the davidsonian
September 21, 2016 Vol. 110 ISSue 3
The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914
Inside NEWS New Director of Sustainability discusses plans for the year 2 Summer grant offered students opportunity to visit classmates abroad 3 LIVING DAVIDSON Check out comprehensive guide to eating smart at Commons 4 PERSPECTIVES Beth Wright '17 and Grace Woodward '18 offer new insight into Republicanism 5
Mary Monroe '17 presents her research about college students' resilience. Photo by Erin Gross
Students present summer research endeavors to Davidson community CAROLINE BLACK Staff Writer
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hen applying to colleges, many students turn to large research universities in the hopes of acquiring diverse, well-funded research opportunities. Professors at such universities are largely research-oriented, as opposed to the teaching-oriented professors found at small colleges and universities. At Davidson, however, along with most small liberal arts schools, students do not have to compete with graduate students for research opportunities. Grants are awarded to a handful of students each summer who generate projects either loosely or specifically tailored around a professor’s previous research initiatives. This summer, thirty-one Davidson students, with the help of Davidson Research Initiative (DRI) grants, spent five to ten weeks on campus conducting research in fields ranging from English to Physics. The recipients of these grants, as
well as other students who received outside funding, presented their findings at the Summer Research Symposium on Tuesday, September 13th in the Lilly Gallery. Aren Carpenter '18 spoke to the accessibility of the research grants: “It was very easy for me [to get a research grant]. I didn’t do a DRI grant, I did a Jolly Foundation grant. The competition is just a bit lower for that. The only stipulation is that you have to do something in South Carolina. Many students at the fair credited their professors for helping to make research opportunities and funding so accessible. For Ryan Almeida ’18, it was a brief conversation with his professor that initiated his research process. “I felt comfortable enough in my Intro Bio class to just have a conversation with my professor [Dr. Kevin Smith of the Biology Department],” Almeida said. “Weeks after that meeting he emailed me and happened to be looking for a research student. He knew I was interested because we had had that conversation.” Dr. Smith and Almeida continued working
on Smith’s research during his time as a research center director and ecologist at Washington University in St. Louis. The pair’s study focused on species’ reaction to disturbances in freshwater communities and whether their extinctions can be predicted based on their abundance. Almeida hopes to expand on the topic this upcoming summer. Dr. Dan Boye of the Physics Department was heavily involved with student research. He commented on the process of working with students to decide upon topics to investigate: “Well, one of the things that [professors] have to do is to work together [with students]...to understand what problems [they are] interested in and what they might find a common interest in. So we have to work together for a while, and we read a lot; we do experiments together, and then we start to talk about what is a larger goal that we might be able
See RESEARCH on page 2
Jeremiah Evans '18 discusses national controversy regarding football player Colin Kaepernick 5 YOWL Happy birthday, Matt Landini! 6 Union Board: the dark underbelly of Trivia Night exposed 6 Summit smoothie contest not as riveting as previously expected 6 SPORTS Volleyball team prepares for upcoming conference matches 7 Nate Casey '17 recognized on the All-State Good Works Team 7
Chinese Studies department introduces new AT system
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LAURA DUNNAGAN Staff Writer
avidson’s Chinese Studies Department is no longer hiring students to serve as Assistant Teachers (ATs). Instead, they’ve hired two teachers from Taiwan to fill this role. Dr. Shelley Rigger, Chair of the Chinese Studies Department, says the new faculty members came to Davidson through the Mandarin Teacher Exchange Program. This program is sponsored by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan and aims to promote Mandarin education and the appreciation of Chinese culture by sending teachers from Taiwan to locations around the world for the purpose of teaching Chinese. “These are people who teach Chinese to nonnative speakers,” says Dr. Rigger. “We partnered with the program because not only is it an easy way to get a highly qualified teacher, but also the Taiwanese government subsidizes the cost of the teachers.” The program sends teachers to countries around the world for a maximum of two years. Professor Yi Ting Tsai was the first teacher to come to Davidson through the program two years ago. Although her contract with the Taiwanese government ended at the end of last year, the Chinese Studies Department hired her at full
cost. She is entering her third year at the school. The second teacher, Wan Chi Wu, is new to Davidson this year and employed through the Mandarin Teacher Exchange Program. The Chinese Studies faculty enacted these changes in order to heighten the level of native language exposure for students. Dr. Rigger says that the new teachers have brought a higher level of expertise to the language program. She reports that the students are making “better, faster progress” because of the increased contact with professors. Whereas students ten years ago would have three classes with a professor and a one-hour student-led AT session, students now have five weekly contact hours with their professor and meet every day. Though the students learning Chinese are making more progress, Dr. Rigger says the department’s decision to stop hiring student ATs does have potential pitfalls. “It’s unfortunate for the students who might be interested in being ATs, but our responsibility as faculty is to provide the best possible experience for students. We decided that having the professional teachers teach five days per week was going to do a better job for our students than the model of student-led ATs.” The new AT system is more expensive to the school than the student-led AT, but Davidson
Professor Yi Ting Tsai is excited to continue teaching in her third year at Davidson. Photo courtesy of Yi Ting Tsai
Professor Wan Chi Wu hopes to inspire a love of Mandarin in her students. Photo courtesy of Wan Chi Wu
decided to partner with the program because it can take advantage of subsidies provided by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education. Tom DeMarzo ‘17 is a Chinese Language and Literature major who was familiar with the
See CHINESE STUDIES on page 2
News
Page 2 September 21, 2016
New Director of Sustainability brings a worldly approach ANDREW KENNESON Senior Staff Writer
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few years ago, a watershed management group in Mongolia offered Yancey Fouché a job. She didn’t take it, but with her Asian studies major, time spent studying in nearby China, and graduate work in watershed management, she was perfectly qualified. Instead she took a job in the study abroad office at Furman University before transitioning into the Furman Sustainability Office. Now she’s at Davidson, serving as the new Director of Sustainability, where she brings a global worldview to the local problems of sustainability on campus. Fouché brings a thoughtful and insightful vibe to the Sustainability Office. She often pauses while speaking, searching for just the right words. Fouché went to Furman as an undergrad, where she double majored in Asian studies and biology and spent time abroad in China, the Galapagos, and Costa Rica. From there, she pursued a graduate degree in Freshwater Management at the University of Michigan. Taking her work in water management into the community and seeing it impact people’s lives ignited Fouché’s passion for sustainability work. She started her position here at Davidson in mid-August, right about the time the freshmen arrived on campus. She’s just the second person to hold the position of Director of Sustainability since the position was created in 2009. Betsy Marshall ’16, the Sustainability Program Coordinator and former interim director, says Fouché
brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm and will help Davidson improve its sustainability across the board. The hardest thing about sustainability work, according to Fouché, is limiting its scope. It’s such a huge topic, spanning from food to investing to energy to transportation to dozens of other areas, that it can be difficult to find focus. With that in mind, she’s devised three facets that she hopes the Sustainability Office can work through. The first and probably most obvious is greening campus operations. Fouché is already taking a look at composting programs, which she says is already robust but could be elevated even more. Other outlets might be working with RLO to reduce energy waste and boosting the farm’s capacity to grow local produce. And she isn’t doing this alone. She’s working with people like David Holthouser, Head of Facilities at Physical Plant, and Richard Terry, Head of Auxiliary Services. This is a theme that appears over and over in Fouché’s plans. She doesn’t want to build her own things, at least not yet. She sees much more value in working through existing programs, fine-tuning them, and reaching more students that way. The second facet is student programming. In the coming months, Fouché wants to “flesh out a clear, intentional plan for how students can engage with sustainability.” She realizes there’s a spectrum of interest in these issues. On one end, perhaps there is a history major on the volleyball team who wants to do what they can to reduce their energy footprint. On the other end there might be someone who is an environmental stud-
ies major who wants to be part of Sustainability Scholars program in the summer and build a career in clean energy. She aims to provide a clear path for both. In addition, she strives to foster more coordination among the green-minded groups on campus. “There’s beekeeping club, and there’s Divest Davidson, and other relevant groups” says Fouché, “But I was finding a spotty patchwork of communication and resource-sharing between them.” With this goal in mind, she will be hosting monthly summits with the leaders of those groups to help them collaborate. The third component is increased interaction with faculty. Fouché will be giving a lecture on energy conservation, physical building science, and behavioral change with someone from Duke Energy in a few weeks. She’ll also be providing general information for faculty to incorporate into their classes. Finally, she hopes to help seniors with their capstone projects by coordinating with local companies and nonprofits focused in sustainability. While there is a lot of energy around campus and among young people in general surrounding sustainable living, Fouché realizes that not everyone is on-board. Some students don’t see the value of composting or recycling or think climate change is a big issue. But she has a plan for them too. As mentioned earlier, Fouché isn’t interested in building her own little “sustainability empire” that only impacts a handful of passionate students. She plans to integrate into existing programs and meet students where they are. For
Yancey Fouche encourages students to become involved with sustainability efforts on campus. Photo courtesy of Yancey Fouche. example, she’s meeting leaders in Patterson Court and RLO to try to implement programs that would touch almost every student. Since almost every student lives on campus all four years, her desire is to build a sustainable model of life that can show the “non-believers” that a sustainable lifestyle is worthwhile. “What I hope,” Fouché remarks, “is that I can keep reminding folks what’s out there. That the world is a lot bigger than Davidson.”
Meet My World grant provided valuable summer experiences
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ZACK LONGBOY Staff Writer
he first thing David Sisson '19 asked as he left the Istanbul airport with Yasemin Tekgurler '19 was “Why did you ever leave
here?” He and Tekgurler – who hosted Sisson in her hometown of Istanbul – were just two of a group of 14 students awarded the Meet My World Grant last year. This grant – proposed by a generous donor to the International Office – provided funding for seven pairs of students, with an international student hosting an American counterpart in their respective hometown for two weeks. Besides Sisson and Tekgurler, the other grant recipients included: John Hennessy '18 visiting Ashim Sitaula '18 in Nepal; Joscar Matos '16 visiting Manu Giamoukis '17 in Greece; Beth Foote '17 visiting Carolina Ordonez '17 in Ecuador; Kelly Telljohann '18 visiting Chika Fujii '17 in Japan; Caitie Connor ‘17 visiting Izem Ustun '17 in Turkey; Jacob Haythorn '19 visiting Layan Anabtawi ‘19 in Palestine. Unfortunately, due to safety concerns, Connor and Ustun were unable to complete their trip. It was scheduled shortly after the military coup had undergone in Turkey. “The decision to postpone the trip was mutual between [us] and the [international] office,” Connor said. “On the same day that Izem and I decided not to move forward with the trip, the International Office reached out to us to let us know that they also could not support
the continuation of our plans.” Nonetheless, Connor and Ustun hope to be able to complete their trip during Winter break or next summer. Should it go forward, the International Office will still fund the trip, including re-purchasing their plane tickets. From International Student advisor Bea Cornett’s perspective, the purpose of the grant was, first and foremost, to flip the power dynamic between the international and American students. “Some of the people who got this grant are going into their senior year – which means they’ve been here in this country for years as the visitors,” Cornett said. Now, with the grant trip, having a US student in their homes, they are the hosts; they’re now the experts, they’re now the teachers; they’re now the ones showing the other person around the culture and language.” The importance of “giving the international student a chance to share their culture,” Cornett said, also cannot be understated. “Although [international students] can share their culture here, it really is limited to what items they’ve brought with them or what food they can cook, or what they can tell us. Going on this grant gives them the opportunity to really show that in real life,” she added. Sitting across from Sisson and Tekgurler, seeing their eyes light up and their widening smiles as they recount the two-week experience (which took place in mid-May), it seems as though Cornett and the donor have accomplished their objective.
Tekgurler has felt, first hand, these positive effects. “I always say I love Istanbul, that I love my city and I keep saying how much I miss it, but none of that makes sense to someone until they actually visit.” There were several moments, she added, where the significance of David’s visit became especially clear once it concluded. For example, after her grandmother suffered a heart attack this year, Tekgurler knew she could talk to Sisson. “I like having another connection here that knows my family,” she said. For Sisson, highlights of their trip include: visiting the top of Galata Tower, being ensconced in Turkish culture at a local bar and of course, the Turkish league basketball game. Although one goal of the trip was to visit tourist attractions in Istanbul, Sisson and Tekgurler also tried to experience as much of the local culture as possible. “We went to a lot of tourist destinations, but we did them in the most domestic way or most Turkish way possible,” Sisson joked. The most surprising part of Turkish culture, for Sisson, was the sheer amount tea that Turkish people drink. “Elif Kaya ’19 [another Turkish student] told me that Turkish people drink a lot of tea, but I thought she was exaggerating,” Sisson said. “When I got there, I had one day where I said yes every time someone offered me Turkish tea or coffee and I think I had tea 8 times and coffee twice. It was just incredible.” For Kelly Telljohann '18, who visited Chika Fujii '18 in Toyama, Japan, the most surprising part of her experience had to do with race. “Japan
is 98.5% Japanese, 1.5% other Asian ethnicities, and .5% everyone else,” Telljohann said. “This meant that I was something of an oddity in Japan, especially in the countryside where the population is even more homogenous than the cities.” She added, “People would stare, and one old man came up to Chika and asked where I was from. Nobody was hostile or aggressive, so I didn't mind. This was my first experience as a minority ever, which I think is a particularly valuable experience.” Among the many experiences she had during the two-week trip in May, Telljohann cited a visit to a Shrine festival as the most memorable. “There were colorful stands with amazing food, toys, and games to play,” she said. While the international office has yet to hammer out a few of the details for the grant this year, they hope to follow a similar timeline: announcing the grant right before Christmas, with applications due around the beginning of February. The office will also continue to announce to only the international students, and not to the entire student body. “This is really on the international students to reach out to their American classmates and facilitate [the process],” Cornett said. Both Telljohann and Sisson would strongly encourage students to participate in the grant program. Their advice? “Try the tea,” Sisson puts in, while Telljohann recommends being flexible and open-minded.
New Taiwanese faculty inspire Chinese Studies studies Continued from Page 1 student-led AT model. For three of his Chinese language classes, he had student-led ATs twice a week. “I learned a lot during those semesters, and the student ATs did an excellent job given that they had not been formally trained to teach. However, I had Professor Tsai teach class sessions and AT sessions during my sophomore fall, and that semester I saw the most improvement in my language abilities. I think the Chinese Studies Department’s changes in the AT program will benefit students because professors can better reinforce and supplement the materials that they themselves teach during class sessions.” The Taiwanese professors have extensive experience teaching Chinese as a second language.
Professor Tsai has taught at Middlebury College, Princeton University, and, most notably, the College of the Holy Cross, an institution renowned for their Chinese language program. Professor Wu has also taught at Holy Cross and through a Hamilton College program in Beijing. Though she has taught Chinese in Asia, Professor Wu says she prefers to teach in America. “I think American university students have clear goals in learning Chinese. Overseas, students are often pushed to learn Chinese by their parents, and it’s totally different if you learn something by somebody pushing you or if you want to learn it because you think it’s useful. American students have an advantage- they choose it because they want it.” Professor Tsai agreed. “I have taught Princ-
eton University students, Hamilton College students, Holy Cross students, and Davidson students. Davidson students are my favorite, because they never complain. They’re just happy to learn. They are very tough. They don’t really care about the grade, but they care about what they learn. Here, they just cooperate with you, keep learning, keep talking. I’m proud of them.” Though Professors Wu and Tsai have made great progress in the classrooms and AT programs, they have acquired reputations for being strict, difficult professors. “We push them,” says Wu. “We’ll ask ‘is it too hard, too much?’ and they always say it’s okay. I don’t know if that’s true or not.” Dr. Rigger says this difficulty is well worth it. “Tsai and Wu are fearless,” comments Rigger.
“They will make you work, which is what we want.” And it’s what the students want too. “My students have told me if you want a higher score, you should choose another language,” says Wu. “But they chose Chinese. They decided to sit there and learn this foreign language, and they try their best. The language is really hard, I can imagine. There’s that saying, ‘I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.’ That’s what I want to share with my students.” Dr. Rigger reports that there are approximately fifty students currently taking classes with the Chinese Studies Department. These numbers are fairly typical, but both Wu and Tsai say they hope the program will grow in the coming years.
News Research fair showcases profes- crime log Time Reported sor-student collaborations Continued from Page 1 to hit with some experiments and what is a reasonable amount in a ten-week time period.” While many students paired with professors to conduct their research, others, such as Judith Rosales Rivas '17 worked mostly independently. “I conducted the research on my own, and I had two other students in the lab working with me as well,” Rosales Rivas said. As a neuroscience major, Rosales Rivas led a team of two other students under the advisement of Dr. Barbara Lom from the Biology department. The team studied the effects of plastics—BPA and BPS—on dopamine. One of the team members, Christy Enriquez ‘19, elaborate on their proposal: “We were looking to construct another protocol, observing the effects of BPA and BPS on behavior, so we’re still trying to create another experiment that will be able to measure this...at this time [their work] is a protocol we are trying to establish [for further research].” Rosales Rivas described the process as incredibly grueling, requiring the exhaustion of countless hours and resources into her project. “A lot of times we had to stay in labs until very late hours, like 2 a.m., just going through all of the data,” Rosales Rivas described. “If something went wrong in the lab, it could affect other things, so we just had to be on a rigid time schedule and be very prepared every day.”
The team’s diligence led to results and more questions. Rosales Rivas commented on her group’s conclusions, “We actually found that there was no significant result and that these plastics were not affecting these neurons that produce dopamine. So what we are going to do now is kind of move on from this experiment and look at other affects that plastics might have, specifically in behavior. [Now] we’re moving from a molecular model of an experiment to a more behavioral model.” Despite faculty advisors’ confidence in student researchers, advisors still coordinated frequent check-ins with students to regulate goals. “We got together probably twice a day to monitor progress, to see where things were going,” said Dr. Boye. “In many cases these were new areas we were going into and we didn’t know what problems there were going to be.” According to Boye, when choosing from students’ grant proposals, professors are eager to select unfamiliar areas of study. Looking ahead to the future of research at Davidson, the addition of the E. Craig Wall Building to campus is paramount to bringing the college’s research opportunities to the next level. With state-of-the-art facilities, Davidson has yet another tool to attract professors at the forefront of their scientific fields, who, in turn, tend to inspire their students to reach beyond the limits of class work into developing research fields.
Students share their research and findings with one another, engaging in discussion about various approaches. Photo by Erin Gross
Members of the Davidson community gathered in Lilly Gallery to celebrate student research initiatives. Photo by Erin Gross
GOT NEWS? Have you heard an important story on campus? Perhaps a broader issue appearing in mainstream media? Don't have the time but want it to be covered? Or perhaps you want to take the lead? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, please submit your suggestions to News Editors Olivia Daniels (oldaniels@davidson.edu) and AJ Naddaff (ajnaddaff@davidson.edu).
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Davidsonian.com
Description / Location
09/14/16 at 0100 hrs
2nd Degree Rape at North Campus. Prosecution Denied.
09/14/16 at 1610 hrs
Larceny Misdemeanor at Dormitory Drive. Further Investigation.
09/14/16 at 1648 hrs
Suspicious Package at 200 D Rd. Inactive.
09/15/16 at 1530 hrs
2nd Degree Rape at North Campus. Prosecution Denied.
09/15/16 at 2127 hrs
Breaking/Entering of Motor Vehicle at Patterson Ct. Circle. Further Investigation.
09/16/16 at 0040 hrs
Suspicious Vehicle at Patterson Ct. Circle. Inactive.
09/18/16 at 2245 hrs
Underage Consumption/Possession at 400 Ridge Rd. Dean Referral.
living davidson
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September 21, 2016
Davidson 101: Navigating Commons EMMA JOHNSON AND GENEVIEVE ROWE
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Editor-in-Chief; Staff Writer
o all you first years out there, we are here to present to you a slightly different Davidson 101. This one might actually help you in your Davidson career, since you all will be obliged to have a meal plan throughout your four years. And for all you upperclassmen out there who are not already using these tips, the time to change is right now. Presenting Davidson 101: Navigating Commons. Vail Commons, the beloved site of many a shared meal with your freshman hall, dates at the double tables on the dark side, weekend hangover cure brunches, and dinners that last approximately two hours, can be a bit of an overwhelming experience. Contrary to popular belief, you can do Commons wrong. We are here to tell you how to do it right. 1. Breakfast You want a good, solid breakfast to start your busy day, and that should start with things that are a bit fresher. Skip the buffet line of micro-
waved scrambled eggs and head to the made to order station for an omelet packed with veggies and cheese, for a breakfast taco (omelet thing wrapped in a warm tortilla) or just plain ‘ol eggs made in just the style you want them. For brunch on the weekends, make sure you are getting the best of everything available. Head to the parfait line to stock up on all your fruit and toppings – but no yogurt or granola! Get those from the salad bar line, because those are the homemade ones, and are not stocked at the parfait station. Most of us are unable to make it through the day without a caffeine jump to get us started. Need more kick to your coffee? Get the double shot of espresso from the automated machine and then fill the rest of the cup from the regular pour coffee pot – should be enough caffeine to see you through the rest of the week, give or take. 2. Lunch If you can, time your meals during class times! If you are going to Commons right after a class period ends, you’ll be facing a long wait to get in and discouragingly long lines at the good
stations. Avoid heading to lunch during those peak times and try instead to go in the middle of a class period so you can enjoy your meal in peace and even perhaps get seconds of stir fry from the Dujour line. Speaking of the Dujour line, here’s a tip to maximize your food serving from that line: if you want all of the topping options at the very beginning, don’t tell the Commons staff member then, instead say each ingredient individually and you will get more of each one. Take advantage of department lunches! Meet your professors in a different setting, hang out with majors, or other people interested in that department’s course of study. It is always a good time full of interesting conversation around a solid meal (especially at the environmental studies table! Wednesdays at 12:30). 3. Dinner Many of the tips can be applied to both lunch and dinner, but here are a few more critical ones. Don’t be afraid to come to Commons with only your homework for company – a meal can be a great way to get through your reading or movie
watching for class, especially when you can just keep going back for seconds (or thirds…). This one is a game changer: microwave your desserts! Just imagine it – a chocolate chip cookie, warmed in the microwave to a wonderful gooey consistency, topped with the soft serve flavor of choice, and eat immediately. I am confident in my description of it when I say this dessert is divine. Thinking ahead, it is always nice to have a snack for when you are peckish in your library study session without any food around. Take a piece of fruit to go from Commons in order to have that snake always on hand. Here is our order of fruits you should take: 1) banana, 2) kiwi, 3) green apple, 4) orange, and 5) red apple. Really, if you have made it past green apple you should just stop right there. Trust us. Going to Commons can be a magical experience, if you do it just right. We hope that we have made your food experience more enjoyable. Be on the lookout for more Davidson tips in the future. Happy eating!
Cat’s THON Wild Meet and Greet Photograph by Yilin Wang ‘20
On Thursday, members of Davidson’s Miracle Network Dance Marathon group gathered to discuss their initiative and welcome new participants. With over one million people registered across the United States, this group of students will be one of many to dance anywhere from twelve to twenty hours in order to raise money and awareness for a local Childrens Miracle Network hospital. The dance will take place February 17, 2017; donations can be made at: https://dancemarathon.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org
THE CHEW 2.11 Cinnamon Sugar Apples Mary Porter Adapted from BonAppetit.com Courtesy Photo
Materials
Directions
1 Sharp Knife
1. Place apple, sugar, and ground
Measuring Spoons
cinnamon in a resealable plastic bag. 2. Toss in the bag to combine
Ingredients 1 sliced tart apple 1 teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 6 hours.
Want your favorite recipe featured? E-mail editor Mary Porter at maporter@davidson.edu to get involved!
perspectives Redefining Republicanism in 2016 GRACE WOODWARD AND BETH WRIGHT
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he Davidson College Republicans have voted not to endorse Donald Trump for President of the United States. It has been difficult to determine a path forward in the current election cycle without having a candidate to support as a united Campus Republicans group. We have decided to focus on state level candidates and maximize the impact we can have locally. Even at this level it is hard to escape the feeling that our party has betrayed us. In choosing the presidential nominee our party has isolated many of its young and educated voters. This election has demonstrated a disturbing trend: moderate voices being pushed out in favor of extremist views and the angry people who espouse them. Fear of extreme voices and the assumption that all Republicans are aligned with them has caused distrust of our group on this campus. In the planning discussions for our non-endorsement statement we were surprised at how many members argued that an endorsement of Donald Trump by the CRs would have serious and personal social repercussions. Although our chapter of
Campus Republicans has a wide range of beliefs, members of the Davidson community have made sweeping assumptions about who we are and what we believe due to our affiliation with the group. We have been approached up and down the hill, by professors and friends, asking in a mocking tone - So who are YOU voting for? Their question presumes that the presidential race is the only one that matters, and that we have the choice to be either traitors or bigots. Many people are unaware that members of our CR chapter are actively trying to reshape our party behind the scenes, and that we have many paths to take in this election. We do not blame our members for saying that they have not decided who they are voting for. While some have come out in support of Hillary Clinton and Gary Johnson, others are legitimately still trying to figure it out. Many feel bruised by our party and mocked by others outside it. No matter their answer, our members face judgement. These divisions and political battles are what we signed up for by taking a stance against Donald Trump. It’s what we signed up for by being involved in a Republican organization on a campus that leans to the left, like most US colleges. It’s also what many of us face as moderate Republicans in 2016. However, the election, the party, and our organization is about much more than Donald Trump, and the party’s difficulties were present long before he took the stage. Our members are at the heart of these struggles in many ways. And we face many difficult questions. How
does the Republican party, the old guard, defender of state’s rights and constitutionalism, adapt to the world we live in now? How do young conservatives gain the power to change it? These structural difficulties have been hidden by Trump’s rise, but the aftermath of this election will force us to face them head-on. The Republican Party will have to recreate itself after the election, no matter the outcome. If Donald Trump is elected it will be the end of the Republican party as we have seen it. But we still have the hope that moderates such as ourselves will be able to fight for a new, more forward looking party from the remnants of the Grand Old Party. The future of our party will depend on the presidential election and all of the elections shadowed by Trump and Clinton. The people running for President aren’t the only decision makers. To encourage change, we must use our votes where they really count, which is in local and state elections. Those representatives build the foundation on which a leader must stand, and since they’re local, we are able to have a more direct impact on the process. If we want to change North Carolina, we need to change the state house representatives and the state senators. If we want to change national legislation, we need to change the senators and house representatives, and look more critically at governors. If we give our votes to representatives who truly represent our thoughts and goals, we will see the space for a new party to rise. The Republican Party must grow
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stronger by becoming more dynamic and inclusive to reflect the world that we live in today. Many of us have worked hard to achieve that goal, and have seen Trump derail our progress. He does not represent the two of us, and he does not represent many of our conservative peers. This campus, this state, and this country all need to begin the process of reevaluating who we as Republicans are and what we want politics to do for us. For us that means finding a way to simplify our government by overhauling the tax code riddled with loopholes that warp incentives. It means making the country a better environment for small businesses, and working across the aisle to balance the budget and eliminate the national debt. It means giving the power back to the states to determine what is right for their citizens. America already is great, and only together can we fight to make it better. It is through that truth that we can reground ourselves to help make politics work again, and work better for all. Grace Woodward, '18, is a Sociology major, Economics Minor from Arlington, Virginia. Contact her at grwoodward@ davidson.edu Beth Wright, '17, is an Economic major from Lewistown, Montana. Contact her at bewright@davidson.edu
Good Game: The Kaepernick Controversy and Individualism JEREMIAH EVANS
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r e d streaked helmets clamored in gold. 106 numbers stitched into the fiery set of rose-colored jerseys. As the San Francisco 49ers prepare to face-off, two sportscasters predict the match-up will be a “good game” and 50,000 synchronized sports fanatics chant the letters “U-S-A” directly at one individual – The second-string quarterback, who remained kneeling during the National Anthem as the rest of the stadium rose to its feet: Colin Kaepernick. Although I’ve never protested the National Anthem at the start of a primetime NFL game, I understand the feeling of marginalization that led to Kaepernick speaking out. If you haven’t experienced that, I ask you, imagine how it feels for him to be relegated to pariah status on his ‘home field.’ To kneel before White America as it offers homage through the anthem to the same broken
system that has lamed minority communities for centuries. As a black man, his sentiments and his fear relate deeply to my own experience. Sadly, unlike Kaepernick, I don’t think I would have the courage to remain kneeling game-after-game. Why would I? Especially when it’s far less troublesome to simply disguise myself in one of the many streaked red-helmets, peddle my identity in exchange for a set of random numbers on my back and assimilate with the masses. Stand with the multitude. Solicit approval from those 50,000 onlookers. That’s how you have a “good game.” Right? Pose this question to the media outlets that have provided coverage of the Kaepernick controversy and this certainly seems to be the answer. When speaking on Kaepernick’s reiteration of sports activism, both sports and news anchors alike prioritized collective identity over the individual one. By kneeling during the National Anthem, Kaepernick departs from the collective American identity because, according to the news media, ‘all Americans stand for the
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National Anthem.’ As a quarterback protesting during an NFL game, Kaepernick veers from the collective identity shared by professional sports teams because, ‘all pro-athletes are devoted to their team, not social activism.’ Essentially, they’re criticizing Kaepernick’s protest because it breaches the confines of collectivism and a culture of conformity so valued in team sports. However, for me, it is Kaepernick’s steadfast rejection of these flawed societal norms that renders his protest so timeless and allows him to emerge as a bold symbol of individuality within an era of conformity. By continuing to kneel, Kaepernick is standing up for his right to be involved in both sports and social activism; for the right of minority communities to be released from the threat of police brutality; for the freedom of Americans to exercise their First Amendment rights to highlight other rights they’re not given, like equal treatment and safety. By continuing to kneel, Kaepernick is also taking a stand for individuality. Despite flowing into the stadium
amidst a sea of 53 iridescent helmets and being surrounded by thousands of roaring fanatics, when Kaepernick begins to take a knee during the National Anthem, for a moment, the nation is forced to notice an individual. We see the tan flesh hidden beneath the golden helmet. We see the warm heart encaged by the shoulder pads. We see the man behind the collective camouflage. And for those who, like myself, dream of having the courage to retain individuality and challenge oppression in spite of controversy, Kaepernick appears as an exceptional example of what it means to truly have a “good game.” Jeremiah Evans, '18, is a Political Science major from Lubbock, Texas. Contact him at jeevans@davidson.edu
Landini’s Birthday issue Quillen Shoots Down Movement to Rename New Academic Building Wally McWallface
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Freshman Thinks Facebook Invite to Profit Share From Senior Girl Was Only Sent to Him
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Jerry: The Story of a Self-Proclaimed “That Guy”
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Brother of Yowl Editor Full of False Promises
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Summit Meal Plan Covers Cost of Half a Tasty Scone
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Student Moves to Library to “Really Focus In” and Look at Reddit in a Quieter Setting
iOS 10 Revolutionizes and Innovates the Ways You Can Send Dumb, Useless Sh*t To Your Friends
Summit Jocks Engage in Kale Berry Chug Off
In a keynote presentation this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained to an eager crowd how iOS 10 will revolutionize and innovate the ways that friends can send dumb, useless, silly sh*t to each other. “At Apple, we have always been about innovation and taking the next big leap forward with our products year after year. We pride ourselves on pioneering new and intuitive ways to use technology and frankly, I think we’ve really outdone ourselves this time,” said Cook as he opened the presentation to thunderous applause. “If you thought that the hands-free, speech-to-text technology that allowed Siri to tell your friend to ‘suck a d*ck’ was a revolutionary innovation, then you are going love what we have in store with this update. You can send little pictures of sh*t to each other, it’s easy and it’s hilarious.” The iOS update, released along with the iPhone 7, sports a number of new features that allow people to interact with friends and family in ways more fan-
Barista Jonah Flaxseed ‘17 has confirmed a report that a kale berry smoothie chug off between two Summit jocks occurred last Monday afternoon. The chug off is said to have originally started after a dispute in the Union gym that involved local jocks Tyler and Taylor. “Bro, like I’m high key pissed they don’t have a bench in here,” Tyler expressed to Taylor after leaving the gym and shaking his BlenderBottle concoction with even greater ferocity than usual. “It’s like what the hell are we paying $60,000 for?” The Yowl was unable to collect any eyewitness accounts surrounding the dudes’ subsequent trek down the hill to Summit, save for one student who recalls hearing two guys – apparently in better spirits already – slapping each others’ backs while declaring that “T-squared bouta take Summit.” “Things in Summit were pretty chill, few people doing homework, a group of kids chatting over some lattes,” commented Flaxseed in his report. “Then they walked in” Guffawing convulsively for “I really thought Tyler had no discernible reason, the jock pair is said to have quickly quiit after he downed that first eted upon realizing the atmosphere before tossing out a subtle one... But then Taylor just took “what up, fam” to the coffee shop it to a whole new level.” crowd. Flaxseed continued that Taylor then confronted him about “what’s good up in here,” to which he responded, “The smoothies are alright.” “Tyler, dude, I saw in Men’s Health that kale and berries are like legit natural Creatine when mixed,” Taylor said as Tyler’s eyes widened. The pair reportedly proceeded to order two each. Seated across from each other in a booth, the stage was set. The rules were simple: first to finish both smoothies (no straws allowed, obviously) gets rights to the nickname “T.” “I really thought Tyler had it after he downed that first one,” remarked a student who was more than happy to take a break from his “Cultural Normativity and Geopolitical Progress” reading to watch the impromptu chug off. “But then Taylor just took it to a whole new level”. Taking his car keys, the man now known solely as “T” stabbed a hole in the side of the cup, bent his head back, and, with a swift brush-back of his flow, downed his second kale berry smoothie in record time. And then he dabbed.
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Intramural Flag Football Captain Far Too Proud of Team Name
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HBO to Produce “Davidson Professor Hard Knocks,” Chronicling Tense Weeks Leading Up to Open Tenure Position
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“If you thought that the hands-free, speech-to-text technology that allowed Siri to tell your friend to ‘suck a d*ck’ was a revolutionary innovation, then you are going to love what we have in store for this update.” tastically useless than previously thought possible. “Using our new update, you can send a little GIF of a leprechaun giving the middle figure to your friend with ease. Your iPhone simply beams the image up to a satellite and back down across your living room, all at the speed of light and conveniently within iMessage,” continued Cook. “It has really been a joy to experiment with all these new, innovative ways I can avoid doing anything productive.” During the live demo later in the keynote, Cook giggled while intently staring at his iPhone and then quickly looked up to peer into the darkness of the conference room. A moment later, the stunned silence was broken by the faint tune of “La Cucaracha” playing from within the crowd. “Haha! Hilarious, Tim!” cried an excited Apple employee from the back of the room, “I love how this thing can send songs too! Absolutely hilarious, for real.”
Investigation Reveals Union Board Trivia Team Rigging Game For Free Appetizers
Your Davidson Honor Section
Editor: Paul Henderson Writers: Eejay AyEe Alexis, Kaylen K Walsh
Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian. Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth. Word.
An investigation conducted by the Honor Council and Campus Police has confirmed that the Union Board trivia team that competes in the weekly “Trivia Sponsored by Union Board,” has been rigging games in order to secure the free Summit appetizers that come with victory. “It was easy, too easy,” says one Union Board member that wishes to remain anonymous. “We write the questions, we submit them before the game, we answer our own questions, and then we get those sweet, sweet free apps. You know what tastes better than beer cheese? Free beer cheese.” The conspiracy, which Campus Police claims “goes deeper than you know,” has supposedly been happening since “Trivia Sponsored by Union Board” first began. “Our suspicion is that this was the plan from the start,” said Campus Police member and investigation lead Donna O’Sullivan. “The Union Board may have very well set
“It was easy, too easy... We write the questions, we submit them before the game, we answer our own questions and then we get those sweet, sweet free apps. You know what tastes better than beer cheese? Free beer cheese.”
out with the intent to use trivia as an elaborate ruse that would play out in their favor time and again. But you know what they say, when there are free pretzels on the line you always have to be on the lookout for some collusion.” Much to the chagrin of the investigation leaders from the Police and the Honor Council, it seems that some of the Union Board members have shown little remorse since getting caught. “I’d do it all over again if I could... Wouldn’t think twice,” said another one of the students facing charges. “Think about it if you were me. Free chips. Sometimes twice a game. Meanwhile everyone else has to sit there and watch your team eat them. Don’t listen to what anybody tells you, kids. Sometimes crime pays. I sure as hell know it did.” As of now, no official statement has been made on the charges that will be pressed against the accused.
sports
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Volleyball poised for surge in conference play JACOB MARGOLIS Staff Writer
L
ast year the women’s volleyball program had a successful season, finishing with a record of 12 wins and 16 losses (furthermore, the team accrued an Atlantic-10 record of 6 wins and 8 losses). Talking to coaches and players it is clear that this year the wildcats could be in for a very successful season. Season Outlook: Immediately this season the ‘Cats will be tested greatly; the non-conference schedule is extremely rigorous. This was no mistake, however. Women’s Volleyball coach Chris Willis stated that he and the staff, “created a more difficult non-conference schedule this year in order to prepare [the team] for the A10 [conference] schedule.” Senior captain Emily Franklin backs up Coach Chris Willis’ sentiment when she remarks that, “this is the toughest [non-conference] schedule [the
team has] had in several years.” The team isn’t playing an extremely difficult non-conference schedule for nothing. Both player and coach believe the schedule will prepare the team for a challenging Atlantic-10 conference schedule. In fact, Emily believes that, “playing [the tough non-conference teams] is great preparation for [a] difficult A10 [conference] schedule.” As for the conference schedule, Coach Willis and the staff, “expect to qualify for the A10 tournament for the first time in program [history], and [aim to] win the tournament.” Just from Coach Willis’ words it is easily apparent that this season could be one of the most successful ones for the program. To join in on this upbeat narrative, Emily confidently stated that, “Expectations are high for what this group can do, and [the team hopes] that means winning the A10 championship.” So what gives Coach Willis and captain Emily Franklin such confidence? According to Emily Franklin, “Skill-wise this is the most talented team [Davidson’s] had in [her four years at the college].” This
is likely a result of the fact that the team, “[has a] majority of starters returning this year.” And a freshmen class that Emily calls, “fantastic” and has, “made an immediate impact on the court.” Keys to Success: For any sport, team chemistry is critical to success. If speaking to Coach Chris Willis and captain Emily Franklin is any indication this team has incorruptible chemistry. Emily mentions that, “as a team we try to foster a family atmosphere, a support system that is present both on and off the court.” Realizing the importance of chemistry she goes on to state that, “maintaining this atmosphere throughout the season is key to being our best the rest of the season.” Coach Willis supports this notion when he says, “one thing that has stood out for me this year is how much this team enjoys playing with each other.” Depth is another key to a successful team. It just so happens that depth is a strength of this particular Davidson team, a sentiment buoyed by the words of Coach Willis when he states that, “the
depth of talent in the program is the best [the team has] had in [his tenure].” He believes the depth will, “pay dividends throughout the year.” Recap of the Season (so far): Up to this point the wildcats have a record of 4 wins and 9 losses. According to Coach Willis the team has, “had a mixed bag of results so far.” He adds a silver lining though that, “most [of the team’s] performances have been good, but haven’t produced the results we’d hope for.” He concludes with, “In the end, [the team is] getting better everyday and [he is] looking forward to the A10 schedule ahead.” As a corollary to Coach Willis’ sentiment, Emily thinks that, “now [that the team is] past the newness of preseason and almost into conference play, [the team is] very focused on achieving [the team’s] goals.” The volleyball season is just getting started for the Wildcats, and they hope to make their mark in conference play in the matches to come.
Photos of the Week
Coach Willis gives a pre-game talk to the team. Photo by Amy Franklin
Anne Federico '18 . Photo by Yilin Wang
Joe-Ledo Masey '20 charges towards the endzone. Photo by Yilin Wang
Nate Casey recognized for off the field heroics WES KERR Staff Writer
I
n sports, we all love the athletes who can run faster than anyone else, drain incredible game winning shots, or make spectacular catcwhes in the end zone. But last Thursday, we crowned a true champion not for his heroics on the field, but for his dedication and service to his community. Davidson’s own senior linebacker Nate Casey ‘17, from Tega Cay, SC, was awarded a spot in the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. This is one of, if not the greatest off-the-field award a college football player can receive. He was honored at a surprise ceremony Thursday at the Davidson Elementary School, receiving his trophy from an Allstate representative for his work of bringing the Speak Up magazine for the homeless to Davidson. The linebacker was nominated back in the summer along with 164 other deserv-
ing candidates, and then this week was selected to the 25th Anniversary Good Works Team along with 23 others and a head coach. Throughout the years, Casey has taken it upon himself to assist the underprivileged across the continent. He has led groups of student athletes on full-fledged mission trips to Costa Rica and Grenada to lend support and aid to impoverished communities in those regions. While there, he helped with the installation of water tanks, solar panels, and rebuilt dorms in local schools around poverty-stricken communities. Back in the United States, Casey began working with the Charlotte-based Speak Up magazine, a publication designed to empower and give a voice to the impoverished and homeless in the city. This work inspired him so much that he chose to embark on an adventure, which, to most of us, would seem a bit too daunting. We take for granted the roof over our heads every day. The air conditioning during the summer and especially the heating
Casey officially accepts his spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Photo by Marty Price
Casey anchors the Davidson defnese as starting linebacker. Photo by Yilin Wang
during the winters is just normalcy for us. But what if we were instantly deprived of all these amenities and were forced to step into the shoes of the not so fortunate all across Charlotte? This is what Nate Casey did-- for eight days in a row, living as many of the homeless do every day. He was extremely humbled by the entire experience, gaining firsthand perspective of the never ending pains suffered by so many on a daily basis. What he did during just over a week in 2014 shows his unrelenting dedication to help the less fortunate over himself. The difficulty the committee experienced while narrowing down a list of nearly two hundred outstanding candidates for the Good Works Team to just twenty five was painstakingly difficult. But local Allstate agent Robert Chester remarked that Casey’s sacrifice of eight days of
homelessness “stood out” from all the rest, going far above the regular call of duty of a student athlete. Casey will be rewarded with a trip to New Orleans to take part in a community project with the fellow Good Works Team winners, and will also be recognized during halftime of the 2017 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Casey’s football career might be coming to a close, but it does not look like his efforts to help others in the communities around him will end anytime soon. Chester hopes that the soon-to-be Davidson graduate will continue to inspire whatever community he finds himself a part of after graduation. At the end of the day, “it’s about people helping other people”, Chester commented. Just another reason why we’ll all be rooting for Casey’s off the field heroics and his dedication to helping others for years to come.
THE DAVIDSONIAN Volleyball ready to make timely surge in conference play See page 7
Sabrina Shephard ‘19 Photo by Amy Franklin September 21, 2016