The Sandspur Volume 125 Issue 18

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Issue 18 • Volume 125 Thursday, Mar. 7, 2019 www.thesandspur.org

Students confront campus accessibility issues

Students meet with faculty, create club, build SGA platforms to address extensive accessibility problems

By Zoe Pearson

zpearson@rollins.edu

A

ccessibility issues are gaining visibility on campus as students and faculty address problems that have plagued the college for generations through meetings and forums.

In the past two weeks, faculty held open meetings on accessibility initiatives; a new club, Disability Alliance, formed to raise awareness of related campus issues; and presidential candidates for the Student Government Association (SGA) campaigned with platforms including accessibility improvements.

The meetings and initiatives come after a Sandspur investigation uncovered the deeply-rooted physical barriers present on the Rollins campus—some of

which do not align with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards—that prevent students with disabilities from fully accessing the college’s buildings and events. A manual survey found that 15 multi-story buildings do not have elevators, and that only eight of the 19 residence halls have one.

The Sandspur investigation was followed by a SGA open forum with faculty and students last week. Whitney Horton, director of Accessibility Services, presented on the new initiatives her office has decided to focus on. These include an online reporting form for accessibility issues, a campus-wide third-party audit, a service-animal training program, and a workshop series on note-taking and organizational strategies.

The presentation empha-

sized Rollins’ plans to improve accessibility moving forward, rather than assessing the current state of accessibility on campus.

Disability Alliance, a new campus organization founded

by Jolie Peterson (‘21HH), Alex Candage (‘20), and Shey Bogumil (‘19), had its introductory meeting on Monday, Feb. 25. Its goal is to raise awareness of the college’s accessibility issues and advocate for tangible solutions.

In addition, on Friday, March 1, students met with administrators to discuss inclusivity as it relates to accessibility.

The meeting included faculty from Accessibility Services, Dean of Students Meghan Harte Weyant, and Leon Hayner, Associate Dean of Students.

Weyant, Horton, and Hayner discussed plans for an upcoming ‣ See ACCESSIBILITY Page 6

Students show wild side in Lip Sync

Annual tradition ignites school spirit with dance performances from sororities, fraternities, and Rollins Dance Company

Curtis Shaffer

A student who uses a cane gazes up a flight of stairs, which is often the only way to get to the top floors of buildings on a campus where 15 multi-story buildings don’t have elevators.

Cybercriminals impersonate college officials, scam staff

Attackers pull information from website, mimic administrators to steal money from students, staff

By Ellie Rushing

C INSIDE Page 5 ‣ More photos from SGA’s Lip Sync 2019.

Curtis Shaffer

Alpha Delta Pi’s performance was inspired by the cheerleader movie “Bring It On.”

erushing@rollins.edu

yber-scammers have started impersonating upper-level staff members of the college with the intent to steal money from students and staff.

While phishing email scams have always been a problem, the attackers have become more strategic. Most recently, Dr. Justin Paul, visiting professor of international business and marketing, received an email from someone impersonating Dr. Timothy Pett, professor and chair of the Department of Business.

The email’s name was Timothy Pett, and its email address was tpett00@my.com. The message asked Paul if he was available and was followed by a detailed signature listing all of Pett’s information, including his

office location, telephone number, and various degree qualifications.

All the information seemed real, so Paul responded his availability and provided his cell phone number. The first text Paul received read, “Hi Justin, I’m in a meeting right now, can’t talk but let me know if you get my text. Thanks, Timothy Pett.”

To Paul, it all seemed believable—it was a U.S. number, and because he did not have Pett’s cell number, he was not able to tell it was incorrect.

Once he responded, the number said it needed his help purchasing $700 worth of iTunes gift cards. It ensured a reimbursement and sent all the appropriate links to complete the purchase, pleading urgency because of the meeting he was in.

“It was not just coming from ‣ See PHISHING Page 6

2 Established in 1894 with the following editorial:

The Sandspur • March 7, 2019

Rollins alum could be India’s next prime minister If Rahul Gandhi (‘94) becomes the country’s leader, US-India relations may strengthen

By Christina Oliviera

EXECUTIVE STAFF Ellie Rushing Editor-in-Chief Christina Fuleihan Managing Editor

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coliviera@rollins.edu

ollins alumnus Rahul Gandhi (‘94), from Delhi, India, is running to be India’s next prime minister, putting pressure on the incumbent who has been seen as “unbeatable.”

Current Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking re-election after a landslide victory in 2014.

He was seen as “unbeatable” heading into this election, but his Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently lost key state-level elections, giving Gandhi a stronger shot at the position, according to CNN. Gandhi’s family has deep roots in Indian politics. His father, Rajiv Gandhi, was prime minister from 1984-1991 until he was assassinated. Rajiv’s death is what prompted Rahul to attend Rollins.

According to The Indian Express, Gandhi left Harvard in 1991 and transferred to Rollins to protect his safety. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Rollins.

He entered politics in 2004 and gi, director of external scholarwas elected as a member of Par- ship and one of the founders of liament that year.

CISA. With the premonition of a Justin Paul, a visiting proRollins alumnus holding a sig- fessor of international business, nificant international position, presented at the event, called Rollins organizations plan to in- “The Emergence of India and crease its connections with India. China in the Global Market.”

The CenPaul emter for India phasized the and South importance of Asia (CISA), a The growing im- using this opRollins organiportunity to zation, recent- portance of India as expand Rollly hosted an influence: an economic force ins’ event that dis“If Rollins can cussed India is of major interest, try to foster and China’s linkages beroles as eco- because India has fore and after nomic super- the second-fastest [the election], I powers. CISA think that will s p e c i a l i z e s growing economy increase the in India and in the world popularity of South Asia-reRollins College lated exchangglobally.” es, teaching, W h e n research and asked if Gandpublic engagement. hi’s education in an American The event was organized by college will have any influence Dr. Yudit Greenberg, professor on his policies, Paul said he beof religious studies and head of lieves it definitely will. “His polCISA, and Jayashree Shivamog- icies and ideas are to have more

international collaborations with countries like the U.S.” he said.

Paul said Gandhi’s education will help foster more collaborations between educational institutions in India and the U.S. “Rahul Gandhi, being an advocate for a market oriented, competitive economy, will further open up the Indian economy if he gets an opportunity to induce healthy competition between companies,” he said.

The growing importance of India as an economic force is of major interest because India has the second-fastest growing economy in the world, with China as the first. This partnership between India and the U.S. is more likely to occur than a partnership between the U.S. and China, with which the U.S has struggled to maintain amicable relations.

Shivamoggi said that CISA plans to continue to link Rollins to India as well as the Indian-American community on campus. Other South Asian organizations on campus include Desi, a student association that celebrates South Asian cultures.

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The Sandspur • March 7, 2019 3 Stuck on campus?

Search underway for director of Here’s how to spend gender studies program spring break in Orlando Current director’s term ends, leaving leadership for Lucy Cross in limbo

Check out Florida’s Strawberry Festival, or catch some beads at Universal’s Mardi Gras parade

By Caroline Klouse

I

cklouse@rollins.edu

f you are not going home or hopping on a last-minute flight to an Instagram-worthy island this spring break, do not worry; Central Florida offers plenty of exciting Spring Break options. After all, you are in Florida, one of the country’s top spring break destinations.

Florida Strawberry Festival Did midterms leave a sour taste in your mouth? Do you yearn for something sweet? If so, the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Fla. features more than 80 fair rides, games, and attractions, as well as bands playing original music and cover versions of anything from Willie Nelson to Kool and the Gang. Admission ranges from $4 to $20; the festival is happening now until March 10.

Visit flstrawberryfestival. com for more information.

Universal’s Mardi Gras parade Do you love theme parks, music, and the excitement of New Orleans? Then head down to Universal Studios for its Mardi Gras parade. Along with great food and the nightly parade, there is a concert series featuring famous headliners. You missed Macklemore and Gavin Degraw, but this coming weekend you can catch Becky G and Sean Paul.

The fun at Universal does not stop when Spring Break ends; you can see rapper NF on March 23, Pitbull March on 24, and Bazzi on March 30.

Bike Week If you have a motorcycle, scooter, bicycle, or just a car, then head on over to Bike Week, one of the largest motorcycle assemblies in the world. Taking

place in both Orlando and Daytona Beach, it runs from March 8 to 17. See www.orlandoharley.com/bikeweek and www. officialbikeweek.com for info on daily concerts and events.

Lakeland’s Spring Obsession Saturday, March 9 sees the Lakeland Rotary Club’s 17th Annual Spring Obsession, which, according to its website, celebrates garden, art, and music.

Enjoy various flowers, plants, and artwork, while listening to live jazz music from the local band, Free Time. The event is free, too! Check out www.springobsession.org for details.

Winter Park’s Sidewalk Art Fest If you happen to return from Spring Break early, the 60th Annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival begins on March 15. The festival abounds in all sorts of art, all of which is for sale. Admission is free, so go enjoy a new twist on walking down Park Ave. More information can be found at www.wpsaf.org.

Legoland Water Park Do not forget to get in touch with your inner child during Spring Break! Head down to the new Legoland Water Park, which opens on March 9. The fun ranges from its Build-a-Raft River to the Splash Out and Twin Chasers slides. You can purchase tickets and passes at www.legoland.com. A discount is given for Florida residents.

Be sure to make your Spring Break worthwhile and enjoy the various wonders and attractions that Central Florida has to offer.

By Heather Borochaner

hborochaner@rollins.edu

T

he College is searching for a new director of the Sexuality, Women, and Gender Studies (SWAG) program, adding additional uncertainty to the leadership of the Lucy Cross Center.

Dr. Margaret McLaren, professor of philosophy and chair of the philosophy and religion department, has served in the position for the last three years, which is the maximum time that a faculty member can lead the program in one sitting. With her sabbatical approaching next year, McLaren looks forward to transitioning the role to another faculty member.

In a change of plans, the future SWAG director is not required to lead the Lucy Cross Center, according to Dr. Jennifer Cavenaugh, dean of faculty.

Cavenaugh said that McLaren was asked to do this but declined because of the lack of course release.

The Lucy Cross Center, which promotes gender inclusivity through events and discussions, lost its faculty director position at the beginning of the fall after the course release compensation was removed at the descretion of President Grant Cornwell, Provost Susan Singer, and Vice President of Student Affairs Mamta Accapadi.

The administrators did not believe a course release was necessary; however, the compensation loss has made it difficult for the Center to fill the position.

The course release removal

occurred after numerous cuts, which started in the summer of 2017, were made to the Center’s staff. At this time, the Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement and the work study students at the Lucy Cross Center lead and direct it. McLaren said

Dr. Margaret McLaren

this leadership change in SWAG has no correlation with the newly-issued responsibilities to the role.

McLaren is not surprised by the support students from SWAG and other gender programs have recently shown for the Lucy Cross Center. “It’s always had students that are very passionate about gender equity and advocacy,” she said.

“Rollins has a lot going on right now. With the new Title IX director and the new space for Lucy Cross coming in 2020, this could be an exciting time for Rollins and a good time to devote more resources and staffing to gender equity issues,” said McLaren.

SWAG is currently a 28 student program with 30 members of the Rollins faculty teaching

courses that count toward the minor. McLaren knows that whoever takes the position of director after her will have a positive experience. “The SWAG students are active and engaged in the campus; it’s a great opportunity since you work closely with those students. They’re a really interesting and committed bunch,” she said.

SWAG is a minor, so the students who take part in it all have different majors that they incorporate into gender studies.

To McLaren, this is just another strength that the director can work with. “That makes the minor even more interdisciplinary because they each bring in a disciplinary perspective to SWAG classes,” she said.

The SWAG director position will include course scheduling and assessment, serving as a faculty advisor to all students within the SWAG minor, and implementing and sponsoring campus-wide programming while advising the Voices for Women club. Applicants for the position must be tenured faculty who teach SWAG courses and have experience in field research for women and gender studies.

McLaren has held this threeyear term as SWAG Director multiple times during her career.

She enjoys allowing other faculty members to have the experience.

“I usually only do it for three years in a row. Chair positions rotate. This is a good year to seek a new SWAG director because I have a sabbatical coming up, and next year I will be around to answer questions before my sabbatical.”

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The Sandspur • March 7, 2019

Tiny house, big lessons

Students build 93-square-foot tiny house to address sustainable living, homelessness

Courtesy of Joshua Almond

Elizabeth Shugart, left, Luke Wait, middle,and Anna Van Zyverden worked on Saturday to complete the frame of the tiny house. The house is built on a trailer for easy off-campus transport once finished.

By Gavin Cogan and Olivia Llanio

A

gcogan@rollins.edu ollanio@rollins.edu

s the Rollins campus expands, one course is teaching students how to downsize.

To learn more about minimalist living, students in “Applied Design Solutions: Tiny Art Houses” are building a tiny house near the shore of Lake Virginia. The structure is aptly named, with the house being about 8 feet by 12 feet, which is roughly the size of a study room in the Olin Library.

The 300-level rFLA course is taught by Joshua Almond, associate professor of art, as a part of a sustainability collaboration with other faculty members. He chose tiny houses as a way to show how sustainability can be

applied in real life.

The house is kept behind the Cornell Fine Arts Museum during basic construction. Sitting atop a trailer, covered in a blue tarp, it looks about as appealing as the Mills construction project.

Once complete, however, it will be a quaint wooden box with a slanted roof and opening windows.

The project began when Almond worked with Dr. Bruce Stephenson, professor of environmental studies, and received a grant to promote sustainability both on campus and in the Central Florida region. The grant required those working on the project to incorporate sustainability in their various disciplines.

Almond’s class is doing so through partially building the house from reclaimed materials.

They also have plans to fit the

house with rainwater-plumbing, a compostable toilet, an attached herb garden, and the potential for solar panels.

The class’ structure centers around the specifics of designing and building tiny homes.

Students have smaller projects throughout the semester to gradually prepare them for the hands-on experience of building the house.

“We all have a very small part in the larger picture of making it all happen,” said Mitchell Laughlin (‘20), a student in the class. Laughlin said that the project has definitely made him more interested in tiny houses, but he doubts that he could live in one full-time.

The house costs around $8,000 to build, and will be 93 square feet when finished. The house is prepped with hurricane-proof exterior siding, a

sheet metal roof, and a secure frame that will prevent the house from blowing away. The frame is built on a trailer, allowing for easy mobility.

Students in the course are expected to attend assigned build days to aid in the project, as well as their smaller in-class projects.

Before building commenced, students sketched their ideal tiny homes and weighed the pros and cons of each design. The class then narrowed down the best ideas for the home. According to Laughlin, some student suggestions will be incorporated into the final design of the house.

A simple solution to a serious space and monetary problem, tiny houses are more than a millennial fad. They also make people consider what things add value to their lives, and encourage people to declutter and live

more sustainably.

Tiny homes are used for effective space living, as well as being an affordable alternative to traditional housing.

Cities such as Seattle and New Orleans have started implementing tiny homes to combat homelessness, as opposed to shelters or other short-term solutions. Tiny homes can provide “housing with dignity,” said Almond.

The home will be on display for curious Rollins community members to view pending the completion of the project. This will offer insight into what life is like in such a small space.

Almond has tentative plans to donate the tiny house when the project is complete.

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The Sandspur • March 7, 2019

Lip Sync 2019 ignites student spirit through dance

Competition was stiff, but AOII took home the trophy for a second year with its “Burlesque” show

S

tudents brought flare and fun to Friday’s Lip Sync performance as they performed their best dance moves for the student body. Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) stole the show with a standing ovation after its “Burlesque”-themed performance. AOII won first place overall, followed by Kappa Delta’s “Welcome to the Jungle” performance in second, and Delta Zeta’s “Money Heist” in third.

Chi Omega sorority performed a “Car Wash” themed dance and Non Compis Mentis brought magic to the air with its Harry Potter-inspired production. The Rollins Dance Company dazzled the stage with its combination of moves and songs.

Fraternities did not rank, but showed they could keep up with the sororities through their unique themes: Tau Kappa Epsilon’s “Tomorrowland,” X-Club’s “Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all,”and Chi Psi’s hip-hop performance.

Curtis Shaffer

(Top Left) Alpha Omicron Pi’s Patty Rodriguez helped bring its “Burlesque” show to life.

(Top Right) Sarah Dossey, left, and Abby Young, left, were center points of Chi Omega’s “Car Wash” theme.

(Bottom Left) Kappa Delta’s Bellie Gonzales was a key performer in the sorority’s “Welcome to the Jungle” performance.

(Middle Right) Non Compis Mentis used Harry Potter wands and ties to make their performance magical.

(Bottom Right) The men of Chi Psi fraternity executed a hip-hop dance with a mash-up of popular songs.

6 ‣

ACCESSIBILITY Continued from page 1 campus-wide audit performed by an external architectural firm.

The survey will evaluate—according to ADA laws—campus accessibility elements, including pathways, entrances and exits of buildings, and Braille signage.

The plan for this audit arose after students with disabilities raised concerns about the accessibility problems Rollins faces.

The process is already underway to find a firm to conduct this survey. Firms have submitted proposals, and the College is evaluating them to choose the best firm for the job.

Horton explained that a decision should be reached by the end of April, so that the auditors will have enough time to survey the campus before students and faculty leave for summer break.

‣

PHISHING Continued from page 1 one of my colleagues. It came in the name of my department chair,” said Paul. He tried to purchase all $700 worth of cards at first, but technical difficulties stopped him.

Attackers frequently ask for gift cards because they are easy to re-sell and are more believable than asking for other forms of money, like wire transfers or deposits.

Paul ended up purchasing one $75 card, and once the number continued to text him multiple days after, he realized it was a scam. He reported the issue to Campus Safety and the Winter Park Police Department.

Bill Rodriguez, senior security engineer for the Office of Information and Technology (IT), investigated the incident and found that the number was connected to a program called Bandwidth, a voice-over internet protocol (VoIP) that allows telephone services to operate via computer programs. Scammers can develop unique phone numbers through VoIP programs to protect their identity while appearing convincing through a U.S. area code.

In Paul’s case, the area code showed to be from Denver; however, the IP address of the attacker traced back to Japan.

Phishing schemes have become increasingly common within colleges, where people’s information is publicly displayed online. While it is important from a marketing standpoint

The Sandspur • March 7, 2019 Ideally, the report will be completed by the beginning of June.

“It will give us an idea of low-hanging fruit—things that can be improved on a quicker basis as well as things that can be improved in the future,” Horton said.

Dean Weyant expressed optimism toward the initiative.

“What I’m hoping this audit will help us do is getting a full and complete picture from someone who is bringing fresh eyes to campus,” she said. “I think it’s a really great solution. It moves us from a reactionary place to fully understanding the scope of our concerns and putting together a plan for how we want to respond to those concerns.”

Weyant also said that Ed Kania, vice president of the Finance Department, fully supports the idea of bringing in a third party and allocating funds toward

for colleges to put the faces of professors and administrators on websites, it also gives a lot of information to potential scammers looking to impersonate people or retrieve emails.

In the month of February alone, there were 28,426 phishing emails detected by Microsoft through known malicious websites, reputation, or machine learning techniques, according to Rodriguez. He said that there were 403 incidents reported by students, faculty, and staff to IT’s phishing email address, phishing@rollins.edu. Additionally, there were 989 malware threats detected in emails and blocked

by Microsoft.

“We have a lot more public information than most businesses would because we are a college,” said Rodriguez. “That gives the attacker more resources they can use to fool people into things like this.”

Scammers build scripts, which is a list of commands executed by a computer program, to scan a company or college’s website and categorize people’s information. Once it figures out the email style a company or college uses, it will run through all popular names. For example, Rollins uses first initial, last name for its emails, so the script may build a list of emails with all first initials and the last name “Smith.”

Then, it sends out mass emails to see who takes the bait.

Once one person falls into the trap and scammers get their information, they can access even more emails.

“It’s really simple,” said

making their accessibility report a reality. She said “it is important to provide context that senior leadership is committed to this initiative.”

Hayner agreed that an external, neutral party will be beneficial to Rollins’ perspective: “Sometimes we get tunnel vision after being on campus so long, so when outside folks come in, someone who has no vested interest, we get more raw information and a new perspective.”

In addition to the campus audit, the meeting also focused on accessibility in the future Lakeside Residential Complex, the installation of push buttons in the Cornell Campus Center, the construction of a new pedestrian walkway to Sutton Apartments, and the inclusion of Braille on more signs around campus.

One of the focuses of Acces-

sibility Services is to eliminate the time lag between complaint and response that currently plagues students with disabilities. For instance, the temporary ramp in front the Cornell Campus Center took months to erect due to bureaucracy issues and lack of urgency, leaving students with physical disabilities without access to a vital part of campus.

Both Horton and Weyant expressed their dedication to eliminating this wait time and creating a forward-thinking process to avoid such a lag in the future.

To aid in this goal, a barrier reporting online form will be added to the Accessibility Services website. Although it is not yet clear when this will be implemented, it will allow students and faculty to efficiently report problems and help the office prioritize concerns.

Until a digital reporting system is created, students can report issues at the Office of Accessibility Services, located on the first floor of Olin Library.

“If there is a student need that does not already have a reasonable accommodation, the college has a moral and legal obligation to make that right,” Hayner said, referring to legal obligations under ADA regulations.

After the first successful student and faculty meeting, the next has already been planned.

It will be held on Friday, March 29 at 2 p.m., when students and faculty will look at the blueprints of the new Lakeside Residential Complex.

Disability Alliance club meetings will happen at least once a month, in addition to events. Contact Bogumil, at sbogumil@rollins.edu, to get involved.

Courtesy of Google Images

In reaction to phishing scams, IT removed the campus directory and direct deposite forms from the Rollins website.

Julie Sparks, IT’s security operations assistant. “It’s not like they’re spending time looking through Rollins specifically and pulling information and making connections.”

In the case of impersonating administrators, these schemes are more deliberate and strategic. The attackers are specifically looking for people with higher positions, like vice presidents or department chairs, because it is more likely for someone to respond to them.

Scammers have tried impersonating payroll specialists and even Rollins President Grant Cornwell, according to Rodriguez.

“We have seen a lot from the President, and we are working

very hard to stop those, especially from him,” he said. He said that there have also been issues with attackers trying to change staffers’ direct deposit information.

As attackers become more strategic, IT has instituted many measures to protect the campus. After Paul’s experience, IT removed the campus directory from the college’s website and it can now only be found through FoxLink. IT also has Microsoft Outlook programs that block certain senders or keywords that phishing scams frequently use in emails.

Additionally, the direct deposit forms are no longer online.

Now, you have to ask payroll for it, and an employee has to

call you and verify your request.

Then, you have to hand deliver the form to human resources; you cannot email it.

“We have taken a lot of steps to make sure direct deposit is safe,” said Rodriguez.

IT has also built more educational initiatives. October was “Phishing Awareness Month,” and a large phishing awareness poster still stands next to the IT Help Desk in Olin Library.

As education increases, phishing reports increase, too, said Rodriguez. He said it is important for people to report instances to IT because it helps them institute new protective measures. If you experience any form of online phishing, you can report it to phishing@rollins.edu.

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The Sandspur • March 7, 2019

Public relations class fundraises nearly $200 for charity Students made birthday cards for mourning families, children with life-threatening illnesses

Students in Dr. David Painter’s “COM 318: Contemporary PR” class hosted a “Birthday Bash for Hope” event to raise money and awareness for New Hope for Kids, a local non-profit that supports children and families mourning death or experiencing life-threatening illness. During Monday’s event, students made 106 birthday cards for the New Hope children. The group raised $180 in two hours, and hopes to raise $500 by the end of the semester.

Courtesy of Rollins Communication Studies Department

Students created the “Birthday Bash for Hope” to raise funds for a local non-profit, New Hope for Kids. Manny Rodriguez (left) participated in the event

8

The Sandspur • March 7, 2019

Equestrian team lands invitation to regionals Having recently increased its member numbers, team looks forward to more competition

Courtesy of Olivia Notman

Victoria Scott, member of the Rollins Equestrian Team, lands a jump.

By Henri Balla

F

hballa@rollins.edu

or most students, spring break marks a long-awaited intermission, but for the Rollins Equestrian Team, it marks a historical moment. For the first time since its reinstatement, five members have been invited to the regional tournament.

Re-created by a group of five women in 2016, the equestrian team has grown to about 15 members. The team practices weekly based on riding level and competes in five shows per semester against schools through the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association.

“We have a good team structure and are a pretty close-knit group,” said Alec Tolle (‘19),

one of the riders competing in regionals. “We all have our different niches in the college atmosphere, so sometimes we don’t see each other as much, but for the most part we get along.”

Rollins’ Equestrian Team has had two shows this term at Savannah College of Art and Design and Florida State University (FSU). Team Captain Jenna Neitzel (‘20) said both competitions went well and that it gave the team an opportunity to learn what it needs to work on.

At FSU, Tolle won his class and came in third at the other.

The rankings are also conditioned on the size of the team, which means Rollins cannot gather as many team points as other schools. Another challenge is that, during shows, the team rides on horses provided by the host school, not their own.

“We don’t know what we’re getting until after the coaches meeting, where they draw the horses,” said Tolle. “We don’t

get to ride them before either. We just get on them and immediately go in the ring to be judged. No warm up.”

Though challenging, Neitzel sees this as a learning opportunity: “Riding unknown horses forces the rider to be versatile and demonstrate their skill to adapt to different horses.” Because the Rollins Team practices with sale horses in Apopka, Fla., they are used to constantly changing horses.

While the team is proud of how much it has grown, there is only so much the members can do on their own because they are not a varsity sport and do not receive funding from the College.

“Some of the challenges we face as a team are getting funding to support our training and competitions, as horseback riding can be a pricey sport,” said Neitzel.

Tolle, on the other hand, called for more recognition: “I think Rollins could do a little more advertising for us, con-

sidering they do little to none.

Granted, we are a club sport and a newer one at that, but if we were able to get that recognition, I think we could get a lot more people to join the team.”

Although a recently re-established sport, equestrian has a long legacy at Rollins. The Annual Rollins Horse Show at Dubsdread stables was a prestigious social event in the 1950s, with special exhibitions including President Hugh McKean competing with students and faculty in an equestrian version of musical chairs.

In the early 2000s, there was an active Equestrian Club, with alumna Chelsea Ziesig (‘06) competing in the 2003 Nations Cup in Bedford, New York.

With the spike in its performance, Rollins Equestrian has good reason to aim high this year.

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