the davidsonian
February 22, 2017 Vol. 112 Issue 14
The Independent Student Newspaper of Davidson College since 1914
Inside NEWS Ethan Ehrenhaft interviews recently-elected SGA President and VP 2 Krouded app wins Avinger Scholarship grant 3 LIVING DAVIDSON Davidson's first Dance Marathon raises over $6,000 4 PERSPECTIVES Zach Miller '20 challenges himself to pop his personal Davidson bubble 3 Arielle Korman '17 performed at the latest Teach-In, which focused on resisting the travel ban and xenophobia. Photo by Abby Miller
Davidson Teach-Ins: Students and Faculty Resisting the Trump Administration
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COLLEEN KARLOVICH Staff Writer
To teach people how to find their voice, use their voice, and if they disagree with something what can they do about it.” This was one of the mantras that Rachel Ruback ’17 shared for the Davidson Teach-Ins series. As campus is abuzz with conversations about Executive Order, and Trump’s administration more broadly, Ruback and Arden Simone ‘17, with the support of Dr. Ruhlen of the Anthropology Department, hope to create a space where conversations are not only welcome but required. The Davidson Teach-Ins began as the brainchild of a wise teacher and an energetic student. Following the election in November, Ruhlen noticed a sentiment of fear and anxiety facing the students of the campus. But she also noticed a lack of plans for action. Her response? Look to history. In the 1960s, the idea of a teach-ins became an effective tool for sharing information and resisting the Vietnam War.
Ruhlen decided this strategy could be useful in our own political unrest: “Well, teachers know how to teach, students know how to learn. This is a way to build momentum and get ourselves moving and engaged in really practical, really practical, on-going actions and activities both on and off campus.” When Simone asked to create an independent study with Ruhlen based on political activism, Ruhlen’s idea was brought to life. With the important help of the Spike! Grant, Simone and Ruback combined student and faculty voices, an art component, and an anonymous number that students can text if they would like to ask a question. The speakers that are featured at these events represent the “snowball method” of the project’s creators. Ruhlen, Simone, and Ruback tap their own networks of people they know or organizations they have heard of that have a connection to the topic that they wish to discuss, and then ask for more contacts. Additionally, faculty members have reached out to the team: they see the platform created by Davidson Teach-Ins as an op-
portunity to share their stories and scholarship. The organization strives and struggles to balance academics with activism. As Ruback puts it, “It’s very much education for its purpose. We are giving you the information that you need, we are answering the questions that you have about this topic.” However, the Teach-Ins are not simply lectures or talkbacks; there is an element of direct action. According to Simone, “We want it to be very action focused… we wanted to educate people and say, ‘Okay, if this is something that speaks to you, here are direct action plans for what you can do to contribute to this cause.’” The team has passed around sign-ups to different email lists during the event, held lunch-in conversations, and shared information on the best charities to fund. The Teach-Ins grew in direct opposition to
Natalie Skowlund '18 reflects on the importance of mindfulness 5 YOWL Police Chief Sigler plans one last heist with the old gang 6 Early blooming of trees freaks out ENV Professors teaching outdoor classes 6 Commons receives some humorous suggestions for the new spice rack 6 SPORTS Men's Basketball prepares for Atlantic-10 Conference 7
See COLLABORATION Page 2
A "Forbidden Conversation" on Israel and Palestine
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EMMA PETTIT Staff Writer
tudents and faculty gathered over baklava on Saturday February 18th in the multicultural house before guest artist Gili Getz’s autobiographical performance. Getz focused on the resistance and discomfort surrounding the divisive discussion within the Jewish community over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Getz is an Israeli-American artist based in New York City, published in all major Jewish journals there. His performance, entitled “The Forbidden Conversation,” referenced his work as photographic journalist in Israel, his own efforts to discuss Israeli issues with his family, and the way he has observed tension over the topic in his work. His work seeks to destigmatize the controversial conversation, which Getz describes as “usually so contentious, destructive, confrontational, violent, antagonistic, toxic, and full of angry diatribes.” For this reason, many choose to opt out of discussion entirely. As a young photographer, the camera helped him “make sense of the contradictions” he observed in the war in Gaza. Getz was able to be “protected by the glass of the lens” and then return to the lab to process the film and digest the violence. Through his poetic rhetoric and ani-
mated performance, he narrated his experience as a photographer of his time: “bodies all around me click badly burnt body of a child click…later in the lab looking at the photo I felt numb.” Getz spoke to his father about the conflict during his time in Israel. In a heated discussion between them, Getz admitted to crossing a line, feeling hurt, and entering the forbidden aspect of the conversation where the rules of civility in arguments were broken down. The emotional response triggered pain and trauma of years of Jewish struggle for his father. Nevertheless, Getz encourages opting into the conversation without rules or restrictions while empathizing with the other person. He wants different generations to discuss Zionism, and realized when he challenged his father’s ideas he was questioning his Zionist dream. After his performance, Getz asked the audience to raise their hands if they too have felt a tension surrounding the “forbidden conversation” in their communities and to share their narratives. The Jewish students in attendance voiced a spectrum of opinions, but Kerry Honan ’17 spoke from personal experience and explained
See ISRAEL-PALESTINE Page 2
Self-proclaimed political junkie Gili Gertz engaged students through theatrical performance and an open discussion about Israel. Photo by AJ Naddaff
news
Page 2 February 22, 2017
Views from the 704: Newly Elected SGA President Alex Soltany '18 and Vice President Malia Dickson '18 ETHAN EHRENHAFT Staff Writer
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dent?
hat was the most challenging aspect, for you two personally, running for SGA President and SGA Vice Presi-
Alex Soltany (AS): It’s an extremely time-intensive, energy-draining and anxiety-inducing process. It also takes a lot of time away from your friends, who are supporting you every step of the way, and it takes away time from your studies. I asked a few of my professors for extensions and they reminded me that although this (race) is a very important time in my life and the life of the school, that you’re still here for academics. Academics are your number one priority. Being able to manage that time adequately during these past nine days and before has been extremely difficult and the hardest challenge by far. Malia Dickson (MD): Campaigning, by nature, is a really challenging process. You’re putting yourself out there to get open feedback and criticism from anyone, which can be uncomfortable at times, but that’s just how the process goes. You put so much thought and heart into your platform so you just really have to prepare for anything, all the while trying to remain some semblance of a social life and, of course, academics. What was the idea behind your campaign slogan “for all of us”? AS: I said in the debate itself that it’s extremely difficult to think of a slogan, a slogan that you feel really defines you and your running mate appropriately. We struggled with it a lot but ended up choosing “For All of Us,” and I’m really happy we did. I really feel like between Malia and my separate identities and the people and spaces we involve ourselves with around campus we’re really primed to make that claim more than anyone else. Everything that Malia and I have done for the school through SGA, from the moment we got on, has been wide sweeping change that has affected every student, whether it’s been the meal plan, laundry service, sexual misconduct policy change, or the new parking and wellness center proposals, everything we’ve done has really affected every student on this campus. Many of our
(campaign) points affected every student on this campus, as well, and we hope to serve as bridges for the student body moving forward, given the national climate and the polarization you’ve seen of our citizens. You had six major campaign points. Which of these do you seek to make your priority for accomplishing upon assuming office? AS: We’ve already been talking to administrators about the six platform points. Malia and I wanted to make sure that before the campaign even started that administrators had seen our platform points so that we could make sure what we were presenting to the student body was in fact feasible and that the way we were going to go about achieving the points was feasible as well. We’ve already been working hard to get a substance abuse counselor and plan to hire one for the fall semester. That’s something Georgia Ringle was extremely excited about and also Dean Shandley. In the coming weeks we look forward to working with them and solidifying this. We want to make sure we have the proper resources for students. Approximately 25% of our students may have a substance abuse issue so it’s absolutely unacceptable not to have a counselor to help solve this issue. The steps are already in place and we’re going to make sure it gets done. The next thing we’ll probably do is tackle this parking situation. Malia and I have a very strong relationship with David Holthouser, who’s in charge of Physical Plant. He’s excited to work with us on addressing student concerns about parking on campus, especially this semester considering the influx of cars. MD: Like Alex said, we wanted to make sure that all of our goals were feasible before presenting them publicly, so we made sure to talk with the administration beforehand. We are really looking forward to getting started, and I think the first order of business we would like to continue with is the substance abuse counselor. Recently Davidson has faced serious sexual assault problems, the most profiled being the arrest of Ward Coleman. What specific strategies, aside from those mentioned in your campaign, do you think we should utilize to help prevent further assaults? AS: Besides reexamining our sexual misconduct
policy, which we’re going to continue to do every three years, we’re going to firm up our bystander training program at Davidson. Malia and I are excited to talk to Dean Shandley more about some plans he has that are in place. The student body will hear more about these plans later. We’ll also talk with the Rape Awareness Committee which will serve as an important resource for us, because we don’t have all the answers. This is a serious problem at Davidson and to think Malia and I have all the answers is silly. MD: Like we said many times during our campaign, nothing can get done without collaboration within the SGA body and also with other student groups. RAC and the Student Health Advisors have done a tremendous job on campus already on this, and like Alex said, they will serve as an important resource for us looking forward, especially on increasing bystander education training. With the Black Lives Matter movement coming to campus in full force during the first semester, it has become very apparent that some minority groups feel marginalized and isolated on campus. Do you think lack of diversity is a serious issue at Davidson and if so, do programs like your “Cats for Cats” initiative seek to address such a problem? MD: I think Davidson has made progress just in the past two years to increase diversity, which is a great start. But that is just a start, as diversity takes many forms. We spoke with Dean Gruber about the Cats for Cats initiative, which he is excited to work on with us, especially in light of the call for more diversity on campus. As a school, we really need to make sure that we stay true to our commitment to diversity which is what Cats for Cats aims to do. In the wake of the now-infamous Trump executive order regarding immigration from the Middle East, what can you as President do to make sure students from affected countries and Muslim students feel welcome and safe on campus? Alex, how has being a second-generation Iranian-American affected you during this process? AS: We’ll work with a variety of student groups that feel marginalized both on campus and na-
tionally, such as the Muslim Student Association, and continue to promote their events. In terms of undocumented students here as well, President Quillen has done an incredible job working with them and getting them legal counsel. The administration has provided adequate resources to make sure the students are taken care of. What I’ll do is make sure that the administration continues their commitment to those students and provides them the necessary resources. Also, for me this is a really personal issue not just because I know students here on campus that are facing these issues but I also have family here that are on student and work visas and their lives and their futures in the United States are in jeopardy as Iranians. I’m excited to be in the position I am now to promote my culture and the cultures of the Middle East in general. I think it’s really important to provide avenues for students on campus to share each other's stories because we are facing big national problems that go beyond the Davidson bubble. What will you do to help increase transparency and help students feel like SGA truly represents their voices? AS: We’re going to push the new initiative structure so that not only each senator understands and feels like they are an adequate and effective member of the body but we’re also going to involve non-SGA members in the process so that they can understand what we’re doing and feel like they have the tools to enact change on campus. I think what’s really important in my role and Malia’s role is that we have our six ideas and we’re excited to realize those ideas but there are so many more issues we face here on campus. We want to provide our students with the resources they need to both identify and address issues with our help. MD: Another order of business that we want to address within the SGA body that will aim to transfer out to the student body is for direct involvement and action on projects and more community outreach. Our goals cannot be accomplished by just one, two, or even three people; these are group efforts. Additionally, we want to make sure that everyone knows that SGA meetings are open to the student body for attendance. You do not have to be in SGA to come to them and provide feedback or input.
Getz's Performance Art Highlights Israel-Palestine Conflict Continued from Page 1 that too often one’s observations are characterized as anti-Israel or anti-Zionist if they are not 100% positive. Chaplain Rob Spach further opened up the conversation by asking if there were parallels within the Muslim community about a hesitance or tension surrounding the conversation. Students echoed a similar lack of communication in their communities over the violence and historical identity rooted in the conflict. Organizations such as New Ground are helping by creating open spaces for American Muslim and Jewish commu-
nities to engage in authentic communication and mutual cooperation. These groups believe that Islamophobia in the Jewish community and antiSemitism in the Muslim community should be confronted and dismantled. Getz agrees, “We need to learn to talk to people we disagree with for our own benefit,” especially in light of the Trump administration’s waffling on a two-state solution and Israel’s wave of settlements in the West Bank. The last part of conversation included an overview of the intricate politics of the Palestine/Israel debate. Waleed Alkoor '19 enjoyed Saturday’s event. “I don’t often get to see the emotional narrative of the other side and get to connect with it.… My
grandparents and parents are Palestinian refugees, and it is hard to look at another perspective when the subject in question has caused your family so much pain and difficulty. Recently, I have been more open and reading stories from the other side. It is one thing to learn about the conflict in class as a historical or political event rather than a personal family history.” Alkoor especially appreciated when Getz asked how many students felt uncomfortable talking about this around family. The Palestinian national identity has become so politicized that Palestinian art or athletes are seen as a product of the political climate of the country instead of independent agents. It is difficult to disclose one’s
Palestinian identity without being asked about the conflict or judged based on the history. Alkoor sees this within his own community. When he speaks to his grandmother, controversy often leads to emotional reactions: “I don’t know how I would even begin to convince my grandmother that Israel is a free and legitimate state when she was literally dragged out of her house for not being of a certain religion.” The Israeli Palestinian conflict continues to weigh on our local and national community, and Getz’s performance opened up a forum that began to free the tension students experience.
Collaboration Leads to Learning Opportunities, Activism Continued from Page 1 the Trump administration—not necessarily to Trump himself, but rather to specific Executive Orders and other actions that the team of Davidson Teach-Ins believe to be unconstitutional and unjust. In order to achieve this goal, they need as many people discussing and protesting these issues as possible. The team wants to focus on reaching those who do not usually come to these types of events. Ruback shares, “We are trying to find different places we can advertise. Different email lists we can get involved with… get the Bio department to encourage students who might be interested in this issue who don’t necessarily have room in
their schedule to take these classes… Or athletes who have really hectic practice schedules, who therefore can’t attend the normal '6:30 in the Union' conversations at night.” The team has found potential solutions to these problems by using one of the most public spaces in campus at its most popular time: the Union, during common hour, with a microphone. Ruhlen says the team’s mission has been met with success: “The conversations that have been happening over email, or running into Summit or in the Union, around the possibilities that can occur or the ideas that come up when people hear what we are doing have been incredibly affirming. This is a campus filled with people who know things and want to do things.” As for the future of the Davidson Teach-Ins,
the team hopes that the organization will continue on after Ruback and Simone graduate. Students could adapt the platform and structure to any number of problems, allowing great freedom to the next generation of leaders. There are plenty of opportunities right now that any student or professor can lend a hand with, such as public relations and advertising duties. As Simone says, “The more voices the better!” Ruhlen agrees: “There is lots and lots and lots of work to be done and far too few students are actually doing it. Like, if someone could do specific publicity tasks. There are little bitty tasks who want to help in a behind the scenes way, we can put them to work.” Although this is a politically-oriented endeavor, the team stresses that it is not a partisan
project. The organization is not resisting Trump himself, but rather building capacity to resist his administration. The group is working tirelessly to “create spaces of welcome and opportunity for people who don’t agree with necessarily progressive liberal politics but who are opposed to what is happening in this country and want to participate and to build capacity to resist this administration,” according to Ruhlen. Davidson Teach-Ins has been received with warm success and expects more to come. If interested in becoming part of the task force or participating in an event, please contact: Arden Simone (arsimone@davidson.edu), Rachel Ruback (raruback@davidson.edu), or Professor Rebecca Ruhlen (reruhlen@davidson.edu).
news
Page 3
Krouded App Creator Awarded Avinger Scholarship COLLEEN KARLOVICH Staff Writer
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s summer break approaches, campus is buzzing with new ideas for summer plans. However, there are some students on campus who are going in a bit of a different direction than the typical internship path. Some student entrepreneurs have been working tirelessly on their own products, choosing to trust themselves and their ideas. Davidson’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative works to create opportunities for young entrepreneurs. One of the most popular opportunities is the Avinger Scholarship, an award established in honor of former Economics Professor Robert L. Avinger, Jr. ‘60. The scholarship is awarded to a rising sophomore, junior, or senior who shows the vision, qualities, and passions of an innovator as evidenced by their creativity, energy, and initiative. Applicants must give significant evidence of their commitment to their proposed idea, is-
from Queen City Forward, Downes says The Lean Startup by Eric Ries helped him strategize taking risks and develop his ideas. Downes plans to use the funds provided by the Avinger Scholarship to cover costs of development, marketing, and living while attending another entrepreneurship incubator this summer. The team hopes to launch the app by this summer. Downes appreciates the guidance provided by the Davidson Entrepreneurship and Innovation Initiative. For Downes, the Avinger has allowed him to take risks and turn his own ideas into reality. “If somebody has an idea that they really want to try out, the Venture Lab is a great way to go. It was such an informative experience. Even if I got to the end of it and decided that entrepreneurship wasn’t for me, it would have been an amazing experience.”
"If somebody has an idea that they really want to try out, the Venture Lab is a great way to go. It was such an informative experience. Even if I got to the end of it and decided that entrepreneurship wasn’t for me, it would have been an amazing experience.”
The oficial Krouded logo. Photo courtesy of Krouded's Facebook page
sue, project, or venture. Selection takes place in late October. Avinger recipients are given a guaranteed space in the application-year Venture Lab program and up to $5000 in seed funds. One of the 2016 Avinger Scholars is Houston Downes ‘18 from Little Rock, Arkansas. Downes won for his app, Krouded, that allows users to crowdsource restaurant wait times. With co-founders Julius Hatcher ’18 and Matt Walker ’18, the team has been working on the company since their first pitch at Davidson’s inaugural 3-Day startup event in September of last year. Downes shared the story of Krouded’s creation as the common plight of any hungry customera two hour wait time at the preferred restaurant. After searching and calling other restaurants, the idea for the app came to Downes. “It made sense,” comments Downes. “There is not currently a central location for everyone to get this information. People are already waiting on their phones, so an app would be a good way to have people to tell each other what the wait times are at these restaurants.” “The general idea is that my post becomes your time saver and your post can become my time saver,” adds Walker. Downes, Walker, and Hatcher spent last summer participating in Queen City Forward, an entrepreneurship incubator in Charlotte. “Queen City Forward is exactly what we needed,” says Walker. “We had this idea for an app, we knew where we wanted to go, we had knowledge from Davidson, but we didn’t know anything about business.” Downes adds, “Davidson helps students get pretty far down any road they decide to be on, but Queen City Forward gave us direction. Any question we had about technical aspects of starting a business we could get answered really easily. We got a lot of mentorship, and we got a lot of work done really fast.” In addition to support
Davidsonian.com
crime log Time Reported
Description / Location
02/15/17 at 1830 hrs
Larceny Misdemeanor (Bicycle) at Belk Property Located
02/18/17 at 0008 hrs
Simple Assault at Armfield Dean Referral.
02/19/17 at 1300 hrs
Injury to Personal Property (Vehicle) at Armfield PVA Further Investigation.
02/20/17 at 0930 hrs
Sexual Battery at Northeast Side of Campus Criminal Prosecution Declined
Houston Downes (second from left) presented Krouded at ImpactU Demo Day in August 2016. Photo courtesy of Krouded's Facebook page
living davidson
Page 4
February 22, 2017
Fundraising Takes a New Form Via The Davidson Dance Marathon MARY PORTER LIVING DAVIDSON EDITOR
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n Friday, February 17th, the first student-organized Dance Marathon at Davidson was held in the Lily Gallery. I spoke with Kelly Friers '18, Brooke Rosenbaum '19 and Nika Fendler '19 regarding the inspiration and purpose of the Dance Marathon, the plans for which began last May. What follows is a lightly edited transcript of my interview with them: MP: What is a Dance Marathon? BR: Dance marathons are part of a national movement through Children’s Miracle Network (CMN). Schools around the U.S. hold these events ranging from 5 to 48 hours with the purpose of raising money and awareness for CMN sponsored hospitals in the area of the institution. We dance, play games, watch student performances, and hear stories from children who were treated at the beneficiary hospital. Everything we do is FTK (for the kids!). MP: Why was the Levine Children’s Hospital chosen as the beneficiary of the Dance Marathon? KF: Dance Marathon is a movement that was created by Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) to benefit local CMN hospitals. Levine Children’s Hospital is the nearest CMN’s hospital to Davidson, and therefore
is our beneficiary. BR: It is an incredible institution that was named the best children’s hospital for its cardiology and heart surgery, nephrology, orthopedics, and neurology and neurosurgery in 2016-2017. Not only do they provide advanced medical care, but they strive to create a comfortable and enjoyable environment for the children and their families to mitigate some of the stresses of being hospital bound. The hospital thrives on donations from benefactors and Dance Marathons. MP: How many people attended your event? KF: I believe we had between 70 and 75 people registered to dance which is a great turnout for our first event! BR: Six families with children who were treated at LCH [also attended]. MP: How much money did your event raise, approximately? KF: We raised $6469.84 FTK! Our goal was $5000. We had no idea we were going to see a number this high, but blew the goal away with help from the generosity of dancers and donors and could not be happier to be able to give this money to Levine Children’s. BR: We do still have some donations trickling in, so the actual total will be even higher. MP: Are there future fundraising plans for the Levine Children’s Hospital?
KF: Yes, there are future plans! We are planning on making Davidson Dance Marathon an annual event and continue to help raise money for LCH. The kids are constantly fighting their battles and the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff are constantly working to help them, so we want to be able to constantly support in any way we can. We are always looking for more people to help out and get involved in our mission—anyone who is interested should let me know and I’ll be sure to get in touch with you. BR: [Additionally,] we plan to hold events throughout the year to raise awareness and funds for LCH, including a book drive, guest speakers from the hospital, and the celebration of Child Health Day (October 3rd). MP: Why is this cause important to you? NF: This cause is extremely important to me because of the amazing work they do at Levine’s Children’s Hospital and the lives of all the kids who have been treated there and have been able to leave as healthy, happy children. I also think it’s really important for Davidson students to be able to support our local community and give back. The funds we were able to raise for the hospital this year showed me that it is possible as college students to make an impact in our community. KF: This cause is so important to me because I’ve seen what these children’s hospitals can
do. I grew up in Central Pennsylvania where Mini-THONs were held in high schools across the state, including mine. MiniTHON left a lasting impression on me, and I was thrilled when I saw the opportunity to bring one to Davidson. After meeting the Miracle Kids and their families, and seeing how happy and healthy they are because of what LCH did, it is hard to not be on their side. BR: Everyone on [the Dance Marathon’s executive board] has a personal interest in raising money and awareness for LCH. Other than my strong belief that children suffering from life threatening illnesses should be a healthcare priority, I spent significant amount of time with foster children in hospitals over the years. I experienced the stresses of a hospital environment and the effects of enduring prolonged hospital stays. When I visited LCH, it was unlike any hospital I had ever been to…It is cheery, well decorated and they provide a number of resources for children and families to relax or educate themselves. I am honored to have put on the first of many Dance Marathons in the name of LCH. You can learn more about the Dance Marathon and donate through their website: http://dcdancemarathon.wixsite.com/catsthonwild/donate
Davidson Dance Marathon Photos Courtesy of Kelly Friers '18
THE CHEW 2.22 Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles
Adapted from cooking.nytimes.com Want your favorite recipe featured? Email editor Mary Porter at maporter@davidson.edu to get involved!
Ingredients
Directions
1 pound Chinese egg noodles (1/8-inch-thick), fresh or frozen 2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash 3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar 2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste, or to taste Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch by 2-inch sticks ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes; they should retain a hint of chewiness. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chili-garlic paste. 3. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.
perspectives
page 5
February 22, 2017
Popping My Personal Davidson Bubble ZACH MILLER
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onsidering the amount of thought I put into critiquing The Davidson Bubble, you’d think I would do more to pop it. My days here tend to fill up quickly, and the frantic pace leaves little time for the conversations I value most. Even when I stumble into free time for discussions, my opinion operates mainly as a vehicle to pack in as many complaints as possible. When I’m tired, I become much more critical of the organizations that tug for my time. When I’m at odds with a friend, I become much more critical of Davidson’s social scene. These “conversations” are really all about me. I neither expect nor welcome any kind of rebuttal. Usually there is none. I’m in my bubble. There is nothing inherently wrong with one-way venting, but systematically disguising it as legitimate, two-way conversation only leaves me less open to differing opinions in any discussion. When someone says something I disagree with, I make quick eye contact with a friend, slip a wink, and chuckle to myself. Later, in the sanctity of Richardson Hall, I will obliterate their argument with my like-minded peers. In a world where polarization, gridlock, neo-anything,
and a lack of empathy are becoming the norm, I can’t afford to watch myself slip further into a mindset that ignores opinions I do not already have a prideful stake in, and, more insidiously, writes off the bearer of that opinion as a bumbling idiot. If I do, I will be undeserving of any social or political capital, and I will fail to meet the moral expectations I have set for myself. At Davidson, it’s surprisingly easy to surround myself with people who, on the surface, believe a lot of the same things I do. I could use classwork and a small group of friends to insulate myself, and I would still be able to have an impact on campus. When I go home, though, it’s a different story. In my small town there are many more people who see the world differently than I do, and their life has shaped their views just as my experiences have influenced mine. To close myself off to differing opinions would mean accepting the idea that progress will never be made on issues I care about. Similarly, writing people off would make more enemies than friends, and I would be left with no base of support for any social action I wish to take. If I’m committed to doing more than complaining, I must be on good terms with as many people as possible. Coalition building will simultaneously refine my opinions and grant others the opportunity to be heard, and, as one in a community of students who pride themselves on being
socially active and having a real impact, I can’t think of a more productive scenario. Orchestrating compromise, however, is not an attractive enough reason for me to make an extreme effort to be more open. Eventually the grind will wear me down, and, in a selfish fit of pride and exhaustion, I will throw my prospects of social and political capital out the window to welcome the comfort that comes when I crawl back in my bubble. I need a better reason. I have already received a relatively elite education. We all have. And I believe the obligation to initiate empathy is placed on me, and us, because of it. If we don’t, who will? We have studied history, politics, economics, psychology, biology, ecology, physics. The list of the things we know would take more time to compile than I can estimate. Why should we not genuinely seek to understand what people believe and why they believe it? We have been taught ideas and theories, but when we do not allow real people to teach us how they have reached their opinions, we close ourselves to a deeper understanding of the world we actually live in. Similarly, if I do not initiate empathy, I cannot expect anyone to understand why I believe the things I do. It is easy for me to initiate empathy when it is returned, but I must persist even when met with hostility. I can choose to take my bubble and go home, but I must first relinquish my right to
expect others to hear me. Again, if we who have the time and the knowledge to consider such questions do not initiate empathy, we have significantly decreased the chance that anyone will. Society may not explicitly burden us with this obligation, but if we want to hand our children a world less divided than ours we should put the burden on ourselves. Before closing, I must add that there are times I should write an opinion off, but these instances occur much less frequently than I would like to admit. From my bubble, I often choose to hear only the loudest, most obnoxious opinions, and I use them to justify tuning out entire groups. This is not acceptable. I am failing to initiate empathy because of one or two extreme opinions. There are times I should give no empathy, but if I am truly trying to reconcile divisions I believe these instances will be rare exceptions to the rule. This is a challenge to myself. I am convinced that empathy can heal divisions, but empathy is not an easy thing to muster. I hope that by committing to my beliefs in writing I will be forced to follow through. If I do, my bubble will begin to pop.
To me, one Blue Cliff monk, Brother Bodhi, especially exemplified this balance between a focus on spirituality and an embrace of our fundamental humanity. Brother Bodhi had a laugh like a goose and eyes that bugged out when he got excited about something. He could both ice skate on a frozen pond with glee and engage in conversations about Buddhist teachings on conflict resolution with sincerity. His energy and zest for life was contagious, his exuberance so far from the traditional image I held of monks. His love of laughter and play was reflected in almost everything he did. Of course, our time at Blue Cliff had to end, and so soon we returned to Davidson, a community I hadn’t interacted with since last May since I spent last semester in Bolivia. Returning to Davidson, my intention to continue practicing mindfulness in my daily life has been partially fulfilled. While I’ve remained more aware of how I am feeling and have been able to focus more on self-care than I have in the past, I quickly slipped away from meditating regularly and eating mindfully (truly focusing on my food rather than simultaneously thinking or doing something else). As one nun had warned, it is difficult to live a monastic lifestyle in the outside world. Our culture is so built around rushing, achieving and exhausting ourselves mentally and physically that withdrawal from such a lifestyle is not easy. My first week back at Davidson this semester I was hit hard by
my overfilled schedule, and upset that I could not find time for myself. Yet, as the weeks have worn on, I’ve readjusted little by little to this unhealthy pace. Most importantly, though, my time at Blue Cliff reminded me that, despite the overwhelming political realities, the piles of homework and the onslaught of emails that I face each day, there are spaces in this world that will allow me to slow down and rediscover the present. Some of those places are tangible, such as a monastery or my favorite hiking trail. The intangible space that I can always reliably return to, however, is within me— my breath. When I feel overwhelmed or immobilized by stress, I can always take a moment to center myself, sit up tall and breathe in, and then release. Often, just the simple reminder that I am still breathing can help me refocus myself and find a greater sense of calm in difficult situations. As many monks and nuns would recite during daily meditations at Blue Cliff: “Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.” And in that moment, my breath is my consolation, a truth that I can feel rushing in and out of my living body.
Zach Miller, '20, is an undeclared student from Morehead City, North Carolina. Contact him at zamiller@davidson.edu.
Why Mindfulness Matters NATALIE SKOWLUND
I
t was bitterly cold outside, around 15 degrees, with snow covering the ground. Our steps were calm, molding carefully into the snow beneath us, the silence like a soft embrace. We were a large group, perhaps 20 or 30 strong , and yet no one said a word. The only sounds were of pine branches creaking, segments of the icy river bubbling over stones and a bird singing its high winter song. In the union of my inner quiet with the stillness around me, an unexpected feeling hit me: the connections between us all, silent together as we walked through the woods, experiencing the same wilderness in a diversity of ways. I spent a week in early January of 2017 at the Blue Cliff Monastery in Pine Bush, New York with nine other Davidson students. Blue Cliff is a Buddhist monastery that follows the teachings of Thich Nhat Han. The monastery houses both monks and nuns who have devoted a period of time, or their whole lives, to the pursuit of mindfulness and simplicity. Although all of us students came with different interests and prior experiences,, we united around a common desire to explore the practice of mindfulness and how we might incorporate it into our lives at Davidson.
Days began early, with a morning meditation at 6 am—before the sunrise., We then followed a daily routine grounded in the rhythm of intentionality and gradual transitions. From mid-morning walking meditations through the nearby forest to mealtimes spent savoring each bite of vegan fare as it entered our mouths, I found my experience at Blue Cliff itself to be a meditation on my lifestyle. I considered anew how I would live my life if I truly prioritized compassion for myself and the communities and natural environments around me. I refer to meditation, though, in the most human sense of the word—a practice that is just that, a practice. My time at Blue Cliff was far from a pure, perfectly “holy” experience. Rather, my desires, preoccupations and insecurities remained with me, reminding me that I have a long way to go before I can live fully in the present. Maybe, though, the practices of mindfulness and meditation don’t actually aim for perfection. Instead, they give us tools to live more fully in a flawed and uncertain reality, and even accept our own shortcomings with less self-judgment. When we think of monasteries or other spiritually-endowed communities or locations, there is often an expectation that something close to divinity exists in those spaces—it feels wrong to laugh at potty humor or crave goat cheese when I’m supposed to be pursuing the questions of meaning and spiritual understanding 24/7.
the davidsonian staff editors-in-chief news editors
living davidson editor perspectives editor
Emma Johnson Matt Landini Olivia Daniels Kate McNaughton AJ Naddaff Steffaney Wood Mary Porter Erin Davenport
yowl editors
Paul Henderson Sophie McHugh
sports editor
Ian Robertson
photo editor
Abby Miller
web editor business manager copy editors
Emma Johnson Austin Newsome Yashi Gunawardena Lucas Weals
Natalie Skowlund, '18, is a Political Science major, Spanish minor from Oswego, Oregon. Contact her at naskowlund@davidson.edu
The hi MoM issue Commons Workers Have A Good Hard Chuckle Every Time “Marijuana” Is Suggested For Spice Rack
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Student Feigns Satisfaction With “Co-Secretary” Position After Several Failed E-board Campaigns
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ENV Professor Holds Class Outside, Can’t Stop Nervously Glancing at Trees Blooming Out Of Season
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Lack of Ambient Noise in Library Bathroom Makes For Intimate Sh*tting Experience
Police Chief Todd Sigler Travels Country to Get The Old Team Back Together for One Last Job According to reports, Davidson College Police Chief Todd Sigler traveled to various locations across the country last week in order to recruit his old team of specialists for what he described as “one last job.” The search was reportedly spurned on by an on-campus investigation that Sigler said “was too big to tackle alone,” and would, in turn, require him to “call in some favors.” “What do you say, for old times sake,” Sigler was heard saying to his old demolitions expert Roach after arriving at his Montana cattle ranch unannounced in a black-out Chevy Camaro. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about that op in Belize. You still owe me one.” When asked whom else he had talked to about the job, Sigler informed Roach that he was “getting the old team back together,” and that their former computer expert and hacker Sasha was already in. “C’mon, Roach, don’t give me that ‘I’m retired’ bullsh*t. Guys like us don’t
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Charlotte’s ‘Little Italy’ Just Quiznos With Meatball Sub Special
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On Sexual Assault, President Quillen Softly Reiterates Student Screams
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Sad Little Pile of Napkins in F Bathroom Trying Its Best to Fill in For Toilet Paper
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Patrick’s Contributions:
“Keep on Truckin’!”
Your Davidson Honor Section
Editors: Henderson, McHugh et al. Writers: F*cking Toothpaste Man Will & Margo Grog Holding Out Hope 4 Pat My Way or the Shumway
Note: The Yowl is a satirical supplement to The Davidsonian. Hence, nothing in it should be taken as truth. Word.
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This Issue Brought to You By: A Series of Awkward and Unspoken Truths
“What do you say, for old times sake? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about that op in Belize. You still owe me one.” retire. Besides, I need you on this one. People’s lives could be at stake here, and I need the best.” Roach reportedly looked wistfully at his two children playing in a nearby pasture before finally shaking Sigler’s hand. Sigler also made a stop in Reno to speak to Turk, who had formerly served as his team’s “muscle.” “Quite the gig you got going here,” Sigler said, taking a seat at Turk’s empty blackjack table. “Hit me.” Turk, once a champion bare-knuckle boxer, was reportedly taken aback by Sigler’s assertion that “he had gone soft” and accepted the Davidson College Police Chief ’s proposition minutes later. Sigler’s travels also took him to a yacht off the coast of the British Virgin Islands, a record store in Seattle, a Charleston-area dog racing track and a Newark dive bar where he spoke to twins and safe-cracking experts Tess and Teresa Gould. “Mac and Riggs already told they’re in,” Sigler was heard saying to the pair after ordering a neat scotch from the bartender. “If you guys are interested, then all we need is a driver. Got anyone else in mind?” Sigler, dressed in a freshly pressed suit and sunglasses, was later seen sitting in the lobby of the hotel where street racer Danny “Drift-King” Miles was staying.
Gayle In Cat Card Services Tempted Yet Again To Set Up Fake ID Business Sweating nervously as she printed a replacement cat card for errant first year Giacomo Eisler '20, Cat Card Services Assistant Gayle Daily was once again overcome with the temptation to set up a black market fake ID business in her Base Belk office. “It was the strangest thing,” Eisler reported, “She started to perspire and then she asked me if I’d ever be interested in ‘swiping in a few years early,’ and I didn’t know what to think.” Apparently, this isn’t the first time Gayle has flirted with the idea of entering a life of crime. Her manager at Cat Card Services, Anne Cavett, has kept a watchful eye over her in the past. “Gayle has a good heart, but anyone in a position as powerful as Cat Card Services Assistant needs a constitution of steel. The thing is, we’ve got the resources. A state of the art color photography scanner, a closet full of plastic card stock, and a school full of underage students whose moral compass is only applied to plagiarizing papers and cheating on take-homes. I’ve thought about it myself, to be honest.” “Sources within RLO conThe jury is still out on whether firmed that Gayle was seen prematurely issuing 21+ Cat Cards falls into a legal grey area or not, pacing back and forth bebut there have been reports of an tween a potted plant and the influx of first years at 21 YON’s since Gayle got insulated windows Cat Card Services heavy-duty installed in her Cornelius home. laminator muttering to herSources within RLO confirmed that Gayle was seen pacing back self, ‘No, no you can’t. Don’t and forth between a potted plant be stupid, you know what’s at and the Cat Card Services heavyduty laminator muttering to herstake here.” self, “No, no you can’t. Don’t be stupid, you know what’s at stake here.” Whatever route Gayle decides to take with her nefarious business plan, one thing is for certain: There’s a market for her goods. “I’d rather get a fake from someone I trust instead of dealing with Mooresville Mike again,” confided one sophomore, who wished to remain anonymous. “Though I hope it doesn’t cost extra to use a photo other than the one my mom took senior year for my Student ID.” At press time, Gayle was consulting a reference photo of an Ohio state ID and had just ordered a sample supply of holographic strip paper for “a leisurely crafting project”.
2017 Planner Given False Hope By Recent Flurry of Frantic Use Following a rare spurt of usage, Imogen Pinkett’s mint condition 2017 planner reportedly was given a false sense of hope that it would soon become a vital part of Pinkett’s daily life. The planner, which contains a spread for every week of the calendar year and features delightful sections such as “To-Do Lists”, “Goals for the Week” and even a “Space of Infinite Possibility”, was finally touched by Pinkett earlier this week after months of lying dormant. On Monday, February 20th, the sophomore anthropology major vaguely jotted “3:30 meeting?” underneath a small doodle of a rabbit. “It was the most thrilling moment of my life. I felt like I was truly fulfilling my destiny, if only for a second.” said the planner of the encounter. Unfortunately, Pinkett’s brief engagement with the agenda, which she bought for $29.99 on Amazon shortly before the beginning of the spring semester, has not repeated itself since. “What a tease,” said the nautical themed monogrammed agenda, “I don’t know why she even keeps me around if I don’t mean anything to
“The 2017 planner is just the latest in a long line of attempts on Pinkett’s part to get organized. Before this year’s agenda came a week-long relationship with iCal, followed by a brief foray into the world of Outlook Calendar.”
her. My lifelong dream is for my pages to develop that desirable leathery quality from overuse, but at this point I’m still as crisp as I was in my original packaging. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be for me and Imogen.” The 2017 planner is just the latest in a long line of attempts on Pinkett’s part to get organized. Before this year’s agenda came a week-long relationship with iCal, followed by a brief foray into the world of Outlook Calendar. “She also wrote ‘my birthday!!!’ on a page in June, which seemed promising, but that was the last time a pencil stroked my pages,” this year’s planner noted, adding, “I even come with stickers. I really don’t know what I’m doing wrong here.” As the first day of March inches closer, Pinkett’s 2015 and 2016 agendas have reportedly begun readying themselves for a new tenant to join them in their current residence-- a cramped corner of Pinkett’s “old sh*t” drawer.
sports
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February 22, 2017
Men’s Basketball Gearing Up for A-10 Tournament JONATHAN SWANN Staff Writer
“A
fter beating George Washington last Wednesday and UMass this past Saturday, the men’s basketball team is looking to keep the momentum going in their final conference games before the A10 tournament in Pittsburgh on March 8-12. With a 1411 record (and 7-7 record in conference play), the ‘Cats are hoping for a run in the tournament to bolster their credentials and perhaps win the championship to grab an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Overall, this season hasn’t been the best for Wildcat fans and the team. Davidson was picked to finish 4th in the A10 in the preseason poll, but is currently sitting in 8th place. There’s a number of reasons for this. Injuries are a big reason, as it seems like every player has struggled with some sort of injury over the course of the season. Jack Gibbs '17 missed the first game of the season against Appalachian State with a knee injury suffered in practice, and that injury has foreshadowed the flurry of injuries and other ailments the team has faced. Dusan Kovacevic '20, who redshirted last year because of an injury, was lost to another season-ending injury last month. Jordan Watkins ’18 dealt with a concussion and was out a number of games and Will Magarity '18 just suffered a concussion as well. Rusty Reigel '18 did not play in a few games because of the flu, and Nathan Ekwu '18 had a knee injury that kept him out of action
for about a month. In the UMass game, Peyton Aldridge '18 suffered an injury in the game versus UMass, and it was clear he wasn’t 100% the rest of the game. Gibbs recently broke his nose in practice and has been wearing a mask the past few games. Gibbs and Aldridge form the second most productive duo in the nation, with Gibbs 15th in the nation with 21.2 points per game and Aldridge 23rd in the nation with 20.2 points per game; their combined points per game is only behind Marcus Keene and Braylon Ranson from Central Michigan. Aldridge is also averaging 7.7 rebounds per game. When either Gibbs or Aldrige doesn’t play well, the other players on the team need to step up, and in a number of games that has happened, but in other games it has not. However, the freshmen on the team has proven they are talented and can form a solid foundation for the years to come. Jon Axel Gudmunsson '20, from Iceland, has started all but one game and has averaged 32 minutes a game. He is averaging 7.8 points per game, along with 3.5 assists per game and 32 steals. His composed play as a guard has eased the pressure on Gibbs to carry the ball up the floor. Kishawn Pritchett ’20, a redshirt freshman, is now part of the starting lineup and has good ball-handling skills as well. Magarity, a transfer from Boston College, has played a solid role on the team as a big man, averaging 9.1 points per game and 5.2 rebounds. With the extent of Magarity’s concussion unknown, Andrew McAuliffe '17 and Ekwu need to step up, and McAuliffe so far has shown he is capable, with a career-high 14 points against UMass.
In their nonconference games, the Wildcats have compiled a 7-4 record, with good wins over Missouri and Arizona State. A loss to former conference foe College of Charleston was a tough blow. In December, the ‘Cats played UNC and Kansas, two national title contenders this year. The game at UNC was exciting, as the ‘Cats started strong, fell behind, but mounted a comeback
late in the second half to pull within three. In the end, the free throws and three-point shooting of the Tar Heels allowed the Heels to win 83-74. Though the ‘Cats led at halftime versus Kansas, the talent of the Jayhawks meant the Wildcats were unable to sustain their lead and lost 89-71. The conference play of the ‘Cats has been up and down. Losses to Richmond and GW initially led to a 2-2 record in the next four games, highlighted by a quality win against VCU. After that the ‘Cats had a 3-game winning streak against Duquesne, Fordham, and St. Joseph’s and then a 3-game losing streak against URI, George Mason, and VCU, and now a 2-game winning streak. To say the ‘Cats have been inconsistent this season is an understatement, but that’s college basketball to some extent. (Just think of March Madness). The talent is there, but the play hasn’t always showed up to match it. But with only a few conference games left to play, and the ‘Cats currently on a winning streak, the momentum could help the team in the next few games and the A10 tournament. In the tournament, although VCU and Dayton are favorites to win the championship, in the Cats’ have the talent to beat any other A10 team and the Wildcats hope to do just that and leave a legacy, especially since Gibbs, who has drawn comparisons (warranted or unwarranted) to Steph Curry as both are talented point guards, is graduating this year.
Jack Gibbs '17 hopes his streaky shooting can take the Cats’ far in the A-10 Tournament. Photo by Abby Miller
Photos of the Week
Alec Acosta ‘18 . Photo by Abby Miller
Justine Lyon '19 in the Cats’ victory over Rhode Island. Photo by Yilin Wang
Kendall Thieleman '17 fights past an England defender. Photo by Yilin Wang
TTHE HE D DAVIDSONIAN AVIDSONIAN Swim Teams Shine at A-10 Championships
Swim Teams Shine at
Elise Lankiewiecz '17 Photo by Ruth Ann-Bode Elise Lankiewiecz ‘17 Photo by Mike Scott
February 21st, 2016