Feb 11, 2015 - on Twitter. @ BCclarion. Prose & Con(gress). Single girl's ...... people like Beyonce, Kerry Washingt
The
Clarion
Volume 80, Issue 19
www.brevard.edu/clarion
Web Edition
SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935
Single girl’s guide to Valentine’s Day By Gabby Smith Opinion Editor
If you were to right now google “Valentine's Day for singles,” you’d get back a million hits with suggestions of how to be single during Valentines Day and not seem pathetic. However, upon reading these suggestions you’d realize that they themselves are pretty pathetic. “Love yourself extra,” “treat yourself to chocolate,” “give and be happy for others.” You’d feel more depressed by reading about Valentine’s day than you would being dumped on Valentine's Day. Why is it such a bad thing to be single on Valentine's? People are single all the time, so why does this particular day have to be any worse, the answer is that it doesn’t. So now, being a single girl myself, I’ve decided to write a non-pathetic and actually realistic way to celebrate the day even if you’re single. The Single Girls Guide to Valentine's Day Step 1: Look fierce! Ok, so everybody else is going to look their best because they expect their significant other to take notice and buy them expensive stuff, but us single girls have different motives. Dress to depress, look so good that you make other girls wish they had thought to wear that. At the end of the day
Editor in Chief
Valentine’s Day is coming up and like every year of my life so far, it snuck up on me. I probably wouldn’t have known it was this weekend if not for the Clarion. Like most other days, I will probably spend it sitting alone in my room watching the Daily Show on my computer and making a point to ignore my homework. Like many of my LGBT peers, I haven’t really gotten to participate in Valentine’s Day in the past. Because I attend a school with a limited gay population and because I have known I was gay and have been fairly open about my sexuality for a number of years now, I haven’t really done Valentine’s Day. And, although I still won’t do anything special this year, this year will be different for many LGBT community members. Valentine’s day has become a classic day for marriages, which makes sense as one of the only love centered holidays, and this year more people have the option to get married in their home state than ever before.
February 11, 2015
you don’t have to look good for anybody but you. Step 2: Eat everything! You don’t need to eat dainty bites because, unlike homegirl with the hot boyfriend who works at Starbucks, you aren’t going out to dinner with anybody and even if you were why limit yourself that way? Don’t eat a salad, eat a steak! Also, don’t eat chocolate just because it’s Valentine's, eat it because you like it and you’d eat it any other time. Step 3: Talk that Talk! I’m firmly against homewrecking, but if you’ve got game now is the perfect time to use it. Flirt a little or a lot depending on your own personal preference. Or if you’re not into talking to actual people just look at all those guys you like on TV and tell them what’s what. The point is that you already look good and have treated yourself to a fine meal so now be the diva that you really are and stalk some man-meat, or woman-meat because I don’t discriminate in my articles. Step 4: Do you, Literally! We’re in college so it’s safe to assume that the vast majority of us either have sex or masturbate on a semi-constant basis, that being said, today is your day. So what, you don’t have a significant other? If it hasn’t stopped you before, why should it stop you now? Not having a “bae” on Valentine's
Day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel satisfied. Step 5: Laugh at pathetic gifts Alright so this might be a tad bit mean but nevertheless it’s great. As a girl we know when a gift says “baby I love you” and when it says “I’m a cheap piece of crap and you shouldn’t have sex with me ever.” Because we know these things, it is perfectly ok to discretely laugh at gifts that go into the second category, because though she might say she likes it, you know what she’s really thinking. Step 6: Keep it moving! There’s nobody around to judge if you binge watch Scandal on Netflix, or eat your weight in potato chips, or put avocado mask on your face, and for this very reason you should do all those things. Don’t let the lack of a significant other send you into a downward spiral where you go to sleep in tears, instead feel free to do the things you’d normally do at night whatever they may be. Valentine's Day is a measly 24 hours in what is better known as the rest of your life. So that concludes the Single Girls Guide to Valentine's Day. You don’t have to take my advice, but the point of the matter is that just because you’re single doesn’t mean you have to feel bad or talk about how perpetually lonely you are, do the things that you’d normally do that make you happy, because really that’s what Valentine's Day is about.
With a solid majority of states now allowing for same-sex marriages and a Supreme Court decision coming up in June, this year is definitely one to be excited for. Never before have I been able to comfortably say that we may see samesex marriages be possible all across the country. Now I feel I can. Now I won’t try to make any moral argument here. I won’t tell you how to believe and I will appreciate it if you don’t tell me who to love, or sleep with depending on the circumstance. But, I will say that whether we agree or not the disposition of the country is forward move toward marriage equality. Of course, there are always pockets of dissent when it comes to topics such as this, people who seem set on disagreeing. Take Alabama for example, Monday the marriage ban for same-sex couples was officially lifted. The very next day, yesterday, a judge set the hearing date to decide if local judges had to issue the licenses. This happened because nearly two-thirds of the counties in Alabama decided to not issue licenses despite the lifting of the ban.
A lot is happening to add to the confusion in this case, but the point is although advances are being made there are still setbacks. My hope comes from a different part of the country, namely Washington, DC. The Supreme Court has hinted at a decision for the national same-sex case to be decided in June. On Monday, when Alabama went into crisis mode as the gays flooded the courthouses to receive marriage licenses, state officials requested the Supreme Court hold the decision, pending appeals. The Supreme Court denied this request. With a decision coming up in June, just around the corner now, why would the Supreme Court allow marriages that would then be reversed in a few months? It is probably because they don’t intend to revoke those licenses. This is the great news. For the first time, there is hope that this year Valentine’s can be enjoyed by LGBT couples like anyone else. Maybe someday even I will spend Valentine’s enjoying the company of a loved one and not just my computer, but this is a pretty good start.
Prose & Con(gress) By Sam Blakley
Follow us on Twitter @ BCclarion
Free to love: America moves towards marriage equality
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Campus News
Schedule changes confirmed at SGA
The Clarion
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February 11, 2015
By Calum McAndrew Staff Writer
During the Student Government Association meeting on Feb. 4th, it was officially announced that Brevard College is to adopt a new schedule format in the next school year. Making the announcement was Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Dean of Faculty Dr Scott Sheffield, who said the new schedule will “create an infrastructure in which we can do experiential education better and more effective.” According to Sheffield, the plans for a new schedule has been in the works for 3 years now, and thinks that it will offer students, “much more flexibility,” and will fit the schools motto of “experiential education” far better. The main differences that will take place are the scrapping of a majority of the 50-minute classes that take place three times a week, and transferred to classes that last 75-minutes, twice a week. The previous, ‘Monday/Wednesday/Friday’ timeslot has now been moved to either a ‘Monday/Thursday’ or a ‘Tuesday/Friday’ block. On Wednesdays, there has also been the addition of three time blocks that last three hours each. According to Sheffield, the three hour classes will accommodate FYE classes, Art Studios, Senior Seminars, along with many more, which Sheffield suggested would mostly be “upper level classes.” Sheffield revealed that the Wednesday classes also provide the opportunity for more flexibility. “When you schedule two big classes, you block out ten classes that you cannot take. With the way we have it here, you won’t have as many blocked out classes.” When asked why they chose Wednesday, instead of Friday to do these classes, Sheffield responded by saying, “If we want to do things with the First Year students, it makes more sense to put it in the middle of the week. We also don’t want to turn the campus into a three day weekend school.” Another change set to occur in the new school year, is the introduction of classes beginning at 8 a.m., instead of the previous 8:30 a.m. Sheffield also announced, the school is eager to “have more intensive learning opportunities. Including WLEE Immersion, studios, and study abroad schemes.” He went on to say that the school is also looking at making these intensive learning opportunities a general education requirement. Many questions were asked after Sheffield’s presentation, including one student, who asked how lecture based classes are going to work over
75 minutes, instead of the previous 50- minute classes. Sheffield’s response to this was, “Faculty will be encouraged to change their teaching style. Some of them may ask, ‘will I have to change?’ My answer to that is; Yes you are.” “They are going to have to refigure it, because we do ‘experiential’ here.” Questions were also asked about the intensive learning opportunities. One of these was: “will they mainly be held during the Wednesday classes, or are they solely study abroad programs?” Sheffield replied, “They can be held on Wednesday. That’s what we’re hoping for.” “These opportunities are incredible. Voice of the Rivers is one, as is Immersion. When schools decide to go experiential, they often put these types of programs solely in a ‘Mayterm.’ We’ve decided to not only do that, and instead, we are looking to be ‘experiential,’ all the time” “If you look at the academic calendar for next year though, there is a Mayterm.” “Some of the intensive learning opportunities will be put in the there, including Voice of the Rivers, along with many demi-courses.” In response to a question suggesting that students shouldn’t expect too much change, Sheffield replied, “I hope there will be change. Courses that are fifty minutes are going to be a lot less frequent, and I hope there will be more of the experiential feel.” “Overall though, the classes you take won’t change, they will be just be in different timeslots. In turn though, we hope this will open up some different kinds of stuff. It should open up the possibility for professors to be creative.” Sheffield was keen to emphasize throughout the meeting that the new system was going to require both students and teachers to adapt, saying that the new schedule is “a very big deal.” “If you don’t feel you’re getting experiential, it is up to your professors to change that. That is why many of you came to the school. Even your teachers are always learning, and they will learn how to work the new system.” Sheffield admits the changes are very complex, but is looking for both student and teacher cooperation, in what he believes will be, “best for the institution.” There will be many changes to the class schedule at Brevard College over the next year, but Sheffield remains positive that this will optimize the ability for students to receive the experiential education that the College advertises.
Do you want to use your powerful, inspirational, and life changing voice to help ignite change on Brevard College campus? Come out on February 13th from 1-3 p.m. to the Academic Quad and share your support about Brevard College Divesting. Local news teams and newpapers will be present to document this unprecedented opportunity for Brevard College. Bring your friends, noisemakers, and signs! BC Greens will be having a meeting on Thursday February 12th at 7:00 p.m. in the MS Commons to help prepare for the rally. If you are interested please attend this meeting or check us out on Facebook.
The Flu is here We all probably have a sick friend right now. If you don’t, you’re probably the sick friend. The flu is here in campus, but you can still protect yourself if you have managed to stay disease free thus far. There are a few small things that you can do to help keep the flu at bay. For example, change your pillowcase. You sleep on it every night. If you know you will be breathing in the same stuff that is on it, why not let that stuff be the clean scent of your detergent and not disease? Another simple thing you can do is just try to stay clean. Hand sanitizer helps. Clean your toothbrush or get a new one. Throw away tissues after one use. If you are sick, or worried you could be getting sick, go see the nurse. We have a nurse here on campus, Pat Clackler, who is here Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. If you happen to get sick on some other day, the Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care is within walking distance from the school, next to Sonic. They are open on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Let’s try to stay healthy. Flu season may be here but that doesn’t mean we have to participate. Let’s not be the sick friend.
Campus News A humanitarian crisis
February 11, 2015
| The Clarion
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Syrian refugee crisis topic of first Great Decisions Lecture Series By Jordan Laws Staff Writer
Doctoral Candidate Nora Nassri gave a thorough presentation last Wednesday discussing the complex issues surrounding the Syrian Refugee Crisis. The media perpetuates the idea that there is one cause for the turmoil but Nora Nassri says “this issue is not straightforward and the media oversimplifies the concepts that feed into this multidimensional conflict.” These dimensions are economics, sectarianism, and political/social inequalities. Economics play an integral role in the instability of Syria. Unemployment rates are high, opportunities for employment are almost non-existent, and the costs of commodities are unbelievably high. Jobs within the major cities were few and far between before the crisis but since the start of the crisis they’ve dwindled to nothing. An extensive drought also wiped out the water for the cotton farms. Now people in the rural areas of Syria have no jobs so they move to the cities where there aren’t any jobs and the people who were already jobless in the city become even more competitive. This unequal proportion creates an atmosphere of uncertainty for the population of Syria and has fueled the conflict. This dimension goes largely unnoticed in the media. Sectarianism is another concept that has created conflict in Syria but not in a common way. Sectari-
anism fuels social inequality rather than religious persecution. The majority of people follow Islam in Syria but Christians and other religions exist as well; they are just few in number compared to the members of the Islamic faith. In Syria there are different sects of Islamic followers. These sects are: 65 percent Sunni, of which 9 percent are Kurdish Sunni, 12 percent Alawite (Shi’a), 9 percent Christian Orthodox (with a small percentage of protestants included in the percentage), 3 percent Druze (small Islamic sect), and 2 percent other. The leaders of Syria are Alawites which means that the minority rules the majority. This leads to policies that don’t necessarily accommodate Sunni Arabs and the majority of the population goes unnoticed. This ties in to the next dimension of the issue. Political/Social Inequality is one of the final pillars that support this conflict. Due to economic disparity and sectarianism certain groups of Syrians feel as though they are underrepresented. Their needs are not met politically, economically, or socially. The inequality is so vast that Syrians have decided to flee to neighboring countries such as Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. Because so many Syrians have fled to these countries a crippling dependency on the hosting government has developed. These countries give certain social services to the Syrians who are displaced and try their best to protect these citizens; however, some of these services are not rendered because it is unclear exactly what Syrian refugees are entitled
to in their host countries. Syrian refugees have fled because economic stability doesn’t exist in Syria therefore they can’t build lives for themselves. Sectarian infighting between the ruling party and rebels has created an unstable atmosphere in the country. Political/ social inequality amongst the separate sects has also inflated the tension in the country. There are 4 million refugees and the number could be higher because a lot of refugees are not registered. “Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan have received the bulk of Syrian refugees,” Nora Nassri explains. “Turkey has taken in 1.6 million refugees, Lebanon 1.2 million, and Jordan 620,000. Turkey offers the most social services to Syrian Refugees and has even granted some of them citizenship.” The issue here is obviously more complex than the media portrays it and still the Syrian refugees have not been able to make it home since the conflict began. Some of the refugees have died due to the harsh winter that just passed. As a humanitarian crisis this is extremely important because millions of people have lost their national identity, their economic worth, and their political/ social standing. Without immediate attention from the global community this situation could become more serious. Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. Liliana Castro will present Brazil’s Metamorphosis in MG 125. To pre-register or for more information contact Laura Rain Tree at (828)-884-8251 or email her at
[email protected].
On Feb. 11, "Wear Your Orange" encourages students to wear orange to raise awareness of how important it is to be in healthy relationships. Why orange? It is a bright color, and people may start asking questions why someone is wearing such a colorful shirt. It is an opportunity to start a conversation and keep it going. Starting at 2 p.m.,"1 Billion Rising" on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, will include a march from the Transylvania County Library Amphitheater to Brevard College. Once on campus, people will then perform a flash mob dance. The event is hosted to demand an end to domestic violence against women and girls. For organizations like SAFE, which has been trying to raise awareness for years, the time to act more than ever is now. Domestic violence has become a nationally discussed issue over the last couple of months, especially since recent scandals in the NFL came to the surface, like the video of Baltimore Raven Ray Rice knocking his fiancée unconscious in an elevator. Statistically, 1 out of 3 women between the age of 16 and 24 have been in abusive relationships,
considering that domestic violence does not just mean getting slapped and beaten, but also includes emotional or verbal abuse or even controlling the other person according to Dasburg. Furthermore, she mentions that domestic violence is not gender specific. "Men can be in a abusive relationship as well, and it can also be same sex", she says. Even more importantly, Dasburg says that one of the main problems of domestic violence is that the victims realize it when it's already too late. "Relationship violence doesn't start out as relationship violence. It can develop into a relationship and it can be so subtle that by the time the person who is experiencing the violence is realizing what is happening, they can't really get out of it," she explains. She is also encouraging students to talk to her confidentially if they find themselves in a situation of an unhealthy relationship with any form of domestic violence. Her office is located in the Stamey Center . To find out more about SAFE and their events during the DVA-month, visit www.safebrevard. com.
BC raises awareness of domestic violence By Jule Herrman Staff Writer
With Valentines Day just around the corner, February is the month of love and relationships, but this year, it is also the Domestic Violence Awareness month at Brevard College. According to BC's Coordinator of Counseling Dee Dasburg, who is the engine behind the DVA month, February is about making people aware of not just domestic but also teen violence, and to emphasize the importance of healthy relationships. Dasburg is working together with SAFE, Inc., an organization in Transylvania County that focuses on preventing domestic violence, abuse and rape by making people aware of its presence. "SAFE is designed to help families-men, women, children- to have resources to be safe and they also are now moving into the school systems, doing a lot of education," she explains. SAFE's recent involvement in the school systems inspired the DVA month. When she met with SAFE at the beginning of the month, Dasburg decided to host two major events during February.
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Sports
BC climbing competed in Nashville
The Clarion
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February 11, 2015
By Casey Whitmire Staff Writer
On Saturday, Feb. 7, the BC Climbing Team traveled to The Crag in Nashville, TN for their first climbing competition of the semester. Team was comprised of Club President James Smith and Vice-President Zif Clark, as well as Treasurer James Whaley, and teammates John Pate, Casey Whitmire, Lauren Fowler, Audrey Ashburner, and Laura Peterson. The team competes in the USA Climbing Appalachian Division with competitors in both the Recreational and Intermediate categories. Professor Cameron Austin traveled with the team and provided plenty of jokes on the long van rides there and back. The Crag planned on hosting around 30 competitors, but in a surprising turn, around 70 competitors turned out for the competition. This caused The Crag staff to change the format of the competition to a two-heat format. Group 1 would climb for an hour and a half, then Group 2 would join them for an hour and a half.
After those three hours, Group 1 would be finished and Group 2 would then climb for their second hour and a half. BC Climbing was lucky enough to be a part of Group 1, avoiding the pains of having to wait around for an hour a half. The competition at The Crag was stiff, the gym featured a lot of overhangs and difficult transitions. The routes themselves also proved to be more difficult than expected. Climbers that are accustomed to finishing intermediate routes were getting stuck on beginner routes. This was the first competition of this semester. BC Climbing will also compete in competitions Feb. 21 at Western Carolina University, Feb. 28 at the Brevard Rock Gym, and on Mar. 7 at The University of Tennessee – Knoxville. Like always, the climbing team would like to invite all BC students to the Brevard Rock Gym Tuesday evenings for Free Climb Night. All you need to bring is your BC I.D.
Courtesy of Casey Whitmire
Chris Lucido
BC paddling competed in Alabama By Casey Whitmire Staff Writer
Many new and exciting clubs have been established on campus this year, one of which is the BC Paddling Club. BC alumni Michael Johnson had initially come up with the idea, naming it BCP. However, once Co-Presidents Senior Carrie Schlemmer and Freshman Richard Pedigo picked up the idea they got serious. They began meeting frequently to draft a constitution, make a calendar, and set up logistics with University of North Carolina Asheville. Pedigo and Schlemmer met with BC's Student Government Association, better known as SGA, last semester, and after a few more meetings they were officially sanctioned by the school. The club currently hosts roll clinics at the UNCA pool every Wednesday, which will continue until the weather is warm enough to move to a natural body of water. The club currently has eight official members and expects several more to join in the near future. Anyone can join the club, they welcome all levels of experience. The purpose of the club is simple: to provide a way for people to paddle and have fun together! Club members learn fundamental skills in a pool: boat maneuvering, wet exits, and how to roll. They will also be taking trips to easy, fun rivers this spring. Pedigo said, “Carrie and I plan to train on flat water to help us prepare for races. Also, if there is a demand, we are prepared to take the rest of
the club with us to train. Training will consist of long endurance paddles, practicing gate turns, and interval training. We plan to train ourselves to be able to paddle short distances at an extremely high intensity, multiple times a day, because this is what is required for winning races. We will also be taking the club to easy rivers to focus on developing fundamental skills, like boat maneuvering and reading rapids/ picking lines.” In the future, the club plans to continue to provide a supportive and fun community that offers an affordable way for both experienced and inexperienced paddlers to get on waterways . Events depend on club interest. The club would also like to take a tour of the Liquid Logic factory in Asheville. Liquid Logic is one of the manufacturer of kayaks in the Western North Carolina area. This spring, the club will have at least one service, clean-up day on the French Broad River. Over the weekend the BC Paddling club competed in a series of races in Alabama. The club competed in several different types of races including slalom, tandem races, boatercross, and downriver. Slalom racing takes place on a course that is usually less than a fourth of a mile long, and consists of about twenty gates that the boater must pass through. Gates hang on wires suspended across the river, the gates consist of two PVC poles that are about four feet apart. Green gates are passed through while going downstream. For red gates, paddlers must pass by the gate, then pivot 180 degrees to face upstream before passing through the gate and turning back around to
continue paddling downstream. Racers complete the course one person at a time, and the fastest paddler wins the race. There is a time penalty given to paddlers who either hit a gate without passing through cleanly, or miss a gate completely. The tandem race is a slalom race that is completed by 2 boaters who paddle in a tandem kayak together. Boatercross racing is done on a mass-start basis. The courses for these races have fewer gates than on a slalom course, and instead of passing between two poles without hitting them, racers only need to go through upstream gates and pivot around the pole on the inside of the river. The first racer to the finish line wins. Racers are allowed to take paddle strokes off of other racer’s chests, but not their faces. Racers may flip over, collide, and do all sorts of crazy things. A downriver race is a long course that is usually at least a mile in length. There are no gates, and racers race the course one at a time; the fastest time wins. The club will compete in a race on the Mulberry Fork at the end of Feb. and on the Locust Fork at the beginning of Mar. There are also two races that they hope to go to at the Nantahala Outdoor Center as well. While these are not Collegiate races, a few colleges are well represented at them. One large piece of competition is the Alabama Kayak Club from The University of Alabama. All students who are interested in joining the BC Paddling Club are encouraged to contact Carrie Schlemmer or Richard Pedigo.
February 11, 2015
| The Clarion
Phoebe Boerstler, world traveler By Hannah Cook Staff Writer
Recent BC Graduate, Phoebe Boerstler spent her last semester of college exploring Europe, and she’s returned with stories to share and invaluable experiences. Through the Knowledge Exchange Institute or KEI, Boerstler was able to attend South Bank University in London, England during Fall 2014. She admits with a smile that though she has never been much of a city girl, London won her heart. The constant life of the city kept things interesting. “There was always something to do.” While attending South Bank University, Boerstler, was able to focus on her photography and even had her art displayed in a show near the end of her semester in early Dec. 2014. She enjoyed the unlimited subjects to capture in photo. When not in class, she took advantage of her student visa, which made traveling within Europe much cheaper and easier than it would be if she had simply been a tourist. With some of the new friends she made, Boerstler took her first weekend trip to Edenburg, Scotland to visit the national gallery as well as the city gallery of Edinburg, where local emerging artists submit their work. They also visited Edinburg Castle, which turned out to be Boerstler’s favorite castle from the time that she visited Europe. “The view of the city below was amazing from this castle,” she reminisced. “And there was so much history to learn about it.” Boerstler’s second trip was to Budapest, Hungary. After that, she visited Wales. On a later trip to Amsterdam, she visited the house of Anne Frank, and experienced a culture like no other as she ventured through the red light district and even walked into a coffee shop selling pot brownies. “It was eye opening” said Boerstler. On Dec. 3, her birthday, she made the bold decision to take her first solo international trip. She ventured to Paris, France on her own, a goal she’d had for quite a while. “It was scary at first, but after a while I felt confident. It was a really cool experience.” After the semester came to a close, Boerstler decided to stay to do some more traveling during the holidays before her student visa expired. With her sense of wanderlust, she became a full time explorer throughout the latter half of Dec. through the beginning of Jan. Upon her arrival back to the states, Boerstler reflects on her experiences aboard. She wholeheartedly encourages students who have the opportunity to study aboard to take the chance. “To see all sorts of things that you don’t normally see in the U.S. broadens your perspective.” Boerstler plans to keep traveling whenever she can, eventually going back to visit these places that she has fallen in love with.
Opinion
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Dr. Scott Sheffield announces new schedule Another major change that may call for some format to SGA griping and whining from both students and By Alex Webster Arts & Life Editor
Last Wednesday, Dr. Scott Sheffield paid an important visit to SGA, the Student Government Association, announcing a new scheduling format for classes, beginning in Fall 2015. Some of the changes are shocking, but all are in the name of our strive for experiential education. The changes stem from our growing student population, need for small class sizes, and the recent change in our school’s motto, geared towards experiential education. The task force of professors began about three years ago, and they asked questions such as “What does experiential mean?”and “What does it take to do experiential in the classroom?” The answers to these questions have continued to grow and change, but it means that the new scheduling style needed to have room for ILO’s. These ILO’s or Intensive Learning Opportunities are practically limitless. Some examples that we have now are Voice of the Rivers, Immersion, and Study Abroad. In the future, more ILO’s will manifest because of professors’ initiative and ideas. These ILO’s will take place on Wednesdays and will be the only classes to schedule on Wednesday along with FYE classes for freshmen and transfers.
professors is that classes no longer start at 8:30 a.m., but 8 a.m. The reasoning behind this change comes from our current schedule being heavily packed from 9:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. Sheffield said that, “Everyone would like to work from 10-1 everyday, but that simply cannot happen if we want to keep our small class sizes.” The drive towards more experiential education in the classroom has also required longer class times for most classes. The majority of classes will be an hour and fifteen minutes long. Professors said that in general there weren’t enough options of class times, and in the 50 minute class period, it was difficult to complete the “reflection” aspect of the experiential education pedagogy. The reflection is a key component of experiential education, and cannot be skipped for the cycle to be of the utmost efficiency. Sheffield acknowledged that some may not receive the new schedule as readily as others, and to that he says, “Is it going to be perfect? No. But we feel like we needed to create a plan to address the issue of experiential education.” I would also speculate that we are instating an earlier class time is because of the on-campus coffee shop that will be opening soon. I am personally hoping I don’t get any 8 a.m. classes, Wednesday classes, or Friday classes, but it’s not like we pay to get an education around here!
Top 5 Valentine’s Day movies By Michael Heiskell Staff Writer
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and you might be wondering, “What movie would be perfect for Valentines?” Lucky for you, I have the essential list of Valentine’s movies for this upcoming holiday. I have compiled them into a top five list based on the quality of the film and my own personal preference. Let’s get it started. No. 5: “Say Anything” This 80’s classic features one of the most famous scenes in romantic movie history. John Cusack plays another 80’s teen heart-throb and the scene where he holds the speakers over his head is one of the most iconic shots from the 80s. Well worth your time. No 4: “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” This is the purest comedy of the list and one that features an all-star; led by the romance of Jason Segel and Mila Kunis. The two shared great on-screen chemistry and this movie is absolutely hilarious while delightfully romantic. No. 3: “50 First Dates” There are only three Adam Sandler movies I enjoy, and two of them are on this list. 50 First Dates is a little cheesy and very unbelievable, but it’s a
sweet movie nonetheless. Sandler has to try and win the heart of a woman (Drew Barrymore) who can never remember the last day. He is constantly going on first dates with her and trying to make her fall in love with him each time. It’s a winner. No. 2: “The Wedding Singer” The second and the better of the Adam Sandler/ Drew Barrymore duos is a pretty romantic movie as well. This classic movie delivers on both love and laughs, with a ridiculous storyline that is only grounded by its characters and our concern for them. The characters are certainly worth investing your time in. Not to mention, the scene on the airplane that has spawned many YouTube covers. No. 1: “You’ve Got Mail” This is a movie I love too much and have been teased endlessly for it. The thing is though, “You’ve Got Mail” is just a great movie, not just a great romance movie. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have some of the best on-screen chemistry and that’s one of the many reasons this became a cult classic. As one of the first ‘digital love stories’ this film was pretty far ahead of its time, even though it looks a little dated now. If you can only watch one movie this Valentines, make it this one.
Opinion
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Moving forward
The Clarion
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February 11, 2015
Vanderbilt rape case conviction shows promise for improving how colleges deal with sexual assault By Gabby Smith Opinion Editor
Last year the U.S. Dept. of Education investigated over 50 colleges and universities for mishandling cases of sexual assault. Private schools, big name universities, and even Ivy League schools got caught in the crossfire. It was apparent that sexual assault was an issue that runs rampant on college campuses and is often overlooked or ignored. However, late last month our nation saw an example of a college correctly handling this issue. The trial, which took 12 days, ended with a guilty verdict for Vanderbilt football players, Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey. The jury deliberated for just over three hours; the evidence against the two was overwhelming. They were both convicted on four counts of aggravated rape, one count of attempted aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg was also convicted for unlawful photography.
On June 23, 2013 a group of men were seen sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in a hallway. The assault was discovered after campus officials checked dorm videotapes, following a vandalism that had taken place that night. Videotape revealed the men brutally attacking her and videotaping and photographing the assault before proceeding to pick her up and take her into a room. The victim, who went to court and sat through testimonies, and even gave her own, said that she didn’t recall what had happened to her and was troubled and sickened upon seeing the images of herself. Vandenburg, who was said to be dating the victim at the time, encouraged others to have sex with her; Batey attested that while he recognized himself on tape he couldn’t remember the events due to being extremely intoxicated. Having grown up in a culture where women often suffer these types of abuses and are vilified as instigators, it is refreshing to see that in this case the excuse of drunkenness did not prevent
Stuck as a footnote
Batey from being convicted, and didn’t backfire on the defendant. The fact of the matter is that alcohol intoxication can’t be used as a defense against aggravated rape. There are two more boys awaiting trial still, but this is the first step forward in the fight against rape and sexual assaults on college campuses. District Attorney Glenn Funk was quoted saying, "This case gives our entire community an opportunity to talk to each other and to our children, especially to our boys, about the way we treat women, both with our actions and with our words. No one deserves to be violated. Further, if you see someone who is being sexually assaulted, the right thing to do is to report it and try and get the person some help." This case conviction was a long time coming, but what has taken even longer is for our society to take the issues of rape and sexual assault seriously and to correctly punish those who commit these acts.
Discussing overlooked black women in history By Gabby Smith Opinion Editor
It’s Black History Month, which means that it’s time for schools all around the country to teach little kids about MLK, Rosa Parks, and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s. While I am a firm believer in teaching children history, especially black history, I have to say that typically the teaching of this subject is sub-par. While Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, and Madame C.J Walker have done much for us and are prime examples of black excellence and innovative women, the fact of the matter is that black history does not end with them. These women are not the end all be all of black women in history and yet they are usually the only ones taught in schools. There are millions of black women who have contributed to the rich culture and history of African Americans; there are many who have paved the way for other women and minorities and yet these women are not getting due respect, and are being entirely forgotten or overlooked by the American education system. While I, myself, cannot cover them all in one article, I’d like to mention a few to prove that black women are pioneers in many fields and that though we never hear about them they are worth mentioning. Diahann Carroll was the first woman of color to be the star of a daytime TV show, she even won a Golden Globe for her performance in the hit show “Julia.” In the show she didn’t appear as the stereotypical maid, but instead, as a singlemother and nurse. Alice Marie Coachman was the first black woman to win an Olympic Gold
medal, she specialized in the high jump and won ten consecutive national championships for it between 1939-1948. Carolyn R. Patton was the first black woman to be President of the Peace Corps, appointed to the position by President Carter, and had previously acted as a field assignment officer. Cora Brown was the first black woman to win a seat in the Senate serving the state of Michigan in 1952. Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones was the first black singer to perform at Carnegie Hall. Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was the first woman ever to receive a Ph.D. Lastly, Gwendolyn Brooks was the first black poet to win a Pulitzer Prize. Half of these women are so obscure that when you google them the results you get are biographies that are less than a paragraph and yet they’ve opened up doors for people that are revered today, people like Beyonce, Kerry Washington, and Condoleezza Rice. These women deserve more than that and our generation should make it their duty to pull them and countless others out of obscurity and into the forefront of history books. Plenty of us have black mothers, sisters, friends, or significant others and we wouldn’t want them to be a footnote in history. So yes, Rosa Parks refused to sit at the back of the bus, but as far as I’m concerned it seems like a lot of people are still stuck there because we aren’t learning about them or talking about how they changed the face of media, politics, sports, etc. As black history month continues I can only hope that kids around the U.S. take it upon themselves to learn more than the generic take on Civil Rights and instead delve deeper because black history is American history.
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the the Clarion larion Senior Staff Editor in Chief . . . . Sam Blakley Managing Editor . . . Joshua Cole Copy Editor . . . . . . Kayla Leed Opinion . . . . . . . . Gabby Smith Arts & Life . . . . . . Alex Webster Sports . . . . . . . . Savannah Cox Campus News . . . . Burton Hodges Staff Photogrpher(s) . Ashley Lowe . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Fonger Faculty Advisor . . . . John B. Padgett Other Staff
Hannah Cook Lizzie Graham Andrew Gunnin Michael Heiskell Jule Hermann
Jordan Laws Calum McAndrew Sami Quri Casey Whitmire
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