the davidsonian
FEBRUARY 10, 2016 VOL. 108 ISSUE 14
The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914
Callinder wins SGA Presidential election
Inside NEWS SGA President-elect Ben Callinder answers the Davidsonian’s questions 2 LIVING DAVIDSON The Chew returns with a hearty chicken soup recipe 4 Annual Apocalypse Step Show ignites DPFH 4 PERSPECTIVES John-Michael Murphy critiques college bylaw that restricts presidents to mostly white Presbyterian pool 5 YOWL
Callinder answers a question at the debate last week. See our Q&A with the president-elect on page 2. Photo by Shea Parikh.
Fitbits track student habits for campus study OLIVE DANIELS Staff Writer
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tudents across the Davidson campus embrace technology, using laptops, cell phones, and tablets to enhance their experiences of daily college life. In addition to these devices for both social media and academic use, Fitbits are also becoming a big part of many students’ daily routines. Fitbits – wearable fitness trackers that come in a variety of colors and styles – keep count of wearers’ daily steps, calories, sleep patterns and more. The device is synced with an app available on smartphones and tablets, through which wearers can monitor their own activity or progress, comparing days, weeks, months, or even years of data.
While Fitbits are becoming popular among the general population, there are about 80 Davidson students who are wearing them not just for personal reasons. These students are members of a clinical psychology project that is being conducted at Davidson called You@Davidson. The You@Davidson study asks questions of members of the class of 2018 about their college experience. The questionnaires will produce findings which can help university and college professionals analyze, among other questions, what causes the most stress to college students and how, as leaders of institutions, they can make their academic or student life environments more conducive to student learning and health. Researchers are collecting data from the members of the class of 2018 through periodically
distributed questionnaires, designed to better understand their patterns of exercise and sleep. Similar studies are being conducted at the four schools that receive backing from the Duke Endowment. In addition to Davidson, researchers at Duke University, Furman University, and Johnson C. Smith University are conducting the study on their own campuses. Professor Emeritus of Psychology Dr. Cole Barton is leading the Fitbit component of the study. The ultimate questions, according to Barton, are: what promotes student growth, and what inhibits growth in relation to performance?
See FITBITS on page 3
Police still on the hunt for student’s lost self esteem 6 GSS class sparks desire to make world a better place 6 SPORTS Barham overcomes knee problems to contribute meaningful minutes 7 Latt takes women’s basketball to new heights in second A-10 season 8
Charlotte banker teaches introductory finance course VITA DADOO LOMELI Staff Writer
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his spring, the College introduced an Introductory Finance course to its curriculum for the first time. Taught by Barrett Kollme, an investment banker, the course provides a foundation in the principles and tools of finance, which include financial analysis, the time of value of money, capital budgeting, and capital structure. Kollme grew up in Atlanta, GA and received a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia and an MBA at Duke. After residing in Baltimore for 11 years, Kollme moved to Davidson in 2005, working for what was at the time Wachovia Bank, now Wells Fargo. He specializes in equity capital markets, or raising equity for real estate companies. Kollme has always held a personal relationship with Davidson. Married to the daughter of long-time professor Gill Holland, Kollme has been consistently involved in campus and community life. Through his in-laws, Kollme became acquainted with Ben Baker, Professor of Accounting, with whom Kollme collaborated in the creation and approval of the Introductory Finance course. “My real mentor here has been Ben Baker,” Kollme recalled. “I came in close contact through
my father in law and told him that if there was vidson. It’s been a very logical transition from ever a need for a finance class then I would be my existing job to what I do here in that I’m just interested in talking to him about forming that teaching another set of people who are in theory or teaching that in whatever form it took on.” The interested in finance.” College approved the course last spring, and, afAs the student demand for careers in bankter a conversation with Baker, Kollme embraced ing increases, Kollme believes he can integrate the teaching opportunity wholeheartedly. his professional experience in the classroom setAlthough ting to teach a this is his first unique course time leading that exploits One of the other things I want to and crafting a the student do is tell people what it’s like to course in a colbody’s sharp lege setting, problem-solvbe an investment banker. What Kollme has ing skills. do you learn, what do you do on a always been “Davidson driven to teach can find anyday-to-day basis. It is not a career one who can young individufor everybody.” als who are moteach basic fitivated to work What I — Barrett Kollme, instructor, nance. in the banking think I bring industry. Introductory Finance into the table is “My favorite real world expart of my job, perience, a lot frankly, is when I sit down and teach them finan- of different situations that I’ve been in, good and cial strategies, accounting, [and] decision mak- bad,” Kollme said. “Layering on kind of the acaing, “ Kollme explained. “Any type of financial demic side of finance with the real world side of situation I can help them analyze. It’s always very investment banking, I hope, gives the students a exciting to me to relay what I’ve learned and what little bit of a different slant on how this material is I’ve experienced to them. So I’ve always wanted used in the real world and how you really can apto take that to the next level to teaching students, ply the different analysis or valuation techniques and particularly at a college the caliber of Da- that we’ll learn in the class to a real world situa-
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tion. It’s a good balance between the academics and real world professionalism.” Although the College does not offer a wide variety of pre-professional courses, Kollme attests that the liberal arts curriculum and its emphasis on the development of critical thinking abilities enhance the classroom experience. “Davidson is filled with smart people that analyze complex problems and come up with solutions,” he said. “Finance can be an extension of that. To me there seems to be a demand for not stepping too far out of the liberal arts focus but taking another step towards more of the real world side. I think there will be and should be demand for that type of extension for the existing liberal arts focus.” Kollme’s course, with its emphasis on real world applications, also provides insight into what banking as a career entails, shedding light on the overall value of pre-professional courses. “There are a lot of people at this school that have expressed interest in investment banking as a career,” Kollme explained. “So one of the other things I want to do is to tell people what it’s like to be an investment banker. What do you learn? What do you do on a day-to-day basis? It is a not a career for everybody. What I tell them is that you know what you’re getting into and really examine what investment banking means, what it demands of you.”
News
Page 2 February 10, 2016
Harding and Callinder debate campaign platforms before election SIDNEY FOX & SYDNEY MACK Staff Writers
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n Thursday, February 4, students gathered in the Lilly Gallery for the SGA presidential debate, where candidates Nate Harding ‘17 and Ben Callinder ‘17 discussed their platforms and fielded student questions. The event, hosted by the SGA Elections Council and the Davidsonian, aimed to inform students before they cast their votes on Monday. “What struck me the most was how many people were there,” said Daisy Jones ‘19 after attending her first SGA debate. Students filled the rows of chairs and stood in groups at the back of the room. The strong turnout indicated student engagement in the race, as did the long audiencedriven question and answer session that followed the main round of questions. Davidsonian coeditor-in-chief Will McDuffie ‘16, who moderated the event, said, “There was a lot of time for audience questions at the end, which I thought was really great.”
Callinder and Harding began the debate with opening statements about their platforms and ideas for next year. Following this, McDuffie questioned the candidates about specific issues of importance on campus and in their platforms, including race, student activism, housing on and off campus, new SGA by-laws, and meal plan services. In particular, McDuffie asked Callinder about his plan to create a student EMT training program in order to promote safety for students consuming alcohol and to avoid unnecessary hospital fees. Harding joined the dialogue by asserting that a student does not have to be SGA President to implement Callinder’s proposed service. He then fielded questions about his ambitions to bring students together through a digital space. “I thought they had a good back and forth about Ben’s EMT service plan,” McDuffie recalled. After the debate, the floor opened to student questions, whose topics ranged from a proposed wellness and health center to diversity on campus, sexual assault, and the moral qualities re-
quired of a leader. Callinder hopes a new wellness and health center will combine mental health counseling with physical fitness and gym services. This plan, Callinder asserted, would create one center to encompass various health-related services as well as increase ambiguity about the reason for a student’s visit to the counseling center, protecting his or her privacy. Callinder recalled a particular moment, when a student asked the candidates about their leadership characteristics. “At one point I said ‘I’m a hustler as a reflex,’” Callinder said. “I said that along the lines of, ‘I’m hardworking.’” Harding enjoyed the debate, saying, “I think my favorite question was when Xiang pointed out that there was a possibility that one of the presidential candidates would be elected with their opponent’s running mate elected as Vice President, and he asked us to speak to the capabilities and qualities of the opponent’s running mate. I really appreciated that question because when I look at the four of us who are running, I think we have an awesome group with talent.”
Grant Koehl ’19 felt that the debate went very well, leaving with the impression that “both of them have a lot of ideas and things that they are passionate about.” Jones was glad she attended, saying, “A lot of the things they brought up are things that I’ve wondered about,” and continuing, “Something that struck me was that both the candidates said something about a revamping or reforming of the current SGA model,” referencing the new SGA bylaws that were passed at the beginning of the semester. The Davidsonian outlined the major changes to the bylaws in its January 27 issue (“SGA hopes new bylaws bring more student involvement,” page 3).
Is there an article you think we should write? Let us know! Contact us at davidsonian@davidson.edu.
Photos by Shea Parikh.
The Davidsonian sits down with SGA President-elect Ben Callinder On Tuesday, following the announcement that the student body elected Callinder president of SGA, our staff asked the president-elect what comes next. Q: Was yesterday highly stressful, moderately stressful, or not stressful at all? A: Definitely stressful. Highly stressful, I’d say. Not primarily because of the results but because I think I was just really excited about the initiatives that we had and being able to work on those initiatives. I didn’t know whether winning or not would change that. How do you plan to work with Nate and Lena? Definitely going forward, I think the idea of improving Inside Davidson so that more students can connect would be a wonderful resource in terms of connecting a ton of people on campus. Also, I think that just because Dara and I won doesn’t mean that we won’t rely heavily on Nate and Lena and a lot of their experiences to help shape the vision that I think the whole community wants for campus next year. What do you think was the difference in the election, if you can pinpoint it at all? I’d say our platforms. What made the biggest difference was that they both were platforms based on trying to improve Davidson overall, but one was focusing on trying to continue to build and bridge that relationship with the administration that Pablo started, and the other chose to start from the student body and bridge that relationship with the SGA. I think that was the main difference, but ultimately both had the same goal of continuing to build Davidson up. The vision was the same, just different methods to reaching that solution.
When you’re in the SGA office on day one, what are you doing? What’s getting done? The first thing we’re going to work on is tackling this meal plan. At Summit. At Summit. We’re planning on setting up a meeting with Richard Terry [Director of Auxiliary Services] to talk about that. He seems very excited about the opportunity and the potential for such an initiative, considering what Summit is going through. Secondly, we want to work on the EMT service: We have been given information from the town of Davidson that they would be willing to help us cover the cost for the program. So I think tackling those two initiatives and getting them out of the way pretty early would be pretty significant to show campus how serious we are about implementing a lot of those initiatives. That’s a lot for one day. Hey, you know, you gotta hustle, right? More seniors turned out this year than in the last few years. Do you think you brought out the senior vote? I don’t think so. I think a lot of it just was based off my and Nate’s platform and the fact that it was a unique election in which both candidates’ platforms focused on the same goal but had different approaches to it. We were very perpendicular this year, and I think that’s really what attracted the student body about the election and the debate as well. What are your plans for the next two weeks before you officially take over? Is there anything on the agenda, or do you just kind of wait until the day comes? I’ve already started sending emails. I just want to get to tackling the initiatives as quickly as possible – getting in touch with people with the
Percentage of each class who voted in Monday’s election 70
62%
60 50
50%
55%
51%
40 30 20 10 0 Freshmen Sophomores
Graphic by Michelle Wan.
right resources to help achieve those goals so that when students get to campus in the fall it feels as though changes have already been implemented. What thing are you most looking forward to in office? The thing I’m looking forward to the most is the potential of bringing SGA meetings back to the Union. I think right now SGA being in Chambers kind of makes it difficult for the student government to connect to the student body
Juniors
Seniors
as a whole. But if we’re able to successfully bring SGA meetings back to the Union, we can also tackle that issue of rebuilding relationships with students. I also think students would be much more interested and much more able to actively go to SGA meetings because it’s readily available to them in the Union, as opposed to trying to find a room on the third floor of Chambers when it’s dark out.
News
Page 3
Davidsonian.com
crime log
Photo by Will Weisgerber.
Fitbit study to track student activity on and off campus Continued from Page 1 However, while Davidson remains a part of the larger study, Fitbits are only being used on Davidson’s campus. At the beginning of the study during the summer of 2014, members of the class of 2018 and their parents were given the option to fill out questionnaires and participate in the You@Davidson study for their entire careers at Davidson. At that point, around 400 students committed to participating. Now, however, only 170 students, according to Barton, remain in the program. Eighty of these 170 students were introduced to the Fitbit element at the beginning of this semester. This part of the study officially began on January 24. Each student is expected to wear the Fitbit throughout the day, and researchers will analyze the recorded data. Those students who continue all the way through the study will get to keep their Fitbits upon graduation from Davidson. Employees of Fitbit Inc., the company that produces Fitbits, are very interested in the results of the study, and Barton worked with the company to find the best way to gather all of the data from each student, while keeping his or her identity anonymous. In order to do so, a third-party software called Nudge was incorporated into the study. It acts by collecting the data from all the Fitbit wearers in the study and consolidating it in one place for the researchers. The use of a third-party app eliminates the self-reporting that is usually necessary for questionnaires. Because
self-reporting can often result in skewed or inaccurate data, Barton sees the Fitbit monitoring as a superior method of data collection that inevitably “increases the quality of scientific evidence.” As a device, Fitbits are well-suited to this type of research because they measure aspects like sleep and exercise “passively,” and they are very convenient for students to wear in their daily lives. However, Barton also recognizes the risk involved with the Fitbits; many collegeage students are quick to “define themselves by numbers,” and Fitbit data is an easily accessible measure of daily performance. For this reason, Barton has concerns that some students may become unnecessarily stressed out about reaching a certain goal — taking a specific number of steps per day, for example — and become distracted by trying to achieve that number, instead of letting the device passively record uninterrupted daily activity. Barton worries that this kind of stress not only is detrimental to mental health, but also can lead to inaccurate data being reported if students make an effort to reach certain numbers. Ultimately, the results of this study will be able to help Davidson administrative and student life staff best understand how to create more conducive environments to student growth and performance. Barton gives the following example: if, according to the Fitbit data, students are getting more sleep and performing better when they are abroad or on summer break than when at Davidson, perhaps student life will look into a stricter enforcement of quiet hours in dormitories.
Time Reported
Description / Location
2/01/16 at 1450 hrs
Hit and Run at 108 Nelson Lane. Further Investigation.
2/03/16 at 1327 hrs
Poss. of Controlled Substance/Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia/Poss. of Spirituous Liquour Underage at Watts. Prosecution Declined/Dean Referral.
2/03/16 at 1545 hrs
Poss. of Controlled Substance/Poss. with Intent to Sell & Deliver/Poss. or Drug Paraphernalia at Rich. Closed/Clear by Arrest.
2/05/16 at 2305 hrs
Underage Consumption/Resisting Officers at Armfield. Dean Referral
2/06/16 at 2312 hrs
Underage Consumption at Little. Dean Referral/Medic Tranport.
2/07/16 at 0012 hrs
Injury to Real Property at Summit. Further Investigation.
2/07/16 at 0214 hrs
Larceny Misdemeanor/Underage Consumption at Glasgow House. Dean Referral.
2/07/16 at 1311 hrs
B&E Business Forcible at Union Station. Further Investigation.
living davidson
Page 4
February 10, 2016
Ilana Lubitsch captivates audience in “An Evening of Love Songs” Lubitsch’s passion and vocal power permeated the hall, stunning audience members
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JACOB HEGE STAFF WRITER
his past weekend on Saturday night, Ilana Lubitsch, Adjunct Voice Professor, gave a beautiful recital in Tyler-Tallman Hall. The performance, entitled “An Evening of Love Songs,” featured several classical love songs as well as a selection of music theatre pieces, all accompanied by Music professor Dr. David Gil-
liland. From the moment Lubitsch took her place beside the piano, she had captured the audience’s attention with her confidence and inviting stare. Lubitsch demonstrated her expertise by performing three French pieces. The control in her voice was unmatched by any other performance I have seen at Davidson. Furthermore, the ease and confidence with which she sang was impressive. Lubitsch proceeded to perform four compositions written by Richard Strauss from his work titled “Sechs Lieder nach Gedichten von Clemens Brentano, Op. 68.” Before blowing the audience away once again, Lubitsch described for the audience the mood of each piece. She also
shared childhood memories associated with the pieces. Her grandfather, in particular, was the one who exposed her to Strauss. Lubitsch demonstrated her love for both her grandfather and Strauss’s work through her performance – a beautiful conclusion to the first half of the recital. After intermission, Lubitsch performed musical theatre pieces, which were entertaining and exposed the audience to Lubitsch’s acting skills. Her ability to stun in both genres illustrated her excellence and talent. The recital came to a close with “Ah! Je veux vivre (Romeo et Juliette)” by Charles Gounod. What better end to a program of love songs than with Juliet’s Waltz? Overall, “An Evening of Love Songs” was a
wonderful concert. Lubitsch’s passion and vocal power permeated the hall and stunned audience members, who gave her a well-deserved standing ovation. Lubitsch gives applied music lessons at Davidson for both non-credit and credit, and also runs her own private voice studio. Additionally, she performs across the country in a vocal duo Caro e Cara. The next performance in Tyler-Tallman Hall is “Old Time Music” with Wayne Henderson on February 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Greek Apocalypse Step Show showcases student talent Annual Apocalypse Step Show held in the Duke Family Performance Hall Saturday CRYSTAL IBARRA STAFF WRITER
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he 10th annual Davidson College Greek Apocalypse Step Show was held on Saturday night in the Duke Family Performance Hall. The atmosphere prior to the show was lively, with some audience members cheering and chanting. Comdiean Jay Dukes, the host, opened with various jokes ranging from his road rage to his fear of his mother, all of which were well received. One of the most unique and enjoyable aspects of the show was the contagious excitement of the audience; Dukes and DJ T-Mobile did an excellent job of engaging them. The night’s performances were split into two acts, with a short intermission. The first performers were the men of the Psi Delta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., at UNC-Chapel Hill. Their performance was done without music, but it was intense and well executed. They earned second place out of all the fraternities and $500. The women of the Lambda Mu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., at East Carolina University, were the second performers of the night. The appearance of a clown during their performance added elements of surprise and
THE CHEW 2.0 Healing Chicken Soup Mary Porter Adapted from Stupideasypaleo.com
Fight the flu season with this hearty soup!
humor to their well-planned and entertaining performance. Their confidence and poise earned them second place out of all of the sororities and $500. The second fraternity represented was the Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma, at Johnson C. Smith University. The “Empire”-themed performance was led by one member whose moves were precise and quick. He was later joined by a young boy who had impressive moves of his own. They received first place and a $1,000 cash prize. The ladies of the Xi Beta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., at Winthrop University, impressed with their “Orange is the New Black”-themed performance; they received first place and $1,000. Their in-sync moves were a testament to their hard work and preparation. The men of the Zeta Delta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, at UNC-Charlotte were a last minute addition to the show and were the final participants of the night. Nonetheless, they were a welcomed addition, and a talented group. Overall, the Step Show was a thrilling way to spend a Saturday night. It came to a close with DJ T-Mobile playing music while fraternity and sorority members from the audience, as well as the performers, strolled the aisles. I highly recommend attending a future Step Show, for the 10th annual show did not disappoint.
Materials
Ingredients
Measuring cups and spoons 1 medium pot Slotted Spoon or small strainer
4 cups chicken broth 2 inch piece of fresh ginger 1/4 tsp. tumeric 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed 2 cups of shredded chicken 4 ounces of shiitake mushrooms, sliced 3 green onions, white and light green parts, thinly slices 1 medium carrot, julienned Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions (Serves 4) 1. Pour the chicken broth into a medium pot, and add the ginger, turmeric, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. 2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the ginger and garlic pieces. 3. Add the chicken, mushrooms, green onions, and carrot. Heat for about 15 minutes on medium-low or until everything is warmed through. Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper.
Want your favorite recipe featured? Email editor Mary Porter at maporter@davidson.edu to get involved!
perspectives
Page 5
February 10, 2016
#DavidsonPresidentsSoWhite JOHN-MICHAEL MURPHY
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n the wake of Davidson’s 2011 presidential search, the Board of Trustees was asked by many members of the community to reexamine Article IV Section I of Davidson’s bylaws, which requires all presidents of the college be “a person who is a loyal and active church member…expressed by affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and active participation in … Davidson College Presbyterian Church.” Many felt that the bylaw was outdated and set conditions that undermined Davidson’s commitment to diversity. In response to these requests, the board created The Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness, tasked with “examining the Presidential Bylaw in the context of the college’s relationship to the Presbyterian Church and the meaning that the college draws from that relationship.” The committee held a series of conversations in January 2012, which ultimately resulted in a reaffirmation of Davidson’s commitment to the Presbyterian tradition and the conclusion that there was not “sufficient support” for any change in the bylaw. Upon receiving the announcement, many on campus voiced dissatisfaction with the committee’s decision. A student-led group calling themselves “Sufficient Support” created a digital petition that garnered 705 signatures in favor of removing the requirement that all college presidents be Presbyterian. As J.D. Merrill ‘13, one of the leaders of the movement put it, the campaign wanted to “align our bylaws to reflect the worth, potential and capacity for outstanding leadership in all members of our community.”* The alumni response to the announcement echoed Merrill’s: “The Board of the Alumni Association believes that every alumnus/a of Davidson College and every other candidate should be eligible to be considered for the position of president of the college without regard to religious affiliation.”** In April 2013, the faculty of Davidson passed a resolution that spoke to something similar: “The faculty of Davidson College expresses its disappointment with the Board of Trustees’ decision to continue to exclude people from full participation in the life of the college because of religious affiliation.”*** Yet, even amid the protests, the board remained firm in their position, stating that their decision not to alter the bylaw was informed by “a rigorous, thorough and thoughtful process, one that engaged a wide range of the Davidson family.” In written response to both the faculty’s resolution and the statement from the Board of Alumni, former chair of the Board, Mackey McDonald ’68, wrote, “The Board of Trustees welcomes feedback from the Davidson community and appreciates the thoughtful and respectful process that both the faculty and the Alumni Association Board followed to create them.” In a later interview, McDonald said that “values can come from many places for Davidson, they came from our founders, who were in the Presbyterian Church, and we want to make sure we don’t do anything to change those values.” While McDonald didn’t do much to explain what these values were, in an interview I conducted with the current chair of the board, John Chidsey ‘83, on the matter, he explained to me that “the Reformed Tradition of the Presbyterian Church is a huge part of how Davidson is what it is today.” The Reformed Tradition is one--more so than many other Christian traditions-that embraces pluralism and the free pursuit of truth even if it conflicts with the teachings of the church. Chidsey also said that “you look a lot at what is going on on college campuses today and you see that it’s al-
most like you have thought police and speech police. And it’s not really a great place to try to convince people of your view.” In keeping Presbyterianism in Article IV, the board believes that it is continuing a unique religious tradition that makes room for the type of diverse discussions that Davidson hopes to foster. Indeed, as the Rev. Rob Spach ‘84, College Chaplain, explained to me, the Reformed Tradition is one that values pluralism and an ethos of acceptance. He told me that the Reformed Tradition has fostered the values what Davidson cherishes most, mainly, t
academic excellence and unfettered intellectual inquiry
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a cherished honor code that creates a community of integrity and trust, and that is based upon redemption and reconciliation rather than punishment as the primary guiding vision
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education and nurture of the whole person in a residential community setting where personal relationships matter a great deal
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affirmation of the dignity and worth of each person
In an email exchange I had with Merrill, he explained to me that the Sufficient Support campaign was not, as the board suggested, about changing Davidson. He wrote to me that “removing the religious requirement [in Article IV] does not mean we will never have another Presbyterian president or that we will lose our values. To the contrary, as long as the [presidential] selection committee represents [Davidson’s increasingly diverse] community, the President they select will represent the values of the school, values which are indelibly intertwined with the values of the Presbyterian Church, but not exclusively so.”**** Merrill’s point here is that Presbyterian values at Davidson are dyedin-the-wool, and any Davidson alum can uphold the institution’s values even if they are Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, etc. Merrill also noted that were Article IV Sect I removed, “the pool of applicants would be more diverse in the next Presidential selection process, [sic] and not just in terms of faith.” Merrill’s last sentiment speaks to something that is more insidious than merely the explicit exclusion of non-Presbyterians. It speaks to a demographic reality in Presbyterianism that isn’t often acknowledged. It speaks to a history that is often ignored. It speaks to the fact that every president at Davidson has been white.
the davidsonian staff editors-in-chief news editors living davidson editor
Michelle Wan Mary Click Kate McNaughton Mary Porter
perspectives editor
Will Weisgerber
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Paul Henderson Sophie McHugh
sports editors
Ethan Faust Jason Feldman
photo editors
Shea Parikh
web editors
Sabrina Cheema Bridget Lavender
business manager
Austin Newsome
graphic design editor
Sophia Smith
In a 2014 study on global diversity conducted by the PEW Foundation, researchers ranked the racial/ ethnic diversity of the most prominent Christian denominations in the United States using the Herfindahl-Hirschman index to score each denomination from 0 (least diverse) to 10 (most diverse). Among many findings, the statistics revealed that the demographics of most Christian denominations don’t accurately reflect the racial/ethnic diversity seen in the United States. Further, the analysis ranked the Presbyterian Church of the United States (PC(USA)), the tradition to which Davidson College belongs, as rather low on the index-- at 2.8. The reason behind PC(USA)’s whiteness are complex, but are unquestionably a function of an exclusionary, segregationist history within the church. Davidson College Presbyterian Church and the Synods in the South sided with southern slaveholders during the Civil War, reorganizing themselves as Presbyterian Church of the Confederates States of America in 1861. And it was only in 1983 that the southern faction, now called Presbyterian Church in the United States, reunited with the northern United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America to form the PC(USA). What comes out of this history is a Presbyterian Church that is mostly white. Perhaps the most striking testament to this fact (beyond the statistics) is the unbearable whiteness of Davidson College Presbyterian Church on Sundays. The Town of Davidson does have a church for people of color, of course, but that is in a humble building across the railroad tracks. I provide this brief, incomplete history mainly to argue that by requiring all presidents to be Presbyterian and to affiliate with DCPC, Davidson becomes subject to the PC(USA)’s white legacy, which narrows the potential diversity of its applicant pool. Even while the PC(USA) today believes it is an institution that
values inclusiveness and diversity, the church’s history and PEW’s demographic data tell a different story. No matter how lofty the ideals of PC(USA), the church is still subject to the influence of a very human and very flawed past. And, unless Davidson takes corrective measures to account for the relative lack of diversity within the Presbyterian Church (it currently doesn’t), any future search for president of Davidson College will inherently favor white people. Davidson has yet to formally acknowledge this bias or to take corrective action against it. The presidential election process begins with a Presidential Search Committee that hires a headhunting firm (most recently Presidio Executive Search) to select a pool of candidates eligible and qualified for presidency as constituted by both Article IV and a prospectus produced by the board. The committee then parses through the available candidates, interviews the most promising, and recommends their favorite candidate to the board. In most every case, the board has voted in favor of the committee’s suggestion. I’ve spent some time reading through archived emails, presidential-search committee documents, the prospectuses of the past, and correspondences between the board and Presidio; and, a commitment to diversity is rarely — or never — mentioned. This may be because of the roughly 47 board members today, I could find only two that didn’t identify as white. I contacted Presidio Executive Search to inquire on their commitment to diversity. They have not yet responded. Administration did note, however, that the bylaw allows for more diversity than most think. Because “affiliation” and “active participation,” have no true legal definition, some argued that it can therefore be wielded in a way that allows more than just white Presbyterians to be eligible for president. Yet, up to this point, the board has interpreted “affiliation” and “active member” to mean someone who is Presbyterian (or, in the very least, Christian and willing to convert), and I can only assume that the board will continue to interpret as such. Were the board actually wielding “affiliation” in a way that encompassed a group of people beyond just Presbyterians, Article IV Section I would lose its value, and should, therefore, be amended. There is nothing wrong with wanting to continue the Presbyterian tradition at Davidson. Presbyterianism has an important role in creating an ethos founded in the unfettered pursuit for knowledge, but the way that Davidson currently tries to instill the Presbyterian tradition through Article IV Section I paradoxically sets conditions that undermine the school’s capacity to embody the values of the Reformed tradition. By upholding a bylaw that reduces the potential diversity of Davidson, it belies the very principles it ostensibly values. Davidson has made great strides over the past few decades to create a diverse culture of inclusion, but there is still work to be done. Creating a more inclusive Presbyterian-values-oriented campus takes both time and consistent participation from all levels of Davidson— especially the board. Special thanks to Jan Blodgett, Traci Russ, Sharon Byrd, and Laura Searles who, in one way or another, helped facilitate this project. John-Michael Murphy `16 is an Environmental Humanities major from New Orleans, Louisiana. Contact him at jmmurphy@davidson.edu *http://www.huntersvilleherald.com/news/2013/5/2/6952/onlineprotest-grows-over-boards-bylaw-decision **http://talk.davidson.edu/trustee-committee-update-may-9-2013/ ***http://talk.davidson.edu/trustee-committee-update-may-9-2013/ ****Email exchanged with J.D. Merrill on 21 January 2016
THE LOW T ISSUE Dante Just Gonna Play Devil’s Advocate For a Minute
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Abortion Clinic Rescinds “Tenth One is Free” Punch Card Offer
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Report: High Crossover Between People that Like Quinoa and People that Like Shitty Food
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Unique Yak Expresses Lonliness, A Hatred of Davidson Page 0
Can I Force Quit my Dad?
Gender and Sexualities Class Inspires Ten-Minute Desire to Change World
Police Continue Search for Davidson Student’s Self Esteem
Davidson College takes pride in its ability to shape its students into educated, innovative, and progressive leaders. From 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m, Patricia Ruback ‘18 exemplified this vision. Ruback reportedly remained attentive until her Gender and Sexuality (GSS) class was dismissed, citing a brief group discussion about systematic oppression as the main catalyst for her sudden urge to change the world. “I don’t know what came over me,” the newly-minted activist mused, “Jim told us a story about how once someone assumed he couldn’t speak English because of his last name, and it suddenly just clicked. In that moment, I knew I would devote my life to activism and charity.” Students noted that their enlightened peer spoke at least three times during
Police announced today that they are continuing the search for Davidson College student Brianna Liberty’s self esteem. The first year student’s self esteem was reported stolen following her poor performance on an economics final. “I was fine up until I got to Davidson. I was completely sure of myself and my future,” said Liberty, who self-identifies as the “smart person” from her high school. “But when I started classes my self esteem began acting up. Sure, I got a C on an assignment here and there, but I was confident that I would bring my grade up next time. It was a minor problem until I got the grade for my economics test back, and then it was just gone! Please, if anyone’s seen my self esteem, bring it back to me.” That test brought Liberty’s final grade in her economics class down to a C. Liberty, who had gotten straight A’s all throughout her life without any effort whatsoever, was devastated. We reached out to every peer, family member, and teacher Liberty ever had and each one assured us that she was “Self esteem often can’t hanthe smartest person they knew. They also added that Liberty dle a shock of this magnitude, was constantly reminded of her and so it disappears. My guess exceptional qualities day in and day out. is that it’s hiding in Charlotte Forensic psychologist Daniel somewhere.” Hoover tried to shed some light on what might have occurred. “I hate to say it, but I’ve seen this before,” he said in a statement released on Friday, “Liberty is having an existential crisis resulting from the realization that she won’t always be the smartest person around, and that her entire being can’t be defined by high intelligence. The self esteem often can’t handle a shock of this magnitude, and so it disappears. My guess is that it’s hiding in Charlotte somewhere.” The police department issued a statement warning the public of the continuing danger of freshmen losing their self esteem. “By far the biggest problem to plague Davidson College’s campus is the disappearance of students’ self esteem. Every year we get dozens of reports from students who come to us realizing that they’re not as smart as they thought they were. We urge every first-year to stay inside and study at night in order to deter the loss of their confidence in themselves. Alternatively, studies have shown that heavy drinking can coax the self esteem into a more docile state, so that can be another option.”
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Second Place Sperm Would Have Made A Better Son Than You
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Xbox Live User “DoCterFartt” Declared Official Authority on Your Sexual Orientation
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Crying Yourself to Sleep Doesn’t Qualify for PE Credit Page 9
The Yowl Presents: The Crossword: Just the Answers
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“Sources overhead Ruback struggling to explain the concept of intersectionality before conceding that it was ‘sort of hard to describe’ and changing the subject.” the short class period. “Yeah, usually Patty just texts her boyfriend on iMessages during class, but today she closed her laptop and everything. She said something piggybacking off of what Liz said, then she expanded on Rachel’s comment in what she described as ‘a more nuanced way’. Later she asked for clarification on the report we have due next week.” noted classmate Louis Mackrel ‘16. Ruback not only contributed to the class discussion, but also demonstrated her attentiveness by punctuating her classmates’ points with vigorous head nods and murmurings of “mmhmm.” “I don’t think she stopped nodding once during my comment about dismantling the patriarchy,” confessed Yasmina Sadek ‘17, “It was sort of concerning. I thought she might get whiplash.” “I’ve never actually done the readings for GSS, but today I skimmed them right before class began and I think that really helped,” said Ruback. “When the bell rang, I had every intention of writing a letter to my congressman, or at the very least posting a long Facebook status decrying the concept of gender.” After class, Ruback headed to Vail Commons for lunch, where sources overheard her struggling to explain the concept of intersectionality to her boyfriend before conceding that it was “sort of hard to describe” and changing the subject to weekend plans.
Study: Those Who Dream Big Die Early
Your Davidson Honor Section
Editors: Paul Henderson Sophie “I Can’t Make It Because I Have a Costume Fitting” McHugh Writers: G. Barlow Chuck, Back From the Dead Supposed Friends Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian. Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth. Word.
In a study released this Tuesday, researchers at Stanford announced that those who give up on their dreams live 30% longer than those who pursue their aspirations to change the world. According to the study, giving in to banal dreariness and personal mediocrity can add as much as 14 years to a person’s life, versus the early demise of more hopeful, ambitious peers. Although the findings fly in the face of conventional wisdom, which urges young people to dream big and never give up, scientists say that pursuing lofty personal goals often leads to such dangerous behaviors as speaking your mind, heroism, running for President, and caring. “If you see someone you love striving for success beyond their wildest imagination, pull them aside and tell them ‘Hey, trying hard and believing in yourself can lead to an early grave, buddy. That’s the coward’s way out. For your health’s sake, just give in to the inevitable joyless slog of life. Your body will thank you,’” advised one of the researchers. The study stresses that in the long run, those who give it their best shot inevitably wind up
“According to the study, giving in to banal dreariness and personal mediocrity can add as much as 14 years to a person’s life, versus the early demise of more hopeful, ambitious peers.”
dead, whether from defying the wishes of a powerful criminal or suffering alcohol poisoning while attempting to break the world record for most consecutive shotguns. “Just get a mid-level job at the DMV and watch your soul slowly drain away,” said a second researcher. “After all, souls can lead to you trying to save someone from a subway train or something.” Along with finding that “reaching for the stars” and “living life to the fullest” are as dangerous as smoking and driving without a seat belt, the report points to “having a positive outlook” and “performing enjoyable hobbies” as activities that can act as gateways to dangerously big dreams. “It’s probably best just to stay in your room most days and watch TV,” commented lead researcher Devin Williams. “Even slightly ambitious activities that hint toward aspirations to better yourself can one day lead to an early, gruesome demise.”
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ordan Barham ’16 was due for a breakout season. The 6’5” senior guard had earned a spot in Davidson’s starting lineup about halfway through his junior season after proving to be one of Coach Bob McKillop’s most effective bench options in his first two years. In fact, Barham had more than doubled his scoring average every year at Davidson, reaching 11.8 points per game at the end of last season. Even Sports Illustrated recognized his unheralded production, projecting Barham fifth in the nation in their offensive efficiency rating metric for high-volume, high-efficiency scorers. In addition, Barham worked hard this past offseason to improve the most glaring deficiencies in his game: ball handling and jump shooting. Adding to his proven rebounding and ability to finish around the rim, Barham was poised to be a driving force in replacing the graduated production of Tyler Kalinoski to follow up the Wildcats’ A-10 Championship in their first season in the league. The season started just as everyone expected. Barham registered double-digit points in 8 of the Wildcats’ first 10 games as the team started the season 8-2. He recorded a double-double in a win over Mercer and scored a season-high 22 points in a victory over Eastern Washington that brought his average to 13.7 points per game. But in the team’s 11th game, everything changed. Barham twisted his knee in a blowout loss at California. After the swelling subsided, doctors told him he had sustained another meniscus injury. It was déjà vu all over again for Barham. The senior has had surgery on the same knee three times for meniscal injuries, the most recent being just last April. Surgery would again be required to fully heal his knee, but Barham decided he couldn’t afford to sit out the four weeks’ recovery time during his final season as a Wildcat. “This is my last go around, and the last thing I would want to do is miss being on the court fighting with my brothers,” he said. He also plans to continue playing professionally after Davidson, and knows missing 4 weeks
at the end of his senior year wouldn’t help his case. But the injury proved a clear drawback on Barham’s production. Since the Cal game, he is averaging just 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in just over 10 minutes per game; that compared to 13 points and 5.5 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game before the injury. “It was definitely tough these last couple games,” he said. Yet Barham has vowed to play through the pain. “I’ve always played through a little bit of knee pain,” he said. “It’s something that I don’t really feel once I’m on the court and the adrenaline kicks in.” And even if his court time and production have dipped, Barham has continued to help his team in ways that don’t show up on the stat sheet as a senior leader. “Even when I’m on the bench, I try to get the guys ready to play and encourage them throughout the game,” he said. “We’re still really young, so just being there for those guys like another coach on the bench has really helped me contribute even during this injury.” There are also promising signs on the court. Barham scored 10 points and grabbed seven boards in 13 minutes in the Wildcats’ big road win at Duquesne last Saturday. He credits team trainer Chris Hagemann’s treatment and Coach McKillop’s game management for giving him the relief necessary to come back strong. “I’m starting to get back there,” Barham said. “The last couple games I feel like I’m getting back to that first step explosiveness that I had my first three years here. “If you play scared, you’re going to get hurt. You can’t really think about that; you just got to be on the court thinking about winning that game.” Barham hopes to use the momentum he generated in the Duquesne game to catalyze the ‘Cats up the A-10 standings and into the postseason. But he also knows he will have to be a big part of any success Davidson has in the final stretch of the season. “I’m going to give my everything,” he said. “I understand my role is going to be to score around the basket, rebound, and get other guys open, so I’m going to continue to do that more and more as my minutes increase, and that will lead to more production.” Yet statistical success is not the reason Barham continues to play through injury. He plays for much more than that. “I’m really motivated
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he team’s season may have officially begun way back in November, but the most crucial matches for the Wrestling team are in February and March, with the SoCon Championships scheduled for March 5. The Wildcats are in a unique position, given that they remain one of the only Davidson teams to have not made the transition to the A-10. In remaining in the SoCon, and with emphasis being placed on future development and accumulating match experience, the ‘Cats have not necessarily seen the concrete measures of success they would have hoped to see at this point. Currently at 4-12, the team has certainly experienced some growing
pains, especially with a freshman-laden squad that features just two seniors, Patrick Devlin ’16 and Nathaniel Powers ’16. Having lost SoCon Champion and NCAA participant Scott Patrick ‘15 amongst others, the squad has been working to fill the void created by the absence of such stand-out performers. Last week the ‘Cats launched fully into their conference schedule, competing against Virginia Military Insititute and the Citadel. On February 3rd against VMU, the team struggled, and despite close, hard-fought matches by several Davidson wrestlers, the ‘Cats fell, 37-0. Konner Pritchard ’18 yielded a 4-3 decision to VMU wrestler Derek Thurman. Heavyweight Will Cooley ’18 also lost narrowly, forcing the match into overtime before he lost with a 3-2 decision. Despite the shut-out, the ‘Cats responded
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resiliently later in the week by earning several individual victories against SoCon powerhouse The Citadel, who on a yearly basis tends to have multiple NCAA Championship individual qualifiers. Citadel’s 2015 squad featured four individual NCAA qualifiers. Senior Devlin noted, “While we didn’t win, it was good to see our guys compete and challenge a team that has established themselves as a powerhouse in the SoCon.” The fact that the Davidson squad was able to challenge a team synonymous with consistent conference success is a testament to the unlocked potential and future success that is likely to follow if the ‘Cats are able to continue their steady progression of developing young talent and building off previous match experience. Overall, in last Saturday’s match, on Senior night where Patrick Devlin and Nathaniel Powers were acknowledged for their unwavering commitment to the program over the last four years,
four Davidson wrestlers registered wins. Dustin Runzo ’18 earned Davidson’s first victory of the day, breaking a 3-3 tie with a decisive and sudden take-down in the first overtime to secure a 5-3 victory. Freshman Adam Flatt ’19 earned his third victory of the season with a 13-4 decision over Citadel’s Daniel Smith, while Pritchard added an eighth season victory with a 5-1 decision. While Davidson ultimately fell, 28-16, there were plenty of standout performances that are indicative of the team’s potential and growing confidence. The ‘Cats now look forward to two more conference matches, against Gardner-Webb and Campbell, before competing in Asheville, N.C. for the Conference Championships. The squad hopes to not only earn its first SoCon victory, but also establish itself as a future contender for years to come in the SoCon by putting up a strong performance in the next month.
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February 10, 2015
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avidson Women’s Basketball hosted George Mason and Duquesne at John M. Belk Arena this past week. After coming off of a three game losing streak the ‘Cats topped George Mason at home with an exciting 6863 victory. Mackenzie Latt ’18 had a successful showing for the ‘Cats, leading the team with 18 points and a career-high 19 rebounds. Saturday against Duquesne the ‘Cats had four scorers reach double digits, but ultimately fell to the Dukes, 77-62. The ‘Cats fell behind 11-0 to start the game, and though they were trailing, they outscored the Dukes 24-13 in the final 10 minutes. Justine Lyon ‘19 was the leading scorer with 12 points for Davidson. After Saturday’s game, Hannah Early ‘16 is now five three-pointers away from breaking Laura Murray’s ‘14 school record of 222 for her career. As for Latt, this is the 20th time she scored in double digits this year. After this weekend, Davidson’s record fell to 10-14 overall and 4-7 in league play. They travel to Richmond next for a Wednesday night en-
counter. Latt, after her big showing this week, sat down with the Davidsonian: Q: Why do you play and who do you play for? A: I began playing basketball at a very young age. Now, at the collegiate level, I would have to say I play for a number of reasons, but three big ones stand out the most. First and foremost, I play for the Lord. I strive to give all the glory to God during both wins and losses; after all, He is the one who has given me the ability to play this sport and the opportunity to play at Davidson College. Secondly, I play for my school and I play for my teammates. I truly love the girls I play with and we both lean on each other and push each other to get better. I am proud to represent Davidson College and the women’s basketball team every time I step on the court, and I use that to motivate me during workouts, practices, and games. Lastly, I play because I love the game of basketball! It sounds kind of obvious, I know, but basketball is just something that I enjoy to do and the sport brings me a sort of joy that I cannot compare to anything else.
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Last Week’s Scores Men’s Basketball 2/3 Davidson 69 George Washington 79
Women’s Basketball 2/3 George Mason 63 Davidson 68
2/6 Davidson 93 Duquesne 82
2/6 Duquesne 77 Davidson 62
Men’s Tennis 2/6 Davidson 6 NC A&T 1
Wrestling 2/3 Davidson 0 VMI 37
Women’s Tennis 2/7 Western Carolina 2 Davidson 5
2/7 The Citadel 28 Davidson 16
Q: What were some of your goals for this last season and how did you work toward them? A: Coming off of our inaugural season in the A-10, we as a team had the goal of “defying the odds.” We wanted to show that we can compete in this league and I believe we have been proving this to teams so far. Additionally, I had the personal goal building off of last year, both offensively and defensively. I can always improve all aspects of my game, but I wanted to focus on improving my scoring abilities and staying out of foul trouble. During the off season, I worked towards these goals by just getting in the gym, putting up tons of game-like shots and extending my range further from the basket. I also spent lots of time in the weight room and on the football fields conditioning and getting stronger. As far as accomplishing my goals, I feel I have taken steps in the right direction. I’m never truly satisfied with any game I play--there’s always something I could’ve done better--but I definitely believe I have improved in these aspects since my freshman year. Q: How did you feel after your successful performance on the court this week? A: First of all, thank you. I feel like the highlight for me from both games was setting a new personal career-high in rebounds. I always have believed that rebounding comes down to heart and hustle, and it’s a statistic that you can always control to an extent. Some games your shot might not be falling, but you can always give your best effort on the boards. I didn’t realize during the game that I was cleaning up so many, I was just trying to help my team win in all ways I could, so it was fun after we won to be told that I had 19. Q: How has the team come together and improved over the course of this season through adversity? What do you hope to see happen by the end of this season? A: At the beginning of this season, our team had the mindset that we have something to prove this year. We have a chip on our shoulder and we use that as motivation and fire to get us through the ups and the downs. Adversity is inevitable in any sport and on any team, and we have gotten through that by continuing to work to get better and leaning on our teammates for motivation and encouragement. I know we have some wins ahead of us for the rest of the year, so by the end of the season I would love to see our record at .500 or above and have some A10 tournament wins under our belt too. The ultimate goal would be to see Davidson WBB in the NCAA tournament, and that is a goal I have not only for this year but for the rest of my years here as well. Q: How is the dynamic of playing on your home court different than playing away? A: There’s just no feeling like playing on your home court. It’s the place where we spend the most time, the court we are the most comfortable with, and also where our friends and family get to come out and support us. It empowers you because the visiting team is the one who should feel out of place: our home court is our space. It’s a friendly and familiar environment that gives you a little extra boost at the start of a game.
Upcoming Games Men’s Basketball 2/10 vs La Salle
Women’s Basketball 2/10 at Richmond
2/13 at George Mason
2/15 at Saint Louis
Men’s Tennis 2/13 vs Wingate
Women’s Tennis 2/13 at East Carolina
2/14 vs Richmond
Wrestling 2/10 at Gardner-Webb
Track and Field 2/11 at High Point Team Challenge
Lacrosse 2/10 vs Virginia Tech
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hrough talk-backs and light posts in the Union there has been feedback and discussion about the toxic nature of anonymous social media. Posting about bodies, about bowel movements and bedraggled college students continue to build this context where trash talk and insults are the norm. As an athlete it seems I am at the center of a war of words taking place on this platform. There are students who are not a member of Division I athletics on one side and Division I student-athletes on the other. One of the most notable conflicts comes to light when certain teams do not perform as highly as our expectations of them would have us believe. This is especially pertinent when talking about football. The symbol of masculine excellence, American football was at the heart of U.S. households Sunday, February 7. Taking sides, eating dip, and the occasional brew are what seem to take place all across this country during the Super Bowl. The amount of money spent on advertisements, on paying the athletes, and on having a seat at the world championships of the NFL is justified by the sheer cultural weight that this sport holds across this nation. The same is true on campus with apartments, halls, and the student union holding viewing parties for this secular but sacred event. America loves football and Davidson loves football. Well, Davidson loves other football. We show up in mass to watch basketball and volleyball (especially when there is food and shirts). We follow our teams when they travel and have viewing parties here at home. The Davidson student body shows soccer and lacrosse some love. However, when it comes to what amounts to a national sport we expect and say only the worst. Our football team has not done so hot these past few years, there is no denying that fact, but berating our largest athletic team is not the answer. Speaking to friends and peers, I know that there is a general respect for the members of the football team, but that same respect is not afforded to our struggling team. If we as an audience and student body hate to see a loss, then that very loss weighs on the athletes whose team we are ragging on. There is something strange about expecting our team to earn our respect but not allowing that respect to be won through other means. The football team has had massive recruiting classes the past few years. Bigger teams mean more depth, and more depth means a stronger team. Psychology studies at length the effects and benefits of resilience, and our team ought to be a textbook example. Even through loss, our football team carries on. Even without the support of the student body, our football team carries on. To come back from a hard loss and look at harsher words coming from your peers, it is a wonder we continue to see, experience, and know happy people on the team at all. Those men face opponents to their success all week long and then are expected to overcome bigger bodies on bigger teams that have bigger audiences. I am not a football player, nor is my sport one that garnishes attention from the student body at large, but I understand that the environment we have built around loss is not a healthy one for our team. I also acknowledge the situation by which other sports (mentioned and not) also experience neglect or disdain through our student body. However, I am responding to Super Bowl Sunday, and how winning or losing does not have to define one’s allegiance to a team.