Volume 134, Issue 1.

Features "I've seen a lot of beautiful things in my life, but totality was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. page 3

Sports First year athletes introduce themselves page 4

Arts Check out how students connected with art this summer page 6

the

Scarlet & Black Volume 134, Issue 1

August 25, 2017 • Grinnell, Iowa

thesandb.com

College administrators temporarily close Bob's and Lyle's

CONTRIBUTED

Open mic night at Bob's, Spring 2017.

By Lily Bohlke bohlkeli@grinnell.edu Bob’s Underground Cafe and Lyle’s Pub, two formerly studentrun businesses, will close operations for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Bob’s Underground will be available for reservations and Gardner events.

Lyle’s Pub, however, due to liability issues surrounding liquor licenses, will not be accessible to students at any time.

In past years, both Bob’s Underground and Lyle’s Pub have been important spaces to the college community. Bob’s Underground is a substance-free space while Lyle’s Pub serves as a location for responsible drinking. Both student spaces are seen by administrators and the businesses themselves as positive and essential to

Grinnell’s culture.

“Lyle’s is one of the only spaces on campus that’s meant for responsible drinking,” said Anna Schierenbeck ’18, one of Lyle’s intended comanagers. “Everywhere else you go, as much as we preach harm reduction, is a space for binge drinking, or a space that promotes binge drinking.” “[Bob’s] is valued as a student space, and it’s valued as a sub-free space to hang out and have a real event where alcohol isn’t being served,” said Andrea Conner, vice president of student affairs.

Over each summer, Conner and other staff departments review the business practices of both Bob’s Underground and Lyle’s Pub. This summer a meeting was held among administrators, human resources, payroll, dining services and student

Shanna Benjamin selected for prestigious academic leadership program

CONTRIBUTED

Associate dean of students Shanna Benjamin looks forward to leadership growth.

By Kate Irwin irwinkat@grinnell.edu

It is not often that one can say they were selected to be part of an elite leadership academy. Grinnell College is lucky to have one of these select few individuals as part of its faculty.

Shanna Benjamin, associate dean and associate professor of English, was chosen by The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) to partake in the 2017-2018 Senior Leadership Academy.

According to the CIC's website, the Senior Leadership Academy is "a year-long program for mid-level administrators in higher education who aspire to senior leadership positions in independent colleges or universities."

Simply being considered for this program is extremely prestigious, as the institution of the individual

must recognize potential for senior leadership positions. Benjamin said that Mike Latham, dean of students, nominated her for the position. Benjamin plans on using her resources on and off campus to make the most out of CIC. “I became involved with this leadership program when my colleagues in the dean's office, Karla Erickson and Maria Tapias, suggested I apply. [Erickson and Tapias] completed the program before me and thought that it would be a useful experience. I reviewed the call for applications and program overview. In the process, I realized that the CIC opportunity would deepen my strengths as an associate dean, provide me with networking opportunities and help me better understand how units across campus (admissions and financial aid, the CLS office, the finance department, and the strategic planning team) work independently and collaborate in support of the college's mission,” said Benjamin.

“In this experience, I want to learn from the CIC program administrators, take advantage of Mike Latham's knowledge and experience and learn how admissions, the CLS, our strategic planning team and finance office strategize, set goals and get work done,” Benjamin said. “Networking with the other participants is also at the top of my list because your colleagues across campuses are outstanding sources of support, encouragement, and insight.

I will also keep my eyes peeled for colleagues who might benefit from an experience like this. I want to look out for other administrators the way Karla and Maria looked out for me.” >> See Benjamin, page 2

Friday MLC Welcome Back Kick Back West Natatorium Field, 4:00 p.m.

Sunday USGDW General Meeting JRC 101, 2:00 p.m.

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Students employees behind the bar at Lyle's Pub, 2016. activities, among other faculty with advisory roles.

“The consensus at that meeting was that this has been worrisome for so long that it was time to take some action in the hopes of building something sustainable for the future,” Conner said.

Conner, as well as other faculty involved, felt that although they might have liked to keep Bob’s and Lyle’s open this year, it was decidedly not an option.

“Folks are worried that this is permanent, or that somehow the College has a vested interest in closing them for good,” Conner said. “All of the conversations about this have been, how can we make this work?”

In the past, departments including the ones present at this summer’s meeting have supported and advised

CONTRIBUTED

student leaders and staff at both businesses in an effort to address Lyle’s and Bob’s operational issues, but rapid change in leadership has often been an obstacle, according to Conner.

“We felt like we’d tried that before. That’s a valid strategy — let’s try to make this space available and accessible, and chip away and make little improvements here and there,” Conner said. “One thing is that, just like with any student organization, leadership change happens almost every year. We needed something a little more radical so that it can succeed in the long term.”

On the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 4, the managers of both Bob’s Underground and Lyle’s Pub were informed via email that their operations would not be opening at

the start of the school year. According to Schierenbeck, the College did not provide a contingency plan for informing and accommodating the students who had planned to be employees.

“It’s really difficult to find a job that is flexible, in the evening, and at the $9.50 pay grade,” Schierenbeck said.

Last semester, before the announcement that Bob’s and Lyle’s would suspend operations, the intended co-managers of Lyle’s Pub had weekly meetings with administrators Jen Jacobson, assistant dean of students, and Adam Gilbert, residence life coordinator, to come up with a new business plan to shore up Lyle’s finances.

“We had put in a ton of work.

We revamped our hiring practices, we revamped our inventory practices and an hour a week is a lot of work.

It’s a lot of money taken out of Lyle’s payroll,” Schierenbeck said. “We had designed a training to be administered at the beginning of the year for managers, one for new employees and a refresher for old employees, so we were really working on consistency.”

Bob’s Underground has not gotten the same kind of institutional support in recent years, however. Although Bob’s staff had been working hard to resolve financial issues from past years on their own, intended Bob’s managers Anne Rogers ’19, Judith Tong ’20 and Paige Oamek ’20 all said that they would definitely have been willing to work with the administration to make improvements >> See Bob's and Lyles, page 2

The College furthers its plan on the "Zone of Confluence"

By Jackson Schulte schultej@grinnell.edu Since 2013, Grinnell College has been buying properties in downtown Grinnell in what has been dubbed the “Zone of Confluence” initiative.

Recently, the College has upped its investment in the project, purchasing three more properties downtown.

Spearheading the initiative for the College is the Office for Community Enhancement, under Monica Chavez’s direction.

"The quality of the town is part of what sells the quality of Grinnell College.

We want to be proud of our city, and we want the city to be proud of the College as a welcoming space.

Lesley Wright, Faulconer Gallery Director

Faulconer Gallery Director Lesley Wright is the former Monday Global Fellowships and Awards Workshop JRC 209, 7:30 p.m.

chairperson of the Grinnell Tourism Committee and a current member of the committee. “[The Zone of Confluence] may provide a space where visiting artists can interact with the wider public,” Wright wrote in an email to The S&B. “It may provide gathering space for students and the community (much like Saints Rest and McNally’s). It may create more of a city plaza type area with mixed use properties. It may provide a more intimate space for music and poetry readings. Lots of ideas, but no firm plans that I know of.”

Wright also added that in her experience, collaborations between the College and the city have always benefited both parties.

“The work that the Office of Community Enhancement and Engagement does is always thoughtful, and developed as a partnership, NOT as something imposed upon the community,” she wrote.

Wright is aware that without a positive relationship between the College and the city of Grinnell,

there are problems for both parties.

“Colleges are wonderful public spaces,” Wright wrote, “And we bring thousands of prospective students and families to town. The quality of the town is part of what sells the quality of Grinnell College.

We want to be proud of our city, and we want the city to be proud of the

Tuesday Mind Games Movie Showing JRC 101, 8:00 p.m.

Thursday Writers@Grinnell: Benjamin Percy JRC 209, 4:15 p.m.

Pioneer Bookshop, 6:00 p.m.

"It may create more of a city plaza type area with mixed use properties.

Lesley Wright, Faulconer Gallery Director College as a welcoming space.”

Wright says she would like to see additional retail spaces that could complement existing retail spaces without bringing competition.

“The Zone of Confluence has the potential to fill in a retail gap between campus and the community along Broad and Main Streets and thus will add to the vibrancy and >> See College invests page 2

Features 3 | Community 4| Sports 5 | Arts 6 | Opinions 7

2

Shropshire added to security

CONTRIBUTED

James Shorpshire, Director of Campus Safety

By Carter Howe howecart@grinnell.edu Grinnell has taken on a new director of campus safety: James Shropshire, former assistant director of campus safety at Augsburg College, a liberal arts college in Minneapolis, where he worked for 17 years. At Augsburg, he also served as a Title IX adjudicator and investigator.

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Andrea Conner said that Shropshire’s experience at an institution similar to Grinnell, as well as his personality, were the qualities that made him stand out in the selection process. “[Shropshire] stood out to me during the selection process as a knowledgeable professional with many years of campus safety experience at a similar residential liberal arts college in the Midwest,” Conner wrote in an email to The Scarlet & Black.

“Beyond his preparedness in that way, I also could instantly tell that James had the right temperament for a job like this at Grinnell specifically. He has a great personal-

ity, cares a lot about his colleagues and students, and enjoys this work in a way that’s infectious,” Conner said.

Conner also said that Shropshire’s record at Augsburg College was another indication that he was the right candidate to hire. “[Shropshire] has an impressive command of the needs of a modern campus safety department. He was promoted multiple times at Augsburg, which is a signal of his value and worth to the college,” Conner said in a statement from the College.

Shropshire’s interest and training in inclusivity and trauma-informed response were another reason he was a good fit for the College, according to Conner. “[Shropshire] has had training specifically for trauma-informed response and diversity/inclusion.

At this writing, he’s also preparing a comprehensive diversity training program for the officers in Campus Safety. These concepts are deeply important to student affairs and the College and I’m happy James will be able to use these skills in his new position,” Conner wrote.

Besides revising diversity training, Shropshire’s agenda for campus safety will also include updating the department’s software, computers and other equipment, according to the statement.

Shropshire said in the statement that he feels he is a good match for the Grinnell community because of the values of social justice and self-governance at the heart of the College.

“I am excited to be at Grinnell College. It’s an honor to serve an institution with high academic standards, a mission that encompasses social justice, and a commitment to self-governance and personal responsibility. All of these resonate with me.”

Bob's and Lyle's Closure Continued from Front Page if it had reached out to them.

“We’re full-time students, so it’s hard for us to go out and figure every detail and every person we should contact,” Rogers said.

“We’re expected to rewrite these business proposals, which we’d be willing to do with assistance,” Oamek added.

The College is making a call for new business proposals, according to Conner and Student Government Association (SGA) President Summer White. These could take numerous different forms, including plans that combine Bob’s Underground Cafe and Lyle’s Pub, run the businesses more like student organizations or apply for funding from the Wilson Center for Innovation.

However, some students feel that there were problems with the way the closures were carried out. There were no students involved in the decisionmaking process, and the student leaders had already put in time and energy hiring staffs and making other preparations for the year.

“Hiring took a long time. We had more than 40 applications and we read them all,” Rogers said. “[We] had informed them, and they had all accepted to work there,” Oamek added.

Student input is an important aspect of many of the College’s decisions, and surrounding these discussions, many students wonder why none of their peers were included.

“I would say that it’s not outside the scope of SGA at all,” White said. “I think in a shared governing community I understand that there are some issues that need to remain in the professional staff’s hands. I wouldn’t classify this decision as something that students needed to be excluded from. This is an example of [a decision] that would have highly benefited from having student input and I see SGA as a key stakeholder in this decision-making process.”

However, after the initial decision was made, the administration brought in SGA and has been working closely with them ever since.

“SGA is on board with acknowledging the need to revise business protocol, and are excited about Student Affairs’ willingness to have [Bob’s Underground] open for student events,” White said. “We have been included in conversations every

step of the way afterward, and those have been really good.”

In addition, the intended managers are now being asked to compete with other students for jobs which they possess experience and ideas about.

Rogers stressed the importance of maintaining the culture of Bob’s Underground, which she believed to be vital to the campus community.

“We feel it’s a little unfair and disrespectful to us to open up a Wilson Center proposal [call] because we have been a part of this organization, all of us for at least a year, and we think it’s weird to have new proposals for a space that has been integral to campus for so long,” Rogers said.

As fourth-year students with just one year until graduation, the comanagers of Lyle’s will not have a chance to propose how to run their business operations in the future.

“We will work with our younger staff to try and preserve the culture, but I am very frustrated with the fact they’re not guaranteed a placement in this, because some of them have been working at Lyle’s since their first semester first year, and know the ins and outs of the place and would have been great managers had they been allowed to be,” Schierenbeck said.

Managers of both businesses also felt that they had been making numerous improvements towards financial progress. The co-managers of Bob’s had all come in at the end of last year as new managers ready to work through business problems and collaborate with the administration.

“We would like more support, but we weren’t really sure where to look for it and it wasn’t offered,” Rogers said. “So then it was a surprise when this was shut down because we didn’t have that dialogue and discourse going,” Oamek added.

Moving forward, the managers of Bob’s are optimistic about reopening the business operations. Conner said she intends to make sure that they reopen, even without student proposals.

“I don’t want to gloss over the fact that there will be some jostling going on for some events,” Conner said.

For the time being, some important traditions will remain. Pub Quiz, according to Schierenbeck, will be relocated to Bob’s, for which the Pub Quiz leaders will go through the new process to reserve.

News

Edited by hermanal17@grinnell.edu & mettleca@grinnell.edu

College to adopt new health insurance plan

By Kate Irwin irwinkat@grinnell.edu This coming school year, Grinnell students who opt to obtain insurance through the school will be covered under United Health Care instead of Consolidated Health Plans, the College’s previous provider.

Despite the switch to a new health care company, there are no stark differences in the coverage between the old and new health care plans.

"There isn't a difference between last year's coverage and this year's coverage," said Jim Mulholland, director of compensation and risk management. "We basically ask[ed] for the same benefits."

While the two health care plans are virtually identical, administrators made the decision to switch to United Health Care to best reflect the interests of students.

The transforming insurance landscape played a hand in the choosing the health care plan. Some insurance companies that used to specialize in collegiate health care no longer exist. With less diverse options available, United Health Care, as one of the largest collegiate health care providers, stood out as the best fit for students at Grinnell.

"This coverage was chosen because it's an insurance company that is dealing with the claims and is administering the plan."

Jim Mulholland, director of compensation and risk management No benefits of the previous insurance were lost in this transition.

According to Mulholland, Grinnell students will still receive the "Platinum Plan," the same health care coverage that was used in previous years.

Yet there are small differences between the two plans, including how students access their health care, the structure and the parties involved.

The plan under United Health Care is organized differently from

JEFF LI

Students must either waive or accept the school provided health insurance by Aug. 29.

that of Consolidated Health Plans.

The previous health care plan utilized a third-party administrator to manage the insurance claims.

United Health Care does not have a third-party administrator and instead manages the claims itself, making the process more direct.

"This coverage was chosen because it's an insurance company that is dealing with the claims and is administering the plan," Mulholland said. "We wanted to eliminate that [third party]."

The College has already begun to see benefits from the switch.

In the previous plans, there were only two to three students enrolled prior to August 24, the enrollment deadline. With this plan, there were over 160 students who had already enrolled in the plan before August 24. This change in structure signifies that students are enrolling in a more timely manner, meaning they are able to access their health care sooner.

The new student health insurance plan makes health care more accessible, thereby giving students many benefits that were not available through the previous health care plan. In the past, students were not able to pre-enroll unless they pre-purchased insurance from the company itself, an issue that the

College wanted to resolve.

Students’ inability to pre-enroll is problematic for various reasons.

If a student had an urgent medical issue before their health care plan went into effect, they would not be covered.

While the new health care plan does cost more than the previous plan, the price of the previous plan would have eventually risen.

"The cost of the plan would have increased regardless of if we stayed on the old plan or the new plan," said Mary Greiner, assistant vice president of human resources.

College officials examine and evaluate programs at Grinnell, including the health care programs for both students and employees, on an annual basis.

"It's our general practice to evaluate our benefit programs and ensure that the quality cost and efficiency of the programs are as effective as possible," Greiner said.

Greiner feels confident in the College's decision to utilize the plans under United Health Care.

"They're very reputable in this space, and so they do provide coverage to approximately 400 other colleges and universities, so it's something they're an expert in for providing this kind of coverage."

College invests in buildings downtown Continued from Front Page vitality of the town. For Faulconer Gallery, it will help bring people our way, leading them to Park and 6th and our entrance, which is great,” Wright wrote.

Along with boosting tourism to Grinnell, the College feels that the Zone of Confluence has the potential to attract more students to Grinnell.

In order to compete with other college towns nationwide, the office of admissions feels like an improved

downtown could attract students who are interested in communities with more amenities.

"Our goal is to provide students with a campus and community atmosphere that promotes the mission of Grinnell College."

Joe Bagnoli, vice president of enrollment “Our goal is to provide students

with a campus and community atmosphere that promotes the mission of Grinnell College. We are pleased to contribute to community building that will enhance the student experience,” said Joe Bagnoli, vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid.

“The Zone of Confluence will provide students with spaces similar to those available in college towns across the country where our prospective students are also considering the possibility of enrollment,” Bagnoli said.

Benjamin receives leadership award Continued from Front Page The Senior Leadership Academy works to prepare capable individuals to excel in positions of senior leadership. As stated on the CIC's website, this program creates growth in leadership by imparting individuals with "considerable knowledge, skills and experiences that are germane to the portfolio of responsibilities and activities central to the work of a college or university vice president or cabinet officer."

"Competition for the available places in the program was intense, and the review committee found the nomination materials to be most impressive. They (and I) believe [Benjamin] has the potential for highly effective leadership in a position of senior responsibility on campus," said CIC President Richard Ekman, quoted in a press release from the College.

Benjamin will take part in an opening seminar from Nov. 3-5 in San Antonio and a closing seminar from June 21-23 in Washington, D.C. Benjamin will undergo a mentoring program, collaborate with experts, partake in webinars and work with various readings and case studies throughout the current academic year.

Benjamin sees this program as a step toward career advancement that

will benefit not only herself but the College as well.

"I aspire to become a college president."

Shanna Benjamin, associate dean of students "I am honored to be part of such an energetic and diverse group of up-and-coming leaders," Benjamin said in the same press release from the College. "I look forward to using all I will learn as a CIC Senior Leadership Academy participant in my administrative work at Grinnell College."

Some of Benjamin’s future goals include obtaining a new title.

“I aspire to become a college president,” Benjamin said. “The leadership experiences I've had and will continue to seek out will help me to sharpen the tools in my toolbox. I look forward to putting it all to work.”

Participants in the Senior Leadership Academy have made noticeable advancements in their careers. According to the CIC's website, 61 percent of the individuals in the 2010-2011 cohort have moved up to leadership positions of greater responsibility. This trend continues in more recent cohorts as well, including individuals from 2012 and

years subsequent.

Benjamin believes that she has always been on the path towards leadership, starting early when she became the newsletter editor in sixth grade and president of her eighth grade class. Her undergraduate career at Johnson C. Smith University, a historically Black college in Charlotte, NC, brought her leadership skills into fruition.

“In my senior year, I served as a student representative on the board of trustees at the very moment Dorothy Cowser Yancy became our first woman president,” Benjamin said. “Participating in board-level conversations about the future of my alma mater with a woman at the helm was all it took to spark my interest in and commitment to higher education administration and leadership.”

Since then, Benjamin has participated in many leadership programs. Most recently, Benjamin participated in the Higher Education Resource Service Institute for Women (HERS) and helped raise $12,000 to give scholarships to women from under-resourced institutions.

Grinnell College is fortunate to have such an accomplished individual on its faculty. There is no doubt that the Senior Leadership Academy will be a positive influence for both Benjamin and the College.

Features

Edited by mckechni@grinnell.edu

3

NSO week eclipsed “I wanted to see it and Professor Breen wanted to see it. Why wouldn’t we take students?” Christensen said. “And I’m really glad we did. I think having students there and getting to experience with a crowd of other people who were also appreciating it, who were also seeing totality for the first time, made it all the more exciting.”

Besides being a beautiful event to witness, the total solar eclipse also had tremendous significance for the physics community. Many experiments can only be conducted during a total eclipse, such as observation of the sun’s corona or studies of how plants and animals respond to totality. Moreover, a solar eclipse provides a rare opportunity to wit-

"I've seen a lot of beautiful things in my life, but totality was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Nathaniel Zhu

HUNG VUONG

Students view the 2017 solar eclipse outside the JRC. Nobody's looking at the sun without their special eclipse glasses.

By Emma Friedlander friedlan@grinnell.edu The Total Solar Eclipse of 2017 swept across the continental United States last Monday, Aug. 21, and Grinnell’s position mere hours away from the path of totality meant that many Grinnellians witnessed the eclipse firsthand. From campus the eclipse could be viewed at an impressive 95 percent totality during peak time at 1:10 p.m., allowing many community members to observe the rare astronomical phenomenon by just stepping outside.

“It was a lot of fun seeing everyone get behind something like that,” said Sierra Silverwood ’18, who watched the solar event from just outside the Joe Rosenfield Center. “Every time the sun came out from the clouds everybody started cheering. When it was in the highest totality phase, of course that’s when all the clouds came. But we got pret-

ty close.”

Cloud cover was a major concern for all Midwestern eclipse chasers on Monday. Cloudy conditions and thunderstorms rattled the atmosphere above Iowa and Missouri throughout much of the day, complicating many viewers’ plans to see the eclipse in full totality. One group of Grinnell physics students, led by Professors Barbara Breen and Charlotte Christensen, both physics, spent Monday in vans, searching for the perfect weather conditions to observe the moon’s transit across the sun in totality.

“Professor Charlotte Christensen and I took two large vans and 20 people on Monday. We 'chased' the eclipse, changing plans from St. Joseph to Columbia, MO on the run,” Breen wrote in an email to the S&B. “We ended up at a location that allowed us to see all the stages of the eclipse, including totality, even as some clouds scuttled

through intermittently.”

Although the group’s trip to the eclipse turned into an all day adventure, one of the students on the trip, Nathaniel Zhu ’19, said that the chase was easily worth it.

"We 'chased' the eclipse, changing plans from St. Joseph to Columbia, MO on the run.”

Professor Barbara Breen, physics “Totality was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed in my life,” Zhu shared. “I’ve seen a lot of beautiful things, but totality was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

If people get another chance, they should actually go see totality.”

As many Americans learned on Monday, the difference between a near-total and total eclipse is fairly significant. According to NASA’s

website, during a total eclipse the entire sky darkens, and the sun can be viewed with the naked eye while completely covered by the moon, and the corona, or outermost layer of the sun’s atmosphere, is visible.

If the eclipse is less than total, the sky may darken only slightly and the sun should only be viewed through eclipse glasses, which still offer a rare view of the moon’s placement in front of the sun.

“I didn’t know there was such a big difference between 90 percent and full totality,” Silverwood said.

“If I would have known that it completely changes, I would have [gone off campus]. I had some friends who saw some totality and it was a really neat experience.”

Breen and Christensen agreed that totality is a really neat experience, and found that the decision to bring a group of students to view the eclipse along the path of totality was a natural decision.

ness physics in the real world.

“So much of what we study in physics, especially dynamics of our solar system or dynamics in general, seems very theoretical. We come up with these great theoretical models and know that they apply to nature, but when you see the eclipse, you actually see it happen,” Christensen said. “You can actually watch the moon go in front of the sun and realize that we’re all on these orbits.

And that’s not an experience you get very often.”

Despite the practical application of the eclipse to the physics world, however, Christensen also said that the beauty of the eclipse alone makes a trip to view totality worth it.

“It just looks really cool,” she said. “That’s not to be discounted.”

For those who missed totality this year, the next total solar eclipse will be viewable from the continental United States in 2024. As the last total solar eclipse was viewable from a large portion of the United States nearly one hundred years ago, this is a lucky additional opportunity to witness the stunning astronomical phenomenon in one’s lifetime.

Hop on the off-campus tour It's back to school and many fourth years are settling into their new off campus houses. With the hope of helping on campus folks orient to the off campus scene, The S&B's Caryn McKechnie talked with some spokespeople from various homes. Here's what she learned.

Our house is "The Sanctuary."

We have a lovely front stoop to watch the happenings of High Street. A rambunctious crew of international students and two Jews live and thrive here. Our house vibe would definitely be like open, chill, welcoming, for wholesome people and wholesome times.

Stop by and say High.

We're basically a collective of five femmes of color. We are very much in tune with the spiritual and vivid past of our ancestors, so we really identify with our bruja (witch) and musical heritages. Our house is the colorful one on the block and every room has a personality of its own influenced by the roots/routes present in our lives, which serves as a space for each of us to center ourselves after an exhausting day in the prairie. This year we're looking forward to behaving badly but taking good care of ourselves.

-Abdiel, Rita, Rodas, Annette, Jessica

The Fairgrounds has been in the swim team for nearly 8 years now. Sometimes, when we clean we find photos from 2010, and other times we just find beer cans and die lol. "Burning down the Fairgrounds is the only way to clean it," someone once said. Some main features are the attic, the street signs and decorations on the walls, and the parties that we always like to throw for people.

-the Fairgrounds Fam

-Artis, Erhaan, Jonah, Ayon, Sydney We are the Treehouse. Our house is labyrinthine. You have to venture through the bathroom to find the staircase, and avoid the treacherous low-hanging ceiling (we’ve all banged our heads on it so far — solid house bonding, in all senses of the word). We also have a porch where you can find us drinking coffee in the morning (except for Callum, because “coffee tastes like poop”).

We’re also a hug-heavy home. Come through for a warm bev and a hug.

Our house vibe is all fun femme safe space. It’s a bit trashy but in the most lovable way possible, my fave feature is the staircases in the front and in the back so u can do little circular laps around the house, and we plan to spend the majority of our time doing elaborate crafts. Pending house name: clit.r.us.

-Clara, Christine, Yufei,

Our landlady once disgruntedly said, "some students think this house is a dancehall!" and I thought that was funny so, "the dancehall would be my vote for a name."

Porch-chilling is just as much a house staple as raucous dancing is. Our essential message is we want students to know that despite strong upperclassperson presence, 1008 is all-inclusive: everyone is invited to be on our porch and our dance platforms —­ we really want everyone to come and feel at home. Stop on by if you're on the block!

-Peter, Russ, Patrick, Emmet, Henry

-Sara, Callum, Vedika, Sally, Caryn

We have decided to call our home the Corn Palace, in tribute to our rural location and the South Dakota monument. The monument was apparently underwhelming, however our house is not! Some unique features include the bat who welcomed us our first night in, and the sitting rooms accessible from the two upstairs bedrooms where tea will be served regularly.

-Maddie, Kathryn, Mimi, Clare, Olivia

Common dialogue in Polka Dot House: how many times have the neighbors seen me naked? We'll get decorations up eventually. Is anyone here not named Emma? We need more food storage. Anyone have cold medicine?

Elinor shut up. How do you take the trash out? I just wanna be naked.

-the Beastly Womyn's Cross Country House

Our home has been christened “Laughter House 5,” due to our joyful spirits, five residents and total ignorance of Vonnegut. Our beloved disco dungeon is known as “The Slaughterhouse” (don't worry about it). Our general vibe is that we will kill all the flies and leave their smeared corpses as a warning. Fun fact: all Buzzfeed Tasty videos are filmed in our kitchen during the full moon.

-Irene, Maddi, Bea, Rachel, Helen

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Grin City starts grant program, seeks new director

By Mira Braneck braneckm@grinnell.edu

The Grin City Collective has been going through major changes. After separating from the Grinnell Area Arts Council last year, the collective is now starting a micro grant program to fund local artists that want to create projects in their communities. In addition to this new program, former Executive Director Molly Rideout ’10 will be transitioning to the board of directors after seven years working on the ground at Grin City.

Through her new position on the board, Rideout will be more involved in the direction that the collective takes rather than day-to-day operations. The new position of programs director will be a part-time position, as well as the only employee position that Grin City maintains.

“The hope is that whoever we get has some interest and direction that they want to take the organization to, so the board will be kind of excited to see where their interests are and how that can match the interest of the organization,” Rideout said.

During their first full year as an independent organization, Grin City kept up its model of retreat-based artist residencies, one that had served them well for a decade. The new micro grant opportunity is an effort to fund locally based artists, rather than bringing artists from across the country to the area.

“We plan on still continuing [residencies] going forward, but we realized that in doing that we were missing supporting the really awesome ideas that are happening around our general area, that are happening with people who already live in those communities,” Rideout said. “And it doesn’t necessarily make sense for someone who lives in town to have an artist residency retreat in the town that they live in, but we still want those projects to be happening, because that’s key to our mission of strengthening community, of different communities using art as a building block.”

The micro grants can consist of up to $1,000 and professional support for one’s project. The project’s planned location must also be within a 40 mile radius of Grinnell. Rural communities will be prioritized.

“We feel that those are the least served communities,” Rideout said.

“I know that we, as Grin City, when we’re trying to fundraise and generate sponsorships for projects, because we’re working in rural communities,

Community Four Grinnell professors sign 2017 Iowa Climate Statement

it becomes a lot harder to find those sponsorships.” She hopes that this can be a new resource for these artists.

One of the main goals of the program is community building. With this, Rideout said that artists who will be strong candidates will have direct ties with a community, whether that be living in that community or having a history with it.

She also wants to see a collaborative aspect to the project. “We want each project to not just be the brain child of one person,” Rideout said.

“The actual execution of the project should have input from many different people, especially people within the community.” This does not have to entail collaboration in the actual execution of the project, but in some element along the way of its planning.

Lastly, and most importantly, the proposal must fit within Grin City’s mission of strengthening communities.

“Place-making ... means creative projects that heighten our sense of where we are and what resources and people and stories already exist in a location,” Rideout said. “Something that is really trying to pull out the stories or the histories or even just the shapes and landscape of a particular community will be the most ideal, most successful project for the grant.”

College students can apply for the grant, though Rideout noted that it will be a more competitive process for these applications, as students’ lives are often centered around the college community rather than the community at large.

“I would say that it might be a little more competitive for them to be able to prove that they have a real concrete connection to whatever community that they’re working in,” Rideout said.

Rideout hopes that the new program will allow for a wider scope of artists to create projects in their own communities.

“We can do certain things but we can’t be everywhere at once. So I think the micro grant is going to both open up projects that we as an organization wouldn’t have even thought about doing, and it’s going to bring it to more communities than we would have been able to logistically with our staff,” Rideout said. “I think it’s really going to make a difference on a different level than we have before.”

Round 1 of applications begins Oct. 1 and ends Nov. 1. Read more about how to apply at http://www. grincitycollective.org/grants.

Edited by braneckm@grinnell.edu

By Carter Howe howethom@grinnell.edu

The Center for Global & Regional Environmental Research at The University of Iowa released the 2017 Iowa Climate Statement, titled “It’s not just the heat, it’s the humidity!” in early August. The annual statement, started in 2011, is meant to explain in plain language new developments in climate science and the effects of climate change on Iowans.

Gene Takle, director of Iowa State University's Climate Science Program, and Betsy Stone, associate professor of chemical and biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa, led the drafting of the statement, though many other scientists also contributed to its content.

"Climate disruption is clearly one of the defining challenge of our time — perhaps the defining challenge” Professor Jonathan Andelson, anthropology Four Grinnell College faculty were among 190 professors and scientists from 39 institutions of higher education in Iowa to sign the statement.

According to the statement, communities in Iowa have experi-

Grinnell Area Arts Council to hold yard sale fundraiser

By Emma Friedlander friedlan@grinnell.edu

The Grinnell Area Arts Council will hold its first ever yard sale fundraiser, featuring piles of clothing, art supplies and nine large boxes full of vintage Barbie dolls, this Saturday, Aug. 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The yard sale will occur on the front lawn of the Arts Council building at 926 Broad St., or inside in the case of rain. The Council decided to have the fundraiser when staff members came across an eclectic inventory of random objects during their end of summer cleaning and determined that the event would perfectly fit the mid-August lull in Arts Council events.

“Usually we do specifically arts events. This is probably one of the least art-related events that we’ve done, but it still functions to get the community engaged,” said Katie In, operations and communications director for the Arts Council. “We hope to get people on the grounds to see what we do here and just know that we’re here.”

Founded in 1971, the Grinnell Area Arts Council is an umbrella organization that aims to support creative expression in the community. The Council’s programs include the Stewart Gallery, the Turlach Ur bagpipe band and the Grinnell Community Theater, as well as education classes on ceramics, drawing, theater and more for children and adults alike. While this Saturday’s yard sale is largely intended to raise money to support this programming, the staff mostly hopes that it serves as a wide-reaching event bringing together different parts of the Grinnell community.

“The engagement thing is really

important for us,” said Erik Jarvis, Arts Council events and building director. “Even when we do free live music outside and stuff like that, that doesn’t have the same general draw as something like a yard sale. Everyone can get on board with that.”

The staff was most excited by the large number of community members that went through their homes and donated items to the yard sale, demonstrating a promising amount of interest in supporting the Arts Council.

“We’re a nonprofit and we can always use more funds to go toward operating expenses. But the more rewarding part of it is seeing how many people have helped the Arts Council and brought stuff in. It’s been a really good turnout for donating items,” In said.

Although the yard sale is not arts specific, many of the items for sale do have an artistic bend. In and Jarvis pointed out a large number of frames and pieces of artwork that had been donated by community members, as well as more eccentric objects sure to liven up any room, including numerous boxes of vintage Barbie dolls.

By bringing community members to the front lawn of the Grinnell Area Arts Council, In and Jarvis hope that the yard sale will also introduce and draw people to the arts on display in their space.

“There’s also a gallery reception that night, so hopefully this will feed into that and people will come into Stewart Gallery during the sale,” Jarvis said.

Although the Grinnell Area Arts Council is located away from campus on Broad Street, the staff are committed to increasing the College students’ engagement. This includes hosting programs that appeal to students’ interests and getting students engaged firsthand in the classes offered by the Arts Council.

“We’re both alums and can use that sometimes to help that cause,” In said of her and Jarvis. “I know that Grinnell College students are really busy, I know firsthand how that is. But we’re interested in having events that have a little bit of a pull [for students], so that there’s engagement with the community and more opportunities to see what the town of Grinnell is like.”

LILY BOHLKE

The Council has a wide variety of inventory to purchase at the sale.

enced significant increases in humidity since 1971, ranging from a rise of 8 percent in Mason City to a significant rise of 23 percent in Dubuque.

Increased humidity, which is the focus of the statement, has many detrimental effects on public health and agriculture. For humans, besides increased mosquito populations, an increased risk of heat stroke is another potential health problem.

“When you heat the earth's surface, if there is any water present, more of it goes from a liquid state to a vapor,” wrote Professor Liz Queathem, biology, in an email to The S&B. Queathem is one of the Grinnell professors who endorsed the statement.

“When the humidity is very high, it's hard for the water in sweat to evaporate because there is already so much moisture in the air, so sweating no longer becomes a viable means of cooling. That's why the heat index is more important than the actual temperature in determining how comfortable you are,” Queathem wrote.

For agriculture, increased humidity can worsen soil erosion and lead to more pests and pathogens, which can harm both crops and stored grain, according to the statement.

Professor Jonathan Andelson, anthropology, another endorser of the statement, wrote in an email to The S&B that he chose to sign the statement because of the magnitude of the problem that both humans and the planet face under climate change.

“Climate disruption is clearly one of the defining challenges of our time — perhaps the defining challenge, considering all of the impacts (mostly negative) it will have on nearly every person in the world, not to mention the rest of Earth’s biome,” Andelson wrote.

"The poor and disenfranchised disproportionately bear the negative effects of climate change” Professor Liz Queathem, biology Queathem said that above all, it is important to take action on climate change because it is not just an environmental issue, but an issue of morality and equality.

“Although there are many issues that we have to face today (racism, hate speech, economic and health disparities, etc.), climate change is arguably the largest — not because it is more important than racism or economic disparities, but because it magnifies the effects of inequity, and once it has reached a tipping point, we may not be able to reverse it,” she wrote. “The poor and disenfranchised disproportionately bear the negative effects of climate change, because they cannot afford to move.

If you look at the photos from disasters like Hurricane Katrina, it becomes very clear who suffers most when storm frequencies and intensities increase."

Summer updates from Des Moines • Black Lives Matter in Des Moines responds to Charlottesville The Black Lives Matter (BLM) chapter in Des Moines hosted an event on Thursday, Aug. 27 in the wake of the Charlottesville protests and violence. According to The Des Moines Register, the event was meant to be a safe space for people of color to mourn and have their voices heard, as well as to begin formulating a plan of action to respond to the violence. The organizers of the event held a discussion where people talked about their different lived experiences surround-

ing race, as well as a conversation about how the events in Charlottesville made them feel and what the Des Moines community could do to support people of color. “People in Des Moines need to be reminded that there is a community here for you," said Courtnei Caldwell, the lead coordinator of the event, in an article in the The Des Moines Register. “Often times, we get caught up in the mainstream media and news and we don’t stop to do a community check."

• Bill cuts family planning funding, causes closing of four Planned Parenthoods in Iowa Before leaving office to act as the U.S. ambassador to China, Republican Governor Terry Branstad signed an appropriations bill that prohibits the allocation of public funds to organizations that provide abortions. This led to the closing of four Planned Parenthood clinics across Iowa, including Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, which is Iowa’s largest abortion provider.

Planned Parenthood does not spend taxpayer money on abortion procedures. Eight Planned Parenthood health centers remain open. The bill also ended the family-planning network waiver, which allowed those that do not qualify for Medicaid to receive coverage for various family

planning services such as contraception, pelvic exams and STI testing.

Instead, it reallocated over 3 million dollars to a new state-run program, a family planning network without any clinics that provide abortions. It cuts 2 million dollars in public funding to Planned Parenthood locations across the state. Suzanna de Baca, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, was quoted in The Atlantic saying that the “defunding of Planned Parenthood will set a health care crisis in motion in Iowa.” The now closed health centers served over 14,600 individual patients in the past three years.

Reporting by Mira Braneck

Sports

Edited by schultej@grinnell.edu

5

Carson Dunn nominated for spot on Allstate AFCA Good Works Team athletic activities is working with Student-Athletes Leading Social Change (SALSC) on sexual assault prevention and awareness.

“I was a leader in the group SALSC in a semester-wide campaign to prevent sexual assault last fall, and then I went to the NCAA APPLE Institute. They bring together athletes from all divisions, all different sports, and we talked about different ways to improve our schools and I presented on my work with SALSC,” Dunn said.

JEFF LI

Carson Dunn '18 is a team captain and wide receiver on the football field, but this summer he was recognized for his commitment to service off the field.

By Riley Murphy murphyri@grinnell.edu This summer, football receiver and team captain Carson Dunn ’18 was nominated for the prestigious Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which recognizes outstanding community service and leadership for college football players. Dunn was selected from thousands of proposed students to be one of fewer than 150 students nationwide acknowledged for exhibiting teamwork and altruism both on their teams and in their communities.

“It’s about taking initiative outside of football to improve the social atmosphere or a certain part

of campus life, doing things off the field essentially,” Dunn said.

Dunn felt honored by the nomination, which he learned about rather coincidentally.

“I’ll be honest, I found out about it through Twitter that I was nominated, my friend sent me this tweet that I was nominated,” Dunn said.

Although the nomination was surprising to Dunn, it was welldeserved. Dunn’s involvement in the College and community at large shows his dedication to improving the lives of others and setting a good example for peers. One of his many extracurricular and non-

“I'll be honest, I found out about it through Twitter that I was nominated, my friend sent me this tweet that I was nominated.”

Carson Dunn '18 Dunn plans to continue his work with SALSC this year, and he looks forward to determining what issues they will address.

“One of the big things we do is projects each semester on a topic we really get in to,” Dunn said. “I want to do another semester on sexual assault. It’s a pretty big problem on every campus and it’s important that people know that they’re supported and they know where they can get resources. It’s really important that people speak up and act out to prevent sexual assault.”

In addition, this past summer Dunn dedicated his time to the Grinnell community by working

with Davis Elementary School, further demonstrating his merit as a nominee even before he was aware of the recognition.

“I served for AmeriCorps this summer, I was a summer school teacher for kindergarten through third graders at Davis Elementary.

The whole goal of the program was to bridge the word gap that gets created by economic inequality,” Dunn said.

Good Works Team nominees are required to be part of a community service organization, have good academic standing and are proposed by coaches and athletic directors.

"One of the big things we do is projects each semester on a topic we really get into. I want to do another semester on sexual assault. It's a pretty big problem on every campus and it's important."

Dunn and the other nominees will be reviewed by a panel of judges, including previous Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member Tim Tebow. In September the panel will announce the 22 winners, and Dunn hopes to be standing among them.

“I’d be stoked for it, it’s pretty prestigious. I would call my parents and tell them probably,” Dunn said.

Throughout his time in school and sports, Dunn has been inspired to do service by his coaches, and

he credits them for encouraging him to do the work that has led to this nomination. In particular, Dunn remembers one previous teacher and coach who inspired his volunteering.

“I had a high school teacher my sophomore year who was my basketball coach. Aside from people who are related to me, he’s probably my biggest role model,” Dunn said.

This teacher also helped to develop Dunn’s aspirations, which includes teaching and coaching young athletes.

“I want to be a teacher. Past college I’m trying to do Teach for America to try to do my part and get another teacher in a low-income area,” Dunn said. “The dream for me is to teach 8th grade math and then be a high school varsity football coach.”

"I want to be a teacher. Past college I'm trying to do Teach for America to...get another teacher in a low-income area.

The dream for me is to teach 8th grade math."

The support Dunn has received from great teachers and coaches has encouraged him to continue similar work with future student-athletes.

This nomination is indicative of his success in this pursuit, and Dunn is looking forward to his further work with the Grinnell community.

“I’ve got a year left!”

Women's soccer aims to best last year's stellar season

By Mayo Sueta suetamay@grinnell.edu

After an incredible season last year, the current women’s soccer team is determined to keep the success alive and ready to get the ball rolling for the upcoming season. “[The team hopes to] win the conference title, host the conference tournament and win the conference tournament championship,” wrote Kirsten Koester, head women’s soccer coach, in an email to The S&B. Last season, the team finished tied for second in the league and lost in the tournament championship 0-1.

While the team considered this a successful season, they are aiming higher this year.

“Last year’s success has helped us keep our expectations high,” wrote Lauren Hurley, senior captain, in an email to The S&B. “We know what we can accomplish and we want to push ourselves even further this year.”

"[The first-years] showed up mentally, physically, emotionally."

Valencia Alvarez '20 With the graduation of the class of 2017, the team lost four strong players, including its leading scorers.

Koester acknowledged the impact of

losing these members, writing that she wishes they “could have kept last year’s seniors around for at least another season.”

However, with the departure of last year’s seniors comes the arrival of new hopefuls. Nine first year students have joined the team. According to Koester, they have a solid group of forwards who “are ready to prove themselves as offensive threats.”

Koester said that it’s definitely positive to have fresh faces on the team.

With the departure of last year's seniors comes the arrival of new hopefuls.

Nine first year students have joined the team.

“Our opponents were familiar with [last year’s seniors’] tendencies,” she wrote. The new members seem ready to bring their own, different energy to the team.

The team members are also excited about the new faces.

“They showed up mentally, physically, emotionally,” said Valencia Alvarez ’20, a forward on the team.

“I think that they will … make our team better than we were last year.”

As with all turnover, the arrival of new team members means regrouping as a team. Chemistry and unity is integral to succeeding as a team, but team members are not worried.

"People are going to be stepping into new roles, which is always an exciting time. It will definitely be a transition, but we're confident that we'll find a new rhythm.

Lauren Hurley '18 “People are going to be stepping into new roles, which is always an exciting time,” Hurley wrote. “It will definitely be a transition, but we’re confident that we’ll find a new rhythm. This type of unity will only benefit us as we start the season.”

Alvarez agreed. “We’re definitely trying to mold together, become closer and stronger as a team.”

All in all, the Pioneers are optimistic about women’s soccer team’s upcoming season. They have already started training with energy and excitement, and Hurley added that “preseason has been going really well.”

Koester told us to keep our eyes open for “an improved version of an already dynamic team.”

CONTRIBUTED

Annika Helverson '18 chases down a ball during a match last season. The fourth-year from Los Angeles will play a key defensive role in the Pioneers' quest to finish on top of the Midwest Conference this year.

This year in sports: Get to know some first-year fall athletes in Darby Gymnasium to learn about how life as both a student and an athlete works at Grinnell. They listened to speeches from Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) members and Director of Athletics Andy Hamilton

’85.

After finishing up the formalities of the evening, every athletic team gathered on the gymnasium floor for games, most notably a rock-paper-scissors tournament.

The S&B caught up with a handful of first-year, fall sport student-athletes to hear about their summers full of running, weight lifting and carpentry.

-Photos by Jackson Schulte

Sport: women's cross country

Sport: football

Sport: women's tennis

Sport: men's soccer

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Hometown: La Grange Park, Illinois

Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts

Hometown: Stow, Massachusetts

Why Grinnell?: I chose Grinnell Why Grinnell?: The academics here because I got a QuestBridge scholar- are amazing — and the brotherhood ship to come here. bond on the football team.

Why Grinnell?: Probably the community, the academics, the tennis team.

Why Grinnell?: I felt like it’s a good place to spend my college years and get my education.

What did you do this summer?: My summer mainly consisted of me running, just trying to get my preseason workouts in.

Rebecca Villa '21

What did you do this summer?: I played a lot of tennis, worked at a tennis camp and mostly prepared for the season.

Ali Hickey '21

What did you do this summer?: I worked as a carpenter for this one guy. Basically, I was his apprentice and we did renovations.

Jasper Yang '21

By Jackson Schulte schultej@grinnell.edu On Wednesday, Aug. 23, first-year student-athletes gathered with each athletic team

What did you do this summer?: We had a workout program, so I was lifting... And conditioning, trying to get into the best shape.

Tom Henehan '21

Arts

6

Grinnellians' summer arts internships

By Keli Vitaioli vitaioli@grinnell.edu Many Grinnellians developed their creative skill sets this summer at arts internships across the country.

Anne Rogers ’19 spent the summer in Minneapolis with Cave Paper, a hand papermaking company.

She shared this internship with Bojana Crnomarkovic ’20.

Roger's work at Cave Paper ranged from basic administrative tasks, such as helping out at Hand Papermaking Magazine, to assisting hands-on with the papermaking process. Rogers alternated between sheet forming; separating sheets in a vat; dying sheets with materials like indigo, walnut or persimmon; gelsize (a coating to prevent pen bleeding); flattening paper; preparing Christmas cards and pulp painting.

Cave Paper works with art distributors to provide paper to artists and art stores, but is also available for personal single sheet orders.

“Sometimes they’d get big special orders. We were working on this artist book for an artist in Minneapolis, Gaylord Schanilec. He needed a ton of granite paper, which is one kind we made, so we were working on that,” Rogers said. “Once they made this enormous piece of paper for this guy to make this origami elephant that was taller than he was.”

While Rogers’ interest in papermaking is long-term, there are other aspects of the process she could see herself working with.

“I’m also really interested in making the tools for papermaking, like molds and some of the other more specific things like beaters for the fibers,” Rogers said. “[This] is work that I feel is really important.“ Although Cave Paper was Rogers’ first internship experience, she felt that the company’s emphasis on community was unique to arts internships, and specifically the craft of hand papermaking.

“It’s very much dismantling structures that usually surround a workplace,” Rogers said. “For the most part people really care about what they’re doing and are doing it the best way they can, but they were very accepting of the fact that some

Edited by vitaioli@grinnell.edu

"Shiny Sticky, Smooth: Pop Art and the Senses" pops at Faulconer

By Lily Bohlke bohlkeli@grinnell.edu

CONTRIBUTED

From left to right: Middeldorp with a Mettlach Stein, Rogers' walnut dyed paper drying.

people do things in different ways.”

Across the country, Sasha Middeldorp ’18 worked at the American Museum of Ceramics in Pomona, California as the art collection intern. She worked under the collections manager, whose task is tending to the permanent collection of the museum in terms of condition reporting, researching artists and historical significance of pieces and managing their storage.

“The museum has 7,000 works in permanent collection and what they’re trying to do now is inventory every single one of them and put them in a database,” Middeldorp said. “I was working specifically with the 3,000 items from Mettlach, [Germany], a lot of beer steins, also some vases, plaques, beakers. I was researching all the items we have, working in the physical storage to photograph, date them, condition report them and update how they were being stored.”

This internship offered Middeldorp the unique opportunity to be hands-on in the museum field. She was drawn to the substantive collections experience she gained without working at a desk.

“The dream would be to work at archaeological museum, work in their collection, so I wanted to see if this was for me. The internship was so thorough in teaching me what a collections manager does,” Middeldorp said. “Here you get to work

with the materials, learn the database system, go on art pickups, just get a really good introduction to the work. After this summer I realized, yeah, this is what I want to do.”

Also in California, Victoria Robinson ’18 worked with 3311 Productions, a production company working with left-of-center, independent films. Robinson thought this internship would be a good opportunity to get on the other side of film making, as Grinnell’s curriculum focuses on analysis and theory rather than production itself.

“Besides basic administrative stuff, I was reading incoming scripts. These were scripts that had been picked up by an agent and solicited by our company, so they were given to us not just randomly,” Robinson said. “I had to go through and do a scene by scene summary, a few paragraphs about why I liked it, why I didn’t like it, and my ending recommendation, if I liked it, if they should consider it, or if I didn’t think it was worth their time.”

Similar to Rogers’ experience, the office culture at 3311 Productions was different than that of a typical office space.

“I wasn’t expected to wear business anything. It was a smaller company, but people were really chummy with one another. There wasn’t a whole lot of business culture which I feel like might be more prominent in different areas,” Robinson said.

The pop art exhibition “Shiny, Sticky, Smooth: Pop Art and the Senses” premiered in Faulconer Gallery on July 1 and will be running until Sept. 3. A multi-sensory experience, pop art uses the techniques of consumer culture and advertising to engage audiences with art. The collection in Faulconer features various pieces of art of multiple mediums that come from the Jordan D. Schnitzer Family Foundation.

In post-war America, as industry began to change and Americans were exposed to brightly colored advertisements around every corner, artists realized they could use similar strategies to draw in audiences for art instead of commerce. The Faulconer Gallery exhibit, full of vibrant colors and familiar shapes, attracts eyes across the room.

“Shiny, Sticky, Smooth” features artists including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jonathan Seliger and many more. Warhol’s print series “Gems” depicts bright jewelry as related to consumer culture in America. A combination of bright, shimmery and dark colors give the prints a pop-style texture, making the series feel right at home in this exhibition.

Lichtenstein’s works use explosions from popular comics and abstract domestic interiors to turn everyday items into statements on pop and advertising. His familiar images of explosions evoke another sensory

strategy: sound. In the work “Sweet Dreams Baby!” a cartoon style “POW!” and “SWEET DREAMS BABY!” make the viewer feel as though they can hear the fight happening inside the frame.

The other Lichtenstein work on display is a print series of tidy cartoon-style homes called “Interior Series.” The subtle color schemes and textured patterns of the furniture shown in the prints also provide a strong pop feel.

Seliger, another featured artist, turns everyday items into artistic representations of tension between mass manufacturing and handmade goods. His ice cream cone sculpture series, “Three Scoops: Vanilla Chip, Mint Chip, Chocolate Chocolate Chip” from 2004, and his mini pie sculpture, “Fresh” from 2001, are made with excruciating detail and care, yet they resemble ordinary ice cream cones or pies in daily life.

The sensory effects of pop art are the most outstanding. The tag “pop” is no misnomer. Each of the pieces in the current Faulconer exhibition stand out as either whimsical or dazzling, reminiscent of TV advertisements and standout fliers, engaging audiences with sensory details rather than relying solely on content. A 3D teabag encased in a frame called “Teabag,” a stainless steel and ceramic balloon animal called “Balloon Dog (Blue)” and three loaves of bread with eggs called “Bread with Egg” are just a few examples of the many subtle but strong images represented in this exhibition.

JEFF LI

Jonathan Seliger's “Three Scoops: Vanilla Chip, Mint Chip, Chocolate Chocolate Chip” and “Fresh."

How did you connect with art this summer?

This summer, Grinnellians connected with art through a variety of mediums. The S&B’s Keli Vitaioli asked students in and around the JRC to share how they experienced art, from concerts to theater and even a rock opera.

“I went to see a lot of different shows that were in Albuquerque, because Albuquerque has a lot of community theatre. ... I got to go see and sort of expose myself to different types of theater. I went to see “American Idiot,“ it was a rock opera, and that was really cool because I had never seen a rock opera before.”

-Conner Stanfield '21

"This summer I did a lot of writing, there was a week when we were in Colorado, and it was really nice to like be in a different spot and just kind of sit down and write. I felt that what I was writing up there was completely different from when I was writing back home in Nebraska."

-Grace Clawson '21

“I was in a children’s theater production, which was a lot of fun. ... I got to rediscover that childhood joy of theater that I had when I was younger because I’ve always done it. I think especially right before I went to college, it was fun to see that in myself. ... It inspired me definitely to come here and pursue it more.”

-Amelia Zoernig '21

“I worked with Dance Professor Celeste Miller and we looked at what the digital can bring to choreographic collaboration, so we did a lot of dancing across distance and sending each other dancing videos. I also did a lot of drawings for her class. [The culmination was that] I took the template for a science research poster from Noyce, but I hand drew every element. I also performed in the production of “The Music Man” with Grinnell Community Theater.”

-Charlotte Richardson-Deppe '19

“I began writing more poetry, whether it was like submitting poetry to online chatbooks like Button Poetry or just writing poetry and reflecting.”

- Malcolm Davis '21

“I toured the country with my band, T-Rextasy, and it was awesome because I got to see a show every night, which was really cool because then it’s less about going to see the bands you like and more about just seeing the music people are creating in the area.”

-Vera Kahn '18

PHOTOS BY JEFF LI

Opinions

Edited by fentonma@grinnell.edu

7

Staff Editorial: Administrative silence on affirmative action speaks volumes The Scarlet & Black staff finds it necessary to take a firm stance on the events surrounding affirmative action and race that have taken place during the Trump administration. Recent events such as Charlottesville have indicated how racists have become further emboldened in the United States.

The Department of Justice’s recent decision to divert resources away from civil rights cases towards investigation of race-based affirmative action in college admissions represents harmful policies biased against people of color. Furthermore, Grinnell College’s policies regarding affirmative action and race deserve scrutiny, considering administrative silence on both specific measures to replace the Posse program as well as the Department of Justice’s efforts to challenge race-based admissions policies.

In our journalistic obligation to provide truthful and accurate information, The S&B has deemed it necessary to clarify affirmative action policies. Like the racist violence that has plagued America for centuries, modern perceptions of affirmative action are rooted in ignorance, stereotyping and myth. Affirmative action was designed to help ameliorate discrepancies in education and employment on the basis of identity.

These policies attempt to place disadvantaged people on equal footing with privileged people who have comparable statistics. Though Black and Latinx students are often considered the

sole recipients of affirmative action benefits, this is not the case. Race is only one of several identities considered alongside gender, sexuality and ability, among others. In fact, scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw writes in the University of Michigan Law Review that white women benefit the most from affirmative action policies given their preexisting racial privilege.

Nevertheless, the phrase itself has become a dog whistle, conjuring thoughts of the undeserving getting into college on the basis of their race rather than legitimate effort. This could not be further from the truth.

In specifically targeting race-based admissions, the Department of Justice’s investigation is only perpetuating false stereotypes about affirmative action. This contributes to the current firestorm of racism in America. Furthermore, it is a myth that people of color get into college on the basis of their identity, rather than through intelligence or hard work. The most extreme of these misconceptions is that people of color are automatically admitted to college because of their race, even if they are totally undeserving otherwise. The S&B condemns the efforts of the Department of Justice as not only misguided, but racially motivated. In investigating affirmative action policies, the Department is closing the door on many students of color by denying them educational opportunities. The Department’s choice to divert resources from civil

rights cases demonstrates the Trump administration’s callousness in matters of race.

Marches of torch-bearing racists, most notably in Charlottesville, have turned violent. White supremacists have taken to the streets, emboldened by the open hostility of this administration towards marginalized groups and the normalization of hatred by government officials. Reprehensible attacks on peaceful counter-protesters have left blood not only on the hands of marchers, but those of the presidential administration as well. Donald Trump has stood idly by, offering ham-fisted condemnations of racist violence but also condemning counter-protesters as the truly violent participants. In any other contemporary administration, this kind of blatant racism would be shocking. Nevertheless, this forgiveness of racist violence is integral to the Trump administration, given its already appalling record on race both on the campaign trail and in office.

In specifically targeting race-based admissions, the Department of Justice’s investigation is only perpetuating false stereotypes.

But even with a president that condones racism, some of the most concerning biases in politics and policy continue to be insidious rather than

explicit. Hate groups have strengthened while policy changes designed to hurt people of color have become more robust. Donald Trump’s decision to challenge affirmative action rather than white supremacy demonstrates this administration’s priorities regarding racial justice. In any just world, these actions must receive the highest condemnation.

The S&B feels it is imperative to address these issues both in a national as well as a local context. Despite its self-proclaimed progressive values, even our own institution has issues with race. In 2015, Grinnell College signed onto a Supreme Court amicus brief in support of the University of Texas’s affirmative action program.

However, on April 13, 2016, Grinnell announced the end of its 14-year relationship with the Posse Foundation, bringing an important program for overlooked youth to a close.

In an email from April 13, 2016, the College administration wrote that Posse “helped us to pursue our goals for diversity and student success and grow as a diverse institution.” This is a misrepresentation of Posse’s purpose as an organization. Posse’s mission statement describes its role as assisting students of “extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes.” Contrary to Grinnell’s statement, Posse does not exist to promote racial diversity for its own sake. Rather, it is an organization

to promote educational opportunities and justice in university admissions.

Grinnell’s profound misunderstanding of Posse reflects a deep lack of concern for these issues. Though an email from SGA on April 14, 2016 stated that the administration “[would] begin to shape new campus-wide programs in collaboration with the college” to replace Posse, no known actions have been taken that would serve as an improvement or even satisfactory replacement to the program. Ultimately, the administration’s silence on the matter speaks volumes to its commitment to finding alternative solutions to Posse and similar programs. The S&B calls on the administration and all proper authorities to be more transparent in their policies regarding affirmative action and a suitable replacement for Posse in the name of social justice.

Like the rest of the country, Grinnell College stands at a crossroads. It can either be committed to justice and transparency in its affirmative action policies, or continue to keep its students and faculty in the dark about policy changes and maintain its silence on the Trump administration’s actions. We request an official statement on the College’s commitment to affirmative action after the Department of Justice’s announcement. Additionally, we call for updates regarding the replacement of the Posse program. We at The S&B hope that our community makes the right choice.

Letter to the Editor: Lyle's must remain open While often marketed as a “student-run business,” making money has neither been the goal nor the purpose of Lyle’s Pub. We are here to provide a safe, exciting space to hold events and bring together students from across campus. Student spaces are not money-making endeavors. To judge our significance by our profits reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the purposes of spaces like Lyle’s and Bob’s, and the important role they play in our lives at Grinnell College.

Lyle’s is home to many important traditions that Grinnellians value. Every Wednesday, we host over 75 students for Pub Quiz, which brings students from across campus together.

Every semester, we host roughly ten Pub Talks, where professors, staff, and students can give a short lecture on a topic of their choosing. On Election Night last year, we provided a safe, harm-reductive space for over 300 students to watch and process the

results of the 2016 elections. Lyle’s did the same in 2008 and 2012.

We are not a sub-free space, but we promote responsible, respectful, and legal drinking—one of the only spaces on campus that does so. By removing a space that provides for responsible drinking on campus, Grinnell is turning its back on its

To judge our significance by our profits reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the purposes of spaces like Lyle’s and Bob’s, and the important role they play in our lives at Grinnell College. commitment to harm-reduction.

Among the reasons the administration cited for closing down Lyle’s was a lack of training. This claim is fallacious, and frankly, offensive. We

care about the safety and competency of our employees,which is why they go through three certification processes and three training shifts before they can even work alone. To claim otherwise is unfair.

Another reason the Administration is putting us on hiatus is our financial solvency. Lyle’s is in a lot of debt, an issue about which we are also concerned. That is why we worked hard alongside Jen Jacobson, Adam Gilbert, and other members of Student Affairs, Accounting, and Dining Services, to create a business plan to diminish the debt. We spent our time, energy, and money from Lyle’s Pub to pay employees at these meetings. Our termination makes all of that time and money a waste, and will force Lyle’s to restart and train a new slate of managers — ironically, an expensive task.

Lastly, we are frustrated with the manner in which the Administration fired us and all of our employees. It

is unethical, unprofessional and inappropriate to terminate employment via email over the summer, on an email chain with six other students.

In this same email, Andrea Conner noted that some managers and employees have only logged “a few hours,” each week for our jobs, both trivializing the role we play at Lyle’s Pub and the significance of the time we spend there. For many students, “a few hours” makes the difference — it is rent, it is groceries, and it is tuition. She offered no contingency plan to find the same kind of flexi-

For many students, "a few hours” makes the difference­. .. [Conner] offered no contingency plan to find the same kind of flexible, evening hours that are offered at spaces like Lyle’s and Bob’s.

ble, evening hours that are offered at spaces like Lyle’s and Bob’s.

While we stand in solidarity with our fellow student-run business, thank SGA for their hard work, and celebrate the victory of Bob’s reopening as an event space, we ask that the Administration gives us the same privilege. Let us open Lyle’s for the semester for events like Pub Quiz, reconvene our meetings with the Administration, and continue working on making Lyle’s a safer, more exciting, and more financially-solvent student space. To start from scratch with an entirely new managerial slate and student employees is a waste of student skills and college resources.

This space is far too important to let that happen.

— Pub Management: Anna Schierenbeck, Deanna Taylor, Michael Nattinger, Maddi Danks

Seeking Columnnists and Cartoonists Share your opinions and art with the S&B! [fentonma] The Scarlet & Black Staff Editors-in-Chief News Editors Features Editor Sports Editor Arts Editor Community Editor Opinions Editor Copy Editors Graphics Editor Photo Editor Business Manager Staff Writer Honorary Editor

Lily Bohlke Emma Friedlander Alice Herman Candace Mettle Caryn McKechnie Jackson Schulte Keli Vitaioli Mira Braneck Maxwell Fenton Mayo Sueta Carter Howe Lica Ishida Jeff Li Riley Murphy Kate Irwin Tina Weymouth

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, Riley Murphy, 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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"The best thing since the front page!"

Photo of the Week

Got a backpage-worthy photo? Submit it to [newspapr] and earn $5 for contributing a winner!

"We began as wanderers and we are wanderers still." — Carl Sagan

Arbitrary Analysis Social Calendar

Donnie Darko

Donnie Brasco

Snedge

This week, Max Fenton '19 and Lily Bohlke '19 polled students asking: Idaho or Ohio?

JRC

Friday

9:00 p.m. Trapo / Dwynell Roland @ Gardner Lounge

Saturday​

JEFF LI

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE TRAPO THIS WEEKEND! Thanks sooooooo much concerts for bringing us an amazing first concert. I'm going to cry when we hear I've Been Working!

-Lily Bohlke '19

Aries: Kistle

Cancer: Buying your own printer for your room Leo: Burling 2nd Virgo: Lazier Libra: Burling 1st Scorpio: The faculty-only

ARH

printer room in Steiner Sagittarius: JRC Capricorn: Burling Basement

@thesandb /thescarletandblack thesandb.com @newspapr

CONCERTS IS AWESOME

The Signs as Campus Printers

Gemini: Cleveland

check us out:

Rants & Raves:

Horoscope: Taurus: ARH computer lab

11:00 a.m. Gallery Exhibition @ Faulconer Gallery 2:00 p.m. UGSDW Meeting @ JRC 101 8:00 p.m. Hypnotist Derrick Watkins @ Harris Center Concert Hall 10:00 p.m. Back to School Gardner @ Gardner Lounge

Like what you see?

Donnie Trump

Aquarius: The printers at IT Pisces: Bucksbaum

Students speak about what’s on their minds in 100 words or fewer, and you’re invited! If you have a rant or a rave, email it to [newspapr] or [fentonma]

Johanna Meehan To our dear advisor: Your advisees at the S&B hope that you have a productive yet fun sabbatical! We're looking forward to seeing you next year and hearing about the wonderful scholarship you will surely produce.

-Max Fenton '19 and Candace Mettle '19

Unpopular Opinion Gooey butter cake is vile. Enough said.

- Anonymous

The Dress The color-changing dress from a couple years ago frightened and shocks me. I'm still not sure what color it actually is, and that's the reason my dreams are haunted by nightmares.

- Sleepless in South Campus