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THE
Feb. 3, 2023 Vol. 98, No. 10 @HUStudentPubs Facebook: Harding University Student Publications
Online at TheLink.Harding.edu
Searcy, Ark., 72149
HULA rearranges trip due to protests EMMA JONES editor-in-chief The spring 2023 Harding University in Latin America (HULA) program has slightly rearranged its planned itinerary due to continued protests in Peru making transportation in the country unreliable. HULA students flew into Lima, Peru, Feb. 2 and then headed to Buenos Aires, Argentina, instead of flying straight into Arequipa, Peru, where the program is headquartered. According to HULA director Jeremy Daggett, citizens of Peru have been protesting for a new congress and a reformed constitution after a failed coup by former President Pedro Castillo on Dec. 7. Castillo was elected in 2021, and the indigenous and underrepresented peoples of the Peruvian provinces hoped he would bring change to their government, but it soon became clear he was susceptible to corruption and incompetent to lead, according to Daggett. After the coup, in which Castillo tried to dissolve congress, he was arrested, and Vice President Dina Boluarte took over as Peru’s sixth president in five years. “The people of the provinces were disappointed by the president that was supposed to be
their champion, and they’re asking for new elections for president and new elections for congress in hopes that something might finally change,” Daggett said. Daggett said though protesting is a normal part of Peruvian culture, altercations with police and military forces have led to some of the protests becoming violent. According to a Jan. 27 article by The New York Times, at least 57 deaths have occurred related to the unrest. Daggett said the concern with HULA staying in Arequipa is not due to the violence, as the protests are organized, and citizens can find out ahead of time where they will be located. Rather, the concern was more that travel into the Arequipa airport wouldn’t be possible or that the group would be restricted from traveling outside the country. “We were planning on traveling to Argentina on Feb. 9 and now we’re traveling on Feb. 4, so the only big change has been moving up our trip five days,” Daggett said. “That gives us a little bit more time for things to iron out. I don’t currently anticipate having to extend our stay in Argentina. I’m confident that we’ll be able to do a really special Arequipa-based HULA program.” Director of International Programs (IP) Audra Pleasant said her office has been monitoring the situation and still
feels the program can be headquartered in Arequipa this semester. “The situation in Peru is fluid, and we’re monitoring it closely,” Pleasant said. “If circumstances change, and we no longer feel that we can provide an excellent program or reasonable safety for all program participants, we will adapt the itinerary as needed.” Freshman Mikayla Jones is one of the students studying abroad at HULA this semester. She said the program directors and IP office have done a good job at making the group feel safe and informed about the situation in Peru. “Some of my friends who went to HULA in the past said their only regret was that they couldn’t spend more time in Buenos Aires, so with that in mind I am so excited to explore that city for even more time,” Jones said.
Daggett said they are hopeful about HULA returning to Peru to continue with their planned schedule after visiting Argentina. “We love HULA, we love Peru, we love hosting HULA in Peru, and we’re really hopeful that things can be settled in the coming weeks so we can be comfortable continuing on the program based in Peru,” Daggett said.
Photo provided by Jeana Willmon
The Edificio Bencich building near the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which the spring 2022 HULA program visited while in the city. Last year’s HULA program was the first to visit Buenos Aires, and the spring 2023 program will be starting their semester there.
Gov. Sanders signs order regarding academic finances SOPHIE THIBODEAUX student writer SOPHIE ROSSITTO news editor Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order concerning academic and financial plans in the state on Thursday, Jan. 19. This executive order aims to reduce inefficient spending and relieve administrative burdens on school districts, according to an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article on Jan. 20. Sanders said she aims to create a more cohesive system in which each school district can apply to receive federal and state funding by submitting a single, unified application, starting in the 2024-25 budget cycle. Under Sanders’ executive order, the Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva will review state laws and regulations concerning public schools and districts in Arkansas, according to a Jan. 19 report from television station THV11. He will then proceed to recommend to Sanders reforms based on what is needed. Oliva will also create a process for school districts to send feedback to his department about state laws, regulations and more. Dr. Steve Breezeel, professor of political science, said the nature of this order is uncertain. “I know that school funding is one of the biggest obstacles that public schools in Arkansas face,” Breezeel said “This is one of those things where you never know
exactly until you actually see what the final product looks like.” Dr. Kieth Williams, associate professor of education, said this order will bring a large number of changes. “It may involve curriculum, it might involve methods of instruction, additional people to be involved in teaching reading, we just don’t know because she hasn’t released any information on that,” Williams said. “There needs to be something in it with teacher compensation. That’s going to be a major point.” Williams also said Sanders added a caveat about accountability of teachers. “It’s going to become a very sensitive issue in the ranks of all the professionals and teachers in the state because the variables that impact learning are many times overlooked by those who make the laws,” Williams said. Dr. David Bangs, department chair of the graduate education program, discussed the specifics concerning teacher pay to watch for in this new education order from Sanders. “No one disagrees that teachers should be paid more,” Bangs said. “No one disagrees that police officers should be paid more, but trying to define that money and pull that in is a whole different ball game. … Those salary schedules are put in with lanes, experience and education, and when you put that in, that’s a recurring expense every year for that district. No one’s going to dispute some of those things. You have to find a way to pay for it, and that’s where it gets difficult.”
Graphic by WAGNER VALDEZ
Artist talk, 2A
In this issue: 3 vs. 3 basketball, 1B
New pet store, 2B
Burns supper, 4B