Panther Press, March 20, 2017 Florida International University

Florida International University FIU Digital Commons The aP nther Press (formerly The Beacon) Special Collections and University Archives 3-20-2017 Panther Press, March 20, 2017 Florida International University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper Recommended Citation Florida International University, "Panther Press, March 20, 2017" (2017). The Panther Press (formerly The Beacon). 917. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper/917 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections and University Archives at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The aP nther Press (formerly The Beacon) by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PANTHERA Forum for Free Student Expression at Florida International PRESS University One copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents. Vol. 1 Issue 8 PantherNOW.com Monday, March 20 , 2017 NEW CHAPTER IN TOWN Right-wing organization Turning Point USA brings chapter to FIU LIZANDRA PORTAL was responsible for recruiting members while she was a “It gives them another perspective to either question Contributing Writer student, and has continued her work for the FIU chapter what they believe or to affirm their beliefs,” Hernandez since. said. “You don’t keep yourself in your own echo chamber Turning Point USA’s job is to change the extremely “Sometimes I go up to a table [on campus] to get them where you’re hearing the same thing over and over again.” liberal narrative present in high schools and college to sign up and find out they’re already members and Krishna McKay, a senior political science major who campuses and their mission continues at FIU, according they flash me their pins,” Sixto said. “We are changing says he has vastly different views than the organization, to Driena Sixto, FIU alumna and Miami field director for the culture on campus. It was great to see what it has regularly attends their events because he likes to “get an the organization. idea of how the opposition thinks.” “Usually, students only get one side, one perspective, He says while they do raise some good points, such that’s why we have seen an increase in the romanticizing as taxes getting too high, he disagrees with their views of ideas like socialism and communism,” she said. You do not get yourself on the Professor on government involvement. McKay believes that more “Whereas there’s very little faculty members, teachers federal mandated business regulations would help the Watchlist for having a leftist ideology. If that or administrators promoting capitalism, free markets, lower and middle working classes. individual liberties, individual rights and freedoms were the case, more than 80 percent of all As for the way the club handles debate, McKay also instead of a collective.” higher-learning faculty and staff would be adds they can be condescending but likes “how they are The non-profit organization, with a presence in over there. You get yourself [on the list] by being getting our generation involved in the political process.” 1,000 college campuses and high schools nationwide, is an abusive, unprofessional or simply unhinged The organization has hosted a few events on campus known for its controversial right-wing ideals including professor who is guilty of censorship or in the spring semester. In February, the club held a debate a professor watch list that warns students of professors discriminating against others, watch party on campus to broadcast the healthcare debate who have left-leaning ideologies. The website has been between senators Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz, which Driena Sixto accused of inciting fear and promoting censorship but had a pretty big turnout, according to the club president. Miami Field Director Sixto disagrees. On March 6, they held a movie night and showed Turning Point USA, FIU Chapter “The Professor Watchlist is not a tool to censor anyone, “Atlas Shrugged,” based on the Ayn Rand novel of the you do not get yourself on the Professor Watchlist for same name. having a leftist ideology,” she said. “If that were the case, Future events planned for the organization include “2A more than 80 percent of all higher-learning faculty and Event” with the Law Cabinet Republicans to promote staff would be there. You get yourself [on the list] by blossomed into, and the enthusiasm that you see from so their ideals on Second Amendment rights. They also hope being an abusive, unprofessional or simply unhinged many diverse members.” to collaborate with Pink Pistols, an LGBTQ group who professor who is guilty of censorship or discriminating The FIU chapter boasts about 2,000 members and teaches people about gun safety and how to properly against others.” is the largest club on campus, according to Sixto. handle firearms but the date has not yet been set. The website contains a collection of previously Club President Anaise Hernandez, a junior studying The club doesn’t hold weekly meetings however, published news stories and accepts tips for new content, international relations, liked the idea of bringing a more interested students can sign up for their newsletter or but says that they only publish the profiles for incidents conservative, libertarian voice to campus and invites contact them through their facebook page at FIU Turning that have been reported by a credible news outlet. students who don’t agree with the organization’s views to Point USA. Sixto, who graduated from the University last summer, sign up and see their side. BISCAYNE BAY Award ceremony serves as Students to ‘promote capstone to reading series integrity’ in committee MARTINA BRETOUS and receptive,” said Wade. “She’s one of our CEYLIN ARIAS final resolution on wherever they go and News Director people who we’ve wanted to honor for a while Staff Writer behavioral misconduct should encourage and this is the year that it works.” cases. students to “represent The Lawrence Sanders Award was created Part of the process in planning the event The Student Any student from the University in a to show where a life of literature can lead and is finding someone who meets the criteria — Conduct Committee any discipline, year, or positive way.” this year, it will honor Pulitzer prize-winning which includes the writing genre and date of is currently in need program may apply to When a student author Jane Smiley. the event— and is willing to accept the award of students who the committee. is charged with a “It’s the best way, as a Creative Writing “within the limits of what the award can pay,” can become part of “Although we do violation of behavioral Program, of making what we do in our Wade says. She adds that the program also FIU’s hearing body not hold any firm misconduct, they are classrooms more visible … So much of what encourages and requires students to work in to “promote integrity, qualifications, besides given three options: you do [as a writer] happens alone,” said Julie multiple genres while getting their MSA so ethics, and be able to needing a 2.5 GPA in an informal hearing or Wade, assistant professor at the program. it’s important to find writers who exemplify make decisions that order to be accepted into two formal hearings — “You’re writing by yourself and then you this. promote education, the committee, we are with the SCC serving come to classes, workshop, talk about other “She [Smiley] has a brilliant academic accountability, and looking for individuals as one of those formal writers’ work and use other writers’ work as satire called ‘Moo’ and she has a young adult community well- that can promote a lot hearings. In that models to emulate, but even that happens in series,” said Wade. “She not only meets all being,” said Amanda of good qualities such time, the committee this cordoned off space that everyone outside of the criteria and graciously accepted the Torres, assistant as integrity and open- convenes two students of the class doesn’t see.” award, but on top of that, she’s someone who director at the Office mindedness,” said and one faculty or staff The award, which Wade says is the only one represents more than one genre too.” of Student Conduct and Torres. “On campus, it’s member to hear the of its kind, honors writers of fiction who have Wade recalls only reading books from Conflict Resolution. important for students student’s case. achieved market success in both commercial authors who were deceased in high school The SCC is a group to hold each other “The student markets and literary contexts. This year, the and says it’s exciting to highlight current of students, faculty, and accountable as it tends will then have the program honors award-winning author Jane writers who are able to connect with students staff who have applied to be more powerful opportunity to give Smiley, who will participate in a book reading by coming to universities and answering for and have been when a peer holds a their own side of the and a Q&A session with Les Standiford, the questions about their work. selected to join the student accountable for story. The committee director of the program, on Thursday, March “It makes the whole thing seem so much committee as part of the a violation than when will ask them questions, 30. more real, not something that’s happening formal student process an administrator does they will take into “Jane Smiley is someone who has been on of the University in the same thing.” consideration all the our watchlist of writers for a while and we SEE AWARD, PAGE 2 charge of hearing The code, Torres approached her … and she was very gracious and determining says, follows students SEE SCC, PAGE 2 2 Panther Press – Monday, March 20, 2017 NEWS pantherNOW.com NATION & Congressman urges administration to WORLD BRIEFS help keep loan payments affordable Unearthing atrocities in Iraq’s CAYLA BUSH of Understanding outlining a multi- their Social Security benefits and tax newest mass graves Editor in Chief year consent system that uses tax data refunds withheld, and have their wages AL HOUD, Iraq — The skull still had a thatch of to automatically recertify student loan garnished.” brown hair attached.

Load more