The Sandspur Volume 124 Issue 11 by The Sandspur

Issue 11 • Volume 124 Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017 www.thesandspur.org

@thesandspur facebook.com/ thesandspur

Rollins’ students protest Wendy’s

Imagine Justice organizes protest against Wendy’s in support of the Fair Food Program. By Alex Candage

rcandage@rollins.edu

ollins’ Imagine Justice and the broader Winter Park community recently protested at Wendy’s 11734 E. Colonial Dr. location. Unlike other fast food chains, the restaurant has refused to sign onto the Fair Food Program, which protects farmworkers’ human rights and requires humane wages. Everyone participating in the protest from the Rollins community met at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 outside the Alfond Sports Center. A couple students drove in cars, but most people rode together in the JUMP bus to the restaurant’s location. A friend of a Rollins student and a Rollins professor joined the group on the bus. A few minutes before arriving at the restaurant, waivers were signed, pamphlets were distributed, and instructions were given. Protesters were required to stay on the sidewalk and told to remain a safe distance from the road. It was explained that if someone became aggressive or upset, picketers were not to engage with them and should seek help from other students or Professor Nichter, the faculty advisor. “It was nice to have Professor Nichter with us to hear from his experiences and to interact

with him in that space outside of the classroom,” said Muniba Khan ’21. When asked to give a statement, Nichter said, “Corporations are immoral. If we don’t pressure them, they won’t change.” The pamphlets detailed what the Fair Food Program entails, the consequences of Wendy’s nonparticipation, and how consumers can help change their minds. Boycotting Wendy’s, tweeting at Wendy’s with #boycottwendys, and signing online petitions are all listed as simple ways to convince Wendy’s to sign the agreement. It lists Chipotle, Subway, Burger King, McDonald’s, and Walmart as alternative participators in the program. Rollins participants arrived around 2 p.m. and met up with members of The Youth and Young Adult Network of the National Farm Worker Ministry (YAYA), and a representative from the Orlando Light Brigade, who brought large letters spelling out “FAIR FOOD.”

‣See PROTEST, Page 3 Photos by Alex Candage SJ Renfroe ‘18 (left, top), Alexis MacMahon ‘20 (left, bottom), Alex Candage ‘20 (right, top), and other students fight for fair food and farmworkers’ rights during Friday’s protest.

Recruitment at Rollins What to expect when choosing to rush, along with common misconceptions of Greek life. By Kalli Joslin kjoslin@rollins.edu

ith the fall semester coming to a close and winter break just around the corner, many students are setting their sights on the fraternity and sorority recruitments

that will take place in early spring semester. The six fraternities (Chi Psi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon, and X Club) and seven sororities (Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Omega, Delta Zeta, Kappa Delta, Non Compis Mentis, and Sigma Gam-

ma Rho) on campus comprise 43 percent of Rollins’ student body and seek each year to add to their numbers. However, the recruitment process can appear overwhleming or even discouraging to freshmen and unaffiliated upperclassmen who do not understand the nuances of Fraternity

and Sorority Life (FSL) at Rollins. “Recruitment” (also known as “rush” or “rushing”) is the process by which fraternities and sororities gain new members. Unlike many larger universities, Rollins practices deferred recruitment, which means that first-semester freshmen are prohibited from joining an FSL orga-

nization. The Office of FSL defers recruitment so that “first-year students participating in recruitment [can] become accustomed to college classes, get involved in other activities, and make friends before joining a fraternity or sorority.”

‣See FSL on Page 3

2 • DECEMBER 7, 2017

FEATURES

Getting to know your SGA President Established in 1894 with the following editorial:

SGA President Lexi Tomkunas shares her most significant experiences as a Rollins student. and gets to attend some of the trips that she helps plan, as well. More specifically, her position oversees the Immersion Planning team, which oversees the facilitators of the trips. These trips have taken her from Colorado to St. Petersburg, Fla. David Lord, a member of the Board of Trustees, accompanied the trip to Colorado, and students had the opportunity to meet government officials. In addition, Tomkunas explained they also got to“explore impact areas of homelessness, poverty, [the] environment, the aging community, community building, and education.” In St. Petersburg, they worked with Habitat for Humanity. She has also done Study Abroad field studies. Last January she traveled to India, and this January she will be going on a trip to Uganda and Rwanda. They will learn about non-profits and community needs in these countries. Another integral part of her last year at Rollins is her position as SGA president. In her role, she oversees the executive board.

EXECUTIVE STAFF Ellie Rushing Editor-in-Chief

Christina Fuleihan Managing Editor

CONTENT STAFF Alex Candage Head Copy Editor

Morgan McConnell Lauren Bishop Maura Leaden Cameron Ochse Copy Editors Kira Bernhard Alec Stanley Heather Borochaner Morgan Laner Writers Kalli Joslin Alyssa Malto Grace Macleod Section Editors Kalli Joslin Reilly Aback Anna Kjoller Web Editors

DESIGN DEPARTMENT Zoe Kim Head Designer Gracie Street Illustrator

Photo courtesy of Sam Simpson Lexi Tomkunas ‘18, current SGA President, plans to work for Teach for America after graduation.

By Maura Leaden

mleaden@rollins.edu

exi Tomkunas ’18 is more than your average Rollins student. You may know her as the Student Government Association (SGA) President, but she is also a Psychology and Philosophy double-major, an involved member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, and a stu-

dent coordinator for the Rollins Immersion program. Taking the opportunity to travel during her time at Rollins has left perhaps the greatest impression on her. She attended four Immersion trips during her freshman year, and then she decided to expand her Immersion involvement by becoming a student coordinator. In this position, she does a lot of behind-the-scenes work,

Dana Wagenhauser Patrick Murray Page Designer

BUSINESS & FACULTY Greg Golden

Director of Student Media

Dr. Leslie Poole Faculty Advisor Bibhas Pandey Bidhit Pandey Business Manager Jose Araneta Student Media Graduate Assistant Ujjwal Gupta Luis Diego Business Assistants

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She also attends “a lot of meetings with administrators [and is] basically an information feeder for student government and the senate.” SGA’s main project this semester included teaming up with popular student organizations to put on Rollins’ second annual Homecoming Week. Tomkunas also spoke about some of SGA’s goals for next semester. SGA will continue to have open forums for students, and they want to obtain a higher attendance since they “really want student feedback.” They also plan on using surveys to increase student participation. One of SGA’s exciting ideas, according to Tomkunas, is to start sending out weekly emails to students discussing what was accomplished at the week’s meeting, such as what legislation was passed. Furthermore, with elections coming up next semester after spring break, there will be more campus involvement coming soon. Before she is ready for graduation next semester, one of her final projects here is her senior thesis. She is evaluating the effectiveness of Philosophy for Kids, which is a national movement that is also taught at Rollins. It was implemented by Dr. Erik Kenyon in the Hume House Child Development and Student Research Center. The program is an intervention for vocabulary, reasoning skills, and class participation. The hard work she has put in during her last three and a half years at Rollins has paid off. She is going to work for Teach for America after graduation in Miami, Fla., and her dream is to eventually pursue a career in education policy. The U.S. Department of Education is on the top of her list for future employers, and she is interested in policy research. She speaks about her time at Rollins with great appreciation and says the part she will miss the most is the people that she has met here. “The relationships I’ve formed and all of the people that I’ve gotten to meet,” between students and faculty have all added to her experience, in addition to the expanded view of the world that she has gained through her service work. “I feel very prepared for my next steps.”

FEATURES

3 PROTEST ‣Continued from Page 1 Everyone split up into three groups: one across the sidewalk facing the main highway with Imagine Justice’s and the Light Brigade’s signs, one on the corner to the entrance of the parking lot, and one just before the entrance to Wendy’s property. The pamphlets were offered to those in cars and pedestrians passing by. Some chanted “Boycott Wendy’s” and “Fairness for Farmworkers” throughout the two-hour picket. Spirits remained high through the entirety of the protest. “I was surprised by how receptive and positive and curious passersby were about our protest. It was heartening to see people use their consumer choices to support farmworkers,” stated Madelaine Chatham, ’17. Erin McCusker ’19 echoed the same feelings: “I was surprised by how many people we talked to were genuinely interested… Some people brush you off or give you looks, but… Several people said how they weren’t going to eat at Wendy’s after we talked to them.” Khan also praised its success: “The picket was amazing! We had a good turnout, and a lot of people were receptive about what we had to say, and frustrated by Wendy's refusal to acknowledge this issue.” Meredith Klenkel ’21 agreed, “During the protest I felt like people were really con-

FSL ‣Continued from Page 1 After that first semester, a student interested in FSL can choose to sign up for formal recruitment or attend any organization’s open recruitment events throughout the following semesters. “I think the deferred recruitment policy is wonderful,” said Addison Cursey ’20 of Alpha Omicron Pi. “It gives students the opportunity be confident in who they are and not be overwhelmed by the process.” Joe Beguiristain ’18 of Chi Psi added that “compared to my first semester, deferred recruitment helped me appreciate the difference of joining an organization.” Anyone who goes through the recruitment process is known as a Potential New Member, or PNM. However, there are many differences between the recruitment processes for fraternities and sororities. Sorority recruitment is much more

vinced… Since education is the most important changemaker, it felt effective!” Khan, as a board member of Imagine Justice, Rollins’ social justice club, led the Wendy’s picket. “Before the protest, I was excited, but stressed out because a lot goes into organizing a successful picket.” She explained that the Orlando Police department had to be contacted, posters made, JUMP bus obtained, and the event publicized. Imagine Justice meets on Mondays from 4 to 5 p.m. According to Khan, “Next semester, [we are] planning to work in collaboration with YAYA so we can attend some of their protests, and hold a couple as well…. We're thinking about extending our efforts to protesting Publix as well. Publix similarly refuses to sign onto the Fair Food program and support farm workers experiencing injustices like economic strife, wage theft, sexual harassment, slavery, the list goes on.” “We are all unknowingly affected by this every time we eat,” said Alexis MacMahon ’19. To Rollins students and staff, Khan stated, “As consumers, we have the power to do something about this injustice. By joining the Wendy's boycott and refraining from buying their wrongly-sourced food, we can push them to sign on.”

formal and structured, with rigid rules in place to protect against “dirty rushing” and “bid promising,” illicit practices used to guarantee certain PNMs a bid before the end of the recruitment process. It costs $25 to sign up for sorority recruitment, while there is no cost for fraternity recruitment. While sororities are not allowed to serve food or allow PNMs to leave with anything (including cups, napkins, etc.) during recruitment, fraternities are much more lax in their regulations. Sorority PNMs may only receive one bid at the end of the recruitment process, while fraternity PNMs may receive multiple but can only accept one. Many of these differences are mandated by the National Panhellenic Council (NPC) and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (IFC), the national governing bodies of sororities and fraternities, but they can seem frustrating to those participating in recruitment on either side. Regardless, many members

Photos courtesy of Alex Candage Alexis MacMahon ‘20 (bottom) hands out flyers and chants in support of farmworkers’ rights while students hold letters provided by the Orlando Light Brigade during the Wendy’s protest. Wendy’s has refused to sign the Fair Food Program to support fair treatment and wages of farmworkers.

of FSL have wonderful things to say about recruitment. Beguiristain pointed out, “Within the first semester, I thought I had a grasp of the majority of students on campus. Recruitment allowed me to realize that there were so many students that I hadn’t met yet. As a senior, I am still in touch with peers I had met during recruitment.” Cursey echoed that statement, saying, “All the sororities were welcoming and friendly. I made a lot friends with the other girls going through.” There are many common misconceptions about the role of fraternities and sororities at Rollins. While they are primarily social organizations, their members want to stress that they focus on far more than parties. Each fraternity and sorority has a philanthropy, or charitable cause they are committed to supporting, and collectively they raise thousands of dollars and log hundreds of hours of community service for these causes. Cursey stated, “people over-

look how much philanthropy work all the organizations do. Almost every week there is [a] philanthropy event that is making an impact in the community.” Other misconceptions include the idea that only freshmen can join FSL. Any unaffiliated Rollins student can go through recruitment at any point after their first semester of freshman year. Moreover, Rollins has two local organizations, with Non Compis Mentis being the local sorority and X Club the local fraternity. These organizations are considered local because they are specific to Rollins with no other national chapters and, therefore, are not mandated by any national standards. Christina Myers ’19 of Non Compis Mentis attended their open recruitment in the fall of her sophomore year, saying, “I had decided not to go through formal recruitment as a freshman, but I realized in the time between formal recruitment my

freshman year and the next fall that I did want to join a sorority.” Additionally, FSL members stress that the organizations are far more inclusive than stereotypes suggest. Beguiristain stressed the fact that “Rollins’ FSL provides students with a safe home where they can be free to express who they are and what they believe in, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender identification.” Each organization has different values, philanthropic causes, and diverse members that represent a wide range of the Rollins student body. Additionally, 8 of the 13 total FSL organizations have houses on campus that provide a residence hall and common space for their members. The deadline to sign up for sorority recruitment is Dec. 14, and the deadline to sign up for fraternity recruitment is Jan. 24. The links to both registrations can be found online.

OPINION

Studying effectively Tips to help you make it through finals week intact. By Kira Bernhard

kbernhard@rollins.edu

ou stare down at the jibber jabber on the paper, but your mind keeps going to the ticking of the clock. Second by second you lose the time needed to complete the exam. Even though the words ring a bell, you cannot quite recall its definition. Why? Quite possibly because you did not study efficiently, which is why I have some tips to avoid such a situation.

By Kira Bernhard

kbernhard@rollins.edu

was saving this recipe for the future, but the holidays are all about sharing, so I thought I would give you one of my favorite recipes as an early Christmas gift! These are one of my favorite treats to have before bed. They are cold, refreshing, and give you a hint of sweetness to end the day on a positive note. I have made them customizable by including substitutions, so you can choose the one that fits your taste preferences. Servings: 15

Ingredients: 250g Cottage Cheese 108g Rolled Oats 1 tbsp Sweetener (such as agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup) 1 tbsp Cacao Powder 3 tbsp Nut Butter (I recommend peanut, almond, or cashew) 25g Chocolate Protein Powder

1. Make a plan and carry it out! Create a schedule by writing out when each exam is. Assign times based on which exams come first and which need the most time for studying. Prioritize those and allocate enough time to each subject accordingly. Make sure to be realistic and work in time blocks (For example, 50 minutes of studying with 10 minutes for a break. Repeat.). It is difficult to study effectively when you are trying to concentrate on one topic for an extended period of time. It is also important because you do not want to take time away from your sleep. You may choose to sacrifice sleep now, but if you do, your usual body functioning will suffer and will be difficult to recover quickly.

2. Take advantages of your resources. If you still do not understand a topic or concept, Rollinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Tutoring & Writing Center always has tutors who can help you (Although, spots fill up quickly, especially at this time in the semester.). If they are not able to explain it to you well enough, professors are always willing to help. Do not hesitate to reach out to them. Friends can also be a great resource (if they are not encouraging you to procrastinate), because talking aloud to them can help you identify which areas of a concept you have or have not grasped. 3. Get rid of distractions. I think this is quite self-explanatory, but say hello to airplane mode. Nothing is more distracting than the buzz of your phone to notify you of a new Snapchat. I am sure a few hours away from these devices will not be the end of the world, at least for now. 4. Fuel the brain, stay hydrated, and keep active. As a health enthusiast, I cannot begin to explain how important it is to take care of your mental and physical state in such a stressful time. Try incorporating foods that boost focus and memory. For example, wild salmon

Recipe: 1. Cover a mini cupcake tray with aluminum foil. 2. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 3. Shape the mixture into 15 golf-ball-sized balls and place them on the aluminum foil covering the cupcake tray. 4. Keep them in the freezer overnight. 5. Once done, store them in a container in the freezer and enjoy when desired!

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

(for EPA and DHA), nuts and seeds (for Vitamin E), beans (to stabilize blood sugar levels and act as prebiotic fiber), eggs (for choline), and, most importantly, dark chocolate (for its antioxidant properties and enjoyment). Oh, and do not forget to drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated! As important as it is to nourish and hydrate the body, incorporating some form of movement (such as going to gym, taking a walk, doing some yoga) is also vital. This will help release any tension or stress that exams are causing you. 5. Give yourself something to look forward to. Motivation can be high and low, just like a rollercoaster, so to keep it consistent for the next few days, plan something for after exams that will push you to study. Having a reward (such as a massage, in my case) will give you that extra incentive to keep going until you have reached the end point. If you think about it, one reward is also the start of Winter Break! This list is not meant to overwhelm you with how you should be preparing for exams. Instead, this is a guide you should utilize by taking the parts that work best for you and applying them to better your studying habits.

Graphics by Gracie Street

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Everyday encounters: Tara Gallagher ‘18 shows the importance of items often seen as trivial. Using photography as her medium, Gallagher connects significant memories to the photographed objects. “As viewers look at my work, I want them to take time to reflect on the coexisting banality and significance in these images,” she said.

Photos by Dawn Roe

Self identity: Brianne Lint ‘18 uses video interviews with people who do not identify with the “societal norm” in their sexuality to make up her senior project. “It is important for these individuals to have their stories told truthfully and in their own words,” said Lint.

Senior art majors prepare for final semester Four art majors showcase the halfway point of final projects before CFAM exhibit in spring. By Ellie Rushing

erushing@rollins.edu

rom biblical feminism in paintings to identity and sexuality through video, four seniors prepared to complete their art major and move into the Cornell Fine Art Museum come spring. The seniors presented the halfway versions of their final projects within their studio art course. Brianne Lint, Tara Gallagher, Mallory Griffith, and Emily Richards displayed their projects to the community. Each senior chose a unique medium to represent what they learned within the major and a personal connection to the composition. Richards and Griffith chose on-canvas paintings, but the message behind their projects were quite different. “I started out as a painter when I first started doing art, so I naturally gravitated towards the medium,” said Richards. Her project focused on con-

necting feminism to the Bible, looking to re-construct classic biblical references through a modern-day feminist lens. “Although I am agnostic, I am really curious about biblical stories. I deliberately selected stories that focus on lesser-known female figures of the Bible that represent strength, control, and retribution in women.” While some of her pieces appeared violent, Richards noted, “The subject matter, involving female figures slaying male characters is not meant to encourage the denigration of men, but to raise the level of women and assert their power as an equally strong, independent gender.” Mallory Griffith also chose to do a modern interpretation of old art, using painting to notice how everything is influenced by a “techno-colored world.” By referencing classic artwork such as the “Girl with the Pearl Earring,” a 1665 painting by Johannes Vermeer, Griffith aimed to modernize the

“planned candid” by “building upon artistic traditions of painting to forge new ground in representation and artistic practice.” Griffith used bright pinks, oranges, blues and greens to represent the common colors used in social media today. “My paintings are vibrant and detailed, almost like the computer or iPhone screens that allow us to create and share images of ourselves, using apps such as Instagram and Snapchat,” she explained. Brianne Lint and Tara Gallagher each took a separate route, focusing on the digitized art form of video and photography. Lint took the project as an opportunity to analyze the pressures around self-identity and conforming to society’s expectations. Focusing on freedom of expression, Lint videoed four people who do not identify with the “societal norm,” specifically in sexuality. “It is important for these individuals to have their stories told truthfully and in

their own words, as inaccurate accounts and misinterpretation have had a detrimental impact on how members of the LGBTQ+ community have been understood in mainstream culture,” said Lint. By combining video, audio recording, and then freeze-framing still shots, Lint’s project showed that one angle is not an appropriate representation of someone’s identity. “This work as a whole is meant to provide the viewer with truthful accounts that establish a starting point to think and understand how this notion of framing identities in society allows for such differences in experience for those existing outside of society’s ‘norm’ of expression.” Tara Gallagher used photography to capture obscure yet everyday objects most people use, emphasizing that although these materials are easily forgotten, they largely contribute to habitual routine.

The photos of textbooks and course materials on a bed, body spray on a night stand, and CDs on a desk were accompanied with text from the philosophical book The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard. “In my own life, I pay very close attention to the spaces these items occupy, and where and how I keep them. These materials are connected to memories, reflect my personality, and evoke a sense of poignancy that I seek to emphasize.” Gallagher said. All four artists will take the senior seminar course in the spring, with the end-goal being a space within the Cornell Fine Arts Museum. From unique mediums to the deep, philosophical meanings incorporated within, Lint, Gallagher, Griffith, and Richards look forward to building off of these projects and showing the Rollins Community what the Art Department has to offer.

OPINION

Sustainability excluded from Mills plans Renovations 'focus on students' but leave no space for Sustainability Program. By Morgan Laner

mlaner@rollins.edu

ollins recently revealed its plans for a deep renovation of the Mills Memorial building. The goal of these renovations is to have “student spaces and student activity visible as soon as one walks in the door,” states Melissa Burns, an architect who is familiar with the goals of Rollins College. The college and architects want to push forth a mission-driven and student-oriented space on campus, which is a great step forward in showcasing the results of the collaboration among students and faculty. However, the plans for the space completely exclude a prominent student-run program: the Sustainability Program. There is no better example of a group that follows these ideals than the Rollins Sustainability Program, which is student-run and addresses campus-wide infrastructure to develop change. Although the work of the Sustainability Program is often confused with that of EcoRollins, it is important to note that the Sustainability Program is not a student organization; the program does not receive money from Fox Funds or have members. Rather, the Sustainability Program operates more similarly to an office on campus. The students who run it are paid employees of the school, and the program receives a nominal operating budget. Since its inception in 1999, students have been at the core of sustainability changes on campus including developing and running the Urban Farm, free bike share program, elimination of plastic grocery bags, Fair Trade certification, recycling program, and more. The student employees collaborate heavily with other on-campus departments such as Facilities, Dining Services, and

Residential Life. This small but mighty group has been responsible for making such impactful changes and is always encouraged—and often expected—to do more. As of now, there is not a permanent space for the Sustainability Program, or any sustainability-oriented groups, in the proposed Mills renovation plans. If we are to be integrating sustainability into the entire institution, then it is only fair that the renovations include a space for the Sustainability Program. In the current realm of higher education, prospective students and donors are always looking for campuses going above and beyond to improve their environmental footprint. To stay competitive, Rollins needs to showcase the work that the Sustainability Program does. We ask not necessarily for a specific Rollins Sustainability Program space in the new Mills building, but rather a broader sustainability space, which would allow collaboration on related issues. If there was to be a “Sustainability Space” in the form of an open conference room similar to the plans for the Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub, groups including Net Impact, EcoRollins, and the Divestment Coalition could hold brainstorming sessions for their meetings. Furthermore, students working on sustainability projects across majors could have a space to work. We could display monitors with the energy and water savings the school has made through technological innovation. Professors could discuss their research on environmental issues. The space could be multifaceted, multipurpose, and collaborative. We encourage Rollins College to show its commitment to sustainability on campus.

Net neutrality: a human right FCC Chairmen want to strip away net neutrality, changing the face of the internet as we know it. By Alec Stanley

astanley@rollins.edu

CC Chairman Ajit Pai, along with Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T, wish to strip Americans of the ability to freely share information and entertainment. They wish to do this by declassifying the internet as a Title II Common carrier. Title II, to quote savetheinternet.com, “gives the FCC the authority it needs to ensure that companies like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon can’t block, throttle or otherwise interfere with web traffic.” The level playing field these regulations protect is colloquially referred to as “net neutrality.” The reversal of the 2015 decision to regulate internet service providers (ISPs) will turn the internet into a large-scale digital protection racket. The gravest and most immediate danger will affect the competition in the relatively young but massively popular streaming industry. Comcast, whose Xfinity streaming service is in direct competition with the likes of Netflix, will be able to throttle (which in this context means to slow down) Netflix’s streaming, driving consumers to use Xfinity. This state of affairs is absolutely indefensible. Though ISPs claim that they will not do this, despite the fact that they have paid millions to members of Congress in hopes of being allowed to do so, I doubt their honesty. My doubts stem from the fact that throttling competitors

for ransom, or in other words, extortion, is exactly what they did before they were told not to do so. From October 2014 to January 2015, less than one year before ISPs were regulated under Title II, Netflix download speeds over Comcast and lines dropped nearly 25%. This adversely affected the experience of paying customers of both Netflix and Comcast. Speeds stayed low until the two companies came to a private, “mutually beneficial” agreement, afterwhich download speeds climbed to 24% above where they were in Oct 2014. I agree that, from a certain perspective, most hostage negotiations are mutually beneficial. However, I still would not want to be caught in one, and I certainly do not want my ability to seamlessly watch The Office in 1080p to depend on such a negotiation when I have already paid $7.99 that month in order to do so. ISPs do not even have to be vertically integrated to extort businesses and stifle competition in the ‘free’ market. If Ajit Pai and lobbyists get their way, they could do so on behalf of any large pre-existing company willing to pay them enough. Today, any startup or small business needs a web presence in order to succeed. Imagine if I started a water bottle company which sold water so cheap and advanced that it significantly threatened Nalgene market share. Nalgene, quaking in their

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

boots about my hydration innovations, could pay ISPs to outright destroy my company's web presence. With my web presence compromised, no one would know about how awesome my water bottles were, and my company would go under due to a lack of consumers. In addition to my company going under, the American consumer would lose, too. They can no longer be fully informed about their water bottle purchases, because the information they receive can be dictated by players already in the game. While my water bottle example may be a little silly for the sake of simplicity, when the same concept is applied to Silicon Valley, it will have grave consequences for innovation and the future of computer technology. An open internet gives a voice to the voiceless. In recent decades, thousands of videos exposing animal cruelty have been uploaded to the internet. The public's reaction to these atrocities has lead to minute yet definite market losses for the worst offenders. However, if Net Neutrality is lost, companies that feel financially threatened by videos of male chick grinders or severely dehydrated pigs will be able to make those videos go away, or at least significantly harder to watch logisitically. As far as I am aware, making it harder to expose torture and oppression has never in history led to less torture and oppression, only more.

OPINION

GOP attacks higher ed. Tax bills passed by House and Senate raise costs for graduate students and private colleges, threatening the future of academia. By Alec Stanley

astanley@rollins.edu

n Dec. 2, 2017, Republicans passed their version of the Tax Cuts And Jobs Act, legislation which will have a negative impact on higher education finances for graduate students. Graduate students will face taxation on tuition waivers. Rollins faculty and staff who receive tuition benefits stand to be taxed on said benefits. Those with student loans will no longer be able to deduct their student loan interest. The House bill, scribed with last-minute, hand-written notes on different pages, proposes to eliminate the provision that allows private colleges (such as Rollins) to issue tax exempt bonds. This elimination will increase the cost of borrowing when Rollins wishes to undergo a large-scale capital project such as facility construction or renovation. “The short answer is that there are a number of provisions in the House bill that are profoundly ill-advised and create significant harm to Rollins,”

wrote president Grant Cornwell when asked for his thoughts on the legislation. The taxation of graduate student tuition waivers has been the greatest source of controversy in the national dialogue. The provision has been criticized from a variety of angles, the breadth of which indicates to the short-sighted nature of the decision. “This would be a huge burden to graduate students and deter many from pursuing graduate studies. This would be a blow to the whole research enterprise of higher education and thus to a national strategic asset.” wrote Cornwell. “I honestly don’t know how people are going to go to grad school,” said Dr. Paul Reich, professor and chair of Rollins' Department of English. “It just won’t be practical,” Reich continued. Reich noted that he personally would still attend graduate school if he were a student today, but it would cause a massive amount of student debt to loom over his head. While many are, for good reason, primarily concerned about the House bill’s immediate effects on higher education, Re-

ich also expressed concern about the long-term effects on higher education and academia. “I don’t know what they’re expecting the workforce to turn into." He also commented that increasing the cost of graduate level education will have major effects on what the professors of the future will look like. In Reich’s view, a decrease in affordability would lead to an increase in student loans for future professors. An increase in student loans will, in turn, adversely affect the quality of professors’ work, as they will be focused on overloading their schedules to meet the financial burden. He also expressed that creating a de facto class barrier to graduate school will have negative effects on the diversity of perspectives found in academia. For higher education at large, the bill proposes to tax en-

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dowment earnings for universities with more than $250,000 in assets per student. While Rollins’ endowment does not meet this threshold, President Cornwell commented that the “proposal violates a long-standing principle that is part of the foundation of higher education finance.” However negative, the effects of the proposal are not set in stone. “The Senate bill pulls back from some of the more damaging proposals in the House bill, but the risk is that the ideas will persist when the House and Senate meet to hammer out their differences,” wrote Cornwell. As Cornwell pointed out, the two bills must reconcile before the completed bill lands on President Trump’s desk. GOP congressmen and women hope to have a completed bill ready for Trump by Christmas.

... a huge burden to graduate students and deter many from pursuing graduate studies.

Roy Moore's fate is up to voters Roy Moore is not legally bound to sexual allegations, leaving it up to America's vote to keep him out of office. By Heather Borochaner

hborochaner@rollins.edu

labama Senate Candidate Roy Moore has been urged by officials to step down from the ballot due to allegations of sexual assault more than thirty years ago. These claims come from four women, Leigh Corfman, Wendy Miller, Debbie Wesson Gibson, and Gloria Thacker Deason, who ranged in age from 14 to 18 at the time of their relationships with Moore, then in his early thirties. The women, who claim to not know each other and were shown to have no affiliation with Moore’s opponents, say that Moore initiated romantic relationships with them, taking them out on dates and buying

them alcohol. The legal drinking age in Alabama at the time was 19. The women said that their relationships with Moore never went further than kissing and hugging, and that he never tried to take it further, except for the case with Leigh Corfman. She claimed that at one point they had both stripped to their underwear while he groped her. When Corfman felt uncomfortable and said she wanted to go home, Moore stopped and drove her home. At the time, the young women found the attention from an older man flattering, but as they matured and got older they realized how disgusting their experiences with Moore had been. Moore denies the truth of all of these claims, but their stories

all add up, and the question remains: should Roy Moore take his name off the ballot and step down from campaigning? Based on the law, the answer is no. In the United States, the policy of law is innocent until proven guilty. These events took place such a long time ago that it is impossible to prove anything now beyond a reasonable doubt, and Moore denies all claims against him. Politicians on both sides should know this golden rule of the judiciary system. Moore is in no way obligated to step down for a crime that cannot be proven, nor tried in a court of law. The law at the time of 1979 stated that the statute of limitations was three years to report a felony charge of sexual abuse involving a minor.

The silver lining, though, is that the people who have the power to vote are not required to believe him. Anyone can say 'I believe the women accusing him, and I don’t want a pedophile representing my state, so I will not vote for him.' Just like how it is supposed to function, the decision falls to the American people. If their claims are true, it was very brave of the accusing women to step up and try to prevent a pedophile from representing their state. They did their job, and it is up to the voters to decide whether they believe them or not. As of Dec. 1, Moore is leading in the polls against his Democratic counterpart Doug Jones by two points. The election will be held on Dec. 12.

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

Exam Schedule Dec. 11 ‣ 8-10 a.m: MWF noon ‣ 11-1 p.m: TR 8 a.m. ‣ 2-4 p.m: MWF 10 a.m. ‣ 5-7 p.m: Make-ups

Dec. 12 ‣ 8-10 a.m: TR 2 p.m. ‣ 11-1 p.m: MWF 8 a.m. ‣ 2-4 p.m: TR 9:30 a.m. ‣ 5-7 p.m: Make-ups

Dec 13. ‣ Reading Day ‣ Finals relaxation fair, 12-3 p.m.

Dec. 14 ‣ 8-10 a.m: MWF 11 a.m. ‣ 11-1 p.m: TR 11 a.m. ‣ 2-4 p.m: MWF 1 p.m. ‣ 5-7 p.m: Make-ups

Dec. 15 ‣ 8-10 a.m: MWF 2:30 p.m. ‣ 11-1 p.m: TR 3:30 p.m. ‣ 2-4 p.m: MWF 9 a.m. ‣ 5-7 p.m: F 1p.m.

SPORTS

Kelly Rowswell named First Team All-South Region Sophomore goalie honored for her performance as goalie for the women’s occer team. By Heather Borochaner

hborochaner@rollins.edu

elly Rowswell, ‘20, recently received the First Team All-South Region award for her performance as the women’s soccer goalie. Rowswell started playing goalie when she was only ten years old. “My coach just threw me in the net and I loved it ever since,” she said. “I’ve played all different sports throughout high school, but soccer was my favorite of them all. I continue to play because it’s a great way to connect with my team, to be competitive, and play the sport I have always loved.” Rowswell said that she chose to play for Rollins College because of what the team and coaches stood for. “When I came on my unofficial visit I could see the passion and love for the game that the players played with.” She believed that they could overcome any obstacle put before them, and she also wanted to be a part of

a great academic school with small classrooms and dedicated teachers. Other than the First Team All-South Region award, Rowswell has also earned the First Team All-Conference, NSCAA All South Region Third Team, and SSC Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 26, 2016. This year, she also received the First Team All-Conference and SSC Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 25, 2017. Rowswell felt honored to have been chosen out of the many other great goalkeepers in the region: “It made me feel like all my hard work so far has paid off.” Rowswell believed that the different coaches she has had throughout her life pushed her out of her comfort zone and made her into the goalkeeper she is today: “They were very tough on me and pushed me very hard technically and mentally. They taught me the true difference of what being a good goalkeeper looked like and what being a great goal-

keeper looked like.” Besides her coaches, Rowswell has pulled much of her inspiration from her mother, who she says has always been her biggest supporter. Roswell is a business management major but plans to take enough science courses that once she graduates, she can open her own chiropractic office. Although Rowswell does not plan on pursuing a career in soccer outside of college, she still has hopes that she can win Conference and get to the NCAA’s national championship with her team. “Have fun and play with heart and passion,” was what Rowswell would tell younger players who want to achieve like she has. “If you truly love the game, you can do anything you want on the field if you try. Always try your best even if you are scared. Even though you might fail, you will keep on improving, learn from your mistakes, and grow as a person.” Photo courtesy of Rollins Sports