The Sandspur Volume 125 Issue 21 by The Sandspur

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Issue 21 • Volume 125 Thursday, Apr. 4, 2019 www.thesandspur.org

‘KKK’ found carved on bathroom stall

Racist carving marks sixth instance of biased vandalism reported in the last two years By Zoe Pearson, Heather Borochaner, and Olivia Llanio zpearson@rollins.edu hborochaner@rollins.edu ollanio@rollins.edu

student recently discovered the letters “KKK” carved into a Rollins bathroom stall, adding to the increasing number of discriminatory acts that have defaced campus property in the past three years. The racist carving marks the third act of biased vandalism reported this spring and the sixth act in the past two years. Since 2016, there has been a steady increase in hate crimes on campus. Spring and fall of 2016 saw only two hate crimes reported, and then spring 2017 saw three in just five weeks. A similar wave has struck campus again, as two hate crimes and one act of racist vandalism have been re-

ported this semester. The most recent “KKK” carving was discovered by a student on Tuesday, March 19 on a men’s bathroom stall in the Cornell Social Sciences Building, which houses offices and classrooms used by the departments of Communication, Education, Economics, and Critical Media and Cultural Studies. The student returned to class and reported it to his professor, Matthew Nichter, who then took a photo of the stall and reported it to Campus Safety. Nichter assumed a campus-wide email would be sent out, as is what happens when instances of similar nature occur. While the symbol represents an organization that historically targets minority groups, specifically black and Jewish people, Campus Safety deemed that the act was not a hate crime because in this specific instance, the letters were not targeting a specific individual or group.

Ken Miller, assistant vice president of Public Safety, evaluated the incident with several others and a consultant who he chose not to name, and they collectively decided it was an act of vandalism, which does not require a Timely Notification email to be sent to the College. Miller said that when he evaluates hate crimes, he has to determine the perpetrator’s intention. “In this particular case, it wasn’t directed at any one particular person so we couldn’t determine that [intent],” said Miller. “As such, it was labeled as a vandalism case, not as a hate crime.” According to the Clery Act, which mandates the disclosure

* The report filed based on race in 2018-19 was an act of biased vandalism, not a hate crime.

of crime statistics and security information on college campuses, a hate crime is “a criminal offense that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias against the victim.” Reportable categories of bias are limited to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and

disability. Miller said that everyone involved in making the decision has attended trainings and national conferences on how to evaluate hate crimes. Miller would not disclose the people involved. He said that some staff are retired law ‣ See VANDALISM Page 7

Women’s lacrosse enters conference play Holt School names new undefeated, ranked No. 2 nationally Dean after 2-year search Team’s skilled players, strong camaraderie make it ready to win a national title By Henri Balla

hballa@rollins.edu

he women’s lacrosse team continues to steamroll opponents, going into conference play with a perfect 10-0 record, the second-best season start in the history of the program. The No. 2 nationally-ranked Tars most recently demolished Palm Beach Atlantic University by a score of 22-2, scoring four goals in the first four minutes and with a 15-0 lead by half time. The undefeated run comes close to the team’s season in 2012, when the Tars went 15-0 and reached the NCAA semifinals. “Being from one of the toughest conferences in the country, every game is always a big one, and the team is very aware of that. We were all excited to start conference play, but we knew we had to come

Robert Sanders of Appalachian State aims to boost night school’s reputation By Caroline Klouse

A Courtesy of Mike Watters Photography

Lindsay Van Beck (‘19) is nine forced turnovers away from becoming the program’s all-time leader in career-caused turnovers.

out and make a statement,” said Kallie German (‘19), one of the captains of the team. Every year, the team posts one of the best records in the country. For Head Coach Dennis

Short, this comes as no surprise, given the intensity of the preparations. Nonetheless, he does acknowledge this year’s accomplishments as a source of pride. ‣ See LACROSSE Page 6

cklouse@rollins.edu

fter an almost twoyear search, Robert Sanders has officially been named dean of the Hamilton Holt School. Sanders will start the position on June 1. In this new position, Sanders’ main goal is to build upon the reputation of the Hamilton Holt School and ensure that each adult learner receives equal services that the school has to offer. His mission is to engage in conversation by listening and talking to Rollins’ students, faculty, and staff. Sanders wants to motivate students both in and out of the classroom by encouraging them to partake in social events or opportunities on campus. “I want

to work on embedding the foundational areas of Rollins, like service learning and community engagement,” said Sanders. Regarding increasing the Hamilton Holt retention rate, Sanders said he wants to understand what challenges the Holt students face, as well as relate them to his previous occupation as the associate dean of graduate studies at Appalachian State University (ASU). “I am knowledgeable about some of those [challenges], like family and work responsibilities, but I hope to expand upon it,” said Sanders. He also wants to ensure that Rollins promotes the courses that align with each Holt student’s major, which will help them succeed and encourage them to continue another year at Rollins. Sanders lit up with ‣ See HOLT Page 6

2 Established in 1894 with the following editorial:

The Sandspur • April 4, 2019

Student Government initiatives prove fairly successful Executive members fulfilled campaign promises with varying degrees of success By Hannah Butcher

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

CONTENT STAFF Alex Candage Head Copy Editor Siobhan Nolet David Smith Hannah Butcher Copy Editors Maura Leaden Assigning Editor Alyssa Malto Headlines Kira Bernhard Photo Editor

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WEB STAFF Kalli Joslin Neny Lairet Katie McCree

Digital Content Editors

BUSINESS & FACULTY Greg Golden

Director of Student Media

Dr. Leslie Poole Faculty Advisor Luis Diego Student Media Graduate Assistant

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Contact: studentmedia@rollins.edu

hbutcher@rollins.edu

o varying degrees, Student Government Association (SGA) President Nagina Chaudhry (‘19) and Vice President Greg Taicher (‘19) have fulfilled their campaign promises, which included providing bathrooms with free sanitary products, bringing a smoothie bar to the gym, and creating a Student Life app. While the sanitary product implementation has been successful thus far, and the app is set to be released this semester, the smoothie bar seemed to fall flat. Below are updates on each initiative. Sanitary Products In partnership with the Lucy Cross Center’s work-study students, SGA’s free sanitary product initiative has been widely used and successful, according to Chaudhry. Free sanitary products were placed in select women’s and gender-neutral bathrooms across campus, and the trial run began in February and continued through March. “I am happy to say students love the initiative, and we see a 100 percent usage by the end of the week, which is why restocking at the right time—every Monday—is important to ensure students are provided with the products and are able to use them whenever,” Chaudhry said. High student demand comes with its obstacles, however. In some locations, SGA noticed that products run out faster compared to others, specifically on the second floor of the Olin Library. To avoid running out before the supplies are replenished, Chaudhry asked students to “make sure they only take what they need, and only in the case of an emergency.” “We think it has allowed Rollins to be a more distinct college when compared to other high level institutions, proving that we care about our students in a way that makes them feel included and safe,” she said. Pop-up Smoothie Bar SGA’s pop-up smoothie bar in the Alfond Gym proved unsuccessful, with the overall material and labor costs adding to more than what the bar was earning. The smoothie bar will not be permanently moving to

the gym any time soon. The pop-up smoothie bar opened three times this semester, in an effort to provide student athletes and students living and attending classes on that side of campus an easier location to grab a healthy snack. According to Chaudhry, the booth was able to sell around 50 smoothies during the first and third pop-ups. The second and last pop-ups sold between 30 and 40. SGA originally thought these numbers would be sufficient, but not enough sales were generated. Now, the pop-up team, which included representatives from Sodexo, discussed the possibility of continuing the initiative in different locations on campus and with different items. Chaudhry added that “the timings of these smoothie bars really mattered.” The most smoothies were sold between 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. “I would say that [the popup] was successful in that we were able to mobilize the resources to accomplish something that students desired,” Taicher said. “While the traffic was not sufficient, Sodexo was very im-

pressed with how we were able to work together to accomplish the pop up idea.” Taicher, an athlete himself, said that there was a very positive athletic response; athletes found it very useful and convenient to fuel up after workouts or before classes. Continuing this initiative in the fall depends on funding decisions by Weiner and Brown, as well as student demand. Student Life App The final initiative that the president and vice president will reveal is a new phone application for all students. A new student life app is in the design process and will be available by the end of the semester. The goal is to give students smoother accessibility to Rollins’ resources. “Imagine a quick-links version of the Rollins website. All relevant information will be easily accessible, including sports schedules and dining times,” Chaudhry said. Students who hold positions in SGA and some who do not are working on the app. They are computer science majors, including Jaime Becker (‘19), SGA internal relations chair; Carla

Daza (‘20), SGA diversity chair; Blake Swanson (‘20); and Matthew Travers (‘19). The team is currently fine-tuning the app’s design and making sure that it is user-friendly. Chaudhry said that the app itself does not need to be funded since it will be designed by computer science majors who are using this as their senior capstone project, which only spans from January to May. “We started from nothing,” said Becker. “None of us had done mobile app development before, but we were able to work as a team with Nagina and Greg to create an app that is hopefully useful to students.” Becker also commented that she thinks that the links to the Rollins calendars will benefit students most because it will include general events as well as all sports games. She hopes this will lead to more participation at school events, since communication of these dates will no longer rely on emails. The app will be available on both the Apple and Google Play stores by the end of this semester.

The Sandspur • April 4, 2019

Parking cash-out is more sustainable than new garage Incentivizing staff to stop driving to work benefits environment, health By Bruce Stephenson

bstephenson@rollins.edu

OPINION

n urban planning circles, Donald Shoup’s “The High Cost of Free Parking” is required reading. Shoup contends parking is an equity issue, given that employers offer parking to drivers but little to everyone else. One-third of Americans do not drive, and a disproportionately high number of these people are low-income and/or persons of color. Rollins College regularly makes equity adjustments to faculty salaries, but expending $11 million for a parking garage with 750 spaces ($14,000 per parking spot is the industry standard with minimal aesthetics) is the mark of a privileged institution. Subsidizing the automobile also adds to traffic congestion, air pollution, and an asphalt blight that’s specter is Ultimate I-4. In the United States, the ruinous overabundance of parking— two billion spots for a scant 200 million cars—has profound economic, geographic, and environmental consequences, which Shoup has documented. What could the college do different? It could follow Shoup’s advice. A UCLA professor, he convinced university administrators to pay employees $5,000 to relinquish their parking privilege. In return, employees drove 20 percent less and CO2 emissions from commuting fell by 807 pounds per employee per year. In 2014, a parking cash-out proposal was presented to the Rollins Provost (no reply yet). It was part of a report, “Sustainable Enterprise: Activating SunRail in Winter Park Florida,” funded by a $25,000 EPA Sustainability Grant and prepared by Rollins students: Parking cash-outs promote walking and biking, and reduce the need for parking spaces. Employees can earn a tax savings through Commuter Tax Benefits. The college should also subsidize employees’ commute modes by creating incentives for carpool, transit, bike, or walk with money foregone from parking construction and maintenance.

Employees that commute via “active transportation,” bicycling, walking, and transit (which begins and ends with a walk), also step into good health. In our automobile-centered society, 30 percent of Americans are sedentary—walking 1,000 steps a day—and active transportation is the antidote. Walking 10,000 steps a day drops the mortality risk for sedentary people by 46 percent. I do not own a car, and commuting to campus is not only a conduit to good health, it allows me to reap the profits of what Henry David Thoreau called, “pure living.” Thoreau measured cost as the time taken away from a daily walk devoted to exercising

SunRail offers way eco-friendly way around parking crunch

Students, staff take rail system to avoid lack of parking, dangerous highways

Courtesy of Mike Watters Photography

expending $11 million for a parking garage with 750 spaces... is the mark of a priveleged institution.

the body and mind. Walking is a worthless time sink when accounting for profit, but it was priceless for Thoreau. Calculating the cost of owning a carriage and a team of horses, he found it was faster and more productive to go by foot. Walking allowed him to free his mind from commercial calculations and idle chatter, and absorb nature’s exhibition. In a society where screen time addiction is a curse, Thoreau’s calculus is invaluable. “Walking magnifies receptiveness,” philosopher Frederic Gros writes, “I’m always receiving pure presence by the ton. All of that most obviously count for something. In the end, walking has been the most beneficial for being less profitable.” In the future, perhaps this profit motive will inform college investments. Dr. Bruce Stephenson is a professor of Environmental Studies.

By Caroline Klouse

Felicia Morel (‘19) enjoys taking the SunRail to and from campus because of its affordability.

cklouse@rollins.edu

n an effort to avoid the lack of parking spaces on campus and the never-ending traffic of I-4, some Rollins students, faculty, and staff ride the SunRail to and from campus. Due to the frustration of parking at Rollins, commuters have found that the SunRail helps to reduce stress and even offers a chance to network and meet new people. Alesha Martin (HH ‘19), a frequent rider, appreciates taking the SunRail instead of driving 45 minutes from her home in Deltona. “With all the traffic and construction that happens on I-4, taking the SunRail is a much more effective way to travel,” said Martin. For Felicia Morel (‘19), it is a matter of affordability. Morel lives in Kissimmee, and as a financially independent student, she said riding the SunRail is much cheaper than buying a car. “The train is really a life saver,” she said. The SunRail has provided a commuter rail service for both residents and travelers in the greater Central Florida area since 2014. The service covers 61.5 miles and it includes 16 train stations. In 2018, the SunRail had an average of 3,400 riders per weekday. One station is located in Rollins’ own backyard on 148 W Morse Blvd. The train releas-

es passengers into Central Park alongside Park Avenue. The ride allows commuters to spend more time relaxing or working on assignments at the tables inside the train, rather than dealing with the stress-evoking problem of where one will find parking on campus. Dr. Jana Mathews, associate professor of English, also prefers taking the SunRail instead of driving. For her, driving on the expansion project of I-4 is nothing short of a near death experience. To the surprise of SunRail commuters, many connections and a sense of community has been made on the rails. Who needs to go to job fairs, when a SunRail ticket costs $2 for a oneway ride and who knows who you will meet on the way? Mathews has even said that riding the SunRail has been a life-changing experience. “I ride to work with the same group of doctors, lawyers, police officers, and business people every day.” Mathews has found internships and jobs for students through professional connections and even made really great friends. “When I didn’t [ride] for a week because of Spring Break, my police officer buddy joked that he was about ready to issue a missing person’s report,” said Mathews. Karla Knight, academic administration coordinator, is glad to substitute the ride of the Sun-

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.

Rail with a previous one to two hour drive to and from work. “I was wasting time, wasting gas, causing wear and tear on my car, and would arrive at work frustrated from traffic back-ups only to become more frustrated trying to find parking on campus,” said Knight. By taking the SunRail, Knight said she is saving money, getting more exercise, reducing stress, and meeting so many great people on the train. “For me, riding [the] SunRail is a no-brainer and a win-win option,” she said. Dr. Susan Walsh, associate professor of biology, echoed the positive outlook about taking the SunRail. “Even though I only live one stop away, having a relaxing walk on either end and a stress-free commute is absolutely worth it,” said Walsh. However, the main problem for commuters is the cost of the train ride. Although the Sunrail is cheaper than driving, commuters, such as Martin and Walsh, have raised the idea of student or employee discounts. “Given the parking situation on campus, it would be nice if there were employee discounts for those who use this transportation,” said Walsh. Therefore, there is an inquiry for the SunRail to be supported as a better alternative to the parking crisis on campus by offering student and employee discounts.

The Sandspur • April 4, 2019

Past valedictorians discuss life after Rollins

After achieving academic success, these former Tars feel they can handle whatever comes next

By Zoe Pearson

zpearson@rollins.edu

ew students hold the honorary title of valedictorian, and those who do are expected to be the best and brightest their cohort has to offer. To find out about recent past valedictorians’ experiences at Rollins, The Sandspur tracked down some valedictorians from the past decade. Through Facebook, LinkedIn, and employer websites, they shared with us their experiences of navigating life after college and working to accomplish their goals. A handful of them believe that the title has helped them after college. Others believe it was more about their work ethic and the opportunities provided at Rollins that have helped them more than any title. Some valedictorians went into law: Christian Bromley (‘12) went on to become a lawyer based in Atlanta, Ga. After graduating from Rollins in three years with an Art History major and a minor in Studio Art, he went to law school at Emory University. After graduating from Emory in 2015, he began working as an Associate in the Commercial Disputes and International Arbitration practice groups with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, a global law firm with 1,400 attorneys across 32 offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He also completes pro-bono work on the side. For Bromley, being valedictorian was helpful when searching for jobs in 2013 when jobs for law students were few and far between. He also appreciates his liberal arts experience. “I was able to take diverse courses—art history, philosophy, sociology, etc.—with passionate professors where the learning became experiential and not just a lecture,” he said. As a student, Bromley co-created a field study in Rome to immerse students in the city’s art, history, and culture. The model has since been used to create a similar immersion in Paris. In the next 10 years, Bromley hopes to continue balancing his legal practice and personal life. “The past few years have brought many milestones—

graduations, getting married, passing multiple Bar exams, buying houses, becoming certified as an open-water diver, completing the Los Angeles Marathon, and traveling to 25+ countries over 5 continents. I can only hope for just as many on the horizon,” he said.

Michael van den Berg (‘12) is an attorney, and he graduated from Rollins with honors with a double major in English and Economics. After Rollins, he attended Penn Law, where he graduated in 2015 as valedictorian for a second time. He now works as a corporate attorney in New York City at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, & Katz. He believes that his valedictorian status helped him, along with his liberal arts degree, which he sees as extremely valuable. “In the world of NY big law, I have to compete against people with relatively more prestigious academic backgrounds (e.g., Harvard, Yale), so being able to say I was the ‘best’ student in my undergrad and law school class is a major plus on my side of the ledger,” he said. Chelsea Penther (‘14) graduated in December of 2014 with a major in International Business and a minor in Spanish. While at Rollins, she was involved in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, the Panhellenic Association, Rotaract Club, and several honor societies. She currently works as a law clerk at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver, & Jacobson LLP in New York. She attended New York Law School after graduation and is scheduled to take the Bar exam in May. “I’m not sure being Valedictorian by itself has helped me get to where I am today. I do, however, believe that my work ethic and time spent dedicated to doing well in my studies has

helped me,” she said. Shelby McGuire-Smith (‘15) served one year as an AmeriCorps Public Ally following graduation. As a Public Ally, she apprenticed for 10 months for the Bonner Leaders Program at Rollins while attending leadership development and skill-building sessions through the AmeriCorps program. After this, she completed a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship, where she served as a native English speaking assistant and cultural ambassador to the U.S. in classrooms in South Africa. She is now finishing her first year at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. While at Rollins, she majored in International Relations and minored in German. “Being valedictorian hasn’t necessarily helped me... What has helped me is having a learning mindset. I try to see everything as an opportunity to learn as much as I can,” she said. Some are becoming physicians:

“To be honest, I’m kind of surprised Rollins doesn’t advertise the pre-med program more. Every single person in my class who wanted to go to med school was accepted, and a few people even went a year or two after graduating... the Rollins premed degree really did afford us the opportunity to go anywhere in medicine and life—and that’s honestly not something that can be said about every institution and pre-med program,” said Falcone. Lauryn Falcone (‘13) graduated with her twin, Justine, with her degree in biology before starting an M.D./Ph.D. program at West Virginia University. Unlike her sister, Falcone does not believe being valedictorian helped her on her career path, since there are so many valedictorians and the title loses its luster. “I remember on my first day of medical school, our deans told us that there were something like a dozen college valedictorians in the class!” She said that the strong education at Rollins is what she thinks helped her the most. “The rigorous science courses prepared me to do well in medical school and the liberal arts course helped me to be more well rounded, something I believe enables me to better connect with patients,” she said. Others are pursuing different fields:

Justine Falcone (‘13) graduated at the top of her class along with her twin sister, Lauryn Falcone (‘13). She earned a biology degree before going into medical school at the University of Florida. From UF, she graduated with her M.D. and honors for academic excellence in 2017 before beginning her residency at West Virginia University. She is now applying for jobs for after she completes her residency in June 2020. She has found an abundance of opportunities available for E.R. doctors nationally and worldwide. Falcone considers her liberal arts education and her valedictorian status, as well as the quality of the mentorship she received at Rollins, key contributing factors to her success now.

Lisa Duemmling (‘15) majored in physics, but her interest turned to business later in her college career. Immediately after graduation, she became a business analyst at McKinsey & Company in Miami, Fla. Currently, she is pursuing her MBA with a concentration in Health Sector Management at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and plans to return

to McKinsey as a senior associate in the Healthcare Systems & Services practice upon her graduation from the program in 2020. “Physics taught me how to tackle complex, ambiguous problems, meanwhile other courses such as psychology and being an RA taught me how to better understand people, work in teams, and lead groups. My well-rounded course work made me a well-rounded candidate that was able to clearly articulate to employers my story from physics to business,” said Duemmling.

Meredith Lax (‘15) graduated with a communications degree in the 3/2 Accelerated Management program, a program for students who hope to attend Crummer Graduate School of Business. She now works at EDX Electronics in Winter Springs, Fla. in the Marketing department as the Social Media & Community Manager. “Both of my employers todate highly regarded my academic achievements as a testament to my character, dedication to hard work, and ability to get along with a variety of personalities,” she said. In regards to the value of her liberal arts education, Lax said: “In business and marketing, it is critical that you have the ability to articulate yourself well when speaking and in the written word. Interpersonal communication, English, and business courses, as well as others that are part of a liberal arts education, help develop these competencies.”

The Sandspur • April 4, 2019

Students cheerfully bid farewell to McKean Hall

People share fond and not-so-fond memories of their time living in the iconic first-year dorm

he Class of 2022 will be the last class to ever joke about the ‘McKean pods,’ wonder why their dorm looks so different than the one they saw on the tour, or get lost in the hallways of the building’s maze. McKean has been a part of Rollins campus since 1965, but its demolition will commence this summer. Current and past students offer their reflections: Aubrey Correiro (‘21): “It’s a really bittersweet feeling seeing McKean go! It’s sad that such an iconic hall is leaving, but it’s also so exciting to see what new memories and community will be built here in the future!”

Carys Davidson-Huxley (‘22): “I think it’s time for McKean to go. It’s had a good run, but no one wants to live in it anymore.”

Rachel Stern

While some loved the family McKean Hall gave them, others bid the residence hall good riddance.

Shelby Peres (‘20): “I am kinda sad that McKean is coming down. It was quintessential to the college experience—nothing prepares you more for the horrors of the world than screaming at all hours of the night and day.... Lakeside is bringing us back to the prep and unnecessary luxury that this college was founded on in 1885. To me, that is an assault on why I chose Rollins to begin with—the small cohort sizes and the lack of anonymity. Although McKean was shitty in its ability to function as a dorm that could pass a health and safety inspection, there is a comradery of those who have lived in McKean throughout campus and the alumni. McKean has shaped all those who have had the unfortunate pleasure of living within its walls. If you can survive McKean, you can survive anything.”

Nancy Butler (‘21): “My friend once said, ‘some of y’all didn’t have to live in McKean and it really shows’ and I couldn’t agree more. McKean taught me that a home doesn’t mean the actual structure you live in, but the people you live with. Plus, we always knew the people in Ward were jealous of our community. RIP McKean, thanks for the mems!”

Ally Schaerf (‘22): “I definitely think McKean needs to be knocked down this year, just because it’s not in the greatest state, but that also poses a lot of issues for the people who live here now because we have to deal with bad living conditions as well as loss of sleep and alternate routes to get to class due to all of the construction around us.”

Ben Grant (‘19): “It was clearly one of the oldest buildings and it was clearly not as aesthetically pleasing as the other dorms at Rollins. It probably wasn’t completely necessary for it to get dismantled, but if they have enough money to create something better, then that’s good. The walls were really thin and that made it a difficult place at night. You could hear a lot of noise from the rooms above, below, and beside you.” Ben was an RA during his sophomore year, from 2016 to 2017. “A favorite memory was playing volleyball with residents and other RA’s on the court next to the lake.” Rachel Stern (‘22): “It’s good that McKean is being torn down, because the living conditions are not suitable, but they haven’t been suitable for a long time. I’m frustrated because people in McKean pay the same price as people living in Ward, but [McKean] is a less quality hall.”

Ruiling Gao (‘22): “I wish it would have been torn down earlier, so we don’t need to suffer through all of this.”

Elsa Heisler (‘22): “Good riddance.” Joy Yun (‘22): “I’m so happy that McKean is being torn down this year because no one deserves to live here. It’s absolutely terrible.” Kyle Mooney (‘22): “Everything was cool until they caged us off and blocked every convenient walking path.” Johnny Gush (‘22): “They should’ve torn it down the year it was built.”

The Sandspur • April 4, 2019 ‣

HOLT Continued from page 1

Courtesy of Mike Watters Photography

Paige Brock (top left) was named Offensive Player of the Week last week. Kallie German (bottom) is 11 goals away from being the program’s all-time top scorer.

‣

LACROSSE Continued from page 1 “We have a very experienced group of players, and we have outstanding leadership on this team. Consistency is part of the culture of our program,” said Short. “The leadership is so strong because they have been in this situation their entire careers, and they hold each other accountable every day to be a championship caliber program.” The secret to a team that outperforms all the others is good chemistry. Lindsay Van Beck (‘19) is nine forced turnovers away from becoming the program’s all-time leader in career-caused turnovers. Paige Brock (‘19) was Sunshine State Conference Offensive Player of the Week last week. Hannah Ashton (‘20) is also a major contributor with both goals and assists. German, who leads the team in goals, assists, and points for the second year in a row, is 11 career goals away from becoming the

program’s all-time top scorer. “None of my successes would even be possible without such a great group of girls behind me. I know they always have my back going into every game, and that takes the pressure off,” said German. According to Short, relationships are the team’s single greatest strength. “This is a team who in 15 [to] 20 years will still be best friends and will still have each others’ backs,” he said. Short considers it his greatest challenge to give the team members the freedom they deserve and not overcoach. “Don’t over complicate a simple game. Just remember to let these 36 amazing lacrosse players be just that and play! Because this team can outplay anyone,” he said. German agreed, considering the team’s chemistry the best it has ever been in her four years at Rollins. “Everyone on the team is on the same page with the same mindset—winning a national championship,” said German.

With an average of 20 goals per game and a goal every two shots, it is evident that the Rollins attack is on fire this season. However, this should not distract from the fact that the defense is also, statistically, in the top five in the nation. “A big part of the reason they are both playing so well is they have to face each other every day at practice,” said Short, who was appreciative of the challenging environment during practices. “Tensions can run high in the heat of the moment, but this group has the emotional maturity to bring it together at the conclusion of practice and thank each other for making each other better. It’s pretty awesome, because a lot of teams are not able to do that,” said Short. According to German, the time spent in the locker room allows the team to mentally prepare for what is ahead, but the team still has fun while playing. “We have the atmosphere of living in the moment this year, and

that has kept us focused and always ready to play at our best,” she said. Additionally, assistant coaches spend a significant amount of time working with the players one-on-one, breaking down the fundamentals and preparing them as much as possible for the next opponent. This also strengthens the relationship between players and coaches, as well as the players’ own confidence levels. This season hits different for a number of reasons, and coach Short’s motivational approach is one of them. “I threw all the sports psych stuff out the window,” he said, explaining that he has not set any performance goals, outcome goals, or anything else that coaches traditionally do to help monitor achievement. “This season there has only ever been one goal—it’s to bring a Natty Championship back to Winter Park.”

enthusiasm when talking about his interest in bridging the gap and creating a sense of community between the College of Liberal Arts and Hamilton Holt students. “Needless to say, having opportunities for people to connect is essential in motivating students and dealing with retention,” said Sanders. “I want to talk to students and those who work with students to understand what may be impactful in building those connections.” There are a variety of ways that Sanders hopes to build upon connections and community. “We must recognize that they are Holt students and community can be built, whether that is through social events, having them participate on committees, or involved with community engagement.” In his previous role as the associate dean of graduate studies at ASU, he was most proud of creating an accelerated admissions program and working with study away programs. ASU’s accelerated admissions program allows undergraduate students who want to pursue graduate school to take graduate courses during their senior year. With this program, students are able to finish their undergraduate course requirements and get ahead on required courses needed for graduate school. “This program creates lifelong learners. It was based on professional development to provide that framework to grow and become successful,” said Sanders. Four years ago, Sanders began working with interdisciplinary study away programs. These programs allow for the university to, as Sanders put it, “train the trainer,” as faculty and staff are taken to various sustainable communities or islands. Instead of a longer study abroad program, study away programs allow for faculty and students to further understand how students learn through simulations. Sanders said it included issues like immigration and diversity and inclusion. Sanders was initially attracted to Rollins because of its reputation and interest in adult education. He is looking forward to learning all about life at Rollins, including Fox Day. His Fox Day prediction was April 1, which was his wife’s birthday.

Graphic by Ellie Rushing

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VANDALISM Continued from page 1 enforcement officers and do not prefer to have their information made public. “We recognized long ago that the campus recognizes us collectively and that the actions of one staff member can either raise up, or damage the entire department,” he said. “When there is a question or concern, I feel that it should suffice that we only identify a “working group” inside of our department.” Campus demands transparency While the College acted legally, many students and faculty questioned its reporting process and transparency, and felt that the campus deserved to know about the incident as soon as it was discovered. “The KKK is a terrorist organization that targets blacks, Jews, socialists, labor organizers, and LGBT people. If there is reason to suspect that someone on this campus supports their agenda, I want to know about it,” said Nichter. Papaa Kodzi (‘20), a student in Nichter’s class, sent a message to a group chat of students from Rollins’ Black Student Union (BSU) notifying them of the incident. “I don’t think Campus Safety knew how many students had already seen it,” said Kodzi, regarding the reaction of Rollins to the lack of timely notification immediately following the incident. “Rollins has a responsibility

and an obligation to tell us the whole truth. They don’t get to decide what information to shelter us from,” said Kodzi. An email notifying the campus about the vandalism was eventually sent over a week later, on Wednesday, March 27, by Abby Hollern, director of the Center for Inclusion and Campus Involvement, the office that oversees student organizations and supports diverse learning experiences for students. Hollern explained in the email that the incident did not qualify as a hate crime under the Clery Act and included a statement from President Grant Cornwell. “While this does not technically qualify as a hate crime, it is certainly hateful and would be perceived as threatening to many whom are most vigorously and affirmingly welcome in our community,” said Cornwell in the email. “It seems as though the current political climate has given license to more, more public, and more unashamed expressions of hate, prejudice, and bias, but I trust you stand with me in saying, not at Rollins College.” Hollern said that, to her knowledge, “there have been no similar incidents that are on the verge of a hate crime but didn’t classify.” However, students felt the email came too late. The BSU organized a Tars Talk, a recurring event designed to help facilitate conversation between the campus and administration, to discuss the incident and its impact on the minority community.

Kodzi and Hollern said the administration’s initial reason for not wanting to send out a Timely Notification was fear of inciting copycat incidents on campus. There was some debate over whether only students in BSU or only minority students should receive the email, which caused backlash from students and faculty. Members of the BSU raised concerns about whether the college should be having a larger conversation regarding racism if the fear of copycats is prevalent enough to sway administration to not make information public. “If we are going to denounce this type of behavior, we need to send this message to all of campus, not just minority students. It applies to everyone,” said Kodzi. Hate crimes on the rise Across all Rollins programs, African American students make up only 5.4 percent of the student population, which is roughly 170 students of the 3,127 students when considering all undergraduate and graduate programs. White students make up 55 percent of the overall campus population. “When I’m within the black community, I feel at home, like I’m part of a big family,” said Kodzi. “It can be a little isolating... being a minority student on campus.” While being a minority student comes with its obstacles socially, it also comes with physical and social threats, which have increased at Rollins in the past few

years. Within five weeks in 2017, three hate crimes were reported. The first act, which was Islamophobic, occurred on Feb. 21. One month later, on March 21, a swastika was drawn on a student’s door. One week after that, on March 28, the letters “KKK” were found written on the side of the Rosen Building, which houses Upward Bound, an organization providing opportunities for minority high school students. This semester has seen three biased acts of vandalism thus far, two which have been deemed hate crimes under the Clery Act. On Jan. 25, a homophobic slur was found written on a banner in Ward Hall. Approximately one month later, on Feb. 28, another homophobic slur was found on a flyer for an SGA candidate. This increase is consistent with the national hate crime statistics as reported by the FBI, which reported a 17 percentage point increase in hate crimes from 2016 to 2017. On American college campuses, this number was a 25 percentage point increase, according to the U.S. Department of Education. A majority of these hate crimes, mostly vandalism and destruction of property, were committed against multiracial victims, African Americans, and Jewish people. Across American college campuses, there was an increase in white supremacist propaganda by 77 percentage points in the 2017-2018 year. The vandalism was painted over, but the impact of it remains. For students like Kodzi, it

was a wake-up call to the country’s political climate. “Racism isn’t dead in America,” he said. What should be done? In its mission statement, Rollins outlines a vision of a “healthy, responsive, and inclusive environment” for a liberal arts education. While Rollins responded to this situation with small steps in accordance with its mission, members of the campus community feel there are stronger, more overt tactics that can be used to combat these instances of hate in the Rollins community and beyond. Students at the Tars Talk on Thursday came up with a rough list of possible solutions, including an expansion of the non-discrimination policy, orientation programs akin to those orchestrated by the Title IX office on campus, visible repercussions for perpetrators of hate crimes and bias incidents, and increasing awareness of the Bias Incident Response Team. This is a team of several faculty and staff who are trained to support victims and refer them to resources, as well as educate the campus about bias’ negative impact. More effective tactics for hate-related incident prevention and response could look like the mandatory racial-sensitivity training that is required for incoming students or increased safe spaces for minorities on campus.

The Sandspur • April 4, 2019

Sandspur celebration revisits history, accomplishments

Curtis Shaffer

(Top Left) Members of The Sandspur staff were honored for their accomplishments throughout this school year. (Top Right) Students like Sydney Brown (‘21) enjoyed looking through century-old issues of the paper. (Bottom Left) Head Designer Lya Dominguez, newly-named Managing Editor Maura Leaden (‘20), and soon-to-be Editor Alex Candage (‘20) laughed at a funny article from an issue printed in the 1960s. (Bottom Middle) Henri Balla (‘22), who will be the sports editor next year, smiles with Ellie Rushing (‘19), current editor of The Sandspur. (Bottom Right) Issues from 1894 to 2019 were lined up on tables for celebration-goes to read through. The party focused on exploring the paper’s history and transformation over the past 125 years.

Congratulations to the new executive staff of The Sandspur The following students will manage the paper for the 2019-2020 school year:

Alex Candage, Editor-in-Chief

Zoe Pearson, Assigning Editor

Maura Leaden, Managing Editor

Hannah Butcher, Head Copy Editor

Heather Borochaner, Assigning Editor Henri Balla, Sports Editor