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The 411 on the changes of Transy

Allison Spivey
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The 411 on the changes of Transy

This year at Transylvania University, students returned to campus to find that many changes had been made while they were away on summer vacation. Here is a list of top 10 changes to campus that may affect your daily life…

    • New Crimson Cards. Each student and member of the faculty and staff were given a new card this year. The card is now set up portrait style and includes a QR code on the back that enables you to simply tap the card rather than swiping it to complete tasks such as paying for food, opening doors, and checking items out at the library.
    • Bon Appetit. The new food service provider in the campus cafeteria was long desired and welcomed by many with open arms. The cafeteria and Gratz Perk now offer healthier choices for meals with better quality food than in years past. However, there are still several issues students have with its arrival. The lack of an ingredient list for the food items causes students with allergies to be cautious and nervous about eating on campus. Students are also weary about long lines in the caf and the new serving situation.
    • Jazzman’s new name. Beloved campus coffee shop, once known as Jazzman’s is now called Gratz Perk. Gratz Perk offers all your basic coffees and teas, along with salads, wraps, and baked goods.
    • Kincaid Hall. The formerly unnamed dorm on campus, commonly referred to as Pioneer Hall, has now been formally named Kincaid Hall, after 1936 graduates.
    • Interim President. Transy has named an interim president while their search for a permanent president continues. Dr. John N. Williams Jr., who graduated from Transy in 1974, has returned to campus and has said that he welcomes any suggestions students have in making this year run smoothly.
    • New faculty members. This year Transy has welcomed five new faculty members to campus. This includes Daniel Bennett (Theater), Priya Ananth (Spanish), Elizabeth Loh (Biology), Leslie Ribovich (Religion), and Daniel Clausen (English).
    • New Banners. On campus, there can now be seen banners hanging from the many lamp posts. These banners advertise Transy’s many academic achievements and rankings.
    • Resilience. Transy’s theme this year is resilience. The Transylvania University website describes this theme as, “the most persistent kind of strength because it is tied to creativity, responsiveness to context and humility. The word seems to float through our consciousness in these times of unprecedented changes in our climate and challenges to our core democratic ideals.”
    • Campus Center Construction Continues… The campus center construction made a lot of progress while students were off campus for the summer. There is now a steel structure showing the outline of where the new building will soon rise from the ashes where Forrer Hall once stood. The new campus center is projected to be complete by the 2020 school year.
    • The Class of 2023. We welcome them with open arms and hope they have a wonderful year!

Food and friendship at the Jewish Food Festival

Shawna Morton
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Food and friendship at the Jewish Food Festival

On the 8th of September, members of Transylvania’s Interfaith Alliance carpooled to Temple Adath Israel in Lexington, KY for the annual Jewish Food Festival. Upon arrival, students were given a card (shown above) that could be marked off and exchanged for traditional Jewish dishes.

Photo by Shawna Morton

While it was impossible to try everything, festival attendees filled up their plates with apple cakes, Knish, Latkes, Bourekas, and matzo ball soup. The crowd favorite was Borscht, which is cold beet soup with a dollop of sour cream.

While we attempted to find an empty table that would allow us to stay within our comfort zone, we could not. We were directed towards a table with four strangers. Friendly conversation began almost immediately and before we knew it, we were talking with the group as if we were at our own dinner table. Topics of conversation ranged from advice on choosing a major, reminiscing our favorite movies and TV shows, and even exploring topics of mysticism. This experience proved to be much less than boring.

Photo by Shawna Morton

We all may have suspected that we were going to experience some new food, or maybe just snack on our favorites, but what we got instead was a time of kinship and friendship that is not always easily found. Across many traditions, something that seldom fails to bring people together is food, especially good food. These dishes certainly did not disappoint.  

In a time where anti-Semitism and intolerance appear to be at an all-time high, perhaps the best we can do is make the opposite of this intolerance more visible. Showing support for targeted groups at an event like this will hopefully create a safe and more accepting world for all.

Transy’s Interfaith Alliance is an organization that meets once a week for safe conversations that are not meant to be focused on any one denomination. People of all religions and beliefs are welcome to be a part of the group, even if they do not associate with a religion. Sometimes Interfaith even meets for off campus events such as the food festival or get together to meditate. 

The president of Interfaith, Seth Wyatt, describes the organization as a “multifaith, interreligious, and multicultural student organization, which seeks to create an inclusive and inviting environment on campus for students of all different faiths, traditions, and philosophies through dialogue, embodiment, education, and service.” 

For more information on how to get involved with Interfaith Alliance, contact Seth Wyatt at sdwyatt21@transy.edu.

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

Taylor Mahlinger
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Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

Hi Everyone!

My name is Taylor Mahlinger, and I will be serving as the Editor In Chief of The Rambler for the 2019-2020 academic year. We made the transition as a publication from print to fully digital two years ago, and with that transition came the ability to publish multimedia content from video segments to podcasts on a 24/7 basis, which broadened our scope to reach more audiences worldwide.

This year we are committed to making The Rambler the most reliable source for campus news, including the addition of a Campus Life section. It will focus on articles dealing with campus events and different campus-oriented mini series written by our incredible staff. The creativity and talent that we have on our team this year is outstanding, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the energy this group of students brings to the publication.

One of our goals for this year is to have a more interactive and collaborative relationship with the students and faculty on Transy’s campus. That means we want to hear from YOU on the stories you’d most like to see featured in The Rambler! Thank you to all of our loyal readers and we can’t wait to start this year! Email us your suggestions and ideas at rambler@Transy.edu!

– Taylor

 

Students react to President Carey’s departure announcement.

Allison Spivey
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Students react to President Carey’s departure announcement.

President Seamus Carey’s decision to step down from his position was a major shock to students. When the email describing the change came out, it was the main topic of conversation on campus amidst impending summer break and graduation.

While many students seem indifferent to his departure, the majority of the student body is very sad to see their president leave after all of the amazing things he has done for the campus itself and the community that has been built on it. Sophomore Perry Sykes said, “I don’t think I’ll notice that he’s gone. If you put a line up of men in front of me, there’s no way I could pick which one he is.”

Senior Thomas Shellenberg said that “as a central figure, I’ve loved what Carey stood for in terms of work ethic, acceptance, and tolerance. He had many choices to make during his time here whether dealing with fund allocation, prioritization, or more serious instances of terror or hate. During those situations, I was very confused how Transy would bounce back, but Carey handled things in a way that made me have more confidence in Transy.”

On the other hand, some students do not have strong feelings about Carey stepping down as they have never felt connected to him in any way. Sophomore Caroline Hawk said that “university presidents usually don’t really have that many interactions with students, so I really don’t blame him for wanting to be with his family in New York”.

With Carey leaving, students have high hopes for the person who will be taking his position.

“As I exit Transy, I’d ask for a few things from a president. As a small school, communication and correspondence with leaders on campus is huge. Students deserve someone who gives honest answers and options to their concerns and motives. Additionally, reinforcing the goal of tolerance and diversity is a foundational principle of Transy. Especially in rough political times, those of all backgrounds and opinions deserve representation and acknowledgement. Transy must embrace all opinions because we are able to grow and learn as liberally educated individuals” said Shellenberg.

UPDATED: Faculty respond to announcement of President Carey’s departure.

Grace Morrison
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UPDATED: Faculty respond to announcement of President Carey’s departure.

News broke late Monday afternoon that Transylvania’s President Seamus Carey is resigning prior to the 2019-2020 academic year. The university announced that an interim president would be chosen.

Dr. Carey stated, “There are very few schools for which I would leave Transylvania. However, I have been given the opportunity to return to New York — an announcement on this new position is anticipated later this week.” It was announced earlier today that Dr. Carey will become the President of Iona College.

On the ground, the news was a shock. Many are dumbfounded, but Transy faculty, in particular, are struggling to grapple with the upheaval.

Most declined to comment, but those who did comment assumed a positive tone.

Professor of Music Dr. Greg Partain commented, “President Carey has given his all to Transylvania throughout his time here, and there’s no question but that we have grown to be stronger both as a college and a community in many important ways than when he arrived on the tail of a rather dark episode. He’s chosen to take a different position after five years—unfortunately, that’s approaching the average ‘life span’ of college presidents these days.  Naturally, all of us who care deeply about Transy are going to feel anxious until a new president is chosen, but we can all commit to doing our part in next year’s search process in order to ensure the best possible collective decision.”

Fellow Professor of Music Dr. Ben Hawkins said that he “hope[s] Transy can seize this opportunity to rebuild its sense of community.” 

Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication Professor Gary Deaton looks towards the future, noting that “[a] big concern is this period of transition. We are in the process of hiring a new Dean and then we will have an interim President and then we will hire Dr. Carey’s replacement. It will be a challenging time, but it will also offer an opportunity for everyone here to pull together to make the most of the opportunity to move in positive directions.”

“My hope for the new President would be that that we continue the good things we have started and also really get a vision for the specific aspects that make Transylvania unique and special. I would also hope that there would be a much greater awareness of the importance of student, faculty, and staff morale as a crucial factor in the well being of the institution,” Deaton continued.

UPDATED: President Seamus Carey to step down this summer.

Tristan Reynolds
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UPDATED: President Seamus Carey to step down this summer.

In an email to the Transylvania University campus on Monday afternoon, Dr. Seamus Carey indicated that he would step down as President of Transylvania University this summer. The announcement was made in conjunction with Chairman of the Board of Trustees William T. “Bill” Young Jr. It was announced Tuesday that Dr. Carey will become the 9th President of Iona College.

Young indicated that an interim president will be named for the upcoming 2019-2020 academic year.

Dr. Carey has served as President for the past five years.

The announcement comes among several other changes at the top of Transylvania’s administration. Those changes include:

  • An active search for a new Academic Dean following the departure of Dr. Laura Bryan earlier this year.
  • The appointment of Ms. Deepa Dubal as Vice President for Information Technology earlier on Monday May 13.
  • The appointment of Dr. Steve Angelucci as both the Interim Vice President for Advancement as well as the incoming Vice President for Campaign Initiatives after the departure of Mr. Marty Smith from that position earlier this year.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

Dr. Seamus Carey to step down as President of Transylvania University

Tristan Reynolds
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Dr. Seamus Carey to step down as President of Transylvania University

In an email to the Transylvania University campus this afternoon, Dr. Seamus Carey indicated that he would step down as President of Transylvania University this summer. The announcement was made in conjunction with Chairman of the Board of Trustees William T. “Bill” Young Jr.

Young indicated that an interim president will be named for the upcoming 2019-2020 academic year.

Dr. Carey has served as President for the past five years.

The announcement comes among several other changes at the top of Transylvania’s administration. Those changes include:

  • An active search for a new Academic Dean following the departure of Dr. Laura Bryan earlier this year.
  • The appointment of Ms. Deepa Dubal as Vice President for Information Technology earlier this afternoon.
  • The appointment of Dr. Steve Angelucci as both the Interim Vice President for Advancement as well as the incoming Vice President for Campaign Initiatives after the departure of Mr. Marty Smith from that position earlier this year.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

A lot has happened at The Rambler over the past week. Let’s go through it.

Tristan Reynolds
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A lot has happened at The Rambler over the past week. Let’s go through it.

On the morning of Thursday, May 2, the student media adviser Tom Martin met with Interim Academic Dean Dr. Michael Cairo. At that meeting, Dr. Cairo informed Martin that the budget for The Rambler’s student stipends would be eliminated. Martin was also informed that his own contract would be eliminated and that he would be replaced with an unpaid faculty adviser.

On the afternoon of May 2, that same day, Dr. Scott Whiddon and Dr. Kurt Gohde also met with Dr. Cairo about the future of The Rambler. They were informed of the same cuts to The Rambler, and were informed that the cuts were made for “ philosophical, rather than purely fiscal” reasons, according to a memo written by Dr. Whiddon and provided to The Rambler

When the staff of The Rambler was informed of these cuts by Martin, they decided to 1) create a petitionprotesting the decision and 2) begin an immediate work stoppage. This led to press coverage andstatements from several journalistic organizations, including the Bluegrass chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The original message announcing The Rambler staff’s work stoppage.

 

On Friday, May 3, the staff of The Rambler met with Dr. Cairo and Megan Moloney, the Vice President of Marketing & Communications. At the meeting, Dr. Cairo stated that he was “not prepared to respond” to the staff’s questions and concerns. The administrators claimed that they were open to a discussion with the staff about the future direction of The Rambler, although they refused to comment on any specifics, and stated that staff stipends would not be considered at all. They claimed that they intended for the decisions communicated to Martin, Whiddon, and Gohde on Thursday to be the start of a discussion. These claims are in direct contradiction to the accounts of Mr. Martin, Dr. Whiddon, and Dr. Gohde, who were informed that the decisions had already been made.

On Monday, May 6, the University Communications Office released a statement that contained several false or misleading statements, the most egregious of which was that The Rambler was the only student organization on campus to receive payment for its work (the University pep band is also paid).

The University claimed that it will continue to work with the student staff of The Rambler, but as previously noted, no student staff were involved in the decision making process prior to May 2. Further, when the staff reached out to attempt to schedule a further meeting with Ms. Moloney and Dr. Cairo, Ms. Moloney declined for the rest of the current week, and Dr. Cairo stated that any discussions would have to be delayed until “late August or early September” at the soonest, and would have to be held with an as-yet unnamed new Academic Dean. It is unclear how a process can continue when it had not begun and when the University has been unwilling to begin that process.

In its statement, the University states that it “values the role The Rambler plays on campus.” The University claims that it remains dedicated to the editorial independence of The Rambler. The involvement of Ms. Moloney, who is responsible for all public relations for the University, is highly unusual given the potential conflict of interests that might result from involvement with both the Marketing & Communications office and an editorially independent Rambler.

The staff of The Rambler remains committed to producing high-quality, independent journalism for the Transylvania community. We will continue to report on developments as we become aware of them, so check back here for updates.

Concert Review: Destinee Smith’s Senior Recital

Taylor Mahlinger
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Concert Review: Destinee Smith’s Senior Recital

Last Sunday, Senior Music Studies major Destinee Smith delivered a senior recital that was full of live performances and produced pieces which included both covers and originals with varying genres.

Smith began her recital with four covers of songs that she produced and sang. The first piece was a bass-heavy cover of Pink Sweat$’ mellow song, “Honesty.” The production of the song placed an emphasis on the vocals and piano with bass settling into the notes and providing the driving force for this tune. The end of “Honesty” included a surprise mashup with Daniel Ceasar’s song “Get You,” which added a nice touch to the cover.

The three pieces that followed were also covers of songs by different R&B artists that were produced by Smith and which included her smooth vocals.

Smith’s original piece “Funky Instrumental” reflected its title with a mid-tempo hip-hop beat that incorporated elements of electronic dance music and an emphasized bass line.

The last half of Smith’s recital included lots of collaboration. The song “STL (Summer Time Love)” was an original composed and produced by Smith that featured the vocals of first-year student Hakeim Reedel, who wrote the lyrics. The song featured a classic hip-hop bass line underneath the rhythm of Reedel’s rap.

The two final pieces in the program were live performances featuring the piano and guitar stylings of Jenna Soderling, a fellow senior who recently had her own recital.

Photo by Taylor Mahlinger

The power duo stepped onstage, both in jumpsuits, to perform their first piece together. Smith and Soderling delivered a soothing rendition of Daniel Caesar’s “Streetlights” that included harmonies blended together over the top of the piano chords.

For the final performance of the evening, Smith and Soderling moved to the center of the stage to sit facing the audience which provided a more intimate feel. Together, they performed a live cover of Summer Walker’s “Session 32.” Watch the video below to hear the live performance of the smooth R&B song.

Transy hosted a KY Governor’s Democratic debate. Here’s what each candidate said about education.

Allison Spivey
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Transy hosted a KY Governor’s Democratic debate. Here’s what each candidate said about education.

Last Wednesday, Transylvania University hosted the first Democratic gubernatorial debate of the ongoing Kentucky governor’s race. The three candidates, Rocky Adkins, Andy Beshear, and Adam Edelen answered questions about their policies and election platforms. 

The forum offered the candidates a chance to defend themselves against their opponents and explain why they deserve the spot as governor. While they all had opposing beliefs on a few issues, a common goal was to get the current governor, Matt Bevin, a Republican, out of office.

The three men spoke on issues such as teacher pensions, tax reform, medical marijuana, abortion, and coal.

The questions were posed in a way that would allow each man to describe his own platform. This often led to minor insults between the politicians, mainly from Edelen trying to knock down Beshear. These two men had a similar platform on most issues with the main outlier of the group being representative Rocky Adkins. Adkins tended to take a more conservative approach with his answers on topics such as the coal industry.

An important topic of discussion among the candidates was the notion of free college tuition to public schools. As a private college, Transylvania would not be directly affected by this change. However, it would be a major development to the college process in general.

Attorney General Andy Beshear stated that he thinks that policy should first focus on the cuts being made to K-12 programs. With Jacqueline Coleman, a teacher, as his running mate, Beshear promises to make the changes necessary for a much better Kentucky education.

“Right now, we’ve seen cuts to our K-12 programs, our teachers are teaching out of books held together by duct tape and we don’t have the necessary technology in our classrooms. I think we have to invest in our people as much as possible. And I think when we look at those scholarships, we gotta start with our underserved communities where our government has actually kept people down instead of picking them up,” said Beshear.

Auditor Adam Edelen said that community and technical colleges should functions with last dollar scholarships rather than being completely free. Last dollar scholarships are meant to fill in the gap between what you can pay out of pocket and the financial aid a person is given. Edelen thinks that the state should spend a long time thinking critically on how to gain more money for scholarships, such as through higher taxes on cigarettes and vaping products.

“It’s great to talk about all the things that we want to do, and the lawsuits we file, but if you want to create real action, you have to have money to make this work” said Edelen.

Representative Rocky Adkins said that he wants to push directly for free community and technical colleges in order to keep up with the seventeen other states who have already implemented this. He wants to better community and technical colleges to make a stronger and better-educated workforce for Kentucky.

“While we fight for the jobs of today, but we prepare Kentucky for the jobs of tomorrow, public education is gonna be the key. And making sure that we have a highly skilled, a highly trained workforce, we can do this with community and technical college. We can do this with the Pell Grant and the KEES money to send kids to 4-year institutions as well,” says Adkins.

In relation to private colleges some believe that if there was a free public college option, enrollment at private colleges and universities would drop. 

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Welcome to The Rambler! We’ve been Transylvania University’s only student-run newspaper since 1915, “breaking the bubble” between our small campus and the Lexington community. We aim to create a place for students to be creative and have a voice, hoping to be an outlet for the passions and opinions of the Transy student body. We’re always excited to hear new ideas, so send us a message if you have suggestions, opinions, or want to write an article yourself; there is always room on our staff for new writers and creatives! Thanks for reading The Rambler :) Print’s not dead!

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