You may have recently noticed female students in classes wearing strange objects or carrying around things such as stuffed animals, flowers, sashes, torches and many more peculiar items. This all happens during rush week. While they might not be able to always say what it’s for or the reason they are doing it, this is a glimpse into what rush is like for Lipscomb University social clubs. We spoke to some students involved and asked about their current experiences thus far. Katlyn, a sophomore biology major from Brentwood, TN, says she wants to rush “for the plot.” These students are involved or looking to be involved in social clubs, look to have a deep connection with their community and be a part of something greater than themselves. A lot of students are willing to look a little silly or stand out so they can be a part of a Lipscomb social club. Some examples include: going around campus barking at people or toting around binders stacked with information about other participants and future “sisters.” Katlyn said, “[rush] is like a little scavenger hunt,” they are forming bonds with each other from the get-go. Einsley, a sophomore nursing student from Brentwood, TN, said, “I just want to be more involved in the community and meet [more] people.” After asking her about her experience she said, “I have loved it, I have met so many amazing people.” Her favorite night was worship night when all the sisters got together to worship and be together for a time of prayer. She believes there is a notable difference between a sorority and a social club because of the faith-based aspect. Even though some may look a little peculiar during rush week, the overall goal for those involved is to find community in a faith-based network and create life-long friendships with each other.
It’s approaching the end of a semester. One student has plenty of pre-paid credit on their meal card…but their roommate is broke. So they swap ID’s to get a meal. But hold on just a minute. That could now land both of them in trouble. Sharing student IDs to purchase meals on campus has become a common practice for many students, but Lipscomb is now enforcing a strict new policy that’s going to change our behavior. You may have seen the signs already: “Lipscomb ID Cards can only be used by the person it belongs to. If you try to make a purchase with a card that does not belong to you the card will be confiscated and assumed as stolen property – Lipscomb Dining Management” This has left many students on campus wondering what prompted the new rules? Does the punishment of confiscation actually fit the crime of sharing an ID with a friend? Ty Benham and I sat down with Sodexo general manager Anthony Bates to learn more. “It’s an old policy and it was given to us by Lipscomb Security.” says Bates. “There have been several occasions over the years where IDs are actually stolen. Or we’ve had situations where some folks have taken pictures of their roommate’s IDs and tried to use the scanner card with them.” Bates says both of those approaches are actually agains the rules and there must be some level of enforcement. Therefore, whenever someone is using someone else’s card, they must assume it’s been stolen and therefore, confiscate it. “We just want to communicate a little bit better” says Bates. “You’re really not supposed to use other people’s cards. What happens is students have gotten surprised when we’ve done it [confiscation]…. but if we notice it [sharing] we’re supposed to take it, and then that gets students upset. So we said, okay, we need to just post it for everyone to know and realize that this is the policy, it’s given to us by security and we don’t want anybody to be surprised when this happens.” So what happens when your card is confiscated? Is it gone forever until you spend the $20 that it takes to get a new one? We asked Bates about different scenarios. “No, no, no. We would take the card and give it to security… We call security and give it to them and they would call the student and find out, ‘Hey, did you, did you loan it to somebody? Is it stolen?’” Bates did mention that you can use your friend’s card if your friend is present, though there’s an exception to this rule at the cafeteria. “The policy just from our standpoint is the card is for the person who uses it [the meal plan].” says Bates. “If you want to come in and bring somebody and pay, that’s great. We don’t care about that, but you have to kind of be there with them… You couldn’t use a meal swipe, but you could use dining dollars… Just as long as they’re [the guest or companion] with you, it doesn’t really matter… but you’ve gotta be there with the card.” So for example, let’s say that you ran out of swipes. Your friend can swipe their card to get in, but they can’t use a meal swipe to get you in. They must use Dining Dollars, which would cost them $12.75 (the same price as using cash or a credit/debit card). Bates’ advice? Pretty simple. “Just don’t share your card, that’s it, it’s just safer not to do that. We’ve got to make sure that you are who you say you are.” Bates says it can take many hours of monitoring security footage to determine violations. “We don’t want to get those calls again, where we’re having to go through and look through people’s history. And then security has to go look through footage of who you know on video cameras to see who actually used the card”. Though Bates hopes that the strict policy doesn’t catch anyone by surprise, he knows that it’s necessary for the security of Lipscomb’s students. “Honestly it’s a shame, but if people want to steal something, they’re gonna steal something, and that’s just kind of human nature I think more than anything else.” Story written by Brandon Bigsby and Ty Benham
David A. French a New York Times columnist, former constitutional litigator and Iraqi War veteran has been appointed distinguished visiting professor of public policy in Lipscomb University’s College of Leadership & Public Service. French holds an undergraduate degree in political science from Lipscomb and is an opinion columnist for the New York Times. As distinguished visiting professor, French will teach traditional and short-courses as well as support special events and engagements. He will begin his two-year faculty appointment on Sept. 1 while continuing his work with the New York Times. “David’s vast experience in law, politics and the military and his deep faith offers students a unique blend of legal expertise, thoughtful analysis and an extensive understanding of contemporary issues,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “As a university that prepares students for purposeful lives through a rigorous academic experience, it is important to have scholars such as David with his extensive background to enrich this academic landscape.” French said he is looking forward to this opportunity to return to his alma mater. “Lipscomb played an indispensable role in my spiritual and intellectual growth, and I’m honored by the opportunity to become a member of the community that has given me so much,” said French. Prior to beginning his work with the New York Times in January, French was a senior editor at The Dispatch, which he helped launch, and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. He also served as a senior writer for National Review and as a senior fellow at the National Review Institute. The majority of French’s career was devoted to practice law, working in both commercial and constitutional litigation. In 2006, he joined the United States Army Reserve as a judge advocate general. He deployed to Iraq in 2007 and served in Diyala Province, where he was awarded a Bronze Star. During his legal career, he litigated in federal courts and served as a lecturer at Cornell Law School. He is a former president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. French is also a New York Times bestselling author. His most recent book is “Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation.” French will be on faculty in Lipscomb’s College of Leadership & Public Service, which offers programs in law, justice and society; conflict management; leadership and public service; public administration and sustainability among others. “David brings a unique perspective at the local, state and national levels through his vast experiences that will provide tremendous real-world insight to our students,” said Steve Joiner, dean of the college. “This is a significant opportunity not only for our students, but the entire Lipscomb community. I look forward to our work together and the tremendous impact he will have in this role as we prepare the next generation of leaders who will serve Tennessee and beyond.”
You may have recently noticed female students in classes wearing strange objects or carrying around things such as stuffed animals, flowers, sashes, torches and many more peculiar items. This all happens during rush week. While they might not be able to always say what it’s for or the reason they are doing it, this is a glimpse into what rush is like for Lipscomb University social clubs. We spoke to some students involved and asked about their current experiences thus far. Katlyn, a sophomore biology major from Brentwood, TN, says she wants to rush “for the plot.” These students are involved or looking to be involved in social clubs, look to have a deep connection with their community and be a part of something greater than themselves. A lot of students are willing to look a little silly or stand out so they can be a part of a Lipscomb social club. Some examples include: going around campus barking at people or toting around binders stacked with information about other participants and future “sisters.” Katlyn said, “[rush] is like a little scavenger hunt,” they are forming bonds with each other from the get-go. Einsley, a sophomore nursing student from Brentwood, TN, said, “I just want to be more involved in the community and meet [more] people.” After asking her about her experience she said, “I have loved it, I have met so many amazing people.” Her favorite night was worship night when all the sisters got together to worship and be together for a time of prayer. She believes there is a notable difference between a sorority and a social club because of the faith-based aspect. Even though some may look a little peculiar during rush week, the overall goal for those involved is to find community in a faith-based network and create life-long friendships with each other.
It’s approaching the end of a semester. One student has plenty of pre-paid credit on their meal card…but their roommate is broke. So they swap ID’s to get a meal. But hold on just a minute. That could now land both of them in trouble. Sharing student IDs to purchase meals on campus has become a common practice for many students, but Lipscomb is now enforcing a strict new policy that’s going to change our behavior. You may have seen the signs already: “Lipscomb ID Cards can only be used by the person it belongs to. If you try to make a purchase with a card that does not belong to you the card will be confiscated and assumed as stolen property – Lipscomb Dining Management” This has left many students on campus wondering what prompted the new rules? Does the punishment of confiscation actually fit the crime of sharing an ID with a friend? Ty Benham and I sat down with Sodexo general manager Anthony Bates to learn more. “It’s an old policy and it was given to us by Lipscomb Security.” says Bates. “There have been several occasions over the years where IDs are actually stolen. Or we’ve had situations where some folks have taken pictures of their roommate’s IDs and tried to use the scanner card with them.” Bates says both of those approaches are actually agains the rules and there must be some level of enforcement. Therefore, whenever someone is using someone else’s card, they must assume it’s been stolen and therefore, confiscate it. “We just want to communicate a little bit better” says Bates. “You’re really not supposed to use other people’s cards. What happens is students have gotten surprised when we’ve done it [confiscation]…. but if we notice it [sharing] we’re supposed to take it, and then that gets students upset. So we said, okay, we need to just post it for everyone to know and realize that this is the policy, it’s given to us by security and we don’t want anybody to be surprised when this happens.” So what happens when your card is confiscated? Is it gone forever until you spend the $20 that it takes to get a new one? We asked Bates about different scenarios. “No, no, no. We would take the card and give it to security… We call security and give it to them and they would call the student and find out, ‘Hey, did you, did you loan it to somebody? Is it stolen?’” Bates did mention that you can use your friend’s card if your friend is present, though there’s an exception to this rule at the cafeteria. “The policy just from our standpoint is the card is for the person who uses it [the meal plan].” says Bates. “If you want to come in and bring somebody and pay, that’s great. We don’t care about that, but you have to kind of be there with them… You couldn’t use a meal swipe, but you could use dining dollars… Just as long as they’re [the guest or companion] with you, it doesn’t really matter… but you’ve gotta be there with the card.” So for example, let’s say that you ran out of swipes. Your friend can swipe their card to get in, but they can’t use a meal swipe to get you in. They must use Dining Dollars, which would cost them $12.75 (the same price as using cash or a credit/debit card). Bates’ advice? Pretty simple. “Just don’t share your card, that’s it, it’s just safer not to do that. We’ve got to make sure that you are who you say you are.” Bates says it can take many hours of monitoring security footage to determine violations. “We don’t want to get those calls again, where we’re having to go through and look through people’s history. And then security has to go look through footage of who you know on video cameras to see who actually used the card”. Though Bates hopes that the strict policy doesn’t catch anyone by surprise, he knows that it’s necessary for the security of Lipscomb’s students. “Honestly it’s a shame, but if people want to steal something, they’re gonna steal something, and that’s just kind of human nature I think more than anything else.” Story written by Brandon Bigsby and Ty Benham
David A. French a New York Times columnist, former constitutional litigator and Iraqi War veteran has been appointed distinguished visiting professor of public policy in Lipscomb University’s College of Leadership & Public Service. French holds an undergraduate degree in political science from Lipscomb and is an opinion columnist for the New York Times. As distinguished visiting professor, French will teach traditional and short-courses as well as support special events and engagements. He will begin his two-year faculty appointment on Sept. 1 while continuing his work with the New York Times. “David’s vast experience in law, politics and the military and his deep faith offers students a unique blend of legal expertise, thoughtful analysis and an extensive understanding of contemporary issues,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “As a university that prepares students for purposeful lives through a rigorous academic experience, it is important to have scholars such as David with his extensive background to enrich this academic landscape.” French said he is looking forward to this opportunity to return to his alma mater. “Lipscomb played an indispensable role in my spiritual and intellectual growth, and I’m honored by the opportunity to become a member of the community that has given me so much,” said French. Prior to beginning his work with the New York Times in January, French was a senior editor at The Dispatch, which he helped launch, and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. He also served as a senior writer for National Review and as a senior fellow at the National Review Institute. The majority of French’s career was devoted to practice law, working in both commercial and constitutional litigation. In 2006, he joined the United States Army Reserve as a judge advocate general. He deployed to Iraq in 2007 and served in Diyala Province, where he was awarded a Bronze Star. During his legal career, he litigated in federal courts and served as a lecturer at Cornell Law School. He is a former president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. French is also a New York Times bestselling author. His most recent book is “Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation.” French will be on faculty in Lipscomb’s College of Leadership & Public Service, which offers programs in law, justice and society; conflict management; leadership and public service; public administration and sustainability among others. “David brings a unique perspective at the local, state and national levels through his vast experiences that will provide tremendous real-world insight to our students,” said Steve Joiner, dean of the college. “This is a significant opportunity not only for our students, but the entire Lipscomb community. I look forward to our work together and the tremendous impact he will have in this role as we prepare the next generation of leaders who will serve Tennessee and beyond.”