Issue 23 • Volume 125 Thursday, Apr. 18, 2019 www.thesandspur.org
Rollins announces May graduation speakers Students will be greeted by mayor’s chief of staff, college administrator, director of Florida Historical Society By Heather Borochaner
lege advancement of Agnes Scott College, a small all-women’s libhborochaner@rollins.edu eral arts college outside Atlanta, he speakers for Rollins’ Ga. graduation ceremonies Charles graduated from Rolinclude an administra- lins with a major in philosophy tor of an all-girls college, and a minor in African American the executive director of the Flor- studies. She holds a master’s deida Historical Society, and the gree in nonprofit administration Orange County mayor’s chief from Georgia State University of staff, all of which are Rollins and a doctorate in higher educaalumni. tion leadership and policy from When deciding who to in- Vanderbilt University. vite to campus, President Grant In 2004, she was named RolCornwell reviewed a broad lins College’s Young Alumnus range of alumni and chose those of the Year for her professional that he believed would inspire achievements within 10 years of the soon-to-be grads. He said he graduating. chooses alum because they can Before beginning at Agnes offer graduates realistic advice in Scott College in 2015, Charles how to use their Rollins degrees. worked at the University of For the College of Liberal Texas as the associate vice presArts (CLA) day program, grad- ident and executive director of uating students will be greeted development in the Division of by Dr. Robiaun Rogers Charles Diversity and Community EnCourtesy of Scott Cook gagement. According to Lorrie Every year, alumni are selected to speak at Rollins’ three graduation ceremonies. (‘94), the vice president for col-
T
A senior season for the books
Star player becomes all-time leader in points, goals, assists
Kyle, executive director of the office of the president, “she is a Rollins graduate whose life and career have embodied the College’s mission” in her work for women in higher education and in fundraising. Graduates of the Hamilton Holt School will hear Ben Brotemarkle, the executive director of the Florida Historical Society. He is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs, and planning of the organization. Brotemarkle (‘97) graduated with a bachelor’s in humanities and a master’s of Liberal Studies. He is an associate professor of Humanities and the Department Chair at Brevard Community College. He created, produced, and hosted a weekly public radio program, The Arts Connection, for 90.7 WMFE-FM in Orlando from 1992 to 2000, where he covered ‣ See GRADUATION Page 6
Inside today’s Sandspur
Kira Bernhard
Greg Taicher celebrated with his parents and sister during the men’s lacrosse team’s senior day on Saturday, April 13.
By Henri Balla
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hballa@rollins.edu
reg Taicher graduates from Rollins in less than a month, but his legacy on the men’s lacrosse team has been established for all time. This is true not only because of his four goals and one
assist on last Saturday’s Senior Day, but because after the Tars’ win against Florida Southern on April 6, Taicher became the program’s all-time leader in points, goals, and assists. “I am surrounded by a great group of guys and have had such a great support network over the years, especially at Rollins,” said a much-appreciative Taicher.
“I owe it all to my coaches and great teammates who have put me in a place to succeed.” Taicher also acknowledged his current cohort as “the most talented and hard-working group of guys” he has ever played with at Rollins. Despite the satisfaction that comes with being individually ‣ See SENIOR Page 8
Courtesy of Eren Tatari
See Page 4 to learn how a political science professor lives a waste-free, minimalist lifestyle and turned her flourishing home farm into a small business.
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The Sandspur • April 18, 2019
Debate fosters learning environment amid fiery political climate
Rollins ditches Blackboard
No winner declared, but students used space to conduct meaningful conversation
By Heather Borochaner
By Caroline Klouse
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cklouse@rollins.edu
uring the recent debate between the Rollins Democrats and Rollins Republicans clubs, students discussed the issues of gun control and immigration, using the moderated environment to promote respectful conversation in a fiery political climate. No winners were announced during the debate, which took place in the Bieberbach Room on Monday, April 8, but students in attendance appreciated the opportunity to learn from their peers’ points of view. “Listening to the different parties take on hard-hitting questions in a respectful environment encourages others to know that even during a critical time in politics, rather than stir argument, it is important to understand both sides and come to a compromise on issues,” said Camila Araujo (‘20), who attended the debate. Chelsea Ebin, visiting assistant professor of political science, moderated the debate between the Rollins Democrats, represented by Meghan Oxford (‘20) and Sydney Brown (‘21), and the Rollins Republicans, represented by Joshua Bedoya (‘21) and Fia Frasz (‘22). In each debate, both sides presented a three-minute case and a one-minute rebuttal. As expected, Oxford, founder and president of the Rollins Democrats, argued for gun control while Bedoya argued against it. Both debaters faced three questions: if gun control is legal under the Second Amendment, if gun control has the possibility to reduce mass killings and violence, and if schools should be gun-free zones. An official winner was not announced because the groups wanted to make the event more of a discussion than a debate, according to Oxford and Bedoya. Oxford’s argument heavily relied on the costs and effects of school shootings and gun violence, pulling from past Supreme Court decisions. In contrast, Bedoya’s case focused on the wording of the Second Amend-
ment, mental illness’ role in mass shootings, and why teachers should be armed in schools. Then, Oxford and Bedoya’s younger counterparts, Brown and Frasz, debated the cultural ramifications of undocumented immigration, the government’s role concerning the children of immigrants, and the impact of undocumented immigration on the welfare system. Throughout her argument, Frasz explained the importance of background checks in determining whether or not immigrants are inclined towards violence and self-segregation. Brown then led a case for the value of diversity and the ability to aid these immigrants through federal and state-funded services. On the whole, the debate participants appreciated the event even without an official winner. “Many conservative-libertarian students are afraid to discuss important issues with left-leaning students and professors because they feel like their ideas are not always respected on college campuses,” said Frasz. Frasz hopes for similar debates in the future “to model open dialogue and free expression in an increasingly intolerant, close-minded intellectual climate.” Oxford and Bedoya also appreciated the debate due to its encouragement of student involvement in politics, regardless of party. The Rollins Democrats were recently honored with an award from its national headquarters. The group was named the New Chapter of the Year through the Florida College Democrats, a branch of the Democratic National Committee. Oxford stated the importance of students forming their own political opinions, while Bedoya said, “This debate was to help encourage students to get involved with politics both externally, outside on campaigns, and internally, on campus.”
Canvas slated as replacement hborochaner@rollins.edu
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fter evaluating feedback from students and faculty through surveys and open demos, Rollins will switch its learning management system (LMS) from Blackboard to Canvas in August 2019. Students have until December 2019 to download any Blackboard assignments or grades that they want to save for the future. The Office of Informational Technology (IT) has already sent an email warning students of the change. Rollins considered changing vendors when Blackboard announced it was updating its site to the new Blackboard Ultra, which would give the service a more modern look and improve some of its features. However, Rollins wanted to see if switching to Canvas was a better option, a program that many universities, including most Ivy League schools, use. The decision to switch from Blackboard to Canvas was collective, starting with student and faculty feedback. This included surveys from focus groups that tested a pilot of Canvas for selected Fall 2018 courses. A total of 19 faculty and 460 students participated by having one or more of their courses testing Canvas or Blackboard Ultra, totalling 26 classes across campus. The classes included undergraduate and graduate courses, such as religion, music, Spanish, and biology. Approximately 300 students in 17 classes participated in the Canvas pilot, while around 100 students in 9 classes participated in the Ultra pilot test. By the end of the test, 170 students completed and submitted surveys. Most of the positive reviews were for Canvas: 90 percent of the students who tested Canvas said that their experience was positive, and 79 percent recommended Rollins adopt it. Students said that Canvas was easy to use and navigate, and it had unique features that would improve their class experience. Three of the students who sent survey submissions signed up for a focus group discussion
after their pilot courses. “Despite this small number, the in-depth discussions we had with these students about their pilot experience provided valuable and detailed feedback,” said Amy Sugar, director of instructional design and technology. Faculty who taught these pilot courses also shared feedback that students had told them during class. There were also multiple vendor demos for both Canvas and Ultra, where representatives from the companies came to campus to give guided tours and answer questions about their respective programs. All attendees were given surveys to fill out during the presentations, asking about their experiences and what they liked or disliked. According to Sugar, only four students attended these demos. The IT team collected this input and compiled it into a report which is publicly available to read on the Rollins IT website. It includes the responses students gave in their surveys as well as statistics. The report also has the responses of faculty, who agreed that Canvas was easy to use. Faculty especially liked how the gradebook functioned. One professor’s survey response read, “Speed Grader was far superior to the new inline grading tool on Blackboard... For me, this is the most important functionality for an LMS and over-weighs everything else.” Approximately 10 faculty members participated in the Canvas pilot, and six replied to the survey. All six faculty who responded said they had a positive experience with Canvas and that Rollins should adopt it. The full IT report was given to the LMS Selection Committee, whose members are nominated by faculty. The team met in early February, reviewed the feedback about each LMS service, and unanimously voted to use Canvas in the upcoming year. Some summer classes may be taught in Canvas, but all courses will be on Canvas by the start of the Fall semester.
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The Sandspur • April 18, 2019
Living among freshmen, professor cultivates community Art History professor adapts to living, raising daughter in freshman dorm
Victoria Scott
MacKenzie Moon Ryan, left, plays with her two-year-old daughter, Imogen, in their Ward Hall apartment.
By Victoria Scott
vscott@rollins.edu
W
alking into some freshman dorm rooms can be frightening. Often, clothes are strewn on the bed, smelly sneakers are tossed in the corner, and rotting fruit sits in the back of the fridge. Students are up late, roaming the halls and reenacting scenes out of the 1978 film “Animal House.” Amongst this chaos, it is hard to imagine a professor willing to live alongside their students, but for Dr. MacKenzie Moon Ryan, it is an opportunity to help students integrate into the community in a more intentional and interactive way. The assistant professor of art history lives on campus in Ward Hall, one of four first-year residence halls on campus. She lives with her husband, two-year-old daughter, Imogen, and their friendly cat. Although living in a freshman dorm hall does not attract every professor, Ryan viewed it as an opportunity to connect with younger college students on a more personal level. As the only professor who currently resides on campus, she teaches Rollins College Conference
(RCC) classes, the courses all freshman are required to take in their first semester. “This position is connected with first-year students. Finding that sense of community is something freshmen want. Teaching RCCs to first-year students was enjoyable, and I wanted to show more of my humanity and personality to first-year students,” said Ryan. There are no financial costs to live in Ward Hall for the Ryan family; however, she is expected to cultivate a sense of community for first-year students through interactive programs. Ryan did this by passing out popsicles to students as they settled into their residence halls on move-in day. Furthermore, she organizes weekend activities like late night baking contests, Saturday Night Live viewings, and tours of her apartment. Ryan hosts open houses occasionally, in which Imogen enjoys giving students tours. When Imogen is not in the apartment with her parents, she loves exploring campus, eating fresh fruit from the college’s urban farm, and greeting passersby. She also loves riding the elevator to the fourth floor to look out across Ward Hall’s beautiful view of Lake Virginia. Students recognize all that
Ryan brings to the table. Those who cross paths with her and her daughter draw immediate smiles and are excited to strike up a conversation with them. Ryan and her family are expected to move out of their Ward apartment in 2021, to make space for the next professor. Before she began living in Ward Hall two years ago, multiple other professors have occupied the space. Rollins is not the first institution to incorporate faculty living with students on its campus, and Ryan is not to the first to do so at Rollins. Dr. Mike Gunter, professor of political science, lived in Ward with his family 12 years ago. The memories he made in Ward were notable. “Three or four that come to mind was when a world class banjo player came to the lobby during lunch. The Central Florida Astronomical Society is another one. We also went to the fourth floor for a viewing party for the Academy Awards. We did a few series of PBS frontline specials,” said Gunter. Although his commute now includes heavy traffic and long stoplights, at least he does not have to worry about the fire alarms.
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The Sandspur • April 18, 2019
Professor goes green, lives off home farm
Political Science professor lives a nearly zero-waste lifestyle through farm-turned-business
Courtesy of Eren Tatari
Eren Tatari tends to one of the nine fruit trees that decorate her backyard. She uses her produce to make home-remedy products to sell through her small business, The Home Farm.
By Olivia Llanio and Gavin Cogan
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ollanio@rollins.edu gcogan@rollins.edu
r. Eren Tatari may appear to live in a typical Winter Park neighborhood, but unlike her neighbors, her backyard is designed as a farm that supports her family’s weekly meals and helps them live a minimalist lifestyle. The assistant professor of Political Science’s micro-farm is filled with colorful and flourishing fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The crops thrive and provide more than enough for a four-person family. The Tataris have nine fruit trees in their front yard and grow pineapples, passionfruit, avocados, elderberries, oregano, rosemary, and more. Last year, their avocado tree produced more than 200 fruits. Because of the farm’s success, Tatari has expanded her remedies and practices into a small business called The Home Farm, where products that sup-
port clean and holistic health can be purchased. These products, such as elderberry syrup, magnesium body butter, and naturally-made loofahs provide natural alternatives to Western medicinal treatments for ailments such as allergies and stress. “When my friends realize [Western] medicines don’t always help and life is too busy, they realize they want to try something different. I help them with natural solutions,” said Tatari. The Home Farm’s Facebook page markets her magnesium spray, loofahs, and more while highlighting the farm’s progress and its benefits to her family’s lifestyle. Tatari does not just farm and make products—she has evolved her entire way of life around minimalist values, like composting and low-waste shopping. “We haven’t put out trash in two years,” said Tatari. Her family’s waste reduction is not just due to her home farm; it is the result of a serious commitment to reusable packaging at stores and
not using things like paper towels. She still shops for some items and offers advice, like using reusable bags and plastic containers to buy groceries in bulk.
“If I can fix things in my community, locally, with people I know, I am making a difference.” Tatari also participates in a milk delivery service based out of Florida that delivers milk in glass jars and picks up the empty bottles to provide refills, avoiding plastic packaging. She sells her products similarly and offers to reuse the glass jars her products come in, thereby reducing waste. Shopping, something else Tatari considers a difficult habit to kick, is solved in her house-
hold through receiving handme-downs from friends and family. She said she has many friends who have picked up her habits. She considers the excessive waste and consumption rates in her community a crisis at this point. “If I can fix things in my community, locally, with people I know, I am making a difference,” Tatari said. This crisis is visible in many ways throughout the state. In 2014, Floridians generated approximately 9.12 pounds per person per day on average, according to the Solid Waste Management in Florida 2014 Annual Report from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. There are often missed opportunities for sustainable choices like recycling, composting, and buying products that are made out of reusable material. Tatari believes that these small actions, in conjunction with the high consumption rates of the area, create ample room for individuals to make small changes
that have a positive impact. She explained that her current sustainable lifestyle is not easily achieved overnight. It begins with assessing personal use and consumption, and taking single steps to break habits. She also stressed that this practice is something anyone, even a student, can consider and use to be more sustainable. Tatari spends approximately 15 minutes a day maintaining the farm. Although she spends a few hours each month on longer work, she wanted people to know how easy daily upkeep can be once the bulk of the setup work is done. “I can teach you in three hours the do’s and don’t’s, the easiest plants to grow, and more [to begin your journey],” she said. It has taken Tatari about 10 years to reach this level of sufficiency within the farm, but she sees it as a stronger alternative to buying from supermarkets. Not only does it save money, but it helps the environment.
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The Sandspur • April 18, 2019
Three Rollins students accept Fulbright awards Scholars will teach, build community in Jordan, Spain, Germany
Kate Knight
By Caroline Klouse
R
cklouse@rollins.edu
ollins’ campus is currently decorated with a long line of blue yard signs, each commemorating a different student’s reception of a renowned award. The most frequently-listed award is the Fulbright scholarship, a competitive government-issued grant that enables students to teach or conduct research abroad for a year. While each country is different, overall, less than 10 percent of students who apply receive an award. Every year, at the hand of Dr. Jay Shivamoggi, director of the Office of Competitive and External Scholarships, Rollins is a top producer of Fulbright scholars. This year is no different—six students were recently named recipients. Three of the six recipients will pursue the awards, which are all English Teaching Assistantships (ETA). Kate Knight (‘19) will travel to Jordan, Jonathan Lepper (‘19) to Spain, and Ryan Colangelo (‘19) to Germany. Creating community through language Knight, an international relations major and religion and Middle Eastern and North African studies minor, looks to foster a sense of community through English and Arabic learning as an ETA in Jordan and a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) recipient for Arabic. Before Knight travels to Jordan to serve as an ETA, the CLS program will engage her in an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students. CLS is one of
Jonathan Lepper
the most competitive language scholarships in the U.S., with a program acceptance rate of less than 10 percent. Although Knight has not yet received her assignment for Fulbright, she is expecting to be placed at either a government secondary school or a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees learning facility, a relief organization that provides health care, education, and other social services to refugees. “As an ETA in Jordan, I will be expected to participate in activities within the Jordanian educational sector, to interact with local students on campus, and to adapt to, and appreciate, the cultural values and social norms of Jordanian society,” said Knight. In addition to being an ETA, Knight will also conduct research on Jordan’s double-shift school system, which educates Jordanian students in the morning and Syrian refugee students in the afternoon. “My research will focus on aspects of community building and resilience for Syrian refugees who have been integrated into the Jordanian public school system,” she said. While studying abroad through Rollins, Knight taught English in India, Tanzania, and Jordan. These experiences prepared her to become a cultural ambassador in the classroom for the U.S. “In doing collaborative research with Dr. Sharon Carnahan this past summer on early childhood education methods in Southwestern Uganda, I solidified my passion for accessible education,” said Knight. Knight said that Rollins shaped her path to become a Fulbright ETA. “During my junior year at Rollins, I spent seven months studying abroad in
Jordan. Jordan offers me the opportunity to further my Arabic language acquisition skills,” said Knight. “After Fulbright, I hope to return to the U.S. and pursue a career in the non-profit sector, hopefully with an organization that focuses on U.S.-Arab relations,” said Knight. Pursuing a passion for education Lepper looks forward to furthering his passion for teaching and improving his Spanish during his time as an ETA for middle and high school classes in Spain. Lepper, a Spanish major with a minor in Secondary Education, has longed to return to the country since he studied abroad in Oviedo, a town in northwest Spain, for four months during his junior year. “I fell in love with the culture and the language. They have a better quality of life there. They focus on the better things,” said Lepper. One such thing is Spain’s unique education system. The daughter of Lepper’s Spanish host mother was a principal who gave him insight into how and why so many of Spain’s children are proficient in a second or a third language. He said that in one of his courses, he learned about education inequalities across the U.S. school systems, which is something he hopes to research during his time as a Fulbright scholar. Lepper’s innate passion for working with kids came through when he volunteered for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a non-profit organization that provides children with personal mentors. “I had a little brother, named Chancey, and I watched
Ryan Colangelo
him grow for three years. Being with him was one of my favorite parts of the week. We would work together for 30 minutes on his school work and play for 15 minutes,” said Lepper. For the past year, Lepper’s life has been consumed with interning and student teaching at various Orange County schools. “In my second semester of my Junior year, I interned for 50 hours at an Orange County public school. There were a lot of displaced students from Puerto Rico, since it was right after the hurricane. These children lived in hotels, and it definitely became something that I was invested in,” said Lepper. Even in Lepper’s current student teaching experience, he makes it a priority to attend students’ extra-curricular activities, such as middle school basketball games and a school play production, to show them that he really cares. Lepper is very excited to continue this involvement as a Fulbright scholar. In addition to spending 20 hours per week in a classroom, he is also responsible for creating a community service project. “I will either do something involving sports or Greek mythology. I could create a reading discussion book talking about different myths. Once I get there, I will be able to understand what the students like and how I can help them with this project,” he said. Giving back to Germany Colangelo is eager to help mold foreign perceptions of Americans and continue his love for German culture during his time as a Fulbright ETA in Germany. Colangelo has constantly
thought about Fulbright since he stepped foot onto the Rollins campus his freshman year. He was inspired by his friends Shelby McGuire (‘15) and Ben Wozniak (‘17), former Rollins Fulbright recipients. At Rollins, Colangelo surrounded himself with German culture and language. “Throughout my time here I have truly found ‘my anchor’ in the German department and especially the German club here at Rollins, serving as the president for two years and a student advisor for my last few semesters,” he said. He has been a part of planning the larger German events on campus, including the Christmas Market, or Weihnachtsmarkt, which occurs at the end of the Fall semester. Through his instruction as an ETA, Colangelo hopes to expose his students and everyone he meets to American culture. Colangelo values “cultural understanding through film, sports, and literature, and perhaps most importantly, the relationship building aspect of the position that allows us to become a part of a local community abroad and to live and work for a year in another culture.” As far as his career plans go, Colangelo wants to focus on the present and put all of his time and effort into his position. “I really want to focus more on what I can do as a Fulbright, rather than what the Fulbright name will do for me following the program,” he said. “I’m excited to give back to a country and a people who have had a profound influence on my life and who have inspired me to pursue even more passionately the Rollins mission of the life of a responsible leader and global citizen.”
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The Sandspur • April 18, 2019
Rollins disappoints with subpar commencement speakers Graduating seniors deserve someone who can give them a proper send-off, not a random alumni
By Victoria Alvarez
valvarez@rollins.edu
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OPINION
commencement speaker is supposed to be an inspiring leader that gives graduates motivation for the real world. Their speech is the last lecture we hear before Rollins lets go of our hands and sends us off to follow our passions and establish our careers. With that being said, what on Earth is Rollins doing? The commencement speakers for the class of 2019 are the following: Dr. Ben Brotemarkle for the Hamilton Holt School, Dr. Robiaun Rogers Charles (‘94) for the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), and Roseann Harrington for the Crummer Graduate School of Business. Has anyone ever heard of any of these vaguely, locally relevant professionals? Does anyone know any of their credentials prior to being announced? No? Cool, because neither do any of the students who have paid thousands of dollars in tuition for the past four years. Sweet deal, Rollins. Rollins commencement speakers have always been subpar, but this year feels like the worst. Rollins had a better speaker scheduled on Fox Day.
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COMMENCEMENT Continued from page 1 local art, cultural events, and happenings. Brotemarkle has produced award-winning features that have been heard around the world, nation and state on Voice of America Radio, National Public Radio, and Florida Public Radio. Roseann Harrington (‘90) will speak on May 18 to the soon-to-be graduates of her alma mater, the Crummer Graduate School of Business. She is actively involved with the school as a guest lecturer and mentor. Harrington is the newly appointed chief-of-staff to Orange County Mayor, Jerry Demings, a position she gained in December of 2018. In this role, she helps oversee policy and is a behindthe-scenes director of administration from the mayor’s office. Before taking this position,
Nobel Prize winners have come by the school on regular weekdays as part of the Winter Park Institute, and Rollins can’t find someone that makes me giddy for my own graduation? It has never invested in graduation, and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I mean, University of Florida students pay half of what we pay, and bestselling author James Patterson is speaking at their graduation. Morgan Freeman has even shown up to their 2014 graduation ceremony to support his granddaughter. I think my debt in student loans deserves a speaker who makes me actually want to sit through my graduation. Now, before I go off, I know that these speakers have important achievements and are as capable of a good speech as a celebrity-status academic. Leading up to my graduation, though, I want to be excited, inspired, and convinced to hear from someone I know about. Right now, I am not feeling that way. Hamilton Holt School’s speaker, Brotemarkle, is an Associate Professor of Humanities and Department Chair at Brevard Community College in Titusville. Brotemarkle has a Ph.D. in Humanities and History from the Union Institute and University, a Master of Liberal Studies degree, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from Rol-
lins College, as well as an Associate degree in Voice Performance from the Florida School of the Arts. He’s also the director of the Florida Historical Society. That’s right, Holt students. He’s a Rollins Alumni who is passionate about history. Riveting.
CLA speaker, Charles, is also a Rollins alumna. She might seem impressive due to her awards for higher education fundraising, but in her current position, she is the vice president for college advancement at Agnes Scott College, a small women’s liberal arts university
that has less than 1,000 students. Even Rollins is a larger institution than that. I’m sorry, but the history dude sounds more appealing. Charles may be successful in her own right, but I am sick of the ‘I was once in your shoes’ speech. I’ve heard it from every adult I’ve met, and I don’t need it. I want a notable speaker that will make me pumped to start adulthood. What makes listening to an administrator at graduation from a different college any different than listening to one of Rollins’ current administrators at any other event? These speakers should set this momentous occasion apart, yet there I will be, yet again, listening to a higher-education professional talk. I already spent four years doing that. If this trend continues, I wouldn’t be surprised if Rollins Provost Susan Singer is chosen as next year’s commencement speaker. At least, she was once a director at the National Science Foundation. Plus, this way Rollins’ intentions would be especially clear. It isn’t important who speaks at our graduation as long as they’re affordable (or free). Crummer’s speaker, Harrington, has written a book and is currently a chief of staff for Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. Isn’t Crummer supposed to
be one of the best business grad schools in the nation? Who is she? Come on Crummer , your students deserve someone from Forbes. After thoroughly roasting the 2019 commencement speakers, I have come to the realization that Rollins does not care about graduation speakers. Graduation is arguably the most important part of the college experience, and we are getting run-of-the-mill alumni. Throughout the year, Rollins feels perfectly content on spending obscene amounts of money for really impressive speakers, but it can’t take the time to invest in a relevant speaker for graduation. It kind of sucks that I can’t flex about my fancy school having a bestselling author or a household name, just saying. I hope these speakers are really great, and I hope they prove me wrong. It’s just that, as a senior who has paid all the dues to go to this half-beautiful-half-under-construction campus, I think my class deserves a fancy speaker. Rollins, step up your game, if not for 2019, at least for the class of 2020. If not, maybe consider getting us conciliatory tickets to the UF graduation ceremony, at least.
Robiaun Rogers Charles
Ben Brotemarkle
Roseann Harrington
I think my debt in student loans deserves a speaker who makes me actually want to sit through my graduation.
she was the Orlando Utilities Commission’s (OUC) vice president of marketing, communications, & community relations. She led the OUC company through many weather disasters, from hurricanes to providing support to others during events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. She published “The Business Woman’s Handbook: Practical Tips for Moving Up the Corporate Ladder” in 2012 and the Orlando Business Journal named her one of Central Florida’s Top 10 “Women Who Mean Business” in 2011.
The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.
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The Sandspur • April 18, 2019
Poor email filter causes digital clutter, frustration Students’ accounts are flooded by hundreds of unnecessary daily emails
Courtesy of Pexels
Because students get hundreds of emails from Rollins organizations and offices every day, many avoid checking their school accounts.
By Hannah Butcher
hbutcher@rollins.edu
OPINION
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o you dread looking at your Rollins email account? Your answer is most likely “yes,” because the sheer amount of emails can be consistently overwhelming. With multiple emails being sent out every day, including reminders for clubs, events, registration, and housing, students cannot help but feel stressed about their growing list of emails to address. It can also be difficult to differentiate between emails that take priority and those that are simply spam. Professors are frustrated with their email accounts as well; they receive dozens of student emails a day, all of which require action and are hidden by mass, unrelated emails. The current Rollins student email works on two levels: one, it serves as an announcement board for on-campus organizations, and two, it acts as a system for students to communicate with one another, professors, and administrators. The latter function should be prioritized over the former. Students should feel comfortable accessing their email to reach out to others on campus, and while doing so, they should experience minimal frustration and confusion. But here is the truth: most students avoid their Rollins
email because they know most of the mail in their inbox does not even apply to them. Consequently, important information gets lost in the “unread” bin, never touched or merely glanced at. The “other” and “focused” tabs in Outlook help distinguish between time-sensitive, relevant emails and promotional emails, but many messages fall between the cracks and are sorted incorrectly. Other emails are sent multiple times and are thus regarded as spam. The solution? Rollins needs a more advanced filtering system for the sender. A few weeks ago, I overheard a conversation between two girls who were frustrated about receiving fraternity recruitment emails. “I mean, I don’t understand,” one girl said. “Isn’t there a way for Rollins to know which people should get these emails and which shouldn’t?” The answer is yes. After all, email lists exist within departments, so why can’t they exist school-wide? Email is meant to be a relevant mode of communication that spreads information quickly and efficiently. In the college setting, it is meant to facilitate student relations between faculty and staff—but this is not how the current Rollins email is working. The school’s system should be able to send emails based on demographics and student status. For instance, freshmen should never receive emails that are specific to seniors, and vice
versa. Students should be given the opportunity to navigate through emails that pertain to them, thereby minimizing the amount of clutter that occurs. It may be smart of Rollins to utilize SGA’s upcoming Student Life app as a platform to post ur-
gent, school-wide messages; this way, students can receive school notifications on their phones, and their school emails will be reserved for personal communications. In the meantime, do some digital spring cleaning over the
The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur or Rollins College.
summer. I, for one, have friends who have thousands of unread emails in their folders, one of whom has more than 6,000. It might be worth it to delete or sift through them when you have time.
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The Sandspur • April 18, 2019
Fox Day 2019: A 63-year-old tradition lives on
From Disney to Daytona, students, staff and their families celebrated the annual occasion
Courtesy of Rollins College Students
(Top Left) Ben Katz venture to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom to ring in the annual Fox Day celebration with his friends on Thursday, April 11. (Top Right) Student Government personnel Robert Whetstone, Nagina Chaudhry, Jade Taylor, and Greg Taicher started their day handing out t-shirts to an eager student body. (Center) Amanda Grace (left) and Gloria Van Ditmar bring attitude to their annual Fox Day photo. (Bottom Left) Patty Rodriguez, Cami Craig, and Marissa Cobuzio celebrate Fox Day with Ari, Cobuzio’s dog. (Bottom Right) Henry, the son of Dr. Meghan Harte Weyant, dean of students, is nearly the same height as the Fox statue.
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SENIOR Continued from page 1 recognized, he is more concerned with the team’s outcomes: “We have had one overtime loss and three other one-goal losses, which has been tough, but it shows that we are right there with every opponent.” Men’s lacrosse started this season well with a strong 6-1 record, but consecutive narrow defeats against Florida Tech and Lynn posed the risk of irreparable damage to the season. Stunningly, though, the Tars clinched a heroic 11-10 win against No. 14 Saint Leo, the winning goal coming with 15 seconds left on the clock. For Taicher, it was one of the highlights of his career: “It really turned our season around, beating one of the best teams in our conference.” Taicher scored that day, but it was the team effort that made it monumental. “Numerous
guys contributed and it was just great to be a part of, especially winning the game in those waning moments. I live for big team wins like that,” said Taicher. In Taicher’s freshman year, Rollins reached the conference tournament for the first time ever. Unfortunately, disaster struck as Taicher had to sit out the post season due to a torn labrum in his hip. However, after intensive rehab, Taicher came back for sophomore season and was unstoppable. A regular starter, he registered nearly five times the amount of points he had recorded the previous year, tallying six times as many goals and three times as many assists. As his time at Rollins runs out, he described his feelings as bittersweet. He considers his time with the Tars as the best four years of his life. “I’ve met so many great guys and have shared so many memories, both good and bad. It’s been an honor
to play for Rollins College,” he said. He said his 16 years of playing lacrosse have taught him a lot. “While I may pursue playing some lacrosse after college, I think that it has put me in a great place to succeed beyond college.” The Communication Studies major plans to pursue a career in business. Taicher urged the upcoming generations of lacrosse players to carry on the tradition of excellence that has started to take shape: “It was a different program four years ago, and it has been really cool to see how we have become a strong program in the SSC.” He calls for work ethic both on and off the field, considering it “a testament to the kinds of guys that are coming through this school, upstanding and good citizens.” Life provides motivation for him in many ways, some of which go beyond sport. Taicher remembered Will Hauver #34, a
senior captain who passed away in 2015 due to complications with type-one diabetes and the flu. “He was such a great role model, leader, and teammate. He has left a lasting legacy that I hope future generations of Tars will carry on, especially in his
memory.” As he looks to the future, in the hopes that Rollins will capitalize on the last two games of regular season to gain the upper hand in the playoffs, the goal he sets for the team is simple: “Just keep winning.” Greg Taicher knows what he is fighting for.
Kira Bernhard
Taicher tore his labrum his sophomore year, but returned with a vengeance.