THE MIRROR Week of April 3, 2024 | Vol. 51 Issue 8
Independent student newspaper
fairfieldmirror.com
RecPlex Kicks Off 4th Annual Stags Go Move Challenge
BY BRIDGET KEOHANE Assistant News Editor
Bridget Keohane/The Mirror
Dylan Gordon pictured in his office on the fourth floor of the Barone Campus Center. He assumed the role of Senior Director, Equity at Fairfield University after the role had been vacant for several years.
Fairfield University Hires New Equity Director, Dylan Gordon BY ERICA SCHINDLER Assistant News Editor After several years without a permanent Senior Director of Equity at Fairfield University, Dylan Gordon was hired for the position this past January. In this role, Gordon will also serve as the university’s Title IX Coordinator and handle reports of discrimination and misconduct. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, commonly referred to as simply Title IX, is a federal law banning sex-based discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funding. According to the U.S. Department of Education, Title IX states the following: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Title IX areas of obligation for recipient schools include admissions, financial assistance, athletics, employment, treatment of LGBT+ students and sex-based harassment. Sex-based harassment “encompasses sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence.” This means that sexual assault and harassment are outlawed by Title IX. When an instance of this is reported, Gordon takes a step-by-step approach to handle the situation. “When a report is made to me of a potential Title IX violation, the first step is reaching out to the involved individual and making them aware of their rights under the law, the University’s policy and procedures and of the resources that are
available to them,” Gordon states. “Then I work with that person to explore their options and guide them through the choices they have, whether to pursue a formal Title IX process, engage in an informal resolution, discover a restorative solution, seek a no-contact order and/or receive supportive measures from the University.” Students may also turn to Fairfield University’s online sexual misconduct page for resources. The page includes a section – at the bottom – labeled “Title IX Training Materials.” This section
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When a report is made to me of a potential Title IX violation, the first step is reaching out to the involved individual and making them aware of their rights under the law, the University’s policy and procedures and of the resources that are available to them.” -Dylan Gordon Senior Director, Equity at Fairfield University contains links to the student handbook, training materials and other Title IX resources. Within the training materials
page are resources for both students and faculty. Here, the university defines sexual violence and sexual harassment. “What constitutes sexual misconduct at Fairfield University encompasses a wide range of behaviors, including, but not limited to, harassment of a sexual nature, stalking, intimate partner violence, intimidation and sexual exploitation,” the website says. “The University prohibits all forms of sexual violence, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.” Going into more detail about what guidelines are in place at Fairfield, the page explains that students who have experienced sexual harassment or other Title IX violations can self-report by emailing equity@fairfield.edu or by calling Public Safety. A victim’s peer can also report on their behalf. While Title IX was designed to protect students, some students choose not to report for a variety of reasons. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), one in five women and one in 16 men experience sexual assault in college. Yet, more than 90 percent of sexual assaults go unreported. Whether or not a Fairifled student chooses to file a report, Gordon says the Office of Equity is here for them. “Students who may have experienced a sexual assault, dating violence, stalking or other harassment may have just had one of the worst experiences in their life,” Gordon states. “To these students, I say, explore your support and resources, there is help available, whether you need someone to hear your story, or
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On April 1, the Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Recreation Complex (RecPlex) kicked off their fourth annual Stags Go Move Challenge, in an attempt to encourage physical activity amongst college students. The challenge will be taking place until April 30 and gives undergraduates the opportunity to log their minutes of activity to be entered into raffles for weekly prizes. This comes at a time when studies have found that university students, specifically first-years, are at risk for developing an unhealthy lifestyle. While the “Freshman 15” – the belief that college students frequently gain 15 pounds during their first year – has largely been deemed a myth, students are given more autonomy in college compared to high school, and for some, physical activity may not be a priority. A study done by Western Kentucky University cites some of the benefits college students can find in working out. These benefits include improved memory retention, a boosted mood and an outlet to relieve stress. The Stags Go Move Challenge gives students an opportunity to reap the benefits of working out while also offering prizes. Students are encouraged to create an account on the Stags Go Move website with their university email and participate in the challenge as an individual or with their friends as a team. Students have a higher chance of winning Stag Bucks when they create or join a team. Other prizes offered to challenge participants this year include Oculus VR Headsets, spikeball nets, gift cards, t-shirts, hoodies, and more! Prizes are not based on the total number of minutes spent working out. As someone who is participating in the challenge for the first time, Junior Alexander White expressed excitement over the opportunity to
win prizes while staying active: “The Stags Go Move challenge is a great way for Fairfield students to get up and active. The inclusion of prizes and the friendly competition really drives the challenge and allows it to be a main staple of the RecPlex and something for members of the gym to look forward to year around. While I have worked at the RecPlex for a few years now, this will be my first time fully participating, and I plan on being in the gym everyday. It’s a fun challenge which I think everyone should participate in; and this year hopefully you’ll see my name on the leaderboards!” Participants in the challenge are instructed to track their minutes of movement directly on the website. The FAQ section of the website states that “movement is defined as any intentional exercise that causes at least a small increase in breathing or heart rate. This includes cardio, strength/ resistance, mind/body, and sports/ fitness.” When participants log their workout, they are prompted to indicate the type of exercise performed and its duration. There is no limit to the amount of movement or daily number of minutes a participant can log. The workouts that are logged can only be seen by the individual logging them and Fairfield’s challenge administrator. To encourage some friendly competition, the website also divides the participants by class year, displaying the number of minutes logged from each grade level, as well as graduate students. As of April 2, the Class of 2024 was leading the challenge with a total of 926 minutes logged. In addition to hosting the Stags Go Move Challenge, the RecPlex is also offering a number of other fun activities throughout the month of April. These include a trip to the Yankee Game on April 7, a Student Smash Away as a stress reliever before finals on April 30 and a number of workout classes – including Yoga on the Library Lawn on May 1.
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April 1 marks the start of the RecPlex’s Stags Go Move Challenge. Students can utilize machines like those pictured above to stay active.
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