the davidsonian
FEBRUARY 3, 2016 VOL. 108 ISSUE 13
The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914
Inside NEWS A preview of upcoming SGA debate and elections 2 5HÁHFWLRQV RQ D VHOI VHOHFWLRQ experience 3 LIVING DAVIDSON Review of Rihanna’s new album 4 PERSPECTIVES Self-Selection cartoon by Tife Odumosu 5 Zohaib Zafar discusses peace and Islam 5 David Holthouser, center, oversees the construction of the E. Craig Wall, Jr. Academic Center, set to open fall 2016 . Photo by Willie MacDade.
New building offers innovative learning setting AJ NADDAFF Staff Writer
J
ust after classes on Friday afternoon, five Davidsonian staff members strapped on construction vests and helmets and embarked on a private tour through the impressive E. Craig Wall, Jr. Academic Center, otherwise known as the new academic building. Leading the tour was David Holthouser, Director of Facilities and Engineering. Over a cacophony of bangs, clashes, and other construction site noises, he enthusiastically described the construction’s progress and what the facility holds in store for students and faculty when it opens in the fall. After walking the length and breadth of the building, the Davidsonian offers a sneak-preview
of the campus’s newest state-of-the art facility. Two new wings will be added to the already-established Martin Chemical Laboratory building to create the 160,000-square foot facility, which will be 16,000 square feet larger than Chambers. The wings form an open triangle, joining at the backside of Martin and opening to Jackson Court and the football field. In between the wings will be a courtyard, with a picturesque fountain spraying water downward onto the granite. Part of the outer architecture is meticulously designed to fit in with the rest of campus. For example, the façade facing the Library and Chambers is made of red brick, matching the ninteenth-century Georgian architecture seen on other buildings on campus. At the heart of the complex, the three buildings intersect to form an atrium. The most impressive feature of the atrium is a 16-screen flat
panel display that can divide up to 16 arrays through the click of a switch. Opposite this central display are elevated stadium steps for students and faculty to gather and observe presentations or guest lectures, or to sit and work on their laptops. There will also be chairs and a bar top overlooking the forum, for students who choose to work while peering over the display. Faculty members from each of the departments that are moving into the new building — biology, chemistry, psychology, and environmental science — have participated in its design. In particular, each of the four department chairs has worked at length with Holthouser, who stressed that there has been “hourly faculty consultation on every facet of this job, and there continues to
YOWL Crocs worn one day a year in the new Purge 6 RLO hazing scandal uncovered 6 SPORTS Women’s tennis returns all six top players for new season 7 'DNRWD 'XNHV ¶ UHÁHFWV RQ her basketball career 7
See WALL on page 2
Dinner at Davidson reaches out to young alumni donors VITA DADOO LOMELI Staff Writer
I
n 2010, students in the Student Government Association’s External Affairs Committee spearheaded an effort to celebrate the Davidson Trust and its positive effects on the Davidson community. Lead by Jordan Starck ’12, Dinner at Davidson was created to raise awareness about the Trust and invite alums to contribute to its growth. Since its inauguration, Dinner at Davidson has received up to $50,000 in funds. Six years later, Dinner at Davidson continues to attract alums and the wider Davidson community in order to showcase the various benefits granted by the Student Government Association Davidson Trust Scholarship. The Lilly Gallery will host the seventh annual Dinner at Davidson Friday, February 5. Led by Aditi Ghatlia ’18, Hailey Klabo ’16, and Jacob Cole ’16, Dinner at Davidson hopes to reach its goal of 700 young alumni donors. Leading up to the event, the planning committee has cohosted a basketball game as well as an acapella performance at Summit Outpost – 10 percent of the proceeds that night went toward Dinner at Davidson. This year’s event will showcase the work of fifteen students along with short presentations, followed by an after-party at Summit Outpost. The Dinner’s principal objective for this year is to recruit young alums that can attest to the importance of the Trust in fostering diversity in the
Davidson community. “Our mission this year is celebrate the trust and understand what it means for the entire student body,” Caitlin James ’14, both Davidson alum and staff adviser for Dinner at Davidson, commented. Last year marked the graduation of the Trust’s first scholarship recipient. This event reflects on the organization’s efforts to gain visibility amongst recent graduates and encourage their contribution. “In the past, the Dinner focused on alumni getting to know and understanding the Trust. This year we’re trying to reach out to people who have familiarity with it.” In increasing their presence on and off campus, Dinner at Davidson hopes to stress the importance of the Trust in the College’s unique need-based scholarship program. “Davidson has the advantage of having need-blind admissions […], having work study and grants be part of the financial aid package without including loans, and meeting 100% of demonstrated financial aid,” James explained. Nonetheless, Dinner at Davidson’s ultimate mission is to communicate the importance of the Davidson Trust to the entire College community. Ghatlia, chair of Dinner at Davidson, stresses that the Trust enriches the Davidson experience by giving students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds a voice in the classroom. “Even if you’re not directly getting money from the Trust, you’re still benefitting because you meet people who have come to Davidson as a result of the
Trust and learn from them, enriching the classroom experience, and your individual experience at Davidson.” James also believes that the Trust’s long-term impact can ultimately reshape the way current students and alums view the student body. “I learned just as much from my peers as I did from my professor,” James commented. “It is important
for people of all different backgrounds to participate in this conversation because the Trust has allowed people to have access to this education and makes the community richer and a better place to learn because of it.”
See THE TRUST on page 3
Mary Rood Cunningham and Elise Foote featured on the Dinner at Davidson Instagram. Photo by @dinneratdav on Instagram.
News
Page 2 February 3, 2016
What to expect from the upcoming SGA debate and elections MARY PORTER Staff Writer
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n February 4, candidates running for the position of Student Government Association president will participate in a debate to address the needs of the student body prior to the Category II Elections on Monday, February 8. The debate will take place in the Lilly Gallery, and although “‘the format [varies] from year to year,’” according to Pablo Zevallos ’16, the current SGA president, one can expect that the candidates will answer questions from a Davidsonian editor as well as a few from audience members.
Candidates will have 60 to 90 seconds to answer questions, and rebuttals, if they are included, will be limited to 30 to 60 seconds. The majority of people from a sample group of students reported that they do not plan on attending the debate. Indeed, many of the students questioned were unaware that there is an upcoming SGA debate. Low attendance has been reported in the past, with an audience of about 100 people last year. Zevallos hopes to increase that number this year. Students who reported that they will be attending the debate expressed interest in candidates addressing topics of “racial and ethnic relations on campus” and housing constraints on campus. Erin Golden ’16 stated
that she is interested in learning about how the “[Residence Life Office is] going to better place people coming back from abroad.” The SGA debate will be an opportunity for students to learn more about the candidates running for president in preparation for elections. In addition to voting for SGA President, students will vote for SGA Vice President as well as for class senators. If necessary, runoff elections will be held on Thursday, February 11. In the past two years, 50% and 46% of the student body has voted in elections. One student expressed that he will likely not vote in this year’s elections because he feels, as he stated, that he does “not know what I would be voting for.” Alternatively, another stu-
dent expressed that she will be voting because “‘it is nice to have a say in those who will be making decisions on campus.” Similarly, Frankie Kang ’18 stated that she will be voting because it is a “student’s right to vote, and I don’t want to forfeit that right.” Zevallos is hopeful that the transition of the incoming SGA president as well as the new student government officers will be relatively seamless. Zevallos stated that in the past “the transitions have been terrific with only minor hiccups.” He also noted that “‘from the beginning, I’ve worked to organize the SGA folder on my OneDrive to ensure a seamless transition for the next administration.’”
Wall Center design keeps student study habits in mind Continued from Page 1 be hourly faculty consultation.” Faculty members continue to attend regular tours of their lab spaces to make sure the designs evolve according to their liking. One of the primary goals of the project, according to Holthouser, is to get students to stay in the building after they finish class there. Over his 24 years here, he has observed a geographical polarization of campus: students come to the southern-most end of campus to attend class in the Dana and Watson Science Buildings, Sloan Music Center, or Martin, which form a row of academic buildings. Yet students use these buildings exclusively for academic classes, and seldom stick around after class. “The academic world here starts around 8:30 a.m., officially finishes at 4:00 p.m., and starts to sputter at 2:00 to 2:30 p.m., when you, as a unit, move back to residence halls, [the Alvarez] Student Union, and the Patterson Court world,” Holthouser described. Getting students to stay after their classes might also improve important student-professor collaboration. When walking down a hallway in one of the wings, one will see laboratory spaces, offices and classroom spaces. Two kinds of lab spaces are being constructed: those for teaching and those for faculty research. The building will fit over 40 faculty labs in total. Each faculty lab will have enough desk space to comfortably fit a professor and four students. Classrooms and teaching labs will be connected in the new building. The College’s current class schedule calls for science students to attend class, and then separately attend lab. The goal in the new facility will be for students to receive the learning material in one room and go perform it in the next, with no gap in between. Holthouser emphasized transparency in the new complex. Glass doors and windows make up much of the perimeters of each room. “If this was your lab, people will see what you’re doing,” Holthouser explained as he looked into a room that will be a lab next year. Transparency serves to pique student and faculty interest for future collaboration and trans-disciplinary experimentation. Student study habits were also taken into consideration in the construction of the building. “In 2000, when I was building the Alvarez Student Union, what I did not plan for is that your generation studies on your laptop, with the television on, your friends around you, and noise,” he said. With countless places to do group work and socialize, the new building caters toward this method of studying. “You will work late at night right here in this building,” Holthouser assured. To create a relaxed work atmosphere, there are ample shared faculty and student common areas. Some include closed-off rooms with comfortable bean bag chairs, couches, fridges, television sets, and white boards on the wall. Of course, there is also an elevator for accessibility up and down the three levels. A wall of plants, otherwise known as a living wall, will grow alongside it. The construction of the facility has included a special project with the chemistry department. The department have tested the resistance of different flooring materials to chemical damage to settle on a product that would hold up best in
their laboratories. The thoroughness of this test speaks to the care being put into all facets of the complex. Classes are on track to be hosted in the new building next semester, with all four departments expected to be moved in by 2017. The facility gives students a reason to stay in the academic village, while also promoting group-work, transdisciplinary learning, and faculty assistance and collaboration. The complex is impressive enough to make graduating Davidsonian staff members jealous. At the end of the tour, one concluded, “This makes me wish I was around for one more year.”
(Top and middle) The centerpiece of the Wall Center is the atrium where the two wings join. The atrium will feature an auditorium-style sitting area IDFLQJ D ZDOO RI PRXQWHG ÁDWVFUHHQ GLVSOD\V %RWWRP &ODVVURRPV DQG ODE VSDFHV ZHUH LQWHQWLRQDOO\ SODFHG DGMDFHQW WR HDFK RWKHU Photos by Willie MacDade.
News
An initiated freshman recrime log flects on self-selection events Time Reported MADISON ABBOTT Staff Writer
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t’s 7 a.m. Saturday morning. The freshmen residence halls are quiet and brimming with anticipation. Suddenly, the still morning is overrun by spirited chanting and the sound of abrupt pounding on doors. Self-Selection, one of the most highly anticipated events during the Davidson spring semester, has begun. The event is a tradition in which the eating houses welcome their new members. It is an opportunity for the eating houses to not only reveal who their new members are, but also, to celebrate them. The day commenced with the reveal. Freshmen women waited in their dorm rooms, hoping that their favorite house would knock on their door. The sophomores in each eating house ran around all of the freshmen residence halls to fetch their new members, and subsequently return them to their new houses. Excitement filled the air as the freshmen joined their new eating houses. The upperclassmen were ecstatic to receive their new members, and dance parties ensued. After the early morning festivities, all of the eating houses proceeded to Commons for breakfast. The dining hall was a vibrant sight, as everyone was in their respective house’s t-shirts. Freshmen women were thrilled to see where their friends ended up, and they enjoyed bonding with their new houses. That morning, Commons was filled with laughter and genuine happiness. The houses continued to bond throughout the day. This year Self-Selection was moved to Saturday so that it would not coincide with the nationally-televised men’s basketball game against VCU Friday night. This necessitated a shift in tradition. In years past, the reveal happened early Friday morning, the run-through with the fraternities was that night, and the welcome dinner was on Saturday night. This year, the reveal and the run through happened on Saturday, and the welcome dinner has been pushed to the following weekend. These changes allowed the new members to have an entire day, uninterrupted by class schedules, to get to know their new houses. After the houses spent the day getting to know
their new members, the evening festivities followed. The freshmen women returned to their houses, dressed in the respective houses’ colors and themes. Warner Hall wore pink and green, Turner wore green, Connor wore camouflage, and Rusk wore button downs and boxers, an outfit from the film “Risky Business.” When all of the new members were gathered, the upperclassmen coated them in toppings, paint, or condiments, depending on the house. Then, all of the fraternities, who had just received their new members as well, ran through the eating houses. After the evening runaround, all of the freshmen ran back to their dorms to shower, and everyone later returned to Warner for a PCC court party. This year there was also a shift in the eating house dynamic for a number of reasons. First of all, more freshmen women are joining eating houses than ever. This can be attributed to a number of reasons, but the self-selection committee this year had a lot to do with it. The self-selection chairs this year are as follows: for Warner Hall, Ann Keating ’18 and Perry Keatley ’18; Turner, Ava Pomerantz ’18 and Claire Kane ’18; Connor, Olivia Strader ’18 and Emma Granowsky ’18; Rusk, Aditi Ghatlia ’18 and Malia Dickson ‘18. These eight women worked tirelessly to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for the women who wanted to join an eating house. “Our mission for this role was to show that all of the houses are so similar. We are friends with all of the other self-selection chairs,” Pomerantz said. “All of us really tried to stress that it doesn’t really matter what house you’re in and it doesn’t define your social experience here,” commented Keatley. The attitudes of these eight friends made the self-selection process much more relaxed and enticing. The cohesiveness of the self-selection committee proved that the houses are indeed very diverse and therefore alleviated a lot of pressure and nerves. “People are finally realizing that being in an eating house doesn’t necessarily define you,” Granowsky said. “You get to hang out with great girls and do philanthropy and it won’t take over your life. I think the houses have grown and no one stereotype is true. The houses are very diverse.”
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The Trust fosters community Continued from Page 1 This year, Dinner at Davidson primarily reached out to young alums that are situated close to Davidson. The event provides alumni with the opportunity to return to campus, speak to current students, and participate in discussions regarding what the Trust means to them. Both Ghatlia and James hope that Dinner at Davidson will facilitate the arrival of bright and high-achieving students to the Davidson campus. To James, Dinner at Davidson is a student-led initiative that deserves national recognition. In approaching a younger
community, Ghatlia has expanded the organization’s visibility on social media platforms and encouraged the participation of recent graduates. Dinner at Davidson hopes to lay down the foundations and contribute to the increasing diversity of the College. Through the scholarship, Dinner at Davidson is an organization that helps accommodate a growing demand for accessible college education. In making Davidson’s academic and financial resources available to a wider community, the College will continue to benefit from the presence of a vibrant and eclectic student body.
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Davidsonian.com
Description / Location
1/27/16 at 1604 hrs
Miscellaneous-Suspicious Person at Belk. Inactive.
1/27/16 at 1908 hrs
Miscellaneous- Suspicious Person at IMAC Field. Inactive.
1/29/16 at 1500 hrs
Injury to Personal Property (Vehicle) at Belk Lot. Further Investigation.
1/29/16 at 1540 hrs
Miscellaneous-Suspicious Person at Cross Country Trails. Inactive/No Trespass Issued.
1/30/16 at 0336 hrs
Larceny Misdemeanor (case)/Weapon on School Property/Tamper with Fire Extinguisher at Kappa Sig. Further Investigation.
1/30/16 at 0848 hrs
Larceny Misdemeanor (Golf Cart)/ Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle at Vail Commons. Further Investigation.
1/30/16 at 0852 hrs
Injury to Personal Property (Fire Extinguisher) at Armfield. Inactive.
1/31/16 at 0100 hrs
Assault Simple at Armfield. Prosecution Declined.
1/31/16 at 0220 hrs
Impaired Driving DWI/Underage Consumption at Richardson. Prosecution Declined/Dean Referral.
1/31/16 at 0245 hrs
Underage Consumption at Belk. Dean Referral.
1/31/16 at 0309 hrs
Underage Consumption at Richardson. Dean Referral.
1/31/16 at 0448 hrs
Injury to Real Property (Tree) at SAE. Prosecution Declined.
living davidson
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February 3, 2016
This Week in Arts and Leisure Photos by Scott Cunningham
Rihanna makes refreshing comeback in highly anticipated “Anti” After four years, Rihanna returns to the industry with an arsenal of new artistry
T
JACOB HEGE STAFF WRITER
here’s no denying Rihanna’s influence. The self-proclaimed ‘bad gal’ has been at the top her entire career. From “Pon de Replay” and “Umbrella,” to “Diamonds” and “We Found Love,” Rihanna has been dominating the pop scene consistently for years by putting out an album every year from 2008 to 2012. And then came the dark ages. For four years the
pop music industry has been deprived of Rihanna’s signature bop-heavy albums. When Rihanna began to release singles last year (“American Oxygen,” “FourFiveSeconds,” etc.), it seemed we were getting a glimpse into the singer’s highly-anticipated, eighth studio album. Now here we are, 2016, Rihanna has finally dropped her new album, and it is nothing like her past fulllength records. If you approach “Anti” looking for the next “Birthday Cake” or any other familiar Rihanna hit, you may very well be disappointed. The closest thing to any of Rihanna’s previous singles is “Work,” featuring Drake, and even that’s a stretch. However, just because “Anti” isn’t what we are used to seeing from Rihanna, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. You’d be a fool to overlook
this album based on the new sound alone. Spending your career at the top must be lonely, and for the first time Rihanna explores these feelings intimately throughout “Anti.” A rawer look at Rihanna’s life is sung over light synths, guitar, and piano, her voice soft and crackling at times. With this album, Rihanna has completely rewritten the rules of her artistry. Funnily enough, “Anti” may be her most cohesive album yet. The LP plays best straight through, which is a new experience from her past single-heavy albums. “Anti” is Rihanna like you’ve never heard her before, but a fresh, insightful record all the same. It may have taken her a few years, but Rihanna has proven once again she’s not going anywhere. I give it an 8 out of 10.
Courtesy Photo
perspectives
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February 3, 2016
Tife Odumosu ’17 is a Mathematics major from Lagos, Nigeria. Contact him at boodumosu@davidson.edu
The Caliph, the Khalifa and the way towards peace ZOHAIB ZAFAR
“I
f any Church or other place of worship stands in need of protection, they will find us standing shoulder to shoulder with them.” (Message to Pope Benedict XVI, 6 December 2011) Who wrote this to Pope Benedict XVI? His Holiness, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the spiritual successor or “Khalifa” in Arabic of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. His Holiness is the leader of the largest single body of Muslims led by one leader. Unlike the caliph of ISIS who is in the news a lot, Abu Bakr Baghdadi, this Khalifa is a peaceful and loving one. The Khalifa has followers in over 200 countries and he oversees dozens of hospitals, schools, and philanthropic projects around the world. As an American follower of the Khalifa, I recognize how the Khalifa can not only provide me and Ahmadi Muslims like myself with
spiritual leadership but he can help break the tension between America and Islam. The American Ahmadiyya Muslim Community under the supervision of the Khalifa has created the True Islam campaign in an effort to promote dialogue here at home about Islam. The campaign outlines ten basic beliefs that distinguish peaceful and violent Islam such as the division between Mosque and State as well as tolerance of all religions. I encourage everyone to learn more about this campaign at TrueIslam.com. Contrary to popular perception, Islam is not a religion of violence. His Holiness only follows in the footsteps of the Prophet Mohammad-peace be upon him-and his first spiritual successors recognized by many Muslims as the Khilafat Rashideen or the “Rightly Guided Khalifa’s.” A great story about Khalifa Omar, the second rightly guided Khalifa declining to pray at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, demonstrates a commitment to tolerance that can change our hearts about Islam as Americans. When Khalifa Omar seized Jerusalem from the Byzantine Empire, the Christians in Jerusalem invited
the davidsonian staff editors-in-chief news editors
:LOO 0F'XIÀH Michelle Wan Mary Click Kate McNaughton
living davidson editor
Sophia Guevara
perspectives editor
Will Weisgerber
yowl editors
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
Khalifa Omar to pray inside the Church. Khalifa Omar denied the offer simply because he wanted to make sure that the Church was not annexed by his followers. The Islamophobes will immediately note how this must have meant that the Muslims were eager to steal the Church but it is a repetitive theme in human history for Mosques to become Churches and Churches to become Mosques. One famous case is the Great Mosque of Cordoba becoming a church in Spain. Another case is of the Haga Sophia becoming a Mosque in Turkey. But this did not happen to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre because of Khalifa Omar’s willingness to protect the church. Khalifa Omar succeeded the Prophet Mohammad only two years after his death and he seized Jerusalem without any bloodshed. The Christians in Jerusalem gave the keys of the Church to him which he then gave to a Muslim Arab family that still opens the Church today. Khalifa Omar recognized what the founding fathers recognized. When people of different backgrounds come together, they all become stronger. What is going on with Islam is the same thing that is going on with
America. As Islam aged, even though the Quran remained the same, people’s interpretations of it became distorted. Similarly, the Constitution is being trampled on by “constitutionalists” like Ben Carson and Donald Trump. When Khilafat exists on the precepts of justice, it can provide for the betterment of humanity at large. When it is wrecked in violence, it is no longer even Khilafat or “successorship.” The Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is not in the news a lot but he is working for world harmony and spreading a peaceful Islam. On the other hand, the so called caliph of ISIS is following a past that has simply never even existed. Zohaib Zafar `17 is an Economics major from Hudson, Ohio. Contact him at zozafar@davidson. edu
THE KRAFT SINGLES ISSUE Student to Give Up Food, Tinder Until Demands are Met
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Candidate Sanders Bribes Iowa Voters With Off-Brand Butterscotch Hard Candies
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Student With Crush on Professor Scours Syllabus for Flirtatious Subtext
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Ailing Fraternity Extends Bids to Stray Dog and Mannequin
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Yowling at the Moon
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Crocs Season Delegated to One “Purge” Day in Mid-August In an official announcement on Monday, the United States government decreed that Americans would only be allowed to wear Crocs shoes on a single “purge” day in mid-August. The statement declared that the event will be held annually in an effort to protect the public from their appearance for the remainder of the year. “You know that film ‘The Purge’ where the government makes all crime legal for one day so people can get it out of their system? Well, this is gonna be a lot like that, but for Crocs,” government official Nancy Carter said. “We understand that Crocs are still a popular clothing item amongst niche communities of the nation’s uncles, but we simply cannot allow the public to risk continued exposure. So we thought it would be a good idea for everyone to get their Croc-ing
Annoying Warning That Planet Earth’s Storage Almost Full Won’t Go Away
Page Uninstall
Exclusive: The Jerk Who Thinks He’s Solved the Timeless Chicken-Egg Debate
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Groundhog Predicts That Aunt Tessy Will Continue to Be a Raging Bitch
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The Yowl Presents: Connect the Dots!
THE DAVIDSONIAN
This Issue Brought to You By: Microsoft Auto-Update
“We thought it would be a good idea for everyone to get their Croc-ing out of their system on a single day, ‘Purge’-style.” out of their system on a single day, ‘Purge’-style.” Since Crocs first appeared on the market, the government has tried a multitude of ways to curb the nation’s Croc use, from limiting Croc transportation across state lines to mandating stiff punishments if found with Crocs in a quantity that exhibited an intent to sell. “Right off the bat we had decided enough was enough, but nothing we were doing was working,” said Richard Deacons, a representative of the newly formed Croc Purge Coalition. “We told people to just say ‘no,’ we tried threatening perpetrators with jail time, but in the end it hit me when my buddy Mike and I were watching ‘The Purge.’ We just thought, ‘what an idea’, ya know? What if we just got that Croc fashion disaster over with in one day. One and done.” The nation’s dads and uncles have made numerous, often drunken complaints concerning the new Croc purge, with their cries of outrage often relating this recent development to the Teva Massacre of ‘99. The government, however, has remained steadfast in its goals to severely regulate Croc use. “In an ideal world, we would eliminate the presence of Crocs in the United States one-hundred percent,” concluded Nancy Carter. “But unfortunately we live an a non-ideal world where we’ll just have to settle for ‘The Purge.’ We just hope our efforts can prevent widespread Croc use amongst the nation’s youth.”
RLO Staff Caught Hazing New Group of Hall Counselors With over 95 percent of its students living on campus, Davidson College’s Residence Life Office (RLO) is an integral part of the school community. The college website boasts that “staff members work hard to ensure a safe, comfortable living experience while enhancing academic performance and social development.” Recent events, however, have shown that this commitment to residential safety comes at a steep price. In the early morning hours of January 31, the police officer on duty heard shouting and crashing coming from the basement of Belk dormitory. What she found was shocking: Residence Life Staff forcing Student Hall Counselors to chug confiscated beer, making students write up their best friends on trumped-up charges, and beating students with cries of “Bystand This!” Six staff members, most of whom wore masks and cloaks, were detained by the police. Two others apparently managed to flee the scene. “What we have here is a hazing “Residence Life Staff forced incident, clear and simple,” OfStudent Hall Counselors to ficer McMann said. Though the College has chug confiscated beer, write up declined to comment, as this their best friends on trumped harrowing incident of hazing is “still under investigation,” it up charges, and beat students has come as a blow to many stuwith cries of ‘Bystand This!’” dents who cherished RLO as an administrative resource rather than an underground fraternity. “Shocked. Yeah, I’m still pretty shocked,” said senior Amy Vickers. “Like, my best friend was a Hall Counselor her junior year and would sometimes complain about how draining the training process was. I never knew it was this bad.” First-year Anna Li was heartbroken: “I remember one staff member helping move my bags into my dorm room in the Fall. It meant so much to me then. Now it just seems empty and fake.” Other students were less taken aback. “No wonder they’ve been making kids live in lounges this semester,” said disgruntled junior Sean Spurne. “I’ll bet this is only the beginning.” According to senior Tanya Reyes, “It’s just another betrayal of trust on the administration’s part. I don’t see how this is any worse than them shoving meal plans down our throats or making us pay hundreds for textbooks we never even use.” The Davidson College Police Department encourages any students intimidated or abused by RLO—now understood to stand for Rho Lambda Omega— to come forward or file a report.
Google Unveils Plan to Rule World and Cute New Logo
Your Davidson Honor Section
Editors: Paul Henderson Sophie “Roast Chicken” McHugh Writers: Peter “Peanut Butter” Bowman Hanna Leebhermahn Ethan Faust’s Cousin Rick Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian. Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth. Word.
Many of Google’s nearly two billion users were shocked on Tuesday morning to find that the popular search engine’s signature colorful logo — and company mission — had been minutely altered overnight Google spokesperson Derrick Vanders explained what propelled this adaptation: “The logo change is actually part of Google’s newest project, iWar. It’s meant to signify the unveiling of the trove of nuclear weapons that we’ve been ammassing at HQ for the past decade. The colors are duller to foreshadow the impending apocalypse, and the letters sharper to incite fear. Really, we just employed basic graphic design techniques to convey what our brand stands for: the belief that our company should rule the universe, by any means necessary, plain and simple.” The Yowl took to the streets to gauge the student body’s reaction to Google’s revamped image. Some were in support of the change. “I’m all about their transformation. I think it was an especially bold choice to make the two “o”s into bombs. You could definitely consider me a part of the Google Nation,” reported Peggy Marshall ‘18
“It’s sort of annoying that all of the sponsored links are now just leaked government documents incriminating world leaders, but other than that, I love their new look!”
before cocking her gun and heading out West. “Oh, it’s alright,” countered Dwight Mulligan ‘15. “It’s sort of annoying that all of the sponsored links are now leaked government documents incriminating world leaders, but other than that, I love their new look!” Not all are pleased with the company’s modifications. The hashtag #BringBackOurLoops has begun circulating in response to the decision to use a blocky single-story lowercase “g” rather than the familiar and curvaceous double-story “g”. “Honestly, it’s an outrage,” asserted Olivia Pelt ‘16, founder of Davidson’s Students Against Change (SAG), “And to think that they expect us to take this without a fight? It’s insulting. I’m switching to Bing, where at least I know that their logo will dependably suck until they run their business to the ground.” “Yeah, I’m not too crazy about it either,” conceded SAG member Harry Woodard ‘16, “But I still love the company. I hear they have some of the best workers benefits.”
sports
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Dukes looks to close book on career with winning run EMMA JOHNSON Staff Writer
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ivision I athletics are challenging no matter the school, but they are especially difficult at Davidson, where athletes are challenged mentally and physically, both on and off the court. Being a successful D-I athlete at Davidson for all four years requires dedication, sacrifice and incredible passion for the game. Basketball forward Dakota Dukes ‘16 has all of those qualities. From her very first season, Dukes has been a model of hard work on the team, and that commitment has taken her far in her Davidson career. Last year, she was awarded the Wildcat Award for the team, and she has shown herself to be a leader on the court to those around her. In her final season with the Wildcats, she is averaging 14.4 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game. Her .530 shooting percentage also leads the team. Ahead of the team’s final stretch, I looked back with Dukes on her time with the team, what she hopes to accomplish this season and how her experience playing basketball at Davidson will continue to shape her life after graduation. As a freshman, Dukes was already seeing the qualities of leadership and camaraderie first hand. From Sophia Aleksandravisius ‘13 and Laura Murray ‘14, upperclassmen when she was a freshman, Dukes learned how to confidently lead a team, and she worked to incorporate what she saw in them into her own leadership style. That was only part of the work; the other part was putting in the effort. Dukes knew that the skills do not come easy, but she had to go get them. Right from the beginning, she has strived to put in the work every day to be a starter in almost every game of her career, and improve on her skills year after year. Her tireless work with the team shows this season, where she has proven herself to be a consistently strong player and teammate. It has not been the easiest season so far for the Wildcats, who sit at 9-13 overall and 3-6 in conference play. “Right now,” Dukes explained, “the team is feeling optimistic, but also challenged.” That is the mindset they take into each game, especially Atlantic 10 matchups, as the team seeks to prove that it is a presence in the conference. As a senior, Dukes seeks to absorb all that she can from each and every moment with
the team, both the good and the bad, so she can continue to grow and learn. The season started with a bang for the Wildcats, with a huge win over Furman on November 13. “We came out ready to play”, Dakota told me. “In my four years here, we’ve played Furman every year and usually they came out with the [win]. But this year, we showed them that we were the better team”. From there, Dukes set her goal for her last season: to give everything she can to the team. “In practice, in the weight room, on game day, I want to do everything I can for my teammates for as long as I can,” she continued. As a team, the Wildcats are hoping to pull out a few more wins the rest of the season to build momentum for a big run in the A-10 tournament, which takes place in the first week of March. There has been plenty of joy along the way. Late November, in a huge win against UNC-Wilmington, Dukes became the 18th player in the program’s history to score 1,000 points. In that victory, she scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked 6 shots. That performance, along with two other stellar showings in a 3-0 week for the team, earned her the College Sports Madness A-10 Player of the Week honors. For Dukes, the power of the game will not leave when she steps off the court for the last time. The lessons she learned and friends she made will continue to influence her long after the buzzer sounds. “My favorite part of playing basketball has 100% been the relationships I’ve made with my teammates”, Dukes told me, describing how her teammates have her back on and off the court, and how she knows that they can look to her for the same. The intangible skills have similarly left their mark, as basketball has helped Dukes find leadership, assertiveness and confidence in everything she does. Overall, basketball has taught Duke to be tough - to pick herself up every day both mentally and physically to tackle any roadblock, a skill that she hopes to take away with her as she applies to graduate schools and jobs in business. As Dukes put it, Davidson basketball literally brought blood, sweat, and tears into her life. With her teammates, she has reveled in the wins, struggled through the losses, poured herself into practice, worked away the in-between hours in the library, and found her strengths with these girls who she has spent every day with over their
Dakota Dukes ’16 has been a menace on the block this season for Davidson, averaging 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Photo by Tim Cowie. six-month seasons. “I am so incredibly thankful that this program has brought us all together,” Dukes said. In these next five weeks, we can be sure that these
impressive qualities will show themselves as she works to finish her Davidson basketball career with the same passion and dedication that she has carried with her these last four years.
Women’s Tennis looks to tremendous depth to reach new heights BENSON KLINGLER Guest Writer
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he women’s tennis team kicked off the season this past Friday with a match against Furman University. Following a 6-1 loss, the team showed promise on Sunday afternoon as they secured their first win of the season against Gardner-Webb, 4-3. Coming off their first season in the Atlantic 10, the team will look to improve on a strong preliminary season in the league. Last year the team finished fourth in the conference while maintaining an overall 12-10 record on the season. Head coach Sara Anundsen, who replaced the legendary Caroline Price last year, will seek improved results after a successful first year at Davidson.
Both veterans and newcomers will help the cause this season. The team returns all six starters from last season, including A-10 standouts Laina Cummer ’16, Anna Catharine Fester ’18 and Ava Todd ’18. Courtney McCray ’16, Jenna Brunner ’17 and Sarah Stein ’17 will provide depth and veteran leadership behind them. The strong sophomore class will benefit from the growth of Ally Sexton ’18 and Cassidy Shell ’18. Freshmen Gabrielle Centenari ’19 from Baltimore, MD and Megan Scholvinck ’19 from Mill Valley, CA appear ready to play at high levels. “All the way down the line everyone is such a great tennis player,” Stein said. “This depth is really going to help us succeed. Having more experience being in the A-10, we know what the competition is like and we know what to expect
Laina Cummer ’16 returns at number 1 singles and doubles with the qualities and credentials to lead Davidson Tennis forward. Photo by Shea Parikh.
Jenna Brunner ’17 adds a vital part to the experienced core. Photo by Shea Parikh. in the Conference tournament.” In singles play Davidson will look for their fourth consecutive season with 50 or more wins in singles matches. They will be led by Cummer, who played at number one a year ago. She boasts 27 total career singles wins and earned All- A-10 Second Team honors a year ago. Todd, who went a perfect 5-0 in A-10 play last year in a stellar freshman campaign, has potential to be a firstteam all-conference star. The doubles teams for the Wildcats finished with a 38-25 record last year and return in full hoping for even better results with a year of experience playing together. Brunner and Cummer will claim the number one doubles position, where they finished 9-10 last season with two wins in Atlantic 10 play. Feaster and Sexton will play in the number two position with Stein and Todd playing in the third position. One reason Sexton is optimistic about improvement is because of the team’s investment in HUMANeX Ventures, which involves testing to help determine non-physical strengths and weaknesses of each athlete. “The program has really
helped each member of the team discover their role and how to best contribute,” Sexton said. This program should help to create a more cohesive unit where individual strengths are maximized. The Atlantic 10 tournament will be held April 21-24 in Ohio. Davidson will look to spoil the tournament for VCU and Richmond, two programs that have consistently been at the top of the conference. VCU seeks its third straight championship after winning in both 2015 and 2014. Richmond will want to recapture the title after winning nine out of 11 championships from 2002 to 2013. The team will continue their season on February 6 when they face off against the University of South Carolina-Upstate. They will continue with matches against Western Carolina, East Carolina, and Wingate before entering Atlantic 10 play against George Mason on February 27.
THE DAVIDSONIAN
Dakota Dukes commands the post in senior campaign See Page 7
Dakota Dukes ’16 Photo by Tim Cowie
February 3, 2016