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FR E E

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Volume CXXVI, Issue No. 3 · December 6, 2021

Serving Gettysburg College since 1897

PAG E 7

‘I demand a better future for Gettysburg students’ Why the College should take mental health seriously

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: On Gratitude

BY PHOEBE DOSCHER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

When I think about the challenges and life changes over the past year, I’m both perplexed and proud—perplexed by the ways our world has changed, but proud of the ways we’ve shifted right along with it. At this time last year, we attempted to publish editions of the Gettysburgian magazine fully online, and by online, I mean no laid-out pages, no print copies, just articles that went on the website filed under the magazine tab. At the time, it was a bummer to see a semester’s worth of magazine content be published online, but we made it work to the best of our abilities and got back on track in the spring. Now, we’re pushing through with the third and final Gettysburgian print edition of the semester. We made it through a semester of fully remote publication, a semester of mostly regular print publication, and now, consistent, normal publication. Print and online. On campus, in person. This Gettysburgian magazine, or any of the articles that come out of The Gettysburgian on a daily basis, would not be possible without the incredibly hardworking team of editors, writers, and photographers that continuously bring their best selves to their work and amaze me every day. We started out the year with editors that were all almost entirely new to The Gettysburgian, or at least new to the editorial board, and they’ve proven to be some of the kindest, most dedicated individuals with which I’ve had the pleasure to work. This magazine, we go all over the place—looking behind the curtain at the College’s new master’s program in American history in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute, featuring the inaugural Director of Gender Equity and LGBTQIA+ Life Amanda Del Gaudio, even sharing a personal take on navigating ADHD and calls for improved accomodations on campus. Dive deep with us into the structures that inform the student experience, and remember the students behind the stories at this publication.

All my best,

Phoebe Doscher ‘22 Editor-in-Chief The Gettysburgian

(Photo Aly Leia Wein/The Gettysburgian)

Reader, thanks for coming along for the ride. And to all my Gettysburgian staffers, I’m honored to be working alongside you and appreciate all your hard work over this undoubtedly challenging year. You make my work easy, and should be proud of how well you’re documenting Gettysburg’s story.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

Gilder Lehrman Masters Program

The Gilder Lehrman Masters Program in American History will begin at Gettysburg College in the fall of 2022.

Senior Spotlight: Brian Buchele

Opinion: Disability Accomodations

Casey Ottaway ’22 discusses disability accomodations at Gettysburg College.

Discrepancies in Sickness Policies

Learn more about Brian Buechele’s ’22 role in “Into the Woods” and experience with the Sunderman Conservatory.

Students find discrepancies in how professors handle absences in this “new normal.”

10 Amanda Del Gaudio

Amanda Del Gaudio sat down with The Gettysburgian to talk about their role as the inaugural Director of Gender Equity and LGBTQIA+ Life.

Ziv Carmi ’23 discusses the importance of professors valuing diversity of thought in the classroom.

Orange and Blue Days

What are Orange and Blue Days? Learn more about the tradition started this semester.

Editorial: A Call for More

21 Inclusionary Practices

The Gettysburgian Editorial Board discusses systemic changes at Gettysburg College pertaining to accessibility and inclusion.

Women’s Volleyball and Men’s Soccer Success

Learn more about the fall 2021 successes of the women’s volleyball and men’s soccer teams.

(Photo Aly Leia Wein/The Gettysburgian)

Opinion: Securing Freedom of Thought in the Classroom

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

NEWS

Gettysburg to Sponsor Gilder Lehrman Master’s Program in American History BY PHOEBE DOSCHER

t the Oct. 7 faculty meeting, faculty voted to move forward with the proposed online master’s in American history program in conjunction with the Gilder Lehrman Institute (GLI). The program, aimed at high school history teachers, will be taught by scholars from around the country, and will operate under the auspices of Gettysburg College, starting in the fall of 2022. Background on the Gilder Lehrman Master’s Program At the Sept. 9 faculty meeting, President Bob Iuliano and Provost Jack Ryan brought the proposed partnership with the Gilder Lehrman MA in American History program to the table for discussion. “What we’re doing here is just adding an online program for adult learners,” Ryan said. “It has nothing to do with our undergraduate population. It has everything to do with helping students all across America better understand American history.” The 30-credit degree program is fully accredited and open to K-12 educators with a bachelor’s degree who are affiliated with the GLI, in addition to librarians, National Park employees, district supervisors, and museum professionals. Master’s candidates are required to take ten three-credit courses, including a historiography and historical methods course and a capstone or thesis. “This group of adult learners … is spread across 29,000 high schools all across the

United States,” Ryan said. “They’re in all 50 states. From the mercenary perspective, it puts us in contact with all these schools, and it puts us in contact with all these students.” Online courses will be taught by distinguished faculty on a variety of topics, including “Women in the American Revolution,” “Race and Rights in American History,” “The American Civil War,” and “World War II.” “Most of the courses that are already in place are really taught by significant teacherscholars—names that resonate with people, like David Blight, [who has] a recent book about Frederick Douglass, [and] Catherine Clinton—she helped us begin our Civil War Studies program,” said Ryan. The lectures are asynchronous; master’s candidates are able to attend between three and five synchronous discussion sessions with the teaching assistant assigned to the course. A total of 837 students are currently enrolled in the program; each three-credit course costs $750, totalling $7,500 for the entirety of the master’s program for one student. The Timeline GLI President Jim Basker proposed bringing the program to Gettysburg in May 2021. The program currently operates under Pace University, and was housed at Adams State University in Colorado prior to that.

After the initial proposal, Ryan, Iuliano, History Professor Tim Shannon and Provost Chris Zappe held a meeting in June with the GLI’s Basker, Chief Operating Officer Katherine Mott, and Assistant Director of the MA Program Josh Burnett. Shannon presented questions to the GLI at the meeting, and the history department agreed to move forward with the program. “The history department was very pleased that Bob and Chris and Jack brought the proposal to the department to vet it, and we took that responsibility seriously,” History Department Chair Dina Lowy said. “We asked for syllabi, we wanted to check on the academic rigor of the program, and we were satisfied with what we saw.” Following the meeting, Gettysburg devised a crossdivisional working group of faculty and staff to discuss the program. “The working group’s charge was threefold: [First], evaluate the College’s technical readiness to support a program like this, and the resources that we might need to scale up to operate the program. Number two, evaluation of operational and administrative readiness in the ongoing incremental resources that we would need to support a program of this magnitude. And three, identifying the federal, state, and Middle States requirements for offering the program,” Ryan said. At the Oct. 4 meeting, the faculty voted on the Gilder Lehrman MA in American

History Professor Allen Guelzo. The successful course ran as part of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s Self-Paced Course offerings, and Guelzo taught another GLI course in 2016.

History program with 114 yeas, 14 nays, and 17 abstensions, causing it to pass by a large margin. The College plans to submit the substantive change documents and State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements for authorization of the postsecondary distance education by Jan. 1, 2022. The approval time following submission of these documents could take four to six weeks.

(Photo Mary Fraiser/The Gettysburgian)

Before the GLI brought the proposed sponsorship of the MA in American History to Gettysburg, the College prepared a substantive change document for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in the fall of 2020 to reflect the online offerings for courses during the pandemic. “[The document] gave us a bit of a dry run, so now we know what to do, at least with the first document that we have to complete the substantive changes,” Ryan said. The program will likely have more than 500 active students when the program transfers to Gettysburg for the fall 2022 semester. Gettysburg’s History with

Gilder Lehrman Gettysburg’s connection to the GLI goes back to 1990, when the College first partnered with philanthropists and businessmen Richard Gilder and Lewis Lehrman to create the Lincoln Prize, an annual award given for excellence in scholarly work on Abraham Lincoln. At the time, Gilder and Lehrman created the $50,000 prize with Prof. Emeritus Gabor Boritt, former director of the Civil War Institute. Gilder and Lehrman co-created the Gilder Lehrman Collection, a private archive of artifacts and documents, and served as principals of New York’s Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “The GLI has hosted a number of summer workshops here on campus, and has been an essential partner in the implementation of the College’s Civil War Institute,” Ryan explained. In 2014, the GLI asked Gettysburg to pilot the master’s program by recording online courses taught by three-time award-winner of the Lincoln Prize and former

The GLI asked Gettysburg to consider the MA in American History in 2017, when their sponsorship with Adams State University came to an end due to reaccrediation issues, and Gettysburg considered the program, but did not have enough time to implement it. In 2018, Gilder and Lehrman, in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), established the Gilder Lehrman NEH Professorship of Civil War Era Studies at Gettysburg. The endowment, which exceeds $2,000,000, was initially held by Guelzo and is now held by History and Civil War Era Studies Professor Jim Downs. Bringing the GLI to Gettysburg Gettysburg will assume oversight of the program in place of its previous sponsor, Pace University. The program did not prove cost-effective for Pace, nor was their sponsorship indicative of a connection to American history. The sponsorship terminated after the three-year contract lapsed. The GLI found that Gettysburg’s sponsorship better reflected the connection to United States history, though the GLI has not expressed directly why they ended the sponsorship under Pace. “I don’t think that the Gilder Lehrman Institute thinks that Pace is the appropriate sponsor for what they have to offer. THE GETTYSBURGIAN

The campus that’s in lower Manhattan sits right in front of the Brooklyn Bridge, that might be the only real, viable connection to American history,” Ryan said. The program will not impact Gettysburg’s Carnegie Classification, which classifies the College as a Baccalaureate College with Arts & Sciences Focus. When the partnership is finalized, students will receive a diploma from Gettysburg upon completion of the master’s program; GLI is not an accredited university.

“We think this would be a welcome addition to our programming and a valuable connection for Gettysburg College to teachers throughout the US,” Lowy said on behalf of the history department. Financial Concerns: A “Competitive Landscape” At the Oct. 7 faculty meeting, President Iuliano addressed the reasons behind partnering with the GLI for the master’s program. He spoke about how the program meets Gettysburg’s strategic goals in attracting a robust student body, and provides another source of revenue to support the College’s “expensive” model.

Iuliano also mentioned that the 80 percent of the College’s operating budget comes from tuition, room, and board, but the net tuition the College receives from students is steadily declining due to various reasons, such as income inequality, demographic changes, skepticism about the value of education, and increased competition. “The competitive landscape for a decreasing number of students attending college has become more and more intense. … The average firstyear this year is paying

$10,000 less per student than the average student did just eight years ago, and that’s even with the tuition increases that have happened over that time,” he said. “So, in short, we have a high reliance on traditional tuition revenue. And that alone is no longer a winning strategy. We have to diversify our sources of revenue.” The revenue concerns coupled with the College’s challenges with yield—which has declined by 50 percent since 2012— caused the College to look to the Gilder Lehrman MA in American History as an outside source of revenue. The College also identified with the GLI for its history with Gettysburg, its reputation and academic rigor, and reach to high school teachers in an affordable, fully online opportunity. “I think it’s a helpful step towards generating additional resources, both fiscal and enrollment, to permit us to do what drew us here in the first instance and that is supporting a vibrant liberal arts and sciences education, in which our students and faculty can thrive,” Iuliano said.

(Photo Maggie Galloway/The Gettysburgian)

The history department at Gettysburg will be a part of strategic planning for the program, with the opportunity to review the syllabi and serve on the faculty. Half of Gettysburg’s history professors are Americanists, and Professor Downs will be offering a GLI course in the spring.

“Our educational model is inherently expensive because it’s a model that emphasizes high-touch, high quality interactions between faculty and students and indeed across the entire student experience,” he said. Contributing factors to the expense include no graduate assistance, small class sizes, and the co-curricular and extra-curricular environment. “All of this adds up to a remarkably effective education, but again, an education that is really expensive to support.”

OPINIONS

OPINION:AN INVISIBLE DISEASE: MENTAL HEALTH CARE AT GETTYSBURG COLLEGE BY MIKELYN BRITT M

ental health in college is a complicated issue which many are uncomfortable confronting. The difficulty surrounding mental health conversations does not lessen the importance of its impact on students’ lives. Gettysburg College’s mental health policies and resources are insufficient for students and creates a harmful environment, inhibiting academics and student wellbeing.

“While every student may not feel the need to seek out mental health resources, they should be available to every student. Plan for everyone, not just the expected.” Gettysburg College mental health resources are limited and stretched between a growing campus population. The five full-time and two part-time counselors available are wonderful individuals who are being saturated with full schedules and demand for more sessions. Counseling Services sees approximately 30 percent of Gettysburg’s population. Gettysburg College has approximately 2,600 students on campus. That means that each counselor is roughly accountable for the mental wellbeing of 111 students. These calculations only account for the students who go to counseling, but the population

would grow if there was more positive conversation around mental health at the college. While every student may not feel the need to seek out mental health resources, they should be available to every student. Plan for everyone, not just the expected. The College’s Counseling Services page expresses these limitations explicitly, saying that students will not be “guaranteed weekly appointments.” Once again, the counselors are not at fault for these issues. Gettysburg College must take mental health seriously. These mental health issues are not unique to Gettysburg College. The American College Health Association (ACHA) surveyed students and the results are staggering, “about 60 percent of respondents felt ‘overwhelming’ anxiety, while 40 percent experienced depression so severe they had difficulty functioning.” College students all across America are sharing alarming levels of anxiety and depression without adequate help from universities. While many students on campus are struggling with mental health issues, few actions have taken place to create a healthier environment in the classroom. Many professors at the college have strict attendance policies which include detailed differences between excused and unexcused absences. Physical health has become a priority since the rise of the

COVID-19 pandemic, but the increase in mental health stressors have not been accounted for. Professors are often more willing to excuse a fever than a panic attack. When attempting to explain situations, many students, including myself, have found that professors lack compassion for mental illness and often relate it to the idea of being a “bad student.” Of course this is not to say that all professors on campus have subscribed to these harmful notions around mental health, but there is a serious issue with those who do.

“I am supposed to be finding who I want to be, but instead I am dealing with poor mental health which is not supported by the professors and the college’s ill-planning of their counseling department.” College is meant to be a time of liberation. These are the days of newfound freedom and locating autonomy. I crave the fondness I was promised. I am supposed to be finding who I want to be, but instead I am dealing with poor mental health which is not supported by the professors and the college’s ill-planning of their counseling department. I demand change. I demand a better future for Gettysburg students.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

A&E

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: BRIAN BUECHELE BY CASEY OTTAWAY

hose who saw Into the Woods in early November might remember the sensational performance of Brian Buechele ’22 as “Jack.” With a combination of brilliant (and often improvised) physical comedy, nuanced acting, and a show-stopping performance of “Giants in the Sky,” Buechele’s prodigious talent and his love of musical theater were on display for all to see. A music education major, Buechele recently performed his senior recital, “Reflection & Love: an Ode to Autumn,” on Nov. 12 for a packed Paul Recital Hall. From the fun, simple scenes of Schubert’s “Die Forelle” (“The Trout”), to the complexities of reflection in Amy Beach’s “Autumn Song,” to the playful love of Édouard Lalo’s 1888 aria “Vainement, ma bien-aimée!” (“In Vain, my Beloved!”) Buechele’s recital was a moving and entertaining performance imbued with meaning and emotion throughout.

From the beginning, musical theater has been central to Buechele’s life as a musician. Ironically, in elementary school, Buechele was a stereotypical sports-obsessed kid who groaned at the thought of a musical—that is, until he was forced to audition for one in fourth grade. “[At the audition], I just

Not long after arriving at Gettysburg in the fall of 2018 intending to become a history teacher, Buechele’s love for musical theater drove him to do something that would profoundly alter the course of his college experience, and indeed his life: He auditioned for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Dr. Susan Hochmiller, who was the show’s music director and who is now Buechele’s voice teacher at Gettysburg’s Sunderman Conservatory of Music, recalls the moment vividly. “I will never forget how I met Brian,” she said. “As a non-music major in his first year, he auditioned for ‘Spelling Bee’ and had a uniquely vibrant high tenor voice. I said to him, ‘Brian, my name is Dr. Hochmiller and I coordinate the voice area in the Sunderman

Conservatory. Why do I not know your name?’” The moment was just as memorable for Buechele; when asked to reflect on Hochmiller’s influence on his experience both musically and personally, he immediately began with the same story. At Hochmiller’s suggestion, Brian began taking non-major voice lessons in his second semester. In addition to how much she has helped him grow as a musician, Buechele also credits Hochmiller for helping him to settle in Gettysburg. As many first-years everywhere do, he felt a little out of place during his first semester of college. Uncertain if he was where he wanted to be, Brian seriously considered transferring. “It was Dr. Hochmiller, along with some of my friends… that really

(Photo provided)

Buechele’s recital serves as the culmination of his music education degree at Gettysburg. However, his journey to this point was not a simple one. His path has been full of twists and turns, challenges and joys.

remember being so into it at that moment, but I was like, ‘Why am I into this?’” From that point on, he said, “I just kept doing it… Musicals were the thing that brought [me to] love ... creating music … in the first place.”

our musical theater productions, [in] operas, and [he just] sang a beautiful senior recital,” Hochmiller said, smiling. “He is a joy to teach. I am so glad he auditioned for the musical his first semester!”

(Photo Abbey Frisco/Gettysburg College)

[convinced] me to stay, and not transfer,” Buechele confessed. “She helped me to see all of the great opportunities here, and she put so much confidence in me.” And yet at first, Buechele was still a general education major, not music education. That realization was to come even later, during Gettysburg College Choir’s tour in Puerto Rico his second semester. Singing in local schools there and seeing the impact that music had on those children inspired Buechele, and he realized then that he wanted to spend his life bringing about that kind of joy. By his sophomore fall, he was officially a music education major. Two years later, Brian’s senior recital represents the apogee of his music education degree. Because of its importance and its scope, he carefully planned the contents of the recital over the course of several semesters. Since musical theatre has had a strong impact on his life, when he was planning his recital program, Buechele knew he would finish with a musical theatre piece. “Musicals are where

my love of music started, and that’s how I’m going to end my college [solo] career,” he told me. Eventually, he settled on “Corner of the Sky” from Stephen Schwartz’s 1972 musical Pippin, and he asked local pianist Sharon Hedges to accompany this final piece. “I wanted to end with ‘Corner of the Sky’ because it ends on a high C, and I like it,” Buechele said. “The note is so high and open, and it expresses me searching, putting myself out there in the world.” Over the years, Buechele has developed a close friendship with Hedges, whom he affectionately addresses by her first name. “She means a lot to me,” he said. “Sharon basically started my musical career here at Gettysburg [accompanying] my audition for ‘Spelling Bee’ … and I wanted my last solo musical performance to be with Sharon.” After Buechele’s recital, Hochmiller had some words of great pride for her student of six semesters. “Three years later, Brian is an accomplished senior music education major who performed lead roles in

Despite getting a late start in the conservatory and in the major, Buechele has been very active as a student leader of choral groups inside and outside of the conservatory. As part of an internship with Choir Director Dr. Robert Natter, he has been a student conductor of the Gettysburg College Concert Choir. He has also worked extensively with a community children’s choir and a chorale usually run by Music Education Coordinator Dr. Brent Talbot. Brian utilized his unique perspective to offer some advice to future Sunderman students. “Use the opportunities we have,” he counseled. “The faculty likes to work with you, so ask! They may say, ‘Oh, maybe not this semester, but next semester,’ but as long as you put yourself out there, it’ll work out.” After graduation, Buechele hopes to become a middle school choir teacher that would also help out with school musicals. Teaching middle schoolers can be a unique challenge, but Buechele, who has spent several summers as a camp counselor for middle schoolers, looks forward to the task. “[Middle school] is the time in your life when you go through the most change, and the time in your life when I think you could use the most direction.”

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

FE AT U R E S

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: AMANDA DEL GAUDIO BY SYDNEY DYER

n June, Gettysburg College welcomed Amanda Del Gaudio as the inaugural Director of Gender Equity and LGBTQIA+ Life. Del Gaudio, who uses she/they pronouns, took the first full-time position as director when the college decided to combine two offices to create a single space.

Del Gaudio graduated from Montclair State University twice, getting their undergraduate and graduate degrees from the institution. Her bachelor’s degree is in women, gender and sexuality studies and family and child studies with a minor in LGBTQ studies, and her master’s degree is in counseling with a concentration in higher education. While Del Gaudio is not a licensed counselor or social worker, the role of counseling and mental health is extremely important in their position. “I chose to earn my master’s degree in counseling because it gave me important life skills of being able to actively listen, ask helpful follow up questions,

Del Gaudio was a resident director at Ramapo College of New Jersey where they also interned at the College’s Women’s Center, and in the past three years, Del Gaudio worked at Hofstra University as the Assistant Director of Intercultural Engagement and Inclusion. When asked what brought them to Gettysburg, Del Gaudio’s response focused on the tight-knit community here and how her current position has been asked for by students for several years now. Before, there had been no full-time director of either the Women’s Center or LGBTQIA+ Life. The combination of the offices and hiring a full-time director has been advocated by students, and that advocacy as well as the college’s response was in part what led Del Gaudio to the position. She is also excited to become a leader of such important resources to the community.

The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center is located on the first floor of Apple Hall and is open every day from noon to 9 p.m. during the semester. This is where Del Gaudio and her team do most of their work, creating programming and events for students as well as offering a space that all students are welcome to visit and make themselves at home.

“I believe that the number one thing that should inform GSRC programming is listening to what students need/ want!” Del Gaudio stressed that the GSRC is not just for underrepresented students, but a place for everyone on campus to come together, educate themselves, and socialize. The GSRC room has a kitchen, a hang-out space, and a study space open for all students to use. Hera’s Closet is also located within the GSRC, a closet of donated clothes for students to borrow

(Photo provided)

Their first order of business has been rebranding and hiring; a total of 10 student employees now work at the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC) as program coordinators and office assistants, and the name change has meant a fresh start for the Resource Center.

navigate difficult conversations, etc.,” they said. “These skills are important in any position, but are especially important in my role as a person someone might go to for support.”

(Photo Aly Leia Wein/The Gettysburgian)

Students convene in the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center during the Halloween Party. at Gettysburg. The Resource Center always has free safesex supplies and menstrual products available, as well as coffee and tea. Starting the last week of classes, free hot chocolate and snacks will also be readily available. When open, the front desk at the GSRC is always staffed with someone who is trained to answer questions related to gender and sexuality as well as direct students to any additional resources or information they may need. The GSRC is also available to be booked for events on 25Live by students. Del Gaudio offers training to groups upon request, usually student groups around campus such as clubs and residential assistance training. She also

made it clear that whatever a student may need, the Resource Center is there to help them get resources and that no student should hesitate to reach out. While much of Del Gaudio’s time has been spent settling in this semester, they are looking forward to ramping up the Center’s programming. All of their events are up on engageGettysburg, and they frequently post on their Instagram, @gburg_gsrc. They have a reoccurring LGBTQIA+ Discussion Group on Fridays at 4 p.m. in the Resource Center, as well as special events throughout the semester. Del Gaudio looks forward to putting on more studentrequested events, working with other offices, and possibly

inviting guest speakers in the future. She is also focused on continuing to make Gettysburg College a welcoming place for all students with its resources and community. “I believe that the number one thing that should inform GSRC programming is listening to what students need/want!” she said. “I’ve spent the time since beginning my position getting to know campus, getting to know students, getting to know the history of what the resources in my area have been available in the past, and listening to what resources and programming are wanted/needed within the GSRC for the future.”

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

A&E

The Sunderman Conservatory Announces New Faculty Members BY JULIA GOKALP

s Gettysburg College welcomed the return of the full student body this semester, new appointees were concurrently welcomed to the faculty of the Sunderman Conservatory of Music. In a series of emails addressed to the students and staff of the Conservatory, its director, James Day, introduced each of the new faculty members to the community.

Byrd was moved by the creative, contrasting improvisations of each of the artists and the expressive individuality of their interwoven music: “[An] aspect that got me was the reinforcement [that] I didn’t have to play like anyone else to have a relationship with this music. I just had to reference jazz masters in my playing, but I could totally be myself. ... [The musicians on the record] just played out of who they were.” Byrd’s teaching career began shortly after he earned his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College. “[A] year after I graduated the

He subsequently began to teach both classes and piano lessons, which he enjoyed. Currently, he is the director of Worship and Media at Frederick Church of the Brethren in Maryland, an artistin-residence and gospel choir director at Messiah College, and a jazz piano instructor at Shenandoah University. He came to Gettysburg this year at the request of Paul Carr, his friend and the previous Jazz Ensemble director. He has performed alongside Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, and Mike Stern, among many others. He is also the pianist and vocalist for the Eric Byrd Trio, which also includes Alphonso Young, Jr., who has also joined the Conservatory faculty this year as an adjunct assistant professor teaching percussion. Young, who has been a professional musician for over

forty years, was also exposed to music at an early age— initially, mostly soul and R&B. In high school, he joined the jazz band where he learned different styles of jazz and developed an appreciation for the genre. He attended Shenandoah University— where, alongside Loudoun County Public Schools, he has taught since 1994—for his undergraduate degree. Throughout his career, he has played with renowned musicians; joined the Young Brothers Trio and the Robert Larson Trio; and toured across the world, including as the percussionist for the European tour of the Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies. He has been described by Eric Byrd as “unapologetically committed to ‘the sound’ of jazz.” Also joining the Conservatory’s roster of percussion professors is I Ketut Suadin, director of Gamelan Gita Semara as well as a musician, composer, teacher, puppeteer, and dancer from the Indonesian island of Bali.

(Photo Mary Fraiser/The Gettysburgian)

Among the new members of the faculty is Eric Byrd, the new director for the Jazz Ensemble. A pianist and vocalist with over thirty years of experience, he developed a passion for music at a young age. Byrd’s love of music was furthered when, in his freshman year of college, he heard jazz trumpeter Miles Davis’s record, “Kind of Blue.”

department chair asked me if I wanted to start a gospel choir,” he recalled. “I said no. She said yes. So I started the choir.”

Exposed to music after seeing his father participate in his village gamelan (a traditional Balinese ensemble of tuned percussion instruments) and participating in a children’s gamelan, he was formally trained at Konservatori Karawitan (Conservatory for the Performing Arts) in Bali. Since 1988, he has taught, traveled throughout the U.S., and performed in various gamelan. He currently directs gamelan at Bard College, Eastman School of Music, and the University of Maryland. Additionally, two members of the resident faculty ensemble, the Sunderman Wind Quintet, recently joined the faculty: Sarah McIver and Lynn Moncilovich. McIver teaches flute and coaches chamber music, and she has extensive experience as both a chamber and orchestral musician, as well as twelve years of experience touring with the U.S. Army Field Band. While she left active duty in 2015, she currently serves as Staff Sergeant of the 229th Army Band in the Maryland National Guard. Moncilovich, in addition to teaching bassoon at Gettysburg, teaches at the Music School of Delaware and the Kolker-Moncilovich Bassoon Academy. She is also the contrabassoonist of the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, second bassoonist of the Apollo Orchestra, and formerly the second bassoonist with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony and Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra. While pursuing her Masters of Music in Bassoon Performance at the University of North Texas, she

was a featured soloist with their Wind Symphony. Michaela Trnkova, who recently began to teach harp at Gettysburg, received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, where she founded a harp ensemble and currently serves as the coordinator of the Peabody Preparatory Harp Department. Throughout her career in classical and pop music, she has participated in recitals internationally, held officer positions in various Harp Society chapters, and performed for multiple presidents and alongside wellknown musicians such as Ray Charles and Clay Aiken. The newest addition to the Conservatory’s administrative team is Greta McNally, the Academic Administrative Assistant. Her role, as detailed by James Day, includes “serving as a point of contact for folks outside the Conservatory; supporting our initiatives in the areas of admissions, recruiting, communications, and marketing; [and] supporting the Director’s office.” Possessing experience and education in public relations and communications, she returns to Gettysburg after having worked here as an intern for the Office of Multicultural Engagement for three summers during her undergraduate studies at Loyola University Maryland. After this academic year, jazz studies at Gettysburg will undergo another significant change: Paul Austerlitz,

professor of Music and Africana Studies and the director of Jazz Dispatch, will be retiring. Eric Byrd will fill his role as director of Dispatch, while Amanda Heim will direct the Jazz Ensemble. Though he has been an instrumentalist for many years, he considers himself primarily an ethnomusicologist; his field is, as he explains it, “the study of music in its cultural context.” Music, he believes, is inextricably intertwined with the culture—such as the political, religious, and social factors—that surrounds it. “Music is a creative manifestation of human culture,” he said, and in order to understand a type of music fully, it is vital to know the context that underlies it. With those tenets in mind, he has pursued one of his career’s missions: to more closely link music and Africana Studies, teaching cross-listed classes between the departments. He has also advocated for credit for jazz ensembles toward the music major. With gratitude for his opportunities at Gettysburg and optimism for the Conservatory’s future, especially in the wake of the recent Music Conservatory Diversity Committee meeting, he expressed hope that the Conservatory will continue to become more inclusive. Austerlitz sees an opportunity to teach as much of the world’s music as possible and bring more people into the music community since, according to him, “[m]usic can be such a force for bringing people together.”

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

OPINIONS

Opinion: Woefully Inadequate Mental Disability Accommodations are Indicative Of Larger Problems BY CASEY OTTAWAY

am an adult with severe ADHD. I was diagnosed a decade ago, but as I’ve grown older, more mature, and more aware, it has become increasingly clear to me that educational systems have been discriminating against me for my disability for my entire life, and never has this discrimination been more prominent than here at Gettysburg.

It took me a long time to come to this realization; this is largely because, until recently, I never allowed myself to accept that my ADHD was genuinely a mental disability. Although a lot of progress has been made in recent years regarding mental health awareness, there still exists a stigma attached to people with ADHD and other neurodivergent individuals, and this stigma can subconsciously affect even those with ADHD, as it affected me for so long. The discrimination against people with ADHD is usually not deliberate, but rather an effect of neurodivergent individuals encountering hereditary structures that assume neurotypicality. At Gettysburg, it is rooted in overwork and in the rigidity of timeframes, and is expressed through the difficulty in accessing proper care and acquiring proper accommodations. Accidental discrimination is still discrimination, though. The executive dysfunction I

face is frequently debilitating, even when I’m on medication. Imagine a homework assignment of relatively average size. An average neurotypical student might sit down to begin the assignment, proceed through it, and finish it two hours later; they turn the key in the ignition and steadily work through it until the job is done. For me, though, my executive dysfunction means that I often physically cannot start my brain on command to begin such an assignment. Sometimes, it’s a good day, and I can just dive right in and finish it up in ninety minutes. However, as often as not, it’s a bad day, and I end up sitting in front of that two-hour assignment for six hours before I’m forced to choose between finishing the remaining half of the assignment or salvaging what I can of a partial night’s sleep. This semester, I’ve finally been deliberately choosing sleep in the interest of my own health, but the tradeoff is really a lose-lose one. Every time I attempt to explain the realities of my ADHD to an administrator or a professor, it feels like I am being gaslit into thinking my real experiences and needs are absurd, and that I must just be lazy. When I tried to apply for accommodations heading into this semester, I mentioned that the primary accommodation I was seeking was essentially some flexibility with due dates. To this, the administrator with whom

I was emailing responded: “Please note any request for extension on assignments is not warranted since professors provide a syllabus at the beginning of the semester, thus students have advanced notification of reading and homework assignments.”

“Every time I attempt to explain the realities of my ADHD to an administrator or professor, it feels like I am being gaslit into thinking my real experiences and needs are absurd.” Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Gettysburg is allowed to deny my accommodation request if it would change the nature of part of the curriculum. However, such a statement from the administration reveals an incredible disconnect in the college’s approach to the issue: in focusing purely on meeting the minimum legal requirements and bending over backwards in the name of “academic integrity” to avoid giving anyone an “unfair advantage,” the actual purpose of the accommodations has gone entirely over its head. The ADA was not passed for the purpose of forcing employers and schools to comply with the ADA; the ADA was passed to ensure that those with disabilities have the same opportunities to have a normal life as those without disabilities.

(Photo Aly Leia Wein/The Gettysburgian)

To point to the existence of a syllabus as a sufficient accommodation for ADHD demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of what it is to live with this disability. I have time blindness, for Pete’s sake! It’s like asking someone with depression, “Have you tried, just, not being sad?” Applying for disability accommodations at Gettysburg College requires navigating an absurd snarl of red tape. Gettysburg College counselors cannot refer a student to the school’s psychiatrist for mental disabilities like ADHD, yet the school demands a recent, full psycho-educational evaluation report to receive even minor accommodations. In addition, should a student be referred to the college psychiatrist, they can only see them for one semester, and they cannot be tested for or diagnosed with any learning disabilities; this can only be done by a psychologist, a branch of practice to which the college has no connections for students at all. The nature of the system is brutally ironic; in order to receive diagnosis, treatment, and accommodations for their

ADHD, a student with ADHD must first jump through a complex and tedious series of hoops for which their ADHD leaves them uniquely unsuited. It’s the kind of slow-moving, drawn-out process that is most difficult for someone with ADHD to keep up with. For me personally, the process was too involved and arduous a commitment to even be worth the effort, considering that the accommodation I needed most was flat-out refused to me ahead of time. Because I had to give up any hope of receiving my necessary accommodations from the school, I have to seek out something approximating accommodations from my professors individually, which can be incredibly awkward and embarrassing. This also means that, when registering for classes, the single most important variable I must consider is the flexibility of the professor. However, there is no standard way of measuring this, and no communication of this from professors or the administration. Students like me have no resources available to help us make informed decisions beyond the notoriously unreliable

RateMyProfessor.com and, if we’re lucky, a friend who has taken the class before. Because of my disability, taking any class with a professor with whom I’m unfamiliar is a game of Russian roulette that could seriously impact my GPA and my mental health. The grades of ADHD students are so often defined by penalties for late and missing work. To the extent that students should be receiving grades at all, students should be evaluated on the quality of the work they output, not on how strictly they can keep to an unnaturally rigid and unhealthily capitalistic conception of time. An easy first step towards helping neurodivergent students would be for the college to post every class’s syllabus on Student Center during the registration planning period, so that a student worried about overcommitting themself could at least get a rough picture of the course’s expectations before registering for it. Another simple yet crucial action the school needs to take is to separate the Office of Academic Advising and Student Support Services, which is asked to do too much, and finally create an office dedicated solely to helping students with disabilities. (The fact that many syllabi are arguably overpacked and overdemanding is also an important issue for the college to face, but that’s an editorial for another time.) The most important action the administration needs to take to help students with psychiatric disabilities, though, is to begin listening to them.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

NEWS

Students See Discrepancies in Sickness Policies Now that the College has Returned to “Normal” BY VANESSA IGRAS

ettysburg College students have been back in person for the entirety of this semester and in the spirit of normalcy, the College has witnessed the return of the common cold—or what students across America are calling the “frat flu.” This common cold variant appears to have symptoms extraordinarily similar to that of COVID-19. Additionally, this cold has the tendency to last weeks on end and thus, forces students to attend class whilst sick. Frustration among students is evident as accommodations are not being met in the rampant spread of this common cold variant. Opinions vary; however, an overwhelming sense of frustration appears to stem from the College’s race to normalcy. In the journey of returning to pre-pandemic times, Adjunct Economics Instructor Monica Zazworsky feels that “the College reverting back to in-person class experiences is essential.” In this light, Gettysburg College continues to hold students accountable for all missed work that may have resulted from an absence in a class. Adrienne Poissant ’22 explains that in fact, “most policy is similar to pre-COVID policies, meaning any more than three days missed causes a reduction in grades unless you communicate with the professor.” Without the threat of a pandemic, instructors were under no obligation to make special arrangements for

students who were absent from classes. This changed when the pandemic introduced a range of new obstacles for college faculty and students. The pandemic, however, also introduced a new approach to learning. With the increased usage of Zoom and Google Meets, the capabilities of students and teachers have been extended. Undoubtedly, day-to-day life on Zoom during the virtual semesters proved to be torturous and mundane for most. In a striking contrast, inperson learning this semester has been what Fiona Cheyney ’24 calls, “a breath of fresh air.” Now with the reality of inperson classes and activities, students and professors do not resort to Zoom out of necessity but rather out of convenience. Many professors have been advised against the use of Zoom by their departments, and many have ridded of the Zoom option—but not Zazworsky. She enforces in-person learning but logs onto Zoom with every lecture and records them as a means of providing a “solution for dealing with students [who are] feeling ill or [have] other things like sports, field trips, family emergencies, court dates, etc. that make attending [class] impossible.” Zazworsky believes that in providing a Zoom option for students, she can help make “them feel less stressed about having to miss the class.” She also mentioned how “this technology allows [her] to continue with the course even if snow and ice keep [her],” from safely leaving home.

Gettysburg College student Gia Komst ’24, expressed her uncertainty about providing the online option for lectures, saying, “many students abuse the privilege of Zoom.” Although this proves to be a rational fear, there are ways to mitigate the negative effects of this technology. For example, Zazworsky has her students send her an email that supplies sufficient evidence and justification for joining through Zoom. “I would like to see the College keep the technology available for professors to use as an option and as a way to relieve emotional and physical stress on students who have legitimate reasons to miss classes,” said Zazworsky. The practice of Zoom within the classroom setting has been greatly reduced; Zazworsky’s take on the matter is merely an exception. Based on this observation, many students are frustrated by the College’s rapid elimination of an effective and useful technology. Cheyney expresses her frustration surrounding the lack of accommodations in a world where COVID-19 continues to be a threat. “Many of my peers are doing the responsible thing: staying in their dorms and getting tested. However, this results in missing class time, exams that have no make-up dates, and class presentations. Students are now forced to choose between their grades and their health.” “Many students, myself included, feel that Zoom should be an option for sick students,” Cheyney added.

FE AT U R E S

POSTCARD FROM ABROAD: THANK YOU, FROM EGYPT BY BRANDON NEELY

CAIRO – As any student who travels abroad knows, there

are moments when you suddenly become aware of yourself. On my first day in Egypt, wandering through the streets, trying to find a place to buy water, it was a terrifying, overwhelming realization. I’m in Egypt, I remembered. I’m an ocean away from home, and I don’t know where to get drinking water, and I can’t handle how much sand is between my toes. I didn’t know then, sweating and watching boxy cars with Arabic license plates, that within 24 hours, I would not only have water and groceries, but also the first of many friends who would define my study abroad experience. This I realized two weeks in, as I took a break in our daily beach volleyball game. I’m in Egypt, and I have friends from across North Africa and Europe, and we are traveling to the pyramids tomorrow, and there is still sand between my toes. This moment of re-realization happens constantly these days. Sometimes it occurs when things are quiet, and you finally have a chance to catch your breath after jumping to a rushing train. I’m in Egypt, and I made it onboard, and in three hours I’ll be standing in the Mediterranean with sand between my toes. Sometimes it happens when things are loud and overwhelming. I’m in Egypt, and trying to cross a street downtown in the 6th largest city in the world, and I don’t understand more than a few words being spoken around me, and there is still sand between my toes. In these moments, there is a desire to try and give voice to what your heart feels, but this is an impossible task. No article could capture what it means to be standing at the foot of the pyramids, with millennia of history staring down at you. There are no words for the Coptic church, or the Fatimid mosque, or the Karnak temple. The wordlessness is felt most deeply when you find yourself surrounded by people you never expected to meet, much less to call friends. I’m in Egypt, and I’m sharing a meal with the most interesting, thoughtful people, from every walk of life and corner of the globe. Perhaps the laughter of good company exists to say what our languages cannot.

(Photo provided)

There is only one phrase I know of which comes close, and the response I find myself coming back to in these moments. Thank you. It is not eloquent or fancy, no, but it is humble and honest, and that is better. When I am lucky enough to be pulled out of my own head for a moment and soak in this experience, I become grateful. Thank you, friends, for your patience as I meet each of you and learn about myself in the process. Thank you, history, for letting me appreciate this world around me, these ancient stones under my feet. Thank you, Egypt, for welcoming me, challenging me, growing me. If you haven’t studied abroad yet, or aren’t sure you will, I encourage it greatly. After just a few months, I have more stories and photos and lifelong friends than I know what to do with. It is loud and quiet, overwhelming and calming. All of the clichés are true. If nothing else, it is worth it for these moments of thankfulness, cultivated through a semester in new places with people and ideas different from yourself. There is too much to write about these months in Egypt, and too few words, or time. Instead, I hope you’ll settle for my moment of awareness, and an expression of gratitude. Soon I’ll be home, then back at Gettysburg, and I can’t wait to have more of these moments. I am in the US, and sharing the same old meal with my family, and there is no sand between my toes. Thank you, thank you, all of this. THE GETTYSBURGIAN

OPINIONS

OPINION: SECURING FREE THOUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM BY ZIV CARMI

few weeks ago, a friend of mine, who was wearing a hat with an admittedly controversial Republican slogan on it, and I were speaking when someone walked over and initiated a friendly conversation with the two of us. As soon as my friend saw someone approaching, he took off his hat and stuck it in his pocket.

classmates and will face some kind of consequence if they speak their minds. Even though the class is, as it should be, an area for free speech and a flow of ideas and thoughts, many conservatives have an image of other incidents where ideological minorities were met with some kind of abuse for their belief, and thus, remain quiet.

While this incident was innocuous, his self-censorship is not an uncommon occurrence, especially after he had been insulted on several other occasions for his politically charged attire. In several other separate instances, conservative-leaning friends have told me that they do not wish to join College Republicans (CR) or even tell their other friends that they are attending CR meetings.

“Our strength as a liberal arts college lies in our ability to embrace and challenge views from every single perspective, and I think that is not emphasized enough in our daily routines.”

As a seemingly ideological minority on campus with a history of intolerance directed towards us, sometimes it appears that at times we have been intimidated into silence, self-censoring our views and opinions and negatively affecting the beautifully diverse perspectives that set apart our institution as a liberal arts college. These sentiments extend into the classroom. While, to their credit, the faculty in my experience has been extremely respectful of diversity of thought (a testament to the strong academics here), many students sometimes feel like they are ideologically outnumbered by their

The question then stands: What can the faculty do to ensure that their classrooms are ideologically inclusive? I’d like to use an example from a Civil War Era Studies course I took last spring semester about American slavery, which, of course, is an extremely difficult topic to address and one of which people might not be comfortable to speak for a variety of reasons—mainly, in my experience, due to just how uncomfortable and hard it can be to face our past head-on and grapple with it in a manner that does such a terrible and complex institution and those who suffered from it justice. On the very first day of class, before we even began to dive into the course outline, my professor said (and here I am paraphrasing the verbiage on his syllabus) that we should all be free to disagree and speak

our minds provided that we are respectful and support what we say with evidence from the readings; we should also be accepting of other ideas and concede to other people’s arguments if they are persuasive and well-reasoned. My professor repeated this every time we had a discussion on an especially difficult, sensitive, or controversial topic, and, at least to me, it felt like it helped ease the atmosphere between myself and my classmates, and also, facilitate a complex and multifaceted discussion that truly enhanced the course experience, which remains a highlight amongst a series of many other outstanding classes. As superficial as it may seem, I believe that a reminder from faculty that they will ensure free opinions so long as they are respectful and relevant, and that they will hold every student in their courses to that same standard, would do wonders in helping create an ideologically inclusive environment. Our strength as a liberal arts college lies in our ability to embrace and challenge views from every single perspective, and I think that is not emphasized enough in our daily routines. While it exists even without one, I do believe that the occasional reminder can be necessary to ensure the diversity of thought remains in our classrooms, ensuring a rich and beneficial education for us all.

NEWS

INCLUSION, UNITY, AND FUN: INTRODUCING ORANGE AND BLUE DAYS BY GRACIE MEISNER

t Gettysburg College, a new initiative seeks to foster school spirit and unity on campus in a fun and inclusive manner. Spearheaded by Vice President for Enrollment and Educational Services Carey Thompson, Orange and Blue Days take place on the first Friday of each month, encouraging Gettysburg College students, staff, alumni, members of the community, and anyone else who wishes to participate to don blue and orange clothing and accessories to show school pride.

(Photo Shawna Sherrell/Gettysburg College)

“We started Orange and Blue Days on the first Friday of October this semester with an administrative steering committee. They are a brand new thing at the college. It’s a good way to celebrate some school spirit, it’s fun, and we’ve got great colors. The whole idea is for Orange and Blue Days to be something simple and enjoyable. Everyone can participate to their comfort level,” said Thompson. In addition to fostering school spirit, Thompson feels that Orange and Blue Days can help restore the sense of unity and togetherness that was challenged by COVID-19.

of Admissions, Coordinator for Multicultural Admission, and Intercollegiate Athletics Liaison Darryl Jones notes that inclusion is a guiding principle of the initiative, and bringing all members of the community into the celebration is the ultimate goal.

something that everyone feels we’ve always done. But I’m excited that Servo has figured out orange and blue desserts, and I’m happy the bookstore is looking for ways to have orange and blue apparel and hopefully discounts the day before,” said Thompson.

“A lot of our staff participated in our first two Orange and Blue Days, and the athletic department tends to rock orange and blue every day. But now alumni are starting to pay attention, and what we’re trying to do is get the rest of the institution to have the same spirited look,” said Jones.

While Ava Collin ’25 didn’t previously know about the initiative, she looks forward to participating in the next Blue and Orange Day.

Thompson acknowledges that the newness of the initiative and its grassroots nature means it will take time for the Gettysburg community to learn about the event and participate in it, but recognizes the steps that the school has already taken in embodying it into the culture. “It’s going to take time. We’ve only had two Orange and Blue Days so far, and it takes time for any new tradition to get on its feet. There’s no budget behind this, it’s an organic movement. I’m hoping that by the spring semester, this becomes

“I feel that showing school spirit makes a campus feel like a community. It makes Gettysburg feel like a welcoming place to go to school,” said Collin. Ultimately, Jones empowers the student body to take charge of Orange and Blue and empower one another to participate in it. “Talk to each other. Use it as a way to say ‘Look, let’s show some school spirit at least on the first Friday of the month,’ and then maybe eventually it’ll become every Friday. Tell each other to wear orange and blue and sit in the stands at a game or attend an event. Pride creates a positive vibe,” said Jones.

“Orange and Blue Days are certainly about school spirit, but also unity. [COVID-19] has been hard on everybody, and this is a way to look in a new direction and allow the college and greater Gettysburg community to rally around something positive,” said Thompson. Senior Associate Director THE GETTYSBURGIAN

A&E

Senior Spotlight: Chloe Dougherty BY CASEY OTTAWAY What is your major? I am a music performance major with an East Asian studies minor. When did you first fall in love with making music?

What has been the most important part of your Conservatory experience? Connecting with the professors! Because the Conservatory is so small, you will find yourself frequently working with the same professors over and over again. I was able to build good relationships with many of the faculty, and because of that, I have received many opportunities for leadership roles and other learning experiences. The professors also want to help you outside the classroom as well; upon learning of my plans to move

What are your plans for after graduation? I am currently applying to teaching jobs in South Korea! I really want to teach while also living in East Asia, so I’m hoping I can find a job teaching high school students somewhere in Seoul. Tell me about your recital. As a music major with a minor in East Asian studies, I really wanted to tie my two fields of study together. I did lots of research into pieces written by Chinese composers for the clarinet, or pieces dedicated to Chinese clarinetists. My recital was a half-and-half fusion between European classical music and music by or inspired by Chinese musicians. hich piece in your recital W is your favorite to perform,

and which one do you feel has been most rewarding? My favorite piece definitely has to be “Colors from China’’ by Michele Mangani. It is both exhilarating to play and sounds absolutely gorgeous! The most rewarding piece, on the other hand, was Chen Yi’s “Chinese Ancient Dances.” The two movements implement extended techniques that are difficult to master, and require outstanding counting skills. It was very gratifying to take on the challenge that is this piece, and I was excited to share it with everyone! What is your advice for future Conservatory students? Make as many friends as you can, students and faculty! Connections are so important for both your social life during college and networking after you graduate. There are so many interesting people to meet on campus, and they all bring unique experiences. Ask the quiet person in your class to lunch! You will enjoy the company and gain a new friend!

(Photo provided)

Before I can even remember! My mom has shown me videos of me singing (horribly out of tune) to The Little Mermaid at three years old. I would sing it non-stop, on repeat; I was obsessed! One moment that I can remember that sticks out to me is from fourth grade. We had chosen and ordered the instruments we wanted to play and were waiting for them to arrive at the school. I was outside for recess and saw some workers from Menchey Music carrying instruments inside. I went up to them and asked very excitedly if they had any clarinets on their cart! I was so overwhelmingly excited to start my musical journey that I could not wait until the day my clarinet was delivered; It felt like years waiting for it to arrive. I was so happy when I was finally able to start playing.

abroad to teach, one of my Conservatory professors who immigrated to the United States offered to help me with the visa process. I cannot thank the faculty enough for everything they have done for me!

OPINIONS

Editorial: A Call for More Inclusionary Practices BY THE GETTYSBURGIAN EDITORIAL BOARD

ettysburg College is an institution steeped in the past. While our presence here ties our lives to the college’s rich 19th century history, it is important that our 21st century challenges are met with modern infrastructure. Today’s Gettysburgians, unlike those who first wore that title, are a varied group.

That is why we believe Gettysburg College should substantially improve the support it provides to students with physical and intellectual challenges by establishing an Office of Student Accessibility. Currently, the Office of Academic Advising and Student Support Services is tasked with handling all accommodation requests for those who require adapted learning or specific housing conditions. While the services provided by Academic Advising are not completely deficient in meeting accommodations, limited resources and personnel leave much room for improvement. Creating an Office of Student Accessibility, much like those found at Dickinson College and Franklin & Marshall College, would allow students to work with employees who possess the resources to fully focus on their needs. To us, it is clear that there should not be buildings on this campus that are inaccessible to people with physical handicaps. The college’s own website admits that some, but not all, housing options are wheelchair accessible. While buildings like Huber can more

easily accommodate students using a wheelchair, others— like Hanson—are completely inaccessible. Gettysburg College should not look merely to comply with the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act but make a conscious effort to comfortably accommodate students who depend on that infrastructure.

“Gettysburg College should be able to support all types of people—not just those whose profile matches its founders.” The under-resourced status quo places limits on both the quantity and quality of the support that we provide. In many instances, the current system fails to extend support beyond bare-bones requirements. For example, the college’s Handbook for Students with Disabilities makes it clear that the college will not “provide assessment or documentation for students with suspected disabilities”—ignoring a responsibility to students whose learning challenges may have gone previously unnoticed. Neither those currently enrolled or considering Gettysburg College should be disheartened by structures (both literal and conceptual) that do not have them in mind. Gettysburg’s small class sizes and easily traversable campus has a lot to offer students with physical and intellectual challenges.

Creating, and sufficiently funding, an Office of Student Accessibility would help those students better access a campus experience whose social dynamics can already be a massive hurdle. Gettysburg College should be able to support all types of people— not just those whose profile matches its founders. Although the College has made progress in improving diversity in the student population, we feel that it should also make a concerted effort to incorporate greater diversity into the curriculum. While cultural diversity course requirements are pointed in the right direction, diverse coursework should be more than a box on a curriculum checklist. Faculty of color should not have to be relied upon as the only sources of diverse teaching. To ensure that our curriculum prepares us for what the world really looks and thinks like, we should aim to incorporate more non-Eurocentric materials into courses across all fields of study. By diversifying our sources of intellectual study, we can extend student understandings beyond the rigid bounds of an overwhelmingly white and upper middle class framework. We believe that the College should better support not only those who have traditionally comprised it, but both the people and ideas that have greatly expanded what it means to be a Gettysburgian.

THE GETTYSBURGIAN

SPORTS

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL AND MEN’S SOCCER BRING BACK A WINNING CULTURE TO GETTYSBURG BY DAVID GOLDMAN

together at the end.”

fter over a year without live sports on the Gettysburg College campus, the Bullets are back. Women’s volleyball and men’s soccer shined on the court and on the pitch, as both teams found themselves deep in the postseason. They brought much needed spirit and excitement back to Gettysburg, where students were eager to return to normalcy.

The end did seem to be the most important part of the season for the Bullets. They won six of their last seven regular season games before they headed off to the Centennial Conference Tournament. A clean sweep of Franklin & Marshall gave the group some momentum going into a matchup with the number one ranked team in the region in Johns Hopkins. Gettysburg forced Johns Hopkins to play its first five-set match against a conference rival in three years, but the Blue Jays were up to the task. They defeated the Bullets and ended their season, but Bernier said that there were many positives to take away, some of which did not even have to do with the actual talent on the court.

Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Leah Bernier has served the Women’s Volleyball team for 12 seasons. Bernier has seen lots of success throughout her time at Gettysburg. She has posted an overall record of 164-115 and has taken her Bullets to the playoffs on five separate occasions. This year, Gettysburg volleyball dominated the competition and earned a spot in the postseason. With a 15-9 overall record and a 6-4 conference mark, the Orange and Blue saw contributions up and down their whole roster. “Everybody did their job,” Bernier said about the team’s performance. Many of the players on the team competed in their first NCAA season, as the team was composed of twelve underclass students and only five upperclass students. Bernier embraced this challenge and said that one of the most rewarding parts of the season was seeing her players grow as athletes and humans, and “watching them realize they were good when it all came

“The energy behind this team was a joy to be around, and our bench culture was really good,” said Bernier. “We started changing the culture within the last few years to make sure we were paying attention to that aspect of the game.”

Libero Chelsea O’Leary ’24 attested to this impactful culture change. “Our overall team mindset was shifted towards winning and we are definitely a hungrier team.” O’Leary provided reliable defense all season and recorded over 400 digs. With such a young team, the bar can only go up from here. Defensive specialist Callie Pidoriano ’24 is eager to see what the team can accomplish next year when they return most of the same roster, and she has the utmost confidence in their ability to repeat success. “I definitely think you’ll be seeing us in the conference championships next season.” Pidoriano was converted from setter to defensive specialist this season and thrived under the role with close to 200 digs on the year. The volleyball squad also saw an incredible season performance from outside hitter Zanze Kuba-McCoy ’23, who was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III All-

America Team. Kuba-McCoy is the first to achieve national recognition at Gettysburg in 17 years. She averaged 3.88 kills per set and finished ninth overall in the Centennial conference with 3.17 digs per set. The 2021 Bullets volleyball season was a success, and they look forward to building on this in the offseason.

(Photos Luca España/The Gettysburgian)

Men’s Soccer Over on Clark Field, the men’s soccer team also marched their way into the playoffs after an impressive 13-6-2 overall finish, with a 5-3-1 conference record. Coach Mark Mettrick led this squad through the extremely difficult competition of the Centennial Conference. Mettrick began his eighth season as head coach this year. His career highlight was the 2019 season where his group qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship for the first time in 18 years, so Mettrick is no stranger to successful soccer programs. In fact, Coach Mettrick is now only three wins away from winning 300 games in his career, 74 of them earned at Gettysburg. When asked about the drive of this team, Mettrick

emphasized the work they put in and the leadership that emerged prior to the season starting. “I think the work we did in the offseason was essential to our success.” Like all college teams, the soccer squad took on the challenges that COVID-19 presented, but those players who were able to be on campus in the spring “set a great example in terms of strength and conditioning,” which carried over into the season. Mettrick mentioned that COVID-19 was not the only challenge this team faced, also speaking on the many injuries his players suffered. This meant that players had to step up in crucial roles and be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. In addition, Mettrick highlighted that despite how difficult his team’s schedule was this season, the Bullets still found ways to win games. Gettysburg scored the most goals in the Centennial Conference, “which is one of the top soccer conferences in Division III.” Not only did this team click on the field, but goalkeeper Kevin Muhic ’24 mentioned that the men were connected off the field as well. “We are all best

friends and get along very well.” Muhic went on to talk about the strong support of his teammates, by saying that “guys not playing always supported the guys on the field.” The goalkeeper racked up 82 saves this year, which accounted for his 0.752 save percentage. The Gettysburg team performed well in the playoffs when they knocked off Swarthmore in overtime and then defeated highly ranked Johns Hopkins. The Bullets lost to Washington College in the Centennial Conference championship, but they were not ready to let their season end just yet. The team eagerly awaited the announcement of the 64-team field that would be able to participate in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Gettysburg heard its name called and instantly began to prepare for their trip to Cortland, New York, where they were to face off against Kean University. The Orange and Blue came up short in the first round of the tournament despite a careerhigh 9-save game from Muhic. Now the team must look forward to next year, where success is not guaranteed according to Mettrick. “Every year is different,” he said. “We will continue to play a nationally competitive schedule and try and compete on the national level of Division III soccer.” Men’s soccer gave sportsdeprived Bullets fans something to cheer about after a long-awaited return.

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