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Articles by Destry Adams
OPINION: The Free Pack does not understand liberty (and COVID-19 mandates)
A couple of weeks ago on the NC State subreddit, there were rumors about an anti-mask protest at Talley Student Union. Naturally, I clicked on the link and read most of the responses. Thankfully, this protest never happened, but the comment chain led me to an interesting website called “The Free Pack.” The Free Pack is a student-run publication not affiliated with NC State Student Media. Its website says The Free Pack is, “a conservative news publication lead by NC State students.
Africana Studies offers two new courses analyzing Black history in media for fall 2021
During the fall 2021 semester, NC State will provide two special topics African Studies courses: AFS 442: Issues in African Diaspora, Birth of A Nation and The Red Record and AFS 442: Issues in African Diaspora, Black Intellectual History. Both courses can fulfill a humanities GEP course or elective, and neither require a prerequisite to enroll.
OPINION: Greek life lacks a purpose in modern college life
Greek life has a bad reputation among college campuses. From social media accounts where people anonymously talk about their experiences to having nine fraternities facing disciplinary action and three no longer recognized by the University, there is a push for Greek organizations to be abolished. Now do I think Greek life should be banned from campus?
OPINION: Can the GOP please stop writing anti-LQBTQ+ bills?
It seems like North Carolina can’t seem to make national news without embarrassing itself. On April 6, NBC reported that the North Carolina GOP has proposed yet another transphobic bill. This time, it prevents gender-confirmation surgery for transgender people under 21.
NC State alum creates A Place At The Table Cafe, fights food insecurity in Raleigh
Maggie Kane, an NC State alumna, created A Place At The Table, a pay-what-you-can cafe located in Raleigh. Inspired by similar restaurants across the country, A Place At The Table allows customers to pay for their food based on how much they can afford. According to Kane, the mission of the restaurant is to fight food insecurity within the local Raleigh community and to provide good, dignified meals to those in need.
Despite lower budget, University Housing continues to provide services
University Housing is continuing to provide services to students, such as programs and housing assistance, in hopes of a return to normal operations in the fall. Katrina Pawluk, the director of administration and occupancy management, said as of March 26, 2,284 students have registered and selected their rooms for the upcoming academic year. In the second round of housing applications, 800 current freshmen plan on returning to campus alongside 973 upperclassmen.
NC State begins offering free vaccinations at Student Health Center
Starting Wednesday, March 24, NC State will begin vaccinating people who have preregistered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m in Talley Student Union. NC State will first vaccinate students and staff who are at least 65 years old, have medical conditions and are classified as group one under the University’s “Return to Campus/Spring Refresh” plans. The vaccines are free and available to all students and staff.
OPINION: Cancel culture can be effective, but it’s horribly misused
If there is one thing I love in my life, it’s drama. I have a lot of guilty pleasure in watching conflict unfold before my eyes. And what place is better to watch this drama unfold than the hellscape that is social media? Whether it’s #_____isoverparty trending on Twitter or Trisha Paytas uploading the billionth video of her complaining about someone on her kitchen floor, I am there to witness someone about to get canceled.
Student Senate President race: Meet Molly Vanhoy
Molly Vanhoy, a third-year studying microbiology and the current Student Senate president pro tempore, is running against Conner Paszko, a fourth-year studying political science, for Student Senate president in the upcoming Student Government (SG) elections. The Student Senate president is responsible for hosting and organizing biweekly meetings, meets with Chancellor Randy Woodson and advises other senators.
OPINION: ‘Weed-out’ classes are counterintuitive and destructive for STEM students
In my three years as an English major, I haven’t taken any weed-out classes, or introductory courses that are intentionally designed to be difficult and deter students who don’t have a “natural ability” to do well in certain majors. That’s not to say most of my classes were easy and required little effort, but I haven’t taken a course that made me question my major. The same can’t be said for most science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors.
DUELING COLUMN: I learn a lot of depressing things in my humanities classes, and I’m exhausted
Before I delve into madness, I want to make a few things clear. I am very satisfied with my major, I like most of the professors and classes I have had, and this is not a critique about how the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) is managed. With that being said, as the title of this column suggests, I hate being a CHASS student for several reasons. I am an English major, which also means I am a humanities student.
Prevention Services, Mental Health Ambassadors host week to raise awareness on eating disorders
Between Feb. 22 and Feb. 28, Preventions Services and Mental Health Ambassadors (MHAs) will be hosting National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDA). NEDA will consist of several online and in-person events meant to raise awareness on various eating disorders and spreading hope for recovery and providing people with a variety of resources to help treat their mental health conditions. NC State has celebrated NEDA in the past through events such as the NEDA walk and various table events on campus.
African American Cultural Center hires new graduate services assistant Kristen Russell
Kristen Russell, a first-year graduate student studying clinical mental health counseling, is the new graduate services assistant at the African American Cultural Center (AACC). Her responsibilities include hosting programs and managing the center’s social media platforms. Russell’s main goal as the graduate services assistant is to help create a space where people can feel safe and express their opinions. Russell received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Alabama.
OPINION: Here’s some social practices we should keep after the COVID-19 pandemic
As vaccines continue to roll out across the nation, we are finally going to see the end of this pandemic. Hopefully, things will return to normal and we can see our friends and family again. While many of us would like to forget this pandemic ever existed, there were some good developments that came out of it. No, I am not making light of the number of people who died, the doctors who have been overworked or the mental health issues caused by the pandemic.
Over 10,000 COVID-19 tests administered a week with surveillance testing
NC State is currently providing free COVID-19 testing for anyone affiliated with the University at several on-campus locations. Weekly surveillance testing is mandatory for students who live in on-campus residences, students enrolled in in-person classes and designated employees. Amy Orders, director of Emergency Management and Mission Continuity (EMMC), said 10,000 to 12,000 tests are administered as a part of the surveillance program each week.
OPINION: Racism does not always involve intent
During our first week back on campus, many students protested NC State’s decision to not fire Office of Information Technology employee Chadwick Seagraves after an investigation could not substantiate various allegations claiming Seagraves as part of the Proud Boys. While I am not surprised to see that Seagraves was not punished, I am happy to see many students protesting this decision. To my shock, I even saw some Facebook comments outraged over the University's decision.
DUELING COLUMN: NC State should keep a modified accelerated schedule
This is probably the most controversial piece that I have ever written, but here it goes: I am somewhat in favor of keeping the accelerated schedule we faced the previous semester. Now before people leave some nasty comments, I did have problems with how the schedule was implemented in the fall. Yes, having no breaks in the semester made me exhausted. Yes, some of my courses felt rushed, especially during the transition to an online environment.
New elevators in Tucker, Owen part of larger housing accessibility plan
University Housing is installing elevators in the Tucker and Owen residence halls, in order to improve accessibility for its residents. The project is estimated to cost $2 million and the elevators will receive their final inspection on Dec. 21 with the projection to be usable next semester, which begins Jan. 19.
OPINION: Students need more opportunities to complete the English Honors Program
It’s that time of the year where everyone has begun enrolling in classes. While everyone is struggling to enroll into a physical education course or other classes required to graduate, there is another group of classes we need to discuss: honors program courses. I am currently enrolled in the English Honors Program, and I am having some difficulty completing the program.
Puppetry class takes the stage at NC State
This spring semester, Victoria Ralston, coordinator for the visual arts concentration in art studies, will be teaching IDS: 495: The Art and History of World Puppetry. In this class, students will learn about the history of puppetry and create their own puppets, which is how Ralston discovered her own passion for puppetry; finding a broken marionette at a thrift store, buying it and making it her own style.
NC State students help campaign efforts this election season
During this election season, NC State students are getting involved by volunteering with various political campaigns. Dmitri McKinney, a third-year studying chemistry and political science, is volunteering with the Biden campaign, and Lauren Maybin, a third-year studying political science, is volunteering alongside the National Rifle Association (NRA). Both students discussed their experiences working on each campaign.
OPINION: NC State’s diversity webinar is not effective
For those who are unaware, NC State sent an email last week requiring all students to take a diversity and inclusion seminar by Feb. 1, 2021. After completing the seminar, I can say that it was worthless and a waste of time. Furthermore, it actually hurts the discussion about identities and forms of discrimination. For one, diversity training doesn't really change people’s behavior. An article published by the Harvard Business Review provides some reasons why it doesn’t work.
DUELING COLUMN: The 2020 presidential debate was an ineffective mess
I think we can all agree that the first presidential debate of 2020 was a disaster. It was nothing more than two grown men fighting like toddlers, while the preschool teacher was failing to calm everyone down. What is more disappointing than not seeing our presidential candidates acting like adults, is it was completely pointless; the debate did not change anyone’s mind about who to vote for.
Resident advisers claim failed communication during move out, University Housing responds
On Aug. 26, NC State released a statement instructing students to move out of their residence halls by Sept. 7 due to an increase of COVID-19 clusters on campus. Some students were able to stay if they received a special circumstances exception. During this process, many residential advisers (RAs) felt University Housing, their employer, did not communicate their employment and housing status well enough.
OPINION: Dan Forest, wear a mask
As the elections are coming soon and people are voting early, some are taking the time to do some research on various candidates. I want to talk about Dan Forest, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor who is running for, well, governor. A month ago, my colleague, Mariana Fabian, wrote a column about her general disgust for Forest, so I’m not going to repeat any of her sentiments. However, I will criticize his stance on mask mandates.
Dining services modified for students, sees loss of revenue
Many dining locations have closed for the fall semester due to a reduced student population. For the locations that remained open, their hours have been modified, and some services have changed. Most of NC State’s dining services are now centralized in Talley Student Union. Because all of the dining halls on Central Campus have closed, One Earth World Cuisine has been converted into a dining hall of sorts.
OPINION: The hypocrisy of how people view peaceful and violent protest
If there is one thing that America is known for, it’s protesting. After all, one of the inciting incidents of the American Revolution was the Boston Tea Party, a protest against high taxation without representation. However, not all protests are portrayed in a positive light, especially with the recent Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests. A lot of people, like Tucker Carlson, like to paint the BLM protests as violent mobs that want to create a lawless wasteland in America.
Academic Success Center continues to tutor students by moving services online
NC State’s Academic Success Center is offering its tutoring services online this semester. Students can either go to virtual drop-in sessions or schedule one-on-one appointments with tutors. Barbie Windom, director of the Academic Success Center, said they have moved their services online to follow the University’s guidelines, however, most of their services remained unchanged.
OPINION: Rethinking and Doing: Areas where NC State can improve
Students and staff are canceling NC State for how they handled the pandemic, ranging from opening the University for monetary gain to not doing enough to stop the spread of COVID-19. Since everyone is roasting the University for its flaws and response to COVID-19, now is the perfect time to list some of my own personal complaints about NC State. Don’t get me wrong, I love NC State, and I consider it my second home.
OPINION: Here’s how freshmen can salvage their first-year experience
I think it is safe to say that this semester sucks. The University thought we could have a semi-normal semester and with little to no precautions against the pandemic. Well, to the surprise of nobody, students and staff are getting infected left and right, and COVID-19 clusters are appearing everywhere, like K-pop stans on a racist Twitter hashtag.
OPINION: Voting for Trump upholds a racist status quo
Oh, I can hear people click-clacking away on their keyboards, leaving angry comments by the dozens based solely on what the headline is. And yes, I wholeheartedly stand by my opinion. Trump has said and implemented policies that are racist. And if you vote for him, you are contributing to racial inequality that is present in various institutions across the United States.
OPINION: Don’t be afraid to request an absentee ballot, but do it ASAP
The 2020 elections are coming up, and unfortunately, we are in the midst of a pandemic. Many people are scared of going out to vote, fearing they could be infected with COVID-19. As such, more people are likely going to request an absentee ballot to try to participate in the upcoming election. However, the current presidential administration is attacking our right to vote absentee.
Self-report survey and contact tracing program monitors COVID-19 at State
NC State has created a survey for students and staff to report if they have symptoms of COVID-19, test positive or come into contact with someone who has the disease. People who complete the survey have the option to enroll in the contact tracing program, which can help NC State determine who may be at risk and find any potential hotspots for the disease.
OPINION: Black Lives Matter is not a quirky aesthetic to virtue signal
With massive protests happening around the country, a pandemic sweeping local communities and secret police kidnapping people left and right, what am I doing since the world is currently on fire? That’s easy: I’m watching the YouTube beauty drama surrounding Tati Westbrook, Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson because I am trash, and trash is attracted to garbage.
OPINION: What I hope we learn about healthcare from COVID-19
2020 has been a wild ride so far. We had WWIII scares, the start of an environmental apocalypse in Australia and racial injustice protests across the United States. While the aforementioned events are important, today I want to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. As I am writing this, John Hopkins University reports there have been over 9 million cases and over 470,000 people have died worldwide. Needless to say, this event will be covered extensively in future history books.
OPINION: Online learning? Lacking.
If there is one thing that I thought I’d never say, is that I miss my 8:30 a.m. classes. To go even further, I miss awkwardly showing up five minutes late everyday, I miss tripping on a random brick, and I miss almost getting run over by a Lime scooter. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all of our classes have been moved online, and most of us have returned home. At first, I was excited because I had started to feel homesick.
NCSU Transportation reduces budget, services amid COVID-19 shutdown
NCSU Transportation lost $2.8 million in revenue due to parking permit refunds and diminished visitor parking, according to Holt Craven, assistant director of finance for NCSU Transportation. Despite reducing their budget, NCSU Transportation will continue to provide services and maintenance during the pandemic. Craven said for this academic year, their budget was $17.9 million, but they incurred revenue losses due to the pandemic.
OPINION: Re: Our future response must be aimed at helping NC as a whole
Recently, one of my colleagues wrote a column about how the containment of COVID-19 is more harmful than the disease, considering the economic impact it has on our country. After reading through his piece, I take issue with several of his claims and think it dangerously supports the notion that we should open the economy, something North Carolina is not ready for. One issue I have with my colleague’s piece is he mentions he could not find any similar events in modern history.
OPINION: Stay current with all news, not just coronavirus
If you have been paying attention to the news, everything seems to be about COVID-19, whether it is how many people have died, the president’s response or any restrictive measures governments are taking. No matter where you go, there will be something about the coronavirus. Sure, it is important to stay well-informed about current affairs, how to protect yourself and any policies that might be implemented, but one cannot neglect all the other events happening here or across the globe.
OPINION: The world has come to a standstill, but you don’t have to
COVID-19 has done the impossible — it somehow brought the world to a standstill. Almost every store is closed, every country has closed its borders, and everyone is stuck inside their homes for who knows how long. It feels weird driving around my town and seeing restaurants and stores bustling with patrons becoming a desolate wasteland. And for us college students, it seems to bring our education to a screeching halt.
Unearthing the mystery of the small black tents around campus
Black tents have been appearing around campus as a part of a research project conducted by Kirsten Keleher, a second-year studying fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology. With the help of Elsa Youngsteadt, assistant professor of applied ecology, Keleher is conducting a semester-long research project on what type of soil nesting bees prefer in an urban environment.
OPINION: Don’t put too much weight on GPA
If there is one thing that stresses all college students, it’s their GPAs. While we have heard from some of our professors and even our parents that college GPA is not important, we have trouble believing them sometimes. When we are applying for internships, jobs or graduate school, the first thing they ask us is our GPAs, and it puts a lot of pressure on us. As a result, some of us fret over every assignment and die a little on the inside when we receive a B instead of an A on a test.
OPINION: This new law will finally let us wear our hair down
It’s finally Black History Month, a time for people to embrace their African heritage, learn about historical civil rights figures, and have discussions about race in America. Luckily, North Carolina has something big planned. No, it’s not a big festival or museum to African American history, but a proposed new law. This proposed law would make it illegal for jobs to fire someone based on the texture or style of their hair.
OPINION: Sorry, but 2FA is good for NC State
If you are employed at NC State, you know the horrors of Google 2-Step and Duo Security — Two-Factor Authentication, or 2FA for short. We all scoff at 2FA, thinking, “Why do we need this?” or “It’s so annoying.” I get it; it’s annoying having to pull out your phone when you try to log in on a different computer. However, it is there to protect our accounts from being breached by unauthorized personnel through phishing attacks.
Community College Collaboration helps low-income students
NC State officially launched the Community College Collaboration (C3) program, designed to help students enrolled in community colleges join NC State, in fall of 2018. The program recently received a $1,064,000 commitment over three years from the GlaxoSmithKline foundation. NC State decided to partner with the foundation because of its interest in helping people from low-income backgrounds receive degrees in STEM fields.
Eduroam provides increased security over ‘ncsu’ network
Eduroam is one of two internet connections provided by NC State. Eduroam differs from the “ncsu” network in that it offers more protection and it allows users to connect to the internet at various research institutions across the world. Stan Martin, senior director of the Office of Information Technology for Outreach, Communications, and Consulting, described some of the benefits of eduroam. “One is the encryption, the ease-of use, and the ability to use in other locations,” Martin said.
OPINION: Hate to be blunt - let’s not get high off CBD yet
There are two things most people experience and hate: pain and anxiety. While there are many medications that treat these conditions, they can be expensive, and some people are paranoid about contributing to “big pharma.” As an alternative, some people are using cannabinoids, CBD oil for short, as a treatment for pain and anxiety.
OPINION: NC State’s winter break is missing a week
It’s that time of the year. Projects are due, exams are coming, and everyone is exhausted from the grueling semester. Once all of this is done, students get to go home for winter break and enjoy their holidays. But not for long as, NC State seems to have a shorter winter break compared to other universities. In case you aren’t counting down these final few days, our university’s last day for final exams is Dec. 18, and students return Jan. 6. For comparison, final exams at UNC-Chapel Hill end on Dec.
Poor sales of Adventurist Backpack fails to fight food insecurity
Adventurist Backpack Company is selling backpacks at Wolfpack Outfitters to fight food insecurity by donating some of their proceeds to foodbanks. However, they are not selling enough backpacks at NC State to make a difference locally. Adventurist Backpack is a small company located in Colorado started by married couple Kelly Belknap and Matilda Sandstrom. Belknap said he and Sandstrom initially designed the backpack for a trip they took after graduating from Colorado State University.
OPINION: Wake County should dismiss year-round schools
I was raised in Cabarrus County for most of my life, and most of our public schools were more traditional, where students had a three-month summer break. I was surprised when I arrived at NC State that some Wake County schools were year-round. At first, I thought this was a neat concept, as it could help allow students to retain information they would lose over summer break. But after doing some research, it seems that the year-round school system is incredibly flawed.
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