Thursday, October 24, 2024
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Plantory and Community Partners Raise Funds for DACA Recipients

Emily Dent
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Plantory and Community Partners Raise Funds for DACA Recipients

The Plantory, a local 501c3 non-profit has partnered over the last few weeks with Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s Latino Outreach Office (BCTC) and Kentucky Dream Coalition (KDC) in order to raise over $4,300 to aid Lexington DACA recipients with their DACA renewal fees.

Angela Baldridge, executive director of The Plantory, explained that the idea to start a donation campaign came through BCTC and KDC. The collaboration between these three organizations made since and worked effectively because BCTC and KDC are both directly affected by the recent legislation involving DACA recipients and have knowledge within the system to see where need is, but The Plantory already had the correct infrastructure in place to support the logistics of the fundraiser. The Plantory already had a donation system in place and a larger social media platform to spread the word about their fundraising efforts.

Baldridge describes The Plantory as a “non-profit incubator”, meaning their goal is to help organizations grow. “We have co-working space, people kind of started by thinking how can we cut the costs that make it hard to get a business [and non-profits] to survive. So the things that make it hard for these organizations to make it, usually is a lack of capitol to pay for overhead.”, Baldridge says about the services that are offered at the non-profit.

Some services that The Plantory provides services that help get socially-minded projects off the ground; whether that’s providing affordable office space to house each project, giving support through a “Help Desk” to aid in things like grant-writing, legal issues (involving 501c3 organizations), and web design.

Baldridge explains, “Historically non-profits are started by people of the same socio-economic class, which unfortunately is then correlated with the same racial class, same sort of religious affiliations.” This lack of diversity creates a disconnect between the non-profits and the communities/groups of people that they are working to help because oftentimes they simply do not have the insider knowledge of the system in which they’re trying to change.

The Plantory works to try to minimize this disconnect by giving those who would otherwise not have the chance to implement change in the systems they are a part of. Baldridge demonstrates this point by saying, “One of the things we’re trying to do is equalize that playing field a little bit, so we have some fundraising initiatives where we’ve helped groups that meet different factors of diversity, essentially people with different perspectives about the way systems operate that have experienced those systems.”

With this mindset, The Plantory was able to collaborate with BCTC and KDC to raise such a large amount of money in such little time. Baldridge says, “we didn’t come up with this idea, this was from people that are experiencing the fallout of this legislation that said ‘we want to do something about this, let’s try to help as many people as we can’.” Working with organizations that are directly related and affected by the recent DACA legislation gave them the knowledge to help facilitate change with their available tools.

Baldridge also explains her drive to help DACA recipients as an effort to protect an important and vital part of the Lexington community. DACA youth are “the people that make me feel tired when I look at all the things they do, so I feel like just to lose that kind of passion and that kind of drive and that kind of commitment is just super unfortunate for a community. These are the kinds of people in theory that we should be wanting to attract, and it would be a huge loss in the fabric of our community if they’re gone.”, says Baldridge.

DACA renewal costs each applicant $495. With the over $4,000 raised, 8 DACA recipients out of the 1,000-1,500 up for renewal will have their application fees covered. Speaking of the DACA recipients, Baldridge says, “These are actually people that have gone through a legal process, they have the right to be here legally and this just enables them to renew that process.”

To apply for DACA support or make a donation to the cause, visit The Plantory’s DACA page. All donations must be made by Friday, September 29th in order to ensure that applicants can receive their funds in time to meet the application deadline.

Where’s our campus community?

Megan Schandel
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Where’s our campus community?

Regardless of whether we transferred here or started our college career at Transylvania, many of us have had experience with first-year orientations. Much of the focus of orientation is fostering a community among the incoming class before the academic year really kicks off.

However, as the year progresses, students dedicate less and less time to campus-wide community-building, and the focus shifts to smaller groups, such as student organizations and those who live in residence halls. Despite the fact that we are a small campus, we students tend to be self-segregated from one another. Because we are so involved within the subcommunities of campus, there isn’t much of an underlying community that includes everyone at Transy. We are so separated from each other by our friend groups and activities that there doesn’t seem to be any ‘Transy pride’ that can unite all of us students. Now that orientation is behind us, it’s time to challenge the obstacles to our ability to build a strong community. There are physical and social barriers alike that prevent us from reaching our full potential as a campus community.

Just as a community is defined by its people, community is also shaped – literally – by the physical space it occupies. The school’s latest residential additions, for example, lack a sense of a certain inviting, social feeling. The suite-style rooms offer the privacy of a hotel room at the expense of a shared living space. These buildings do contain common areas, but they are immediately sold as being study spaces, not social areas – the furniture in these spaces has to be rearranged in order to socialize in a more natural manner. They feel like places to go when you need a quiet place to get things done, rather than places to go to hang out with your fellow dorm-mates. But most of the time, as some of you may have noticed, these spaces are just empty – few people use these areas to study or socialize.

The currently unnamed residential hall, commonly referred to as Pioneer Hall.

This is not just true of the newest buildings, however. Most existing spaces on campus seem to lean much more heavily toward being academic rather than social. Alumni Plaza is a beautiful outdoor space that can be one of the coolest places to hang out in. Most of the time, however, it has maybe three or four tables occupied, spaced out as far as possible from each other, with people looking for a place where they can do homework outside without being bothered by others. It’s almost unthinkable to go up to someone who you don’t know and sit down to try to talk with them. What if they’re working on homework and need to focus? What if they’re just trying to enjoy the weather and have some time alone? This kind of dilemma exists for most every space on campus – we don’t have any areas that are recognized as designated social spaces.

This seems to be a fundamental problem we face – socializing anywhere on campus requires already having your own friend group. Possible exceptions include the Campus Center and Front and Back Lobbies in Forrer, but even those are questionable at times. For example, several events that are not open to students take place in the Campus Center, like admissions events.  Even in the Caf, arguably the largest space on campus where many students go at once, it’s rare to sit with someone you don’t already know, unless it is the very beginning of your first year, and you are in the process of making new friends. We’ve all seen the same groups of people sitting in the exact same tables during both lunch and dinner, day in and day out. This is true of those who wear Greek letters and those who don’t. For those who do not have friends sitting at these tables already, joining them is out of the question. It seems like the greatest communities to which we belong are limited only to factions of the student population.

Because the student population is fragmented into cliques, there is only a vague idea of the Transy identity as a whole. Aside from the fact that we all attend Transylvania, what is it that unites us as students? Arguably, by choosing to be students at this school, we have all dedicated ourselves to a liberal arts education as defined by the university’s mission statement. How many of us would be able to tell what exactly that mission is without looking it up? What kind of values do we strive to uphold? And for someone looking in from the outside, how would they be able to tell?

In recent years, we have had a noticeable lack of indicators of those values on campus. The only places on campus that feature Transylvania’s seal is the staircase outside Haupt Humanities Building, which is currently covered up while the building undergoes renovations, and behind the information desk in the William T. Young Campus Center. Beyond that, there are very few – if any – prominent symbols of the university’s values around campus. A step in the right direction is the latest addition of the Unlearn Fear + Hate halos outside the library. Not only does it nod to the fact that the community project originated on Transy’s campus, but the project’s statement has resonated with much of the campus population. Campus could benefit from the addition of more meaningful artwork and symbols around campus. Such features are not just selling points for admissions, but they are visual reminders for everyone about the university’s mission.

“The seal bears the heraldic symbols of a torch, hand, book and globe, which represent truth, faithfulness, learning and service to the world.” (via Transylvania’s website)

Similar to the lack of symbolism, there is hardly any physical context for where exactly campus is located. What is the larger community we are a part of? Once again, looking around campus, you’re hard-pressed to find any answers to that question. The ‘Transy Bubble,’ as it has come to be called, is very real, and it’s thick. It doesn’t have to be as thick as it is right now – nor should it be. We’re not letting Lexington’s rich culture make much of an impact on campus. Having some representation of Lexington culture on campus could go a long way in solidifying our sense of being a part of the even greater Lexington community. There are plenty of examples of urban art throughout the city that could be integrated into campus. There are the stenciled quotations on the sidewalk of North Limestone; there are the banners outside Third Street Stuff that proclaim “unlearn fear and hate”; and there are also several murals on the sides of buildings downtown. Lexington has a rich culture of art that doesn’t have to be kept off campus.

The Transy Bubble has a tendency to contain its students to campus and the immediate surrounding area. There is the sense that students are discouraged from walking in local neighborhoods – specifically, the low-income communities in the surrounding area. There is a stark difference between the demographics at Transy and that of the immediate area. Truthfully, many of us come from wealthier, privileged backgrounds, and we are taught to stay away from anything different in that regard. Many are convinced that because these neighborhoods are areas of poverty, they must also have high crime rates. In actuality, these neighborhoods are not any more dangerous than any other part of town and are home to several local businesses and organizations. Using the Community Crime Map provided by the LexisNexis, one can see that various crimes are spread throughout town, with a particular concentration within the very heart of the city – quite a few blocks away from Transy. Granted, depending on the crime, there is another concentrated area to the east of Transy – but this area is also outside of the immediate surrounding area. The businesses and programs in these very places need local support. Students have the belief that these parts of town are ‘dangerous’ to visit. This impression doesn’t have to last. The notion that these areas and the people who live there are threatening because they do not have the same privileges of liberal arts students only divides us students from the Lexington community.

Division between the campus community and the city community is just one issue; there’s also the matter of division within the campus community. If we as students truly want to be responsible members of this community, it is up to us to create an inclusive community that all students belong to. This campus community we are building should encompass all organizations; we cannot allow our membership in organizations on campus to take precedent over this. We are students of Transylvania before we are Greek students, student athletes, newspaper writers, etc. Yet this all-encompassing community has been fragmented by a need to commit to a handful of organizations. While commitment to these organizations is not a problem in and of itself, when we start to identify with these groups before we identify as students, we limit our potential as a campus community. If a student falls out in one of the organizations to which they belong, reintegrating into a different group can be difficult if that person doesn’t have a connection to any of the other students on campus.

This doesn’t mean we must stop being so committed to our respective organizations and start being friends with literally everyone else and sing Kumbaya in back circle every night. Instead, we should try to foster a greater willingness to break down invisible barriers between organizations. The most blatant example of this divide is the tension between Greek-affiliated and unaffiliated students. Many students on campus have both unaffiliated and affiliated friends, regardless of whether or not they are a member of any of these organizations. However, there is still a divide between these two groups. For example, in past years, many unaffiliated students feel as though they are not welcome at philanthropy events hosted by Greek organizations, despite these events being open to everyone. Part of this issue is that Greek letters are plastered on every kind of advertisement for these events. Because these events are so heavily associated with Greek life, unaffiliated students can feel out of place at these events, particularly if they do not have any close Greek friends who invite them.

There doesn’t seem to be a bigger rallying point for students, something that can unite students campus-wide. What is it that keeps us at Transy and binds us as a student body? It has to do with the community and subcommunities we find ourselves in. This campus has a tendency to divide itself into smaller groups, which in and of itself is not a bad thing, but only when these smaller groups are not more important than the campus community as a whole. We do not need to limit our involvement in these groups, but if building a greater campus community is something we students want, it’s up to us to do it.

All this being said, where do we go from here? We could re-purpose existing open spaces for socializing. We could collaborate with local artists to bring more art onto campus. We could have more campus-wide events where no one is allowed to wear Greek letters but encouraged to wear Transylvania gear. The purpose of this essay is not to provide the student body with all the answers, but to start a campus-wide discussion about this issue and what should be done next. We would like to hear from others how they feel about the current state of our community. It is our hope that through this discussion, we will be taking the first steps toward building a campus community that will make all of us proud to be Transylvanians.

Written jointly by Megan Schandel, Commentary Editor, and Brandon Trapp, Process Editor.

Campus Conversations: Dr. Bethany Packard

Tom Martin
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Campus Conversations: Dr. Bethany Packard

Tristran Reynolds ’19 chats with Dr. Bethany Packard about her focus on early modern English literature.

Dr. Bethany Packard

LISTEN

The After Party: Misunderstood Fox Edition

Logan Fogle
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The After Party: Misunderstood Fox Edition

Bruh we gotta lotta stuff to talk about today bruh. Lots of new things to laugh at bruh.

http://soundcloud.com/user-700281148/the-after-party-the-misunderstood-fox

Why You Need to Visit the Lexington Farmers Market

Moira Hedrick
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Why You Need to Visit the Lexington Farmers Market
Photo by Moira Hedrick

In this day and age, where our food comes from is just as important as how we prepare it. And nothing says ‘healthier choices’ quite like a farmers’ market. Fortunately, here in Lexington, there are great opportunities to visit and get involved with local farmers’ markets.

​Picture this: you wake up on Saturday sometime between 7:00 AM and noon, and take a walk down to Cheapside Park in Downtown Lexington. Part of West Short Street is blocked off to accommodate all the vendors at the Saturday Farmers’ Market. You grab a coffee from either Cup of Commonwealth or the Cherry Seed Coffee Roastery, both of which have stands of piping hot coffee (and sometimes pastries). You tour the booths. You try some free samples.

The Farmers’ Market has a bit of everything for everyone. Even if you’re not into your standard green vegetables, you can buy some potatoes and make some homemade potato chips in your microwave. Just slice the potatoes really thin, drizzle with olive oil for a healthier alternative to butter, and stick them in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and whatever spices strike your fancy. It makes a great snack and tends to be healthier than options at the store. (Just remember, they are still potatoes, and therefore they are packed with sugar and starch.)

​If you’re looking for snacks you don’t have to prepare, the farmers’ market has plenty of those too, especially as we move into autumn. Peaches are popular, and apples of multiple varieties will start arriving to the Farmers’ Market in the next couple of weeks. They have apple types you have probably never even heard of, along with standards such as Golden Delicious and Pink Lady. If you have questions about the different varieties and what you can do with them, vendors are almost always happy to share their expertise. Some vendors, such as Quarles, sell over 20 kinds of homemade breads and several jams. Others, such as Green Acres of Paris, sell pre-made meals and seasonings. Their absolutely scrumptious pasta salads require no preparation, and they sell homemade dips and dressings for any occasion.

For the non-vegans among you, local-made cheeses are a year-round treat at the Farmers’ Market. If you feel up to making scrambled eggs or something with meat, there are vendors who sell anything from eggs to prime cuts of beef. Many advertise grass-fed livestock, whose meat is free of antibiotics, steroids, hormones, and lactose. This meat is natural, and fresh— it’s perfect for cooking.

You’ll have to keep in mind that allergy season is coming up. A great way to lessen and even stave off allergy attacks is to buy local honey. Since local honey is made by bees who pollinate local flowers, the honey exposes your immune system to some of the natural allergens around you. This way, your body is prepared for when your allergies attack in full force. Putting a bit of honey in your tea or using it as a condiment is a great way to prepare yourself while also being a little bit healthier.

However, a concern that many people express, and that I share, is the fact that the Farmers’ Market food might be more expensive than at the main brand grocery stores. While this can be the case, the Lexington Farmers’ Market is able to help those with unstable financial situations. They can double the amount on shopper food stamps, up to $20, and they also process SNAP benefits from EBT cards. And if you are low on cash, the Farmers’ Market can also give you spendable tokens by taking money off of credit and debit cards.

The Lexington Farmers’ Market offers so many opportunities for so many people. Buying fresh, local food is a great way to stay healthy and support your community. The Farmers’ Market is open four days a week in varying locations. On Tuesday/Thursday it is at 399 South Broadway. On Wednesday it is at The Summit. On Saturdays it is at Cheapside Park, the only year-round location, and on Sundays you can find it at 398 Southland Drive.

Try it, and see for yourself how it tastes.

Learn more at www.lexfarmmkt.com.

Ethical Considerations, Long-Distance Edition

Will Easley
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Ethical Considerations, Long-Distance Edition

Welcome to Ethical Considerations, our biweekly column dedicated to answering your questions with an informed ethical perspective. Columnist William Easley walks through the obligations, considerations, and implications of how to act ethically, with a real-word bent. The problems are real, the columnist is ready, and the advice is always honest. Have a problem you don’t know how to deal with, or a question you just can’t answer? Ask it anonymously by sending an email to rambler@transy.edu!

This week, relationship troubles.

“I’m dating this guy in Louisville. He came to visit me this weekend, and things just didn’t click. I don’t want to break up with him, but I don’t think it’s gonna work out between us. I’ve been thinking about letting it trail off. Is that the right thing to do?”

Dating and Ready to Mingle

A long distance relationship in college is definitely a challenge. While it was not specified how long that the two of you have known each other, that is the first question that I would have. The difference between a long-term relationship and a relationship in its early stages is dramatically different.

If this is a long-term relationship, one of the things that I would look at first is how the communication has changed since moving away. While we live in the era of text messages and Snapchat, there is still a lot to be gained from even a phone call. Hearing a person’s voice when they speak tells you just as much as the words that they are speaking. While you point out that you felt as if there was a lack of chemistry when meeting in person, I believe that one of the contributing factors to this could be a lack of face-to-face interaction.

On the other hand, if the two of you have not known each other for very long before moving away, I believe that there may be much bigger hurdles to face if you want to make this work out. By not having a foundation on which to help this relationship bloom, it will be much harder to build this relationship if it is starting out as long distance. While I am not saying to immediately call it quits, think about if you want to put in the extra time that it will take to build a foundation when dealing with the disadvantages of being long distance.

You mention that you do not want to break up with him. This is good because it shows that you do see that there is a chance for this relationship to blossom, but remember that it will take effort on both sides in order for it to do so. College is all about time management, so I would advise you to keep a look out for how much effort is being put in on both sides. If you do not feel like he is holding up his end of the deal, think of how that will impact the relationship as it progresses.

I do believe that just letting the relationship trail off is a bad idea. Not having closure is something that can cause someone to contemplate what caused things to fall apart. I believe that this is the worst route to take because it does not really give either party confidence in moving on. If things run their course and it naturally trails off, that is one thing, but attempting to lead the relationship down this path could come back to haunt you and leave you thinking, “What if?”.

To close, I would say to see where things go. This could have happened to be an interaction that just didn’t have much spark. Most relationships will not move at the speed of light. Things may progress if both of you put in the effort, but if either of you begins to put in less effort, it will become apparent quickly that it was not meant to be. If you do decide to end things, make it a clean break. That will make it easier for both of you to move on with your lives and hopefully find someone with whom you do make that connection.

The Writing Center: An ever-changing program to accommodate an ever-changing world

Raaziq El-Amin
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The Writing Center: An ever-changing program to accommodate an ever-changing world

Since the early 80s, the Transy Writing Center, founded by retired professor Martha Gehringer, has stood as one of Transy’s most resilient programs for student success. Holding true to its values of assisting students and faculty in developing research, writing, and presentation skills, the Writing Center has proved adaptable to our ever-changing campus and world.

Dr. Scott Whiddon, the current Director of the Writing Center, and Program Director for Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication (WRC) has continued to grow the Writing Center since joining the Transylvania community in 2006. He describes the program as “a student support space and faculty development space in which we work with university students and faculty members at any stage of a writing process, from brainstorming to development to creating revision plans to end of process reading.”

Due to the success of the program, the Writing Center was awarded the 2018 Martinson Award for Small Liberal Arts College/Writing Program Administration. The award was granted in recognition of the dedicated staff, as well as increased involvement with faculty. Additionally, bestowed by the Southeastern Writing Center Association, the Writing Center recently accepted the Christine Cozzens Research and Initiative Award. It served as acknowledgement of research in student writing development carried out by staffers and Dr. Whiddon.

While enthused by the Writing Center’s national recognition, Dr. Whiddon says he is most excited about the program’s new location in the basement of the Transylvania Library, which was renovated for the Writing Center’s use over the past spring and summer. “I walk in here and I am so happy to be here everyday,” Dr. Whiddon said.

Strategically redesigned with student’s needs in mind, the new space involved constructing a wall to create a separate room for students and staffers to discuss sensitive topics regarding their work. The space also can accommodate those who desire a quiet working environment. Other additions include manipulable furniture, white board tables and media screens that allow for practicing presentation skills. “We can manipulate that space to do all kinds of things,” Dr. Whiddon said.

As part of the program’s goal to increase accessibility to writing assistance, the Writing Center leads a number of in-class workshops throughout campus, allowing for more faculty involvement. “I think faculty members are now seeing that instead of having the Writing Center be a space apart from the classroom, that the classroom and student supports are significantly intertwined,” Dr. Whiddon said.

Senior Writing Center staffer Laura Daley also expressed excitement about the increased number of appointments and in-class workshops being scheduled. “We already have over thirty in-class workshops scheduled for the semester when last year, the entire year, we had fifty, so we’re already surpassing the amount of involvement that we had last year,” Daley said.

In Daley’s opinion, much of the growing interest in the Writing Center can be attributed to the new location. “It feels like a more cohesive space. I really like the white board tables,” Daley said. “You can use the whiteboard and still have that kind of engagement with the student you’re having an appointment with without standing up and writing on a white board and feeling like you’re teaching them.” It might also be increasingly beneficial to have a look at other whiteboard products that could transform normal free space into a whole whiteboard, for example, click to learn more.

The Writing Center encourages all students to schedule appointments, despite what level writer they may consider themselves. “I think part of becoming a good writer is being open to other people’s reactions to what you’ve written and being open to suggestions that other people have, to make it the best it could be,” Daley said.

“Scott [Dr. Whiddon] always says, ‘Good writing is never finished, only due,’ because you can always improve what you’ve written, no matter how good you think it is,” Daley said, referencing Dr. Whiddon.

Some students might show hesitancy in going to the Writing Center. Daley “hope[s] that any negative stigmas around going to the Writing Center because you need help will kind of continue to dissolve because there shouldn’t be a stigma” in seeking writing assistance.

As a Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication senior, Daley consistently makes Writing Center appointments with her peers. “It’s just really really helpful to talk out your ideas and to get another pair of eyes on your paper,” Daley said.

Both Dr. Whiddon and Daley convey great zeal in considering the future of the Writing Center. They encourage students and faculty to make appointments, as well as join events.

In partnership with The Transylvanian, Transy’s literary magazine, the Writing Center will hold an open mic gathering on the evening of October 12 from 7:00 pm until 8:15 pm.

Rambler Weekly Playlist: September 23rd

Taylor Mahlinger
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Rambler Weekly Playlist: September 23rd

Keeping your weekly playlist refreshed with some good vibes!

ReACTion: Theater professors’ departure

Taylor Mahlinger
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ReACTion: Theater professors’ departure

Among the staffing changes within the university over the summer, one change in particular was noteworthy. Transylvania’s theater program experienced the loss of not one, not two, but three of its theater professors: Professor Sully White, Professor Michael Dixon, and Lecturer Michael Sanders. The professors’ last day was August 31st, 2017.

Melissa (Missy) Johnston has since taken over the position as Interim Director of Theater Activities. Johnston holds an MFA theater degree and over 30 years of experience as costume designer, set designer, actor, producer, and playwright, and has been working in the theater department at Transy since 2008. The Rambler reached out to former Professors Dixon, White, and Lecturer Sanders for comments, but only received a reply from Professor White, who did not give any clue as to why she or the others left. While the reason behind their sudden departures still remains unclear, The Rambler contacted students who were and currently are involved in some way with Transy’s theater program to ask what their thoughts were on the matter.

Did their decisions to leave come as a shock, or did something suggest their departure?

J.D. Lovell, sophomore. Theater and Accounting major: “It was a complete surprise, I was in disbelief when I found out. I spent a lot of time with those professors towards the end of May Term and they gave me no sign that they had intentions of resigning.”

Joseph Bahena, senior. Theater major: “I wasn’t shocked. I was shook. Like, come on! Have you ever heard of almost an entire department leaving at once!?”

Blake Taylor, senior: “No comment – what’s happened has happened and looking forward is really the only thing we can do to get the theatre education we provide to a respectable level.”

Trevor Kassis, junior. Philosophy major: “Something like this wasn’t outside of the realm of possibility in my mind, but it was a surprise nonetheless, especially so close to the beginning of the school year.”

Aaron Botts, senior. Theater and International Affairs major: “The news came as a shock. We all hated to see them go but whatever their motivations were for leaving we do know they did it for the best reasons. To my knowledge there were no signs showing that they were leaving immediately.”

What do you think this change means for the department itself?

Lovell: “I don’t think that anyone involved in the department are ones to lay down and quit when the going gets tough. I think we are all ready to do what it takes to continue making art.”

Kassis: “I was a theater minor, but this change led me to the decision to drop that minor, because I don’t want to subject myself to an anemic, stopgap program for two years. For majors, especially upperclassmen, this isn’t so much an option. I fear that the department will lose that feeling and become more geared toward simply getting the credits you need and moving on, at least during this transitional period.”

Bahena: “As a current theater major, I think this change means that we get to take what was given to us creatively and run with it.”

Taylor: “As a senior, who has had all of his required classes, and has been doing theatrical work outside of the university, the change doesn’t affect the nature of my goals on campus. For those that have many classes left to take, or had primary mentor-ship with the former professors I’m sure it is a bigger concern and issue considering our former professors were exceptional teachers and now we do not know who is being brought in.”

Ashleigh King, sophomore. History and Political Science major: “Of course the departure of the teachers will be a bit of a blow, but I don’t think that the theater department will go downhill. Especially because we have Missy (the interim director) to lead us. She’s amazing and so creative. Like the costumes she comes up with are just fantastic. We couldn’t have anyone better to lead us through this. But I’m confident that Transy will hire new staff that are just as talented and will bring their own personal flair to the department.”

Ben Wagner, Senior: “In terms of people who may want to pursue the major, do it! Missy Johnston is our interim department head and she’s been an amazing part of this department for almost a decade now. There’s no reason that this should scare anyone away from the theatre.”

Botts: “We aren’t losing the department or program, we are simply losing valuable friends, teachers, and mentors that have helped us better understand the subject. The good thing is we still have a department and I am confident Missy will keep the rigor and prestige Transylvania’s theatre is known for.”

What does this change mean for you, personally?

Bahena: “It means I’ve got to really start thinking of myself as an artist that takes creative leaps without a net to catch me if I fall. I’ve got to learn to be my own loving critic and my own motivator. I won’t be surrounded with a faculty that knows how to help me build upon my own artistic viewpoint by knowing me as well as they did. Ya know?”

Kassis: “For me, personally, it’s a major frustration. Theater is an expressive outlet that I truly love and want to engage with, and the Transy shows I’ve been a part of have been wonderful experiences. There were many courses I was excited to take and roles I wanted to try for that, now, I just won’t. Simply put, it sucks.”

Taylor: “It may have been revealed in the previous answer, but as it stood and still stands I’m not really emotionally tied to the program. With that being said, I think by starting fresh, we as a program, and as a university should look inward, criticize what was working/not working, have real honest conversation, and move forward to build a better future.”

Lovell: “I am very thankful for the opportunity I had to learn from them. I know that changes like this are not uncommon in a university. Therefore, I remain very positive about the department and I’m very excited for the upcoming year. Although I am very disappointed that their personalities and geniuses will not be on campus next year.”

Wagner: “Of course I’m sorry to see these three amazing people leave. I’ve become close with each of them since getting involved in the department and they’ve been something of mentors for me. But I also know that they’re going to continue doing amazing things and that this change is an incredibly hard decision that they’ve put so much time into making. “

Botts: “On a personal note, it is not like we have lost them forever. They are our friends and mentors and that relationship doesn’t stop just because they left the university.”

King: “Sully is an incredible director and mentor. She has such an eye for comedy and makes things funny so easily that it’s just astonishing. Sully just has this way of inspiring people to do better, which you can tell from the way that people talk about her. And that brings me to the wonderful Micheal Dixon. He directed my first play at Transy, Anonymous, which will always be such a special play. During Anonymous, he let us explore our own characters and make our own choices, a luxury that I wasn’t afforded in previous theater departments, and really helped me grow and dig about my acting style. I’ve never had a class with Mike Sanders but he is brilliant. I respect their decisions, but I will definitely miss all of them immensely.”

What do you think this major change in the department means for theater majors and people who want to pursue a major in theater at Transy?

Lovell: “We are obviously losing three great professors, three great professionals who are masters of their craft. The classes that I had the opportunity to take with them were some of the most effective that I took during my first year. Just in my first year at Transy I learned many things about myself as an actor, writer, and designer, thanks to them. So it will be a great loss in the classroom and in the creative process of each production. Ultimately though, with Missy Johnston as our interim director, the dedication of the students involved, and the resources we still have, I think Transy’s theatre department will continue to be very successful.”

Wagner: “It means that we’re losing people that have been core parts of our development and progress through the program. But, as it is in a lot of aspects of life, theatre is in a very constant state of flux, and so this is just a transition that will ultimately help us grow more. In terms of people who may want to pursue the major, do it! Missy Johnston is our interim department head and she’s been an amazing part of this department for almost a decade now. There’s no reason that this should scare anyone away from the theatre.”

Botts: “We will still have people who are interested in theatre and seek to study the subject. We aren’t losing the department or program, we are simply losing valuable friends, teachers, and mentors that have helped us better understand the subject. The good thing is we still have a department and I am confident Missy will keep the rigor and prestige Transylvania’s theatre is known for.”

King: “For anyone who wants to major in theater or even just be in one play in general, there are plenty of ways to be involved in theater without the actual theater department: Theater Guild, ImprompTU, and Bad Mouth Theater Company; all student run organizations that love new people to come and try out. All theater people are super welcoming and can always find a job for someone.”

Bahena: “I think if I were someone considering a theater major I would have to wait and see. When it comes down to how you handle your own educational experience, you should have a pretty good sense of who you are committing time and money into as a faculty. Especially when that faculty is supposed to be giving you a worthwhile advantage by attending Transy…or so the thought is. Only time can determine that.”

Kassis: “It’s safe to say that this is a huge disappointment to everyone involved in Transy theater. I and many others got involved with the program because of the exceptional team of artists Transy had on staff, and to see them go, especially for those of us who have already seen and experienced what they can do, is quite a blow. Administration has assured theater majors that they will be able to graduate on time, but for a lot of them, that’s not what it was all about. They wanted to experience what theater could really be in an academic environment, to cultivate their own artistry under the instruction of proven professionals. I fear that the department will lose that feeling and become more geared toward simply getting the credits you need and moving on, at least during this transitional period.”

Taylor: “I think there are different responses when looking at current majors vs. perspective students. For current majors, I think that if you really want to pursue the art form, than that is what you must do, continually pursue the art form. It’s kind too late for some of us to quit now. Does that have to be represented by the major you choose, or whether or not you do your work on campus, based on who is teaching the classes, and directing the shows moving forward? That’s a question I can’t answer for anyone, but myself. For those who want to pursue a major in theatre at Transy, I firmly believe that until the university hires a set of professors who are committed to bring optimism and a sense of commitment and growth to the university, that students should seek their education elsewhere. Why ask a student to spend their money and time at university whose program is unstable and unreliable at the moment? You come in expecting something from what you were shown, and the check you are writing to the university. To have that stripped away definitely deserves o conversation and demands from the students.”

Do you think the change in the theater department will cause students interested in theater to leave?

Lovell: “We are actors, designers, and writers. We are adaptable. We are given our instructions and we find a way to make it work. We still have a strong department with a wonderful director. I think we are all ready to do what it takes to continue making art.”

Bahena: “I think it all depends on who is hired. That sorta determines what shows are produced, what opportunities are offered, how inclusive we are, what the culture of the whole program is, etc.”

King: “The good thing about our theater department is that everyone is extremely dedicated. So those who are in multiple plays usually don’t stop, if their schedules allow it. So I doubt that people will leave because theater is just too much fun. I’m not sure if it’ll grow, because you can never tell about these kinda things, but I sure do hope more people will try out theater and see if they like acting on stage. Truthfully, I think it’s an experience everyone needs; the discipline, the people, and the magic. It’s just too special to pass up.”

Kassis: “I hope that those interested in theater will be able to turn that energy toward Transy’s Theater Guild. The Guild has been growing in great ways over the past few years, and, although the mentors that helped it achieve this growth are gone, I hope that it won’t lose the momentum it has accumulated.”

Botts: “Honestly, I’m not sure. I came in as a theatre major and might not have come here if a program or scholarship didn’t exist. If the university decides to cut the program (the theatre major and scholarship) altogether it would be as a detriment to the liberal arts education. I earnestly hope they don’t cut the program because we’ve gotten to work alongside awesome people and make some beautiful art. We still have Missy and she’ll still teach students theatre so all is not lost.”

Wagner:  “I really hope that no one is going to feel pushed out by the change. The people that I get to work with every day via the program are ones that work longer hours than you would imagine doing physically and mentally demanding work, so in my mind no one is apt to lay by the wayside or panic as this new wave comes in. Of course, things will be changing, as they do when such a shift happens, but I don’t believe that’s much of a cause for worry and I hope that the other students in the department will see it the same way. The shift very well may attract new people to join and test the waters, which would be phenomenal! It’s always fun to see new people come out and try their hand.”

Taylor: “There are many universities that have excellent faculty, have administrations, and student bodies that really support the arts. In order for that to happen the university would genuinely need to listen to the wants and needs of the current students, and they would need to have real commitment in supporting and encouraging new committed faculty. Bringing in adjuncts for me isn’t enough to create something sustainable. Our education in our desired major is just as important to us, and the world, as the education and work of someone in a more mainstream major. Until that is understood, and implemented through a real desire to build a positive and growing program by students and admin, seek elsewhere.”

In an email sent to all theater majors and minors, the university assured current students that the university has made suitable arrangements to cover all classes needed to complete their already-undertaken majors. The long-term future of the theater program was not discussed.

Changes to Campus

Aaron Martin
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Changes to Campus

As students start the new semester, there is always a sense of confusion for the first couple months as everyone familiarizes themselves with any changes to campus. The Rambler is here to help with that confusion.

Changes in Faculty

Provided by Kim Naujokas, Executive Assistant to the Vice President and the Dean of the University

New Faculty

  • Dr. Rebecca Hochradel, Associate Professor of Business Administration
  • Dr. Stephen Hess, Assistant Professor Political Science
  • Ms. JJ Wallace, Visiting Lecturer for Exercise Science

New Role at Transy

  • Ms. Missy Johnston, Interim Director of Theater Activities

Faculty Promotions

  • Dr. Paul Duffin, tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Biology
  • Dr. Gregg Bocketti, promotion to Professor of History

Faculty who have left Transy

  • Dr. Jack Furlong, Professor of Philosophy
  • Dr. Nina Barzachka, Assistant Professor of Political Science
  • Dr. Michael Dixon, Associate Professor of Theater
  • Dr. Sully White, Associate Professor in Theater
  • Dr. Saori Hanaki, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science
  • Mr. Michael Sanders, Lecturer in Theater

Changes in Student Life

New Staff

  • Alexa Quiroz, Community Engagement Support Specialist
  • Amanda DeWitt, Education Outreach Coordinator
  • Maddy Frost, Assistant Director of Residence Life

New Role at Transy

  • Hannah Piechowski, Director of Student Transitions, Parent & Family Programs

Changes in Academic Affairs

Provided by Dean Laura Bryan

New Staff

  • Beth Carpenter, Librarian

Staff Promotions

  • Tracy Dunn, Assistant Dean, Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment
  • Ashley Coons, Associate Registrar

Changes in Locations

Old Morrison

  • Registrar: OM 100A
  • Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment: OM 100B
  • Student Transitions, Parent and Family Program: OM 100C
  • Financial Aid: OM 101
  • Student Accounting Services: OM 105
  • Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment: OM 107
  • IT: OM 109
  • Disability Services: OM 111

Hazelrigg Hall

Many members of the faculty have relocated their offices to Hazelrigg Hall due to the construction on the Carpenter Academic Center. Every faculty member’s office number can be found on TNotes.

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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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