Sports
Transylvania’s women’s basketball team held 15:2 record against Rose-Hulman and earned number one spot in HCAC. pg. 6
The
Rambler
Transylvania University • Lexington, Ky. • transyrambler.com
January 30, 2014 • VOL. 97 , ISSUE 13
Presidential search Profiles of Presidential Finalists Released has campus buzzing Mattie Bruton
SARAH ALLISON
Transylvania’s search for a new president is now fully underway; between this week and next week the university will play host to four different presidential candidates. The four candidates selected by the Presidential Search Committee as finalists for the presidency are Thomas Minar, Trey Grayson, Michelle Johnston and Seamus Carey. Each candidate will host three forums—one for staff, one for faculty and one for students. However, while each of the three forums is focused on a particular demographic, anyone on campus may attend any of the sessions. During the forums, the candidates will introduce themselves and their goals, and be open to questions, concerns and discussion. “The reason for the structure is to have many of the stakeholders in the process a chance to meet and speak with the candidate,” Presidential Search Committee member and Professor of Political Science Don Dugi said. “We want as much as possible to satisfy the needs and wishes of all the different stakeholders. We don’t want a president that would be agreeable to one group but disagreeable to others.” After attending each forum discussion, students and faculty will have an opportunity to complete surveys which reflect their opinions about each candidate. “It gives the whole community opportunity to ask questions and give multiple opinions,” Search Committee member and Associate Professor of Mathematics Ryan Stufflebeam said. “If it was one big open forum, it might be difficult for this to be achieved. It’s good because it allows everyone to get their voices heard.” After all the forums, the Presidential Search Committee will take into account the resumes and views of all candidates, as well as student, faculty and staff opinion. They will use this information to select a recommendation, which will move on to the campus administrative board. The board will get the final vote that decides which candidate becomes president. The new president should be announced by the end of February. The arrival of the presidential candidates has prompted a campus wide discussion among the student body about what qualities a new university president should possess. Topics of discourse include diversity, admissions, faculty/ administration transparency, rankings, sustainability and campus image. “I want [a president] that wants to bring the campus together,” sophomore Carl Agner said. “One thing about Transy is that we don’t identify with our university. If we’re part of a Greek organization or a clique we identify with that, or even the college down the road. I’d like a president to come in and say, ‘We’re from Transy and we’re going to improve Transy after graduation and see where it can go.’” Even students close to graduation who might not be directly impacted by a new president are attending the forums and voicing their concerns. “As a senior on my way out I’m looking less at particulars and more at bold strokes sort of attributes, so what I’m looking for is a president who is willing to uphold and further actualize the ideals of this university in the years to come,” senior Brian Hudson said. “I’d like to be able to come back here as an alumnus in a few years and see the same spirit I’ve come to know and love about Transy; I’d like it to still be here even under different leadership.” One of the most frequently discussed issues among the student body is how attentive the new president will be to student input. “I’d say I’d definitely want someone who’s willing to listen to the student voice,” TUSGA Vice President and senior Ashley Carter said. “I think students definitely need to take more power in the university than they have thus far. I definitely think we’re going to make the most as student government to better represent the student voice and make sure the student voice is heard. I really want to see a president who is open to counting the voices of students when making administrative decisions or decisions about the future of the university.” Students and faculty aren’t the only ones concerned about the future of the university’s president. Alumni are also following the proceedings closely and student alumni organizations are getting involved to make alumni issues important to the presidential selection. “I really would like to see an increase in alumni participation because I think alumni participation isn’t just a one way street for alumni to come here,” said Gabrielle Morguelan, a sophomore and member of the Student Alumni Association. “I think it’s about students being comfortable
SARAH ALLISON
mebruton17@transy.edu
Trey Grayson
Thomas Jackson Minar Thomas Jackson Minar, the first presidential semi-finalist to visit Transylvania’s campus, holds a Doctorate of Philosophy, with a concentration on American political institutions and additional minors in political theory and public management, from Northwestern University. Minar has previously held multiple positions of leadership in a university setting, the most recent of which is his position beginning in 2008 as Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations at American University in Washington, D.C. His accomplishments in this position include increasing university cash revenues by 48%, increasing the number of alumni donors and the amount of alumni engagement in university activities, and planning and executing a community-based strategic plan – which included creating new initiatives to fund parts of the plan like scholarship support, sustainability, diversity and facilities growth. Among Minar’s recent publications and presentations are the titles “Creating and Engaging GLBT Affinity Groups,” “Conducive to Success: Integration of Alumni Relations and Development is Vital to Our Institutions” and “The Future of Alumni Giving.” All of this information and more of Minar’s résumé can be accessed through TNotes.
Former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson also visited Transy’s campus this week as a presidential hopeful. Grayson graduated magna cum laude from the University of Kentucky College of Law with a Master of Business Administration in 1998. Prior to his election to the Kentucky Legislature, Grayson worked as an attorney. He then served as the youngest Secretary of State in the United States from 20042011, under which he implemented a voter registration database maintenance program, developed the Voter Information Center as a voter lookup tool, initiated various civic education and responsibility efforts in Kentucky schools and made his the first government agency to publish expenses online. After his time as Secretary of State, Grayson served as Director of the Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard University. In this position, Grayson reorganized the university’s Internships and Career Services offices to increase opportunities for undergraduate employment in politics, government, and the non-profit community, increased participation in voting and recruited three new universities to participate in the IOP National Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement. Grayson’s full résumé can be found through TNotes.
Profiles Compiled by Kaitlin Haggard
New initiatives expand Green Dot program Zoey Peach
sxpeach16@transy.edu
Green Dot Week, scheduled to begin Feb. 1, marks the culmination of a year’s worth of increased programming, engagement and awareness of interpersonal violence prevention programs at Transylvania. The week of awareness events seeks to present Green Dot programs to a wider campus audience. “It will help get the word about Green Dot,” junior and “director of pancake development” of campus ministry CRU Tyler Baker said. “If people knew that Green Dot was more than just a training, that it was a force for good on campus, and they saw how being a Green Dot can change things, I think that would be fantastic.” Green Dot Week will start with CRU’s monthly “midnight pancakes” on Saturday night. As part of Green Dot Week, Baker says that the pancakes will be dyed green. “I think that if we can get the word out about [Green Dot] while giving them yummy pancakes, I’m all for it,” he said. This year’s Green Dot Week differs significantly from last year’s events, which were centered around the Rock the Dot Concert that featured Transy musicians, painting T-shirts as part of the awareness-raising Clothesline Project and the display of posters with the personal stories of Transy students. “We decided to do Rock the Dot Week instead. [Director of the Campus Center] Diane Fout, [Sustainability Director] Angela Poe and [Student Affairs Specialist] Brenda Dennis all had really good ideas about how we could make it into a
See Finalists, Page 3
bigger activity,” said Assistant Director of Residence Life and Coordinator for Interpersonal Violence Prevention Ashley Gutshall. Additional activities planned for the week include a “green out” at the Feb. 5 women’s basketball game. Gutshall said that working on that portion of the week has involved talking to many different constituencies including the basketball team, the pep band, the dance team and even the opposing team to encourage them all to take part in the night’s commemoration. Gutshall will be coordinating a scavenger hunt through the entire week. “We’re asking students to find [the items] and take their picture with them and Tweet the picture to @TransyIVPP, which is the new Transy Green Dot and interpersonal violence prevention Twitter. Then you’ll get points for how many you find. The person who has the most points… gets a prize,” she said. Offices and organizations throughout campus also plan decorating for this year’s Clothesline Project and making signs for March’s “Take Back the Night” walk. Participating in those events will also count for points for the scavenger hunt, Gutshall said. “I think Green Dot has become far more well-known on campus and that people are actually taking Green Dot seriously, which I’m happy about,” said Assistant Professor of Religion Carole Barnsley. “I’m very happy that we have a Green Dot week and I look forward to it.” Greater awareness of Green Dot’s mission is a relatively recent phenomenon on campus, as some say it has struggled with advertising in the past. “I wish the program was more promoted and more people knew about it… because once they went to the See Green Dot, Page 3
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Campus Life
Page 2
COURTESY OF CASEY MCBRIDE AND TRANSYLVANIA STUDENT ART LEAGUE
Students plan for musician Ben Sollee’s visit to campus
Transylvania Student Art League members designed this poster in conjunction with TUSGA’s Activities Board to promote Ben Sollee’s concert. Students and campus organizations have been planning the Feb. 15 concert and related events since winter term of last year.
Dave Neri dbneri16@transy.edu
Cellist and vocalist Ben Sollee will be performing at Transylvania’s Haggin Auditorium in the Mitchell Fine Arts Center at 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 15. Transy students have already been planning for the event for some time. TUSGA’s Student Activities Board (SAB) is responsible for organizing the event, which is part of their larger plan to bring more events to Transy’s campus. “SAB has been wanting to expand what we do for a long time and so the best thing we could think of was a concert, but concerts are so expensive,” senior and TUSGA Executive Vice President of Activities Board Casey McBride said. Sollee, a Lexington native, has produced a number of albums both as a member of “The Sparrow Quartet” along with musicians Abigail Washburn, Bela Fleck and Casey Driessen, and as a solo artist, including his debut “Learning to Bend.” “[Sollee] is local. He is from Lexington and a lot of people on Transy’s campus know of him, and he is pretty involved in the Lexington community so we just talked about it in our group meeting then sent him an email… He directed us to his manager and said he was
very interested, and we just went from there,” McBride said. The future efforts of SAB during the 2014 winter and May terms will depend to an extent on how well the currently planned events do. “We are not really sure about the rest of the semester. What we do depends a lot on our ticket sales for Sollee. It was a very expensive concert. It depends on how much money we make back for our budget,” McBride said. The concert tickets are currently $5 for Transy students, faculty, administration and staff and $15 for other community members. The tickets are available at http://tinyurl.com/ TUBenSollee. SAB is also giving away a ticket as a prize for their Facebook photo contest ending Thursday, Jan. 30. “You submit a photo of yourself with your bike on the coolest spot in Lexington, send them in and we put them on our Facebook wall, and whoever gets the most likes will win either tickets to the concert, their own bike or a meet and greet with Ben Sollee,” McBride said. McBride also stated that the contest and concert are open to all members of the Lexington community and that the final prize would depend on the current ticket sales at the time.
January 30, 2014
Trans* at Transy part deux: This time, it’s personal
Over the past few weeks, Rambler readers may have noticed a few changes in the newspaper and in our bylines. Our editorial positions have switched around, and we’ve welcomed new members to the team. Then there’s me. A Peach remains on staff, and she is not the sister of fall term’s Campus Life editor. I’m Zoey Peach, and I’m glad you’ve joined me on this journey, even in its earliest stages. With this semester’s changes, woman-identified people now comprise The Rambler’s entire editorial staff. I am a trans* woman. I prefer she, her and hers pronouns. I’m still fleshing out what that means for me and how I relate with the world. Seeing my name in the black and white of newspaper print at the beginning of this year meant an enormous deal to me. People who have called me by my new name mean more to me than they could imagine. When I started signing my emails “Zoey Peach,” more than a few people were probI am a woman. ably confused. I’m eternally grateful to those who rolled with it and told me it’s a nice name My body hasn’t quite and said “hello Zoey” as they passed. I realize that I’m asking this campus com- caught up to me yet, munity to join me very early in this process, and neither has socibefore I’ve started making physical changes to my body and while my wardrobe is in the ety. research and development phase at best; I’m beginning to know Lexington’s thrift stores -Campus Life Editor well. So far, though, my Transylvania family has responded with love and support. Zoey Peach This family started with my housemates in the Genderbread House who referred to me by my preferred name and pronouns unquestioningly and have travelled with me on the beginnings of this path very closely. Sophomore Opinion editor Rhianna James made a new sign for me for our fireplace mantle. Junior Rayne Parker co-facilitated the Trans* Day of Remembrance events with me and told me to not stare into the mirror at that hair on my face for too long. All of my housemates have provided shoulders to cry on, literally on a couple of days, and listened to my endless complaints about gender dysphoria. The Student Publications Office, where we produce The Rambler, and Associate Professor of Women’s Studies Simona Fojtova’s classroom are other great refuges for me. Fojtova quietly changed a certificate I received at a presentation last week to read my new name. My fellow editors and writers have respected my name and allowed me to begin this journey in the newspaper. Transitioning is a life-long process, but I couldn’t think of a better place to start it than at Transy surrounded by a loving, caring community that is already helping me in this process. From acquaintances in organizations that I’m a member of to President Owen Williams, people have displayed remarkable patience with me and respected me. I thank you all for that. I’m often confused, too, and some days are worse off than others. These are the days when the stubble sticks to my face no matter how hard I try and when I feel I will never be able to join my sisters and be accepted as a woman. I am a woman. My body hasn’t quite caught up to me yet, and neither has society. There is no denying that my personal situation affects my outlook on the world and, therefore, my journalism. However, I will continue to hold myself to high journalistic standards as will my fellow editors, who keep a close watch for any biases that emerge in my writing. Transy has become more inclusive by leaps and bounds since my arrival, and my trans* and gender non-conforming siblings have helped pave the way for me and more students to fully live out their true lives. Society has more work to do, and I hope to make a career one day of creating this change. For now, though, I am endlessly thankful for your love, support and patience. What’s next?
Revised programming planned for larger Greek leadership retreat Mattie Bruton mebruton17@transy.edu
More Transylvania students than ever will be attending 2014’s Greek Leadership Retreat. This expansion is part of an ongoing push on campus to further develop students’ leadership skills. In previous years, only chapter presidents and vice presidents attended the forum. This year, however, four officers from each chapter as well as four general members from each organization are required to attend. Members of the Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and Order of Omega will also participate. “Last year we had probably 25 percent participation, and this year we have around 75 percent participation,” Director of Student Involvement and Leadership Shane McKee said. “This year we want to focus on current leaders as well as future and emerging leaders. “We want more people involved and to cultivate and develop future leaders,” he continued. “This is why we asked numerous general members to be there, so they can get a feel for leadership and high level communication. We asked more executives to be there because cultivating success of the chapters depends on the entire executive board, not just
chapter presidents.” is having trouble with a specific aspect of chapter leadership The retreat will last from Friday, Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. to they can ask those other leaders who they have come to trust 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31 and is scheduled to include a and play off each other’s strengths.” variety of activities that cover all aspects of effective greek Addington also mentioned that this year’s retreat coinleadership. cided with very recent chapter and Panhellenic Council elec“Some topics that tions. are included are leader“I hope the newer council members can gain confiThe retreat will unship development, ritudence and learn the skills they need to make great leaderdoubtedly contribute to ship strides both in their chapters and the community as a als, values and what it means to be part of a greek spirit and unity on whole,” Addington said. values-based organiza- campus. Predictions for the future of the altered Greek Leadertion,” McKee said. “It ship Retreat have been optimistic. offers time for each “I would say as a result of the Greek Leadership Rechapter to do some -Interfraternity Council treat, I hope that our greek men and women come back with goal setting and strasense of purpose and a vision for what they hope President Nash Laungani atorenewed tegic thinking, as well accomplish in the coming year,” said McKee. as time to think about Interfraternity Council President and junior Nash Launinnovation and change in our community.” gani concurred with this sentiment. He said, “I’m excited to Another important focus of the retreat is an emphasis on develop connections across the greek organizations by colcommunication between different greek chapters. laborating on common ideals held by each organization. The “Obviously there’s bonding when you spend that amount retreat will undoubtedly contribute to greek spirit and unity of time with a group of people,” Panhellenic Council Presi- on campus.” dent and junior Cordelia Addington said. “So if one person
Etcetera
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January 30, 2014
The Eternity Engine - Chapter 1 Ethan Goodrum edgoodrum15@transy.edu
Editor’s note: This is a serialized fiction segment that will appear weekly. So if you want more, catch the next chapter in our next issue. “Who dares enter my lair?” I growled, waving a complex sigil into the air with my claws. Interpreting the sigil as code, the Deus Ex Machinas activated the illumination systems, casting a flickering light over my chamber as small artificial stars descended from the ceiling. Their paltry luminance glittered off the treasures of my horde. “I have come for the Master Program, foul wyrm,” spoke the intruder. She wasn’t much to look at. A small centaur wielding naught but a photonic resonance blade. I’d roasted mutant rats larger than her. I snorted, smoke and sparks flaring from my nostrils, as I uncurled myself from my horde and rose to my full height. If I spread my wings, a single flap would blow her away. A swipe from my claws would shred her to pieces. Nevertheless, I opted for my usual method. Opening my mouth and inhaling, a warm rumble began spreading through my chest. My scales, many still coated in gold or jewels, emitted a soft glow. With a smug grin, I blew. Fire erupted from my maw, bathing her in dancing scarlet. She would be a charred statue when I was through. Or so I thought. A tremendously bright flare shone through my flames and leapt out at me, sinking deep into my chest. The blade, neither melted nor blackened, pierced my heart. My last thoughts were of how no mere sword could slay me. My last sight was of her corpse, as charred as I had predicted, as it crumbled into ash. There was nothing but darkness and a loading bar. The words ‘Emailing your soul to the Underworld’ blinked back at me as the void swallowed my existence. And then... a light. A sphere of ethereal radiance
drifted down beside me. Was that the soul of the intruder I had just killed? It continued further down into the darkness, its own loading bar nearly full. Suddenly a second light pierced the gloom. It was like a hole in reality, and I could see my lair through it. In a fit of hope I desperately fought against the darkness as I swam up towards the world I had known. The other soul simply drifted away, seeming content to ride her email to the next life. The other soul flickered as I leapt through the portal and the centaur’s voice whispered, “My sympathies.” What had she meant by that? I was going to live again! It shouldn’t have been possible—there must have been a glitch in the world’s metaphysical matrix—but at the moment, I didn’t care. Spots swam before my eyes as the sensation of having a body returned. I felt weak and unsteady, but I had made it. I struggled to rise, finding my claws numb yet still responsive. My whole form felt off somehow. When the pounding in my head finally abated, the world snapped back into focus... and I beheld myself collapsed on my horde, not breathing. How in the name of the gods could I be looking at myself?! There were no mirrors in my lair... and why did I look so much larger than I actually was...? Getting a sour feeling in the pit of my stomach, I warily looked down. A small humanoid form greeted me, attached at the waist to an equine’s lower body. I had returned to life, but not in my old form. Impossibly, the intruder’s body had been restored, with me trapped inside it. “Praise be unto us!” sighed a relieved voice from everywhere, as if the Deus Ex Machinas themselves were speaking to me. “We were able to catch your soul before it was downloaded. The body was easy, though sadly that phoenix program was only good for a single reboot. I was almost certain we wouldn’t be able to grab your soul in time.”
Interview with a Transylvanian:
Jesse Johnson
Q. When was the last time you heard fireworks but did not see them? It was July 5, 2013. The holiday cheer had not yet died out and the locals craved the smell of sulfur and saltpeter in the morning. The sun had barely reared its fiery head before I heard the wizzbang of left over m80s and bottle rockets.
Q. This or that: muffins or donuts? And what flavor. Unglazed cake donuts. But then my choice in breakfast pastry is basically cake and not a donut, which is beyond the criteria of the question. That then leaves me with the choice of muffin. It makes one think he or she is having a balanced, hearty breakfast, but in reality he or she is having sunrise desert in his or her pajamas. Oh yes, the flavor. Blueberry. With extra muffin. Q. In twelve words (no more or less), why girls should play video games: People play video games. Girls are people. Girls should play video games. Q. How did you come to write Cheers & Jeers and do you foresee yourself writing them in the future? A little birdie told Jordan Starks that I could write witty banter about the happenings on campus due to my involvement in several activities. And by birdie I mean a shadowy raven crashed in through his window late one night, and screeched with an unholy cry that only Mr. Starks could understand as “Jesse must write the Cheers and Jeers. He is the Chosen One.” I do not foresee myself writing them in the future. I foresee myself dictating them to one of my lackeys while they tick tack away at a manual typewriter. It’s time to class up my production. Q. Predict how will you feel about the column when you look back at it in old age. I will probably literally feel about the column as my optometrist predicts that I will be legally blind by the age of 60. Also being a bitter and unaccomplished elder, I will reminisce about the better times when I actually felt worthwhile to my community.
Green Dot
“What manner of trickery is this?!” I demanded, cursing the weak voice that escaped my lips. Not a single spark or waft of heat played about my breath. “I am Pyre, Lord of the Horde, and I demand to be uploaded into my proper body!” There was silence for a moment. “The dragon?!” the voice exclaimed. “We uploaded the wrong soul! Our hero will have been downloaded to the Underworld by now. How are we supposed to activate the Eternity Engine without the proper soul?!” “The body is still present, which should give us some power over the Master Program,” noted a second voice. “We may be able to hack the Underworld and reclaim the original essence, though not from here. We’ll have to find a remote access point, which we can only do if we have the body’s cooperation.” “Which means we’ll have to make an agreement with the body’s current pilot,” said a third voice. “Greetings, Pyre the dragon. It seems we each have something the other needs. You wish to return to your original body, and we wish to reactivate the Eternity Engine, which we can only do with our ward. If you help us reclaim the soul of our ward, we will help your body reclaim your own soul. Do we have a deal?” “I don’t see what choice I have,” I grumbled. Though I didn’t entirely understand what was going on, I believe I understood the gist of it. Trotting awkwardly over to my horde on unfamiliar hooves, I routed through the treasure to find the flash drive containing the Master Program and slid its string around my slender neck. “If I’m to be traveling down into the darkest depths of the Deus Ex Machinas to jailbreak a soul from the Underworld, though, I’d like to know with whom I’m traveling.” “We are the Deus Ex Machinas,” the voices replied in unison. “We are Zeus, Ares, and Hephaestus. Our bodies are the machinery of the world. Our minds are the programs that dictate its code. We are the Gods of the Machines.”
C
Compiled by Ameka Menes/Photo provided by Jesse Johnson
aptioning aptain
Everyone loves to read a humorous caption that fits just right with its picture. Here you have the opportunity to do this yourself. There is a photo below. Should you come up with something that you would like to share with the rest of the Transy community, email it to the Etcetera editor (ajmenes 15@transy.edu) and we’ll rerun the photo with your caption. All students, faculty and staff are welcome to participate.
Q. Share an exclamation you really wish would be utilized by the masses. Um, well, I don’t think I’m allowed to say it here. But in its stead, I will propose the exclamation: “That’s preposterous!” Q. This is terribly important: last time you checked out at Kroger, what was your cashier’s name? (And no, you may not make it up if you don’t remember.) Dell. She was a computer. I am not joking. I do not mess around with these things. Q. How long was your last phone call? Who was it to and why did it last so long? 46 seconds. Michael the Huelsman. I was eating dinner at a restaurant and it is rude to talk on the phone while eating in public. Or I was trapped on a lifeboat with an adult male Bengal tiger and the phone’s battery only had 46 seconds of life left. Neither story can be proven but both have the same conclusion. However, which story do you prefer? Q. Have you ever had a romantic candle-lit dinner? If so, tell about the experience? If not, would you like to? My mother liked to light candles sometimes when we have a meal as a family. It illuminated a time oft forgot, a time when a family would sit down together for a meal without the distractions of electronic entertainment or social networks, and simply shared each other’s daily experiences and exchanged laughs by the soft glow of a candle’s light. When eating by candle light, the sense of urgency is gone. It signals that the day is done, the sun has set, and the only thing left to do is relax and enjoy the company of those around you.
Photo curtesy of Creative Commons
This seal is clearly trying to communicate something - can you help it out? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
Finalists
From Page 1
university which will be there for them their whole lives and create an atmosphere in which people really feel they have something to fall back on, and I’m not necessarily talking socially, but also academically.” Minar was at Transy Jan. 26-27, and Grayson was on campus Jan. 28-29. Johnston will be on campus Jan. 30-31, and Carey will be visiting Feb. 3-4. For more information and for forum times and locations, see transy.edu and click on the Presidential Search tab.
Q. Name the shiniest thing you own. A flashlight pointed at a mirror. From Page 1
training and learn what Green Dot is all about, they would be all about being a Green Dot,” Baker said. Barnsley concurred that Green Dot has become far more respected on campus and that people are taking it seriously. “That was our hope when it first started and it was not initially something that we thought would bloom in the way that it has,” she said. According to Gutshall, the program has been on campus for four years and has undergone significant changes since it was first formed. Initially a project of the Sexual Awareness and Gender Education Board (SAGE), Green Dot is now a stand-alone entity primarily led by Gutshall and Director of Health and Wellness Ashley Hinton-Moncer, who also play large roles in SAGE. “I’m really proud of how far Green Dot has come in the four years it’s been on our campus. It is a Transy family and I think that Green Dot gives people the tools to keep their family safe,” Gutshall said. “I think it’s one of the most effective programs we have at Transy. If anything, we should make sure everyone gets an hour of Green Dot – an hour of how you can direct, distract and delegate,” said senior Ashley Carter. However, the verdict is yet to fully come in. Gutshall has been encouraged so far by changes in the Classes of 2016 and 2017, who received an hour of Green Dot promotion during August term. “Whether or not this participation and training will translate into a better campus and a better campus environment will remain to be seen,” Barnsley said. “I think one of the biggest things Green Dot stands for… is spreading love to those who need it and standing up for the weak,” Baker said. “I hope that those values are at least shown to people – that people at least acknowledge they exist. Getting that message out there is powerful for me.”
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Opinion
January 23, 2014
Transy should consider universal winter policy
Cheers and Jeers Cheers to Ameka Menes for FINALLY interviewing me for the Rambler’s “Interview with a Transylvanian” article. I desired to stand upon that pedestal for centuries, and now my ego has reached its ULTIMATE POWER! KNEEL BEFORE YOUR GOD, TRANSYLVANIA! MWAHAHAHAHA! Jeers to the Transylvania versus Centre rivalry. Let’s be honest with ourselves. We have this “rivalry,” but in all seriousness we are in the same boat going down the Kentucky River. We’re two liberal arts colleges that nobody outside of Kentucky knows about unless the prospective students have been specifically addressed by admissions staff. The two schools give out about the same amount in scholarships, have about the same emphasis on sciences and have the same level of “prestige” given to graduates. But Centre has a football team and we have Lexington. I personally prefer a city-life experience over watching football games, so that could be a “death to Centre” opportunity, but it’s a stretch. Cheers to Cabaret week for almost coming to a close. Two more nights of rehearsals and I won’t have to hear musically talented people moan about being musically talented. Until the next band concert. Jeers to plastic harmonicas. You might come from the same manufacturer as Bob Dylan’s brand of choice, but you taste funny, sound out of tune, and lack even a tenth of the soul. At least you are sold in a neat little box that includes every key and still only cost the price of a nice meal at Bella Notte. But a nice meal at Bella Notte sounds better.
Cheers to Daft Punk for sweeping up the accolades at the Grammy Awards. Though I don’t feel like their album, “Random Access Memories,” was the best thing ever, I found it refreshing and... tolerable. I appreciate electronic music finally getting the appreciation it deserves, but I think there are several examples of better electronic music out there. But do those songs have the sexiness or hook of “Get Lucky”? Of course not. Neither are they played nearly as much on the radio. And everyone knows I love “Wake Me Up,” but it’s for the wrong reasons. It’s dumb and I can dance to it, and it smashes fake-folk with electronic Avicii garbage. So I can live with Avicii not being nominated for anything. At least “Get Lucky” beat “Royals” for Best Record. Jeers to “Royals“ for being so frickin’ adored. I do not understand why the song is so critically acclaimed. Yes, I am aware of the artist’s age. But I literally dozed off while listening to “Royals,” and it won Song of the Year. I can understand why people like it. It’s very easy to sing along to in a moving vehicle. It’s catchy as heck, so it’s easy to memorize. And I guess the lyrics are “deep,” subjectively. But does it deserve Best Song because it lacks enough complexity that anybody that can carry a tune with a bucket can sing along to it? “Wake Me Up” had ME, the sing-along stickler, belting and tapping my feet, but do I believe it deserves awards? Nope, absolutely not. Jeers to “Blurred Lines” for getting a nomination. Okay, Grammy rant over. Cheers to the Alpha Omicron Pi Dance of the Decades for being a great success. Also Cheers to Kelsey DeBord for letting me hear “Bass Cannon” during a popular public dance event. I’m glad other people appreciate robot sex noises as much as I do.
letter to the editor:
T-Unity forgets fellow LGBTQ* students I begin with the apology that my response’s limit is 400 words. I contest several notions in Kaitlin Haggard’s response to the anonymous comments: TUnity’s believed lack of accountability, perceived welcomeness, and degree of effectiveness. First, like it or not, TUnity and its E.C. represent the face of GSRM (Gender, Sexual, and Romantic Minorities) issues on campus. It is therefore TUnity’s responsibility to stay informed. It’s worrisome that the only events of substance last term were Coming Out Day (COD) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDR) when Bi Visibility Day (September 23), Intersex Awareness Day (October 26) and Asexual Awareness Week (October 2026) passed by without so much as a peep from TUnity. Every GSRM “letter” shouldn’t be required to demand representation from the organization aimed at serving their interests. Secondly, you question why critics have not expressed opinions at meetings. They have. And their concerns have been brushed aside. They’ve been removed from email lists without asking. Others similarly worry that their concerns will not be heeded. Additionally, many GSRMs do not feel comfortable with an organization which has a reputation as being led and attended primarily by allies and fear they will be spoken over. (I grant that some officers may not be out, but until you are, you are publicly tallied as straight.) Many, such as myself, have
SEND ME SOMETHING.
preexisting schedule conflicts during meetings. Finally, TUnity’s activism is lackluster. While I appreciate your efforts on the Bathroom Committee, COD turned into a celebration of allies, which many GSRMs on campus found incredibly offensive. TUnity participated disappointingly little in the planning for TDR until the end stages. As for your mission statement’s claims, I’ve seen no move towards health education other than handing out condoms at every single event, albeit with encouragement towards HIV testing. The scope of GSRM health issues is far broader. For example: GSRMS are 2.5 times more likely to have mental disorders (NAMI), and half of bisexual women have been raped (MECASA). Where is TUnity’s involvement with the Forty to None homeless GSRM youth project? GSRM issues range beyond ThinkB4YouSpeak posters. Transy individually may not need an activist organization, but the Lexington community does. As TUnity moves forwards [sic], my humble recommendations are to increase ally education programs, stop turning the focus of events away from GSRMs, to rate Transy on the Campus Pride Index, and to publish meeting minutes so you may be held accountable. Tori Lantrip ’14 cvlantrip14@transy.edu
Angry? Agree? Send your opinions to rmjames16@transy.edu.
days are not an option. Teachers have individual discretion as to when they should cancel class, but Transy as a whole does not close for any reason unless a state of emergency is declared or the entirety of campus loses power. But what about the safety of the students? While our professors are more than capable of determining when it is safe to come to school, I feel that the university needs to set a policy in place for winter situations like the one we are facing. Many students are left wondering whether classes will be cancelled, then bewildered when they must walk to class when every possible pathway is covered in ice and temperatures are so low that they risk frostbite from the walk to class. Commuter students are left to drive in these conditions and, because of their living situation being off campus, some are forced to stay overnight or miss class for fear of the danger of the roads. After being back to school for a few weeks, and experiencing the hazard of winter, I want to know what the Transylvania community thinks of the winter weather policy. Should there be an all encompassing policy of closing the school when conditions are less than savory? Or, should the school continue to leave the decision to teachers individually?
Jeers to small rodent pets. Things that die from rapid changes in temperature or being startled too much do not deserve my love and affection. That’s why tortoises are the best. Sturdy, dependable and having more longevity than me. They’re practically immortal. And they can’t run away even if they wanted to, so they are very loyal. A worthy candidate for man’s best friend.
Cheers to the Department of Public Safety for carting around an unnamed crippled friend of mine and being nice about it. Of course, if I had a golf cart and I was given a solid reason to use it, I wouldn’t complain either.
Jeers to Snapchat. When it comes to newfangled technological fads, I tend to ignore them and let them fizzle out of human consciousness without my awareness. But curiosity beat stoicism this time around, and Snapchat is installed on my new phone. I do not necessarily jeer the application itself. I find it entertaining and quirky. My problem is that the only time I get around to using it is when the recipient or sender of a “snapchat” is in the same room as me. And then when I send them to other people who are not in the same room as me, they are rarely read or replied to. I am missing out on this hip and with it techno doodad purely because of the user base. Wow, now I know how my father feels.
“Hey, have you installed this Facebook messenger on your phone? It’s so cool!” “Yes Dad, it’s been a thing for years now.” “You mean I can message you for free on my phone?” “You could do that with email but yeah, sure, I guess.”
And my father’s world was never the same from that point on. Humanity put a man on the moon, and now my dad can send pictures of smiley face clip art on a tiny metal box that fits in his pocket. Until he got an Otterbox for it.
Letters to the Editor Letters should be: No more than 400 words. The Rambler reserves the right to cut letters to the editor to fit our length requirements, and we may edit your letters to fix grammar or spelling mistakes. Signed, with contact information. Full name and telephone number or e-mail address is needed. Letters must be original. We will not accept form letters.
Send your letters to: rambler@transy.edu
Rambler
The
After spending my winter break in Tucson, Arizona with my family, I was to return to Kentucky Jan. 6. After a fourhour flight to Detroit, my connection city, I was informed that all planes had been grounded and I would have to rebook. Unfortunately, I would not be able to board another flight until the next day, Jan. 7. This prompted the question, “Where do I sleep?” Naturally, I called the airline to see if any hotel rooms were available that they would pay for, only to be told that weather conditions do not warrant a hotel room free of charge. As temperatures dropped below 0, the Detroit airport was suggesting that people not leave as, unfortunately, many
individuals who braved the weather were extremely ill or deceased. Realizing the inevitability of sleeping in the airport, my instinct was to retrieve my checked bag which contained my jacket. However, this involved leaving the terminal and passing out of security which meant I would have to pay for my bag again and go through security another time. I was left in an airport unfamiliar to me with a laptop and a carry-on bag that contained nothing more than an extra outfit, a book, and a small blanket. I paced around the building, looking for a spot that was well lit and carpeted. I found a spot in front of a ticket kiosk, secured my belongings under me, and slept for two hours. This continued into the next day where, once again, I had to rebook and wait to fly to school Jan. 8. I not only arrived to find my luggage not in Lexington, but having missed three days of school and still freezing without a coat. Although my time spent in Detroit was less than pleasant, the airline tried its best to accommodate everyone trapped there by supplying blankets, pillows and occasionally, the snacks you get on flights. This pushed me to think, what does our school do to protect its students in dangerous winter conditions? Currently, Transy does not have a winter weather policy in the handbook. It is simply understood that snow
Editor-in-Chief..........................KaitlinHag gard M a n a g i n g E d i t o r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R a c h e l S m i t h Photo Editor..............................................................Sarah Allison Campus Life Editor....................................................Zoey Peach ETC Editor.................................................................Ameka Menes OpinionEditor............................RhiannaJames Arts & Entertainment Editor......................Bridgett Howard Sports Editor........................................................Cassie Hamilton Chief Copy Editor........................................Stacey Venneman Adviser..........................................................................Tyler Young
Media personality to speak about gains in inclusiveness Jacob Peace
jtpeace17@transy.edu
The DJ Dish
January 30, 2014 COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
A&E
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Noah Griffin, an actor, musician, TV and radio personality and inspirational speaker, will be on campus presenting “The Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment: Storming the Ramparts for Today’s “The DJ Dish” is a new series on the A&E page where Transylvania’s America” on Feb. 4. radio station, Radio TLX, disc jockeys are able to write reviews over Griffin will talk about the 54th Massachusetts regiment and how it has opened the doors for many opportunities with rights and abilities in America, such as citizenship, voting and even being albums and artists that are featured on their shows. able to have the first black president in the US. “The Ziggy and The Fro Show” is hosted by sophomores Shelby Isert The 54th Massachusetts regiment was the first unit of black soldiers to be recruited into the and David Neri. It airs every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. and features a variety Civil War. This outlook on history shows the progress in diversity so far and that society is still of music including the regularly scheduled #TimerberlakeThursdays overcoming. Griffin spent 35 years in politics and media. He then decided that it was not the career meant and many “throwback” songs for what Isert calls the “disenfranchised for him. During this time, he had a stroke and was completely paralyzed on his left side. He soon youth.” married the woman who “saved his life.” She encouraged him to do what he wanted to do with his “If you’ve ever felt like this decade just wasn’t meant for you, tune in life, so he eventually pursued singing, writing, lecturing, acting and being an inspirational speaker. for some music you can dig on and dance to,” Isert said. “It’s never too late to do what you want to do in life, what you thought you were supposed to do in life,” Griffin says on his website. “Do what you were intended to do in life and you will succeed, do anything else and you will fail. Do what you want to do... Live your dream. Awaken to your Life Shelby Isert Force.” Griffin is a graduate of Harvard Law School and a formal political campaign aide. His smisert16@transy.edu presentation is part of Transylvania’s “Still Overcoming: Striving for Inclusiveness” series. This “Hunky Dory,” David Bowie’s fourth album, is one of my favorite albums to play year-long program includes speakers, panel discussions, film screenings, performances and student on “The Ziggy and the Fro Show.” activities which focus on a more diverse campus community and the university’s efforts and “Hunky Dory” was released in 1971, produced by RCA records. This album features struggles to embrace this diversity. some of Bowie’s most popular singles such as “Changes” and “Life on Mars?” Griffin will present “The Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment: Storming the Ramparts for One of my personal favorite songs is “Andy Warhol,” named after the famous artist Today’s America” on Feb. 4th in Carrick Theatre in Mitchell Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. whom Bowie became close with in his height of fame in the late ’60s and early ’70s. Another song that comes up in our show is “Oh! You Pretty Things.” My favorite thing about this album is the ’70s pop aspect with more attention to lyrics than seen before in his previous works. The cover art to this album is a shot of early David Bowie with his different colored hair and all his unique facial features highlighted. This iconic photo well represents the album it is related to, with the cooler colors really setting a calmer state of mind, perfect for some easy listening. Hunky Dory is my personal favorite album, but by no means the only album of David Bowie’s worth listening to. Among his various musical albums, Bowie has also done several movies. He has starred in several films, such as “Labyrinth” and “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” but has also had some very recognizable small roles, such as in “Zoolander” and “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.”
TV/Radio personality Noah Griffin will be presenting “The Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment: Storming the Ramparts for Today’s America,” about how America’s first blackregiment contributed to improved racial tolerance in various aspects of American life.
COURTESY OF SHELBY ISERT
COURTESY OF THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
“Hunky Dory” good for easy listening
“The Ziggy and The Fro” show is hosted by sophomores Shelby Isert (Ziggy) and David Neri (The Fro). The two decided to co-host a show together after deciding their tastes in music were not meant for this decade.
The British to invade Transylvania Christopher Brown
In the week leading up to the program, in addition to regular class rehearsals, the students have held night rehearsals in order to ensure that the performance is in line with the technical aspects of the show, like the lighting. Volunteers choreographed the numbers and the choir managers made sure that everything was going smoothly. Wu hoped that all the hard work putting Cabaret together will pay off for those participating and in attendance. “People should come to see this,” he said, “because…
On Friday, Jan. 31 and Saturday, Feb. 1 the British will invade Transylvania’s campus for the choral program’s 2014 Cabaret performance in Carrick Theater. The Transylvania Choir, Transylvania Singers, the Pioneer Voices, a cappella groups TBA and Grace Notes and several soloists will join forces to perform an assortment of well-known British songs. Previous themes of the “An Evening at the Cabaret” performances include outer space, Disney and a night at the movies. This year, the choral department took a different approach, selecting the theme “The British Are Coming!” and performing songs from popular British artists. Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” is on the program, as is a Beatles medley. Junior George Wu and first-year student Drew Raleigh will perform an arrangement of Queen’s “Somebody To Love.” On the topic of why Wu picked “Somebody to Love” to perform, he said, “Well I really like Freddie Mercury, and all the college students need somebody to love in a lot of ways.” Songs from “Monty Python’s Spamalot” and “Sweeney Todd” are also included in the show. According to choir manager Hannah Johnson, there has been a lot of time and effort put into this performance and a lot of people sacrifice what little free time they have to make it work. “First the choral department comes together to select a theme,” Johnson said. Choirs and other small groups that wish to audition to participate then select music that formed a “cohesive program.” Auditions were then held and the program order was finalized. Then, according to Johnson, “We rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!” “I have been practicing playing piano and singing for three weeks,” Wu said, “and rehearse with Drew Raleigh for hours.”
all of the participants have been putting hard work into this, especially putting this together in such a short period of time. A lot of us are doing things that are challenging and out of our comfort zone. We are doing this just for the sake of putting up a good show, and no matter how it turns out I think people will appreciate our hard work if they come see it.” The first showing of “The British are Coming” Cabaret will be Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. The second and third showings will be Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5.
COURTESY OF THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
ctbrown16@transy.edu
Pictured left to right: Dustin Jones,‘13, Annie Wright,‘13, Jay Hawkins,‘13 and senior Christopher Lloyd. Last year’s “An Evening at the Cabaret” featured beloved Disney songs. This year’s theme,“British Invasion,” features songs by Queen, The Beatles and more.
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Sports
January 30, 2014
Cassie Hamilton cehamilton15@transy.edu
Sitting atop the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) standings, the women’s basketball team has accomplished quite a few feats thus far in their season. They have notched a 15-2 record, giving them a .882 winning percentage. Senior guard Madison Webb was named the HCAC Player of the Week after an outstanding triple-double of 16 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a conference win over Hanover College. Junior guard Nicole Coffman was also named HCAC Player of the Week for a second time. Coffman has also been making her way up the all-time scoring list. Currently she sits at 13th on the list and 54 points from breaking into the top 10. Going into the night of Jan. 22, the Pioneers were 8-0 in conference play and up against Franklin College. They were also on a 13-game win streak, tied for the record of the longest win streak and looking to break it. However, the game did not go as planned. The Pioneers fell to the Grizzlies 83-91. After losing the lead in the first half, the Pioneers would come back to tie a couple times, but not take the lead again. After an unexpected loss, the
Pioneers knew they could have let it snowball into their next game. Instead, they put up another mark in the win column. They came out strong and improved their record to 9-1 in conference play and remain the number one team in the HCAC. “While we were really disappointed about our loss on Wednesday, we are trying to use it as a learning opportunity to point out where we need to improve,” junior Kayla Dobson said. “[Jan. 25’s] win was the first step in learning from that loss and we are looking forward to the rest of the season." The Pioneers have eight more conference games to finish out the season. Their first game of the week was at Earlham to face the Engineers on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Then the Pioneers will travel to Manchester to take on the Spartans on Saturday, Feb. 1. “We are a team that our conference opponents get excited to play,” Head Coach Greg Todd said. “We will become a better team by getting everyone’s best effort against us. We have a tougher part of our schedule coming up in our last nine conference games. We look forward to the challenge.” The next home game will be Feb. 5 against Mount Saint Joseph College in the Beck Center at 7:30 p.m.
APPLE committee goes to national conference Tyler Baker jtbaker15@transy.edu
From Jan. 17-19, various student-athletes, coaches and staff traveled to Charlottesville, Va. to attend the annual APPLE Conference for Student-Athlete Wellness and Substance Abuse Prevention. APPLE is one of the nation’s leading training symposiums dedicated to educating student-athletes about substance abuse prevention and helping athletic departments promote healthy living. The conference aimed to improve relationships between administrators and student-athletes as well as facilitate university action plans to impact substance abuse problems. Alaina White, Transylvania’s head athletic trainer, found the conference helpful on a number of levels. On the topic of empowering student-athletes to take accountability for substance abuse, White said, “Peer education and mentoring has been proven to be more effective than a speaker, so our students have taken on the task of presenting alcohol and drug use facts to their teammates and other students on campus.” The initiative to promote a sense of accountability among student-athletes is a shared sentiment. Junior Sara Clark, a member of the field hockey team, attended APPLE for her third consecutive year. For Clark, students are the key to promoting a healthy environment for all student athletes. “This year we decided to focus on the education slice out of the seven different options,” she said. “We plan to have more involved and interesting student-athlete prevention meetings to address alcohol and other banned substances.” APPLE also worked to help
both staff and students understand that their perception of substance abuse may not always be what they think. “The speakers at the conference help the student-athletes understand that their perception may not be the reality,” said White, “especially when it comes to alcohol, tobacco and other drug use on campus.” Clark also acknowledged the need for Transylvania to be involved in athlete substance abuse prevention. “Prior to leaving for the trip to Virginia, our APPLE leaders filled out a survey about our school’s programs and policies, and we received a score on how well our school is doing compared to the national average.” Clark said. “Based on those scores, we decided what we should work on for our action plan.” Last year’s action plan has been in effect at Transy for over a year and the results are already noticeable. In terms of success, Clark said, “Last year, we worked on our recruitment policy for studentathlete hosts, coaches, and recruits. This year, we were recognized at the conference for our hard work in improving our policy. “We are very excited to begin planning our fall 2014 events for all student athletes,” she continued. “We plan to have our first meeting within the next week to begin preparations.” Other staff members of the APPLE committee on campus are Director of Health and Wellness Ashley Hinton-Moncer, Choices Grant Co-Coordinator Erin McWilliams and Field Hockey Head Coach Tiffany Underhill. The other students in attendance were juniors Ben Fister and Cassie Hamilton and sophomore Nick Blackwell.
SARAH ALLISON
Women’s basketball going strong
Senior guard Madisen Webb attempts to block a shot by Franklin. The Pioneers lost to Franklin 83-91. It was their first and only conference loss of the season.
SAAC collects donations for Polar Bear Plunge felt it was our duty to do something about it,” SAAC President Abby As has become a tradition, the Felthaus said. “Three years ago we members of the Student-Athlete started participating in the Polar Advisory Committee (SAAC) have [Bear] Plunge and had great sucstarted their philanthropy event with cess in our first year. Since then our the Special Olympics by collecting partnership with Special Olympics donations for of Kentucky has the Polar Bear grown immensely Plunge. as Transylvania has By hosting events for This event hosted a swim meet Special Olympics of Kentucky, helps to raise last year and will Transylvania has given these hopefully host a funds for SpeSpecial Olympic athletes a cial Olympics track and field meet Kentucky, a place to call their home, their at the new facility non-profit orga- home field. this spring.” nization whose This year Transy services offer will be hosting the -SAAC President Abby 2nd annual Special year-round athFelthaus Olympics swim letic training and Olympicmeet in late type sport March. Volcompetiunteers are Anyone not affiliated with a sports team on tions for campus who would like to make a donation may welcome to contact Abby Felthaus at alfelthaus14@transy. children help coordinate edu or volleyball Head Coach Casey Dale at and adults and organize cdale@transy.edu. with intelthe event, as Donations may also be dropped off at the lectual diswell as providdesk in the athletic offices. Checks can be made abilities. payable to Special Olympics of Kentucky. ing a high-spirThose wishing to help volunteer with the The ited cheering Special Olympics swim meet may also use the 2014 section for the contacts mentioned above. Polar Bear athletes. Plunge will “This partbe held on nership means Saturday, that we, as Feb. 8 at Texas Roadhouse on Richcollegiate athletes, have the opportumond Road. nity to help fellow athletes achieve The ‘plunge’ is made by voluntheir goals of participating in the teers into a swimming pool of icy same sports that we all love to play,” cold water. The system works similar Felthaus said. “By hosting events to that of a Walk-A-Thon - particifor Special Olympics of Kentucky, pants sign up, raise money and then Transylvania has given these Special participate in the plunge itself either Olympic athletes a place to call their as a team or on an individual bahome, their home field.” sis. Last year, Transy sent in a dona“Division III and Special Olymtion of just over $2,000. This year pics started a national philanthropy the goal is for each student-athlete three years ago and ever since this to donate $10 through their SAAC partnership, Transylvania SAAC representatives.
Cassie Hamilton cehamilton15@transy.edu