The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 14

November 10, 2020 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 3 News Global news, courtesy of the current International Education Week at NSU November 9-14 marks the annual week-long celebration of International Education Week at NSU, which will feature events, both virtual and in person, to engage the diverse students at NSU in a celebration of culture and diversity. “International Education Week (IEW) is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of State to celebrate global opportunities and the exchange of diverse perspectives through international collaboration and exchange,” said Jeannie Jaworski, the director of International Affairs and the Razor’s Edge Global program. While IEWis something that NSU embraces, it is not exclusively an NSU initiative. Most schools around the country, and even some around the world, participate in this week-long celebration of culture. Throughout the week, NSU’s Razor’s Edge Global Scholars, the Office of International Affairs and campus- wide partners will host events that allow students to celebrate, learn and share their unique cultural backgrounds with the NSU community. “Each year, we try to focus on events that bring all students together to learn about the different cultures at NSU [and] give opportunities for those with different cultural backgrounds to highlight their cultures and celebrate the places they call home,” said Jaworski. Ramesh Gore, the graduate assistant for the Razors Edge Global Program and a second year graduate student at NSU, explained how IEWhelps bridge the gap between domestic and international students and creates a meaningful way for students to engage in dialogue about their different cultures. “Students should expect to be engaged, to be challenged on different topics and also to be educated… NSU has a huge population of international students and these types of events and initiatives help them feel welcome and valued in an institution where not very many people look like them,” he said. As an international student himself, Gore expressed how impactful the celebration of different cultures can be. “For someone like me who has been studying abroad in the U.S. for six years and getting that experience, I want to be able to reciprocate that through these events,” he said. Similar to most events on campus this year, International Education Week has been altered to comply with local and federal guidelines in response to COVID-19. However, whether students join from home via Zoom or come out to the in-person events held on campus, for every event they attend, they will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 Amazon gift card. “This is a time when we are all feeling a little more closed off from others, so I think it’s important to recognize at NSU, even during COVID-19, there is still wonderful cultural diversity on our campus and we still have international students who are here,” said Jaworski. For more information and a complete list of the events, students can visit nova.edu/ iew . For virtual engagement opportunities including daily recipes, cooking events and an NSU IEW filter and gif challenge, make sure to follow the Office of International Affairs and the Razor’s Edge Global Program on Instagram at @razorsedgeglobal and @nsu_ international. You can’t fix what you don’t know: NSU’s diversity engagement survey By: Emma Heineman Features Editor The deadline to complete NSU’s Diversity Engagement Survey (DES) is Friday, Nov. 20. According to the email sent out to students and staff, the survey takes around 10 minutes to complete and is completely confidential and anonymous. The DES aims to learn more about how NSU can support its students and staff. Jeremiah McCoy, the graduate assistant for operations and staff development in the Office of Recreation and Wellness, explains that the goal of the survey is to hear everyone’s perspective at NSU. “Whether it be staff members, like individuals who do housekeeping, people who drive the Shark Shuttles, workers at Outtakes, all the way up to faculty members, graduate assistants, undergraduate students and deans and [vice presidents] of different departments, we just want to get an overall grasp of how much or how little someone may feel supported or not supported at NSU based on their different identities,” said McCoy. The survey has a large selection to choose from in terms of identities and opinions. You can choose to share your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, language, generational age group and position at NSU; or you can share none of those things. The first part of the survey also asks the taker to rate different statements on how true they are about NSU’s current diversity engagement. Anyone who fills out the survey may choose to share as little or as much as they are comfortable with. “The results will be used to inform and shape future efforts related to inclusion, diversity and belonging here at NSU. The more people in the NSU community who respond will allow us to provide more meaningful and impactful assistance throughout the community,” said McCoy. Students who are coming to college for the first time may be exposed to new things that they had never encountered before and providing opportunities for students to learn about these things allows the community to come together and become stronger. “We want to support students throughout all aspects of their journey through college. It’s a great way to get feedback on how we can support different communities better because you don’t have to disclose your name or anything else you don’t want to share,” said McCoy. NSU is also working with a consultant who specializes in this subject, that will use the results of the survey to construct programming and systems that will better support both students and staff who may currently feel like they don’t belong or are not supported. It is important for the mental health and wellbeing of students and staff to like where they live and work and feel included. Creating a more inclusive environment also allows NSU to act as an example for other universities. “Diversity engagement sets a pace for institutions across the country, so we need to stay relevant and on top of it. We need to be able to understand what we’re doing well, and then, learn about the areas that we can improve. It may be a little uncomfortable, but if you’re uncomfortable, you’re growing,” said McCoy. By: Sofia Gallus Arts & Entertainment Editor Belgium COVID-19 rates reported highest in the European Union Health officials are struggling to get a handle on the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Belgium. A CNN article publishedonOct.28reportedthatBelgiumhas seenover 300,000COVID-19 cases and about 11,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic with an average of over 13,000 new cases each day. Cases have been exacerbated by the fact that healthcare resources are dwindling and hospitals are largely understaffed. Currently, healthcare specialists in Belgium are looking to Belgian government leaders to impose stricter restrictions that will mitigate the risks for contraction as well as, looking to neighboring nations for assistance with acquiring life-saving healthcare supplies. UK Labour Party suspends Jeremy Corbyn after anti-Semitic controversy Last Thursday, UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn was suspended from his role. According to BBCNews, Corbyn was ousted fromhis position due to his lack of actionwith the growing antisemitism within the Labour Party. This decision by the party comes after years of silence and lack of condemnation from Corbyn on the issue. It was ultimately decided that Corbyn’s repeated passive allowance of anti-Semitic behaviors, such as his past approval of anti-Semitic art pieces or staying silent on the issue, within the party proved him an unfit leader. SARS conflict and protests in Nigeria continue Unrest across Nigeria continued well into the final weeks of October and the start of November as citizens take to the streets in protest of corruption and brutality in the police system. Nigerians have been marching in record numbers to call attention to the immense corruption within their government and law enforcement. According to the Brookings, many of the spearheaders are Nigerian youths who have become active and spread awareness. The hashtag #EndSARS (SARS referring to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad) has pulled focus to their cause and highlighted the horrors that they have been facing by the hands of the power in their country.Nigerians are seeking revolutionary change that will ensure the betterment and safety of both the citizens of their country and their country’s democracy. New coral reef discovered in Australia According to BBC News, on Oct. 20 researchers in Australia discovered a new coral reef. Footage snagged by an underwater discovery robot places the reef at about 1,640 feet in height, making it notably taller than both the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building. Marine biologists who work within the Great Barrier Reef are excited by the new discovery and are currently taking stock of the sea-life present within the reef. They are also making pre- emptive efforts to preserve the reef. PRINTED WITH PERMISSION BY J. JAWORSKI International Flags coming together as one