March 2, 2022

THE MEREDITH

We're halfway there!

HERALD

@meredithherald @meredith_herald @meredith_herald meredithherald.com

March 2, 2022

Meredith Campus Police Partners with Private Security Firm

By Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor On Feb. 10, the Meredith College community received an email informing them that Meredith has recently partnered with private security firm Guaranteed Monitoring and Security Services, LLC (GMSS), to provide supplemental campus security in addition to Meredith’s Campus Police.

The Meredith Herald reached out to both Jean Jackson, Vice President for College Programs, and Al White, Chief of Campus Police, for statements regarding this recent addition to campus security. They responded in a joint statement.

According to their statement, the decision to partner with

a private security company was made by members of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), including Chief White, President Jo Allen, Dr. Jackson and Tammi Jackson, Vice President for Business and Finance.

Dr. Jackson and Chief White said, “The pandemic has put enormous pressures on scheduling—changing workforce numbers, dedicating an officer to check Campus Clear at the gatehouse and occasional needs for isolation [and] quarantine all compound the usual challenges of scheduling an operation that is always on duty.”

“Like many other colleges and universities, Meredith

is deploying a hybrid security operation made up of our own employees and specialists contracted to serve as well during this challenging time,” they explained.

“As always, the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff and visitors are at the forefront of all of our decision-making.”

Dr. Jackson stated, “We are very fortunate to have secured, thanks to the research done by Chief White, an agency founded and headed by a graduate of a small college who understands the culture of safety and respect we cultivate here at Meredith.”

The GMSS website states that it has “over 20 years of security experience.” Other clients of GMSS include entertainment companies, nail salons and restaurants.

Dr. Jackson and Chief White said GMSS officers “are currently in a period of orientation and training…to learn the duties and expectations we have of all [at Meredith].” To allow members of the Meredith community to identify campus police from GMSS staff, Meredith security staff will continue to wear black pants with burgundy or gray shirts, while the GMSS staff will wear all black.

Meredith Sets Record on Giving Day 2022, Raising Over $1M

By Shae-Lynn Henderson, Staff Writer Feb. 22 marked Meredith’s 7th annual “Make It Count for Meredith” day, a day of giving dedicated to donating “in honor of a strong woman.” Meredith’s goal was to raise $750,000, but by the end of Feb. 22 they surpassed that goal by more than $400,000, raising a total of over $1.16 million and setting a record for Giving Day donations.

Last year, the college had set a goal to raise $600,000 in 24 hours. By midnight, the 2,698 donors had exceeded the fundraising goal by more than $150,000 dollars. Because of this success,

Meredith set a higher goal for Giving Day 2022.

Erin Cleghorn, Director of the Meredith Fund, attributes a large portion of the day’s success to the alumnae class gift agents and to volunteers. Cleghorn explained that these volunteers and agents “send messages to their classes, set challenges and goals and update their classes throughout the day.” Similarly, the Alumnae Association brings “creativity and energy [that] make[s] a big difference,” according to Cleghorn.

Cleghorn said that to her, that the annual event is a “great

way to pay it forward to the next generation.” She said she also believes Giving Day is important because it “gets [Meredith’s] alumnae excited about giving back to Meredith College.”

“They use it as an opportunity to honor the friendships they’ve made and the teachers who inspired them,” Cleghorn added.

After Giving Day, Cleghorn noted that it is a time to give thanks to all those who contributed during the 24 hours.

Photo by Molly Perry

“We want our donors to know how much we appreciate them and are grateful for their support,” she said.

Russia-Ukraine War’s Possible Impact on College Students

By Olivia Slack, Co-Editor in Chief

On Feb. 24, Russia launched their invasion of Ukraine after a long period of increased militarization on the Ukrainian border. Russian forces arrived on the outskirts of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Friday, Feb. 25, but as of March 1 they have not yet advanced to the city center.

This is the first major war in Europe in decades, and while it is taking place far from U.S. soil, impacts of the Russia-Ukraine War have already been seen in America. The Herald spoke with Dr. Jeffrey Martinson, Associate Professor of Political Science, to discuss how the Russia-Ukraine War may impact Americans, and particularly college students.

“I think the main effects will be fear and discomfort, not just emotionally but also financially,” Dr. Martinson said.

“On the fear side we've seen the ugly reality of an expansionist regime’s goals revealed. The financial discomfort that I believe students will notice…is because the West's main response to the

Russian invasion has been financial and diplomatic. Basically, Russia is being ‘canceled’ as a country at this moment. In so doing, we incur many costs of our own.”

Dr. Martinson explained that because Russia is a “top 20 economy,” the sanctions and other economic punishments nations around the world have imposed on Russia will mean “decreased economic growth and higher prices around the world,” particularly because Russia’s main exports are fossil fuels. Additionally, U.S. support of Ukraine will mean the country spends less on other priorities like student loan forgiveness or climate change.

However, while Dr. Martinson acknowledges the emotional and financial effects that those in the U.S. will feel due to the RussiaUkraine War, he also said he believes that things may not be as dire as some predict.

“I've heard a lot of baseless hyperbole from students [of all ages] about the end being nigh,” he said. “The rhetorical question as to whether such an outcome is pos-

sible doesn't even merit a reply, if only because many things are possible. The more meaningful question is whether such an outcome is probable, to which the answer is absolutely not.”

Dr. Martinson pointed out that even during the Cold War, a period that some have begun comparing the RussiaUkraine War to, most Americans continued to live life as normal.

“Over those five decades numerous invasions, including in Europe, and crises brought the U.S. and Russia—then the Soviet Union—to the brink of war,” he explained. “Yet, despite that, life went on—rock ‘n’ roll was invented, the civil rights movement occurred, men landed on the moon, bell bottoms were in style and Madonna made great songs and bad movies.”

When asked how students can get involved, Dr. Martinson said, “I think the first thing you can do is educate yourself on the situation and its history—with reliable resources! Contact your representatives at the federal,

state and local levels. Ask them to make a statement, or better yet, enact a policy that helps. I think this last advice is especially poignant because it is this very right— to be heard in government—that Ukrainians are fighting and dying to protect.”

Dr. Martinson added that there are many humanitarian organizations that are collecting donations for relief right now.

He suggests sticking to “the big names,” including the Red Cross, Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders.

Finally, Dr. Martinson reminded students that they should not “hate” Russians or Russia.

“Let's remember that Ukrainians and Russians lived together peacefully for decades,” Dr. Martinson concluded. “Ask yourself, how did they come to despise each other so much? What were the conditions, what did their leaders do, what did they themselves do, to generate such animosity? And, how is my society the same or different from theirs?”

Read the full story on our website.

News

Triangle in Consideration to Host the 2027 World University Games

By Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editor in Chief In February it was announced that North Carolina’s Triangle and Triad region is a finalist to host the 2027 World University Games. The eligible area includes Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary and Greensboro. The other finalist is Chungcheong Megacity in the Republic of Korea.

North Carolina’s regional bid is based on the volume of facilities available in the area. Among the included cities are 19 colleges and universities that have usable sporting facilities.

According to Hill Carrow, CEO and Chairman of the North Carolina Bid Committee (NCBC), the Games “are considered the Olympics for college and university athletes” and “are the second larg-

est Olympic multi-sport event on the planet, trailing only the Summer Olympic Games.”

A press release from the NCBC stated that the Games typically include 150 countries, 19 sports and over 250 individual competitions. There are 15 required sports for the World University Games, including “archery, artistic gymnastics, athletics (track & field), badminton, basketball, diving, fencing, judo, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball and water polo.” The NCBC has also proposed the addition of baseball, softball, rugby sevens and soccer.

The Herald spoke to Meredith College’s Athletic Director,

Jackie Myers, about Meredith’s involvement with NCBC and the Games. Director Myers stated that if North Carolina is selected, “our facilities could be used in two ways—as practice facilities for the athletes competing, [or they may] also use some of our dorms to house the athletes.”

Director Myers added that the “Marketing department and our Sports Information Office would [also] be involved in this so that we can receive as much publicity for the college and the event as possible.”

The announcement regarding who has won the bid will take place during a International University Sports Federation meeting on Oct. 9, 2022. If selected, the

Photo by Elinor Shelp-Peck

NCBC proposed that the Games occur between July 13 and July 25, 2027.

March Begins Women’s History Month

By Shae-Lynn Henderson, Staff Writer Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to society, history and culture. It has been celebrated in the U.S. every March since 1987. The theme this year is “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope,” which is in tribute to healthcare and frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the many ways in which women have provided healing and hope across cultures throughout history. The Herald reached out to Dr. Angela Robbins, Associate Professor of History, to find out more about Women’s History Month and meaningful ways to contribute throughout March.

For Dr. Robbins, Women’s History Month is about “placing women's lives and experiences at the center instead of on the periphery.”

“It's about seeing people we have tended to ignore,” Dr. Robbins said. “It's about questioning and disrupting traditional, patriarchal notions about which historical figures are worth remembering and honoring.”

Dr. Robbins chooses to bring some aspect of women’s

history in all of her classes. She said she believes her students find merit in it, and she enjoys teaching it because “students gain a wellrounded view of the history rather than only a slice of it.”

In light of this year’s theme, Dr. Robbins reflected on its relevance to both 2022 and the past.

While the theme has two aspects— healing and hope—these are not mutually exclusive. Dr. Robbins said it is a “fitting reminder of the contributions women have made and continue to make.”

“I think the healing and hope theme reflects how women have been caregivers and healers—as midwives and nurses, as educators and child care workers, as counselors and shamans—and the various ways in which women have advanced peace efforts and community building throughout world history,” Dr. Robbins said.

“The ‘hope’ part acknowledges how women continue to push against traditional boundaries to bring their expertise to bear in positions they have traditionally been excluded from, too—in STEM fields, in politics, as CEOs, earning

advanced degrees, etc.”

When asked about significant moments in women’s history to remember this year, Dr. Robbins pointed to Title IX. 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which is a federal civil rights law passed in 1972 as part of the Education Amendments. Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in any educational program funded by the federal government.

“Women had been excluded from many educational institutions into the mid-20th century, and even after institutions became co-educational, they rarely provided support and funding for women's sports while they fully funded and supported men's sports,” Dr. Robbins explained. “Title IX ended those practices, and was critical to advancing the growth of women's collegiate programs and making scholarships available to female student athletes, as well as fostering professional women athletes.”

Dr. Robbins shared that Meredith College will be celebrating Title IX’s anniversary on March 28 featuring Meredith students and alumni who will dis-

Kappa Omicron Nu Holds Daisy Trade Food Drive

By Haileigh West, Contributing Writer

2

Photo by Elinor Shelp-Peck

From Feb. 24 to March 11, Meredith’s chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu, the National Human Sciences Honor Society, is holding a food drive to benefit the Daisy Trade, the campus food pantry.

The Daisy Trade is located in Jones Chapel and is run by the Office of the Chaplain.

Mary Turner, Kappa Omicron Nu President, stated, “The Daisy Trade offers hygiene products and school supplies as well, but we will focus our efforts on food donations based on the

Chaplain’s description of highest priority need.”

Turner also mentioned that it is important to prioritize students who are struggling during the ongoing pandemic. “We’re collecting food items to stock up the shelves after the holiday rush and prior to spring break, as many students will be on campus that week and may need a little assistance,” Turner explained.

Items needed include rice cups, pasta and sauce, canned meats, mac and cheese cups, con-

cuss how they have been positively impacted by Title IX. Dr. Robbins also added that students who would like to know more about Title IX should watch the Meredith Minute video on the subject from Dr. Kris Macomber, Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology.

Other ways to get involved with Women’s History Month this year include visiting the North Carolina Museum of History, which has a range of exhibits and programs that can be visited in person or online. The “Your Dream” blog also provides 15 ways to get involved, including supporting a women’s nonprofit, joining a women’s volunteer club, supporting women authors and artists and more.

WRITERS WANTED Seeking general writers, sports writers and photographers Contact herald@email.meredith.edu for more information

diments, peanut butter and jelly, non-perishable snacks and canned fruits and vegetables. Drop off locations include Belk Dining Hall, the Cate Center, the library, Jones Chapel, Joyner 113, all parlors in the residence halls and in the Oaks. Questions about the donation drive can be directed to Mary Turner at mdcoppedge@email. meredith.edu.

Arts & Entertainment

Images of a Pandemic at Meredith

By Melissa Taylor, Staff Writer and Photographer

COVID-19 has impacted life around the world, but in these photographs I see answers to questions that I constantly ask friends who are freshmen in college. How do you document the impact of a pandemic? It was a question that I initially fought to answer, yet the answer lies in these photos: emptiness. Most college students have struggled to keep away depression as it creeps in, but maybe what they are fighting is rooted in loneliness. My camera acts as a political communicator showing the result of restrictions on campus. Social distancing leads to physical isolation as well as emotional, leaving us with an empty campus.

Left to right, top to bottom: the student lounge in the Cate Center, nearly empty on a school day; outside a residence hall in the quad; empty stacks in the Carlyle Campbell Library; the deserted quad between Vann and Johnson Hall; the parking lot behind the library, full despite few students being seen out on campus. Photos by Melissa Taylor.

Budget-Friendly Spring Break Activities

Quiz: Which Batman Are You?

By Evelyn Summers, Staff Writer

By Shae-Lynn Henderson, Staff Writer

Looking for cheap, fun activities to do in Raleigh over spring break? The Herald has you covered. Remember to follow the 3 W’s: wash your hands, wear a mask and wait six feet apart.

North Carolina Museum of History Free general admission, 4.1 miles from campus State Farmers Market 4.1 miles from campus

If you are staying at Meredith:

If you are going home: Give yourself a spa day Take up bird watching Sketch what you see outside your window Teach your pet a new trick Find and print free coloring pages

JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University Free general admission, 2.5 miles from campus North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Free general admission, 3.5 miles from campus

Read the full story on our website.

Netflix Specials Cover Crimes of Deception

Graphic by Freya Dahlgren. For a description of which Batman you are, visit our website.

By Rachel Van Horne, Associate Editor Recently, Netflix released two specials: Inventing Anna and Tinder Swindler. With similar subject matter, both of these shows have captivated audiences. I took the time to watch them to give readers of The Meredith Herald an inside perspective.

Inventing Anna Released on Feb. 11, Inventing Anna is a nine-episode series that takes place in 2019 and details the life and trial of Anna Sorokin. Based on a true story, this series starts shortly after Sorokin has been arrested after deceiving banks, friends and hotels out of

thousands of dollars.

Sorokin moved to New York in 2014 under the name Anna Delvey. Masquerading as a wealthy German heiress, Sorokin successfully infiltrated the lives of New York’s elite.

The characters you meet throughout the show are the social and fiscally elite, but they aren't always who they seem to be. As the episodes progress, you learn that the true victims of Sorokin had their own motives and reasons for befriending or trusting her.

It is important to note that this series is a dramatization of the true events and some incidents

and characters have been changed to match the narrative format and keep audiences engaged in the show.

Tinder Swindler Tinder Swindler was released on Feb. 2 and retells the stories of three women involved in different relationships with a man named Simon Leviev. This man claimed to be the heir of the wealthy diamond business owner Lev Leviev. However, Simon is not who he says he is. After wooing each woman on a fantastic and lavish first date, Leviev quickly gets serious. These women start to re-

ceive texts, images and voice messages from Leviev asking them to take out loans and transfer money in their names. Leviev says it is all in order to keep him safe from his “enemies.”

Both Inventing Anna and Tinder Swindler have left lasting impressions on those who have watched them. Fan bases have even gone as far as picking sides. I personally believe that both shows were engaging and interesting despite their serious subject matter. I would highly recommend watching both.

Read the full story on our website.

3

Opinion Is Private Security Really Necessary?

By Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editor, and Melissa Taylor, Staff Writer Meredith College announced their partnership with Guaranteed Monitoring and Security Services, LLC, a private security firm, on Feb. 10. The college stated the partnership went into effect after Feb. 14. Not only was this email a surprise, but students were given four days to understand and prepare for a new security team in addition to Campus Police.

It’s hard to believe that new private security was not hired for the wellbeing of students. They were simply hired to increase control over students and make security life easier. Students' perspectives were not considered before this decision was made, yet they have to feel the impact. The hiring of private security attempts to justify the addition of more rules and control than what’s necessary.

Current guest regulations at Meredith aren’t fairly enforced by campus security. According to the Meredith website, guest hours for male visitors pre-pandemic ran throughout the week during selected hours. The website also states that males could stay in resi-

dence halls’ 1st floor parlors during open campus hours, and go into residence dorms during selected hours. Post pandemic, non-Meredith students are currently not allowed in the residence halls or Oaks Apartments at all. This rule is strictly enforced by the Meredith Campus Police (MCP) by taking non-student IDs after 11 p.m. and potential further disciplinary action if guests do not leave by a certain time which is not stated on the Meredith website. Non-student female guests are also not allowed on campus, per visitor policy, but there is no investigation into if a feminine-presenting person coming onto campus is a student or not. These practices don't show equity, it shows profiling.

MCP has been seen parking themselves in dim areas of student parking lots, seemingly to remain unnoticed. Security practices are in place to keep me safe, but how can they keep students safe when monitoring their every move makes many, including us, uncomfortable? MCP’s current practices need to be reevaluated before training more security to do

the same things.

The addition of new private security guards does not address the issues of safety that students currently experience.

Students have expressed concerns about the lack of consistent enforcement, needing more gender and racial diversity on staff and feeling uncomfortable around some MCP officers and their interactions with students.

Students will have to deal with the consequences of the new private security company, both positive and negative. Previous experiences with racial discrimination from campus police could make students uncomfortable with the new company. Additional negative interactions between campus security and students can still occur. Even if the situations are addressed, students are still left with a potentially traumatizing or disruptive experience. The decision being made without consulting students or providing them with information about the company makes it difficult to know exactly what we should expect from the new security officers

before having any interactions.

Even though students don’t have a say in everything that happens at Meredith, it is important to remember the context that was given to us when we came here.

MCP was the only security we knew of when coming to campus.

Any changes to campus life that have the potential to drastically change our experiences should be more openly discussed before they’re implemented. Students didn’t consent to this new kind of security, nor were our concerns the focal point of the decision.

It is hard to understand where the consideration for student safety comes from. Inconsistent enforcement of rules and mistreatment of Black and brown students have continued to occur.

MCP has rarely asked the Meredith community for our opinion on their current approaches to campus safety. These problems should have been considered before the hire, and students should have been consulted prior to the decision was made.

Gender is not binary.

People’s sex or gender cannot be classified as male or female based on any biological, psychological or social assessment. There is significant pressure in Western culture to binarize and keep individuals in fixed categories of “men” and “women” with restricted conventions about what qualifies inclusion into each group. This has adverse effects on almost everyone concerned.

For me, the political—and feminist—side of being almost non-binary, with my gender identity being complicated and not fully figured out yet, points out that gender isn't binary—that men and women aren't the only categories into which individuals may fit.

Masculinity and femininity are impossible to define. They mean different things to different people. It is crucial to me to fight for a future in which no one has to go through a painful and bruising gender conflict at any age. Feminism particularly helped me reach the point of seeing and thinking about my own gender in this way, and that is what I love most about it.

I believe it is politically vital to broaden what is possible within gender, sex and feminism. We as a society need to question the weight put on these specific labels and to highlight their arbitrariness. To me, that is what feminism is all about.

What Feminism Means to Me as Someone Who Doesn’t Fully Identify as Female

By Evelyn Summers, Staff Writer As someone who doesn’t fully identify as female, I have always had a different experience with feminism and the gender binary than most people. In honor of Women’s History Month, I wanted to share what feminism means to me, as well as the problems feminism is now facing with the gender binary.

In my experience, feminists are seen as angry, annoying, boobloving man haters. Men seem to believe feminism is all about women hating men, which stems from media distortion, not from the movement's real aim of equality for the sexes.

To me, feminism contests the assumption that men and women are separated by substan-

tial categories of difference. This perceived difference is used to justify women being viewed as inferior to males and hence treated less favorably (being paid less, being more subject to sexual violence, being valued differently, etc.) on account of their gender.

There are two components to the underlying societal assumptions that feminism actively confronts: the problem with treating one group of people as inferior and the problem with splitting individuals into two groups in the first place. Pointing out and attempting to alter gender discrimination and pointing out and attempting to change the premise that gender is binary are all part of the same struggle.

Team USA’s Historic Impact at the Olympic Games

By Hannah Taib, Staff Writer Starting on Feb. 6, 2022, the quadrennial Winter Olympics were hosted in Beijing, China.

The long-awaited sporting event brought people together from around the world to witness the greatest athletes compete in their respective winter sports. Despite

the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Team USA’s athletes made historic impacts in the world of sports that deserve recognition.

Nathan Chen, Figure Skating Nathan Chen was one of the headlining athletes for Team

USA at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The young and inspiring 22-year-old Asian American figure skater made history when he won his first gold medal in the men’s figure skating event and set a new international figure skating world record in the men’s short program

STAFF

on Feb. 8. Many first-generation children, like me and Nathan Chen, have more opportunities available to us than our parents, who had to fight tooth and nail to find a job and support their families every day.

Read the full story on our website.

Olivia Slack and Elinor Shelp-Peck, Co-Editors in Chief. Rachel Van Horne and Aminah Jenkins, Associate Editors.

Ally Cefalu, A&E Editor. Molly Perry, Features Editor. Freya Dahlgren, Opinion Editor.

Staff Writers: Maggie Barnhill, Shae-Lynn Henderson, Anna Prince, Mia Russell, Evelyn Summers, Hannah Taib, Melissa Taylor.

Contributing Writers: Emma Johnson, Lauryn Turner, Haileigh West.

Podcasting Director: Sofia Gomez. Copy Editor: Cady Stanley. Staff Photographer: Elisabeth Sinicrope.