowhere else on campus that he could ever live. After graduation, he packed up his stuff and put it in the basement.

“Upon graduating, I knew it was really the first time in my life where I was completely free of any real obligations, and that I could do whatever I wanted to do, which was why I decided to move to the basement,” Dougy said.

He looks back fondly on his years in college, at least the parts that he can remember, and still often asks people to refer to him by the nickname bestowed upon him within Martin’s hallowed walls: “Ooze.”

Despite having a well-paying job working from the basement as an accountant, as well as parents and friends who have been begging him for the past ten years to please be an adult and get a real place to live, Dougy has never even considered leaving until now, since his years in Martin as a student were what he considers the best years of his life. However, with renovations literally forcing him out, Dougy is finally ready to move on, and he acknowledges that now is the best time to do it.

“We all know that even the best things in life have an expiration date, and I think now is the right time to move on, before I overstay my welcome in the dorm and things start to get really weird,” Dougy says. “I am thirty-two years old, and I think that’s a good age to finally get my own place.”

Regarding the parties that have occurred in Martin in the years he has been living there, Dougy vehemently denies ever participating, claiming that it would have been completely inappropriate for him to do so.

“Can you imagine a thirty-year-old showing up to something like that?” Dougy said, “That would just be plain weird.”

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CULTURE

FILM REVIEW

Peele creates yet another hit thriller full of complexities Photo courtesy of movieweb.com

Sarah Pickering | Photographer

Jordan Peele doesn’t do anything without making a statement. And each of his films—granted he’s only directed two—sit on your chest and stay there long after you’ve left the theater. It’s true of his Academy Award-winning Get Out – with it’s obvious critique of the insidious racism that lurks just beneath the disguise of white liberal dogooderism – but maybe even more so of his sophomore follow-up, Us, though the provocative themes may not be as easy to identify.

The highly anticipated film opens up in 1986. A young Adelaide Wilson (Madison Curry), while on vacation with her parents in Santa Cruz, wanders off on her own at a carnival and finds herself standing before an eerie-looking fun house with a sign reading vision quest: find yourself.

In the hall of mirrors, she nervously whistles the tune of “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and then hears someone whistling it back. There, as forewarned, she found herself, reflected all too well.

Fast forward nearly thirty years later, Addie (Lupita Nyong’o) has somewhat moved past her traumatic childhood experience, and now has a family of her own. But when her husband Gabe (Winston Duke) convinces her to take their children, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex), to that same Santa Cruz beach during the family’s trip to their vacation house, her experience moves to the forefront of her mind. As Addie tries to relax with family friends, Josh and Kitty (Tim Heidecker and Elisabeth Moss), a series of ominous coincidences plague her until she confides in Gabe about her past. Later that night, Addie’s worst fears are realized: a family that looks just like hers, led by her own doppelganger, invades their home in the middle of the night, dressed in red jumpsuits and armed with golden scissors. And everything that falls from there—what the doubles are, where they come from, and what they want—comes as a series of shocks better experienced than described.

While the premise of Us may seem deceptively simple, Peele makes it clear in its title sequence that the film is about a lot of things.

At the post-premiere Q&A at SXSW, Peele said the film is fundamentally about America’s misplaced fear of

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outsiders: “[It’s] about this country. We’re in a time where we fear the other, whether it’s the mysterious invader that we think is going to come and kill us and take our jobs, or the faction we don’t live near, who voted a different way than us. We’re all about pointing the finger. And I wanted to suggest that maybe the monster we really need to look at has our face. Maybe the evil, it’s us.”

But while that metaphor plays out in the most literal way, as Addie and her family fight for their lives when a group of doppelgangers appear at their home, another strong metaphor emerges from the story: a message about wealth inequality and how easy it is to be unaware of privilege and comfort while other people are hungry and suffering.

It’s expressed through the many pop culture references, including—but not limited to—the kids wearing t-shirts for “Thriller” and Jaws, and the presence of “Good Vibrations” and “Fuck tha Police” on the soundtrack, as well as through the Wilsons’ trivial fixations, like whether Jacob can get a magic trick to work, or whether Gabe’s tiny new boat is big enough for the whole family. They’re oblivious to the depths of the suffering going on not so far away, among people who are remarkably similar to them, apart from the circumstances of how they came into the world.

Peele also points out that, while the doubles may look and act like monsters, especially to their victims, they still have an unacknowledged humanity that brings them a horrible and unbelievable kind of sadness. When Adelaide asks her doppelganger what they are, she answers, in a whispery growl: “We’re Americans.”

Us is not a tightly focused film, maybe even to the point that in some places it’s actually a bit of a mess. The key to the film’s ultimate success, though, might be that messiness. Peele isn’t afraid to swing for the fences with every single idea he’s dreamed up here, and this is a bold statement with absolutely no trace of the sophomore jitters. At this point, he’s one of horror’s most contemporary voices, and is two for two on creating the genre’s modern classics.

DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS

Many shades of white can be found on Hendrix campus Nicola Bryan | Staff Writer If you stroll through Hendrix’s campus on any given day of the week, you’ll most likely be astounded by the ample amount of diversity. For starters, there are so many different shades of white that can be seen among the student body. These shades of white range from a white so pale that it resembles snow to a nice tanned olive, which indicates a summer or spring break spent relaxing at the beach.

Some days, if you’re lucky, you’ll even spot a person of color… or two, if you’re even luckier.

People of color are few and far between on this campus. They are almost like gems at Hendrix, rare and hard to find, sprinkled around the college as though it were a cupcake. But now and then, you see a black or brown face bobbing among the sea of white faces. And the fact that Hendrix even has a handful of students who are of color is an indication that the college is excelling at diversifying its student body.

As a person of color myself, I am always happy to see another non-white face join the handful. The other day I saw a black student that I hadn’t seen before in my three years here. So naturally, when I saw this new student, I thought to myself, “Wow, would you look at that. We got another one!”

People on the outside look at Hendrix and think that it is absolutely lacking in diversity, especially in comparison to other universities. They think that Hendrix is obviously a predominately white institution. But if they could see those bobbing black and brown

faces, amongst the various shades of white, they just might think differently. And who’s to say that having only about fifteen nonwhite students isn’t diverse anyways?

Besides, there are some perks to being one of the handful of students of color. Namely, one of those perks is getting to be the token black or brown student featured on Hendrix’s brochures, or even on their main website. Another perk is being known by most people on campus, simply because you stand out from the crowd and are therefore memorable. Furthermore, having to deal with the racial ignorance and insensitivity that often plagues the campus can be enjoyable… at times.

But the college continues to push forward in its attempt to keep diversifying its student body, by adding more white students to the already substantial population of white students here, which is good if we hope to keep seeing varying shades of white. And they even manage to gain a few more students of color every year (emphasis on a few), although how they do so still remains a mystery. I mean, who knows, maybe there will be a total of 20 non-white students across all four classes by the end of 2019 (keeping my fingers crossed that this is the case!). That way, I’ll be able to say “Well would you look at that. We got some more!” rather than “We got another one!”

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HENDRIX HOROSCOPES Indigo Kroll | Staff Writer ARIES

I cannot be held responsible for things that may or may not happen, nor for any cases of squirrel/cat wars, and injuries from said wars. Sorry, my sources said so.

The upcoming month will be a rough one, Aries. You can try to avoid it as best as you can, or you can just give up. (You should probably just give up.) Finals are up ahead and your tense relationship with the finicky Snoddy lab printer is only going to get worse. My sources say you should do yourself a favor and just drag a chair into the shower with you – at least you’ll have a comfortable seat while you cry and look over your notes.

TAURUS

My sources say you’re hiding an embarrassing secret from your friends and acquaintances. You might think you’re covering it up well, but this week, you’ll be forced to tell the truth. It would be best to just come to terms with your massive mess up, but in true Taurus fashion, you will stubbornly continue until someone finds out. You can prolong such humiliation by avoiding MC Reynolds for a few days – Ella knows what you did, and she is not so forgiving. You’re lucky she can’t talk (yet).

GEMINI

You’ll have a chance to meet the potential best best friend ever, but you’ll have to keep your eyes open, Gemini. Blink and you could miss them. My sources say you already aren’t sleeping because you’re studying so hard, so that shouldn’t be too difficult for you. The real obstacle is that you will also meet your potential greatest enemy. Take this as an opportunity to meet new people but be careful who you get close to. Keep an open mind but watch your back.

CANCER

If you’ve been having issues financially this past month, you should look on the bright side of things. Sure, it’s hard to afford tuition, room and board, and a meal plan. And sure, FAFSA is ignoring you like a petty significant other, leaving you on read after you got caught sneaking food out of the caf with someone else. And sure, you’re pretty bummed out that the vending machine in Veasey took your dollar. And sure you…. well, just look on the bright side. My sources say the new Hendrix debt equity initiative will work in your favor.

LEO

Nice work, Leo! Your hard-work and persistence hasn’t gone unnoticed these past few months. It’s a good time to feel proud of yourself for your accomplishments and to learn from your failures along the way. Things are looking up! Unfortunately, not everyone is so appreciative. You may have managed to rally all of the squirrels across campus into one huge rodent army, but my sources say you should watch out for the cat colony – they’re organizing a resistance.

VIRGO

Love is in the air for you, Virgo. You’ll soon fall hard and unexpectedly. You should keep an open mind in new situations.

Try to wear your heart on your sleeve. Your new infatuation and obsession could be right around the corner, so stay sharp.

My sources don’t have many details on the specifics yet… but they’re telling me something about the Warrior Wagon this week? Well, either you’ll meet someone waiting in line at the Warrior Wagon, or it’s just going to be a really, really good lunch.

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LIBRA

Libra, if you don’t know where you’re headed in life, it’s time to just take a risk and decide. Nothing happens for a reason.

Where there’s a will, there’s an annoyingly long path around the construction. Don’t trust your gut, listen to your kidney instead; it’s much more knowledgeable about these sorts of things. No one can tell you what to do in life except for the ghost living above Galloway, but I wouldn’t trust her if I were you. And remember – if you think you’ve made the right decision, you probably haven’t. They don’t call you the indecisive one for nothing.

SCORPIO

You’re going to have a great day soon, Scorpio! Actually, you’ll have the best day of your life on an upcoming Thursday. The happiest moment of that day will be at exactly noon. Be prepared for it! It’s rare that you get to watch an ultimate showdown between the campus squirrels and cats. The only catch is that, due to safety concerns for the students, the battle will be held in a secret spot, designated and guarded by Psafe. My sources say there’s a map to the location hidden in Buhler. Good luck finding it.

SAGITTARIUS

Saggy, your playful and humorous nature will become very important in these upcoming weeks. You’ll be the glue keeping your friend group together as finals cause more and more stress. Studying will feel easier if you stay optimistic and lighthearted, and you’ll achieve something you’ve been working on for a long time. The stars are in your favor, my friend! The only downside is that every day it rains this month, you’ll accidentally step in a muddy puddle and get your socks wet. You won’t have time to go home and change them, either. Gross.

CAPRICORN

Capricorn, your stereotype is boring, stubborn, and blunt. You hate change and you’re a perfectionist. You like your alone time, and at times, you disregard your friends and family in pursuit of a goal. You’re bossy and domineering. You hold grudges. Some see you as cold and distant. You’re f– uhhhh, I forgot where I was going with this. Well, it’ll be just another mediocre week for you, unfortunately. Maybe try to find a new hobby, like yoga or joining the cat colony resistance. Tad and Ella are in a tense race for best cat right now, but I’m sure either will be a good leader for you.

AQUARIUS

It’s time to buckle down and work harder. If you’ve been slacking these past few months, you only have a limited amount of time to get back on top of things. My sources say if you start now, you’ll have a better chance of success. If you procrastinate, though, I hear there will be free food in your near future. Sure you could just go to the caf. But there’s something inherently better about someone giving you free food. So, I mean, it’s entirely up to you. Study orrr get free food (go for the food).

Photo Courtesy of astrotalk.in

PISCES

Be prepared for a major let down this week, Pisces. If you’ve been doing well and feeling great, it’s because the stars are entirely in your favor. They’re rooting for you! My sources say you’re they’re favorite, and your parents called. You’ve been elected best child ever. You’re bound to do well on all of your tests. Some people are just born lucky, and you’re some people!

The only thing is that you will, unfortunately, get unwittingly caught in the crossfire of some strange and intense fight between cats and squirrels. You won’t get out of it without a few scars and maybe an urge to suddenly seek out nuts.

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SPORTS

ESPORTS ON CAMPUS The modern way to play Alyssa Jones |Staff Writer

Photo by Reynol Rodriguez

There is a new type of sport being welcomed into the Hendrix community: esports. Hendrix follows in the footsteps of other Arkansas colleges like the University of Central Arkansas, the U of A at Fayetteville, and Arkansas Tech, who particpate in esport tournaments.

“There’s a competitive scene for each game,” said junior Monish Shukla. “For Smashbros, there’s a statewide and nationwide ranking. There’s sanctioned tournaments that you go through throughout the year.”

Esports is an overarching term for sports played on the Internet. At Hendrix, the two most popular games tend to be League of Legends and SmashBros. For at least 5 years, the Hendrix Gaming Club has gathered and competed.

“Right now, it’s completely student-organized,” Shukla said. “We have a Hendrix league team called the Spaghetti Dads.”

Dean Wiltgen reached out to the Gaming Club with an interest in transforming the club into a formal competetive team. The change isn’t yet official.

“Dean Wiltgen reached out to other people about

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opening an esports team,” Shukla said, “I think this would be really beneficial for the college.”

There have already been tournaments on campus in Worsham. The most recent Smash tournament had approximately one hundred participants and even more spectators. In the past, there wasn’t a high turnout rate for these tournaments, but last year, when the gaming club got a new executive team, turnout increased. There have been two tournaments this year, the second of which was volunteerrun and funded through entrance fees. Competitors hailing from Fayetteville and UCA came to ‘test the waters,’ as Shukla phrased it.

“People really enjoyed the event and actually want more events like that in the future,” Shukla said.

Students like junior Connor Onitsuka, who won the tournament, beat out ranked players from other universities. If Hendrix decides to make esports an official sport, this could open the door for future competitions, either on campus or off.

“I feel like there already is an underground interest for it, and it adds another layer to the Hendrix community,” Shukla said.

THE NEW FACE OF HENDRIX

New mascot introduced to be more inclusive Alyssa Jones |Staff Writer As the spring semester comes to a close, there is one more change facing Hendrix College: the mascot. After the College conducted a survey, it was established that the current mascot is too detailed. It does not leave a lack of ambiguity.

A new mascot, it has been decided, is a circle. This circle will allow for a more creative flow of thoughts. As a liberal arts college, Hendrix challenges its students and faculty to look deeper. While others may see a circle, the students of Hendrix will find pride in the eternal circle of a warrior.

It was a hard decision to make. Students have tried sending in their own art work.

Hendrix went as far as to hire three graphic designers, but none of these artists really understood the meaning of a warrior. The college felt that they were lacking in passion, in spirit. It all seemed to be to bound by the corners. Finally, one student came up with the idea of a circle. The faculty and staff knew it in their hearts: this would be the face of Hendrix.

There are many benefits to a circle. For one, it is never ending. Hendrix wants its students and faculty to understand that once they are part of this community, they are in a never-ending circle. They are instantly one with Hendrix forever. Once a warrior, always a warrior.

The new circle allows students to see what they want to see. It can be transformed. A warrior is too definitive. After all, the famous motto “Be you, Be Hendrix,” must be illustrated.

The student body felt that the warrior mask was too exclusive. Students did not feel like they could connect with the image of the warrior. At a meeting held in late January, one student posed the question, “How can I, an Environmental Studies major, connect with a warrior?” No one could provide an answer. This is when the faculty knew changes had to occur.

A circle is able to shape itself. It can expand. It can be filled or remain empty.

This is all the students of Hendrix desired. Once the circle was suggested, students became overjoyed. Every now and again, the faculty has caught students staring intently at the circles now placed all over campus. A study shows that students have begun to feel more comfortable and open. There has been a new wave of excitement and school spirit. It has enabled members of the community to feel fuller and more whole. The community is able to open its mind and let the creativity flow.

Fake news: pp. 6, 7, 9, 13, 15 (although not entirely false...), 16, 17, 19

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HAGS everyone:)

1600 Washington Ave. Conway, AR 72032 HAGS everyone:)