by Cavin Jacobson | Jul 18, 2018 | News Slider
President Donald Trump’s administration has reversed a college admissions policy regarding the use of race in determining college applicants. The president’s new order rescinded federal guidance on affirmative action that was originally put in place by former president Barack Obama. The policy requested that schools factor the ethnicity of those they enrolled as a way to promote racial diversity and inclusion. The tool has been used across the country for private colleges as a way to grow their diversity. Now, colleges across the country can utilize a “blind” admissions process where they don’t incorporate a person’s race in admission. Lipscomb’s Vice President of Enrollment Byron Lewis spoke to WZTV about how the rule affects colleges. “There are a lot of institutions across the country that this isn’t a big factor, but for a lot of highly-selective and selective institutions, it is something that is certainly used as a tool, one of many, to be able to promote diversity on campus,” Lewis said. Trump’s administration has recently backed a group of students who have accused Harvard University of using the tool to discriminate against Asian-Americans during the admissions process. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been opposed to the rule. Last year, he announced he would bring an end to the Justice Department issuing guiding documents that bypassed the formation of actual law. “The American people deserve to have their voices heard and a government that is accountable to them,” Sessions said. “When issuing regulations, federal agencies must abide by constitutional principles and follow the rules set forth by Congress and the President in previous administrations, however, agencies often tried to...
by Cavin Jacobson | Jul 9, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Ant-Man and the Wasp is the first Marvel movie after Avengers: Infinity War left theater-goers speechless. Ant-Man and the Wasp is its own standalone movie that mingles very little with the other Marvel films, not confronting the cliffhangers in Infinity War. If you haven’t seen Infinity War yet, you don’t need to in order to understand and enjoy this film. Ant Man and the Wasp is possibly even the best film Marvel could have put out right after Infinity War as it allowed Marvel fans to stop stressing over the cliffhanger at the end of Infinity War and focus on another great superhero adventure that is going on at the same time. Ant-Man and the Wasp follows Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) way over on the other side of the United States in sunny San Fransisco, a place that doesn’t have much of a superhero presence (as opposed to New York City, where most of Marvel’s heroes live). Scott has been on house arrest now for two years following the events of Captain America: Civil War, and of course, he only has one week left until he is a free, non-superhero man. During his last week on house arrest, he has a dream about Hank Pym’s (Michael Douglas) wife, Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) who has been trapped in the Quantum Realm since before the events of the first film. Scott then gets roped into another adventure with Hank and Hope Pym (Evangeline Lilly) to rescue Janet from the Quantum Realm. This time, Hope dons the suit of the Wasp, who can fly, has laser guns and is much more...
by Cavin Jacobson | Jun 15, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
There’s nothing easy about being a child. Within only half-a-decade from birth, you’re expected to walk, talk, socialize, behave and conform to the “adult” way of your culture. Nowadays, a conversation about emotion and the nuances of life are rarely shared with children outright; instead, children are expected to just grow and guess how the adults have it figured out (we don’t). This wasn’t always the case though. Several decades ago, a piano composer named Fred Rogers became upset with the way that early television treated its child audience. He was appalled with the silly and slapstick nature of TV shows aimed at younger audiences. So he put aside his goal of being an ordained Presbyterian minister and set out to create a show that would speak to children at their level, with dignity and sincerity, while also displaying authority and wisdom. And he did exactly that. Every day, Fred Rogers would be “Mister Rogers” to the children of the Pittsburgh area, and then to the rest of the United States. Won’t You be my Neighbor is a very special kind of documentary. It isn’t a biopic on the inner workings of the man Fred Rogers, and it isn’t some history piece detailing Mister Roger’s Neighborhood and the way it came to be renowned in the United States. It’s a barely even a documentary. Really, it’s something far more wholesome. Won’t You be my Neighbor is a celebration of a time long past. It’s a presentation of ideas and ideologies of one genuinely kind man. The film does not go deep into Fred Roger’s personal life, nor does it...
by Cavin Jacobson | Jun 8, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
In 2013, Liberty University claimed all use of the abbreviation LU, banning Lipscomb from using it as an official logo. In 2018, Liberty and Lipscomb will face off again, though this time it will be out on the court and the field. Liberty University has officially joined Lipscomb in the Atlantic Sun conference to become it’s 8th member. The school, which was formerly a part of the Big South conference, has made the swap over to the ASUN conference for the 2018-2019 season. Lipscomb, who won the ASUN Men’s Basketball tournament to advance to the NCAA playoffs, has a potential rival in Liberty University. Both are Christian schools located in the South, and both appeal to the same demographics. They’re similar enough that there was quite the debacle involving the use of “LU” to represent Lipscomb in 2013. “On behalf of our coaches, staff, and student-athletes, we are excited and honored to join the ASUN as our all-sports conference,” said Liberty University’s Director of Athletics, Ian McCaw. “Moreover, we are deeply appreciative to Commissioner Ted Gumbart, the ASUN leadership and member institutions, for this opportunity. “The ASUN footprint will allow Liberty to further extend our brand into New Jersey, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. These states are fertile for recruiting students and student-athletes alike who fit Liberty’s mission.” All of Liberty’s athletics programs now in ASUN will be able to compete for any trophy awarded by ASUN for the 2018-2019 season. 17 of its 20 sports programs will join ASUN. Liberty’s football team will become independent this fall, the field hockey program will stay in the Big East conference and the women’s swimming...
by Cavin Jacobson | Apr 21, 2018 | News Slider
The past two weeks at Lipscomb University have been filled with posters, emails and events surrounding the election of the 2018-2019 Student Government Association. On Tuesday, Sierra Sparks won the election for President, Annie Moore for Vice-President, Macy Glassco for Secretary and Emilee Goss for Treasurer. Five students for the three upper classes of Sophomore, Junior, and Senior were elected to be senators. However, despite students knowing about SGA’s existence, some students still don’t know what SGA does, or how it all works. The Student Government Association’s motto is I Kings 3:9: “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” Aside from the four executive officers and five senators for each class, there are also five freshmen elected by an interviewing committee comprised of the president and three additional senators or officers; this is done in the fall during the freshman’s first year on campus. Finally, there are eight “Senator At-Large” positions of candidates that lost the position they were originally running for, but who still want to be a part of SGA. They represent the student body as a whole and advocate for the entire body of undergraduates here at Lipscomb. According to the SGA Constitution, any person who meets the proper criteria can run for these positions. But what are these criteria? According to the Constitution, for a senator to be elected, he or she must have a GPA of 2.75 and have spent two semesters at Lipscomb, and they must also be a part of the...
