Volume 135, Issue 6 by The Scarlet & Black

Grinnell artist: Joe Lacina

Kites Over Grinnell

Arts page5

Community page 4

Bryce Lew and Kiara Borosky posing in the grill

Features page 6

Scarlet & Black the

Volume 135, Issue 6

thesandb.com

October 5, 2018 • Grinnell, Iowa

Use of racial slurs in class Mélanie Marcel wins Grinnell Prize prompts discussion Intercultural Affairs hope diversity plan will ensure inclusivity

By Candace Mettle mettleca@grinnell.edu Professor and Trustee of the College Kathryn Mohrman’s '67 use of racial slurs sparked a discussion on classroom expectations and hiring practices. In her Women in Leadership short course, sponsored by the Wilson Center for Innovation and Leadership, Mohrman used racial slurs to illustrate inappropriate language in the workplace. Ceci Bergman '19 was one of the students in the short course who believed Mohrman’s use of the words created an unsafe academic environment. After email exchanges and in-person discussions prompted by Bergman, Mohrman claimed to have acknowledged her ignorance and her privilege and apologized to the whole class the next time they met. “It was not appropriate. I clearly hurt one and maybe more members of the class,” said Mohrman. “Grinnell is a learning environment, not just for students, but also for instructors, so something that was intended not to be hurtful was in fact hurtful.” Bergman believed dynamics between professors and students make

it difficult to raise concerns regarding a professor’s conduct. Her status as a fourth-year, she believes, emboldened her to even approach Mohrman about how she felt about her classroom conduct. However, Bergman worries that other students may feel powerless to approach professors when they experience racial bias by a professor. “I would hope that Intercultural Affairs and the College would focus on what are systems we have in place so that this doesn’t continue to happen, because this isn’t the first time that I have been in a class and felt like I have experienced racism in an educational setting and how am I supposed to learn if I don’t even feel safe?” Bergman said. Though taking on the burden of stating her discomfort and hurt, Bergman did not anticipate the toll it would take. “I think overall I’m as satisfied as I can be,” Bergman said. “I think it’s been a good learning point for me with interacting with power in a really obvious way. There’s a lot of emotional labor I felt like I dealt with … I chose that, but I guess I’ve been reflecting a lot on respectabil-

ity politics and the realities of power dynamics between students and professors and I hope we can find better ways of holding professors accountable without making students feel unsafe.” For now, Bergman feels like she has exhausted all resources available.

I would think more about what I say or what I assign to read, what impact that would have on others because context is everything ... Kathryn Mohrman '67

LIZ PAIK

Mélanie Marcel presents about SoScience, an organization she founded. Other students from the short course contacted Director of Intercultural Affairs Maure Smith-Benanti. As a mandatory reporter, Smith-Benanti must report anything that violates federal law. However, anyone can speak to Smith-Benanti for guidance on bias and cultural insensitivity without making a formal complaint. “The best answer is that it really depends on what the student needs and what their goals are,” said >> See Students and faculty page 2

By Linnet Adams adamslin@grinnell.edu The College dedicated a week to honoring the work of the Grinnell College Innovator for Social Justice Prize 2018 winner, Mélanie Marcel, a native of France who founded the organization SoScience. The goal of SoScience is to combine aspects of science and social justice to provide for the common good. The prize annually awards $100,000 to someone who challeng-

Josh Dorner holds talk on Kavanaugh hearing

es systemic oppressions in society. When asked how she felt about winning the Grinnell Prize, Marcel expressed the important implications of linking higher education with her organization’s goals. “This college is a great place to explore [the notion of responsibility],” Marcel said. “Grinnell College is an academic institution, and the prize is about social justice. For me, in my field, it is very important to have an academic institution recognizing that >> See Marcel addresses page 3

Students face cross-contact at Dining Hall

By Shabana Gupta guptasha@grinnell.edu

REINA SHAHI

Josh Dorner addresses students and faculty about recent political trends and the Supreme Court confirmation for Judge Brett Kavanaugh. By Clara Larson larsoncl@grinnell.edu Josh Dorner ’03 gave a talk concerning the recent hearing regarding the potential appointment of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Well before the official 8pm start time on Oct. 1, the first floor of Burling was packed full of students, faculty and community members. Dorner studied political science and went on to work for advocacy organizations and policy campaigns. His resume includes a significant extent of progressive public service. The American public’s prevail-

ing interest in the Kavanaugh hearings has generally revolved around one central issue: sexual assault allegations brought forward by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick. Dorner, however, mentioned the allegations only a few times throughout his talk. Instead, Dorner contextualized the significance of the Kavanaugh hearings within recent Supreme Court history, and explained how Kavanaugh’s nomination reflects both established political trends and changing ones. According to Dormer, Republicans and Democrats have each re-

fused to appoint judicial nominations made by the opposing party for years. However, Dorner claimed “it’s undeniable that the Republicans turned it into an all-out war once Obama came into office.” Dorner went on to cite that in the 42 years before Obama came into office, federal court nominations were filibustered on average less than once per year. However, in the first five years of Obama’s presidency, this happened 36 times, often limiting Obama’s ability to appoint judges to District Courts, Courts of Appeals and to the Supreme Court. In fact, Dorner noted that after Supreme

Court Justice Scalia passed away, Republicans ensured his position remained empty for 422 days, long enough to make sure that Obama wouldn’t fill the seat. Dorner argued that because of this “Supreme Court war” forged by Republicans, “Trump was really given a tremendous gift.” When Trump came into office, there were 112 vacant seats to fill. As of now, one eighth of all judges in federal courts were appointed by Trump. It was this unique “gift” given to Trump, Dorner claimed, that set the scene for Kavanaugh’s nomination. >> See Josh Dorner holds page 2

Friday SWAG Plenary Noyce 1302, 4:00 p.m.

Monday Workshop with Josh More JRC 209, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday Foreign Affairs Discussion Mears Cottage Lounge 11 a.m.

Tuesday Writers@Grinnell: A Celebration of Global Creative Writing Hotel Grinnell 4:15 p.m.

Last Thursday, during the Russian-themed food night at the Dining Hall, inadequate labeling of food caused difficulty for some students with various food sensitivities. Katie Herbert '20, whose main sensitivity is to nuts, was one of the students who struggled to find sufficient food options that day. Before entering the Dining Hall, Herbert claimed to have checked NetNutrition, the website that allows people to view what the Dining Hall is serving on a weekly basis. Herbert said she often does this to see what foods she can eat at a given meal. Many of the dishes included walnuts, and, as the names of the dishes were in Russian, Herbert was not able to decipher what each dish was. Herbert recalled arriving at the Dining Halland taking a to-go box to the grilled chicken section. All of the screens were malfunctioning, showing a white screen instead of the menu. The student worker at the station could not tell her most of the ingredients in the bowl of beans, and Herbert proceeded to take the beans back to her room in Cowles, without knowing that nuts were inside. “I’m sitting there on the couch, and I start to eat the beans and thought ‘this tastes interesting but a bit weird,’” said Herbert, “I start to feel a bit off, so I look a bit more closely, and I’m like ‘no, this is defi>> See Student with page 2 Wednesday Reading with Betty Moffett Pioneer Bookshop 5 p.m.

News Students and faculty reflect on racial slurs incident Edited by seibertl@grinnell.edu & suetamay@grinnell.edu

Continued from Front Page Smith-Benanti. “Sometimes a student will come and talk about their situation because they’re not sure if it was bias and a lot of times people just want someone to check in with if this is an actual microaggression because I think a lot of times people don’t want to believe they are experiencing bias but it’s the case that all of us are biased so sometimes … students come to us for support or guidance and we do our best to honor that.” “Primarily my work is educational in nature. It focuses on not a punitive response but an educational response,” Smith Benanti said. “The goal of the bias reporting from my

perspective is supporting the reporter first and foremost and depending on what they need, helping or providing an opportunity for somebody who is engaged in bias behavior the chance to learn from something and do better.” Smith-Benanti and Interim Chief Diversity Officer Leslie Gregg Jolly also find that the benefit of hearing from the College community on issues regarding bias can improve training and classroom environments. They cite the recent Diversity and Inclusion Plan as a product of College community input that they claim has already made an impact with the hiring of a diversity inclusion manager, Marc Reed, and requiring criteria on diversity and

inclusion to staff member hirings. Reed was not available in time to comment on changes to staff hiring practices and training.

It was not appropriate. I clearly hurt one or maybe more members of the class. Kathryn Morhman '67 According to Professor Monty Roper, anthropology and chair of the Wilson Center, short course professors do not require training, only expertise in their given topic. Roper said that many of the instructors who teach Wilson Center short courses come through Doug Caulkin’s Teach-

ing from Alumni course or through individuals or departments who propose a course they would want to teach. Roper says the vetting process of short course instructors is the same as for a speaker. He believes it is too early to tell if there needs to be a revisiting of Wilson Center sponsored short courses’ criteria based on Mohrman’s incident, but he claims to be open to suggestions. “It will be very difficult … to have training like faculty who come in a week early and it’s just there’s not time for that who people who are active in careers in other places and inking out a piece of time who come here to offer something … I know the process is still being discussed in other places.”

As discussions on diversity and inclusion in the classroom continue, Mohrman hopes that she will not make the same mistakes again. “I would think more about what I say or what I assign to read, what impact that would have on others because context is everything and just because you have good intentions doesn’t always mean that the it will be assumed for others,” Mohrman said. “I think that’s true with teaching, with dealing with people every day … what matters to the receiver is significant and if you have hurt them, that’s not right.” The diversity and inclusion plan is available at http://web.grinnell.edu/Dean/Diversity/Diversity_ Plan_2018.pdf

Students with dietary restrictions struggle to navigate Dining Hall From mislabeling of food to malfunctioning screens Continued from Front Page nitely a nut.’” After spitting out what was left in her mouth, Herbert went upstairs to take an antihistamine. “Luckily I’m no longer at the point where I’m anaphylactic because then I would have had to use an EpiPen,” she said. At that point, her food had been cross-contaminated and she was not able to finish the rest of her meal. During the Russian-themed night, the screens were down for approximately 15-20 minutes. “It is very unfortunate and scary for persons with medical dietary restrictions and for Dining Services that this sign malfunctioned and re-iterates the concern for proper information to be given to our guests,” Director of Dining Services Jeanette Moser wrote in an email to The S&B. Dining Services believe the malfunction has been fixed and want to remind people that NetNutrition has information regarding allergens in each dish. Moser says it important for students to alert the dining staff when screens are down. “Career staff cannot see the sign for their area and are thus dependent on others walking by or in line at their venue to notice their sign is not working,” Moser wrote. Katie Lou McCusker '19 also had issues with getting food at the Dining Hall that night. Being allergic to both gluten and walnuts, the majority of the foods served were inedible for her. She also noted that the labeling system has been faulty in the past. “It happens more than you’d

REINA SHAHI

Students help themselves to food from the vegan section of the Dining Hall. think. The labels don’t match up with the dish and then it’s hard to figure out if you can eat it or not,” said McCusker. In addition, labels are not placed with leftover dishes, causing people with allergies to avoid them entirely. In addition to faulty labeling practices, some problems are caused by other diners. “I’ve seen people come to Gluten Free and they have bread on their plate, and they’ll pick up the

food and touch the gluten-free spoon to their plate,” McCusker said. For someone who is celiac, that instance of cross-contact can have extreme problems later on. Diners are meant to use a new plate when returning for second portions of their meal to avoid cross-contact. Moser ensures that while major allergens are used within the kitchens, precautions are taken so that no cross-contact occurs. “Our full-time staff are all trained

and most are certified Servsafe food handling professionals,” she wrote. The certification requires knowledge about how to prepare foods in ways that prevents cross-contact. Food for the allergen-free sections uses pans that are entirely cleaned, and the surfaces are cleaned so the opportunities for cross-contact are minimized. All allergen-free foods are stored in a separate hot box used only for allergen-free items of the same time. In addition, the ovens

are able to be washed before baking allergy-free foods. All cutting boards are color-coded and are only used for the foods they are intended. The set up within each section is specific for each food. The last item on the lineup should be the only item to contain nuts in order to prevent cross-contact. While students have faced certain difficulties in the past, Moser and the Dining Hall staff remain committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for students and faculty.

Josh Dorner holds talk on Kavanaugh hearing

SARINA LINCOLN

The first floor of Burling pays rapt attention to Dorner as he delivers his talk on the Kavanaugh hearing. Continued from Front Page Anticipating this ability to influence federal courts, Trump released a list of potential federal court nominees during his campaign, most chosen by private interest groups. Dorner asserted it was a strategic way of appealing to conservative voters. He explained that, for years, there has

been a movement encouraging conservative voters to care about court nominations, emphasizing the ability of a strongly conservative court to further the Republican agenda. In contrast, Dorner said, “it’s so very difficult to get progressive, democratic voters to care about the courts.” Until Kavanaugh’s nomination, Democrats have had little in-

centive to care about Supreme Court nominations. Out of concern for Kavanaugh’s sexual assault allegations and worry for his potential influence on women’s reproductive rights, gun control and environmental regulations, Democrats have begun to oppose a judicial nomination much more strongly than they have in recent

history. The forefront of the progressive opposition against Kavanaugh now consists of human rights groups, think tanks, women’s groups, civil rights groups and grassroots organizations, explained Dorner. Although Kavanaugh’s stances on key issues may play a role in encouraging this progressive opposition, Dorner argued that many rea-

sons remain as to why Kavanaugh should be objectively disqualified from serving on the Supreme Court. “His allegations are very serious and disqualifying in and of themselves,” Dorner said, noting “his 27, easily well-documented lies [during the hearing].” He went on to list certain behaviors during the hearings and his record as further disqualifying factors. Dorner noted that often, Democrats nominate candidates for their qualifications, while Republicans tend to nominate for ideology, over-looking whether or not the candidate is truly qualified. In reference to Kavanaugh’s nomination, he expressed that “there should be 10 reasons for someone to be on the Supreme Court, not just one.” Unsurprisingly, Grinnell has been abuzz with strong reactions from students and faculty since the hearing. Brendan Hyatt ’21 came away from the hearing being “pretty sure he’s a rapist. That is my main concern. I hope the Democrats pack the courts.” Jonathan Gomez ’21 agreed that “this specific nominee being so wrong for the job but still potentially being able to make it is really worrisome" If these trends continue, and Republicans are able to increasingly make courts more conservative, Dorner predicted a grim future for the United State political system. “It doesn’t matter what laws are being passed, they’ll eventually just be met by this judicial buzz-saw,” Dorner said.

News Marcel addresses Grinnell community on social justice 3

Edited by seibertl@grinnell.edu & suetamay@grinnell.edu

SCOTT LEW

Left: Mélanie Marcel addresses the crowd in JRC 101. Right: Marcel poses in Saints Rest, where she interacted with students and townspeople. Continued from Front Page the way we conduct research is actually a question of social justice.” Before starting SoScience, Marcel was employed as a researcher herself. Working at NTT Basic Research Laboratories in Japan as an engineer, Marcel had an epiphany about the impact she could have on society as a scientist. One day, she and her boss discussed the pos-

sibility of implanting a cell phone in someone’s brain through their cheek. This exchange inspired her to found SoScience in an attempt to make other scientists aware of the possible social impacts of their research. To Marcel, the question SoScience strives to answer is, “How can we put this notion of responsibility of being very conscious of what we do as scientists in our professional

SHACS to text appointments

By Diana Chege chegedia@grinnell.edu Student Health and Counseling Services (SHACS) recently developed a program in which students can receive text messages reminders of their impending appointments. The new service aims to help students further manage their busy schedules at the College by making SHACS a more visible and accessible space. “SHACS noticed that our noshow rate was above the national average of three percent,” Director of SHACS Operations Deb Shill wrote in an email to The S&B. “During brainstorming sessions on how we could help students remember their appointments, text messaging was often brought up.” While the service initially came with a fee, the approval of the Mental Health Task Force helped SHACS secure the funds and purchase it for the Electric Medical Records (EMR) system.  The program is currently active. It is, however, an opt-in system in which participants have to choose to enroll. To enable text appointment reminders, students can log into https://shacscom. grinnell.edu using their college credentials, enter their date of birth and then click the box next to “Enable Text Messages” above the boxed text. SHACS front desk workers can also assist with setting up text reminders. Once signed up, students will receive a text message reminder one

hour before their scheduled appointment time. Although the process to sign up is simple, students should be aware that standard rates apply for those without an unlimited texting plan. While SHACS has employed an email system in the past, this program promises to be different. “Previously, we only had email reminders that were sent out the day prior to your appointment,” Shill wrote. “This new added feature allows for the reminder to be sent closer to the actual appointment time which we feel is an added benefit. We are hopeful that by adding this additional reminder, we will have less no-shows and in turn will improve our utilization rates.” She further pledged that this progress will not end with text reminders. Within the EMR, there is an added feature that allows students to upload their forms. This way, students would be able to hand in their forms at their convenience. However, this program would have additional expenses in comparison to the text messaging option and therefore requires more planning and budgeting support. “We are currently looking at how to make the New Student Orientation process flow better considering that students have to download and mail in certain forms,” Shill wrote.  Regardless of what happens in the near future, SHACS believes that it is determined to grow and expand its services with more technological advances.

day-to-day work, and the kind of impact it can have on society?” Since its inception, SoScience has collaborated with over 800 researchers and led five “Future Of” conferences that allow scientists and social justice activists to create projects that help society as a whole. The company supports budding enterprises by providing guidance and resources to projects they believe in. Her current goal for the organi-

zation is to “create the tools needed in order to solve the problem [SoScience is] talking about.” One particular program did just that when a group of scientists and innovators worked on developing a program and sent their research to other scientists and social justice organizations. With the $100,000 she has won, Marcel hopes to add a Human Resources division to her SoScience

staff. “I think I’m going to hire more people to be able to develop the company and spread the ideas and messages. It’s one of our challenges to get known so that more people want to work with us.” To learn more about Mélanie Marcel and her SoScience organization, please visit SoScience’s website, follow @SoScienceTweet on Twitter and like SoScience on Facebook.

Community County contract for ambulance service up for renewal

Edited by taylorse@grinnell.edu

By Eva Hill hilleva@grinnell.edu The only viable option for emergency treatment in Poweshiek County is Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC), the only major hospital in at least a one-hour radius. As a result, the outcome of Poweshiek County’s upcoming ambulance contract renewal has significant bearing on the safety of its residents. Midwest Ambulance, an Iowa-based, for-profit company serves Poweshiek County and parts of Jasper County that fall within Grinnell’s Fire Department’s district. The current contract ends in August, but Midwest Ambulance requires six months’ notice prior to the expiration date to look for additional contracts if the county decides to change providers, which makes the deadline for the current discussion March 2019. According to Grinnell Mayor Dan Agnew, part of what drives the necessity for a professional ambulance company is the dispersed nature of the service area. “If we only had an ambulance service that was for the city of Grinnell, … the distance and the time might

not demand a paramedic be on staff,” said Agnew. The driving time from the farthest township served by Midwest Ambulance to Grinnell Regional Medical Center is around fifteen minutes — not a large amount of time, but enough that trained medical professionals with access to the necessary equipment could make a lifesaving difference.

[It's] an emotional issue. ... People don't really think about why they might need an ambulance until they need one. Mayor Dan Agnew Agnew believed that the contract negotiations are “an emotional issue. … People don’t really think about why they might need an ambulance until they need one.” Agnew and Grinnell City Manager Russ Behrens are members of a specialized taskforce called together to research the contract renewal. Other members of the taskforce include Grinnell Fire Chief Dan Sicard, CEO of Grinnell Regional Medical Center/ Unity Point Health Jennifer Havens,

Trevor White, representative of the County Board of Supervisors, Grinnell City Council members Jo Wray and Jim White, and Gary Wilson and Brian Gruhn, clerks from surrounding townships served by Midwest Ambulance. “Part of the discussion is, would they still continue to do that, or would the townships then … pay to the city, to Grinnell City, for their ambulance services?” Agnew said. The taskforce aims to determine the best way to pay for ambulance services. Currently, townships in Poweshiek County pay their fees to the county itself, which then pays Grinnell. Certain townships in Jasper County within Grinnell’s fire protection district, who use Midwest Ambulance’s services as well, pay directly to the city. One element that factors into determining the total per-year cost of ambulance service is the way ambulances are currently housed in Grinnell. A copy of the contract obtained by The S&B from the city shows that Midwest Ambulance pays back the city $25,000 per year for rent and utilities because the ambulances are housed on city property. The company’s annual fee for 2018-19 is $127,500, which is an increase from $105,000 in 2014-15.

Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation kicks off month-long fundraiser By Shuhan Yi yishuhan@grinnell.edu Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation (GPCF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to contributing to the welfare of Poweshiek County. In October, the foundation is celebrating the launch of its annual fundraising campaign, Big GIVE. This coincides with the Spirit of Giving ceremony, which awards individuals who "have gone beyond in terms of their offerings to the non-profit," said GPCF Executive Director Nicole Brua-Behrens. "We have a variety of funds to support different initiatives like education, historical preservation [and] mental health. … During Big GIVE in October, we put out what we call the 'Catalog of Giving,'" Brua-Behrens said. The Catalog of Giving is a brochure that contains all the projects GPCF supports. Then GPCF sends the catalogs “to donors that we have in our database, and we highlight all of our different funds, and we ask people to give." "But then we also have [an] event called the Spirit of Giving,

which is coming up on Thursday, and that is an event which we hold in the evening. We invite anybody who has ever given to a fund at GPCF to an event, and give them a meal and we thank them for all they have done for the Poweshiek County — the different non-profits that are in our county. We also give away four awards on that night," Brua-Behrens said. "One prize will be given to a couple who have a life-time [of] giving back to non-profit organizations," Brua-Behrens said. "This year the honor will be awarded to Doug and Lorna Caulkins … who have given their money and time to many important projects that impact the community profoundly. We are also giving [the prize] to a young person [Danica Nolton] who has done a lot in fighting cancer." Brua-Behrens added. With the money collected from the annual Big GIVE and donated throughout the year, GPCF evaluates and disperses money to non-profit organizations that are in need. "Every organization comes to us and sets up a charitable fund, and we either do a dispersement every year

to their calls or we disperse money to them several times throughout the year," Brua-Behrens explained. Besides simply giving money to different organizations, GPCF also builds strong connections with its projects by actively engaging. "We have an endowment for the Tiger Packs Program to help its daily operation. But two times a month, we purchase food and we pack food and deliver [it] to the school, so children in kindergarten through 8 grade, those children who have been identified as food insecure, [can] get a package of food in their backpack every Friday, so they have more food to eat on the weekend. Sometimes we [are] really connected to a program like that." Brua-Behrens said. GPCF also encourages the involvement of Grinnellians in its non-profit programs. "We actually have a lot of students volunteering in the Tiger Pack Program; they've worked in the community gardens that one of our organizations manage in Grinnell … Even [though] students don't always have money to give, they seemed really more apt to do volunteering work."

To change providers, the city would have to issue a request for proposals from other companies (as well as Midwest Ambulance), which could pose a problem in itself. According to Behrens, “There might be one [company], at most two, who would even be willing to respond.”

No local government in Iowa has any obligation to provide emergency medical services. We have a statutory requirement to provide fire and police, but nobody's required to provide ambulance [services]. In fact, it's done differently in every city, county , township across the state. City Manager Russ Behrens Behrens explained that ambulance service in Iowa can vary by location, due to a lack of legislative regulation. “No local government in Iowa has any obligation to provide emergency medical services. We have a statutory requirement to provide fire and police, but nobody’s required to provide am-

bulance [services]. In fact, it’s done differently in every city, county, township across the state.” Behrens added that locations may have different levels of training for their paramedics and rescue services. Midwest Ambulance provides professionally trained emergency medical technicians (EMT) and paramedic-level responders, who work in Grinnell as part of the contract. The current contract requires the company to provide three fully equipped ambulances and “sufficiently trained” staff to the County. Towns and townships with municipal ambulance service may have only volunteer responders, who will likely not have the same level of training as professionals. Because of this, Midwest Ambulance’s contract with Poweshiek provides a “tiering” service, where the company can provide advanced life-support aid to local areas whose emergency medical services are volunteer-only. As of now, though, the taskforce is optimistic they will get the necessary research together in time to decide, whether that be a renegotiated contract with Midwest Ambulance or a new proposal altogether.

Grinnell Regional Public Health holding vaccinations By Eyerusalem Desta destaeye@grinnell.edu Influenza has started to spread around Grinnell, according to Patricia Heinrichs, director of home health, hospice and public health at Grinnell Regional Public Health. To help combat the spread and severity of the disease, UnityPoint-Grinnell Regional Public Health will continue to provide influenza vaccinations. It is helpful to get vaccinated as early as possible as it takes a bit of time for the body to build up antibodies and display its full effects. Everyone in the community is welcome to get these vaccines, according to Heinrichs. “The recipients do not need to be a resident of Iowa to receive the vaccine … It is recommended that everyone who is six months [old] and over receive the vaccine,” said Heinrichs. Grinnell Regional Public Health has provided flu vaccinations for over 30 years. According to Heinrichs, the vaccines are usually 100 percent covered by most insurance companies including Medicare and Medicaid, but for the uninsured, the clinics accept

money up front. There are many other locations across Poweshiek County where the vaccine is offered between Sept.27 and Nov. 21. Some of these locations include Grinnell-Newberg High School on October 17 and Grinnell Middle School on Oct. 29. A full list of the ten remaining dates and locations can be found on unitypoint.org under “Public Health." Heinrichs said it is important to get flu shots, especially considering the increasingly rapid spread of colds starting off this school year. The flu is debilitating, uncomfortable and, if left untreated, it can even be deadly. Dealing with these symptoms in the middle of a packed academic schedule can be difficult. Though it is improbable that every single person will be vaccinated, if a large majority is vaccinated, everyone who isn’t will be protected through the immunity of others. Therefore getting vaccinated is not only good for you; it is helpful to the greater community. Grinnell College students and staff can receive their free flu shots through SHACS on Oct. 9 and 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in JRC 101.

The S&B's Sarah Licht '22, along with photographer Zoey Kohler '22, went to the annual celebration Kites Over Grinnell and talked to kite fliers young and old who were attending the event. With such a wide variety of kite designs on display at the event, Licht asked fliers to tell the story behind their kites.

Peter Hanson (left) encourages his daughter Thea (right). She used green, blue, orange and red colors, but when asked if those were her favorite she was quick to respond, “I like all the colors.”

Kites Over Grinnell is an annual celebration hosted by the Rotary Club and located at Ahrens Park. Local schools provide kitemaking kits for participants in the event.

Maggie Aparicio, pictured here, built her kite herself. It came in a kit provided by Aparicio’s school, and on the kite she drew “rainbow flowers” and the sky in bright blue.

Siblings Jonathon (left) and Thea Hanson (right) fly their kites together.

Alicia Blanketfeld and her son Owen (pictured here) said that their first kite broke, and Owen’s grandfather gave them this kite as a replacement. They built another kite last year, a “really cool Star Wars kite,” but they left it at home in order not to ruin it.

Patrick Hansen flies this kite for his daughter, who is too young to fly it herself. She won it at a previous Kites Over Grinnell, according to Hansen.

Arts Saints Rest film screens Bojana Crnomarkovic '20 in Grinnell reflects on Smith Gallery show

Edited schultej@grinnell.edu

By Julia Anderson anderson8@grinnell.edu “All the Things I Haven’t Thrown Away,” a student art show by Bojana Crnomarkovic '20, opened in the Smith Gallery on Sept. 24, and today is its last day in the gallery. The show is mainly a collection of figure drawings and includes some landscapes and a three-dimensional piece. Crnomarkovic, a studio art major, initially had a different vision for her Smith Gallery show before realizing that the project wasn’t developing in a natural way. “I was going to show this completely different piece, and then I realized that that piece was sucking a lot of energy out of me and wasn’t a healthy artistic process, and then I kind of realized that I had all this work because I was just drawing the things that were immediate to me,” said Crnomarkovic.

The completed show thus emerged from pieces that she created without the anxiety of the previously planned project. Instead of forcing Crnomarkovic to pour gratuitous energy into a piece that felt overly labored, she says these pieces developed more organically. The title of the show alludes to this creative process. “A lot of these works were things I either would’ve kept in my sketchbook or thrown away or just had on the ground or had hanging in my room or something, and I was like ‘What would happen if I put this in a gallery? How would that change the meaning of it for me?’” Crnomarkovic said. One piece in the gallery that demonstrates this sentiment well is something that may at first seem unusual: a bowl filled with what is essentially garbage and the wilted leaves of a dead plant. “The bowl of trash became very meaningful to me once I put it in the

gallery,” Crnomarkovic said. “When I started thinking of it as something that could be in the gallery, I started thinking ‘How is this random object similar to things that I made with the intention of making art?’ That’s a thing that just emerged, but art also kind of just emerges in that way.” According to the Crnomarkovic, the piece that she sees as central to the exhibit is a figure drawing of her own body. The pieces in the show intend to follow two mindsets regarding putting a body onto paper. The first is drawing the body on paper while attempting to keep it as scaled to life as possible. The other strategy is more literal: transferring the body onto paper by painting the body. Despite the challenges that come with installing a show, Crnomarkovic is encouraged by this process. In addition to her own work, she’d like to do a collaborative show with friends and fill the space together.

RYLEE DOLEZAL “Saints Rest,” shot in Grinnell, showed at the Strand this week. By Eyerusalem Desta destaeye@grinnell.edu “Saints Rest” (2018) is a beautifully-shot feel-good film set in Grinnell. The film was directed by award-winning Grinnell alum Noga Ashkenazi '09. It displays platonic and romantic relationships and how they intersect with one’s personal journey. The movie also examines questions that arise at certain points in life about what home means and the conflict of home versus ambition, especially in a small-town context. “Saints Rest” had screenings at the Harris Cinema and the Strand Theater after winning awards during its premiere in North Carolina at River Run International Film Festival. “[River Run International Film Festival] was where we had three sold-out screenings there and one audience award,” said Ashkenazi. Noga Ashkenazi came to Grinnell as an international student from Tel Aviv, Israel. Much of the film is a reflection of many of the dilemmas she faced throughout her life. For example, Dani, a character in the film, is from Tel Aviv and was torn between the two places she called home. Ashkenazi also implemented aspects of her experiences taking care of her father with her twin sister. As such, the film is dedicated to her father.

I want to say that Grinnell College played a huge role in making this film and I couldn't have made it without Grinnell. Noga Ashkenazi '09 Ashkenazi explained how much of the film is a reflection of her own personal conflicts. “For almost a decade [I was] struggling which the question: where is home? Should I go back to Israel? Should I stay in the States?” Ashkenazi said. The film features many shots of downtown Grinnell, as well as scenes on campus. In the making of the film, the cast and crew were hosted by the College. Ashkenazi expresses her gratitude to the College for its part in the film’s creation. “I want to say that Grinnell College played a huge role in making this film and I couldn’t have made it without Grinnell. We stayed in the dorms in Main the entire summer. We basically took over — our home base was Main lounge where we had

all our costumes. It was just incredible living in the dorms all summer and making a movie in Grinnell about Grinnell … So really, I say, it’s a Grinnell love song, this movie …” Ashkenazi said. Saints Rest Coffee in downtown Grinnell, where much of the film takes place, also cooperated greatly with Ashkenazi and the cast to make this film happen. “Here in Saints Rest, Sam Cox, the owner, let us close down the coffee shop for a whole week,” Ashkenazi said. In addition, most of the extras were people in the Grinnell community. “That was the most amazing part,” Ashkenazi said, “because the Grinnell community came together to help us out. People just showed up and volunteered and were extras and they gave us entire days. I hope they enjoyed [the film].” Saints Rest was a musical in the sense that there were multiple musical numbers, but the music was integrated into the film and there were no sporadic dance numbers in accompaniment. “This is not a traditional musical in the sense that people are not dancing randomly. It’s very naturalistic. We wanted the songs to feel like part of the story and that you would barely notice that it was a musical because you’re just watching a film that has songs in it” Ashkenazi said. The musical numbers were so well integrated because music was a large part of the characters’ lives. Allie, the younger sister in the film, goes off to Broadway, leaving her sister Joni in the process. She comes back to visit one summer and that is where the film starts. To the satisfaction of many audiences who have seen the film so far, the soundtrack will be released online soon. The talented voices of Hani Furstenberg, who plays Joni, Allie Trimm, who plays Allie, and Dana Ivgy, who plays Danny, stole the show. Their talent is no surprise though, given their experiences on Broadway before this film. Ashkenazi worked for about a year on the soundtrack with two Israeli composers. The music was all sung and played live during filming. This film discussed many important questions about home, the monotony of small-town life, and how relationships affect our personal lives. The relationships within the film and the beautiful music leave viewers feeling peaceful. As a Grinnellian or anyone who enjoys meaningful musicals, the film is a great experience.

LIZ PAIK Bojana Crnomarkovic '20 decided to put work that might have been discarded into a gallery space at Smith.

Joe Lacina By Lily Bohlke bohlkeli@grinnell.edu When Grin City Collective, a local arts group, transitioned from an artist residency program to focusing on public art, it left the Lacina family farm on Highway 146. The property’s use as a space of art-making, however, did not leave with it. Joe Lacina, who founded Grin City, continues to live on the farm and make artwork, including sculptures, paintings and interior spaces. He also serves as the College’s studio art technician, assisting the department with purchasing, managing student workers and safety demos, as well as coordinating the Smith Gallery. Growing up in Grinnell, Lacina was always the “art kid,” and making art was always encouraged in his family. His mother has a ceramics area furnished with two kilns, and the woodshop Lacina uses today was his grandfather’s. While Lacina has made his own contributions to the organizational setup of the shop, much of what is now in the shop was put there by his grandfather, such as a wall of boxes with different sized dowels and bolts and some cut-out comics to lighten the atmosphere. After graduating from Grinnell High School, Lacina went to Baltimore, where he studied painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He then moved to Philadelphia, where he ran an art gallery. Eventually, he moved back home to his family’s farm to turn a space that had been used as a summer artmaking place for Lacina and his friends into a nonprofit artist residency program. Eventually, however, Lacina decided to pivot from Grin City to graduate school at the University of Iowa, where he studied sculpture. A lot of Lacina’s art is at least part sculpture, much of it being functional spaces and items, as well as non-functional sculptures and paintings. Some of his pieces have kinetic aspects as well, ranging from pulsing air muscles mimicking a heartbeat or a breath, to a small piece of sandpaper, tapping away at a wooden canvas. He makes some abstract sculptures, but he’s also made a couple of bikes. Walking through his studio building, one passes by a number of rooms. Lacina makes interior spaces, includ-

ing the third iteration of Lacina’s cocktail lounge, which, he said, “gets a little better each time.” It is currently decorated with a “Happy Birthday” banner, along with its usual setup. “You can see I have some of those geodesic foam structures on the ceiling. They kind of diffuse the light and you get kind of a cathedral, almost like stained glass effect on the walls,” Lacina said. “There’s also a chip rack, you know, every bar has to have a chip rack. I feel like that’s important.” In Lacina’s studio, where he creates most of his artwork, he is working on a piece based on a splat painting he saw on a British television show, Grand Designs. “I was like, I want that, and I decided to just make it and make it shinier,” Lacina said. “And that's not even that shiny — there’s a coating on here and once I peel that off it’ll be super glossy.” Also in his studio he has a homemade 3D printer, which, to build, required an already-made, regular 3D printer. “Where do you start? It’s like the chicken or the egg,” Lacina said. Walking across the family farm, the functionality of Lacina’s art becomes apparent—handmade wooden structures continuously crop up. He points out a wooden swing on the front porch of his house, a “cat house” and a chicken coop, all of which he built. The “cat house” is a structure

made of cedar, with two levels and a four-layer glass pane (one cat, Luna, hopped right on in as we stood there). The thick walls and insulation foam that Lacina included keep the two cats, Luna and Louis, warm during the cold Iowa winters. “The chickens really like cat food, and the cat food has chicken in it. They don’t care, they’re dinosaurs, they would definitely eat a chicken. Chickens eat chicken. They love chicken, it’s just something that they do.” Chicken coops are more complex than one might think, showing the preciseness and complexity of Lacina’s craft. “There are lots of little hatches and doors and compartments and things you need to do to keep predators out. Like, you need this specific hardware cloth so that predators can’t get through and pull chickens up to the fence. You have to bury it eight inches around the perimeter,” Lacina said. “And there’s certain things you have to do as far as venting, and then how light works in the chicken coop, you have to have the laying boxes under the window but they can’t be able to see out of the window or else they won’t make many eggs, or something.” Lacina intends to continue moving in the direction of making functional art. However, he'd only do it with his own twist. His most recent lamp is ornamented with cat hair.

LILY BOHLKE Joe Lacina, studio art technician, with the outdoor cat house he built for his cats' safety during the Iowa wintertime.

Features

Edited by vitaioli@grinnell.edu

Safer streets in Grinnell:

The S&B examines fear of gender based violence By Zoe Fruchter & Chloe Wray wraychlo@grinnell.edu fruchter@grinnell.edu Walking the minimally-lit streets of Grinnell at night, many students feel unsafe for fear of gender-based violence. The factors that shape this fear are institutional, both within Grinnell College and beyond. The main institution at work in creating this atmosphere of fear is that of the patriarchy, a system of male supremacy which subjugates women and those who do not fit within the masculine ideal. Iowa has made national news in recent months with the murders of Mollie Tibbetts and Celia Barquin Arozamena, both women killed by men. These deaths exemplify the prevailing forces of America’s patriarchy which place women’s bodies as objects to be exploited and controlled by men. These are just recent examples that substantiate the fear of violence pervasive in the minds of women and those who not conform to the gender binary. Grinnell College cannot solve the patriarchy, but it has the power to make institutional changes on its own scale to ensure the safety of students on campus and within the community. Therefore, The S&B will be initiating a series of articles looking at concerns held by Grinnell students regarding the potential for genderbased violence when walking at night on and off campus.

A recent on campus encounter On Sept. 16 at 2:29 A.M., Kelly Page '21 posted on the Grinnell Thumbs Down Facebook page about their experience being harassed and followed by a man while walking by the JRC. “A man biked past but stopped, asked if I went to the college and said ‘you look beautiful.’ I said, ‘you can keep going,’ realizing that this was not a safe situation,” the post detailed. “He kept biking but then turned around and seemed like he was gonna bike back towards me.” Page then ran as fast as they could to the nearest dorm. The conversation on Grinnell Thumbs Down began surrounding the reality of safety at night, especially for women and those outside the societal norm of the gender binary. This discourse both acknowledges the reality women live in, but, more urgently, questions who has the power to alter that reality. Page asked for help getting home safely via Facebook that night and another student eventually walked them home. Yet Page’s need to turn to students demonstrates the shortcomings of the institutions meant to keep them safe. “This is scary,” posted Anushka Kulshreshtha in the comment thread of Page’s original post. Similar Concerns Shared by Many Other Students. In a poll administered by The S&B and shared via student Facebook groups, 101 students out of 141 student responses reported feeling unsafe walking home due to gender-based

violence, with three other students also reporting a lack of security due to their sexuality. When asked to elaborate on these feelings, out of 105 responses, respondents detailed being catcalled, followed and harassed by men while walking, bike riding and generally existing on the streets of Grinnell at night. Poll respondents were not required to identify themselves. One anonymous female respondent wrote, “[I feel unsafe walking home at night] because when I’m alone I never know if another person or car is going to feel

Along the far back brick wall of the Spencer Grill sit Bryce Lew '19 and Kiara Borosky '19. Always. “I thought they were just your average Grill goers,” remarked Kate Smith '21, “but then I realized they never leave.” Lew and Borosky met during their first year at the College, and became close friends in their second year. Now fourth-years, they have taken up permanent residency in the Grill. They say that the decision to live together was easy. “You kind of feel out who you enjoy spending time with, and we found that we enjoy spending all of our time together, so it was only natural to live in the same vicinity,” said Lew. Lew and Borosky have never wanted to live off campus. “I just want to be close to everything,” Borosky said. “There’s no place closer to everything than the Grill,” Lew added. And so, late in the month of January 2018, they returned from their semesters abroad and settled into the Grill. They claimed for themselves the stretch of black square tables lining the brick wall at the Grill’s far end, and have dubbed the entire side “their side.” Lew explained the prevailing Grill dichotomy: “There’s the sporto side

and then there’s ‘our side.’” Lew is quite happy that they made the move to the Grill. “Personally, I like waking up in the morning to the sound of FM cleaning the floor,” he joked, “and I also really enjoy just kind of sitting around and seeing people circle through and watching people socialize.” Not to mention, the amenities are hard to beat. “There’s always coffee!” Borosky said. “And there are power outlets!” Lew added. They don’t seem at all bothered by the lack of showers or traditional sleeping spaces “When the floors get cleaned, the floor is actually really comfortable,” Lew expressed. Borosky, however, prefers sleeping on the Grill’s couches and chairs. “We still use dorm showers,” Lew said, “And we have a bathroom right across the hall,” added Borosky. Borosky and Lew expressed that one of the best parts about living in the Grill is the people-watching. “We see people flirt, and we know who flirts with everyone,” he said. “And we’ve seen a lot of yelling at people, people yelling at each other,” Borosky added. But the socially immersive nature of their residence is often a double-edged sword. “Sometimes being in the Grill can be stressful, because it feels like everyone is always seeing our intimate moments,” Lew said. Borosky quickly clarified:

institutional forces and responsibilities. The investigation will evaluate the role of both Grinnell College and the town of Grinnell. Future pieces will include but are not limited to discussing the role of zoning laws in lighting distribution, the office of campus security, student culture and avenues of recourse available for students who have experienced harassment or assault off-campus. This series is open and evolving. Please contact [fruchter] or [wraychlo] if you would like to share your story or give your input to this investigation.

ZOEY KOHLER

Facing north on Park Avenue directly east of the North Campus dorms, this is just one of the dimly lit paths students use on campus, despite the fear many have of encountering potentially dangerous situations in the dark.

S&B Cribs: The Grill, a dorm away from dorm By Clara Larson larsoncl@grinnell.edu

entitled to catcall/approach me and the thought terrifies me.” For women of color on campus, fears of gender-based violence are doubly compounded as both of these identities may be targeted for assault and harassment. “My boyfriend lives off campus, and there are no street lights in town. The walk is terrifying being a woman of color and I often find myself running there or making him get out of bed to walk me,” said a self-identified Black American female poll respondent. The S&B’s investigation into student safety at night will focus on

“We’re not dating.” “If we get in fights, we’ll start crying in the Grill, and it makes things uncomfortable for other people,” Lew said. Living in the Grill, Borosky and Lew have built up quite a reputation for themselves. People always know where to find them. “We have a lot of regulars,” Lew said. And yet, others still are oblivious to their unconventional living situation. “We really dislike it when people disrespect the fact that we actually do live here and take up all three of the tables on this side,” explained Lew. “I mean, at least be considerate at leave one of the tables for us.” Despite its challenges, Borosky and Lew have come to love their new home, so much so that after graduation, Lew has no plans to give up his newly acquired lifestyle. “I’d be down to just live in a Starbucks when I graduate,” Lew said. He realizes that this unique way of living may not be as accepted outside the walls of the College. “But you know, like the posters say, Grinnellians make the change they want to see in the world,” Lew said. “We’re gonna take our Grinnellian agenda and impose it.” Lew and Borosky would like to clarify that they do not, in fact, live in the grill. They live in a quad in Cowles with Alec Doss ('19) and Benj Ogden-Lord ('19).

Fourth-years prepare for the LSAT

By Julia Sloniewsky sloniews@grinnell.edu

Law school admissions are notoriously competitive. Beyond the sterling qualifications one must obtain before applying, applicants also face a grueling entrance exam. Fourth-years at Grinnell considering attending law school next fall are preparing for these exams now, in hopes of taking the test as early as September and as late as January. The three sections of the LSAT are designed to test all aspects of one’s reasoning abilities, making the three-and-a-half-hour-long exam require prep work, and lots of it. "Even if you get a really good score or … a really bad score, [some schools] may average them … there’s no super-scoring like the SAT,” said Alex Asawa '19. “Law schools see all of [your scores].” Many students, including Asawa and Emily Jordan '19, who just took the LSAT in September, take prep courses to ease their fear. The amount of studying can be daunting, so both fourth-years started taking prep courses over the summer during their internships. “[The prep courses] can easily raise your score by ten points,” Asawa said. But how can you beat a test of logical ability? Unlike studying for the MCAT, in studying for the LSAT, “[y]ou’re really learning how to take the test,” Jordan said.

demonstrate interest in the legal profession. For Asawa, he believes he demonstrated his interest in the profession though having law-related internships for the past three years and participating in mock trial since high school. Jordan spent her last summer clerking for a pro-bono law firm that serves low-income residents who can’t afford an attorney. A career in law has always been the dream for Asawa. “I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since the fifth grade,” he said. In Jordan’s case, it wasn’t until taking her first Global Development Studies course that she settled on her true calling — human-rights law. Even though she has known since the fourth grade that she wanted to be a lawyer, this course helped her realize what area of law called to her. “I wanted to find a way to help people … [Human rights law] was it.” Her law school plans take her out of the Midwest and into the East Coast. “I definitely want to be in Washington D.C. … Georgetown [University] is my top choice.” Asawa is not so certain. “Wherever you go to law school, you get trained to take the Bar Exam in that state. … I want to go to California, so I’m looking at schools there but I’m also looking at [law school in] Iowa,” he said.

I wanted to find a way to help people … [Human rights law] was it.

Emily Jordan '19

REINA SHAHI

Bryce Lew and Kiara Borosky, both '19, lounge on their designated, left side of the Grill in matching outfits and grins.

In addition to Critical Reasoning and Logical Reasoning, the LSAT contains the notorious Analytical Reasoning section, a series of obscure logical games. “It’s like, ‘if you had to order these people in such and such way’ and there are rules about how you can order them, then ‘what must be true?’” Asawa said. While studying, one practices “diagramming things out and organizing them.” These questions require thought and planning to reach the correct answer. According to Jordan, the bottom line is “if you practice you can improve.” This is a sentiment Asawa agrees with. “Some people just see the logic and nail everything, but most, maybe 90-95 percent don’t … It’s definitely good to get a program,” Asawa said. Admission to law schools is not just dependent on your LSAT score, however. In addition to having a competitive GPA, one must also

ANDREW TUCKER

From top to bottom: Emily Jordan and Alex Asawa, both '19, who both took the LSAT in September.

Sports ACL injuries sideline women athletes

By Seth Bartusek bartusek@grinnell.edu In the last few years, Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears at Grinnell College have been on the rise. Currently, more than eight women have suffered a torn ACL while playing for Grinnell sports teams, spread between the basketball, soccer and volleyball teams. The ACL is located on the outer half of each knee and is responsible for holding together the knee with the help of three other ligaments, primarily with side-to-side motions. “The injury itself was super

weird,” said Juliet Torres ’19, a member of the women’s soccer team who suffered an ACL tear less than four weeks ago. “A few days after [the tear] I was able to get up and walk. I could do most things pretty normally going forward, my knee just wouldn’t be able to do anything going side-toside.” An ACL tear usually results from torque on the knee that overwhelms the ligament, commonly due to the knee over-rotating inward. However, the majority of ACL injuries are categorized as non-contact injuries. “It wasn’t anything seemingly dangerous,” said Haley Reynolds ’21,

also a member of the women’s soccer team, who tore her ACL in late August. “I just went in for a tackle as normal and just heard a pop. That was it.” ACL injuries occur at an elevated rate for women. Jason Kofoot, the primary athletic trainer for the women’s soccer team, has worked with the four athletes with ACL tears this year. “[Women’s] hips are wider so they have a larger angle at the knee, this puts them at a disadvantage for a lot of these knee injuries,” said Kofoot. Additionally, the angle of many women’s knees place them at a higher risk of injury.

CONTRIBUTED

The training room in the Bear Athletic Center is open to all athletes who need physical therapy, including those with torn ACLs.

“[Women] also have a slightly different knee joint then men and, generally, the muscles don’t support as much weight,” said Kofoot. “For the women’s soccer program here we’ve begun to work prevention into our program.” In addition to adding new stretches to warm-ups, Kofoot has noticed a trend towards prevention even before athletes arrive at the College. “A lot of the stuff that has been going on is in high school,” said Kofoot. “[The stretches] strengthen the musculature around the hip joint and the knee, along with teaching correct positioning.” Surgery is the most common solution for ACL injuries, both at Grinnell and in the U.S.. ACL reconstruction surgery usually involves removing the torn ligament and taking a ligament from the patella (the ligament that connects the kneecap to the tibia), or two tendons from the hamstring. While, surgery is the most effective way to recover, it is also a difficult process that takes nearly eight to ten months of recovery time until full athletic participation is possible. “It takes so long to heal,” said Kathryn Stender ’21, a women’s basketball player who tore her ACL last year. “For so long in the recovery you can’t do much, but around five months you finally start feeling good and want to play again. Unfortunately, the five to seven month range is the time with the highest probability of re-tearing, so you really just have to wait, and it’s

Edited by fruchter@grinnell.edu

really hard.” In the majority of cases, the ACL tear can effectively put any athlete out for a season, making being a teammate a challenge in and of itself. “Mentally, that was the hardest part for me,” said Stender. “...having to be a competitor who is unable to physically contribute. I made a very conscious effort to be as close as I could to my team. I did the little things to keep myself involved, when they would do sprints in practice I would do abs [abdominal workouts], it was to support my team but also to keep a little of my own sanity.” Stender got injured during her first year at Grinnell, and will be ready to play in this upcoming season for the basketball team. However, for other athletes this can be a career-ending injury. “It cut my senior season [and college career] short,” said Torres ’19. “That was definitely the hardest part. I still want to be there for my team, but it’s hard to go [to practice] and watch people do something that I can’t anymore. The first few weeks I couldn’t look at people play soccer, but since then I’ve toughened up and I know that I’m still part of this team and now it’s my job to support them in any way I can, I know they’d do the same for me.” Both Reynolds ‘21 and Torres ‘19 will have surgery in the next several weeks, while Stender ’21 will return to the court in two weeks as women’s basketball begins practices.

Family weekend brings wins, losses and parents to Grinnell

By Tommy Lee leeguhn@grinnell.edu

From Friday, Sept. 28 to Sunday, Sept. 30, the Grinnell College campus filled with families visiting to celebrate Family Weekend. As a part of the weekend, families attended collegiate athletic events to show support for their favorite Pioneers. The men’s and women’s soccer teams claimed three victories. Lake Forest College on Saturday defeated the men’s soccer team by 3-1, while the women’s team won 1-0. On Sunday, both teams stood their ground, defeating Lawrence University with wins of 7-3 and 2-0, respectively. The men’s team registered 43 shots in the game against Lawrence — just two shy of the school record of 45 against Eureka College in 2010 — and the women’s team maintained a perfect record in the Midwest Conference, winning both of their two matches so far.

Back in Seattle, my hometown, they would always come to my games — no matter how I played, I felt like I played well, I knew that they believe in me as a soccer player and as a human being … When I am playing in front of them, I feel better when I play well, as I know that they are there, watching me. Henry Cladouhos '22 “It is a thing of comfort,” said Henry Cladouhos '22, a wing forward for the men’s soccer team, when asked about having his family watch him from the sidelines throughout the weekend. “Back in Seattle, my hometown, they would always come to my games — no matter how I played, I felt like I played well, I knew that they believe in me as a soccer player and as a human being … When I am playing in front of them, I feel better when I play well, as I know that they are there, watching me.” Meanwhile, the men’s football team faced Ripon College on Saturday and were defeated 53-7.   The women’s golf team continued to keep top form, beating William Penn University 5-0 in a match play event Saturday at the Grinnell College Golf Course. All of the players managed to leave the course with a win, preparing them for the Midwest Conference in Rockford, Illinois, this upcoming Friday. Currently, their performance has placed them at eighth place in the national Division III rankings.

Other teams spent their weekends participating in conference and tournament matches away from Grinnell.

It is fun to have people cheering you on during the race; it becomes different from the other races. Melanie Holst '22 The men’s golf team participated in the Wartburg College Invite at Waverly, Iowa, ranking seventh out of the seven participating teams.   The men’s tennis team traveled to St. Peter, Minnesota, competing in the ITA Midwest Regional and 2018 Midwest Open over three days, with Ben Cobin '20 and Bowen Mince '22 advancing to the quarterfinals of the ITA doubles tournament.   The women’s tennis team played against Cornell College and Coe College on Sunday, defeating them 6-3 and 7-2, respectively. These two most recent victories now elevate their season win rate to 75 percent. The men’s and women’s cross country teams also spent their Saturday at the Wartburg College Invite, placing seventh and third, respectively, out of 19 participating teams.  The remote location of these athletic competitions did not deter family members from showing up to support their student-athletes, as shown by the father of Melanie Holst '22, a runner on the women’s cross country team. Her father came from Sacramento, California to watch her run. “[F]or many college sports, there are not that many parents and spectators, unlike in high school. I is fun to have people cheering you on during the race; it becomes different from the other races,” said Holst.

CONTRIBUTED

The football fell to Ripon College last Saturday.

Simona Bambi '19 moves the ball across the field.

CONTRIBUTED

...[My dad] watching me compete has been a special connection that we have always had. Melanie Holst '22

For some, including Holst and Cladouhos, their love for their sport and their continued athletic pursuit in college also stem from their families. “I think [cross country] was a way for my dad and I to bond while I was growing up,” Holst said. “He was my coach a lot of the times, in soccer, softball and lacrosse … So, [him] watching me compete has been a special connection that we have always had.”

CONTRIBUTED

The men's soccer team in a huddle during Family Weekend.

Sports Synchronized swimming syncs up with Grinnell

Edited by fruchter@grinnell.edu

By Seth Bartusek bartusek@grinnell.edu

CONTRIBUTED

Elizabeth Collinger, Amelia Johnson-Post and Clara Larson, all '21, brought synchronized swimming to Grinnell. By Shuhan Yi yishuhan@grinnell.edu Absent for many years, synchronized swimming is returning to campus after being re-established in September. On Sept. 6, walking past the Organization Fair held in the JRC with her friends Amelia Johnson-Post '21 and Clara Larson '21, Eliza-

beth Collinger '21 said, “You know what I really want? A synchronized swimming club.” “I did synchronized swimming in high school! Let’s do it!” Larson reportedly said. “She filled out the form and we were in,” said Johnson-Post, who is on the women’s diving team. The three women established the club and had its first practice

in the Natatorium last Sunday. The three founders attracted 15 students to join them by making posters, posting on Facebook and recruiting friends via email. “There was a mix of students coming to the training.” Johnson-Post said. “There are some swimmers who have backgrounds [and] some who have no synchro [synchronized swimming] experi-

ence. We’ve also got two dancers.” “It was so surprising! And the size is perfect for a team,” Larson said. During the club’s first practice, considering most students’ slight backgrounds in synchronized swimming, Collinger, Johnson-Post and Larson decided to teach club members the basic skills. “We learned 'the eggbeater,' which is a way of treading water that keeps your head and shoulders out of the water while you do your routine. Then we learned 'sculling,' which is keeping yourself afloat with both your arms and hands. And we introduced 'ballet leg,' which is a proper synchro move where you lay on your back and lift your leg out of the water, ideally at 90 degrees,” Larson said. Not expecting to see much progress in the first class, Collinger expressed her surprise as to how quickly the members got the hang of it and made improvements. “[Their improvement] is really exciting, because not a lot of students have experience … everyone is struggling together, but it is impressive how it worked out.” Collinger said. Greatly encouraged by the successful training on Sunday, the co-captains eagerly expect a full

routine at the end of the school year. “The main goal in synchronized swimming is to do a complete routine to a background song. It’s almost like dancing in the water for two to three minutes,” Larson said. “But this semester we will focus on learning skills, and next semester we will concentrate on building a routine.”

This semester we are focused on learning skills, and next semester we will concentrate on building a routine. Clara Larson '21

Their ultimate goal is to beat down the synchronized swimming team of Carleton College... Regionally, only Carleton has a synchronized swimming team," said Larson. Students who appear on 1 p.m. every Saturday at the pool should expect “Fun people who are willing to laugh at themselves, because you do have to laugh,” according to Johnson-Post. Contact synchro@grinnell.edu with any questions about the College’s new synchronized swimming group.

Emma Olson talks lifting, power and empowerment By Keli Vitaioli vitaioli@grinnell.edu A typical day at the Bear Athletic Center for Emma Olson '19 is taking on five reps of 225 pound squats. Through her commitment to weightlifting, Olson developed a broader philosophy that involves harnessing the power her body holds while also battling back against any claims that weightlifting cannot be an activity for all people, regardless of gender. During the winter of her senior year in high school, Olson and a few friends joined the winter weightlifting club which, while open to all students, was designed as an off-season activity for football players and coached by football coaches. The club built her foundational knowledge of weightlifting, including how to squat, bench press and power clean, which allowed her to continue to train on her own. “It changed a lot about how I view my body, and how I treated myself, and I ended up just really falling in love with it for that,” said Olson. “It became more about really respecting my body and respecting what it could do, and looking beyond just like this is what you look like, but this is the body that carries you and your personality.” This shift also extended to Olson’s relationship with nutrition. In particular, this means not putting pressure on herself to eat a particular diet as another means of respecting her body. “If I truly respect [my body] the way I do, and I respect its power, then I should give it the fuel it needs,” Olson said. “Which means sometimes my body just really needs a cookie, and sometimes I really wanna go and get ice cream and that will make me feel so much better. … 90 percent of the time I’m eating pretty well, and that pressure drops off a lot when you put it that way.” Currently, Olson can bench press 145 pounds for three repetitions, squat 225 pounds for five repetitions

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Emma Olson started weightlifting in high school, she cites the activity as transformative to her respect for her body and peace of mind. and hang clean 145 pounds. Olson trains between four and five days a week, but avoids keeping herself to a strict schedule or making training a chore. “Some days I don’t really wanna do anything, I just wanna run or I go bike for fifteen minutes and that’s it and I don’t do anymore, and other days I go in and I’m like, okay, I’m gonna crush these really heavy sets of weights and make sure I feel it because I’ve had a hard day and I need to do that for myself,” Olson said. When it comes to the stigma of women with muscles being considered manly, Olson has the philosophy that “if you’re a woman, however you look is a womanly look, it doesn’t matter.” She said, “My body is powerful,

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and it maybe is muscular, and it maybe looks one way or another, but it’s mine, and so therefore it’s as feminine as I want it to be, it’s as masculine as I want it to be.” Olson weightlifts for herself, but she also finds some joy in proving anyone who doesn’t believe in her wrong. “People…tell me women shouldn’t be doing this, you shouldn’t be training this hard, what if you get muscular what if you get big, what if you drop a bar on your head,” she said. “And to be able to go in there and do that, that satisfaction, that gets me going so hard, that motivates me so much, to be like, ‘fuck you guys, like, I’ll do it if I want and maybe I’ll fail and that’s fine too, but I’m gonna

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do it anyways.’” As fit as Olson is, she is currently not a team athlete. Though her last dalliance into competitive sports was trap shooting in high school, she is the Grinnell women’s volleyball team manager, a paid position she has held for the last three years. Her job evolves to fit the needs of the coach and team. From running basic drills to assisting with non-recruiting paperwork, she has a hand in a lot of the team’s day-to-day. “The team's all my best friends, so I have that certain level of insight into their minds in terms of the team and also outside, so it’s pretty interesting,” she said. Olson’s friend Nora Hill '19, a member of the team, brought her into

the world of Grinnell volleyball. The two became fast friends, and once Hill introduced Olson to the rest of the team, she made the decision to become the team’s manager. Olson brings her weightlifting passion to the team as well by helping with lifts and communicating it’s okay to struggle with learning difficult lifting exercises. While Olson is not currently competing within the field of weightlifting, it is something she has thought about pursuing after college, along with rock climbing, Strongman and CrossFit as a few other fitness venues. Down the line, she sees herself potentially turning to teaching or coaching “to give back to an activity that has given a lot to me.”

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Opinions Film in Stock: Highlights Rueter's Digest: Sports gambling of Films Coming Out should be legal everywhere with This Year age and bet restrictions

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By Martha Beliveau beliveau@grinnell.edu This week, I’m giving a tour of the films that have not come out yet, but are on my list to see as soon as they’re out. There’s a wide range below, so please check out the trailers and see what you think. “Roma” by Alfonso Cuarón “Roma” is a Spanish-language film from writer/director/producer/ cinematographer Alfonso Cuarón, who wrote “Gravity” and directed “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (the best Harry Potter film, in my opinion). “Roma” follows the life of a middle-class family living in Mexico City in the 1970s. Even from the trailer, Cuarón’s directorial choices — to shoot in black and white, to keep the camera work at a distance from its subject, to rely more on action than dialogue — sets “Roma” apart from other films. Out of all the films on this list, I am probably most excited to see this film, so I strongly urge you to watch the trailer. And, the best news of all, “Roma” will be available to stream on Netflix on Dec. 14. “Green Book” by Peter Farrelly “Green Book,” not going to lie, catches my attention out of love and admiration for its two starring actors, Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. “Green Book” follows an African-American pianist (played by Mahershala Ali) as he tours the South in the 1960s accompanied by an Italian-American driver (played by Viggo Mortensen). Watching the trailer, the movie looks a little pander-y, but hopefully it’s just a mischaracterization of the film. Additionally, although the description sets up a pretty downer film, the trailer shows both lighthearted and serious moments, so we’ll see when it comes out in theaters in November. “If Beale Street Could Talk” by Barry Jenkins I know I just said that I’m most excited for “Roma,” but, to be honest, it’s tied with “If Beale Street Could Talk.” This film is director Barry Jenkins’ first follow up to 2016’s magnificent “Moonlight.” “If Beale

Street Could Talk” is an adaptation of a James Baldwin novel that follows a pregnant woman as she desperately tries to prove her fiancé’s innocence after he is accused of a crime. The film stars Stephan James (you’ll recognize him from 2014’s “Selma”) and upand-coming actor KiKi Layne, with Regina King (“American Crime” and “The Leftovers”) in a supporting role. The film’s release date is set for Nov. 30, but once again, the trailer has been released so I urge you to check it out. “Beautiful Boy” by Felix Van Groeningen Many people have already overlooked “Beautiful Boy” as obvious Oscar bait, but the pairing of the two central characters piques my interest. From first-time director Felix Van Groeningen, “Beautiful Boy” offers the different experiences of a son struggling with drug addiction and his father’s attempts to help him. The father-son duo is played by Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet, respectively. You’ll recognize Steve Carell from just about anything, and up-and-coming actor Chalamet from “Lady Bird” and “Call Me by Your Name.” The film is based on the two memoirs of the father and son that the main characters are based upon. I’m always reluctant to read reviews (I understand the irony of that statement), but the reviews of “Beautiful Boy” are somewhat mixed, particularly concerning what the screenwriters included from the memoirs. “Beautiful Boy” will be in theaters on Oct. 12. “The Favourite” by Yorgos Lanthimos Along with “Roma” by Alfonso Cuarón, “The Favourite” is bound to be the most unconventional film on this list. Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos made a name for himself through the singular and disturbing storytelling in “The Lobster” (2015) starring Colin Farrell, but, as far as the newly-released trailer shows, “The Favourite” offers similarly eccentric characters. “The Favourite” is set in 18th century England and follows Queen Anne (played by Olivia Colman) and her two advisors (played by Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone) as they all struggle for power and notoriety. The trailer portrays just complete ridiculousness that reminds me of why I love Lanthinmos’ films; they are perfectly summed up in one word: weird. “The Favourite” will be released on Nov. 23.

By Sam Rueter ruetersa@grinnell.edu While nothing is concrete, it appears likely that sports betting will soon be legal in many states across the U.S., which begs the question of whether these developments are good or bad for fans and athletes alike. In May of 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state of New Jersey, overturning a 1992 federal ban on sports gambling. Since this landmark decision, Nevada, New Jersey and Rhode Island have declared sports gambling legal, and a collection of others are preparing to vote on the issue. Although legal and highly-concentrated in specific parts of the US in the 70s, sports gambling never really found a home in the American sports landscape, and thus the 1992 federal decision banning states from legalizing it didn’t cause too much fuss.

In May of 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state of New Jersey, overturning a 1992 federal ban on sports gambling. Since this landmark decision, Nevada, New Jersey and Rhode Island have declared sports gambling legal.

However, though sports betting has been illegal for much of the last quarter-century, that hasn’t stopped gamblers from heading to sportsbooks in Nevada, Oregon, Delaware and Montana (all of which were grandfathered in and therefore unaffected by the 1992 decision), or from utilizing illegal online companies and agencies to place bets. The seedy and corrupt nature of these online websites and individual

bookies propels much of the opposition to sports gambling and that it further supports deviant and destructive behavior. Thus, the opposition are given a kind of self-righteous overtone — sports gambling must remain illegal to protect people from themselves. But this argument to me doesn’t seem to hold much weight. There is already a plethora of potentially-destructive behaviors protected by law (alcohol consumption, marijuana usage, etc.) and the notion of gambling on sports already exists — it is called fantasy sports. Though money isn’t always at stake in these leagues, the act of drafting, accumulating and strategically utilizing players fits the legal definition of gambling. While past performance surely informs who fantasy players take and play, performance, especially in football where injuries happen all the time, is really up to chance. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I believe those in favor of expanded sports gambling across the U.S. base their thinking on two primary notions. First, if sports gambling is legal, it means that states can regulate it, police it and maybe most importantly tax it. Sports gambling could support state infrastructure efforts much in the same way that local businesses do, while also maintaining the necessary protections in place to prevent participants from going into too much debt or being victimized by shady and corrupt bookies. This is the primary reason why major professional sports organizations like the NBA have started to change their tune on sports gambling — they figure that with the proper regulations in place, they stand to make a small fortune. The second and, as far as I am concerned, more interesting reason to legalize sports gambling is so that it can add a new dimension to the fan experience. To leagues like the NFL and the WNBA, who are struggling with an image problem and low viewership numbers respectively, legal sports betting would be a godsend. If apathetic or morally-conflicted fans had a financial stake in the outcome of a

game they wouldn’t usually watch, they are more likely to turn on the TV or head to an arena. Some leagues are even considering the addition of ingame live betting, which promises to be an interactive experience that takes fans closer to the action than ever before (at least as far as their wallets are concerned).

For athletes, however, legalized gambling is a little more complicated. It could be a conflict of interest to have athletes betting on the sports they participate in, but there should be no reason why an NBA star shouldn't be able to place a bet on an NFL game. For athletes, however, legalized gambling is a little more complicated. It could be a conflict of interest to have athletes betting on the sports they participate in, but there should be no reason why an NBA star shouldn’t be able to place a bet on an NFL game. While there may be some danger of increased fan vitriol or violence towards athletes (“hey, your performance cost me X amount of money today”), the revenue generated by sports gambling will eventually find its way back, at least in part, to these very same athletes’ pockets. The bottom line is that sports gambling should be legal; however, restrictions must be put in place to ensure the safety of participants. Age restrictions akin to drinking and smoking should exist and bet restrictions should be implemented to ensure that gamblers cannot risk sizeable portions of their income that could have potentially debilitating effects for them or their families should they lose. While gambling itself may seem grimy, universal legalization could serve to destigmatize it and its practitioners. Not only could this bring an entire underworld of gamblers and bookies out of the shadows and into a world of regulation and oversight, but it could also make all sports more enjoyable.

Anna Alvin: Moving Closer

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Maxwell Fenton Candace Mettle Lily Seibert Mayo Sueta Keli Vitaioli Zoe Fruchter Jackson Schulte Seth Taylor Lily Bohlke Ben Mikek Kelly Page Andrew Tucker Nana Okamoto Ryuta Kure Julia Anderson Steven Duong Regina George

SPARC Policy The Scarlet & Black is published on Fridays by students of Grinnell College and is printed by Times Republican of Marshalltown. The newspaper is funded in part by the Student Publications and Radio Committee (SPARC) and also relies on advertising revenue to cover operating costs. All publications funded by SPARC are copyright of SPARC and cannot be reproduced elsewhere without specific written consent from SPARC. Contributions The Scarlet & Black welcomes story ideas from students, faculty and other members of the town and college community. If there is any story that should be covered, please email newspapr@grinnell.edu or visit thesandb.com Send letters to the editor via email at newspapr@grinnell.edu or mail them to Box 5886. The author’s name must be included, but letters can be published anonymously in certain occasions. Letters will be printed at the discretion of the editor. The opinions expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial staff. The S&B reserves the right to edit any and all submissions. Advertising Advertising inquiries should be directed to the business manager, Carter Howe, who can be reached at sandbads@ grinnell.edu or by mail at 1115 8th Avenue Grinnell College Box 5886, Grinnell, IA 50112.

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6:15 p.m. Shabbat Table @ Main Quad Dining Hall 7:15 & 9:21 p.m. Sorry to Bother You @ Harris Cinema 10 p.m. Kendrick Lamar Gardner @ Gardner Lounge 10 p.m. Nerf @ Noyce @ Noyce 1022

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2. They start asking you for ‘em real soon 5. Robert Noyce helped invent this 7. Founder of the Federal Theater Project, name of our theater 9. Memorial foundation for which poet/critic Ed Hirsch is a trustee 11. Starred in a movie based on a Hemingway novel 12. Walter Koenig plays Pavel Chekov in __ 13. Alum, former college president, Grinnell public library, hip hop star and Bell

1. Dropped out to join the Union Army in the Civil War 3. “The mayor of Silicon Valley” 4. 2017 commencement speaker’s big movie 6. Part of the Miles Davis Quintet, same name as a founding father 8. Arts center namesake and trustee of both Grinnell and NPR 10. Harry Hopkins and the Works Progress Administration

Rants & Raves: Grinnell Thumbnails Down Yuck! Instead of spinach stuck in my teeth, I got a fingernail. - Definitely a pinky nail

Students speak about what’s on their minds in 75 words or fewer, and you’re invited! If you have a rant or a rave, email it to [bohlkeli]

Astronomy Rules, Astrology Drools Theorem: astronomy > astrology Proof: Consider the totality of modern science, enlightenment values, and human achievement. The result follows quickly. -Ben Mikek '21

Spatial Ugh-wareness Is it just me or does no one have a sense of spatial awareness anymore? I nearly hit half a dozen people in the dining hall today, and that was just in the stir-fry line. Watch where you're going! We do live in a society, after all. - Maxwell Fenton '19