The Lumberjack -- March 31, 2022

Northern Arizona University’s student voice since 1914 Vol. 113 Issue 10 | March 31, 2022 — April 6, 2022

Surfaces make it a night to remember New mask policy leads to division among students

I

MARK FABERY

f one thought Friday March 25 was just another movie night, they would have been in for a surprise as scores of students lined the exterior of Prochnow Auditorium to get a chance at snagging the best seats in the house.

What was the special occasion on a seemingly quiet night in March?

As Flagstaff welcomed the first week of spring, Prochnow Auditorium was ready to welcome Texas-based group, Surfaces and Tennessee-based duo Nox Holloway to NAU. Junior Katie Lautaret was one of the students waiting in line to get the chance to be in the front row. She said Surfaces, known for their blend of jazz, soul, pop, hip hop and calypso, is one of her favorite bands.

“I love Surfaces and when I first learned that they were coming to NAU, of all places to perform, I made sure to secure my ticket,” Lautaret said. “I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember and I have always wanted to see them live, and have the chance to see them right in the pit.”

Lautaret was not the only one in attendance excited to have the opportunity to catch Surfaces live in concert. Freshman Lauren Finch was sitting with the same group as Lautaret, discussing the importance of Surfaces’ music on their lives. The group even participated in games such as “finish the lyric” in preparation for the concert.

Finch agreed with Lautaret on how Surfaces music has an important impact on her life. She mentioned she was not

WILLIAM COMBS III

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An audience member records the band Surfaces perform at the Prochnow Auditorium, March 25. Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

familiar with Nox Holloway’s music style, but was nevertheless excited for a night full of music.

“I don’t know much about Nox Holloway, but that’s OK, I already know that tonight is going to be a night full of great memories and fun for me,” Finch said. “Surfaces is one of my favorite bands and I’m just excited to have the chance to see them in concert.”

Lautaret also said she did not know

much about Nox Holloway, but as soon as she learned Jon Bellion is one of their long-time influences, she was sold.

It is not uncommon for NAU to land some of the biggest artists in the country.

In the past, the university has hosted Blink-182, Andy Grammer and Tai Verdes.

See SURFACES page 12

fter the second week of inperson classes without mask requirements, students are divided on whether it was too soon.

With a new COVID-19 subvariant spreading, their concerns lie on the safety of immunocompromised individuals.

According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), records of omicron BA.2 have doubled over a two week period and account for roughly 35% of new cases in the United States. The new subvariant spreads 80% faster than its earlier manifestation, which has led to concerns from public health officials.

The White House Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNBC he expects to see an uptick in cases over the next few weeks, but does not anticipate a surge that would lead to more restrictions and mitigation measures.

The subvariant has not caused a significant increase in cases in Coconino County. Due to low levels of community transmission, NAU lifted its mask mandate in classrooms March 7 — creating uncomfortable situations for some students who feel unsafe around unmasked classmates.

Sophomore Kolby Nelson said it has been a rough time navigating the pandemic due to his sister’s See MASKS page 4

Sudden changes in Housing and Residence Life bring discontent EMILY GERDES

The department stated it will be moving toward Editor’s note: Multiple RAs spoke on this issue removing any mention or association with the word anonymously and will be labeled in order of appearance “resident.” RCA positional responsibilities will be to avoid confusion. altered to include more general duties in the hopes esident Assistants (RA) and Residential of better supporting students — a transition from College Ambassadors (RCA) are the lifelines catering toward individual academic colleges. RAs and primary support systems for every student will resume shifts at the front desk, a duty they were living in on-campus housing. Many staff members agree relieved of in past semesters, in addition to receiving a about the lack of respect and underappreciation these reduced dining package. student workers receive, despite the value they provide HRL’s actions contributed to some passionate to campus life. These dedicated student employees are feelings from the student staff. important to the wellbeing of their peers, committing “Cutting benefits is just NAU trying to save more valuable time and energy to uphold the image and money and everyone knows it,” anonymous RA #3 mission statement of Housing and Residence Life said.

(HRL).

An RCA adviser took notes during spring training, Many student workers said they feel as if they are which was provided in an email and is the only tangible overworked and underpaid. Junior Mikayla Lopez, an document The Lumberjack could access. These notes RCA, was one of few willing to speak on the record indicated HRL’s reason for the change was to, “[move] about her experience working in HRL. away from the phrase ‘resident’ and ‘residential halls’ to respect the trauma experienced by Indigenous nations who were forced into residential boarding schools.”

The “new and improved” HRL Before each semester, all of HRL — including The language replacement is as follows: • "Residence Hall" is changing to "Campus professional staff and student employees — gathers for Living Communities" (CLC) training. Spring 2022 training ended with a proverbial • “Residential Assistant” (RA) is changing to bomb being dropped on many of the staff who were “Community Assistant” (CA) present.

See HRL page 8 Due to a lack of physical evidence detailing these

R

changes, the verbal accounts will be summarized below.

Two students walk away from the entrance to Allen Hall, March 7. Jacob Handley | The Lumberjack

FROM THE EDITOR

T

he day is approaching. The day we all dream about when we first open our acceptance letter as an official Lumberjack: Graduation day. A day we all think about while enduring hours of lectures and pulling our hair out in the library over insolvable homework problems. However, I am more worried about what comes after this day.

A fourth year student is constantly asked, “What do you plan on doing after graduation?” Most of our answers are that we do not have any idea. For some reason, this is not a valid response. I do not agree. Not knowing what you are doing after graduation is all right and is simply an open door for opportunities.

Personally, ignorance of what I want to do allows me to keep an unbiased view of my future. I have the whole world at my disposal, and I am excited for the unknown. I could be a journalist, sure, or I could be a baker, or flight attendant, or business owner or go to grad school. We can be anything and whatever our hearts yearn for we can try.

I hate there is this pressure that graduates need to have it all figured out. We have to have our career lined up as HAYLEE soon as we slide the tassel. We should change that mindset and change the stigma about the unknown of our futures.

SORENSEN We have so much time left on this Earth. I have to remind myself I am only 21, and I still have much to experience. So, instead of stressing over the path ahead, I am taking this time to reflect on the beauty my college experience was and hope everything will work out how it is designed.

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR So, to all my fellow graduates — when you are at Easter Sunday, and you get the infamous and dreaded question, be assured most of us are in the boat with you and we will figure it out together.

Thank you for reading

ONLINE AT JACKCENTRAL.ORG

NAU extends home winning streak in sweep of the Eagles

Elinor Beazley prepared for a serve at the NAU vs ISU match day in the ATC center at NAU, March 23. Omar Noah Gonzalez | The Lumberjack

Continue reading on JackCentral.org

VOL. 113 ISSUE 10

EXECUTIVE BOARD MacKenzie Brower, Editor-in-Chief Camille Sipple, Managing Editor Emily Gerdes, Director of Digital Content and Social Media Kylie Soto, Copy Editor Lauren Gomez, Director of Print Design Lydia Nelson, Director of Marketing

EDITORIAL STAFF Mark Fabery, News Editor Daisy Johnston, Assistant News Editor Josh Ostby, Online News Editor William Combs III, Senior Reporter Marley Green, Op-Ed Editor Jessie McCann, Assistant Op-Ed Editor Hannah Elsmore, Features Editor John Chaffeur, Assistant Features Editor Katelyn Rodriguez, Culture Editor Haylee Sorensen, Assistant Culture Editor Brenden Martin, Sports Editor Will Hopkins, Assistant Sports Editor Lian Mueno, Assistant Director of Print

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

VISUALS Brittani Poeppel, Director of Illustration Shawn Patti, Director of Multimedia Brian Burke, Director of photography Megan Ford-Fyffe, Assitant Director of Photography Jonah Graham, Senior Photographer

FACULTY ADVISERS David Harpster, Faculty Adviser Rory Faust, Sports Adviser

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

In Volume 113, Issue 9 of The Lumberjack, a story titled “NAU graduate announces State Senate bid” published with an incorrect photo credit. Arizona Students Association provided the photo.

The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email MacKenzie Brower at msb389@nau.edu.

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

EVENTS CALENDAR APRIL Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday 1

3

4

Spring Has Sprung NAU Global Cabaret Virtual Art Exhibit @ Hozhoni Art Gallery

10 Moonshine Bandits on their Bucked Up tour @ The Museum Club 17 Theatrikos “Steel Magnolias”

11 OhGeesyWorld Tour @ Orpheum Theater

18

5

6

NAU School of Art Faculty Exhibition @ NAU Art Museums

12

19 CAL/SBS Film Series: “Into the Wild”

Built to Spill @ Orpheum Theater

25 Spring Has Sprung Virtual Art Exhibit @ Hozhoni Art Gallery

26

Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival @ Orpheum Theater

14

NAU Jazz Combos Concert @ Kitt Recital Hall

Prochnow Movie Night: “The 355”

Prochnow Movie Night: “A Journal for Jordan”

22

21

28

“Our Town” @ Clifford E. White Theater

29

Big Sky Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championship begins

2 Anger Management comedy show @ Orpheum Theater

9

15

Big Sky Women’s Between Two Edges: Golf Championship Intersecting Cultural ends Identities Art Exhibit Display

27 AXE Out Stress @ Union Pedway

8

Between Two Edges: NAU Undergraduate Intersecting Cultural Expo Identities Art Exhibit Display

20

NAU Undergraduate Expo 24

Sarah Shook and the Disarmers concert @ Orpheum Theater

13

NAU School of Art Faculty Exhibition @ NAU Art Museums

Big Sky Women’s Golf Championship begins

7

Global Game Day @ the International Pavilion

Saturday

NAU 2022 Film Festival @ Orpheum Theater

The Zookeepers Live @ The Museum Club

16 ZoSo: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience @ Orpheum Theater 23 NAU Undergraduate Expo

30 Big Sky Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championship ends

SOCIAL MEDIA

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3

NEWS March 10 At 6:16 p.m., a student reported three March 21 stucka.m., in the snow near the At 11:33 a.m., a student called to vehicles At 9:39 a student reported Practice Fields. report a hit-and-run accident outside Skydome a fraudulent scheme.

A NAUPD report was March 7 responded and assistance was providthe Gammage building. NAUPD taken by NAUPD. At 8:56 a.m.,and a student ed. Facility Services was contacted to responded took a requested report. assistance outside McKay Village after plowAtthe3:31 roads p.m., and puta cinders on the non-student falling ice. p.m., NAUPD, Flagstaff Fire hill.

At on 5:38 NAUPD received reported misplacing his vehicle.

Department (FFD) and Guardian a burglary alarm at the Biological NAUPD responded and the vehicle Medical (GMT) responded. p.m., Allen Hall RA SciencesTransport Annex. One staff member At was10:53 located offan campus.

The wasand transported to Flagwasstudent contacted advised the alarm reported a damaged ceiling tile. staff Center (FMC).

NAUPD responded was Medical accidental.

Marchand 25 took a report.

At 12:37 a.m., a student requested At 12:54 p.m., a RA reported a “McMarch 11 for an illness. FFD, GMT At 6:07 p.m., an Honors College assistance Connell been ataken. p.m., a Drury Inn & Suites student Hall” calledsign to had request welfare At and8:29NAUPD responded and the NAUPD responded and later destaff member reported a male check. The subject was not located patient was transported from Allen termined the signaffiliation had already asking for clothing.

Offiand no campus was been found. non-student Hall to Flagstaff Medical Center found. cers responded and no criminal activ(FMC). ity was witnessed.

March 22 March At 79:22 a.m., a student called At 12:20 p.m., students reported a At 8:56 a.m., a student requested March 12 near Walkup Skydome. The to report a suspicious person near stray dog assistance outside after At a faculty member reMcConnell Hall. McKay NAUPDVillage responded dog12:04 fled a.m., off campus and the Flagstaff falling ice. NAUPD, Flagstaff Fire quested welfare checkwas on a previous but theonsubject was gone on arrival.

Police aDepartment advised.

Department (FFD) and Guardian student. NAUPD was unable to conMedical Transport the4:57 subject anda the requesting At 4:19 p.m., (GMT) NAUPDresponded. reported tactAt p.m., student called to The student was transported to Flagparty was notified. following up on a case. One student report capturing a stray dog on the staff Center (FMC). was Medical cited and released for driving Pedway. The dog was taken to a shelter. under the influence above 0.08% March 13 At 12:54 p.m., RA citation reportedwas a “McNAUPD alcohol, and a acivil issued At 11:11 a.m., March 26reported Connell Hall” sign had been taken. observing a vehicle offcalled camfor no headlights.

At 12:48 a.m., violation a student NAUPD responded and later depus.

A citation was issued for driving to report a person in a vehicle had termined the sign had already been without a valid license, no valid regMarch 23 shot an airsoft gun at them. NAUPD found. istration andand proof insurance.

The At 8:38 a.m., an officer reported responded wasofunable to locate was towed for a mandatory two non-students near Knoles Drive vehicle the vehicle.

A report was taken.

At 10:27 p.m., a subject reported a 20-day impound. and Tormey Avenue. One non-student Reilly Hall resident making suicidal was warned of campus trespass.

Both At 12:03 p.m., an employee called statements.

NAUPD responded, loMarch 14 someone hit an NAU subjects left the area. to report cated the student in good health and At 6:58 p.m., student reported a susvehicle in lota 17 and fled the scene. provided thep.m., student with a public in theand area of lot 3C. At 2:58 a Ponderosa building picious NAUPDperson responded took a report. assist to Therequested Guidance Center. staff ride member a welfare NAUPD responded but no contact made. check on a non-student. NAUPD wasAt 3:29 p.m., a staff member called March 8 responded and information was to report a parking issue outside At 6:03 p.m., NAUPD received mulMarch 15 One vehicle was issued a provided.

The Suites. tiple fire alarm notifications coming At 4:26 p.m., a staff in member reportcitation for parking a handicap stall. fromAtMountain View Hall.

NAUPD ed graffiti on a blue light phone near 11:03 p.m., a Tinsley Hall staff and FFD the areainwas member responded, reported a student need of Knoles and McConnell March 27DrivesAt 4:44 searched determined the alarm medical and attention.

NAUPD, Flagstaff At 8:45 a.m., an employee requested was caused by a mechanical failure Fire Department (FFD) and Guardian medics for a non-student who had from a dryer.

Fire Life Safetyresponded was noMedical Transport (GMT) fainted. FFD, GMT and NAUPD tified. and the patient refused transport. responded and the non-student was

ILLUSTRATION BY BRITTANI POEPPEL

COMPILED BY DAISY JOHNSTON

March At 911:34 p.m., a student reported At an employee a 12:20 vehiclep.m., following them reported in lot 10. finding drugs in the University Union.

NAUPD responded, checked the NAUPD responded and entered the area and no criminal activity was found drugsAinto evidence. report witnessed. public assistAride was was taken for information only. provided to an off-campus residence.

At 7:02 p.m., aMarch Campus 24Heights staff member reported having At 12:04 a.m., an constipaanonymous tion.

NAUPD, FFD and GMT subject reported a loud partyrein The sponded and the staff member was Suites. NAUPD responded, checked transported FMC. the area andtono criminal activity was

transported to FMC by ambulance.

At 2:40 p.m., NAUPD received a carbon monoxide alarm at South Village Apartments. The area was searched and found the alarm was caused by burned food. Fire Life Safety was notified.

witnessed.

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

MASKS continued from page 1 adverse reaction to the virus. He said his sister was diagnosed at a young age with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which affects blood circulation.

Up until contracting the virus in March 2020, Nelson’s sister was an allstate soccer player for her high school.

After being infected however, her body reacted adversely, leading her immune system to attack her muscles instead of the virus which resulted in a loss of mobility in her legs.

Nelson said his personal experience has changed the way he viewed the pandemic. Considering the mandate was lifted, he is now in a difficult position between the health of his family and the college life he wants to live. He said he still chooses to wear his mask to his 400-person lecture because he feels very strongly about protecting the people around him.

“With that subvariant, I think that is another nerve-racking thing about the mask mandate being lowered,” Nelson said. “I think getting the virus is kind of inevitable unless you do what my family did and burrow in the house. But, at that point, I think you open yourself up to a fear of always being vulnerable.

My mom and sister do not want to enter back into the real world because of the fear of what this virus can do to them.”

Not every disability is visible, Nelson said. After his sister has dealt with these serious effects of the virus, she has also been diagnosed with various mental health issues. It is important to listen to the people you care about, he added, because everyone has dealt with the pandemic in their own way.

Nelson said a good way to be a listener, especially during the pandemic, is to keep yourself informed on what is going on even if it is hard to do.

“Sometimes we are ill-advised as to what is happening because we don’t want to tune into it,” Nelson said. “It is not the happiest stuff in the world, especially with the pandemic. You don’t have to believe everything you read, but at least if you are somewhat aware, it makes for being a more educated person and people will respect you for it.”

In a Q&A with The Lumberjack, President José Luis Cruz Rivera said the Public Health Advisory Committee will

continue to monitor the transmission levels and will provide accommodations for those who feel uncomfortable with the new change.

Cruz Rivera said while he understands people may have different opinions about the new policy, he wants people to know the committee’s process is legitimate.

“The way to address the different levels of comfort among our constituents, is by making sure that while we may land in policy decisions that are not the preferred ones for everybody, that the process is legitimate and that there’s integrity in the way that we carry it out,” Cruz Rivera said.

He said he also understands what people are going through when it comes to doing what is best for their own protection. He suggested anyone who does feel uncomfortable with the new change reach out to faculty for accommodations.

Only two students and two staff members have reached out, but the resource is always there, Cruz Rivera said.

“I will say that the way we manage it is by looking at the work and the decision-making process,” Cruz Rivera said. “By looking at the decision-making process with a strong sense of empathy and understanding for the different lived experiences that people have and how they perceive and experience these policies.”

While some students are concerned about the new policy, others said it is about time the university removed masks in the classroom.

Junior Jessi Gardner said her conservative background has led her to believe people should do what is best for their own health, but those decisions should not be forced onto her.

“I need human connection and human conversation to stay sane,” Gardner said. “COVID-19 gave me a new perspective on the world in this way, and made me closer with the people in my life. If you want to stay home and wear a mask that is perfectly fine, but you shouldn’t be able to tell people they have to do the same.”

Gardner said, in her experience, the pandemic has thrown people’s mental health out of whack, leading to not only increased anxiety and depression, but a

sense of losing out on experiences, which may also lead to mental issues.

She said NAU needs to act with more empathy for what college students have lost out on over the past two years and create more opportunities moving forward.

“I feel like the academic board or whoever is in charge needs to understand that they did not go through this as a college student,” Gardner said. “If they can just take a step back and see how we have been living compared to their college experience, they should look at that perspective. I don’t feel like it’s fair when they tell us what we can and can’t do when it was never asked of them.”

Junior Alex Urbano-Spencer said he finds himself between these two viewpoints on the handling of the pandemic. Although Urbano-Spencer said he did not

face any serious hardships caused by the pandemic, he believes protecting others is the right thing to do since the pandemic impacts everyone.

Urbano-Spencer said he has continued to stay informed on the pandemic over the course of the past two years to educate himself on how to protect people around him. He said he will continue to follow the recommendations made by public health officials.

“I think it is about time the mask mandate was lifted because of the low levels of transmission, and you do still see people wearing their mask to keep them protected, but I think if you are boosted and have the vaccine I think you are more than OK to not wear one,” Urbano-Spencer said. “I do still take some precautions just because you never really know.”

Urbano-Spencer said it has been difficult to navigate

speaking to others about the pandemic. He said living with a roommate who does not believe in the vaccine and safety precautions has caused friction in their apartment.

“You are not getting [the vaccine] just for yourself, you are getting it to protect other people as well,” Urbano-Spencer said. “I think if those people do not care enough to protect others they are not doing what’s right. I think they just need to look into it more and do their own research so that they can make the best informed choices during these times.”

Cruz Rivera said NAU will continue to monitor the pandemic, with an eye out for the new subvariant and will take the necessary steps to keep NAU at a low level of transmission.

President Cruz Rivera appointed to WICHE Commission

P

MARK FABERY

resident José Luis Cruz Rivera has been appointed to join the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) by Governor Doug Ducey.

The commission is a group of 48 individuals appointed by the governors of the 15 Western States and the United States Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States. Those appointed guide WICHE’s strategic direction and assure that the Western Regional Education Compact is carried out for the benefit of the West, according to a press release provided by WICHE. Cruz Rivera is replacing former NAU President Rita Cheng who was a WICHE commissioner from 2018–2022.

In the press release, Cruz Rivera said he was honored to be appointed as commissioner

by Ducey.

“I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues on the commission to advance our shared goals, and to ensuring that throughout the West in WICHE states and territories we

are working together to provide equitable access to higher education, resulting in transformative outcomes for our students and significant benefits to the region’s economic vitality and social well being,” Cruz Rivera said.

WICHE President Demarée Michelau said Cruz Rivera’s experience in a variety of leadership roles at postsecondary institutions will make him a great asset to the WICHE Commission.

“Dr. Cruz Rivera’s dedication to equitable education policies and practices will complement and enhance WICHE’s efforts to help colleges and universities in the West improve student access and success,” Michelau said. “We look forward to working closely with him on issues of importance to the West.”

NAU president José Luis Cruz Rivera listens to the deans of NAU colleges share their vision of NAU at the Honors College, Feb. 19, 2021.

Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

Residents left shaken after Collins shooting JOSH OSTBY lagstaff resident Frankie James Jackson, 26, died March 21 after being shot following an altercation outside of Collins Irish Pub & Grill. The shooting has left witnesses and residents in the area worried about safety downtown.

A press release from Flagstaff Police Department (FPD) spokesman Sgt. Odis Brockman, revealed the shooter to be Treysean Michael Anthony Ware, 26. The shooting took place in the roadway outside Collins at around 1 a.m. March 20.

The shooting occurred after what witnesses described as a bar fight between the two men that then moved outside after a brief exchange of words and shoving, according to witness statements. However, stories differ on who they saw make first physical contact.

In a statement provided by Ware’s attorney, Ryan Stevens, Ware said he acted in self defense and that they have “unearthed compelling evidence” to prove that.

While nobody else was injured in the altercation, the perception of Flagstaff as a safe town is starting to shift in some eyes.

Erin Johnson, a patron at Collins that the night, recounted what she saw during the altercation.

“I knew something was off when I was by the door getting water,” Johnson said.

“Out of the corner of my eye I saw a bunch of people running in and out of the door. I was recording and saw a dude come in crouching down with his hand over his head and a bunch more people started running in.”

In videos taken of the night, music can be heard in the background while security guards attempt to hold back patrons from leaving through the door. Some patrons managed to leave the building while the majority of the bar remained crouched under tables awaiting further direction.

Johnson said she is grateful for the quick

F

response from Collins staff and for keeping the rest of the bar secure. However, she feels less secure downtown than she did before the incident.

“I used to consider it a safe town, now I think it’s on the scary side because this shouldn’t be happening in the middle of town,” Johnson said.

Statistics show Flagstaff has a disproportionately high crime rate compared to other cities of its size. In 2020, the chance

of a person becoming a victim of violent crime in Flagstaff such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape or murder was one in 184. The chance was greater in Flagstaff than the average for all of Arizona, which was one in 199.

The downtown shooting was not the first of this year. Flagstaff resident Craig Aplund was arrested in February after police said he shot a man on the corner of San Francisco Street and Route 66 around 1 a.m. The

Collins Irish Pub & Grill is located on a corner in Downtown Flagstaff, March 26. Octavia Freeland | The Lumberjack

reasoning for the shooting is still unclear, but the victim survived with minor injuries.

Other violent crimes, such as robberies have been occurring around town. On Jan. 26 at approximately 1:20 p.m., an armed robbery occurred at a Mobil gas station on Butler Avenue. A woman, later identified as Hertecia Anderson, entered the store wearing a black ski mask, according to the police report. She demanded the clerks money from the register while holding a handgun toward the clerks.

Anderson was arrested, and investigators found the weapon used was a BB gun. This was the third armed robbery attempt on an establishment this year.

Marina Shapiro, a barista at a coffee shop near Collins was surprised to hear about the shooting happening at a place that was so popular with the college students.

“I can’t recall any other time that I’ve heard about a shooting or a mugging around here, so when I did hear about it I was genuinely shocked,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro said she wished crimes like these were reported to the public more often — noting she sometimes felt unsafe when walking home through downtown.

“A town like this that’s trying to attract people here for college and tourism, they want to paint a picture of a place that’s approachable and safe,” Shapiro said. “They create an image of a cute, quaint, small little town and that’s what they want people to see.”

While shootings like these are not a common occurrence in Flagstaff, the shooting last Sunday reminded residents of dangers that can arise due to alcohol. A 2020 study showed a high link between alcohol use and violent crimes.

Johnson hopes this will remind people to be safer when going out to drink.

“Guns don’t mix with alcohol and never should,” Johnson said.

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

5

OPINION

It’s OK to be basic EMILY REHLING

College living is complicated for couples

I

t is no secret that the cost of living in Flagstaff is unsustainable for college students. Thus, many split monthly costs among several roommates.

Despite the vast amount of people looking for roommates for the following academic year around this time, couples generally have an exceedingly difficult time finding a place with roommates.

My boyfriend and I have been living in and out of on-campus residence halls KYLIE SOTO since our first semester of our first year here at NAU. COPY EDITOR Speaking from experience, it has taken three years, at minimum, to find an apartment for my partner and I. We have been looking into moving off campus for several years, but with the prices, we knew we would never be able to find our own place.

However, every time we’ve begun looking off campus for apartments, turning to friends and classmates, we’ve been turned down simply because we’re a couple. It even progressed to the point where we didn’t believe we would be able to live together.

Upon further investigation, every person I’ve seen worried about living with a couple was concerned we would break up and make the living situation awkward and tense.

I could understand the concern if the couple was young and fragile. Seeing as I have been with my boyfriend for over five years now, I don’t see why this would be a large issue.

Considering we’re all broke college students and the decrease in monthly rent we’d pay, it was significant enough for us to push for everyone to reconsider. Especially because of the expensive cost of living off campus in Flagstaff — the San Diego of Arizona, as I’ve dubbed it — one would think people would weigh that aspect in their decisions when pursuing roommates.

But they don’t.

As college students, we live off bargains and every penny counts. Yet, people’s primary concern is with the social aspect of living with others.

I am not saying that these matters should not be considered, but for it to be people’s primary concern is, well, cause for concern. Generation Z tends to have a shallow outlook on longterm relationships. Most people question the validity of these couples — forcing them to find places on their own in a harsh housing market.

Fortunately, after some discussion, my boyfriend and I were finally able to find a place to stay next year. It didn’t come without difficulty and dispute, though.

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

T

he decade-old dilemma over whether one should partake in mainstream versus alternative culture has always been a defining step in identity formation: Preppy or punk, pop or indie, stockbroker or artist.

It’s important to express one’s individuality, whether that be through your taste in media or in fashion. But be honest — do you really like that song by The Cure you just posted to your Instagram story or do you just want people to think you do?

There’s nothing wrong with The Cure, of course. There are plenty of good reasons to consume content that society has deemed alternative, but doing it in the hopes of looking edgy and interesting is not one of them.

In high school, I found myself really leaning into the cool, indie girl look. I chopped my hair to my chin — this gave me a soccer mom look that I can see myself revisiting two decades from now — and constantly scoured Spotify for something underground to talk about. I did a lot of this with the hope of looking cool. I can honestly say I did not have any success in the matter.

That’s because it wasn’t me. I found some great music in that time and learned a lot about what hair length is most flattering on me, but I really did not have a good sense of my own identity or interests.

Later on, I found that a lot of my actual interests — things that really made me happy to consume or engage with — fell into the “basic” category. Pop culture, Taylor Swift, athleisure and a heavy influence from TikTok fashion trends are all applicable phrases when describing myself and what I like. I have no shame in this now, but I would have five years ago.

I have no idea how and why everyone decided that being basic is wrong. It could be social media, where a person can’t be excited about a new trend for a week before someone makes a video calling it “cheugy,” the term assigned by social media users to describe something outdated or boring. Maybe it’s because many of those characteristics are categorized as feminine interests, or because their popularity leads them to be dismissed as juvenile or artistically insignificant. If that’s the case, since when do one’s interests have to be fundamentally creative or original to be respected?

Unsurprisingly, women are predominantly affected by these anxietyinducing perceptions. Trends in media and film have almost always influenced how women present themselves.

For example, the desire or demand to be different is one that I associate with the popularity of the “manic pixie dream girl,” the mysterious female character who takes hold of the male lead in film and teaches him about life’s beauty. The archetype was something I subconsciously modeled myself after. She existed as a token, but different than women had been depicted in films of the past: Intelligent, artistic and coy.

ILLUSTRATION BY DAISY CASTANEDA Now, I realize I find a lot more value in existing for my own enjoyment, much more than for that of men.

No one should be ashamed of their interests, regardless of what niche it fits into. Shaming someone for being “basic” is just asking them to change who they are.

That notion is the very reason alternative subcultures rose in popularity.

Self-expression works best when it’s honest. It’s not helping anyone to change or challenge yourself to be perceived as more interesting. The most interesting statement you can make is to be yourself, as authentically as possible.

Think about it: How are you supposed to talk about something you love if you don’t really care about it that much? Whether your time is spent online shopping or reading theory, it’s your passion for it that makes you interesting, not the activity itself.

Since embracing that I like pop music, romantic comedies and dressing like a VSCO girl, I’ve found that I find much more meaning in what I consume because I actually enjoy it. I will no longer listen to a song just to pretentiously boast of my refined music taste on social media. I never hated the music I used to listen to, but I never connected to it in the way I do now.

I feel more confident in the clothes I wear, and the movies I watch make me laugh and cry. I like my life a lot better this way.

If you’ve taken nothing else from the past 50 years of social change, let it be freedom from judgment. Dress however you want to dress, listen to whatever music you want to listen to, talk about whatever you want to talk about. There’s nothing wrong with being exactly who you are. In fact, there’s more value in just that than in any abstract art form you could be into — or pretend to be.

Minimalism is only for the rich MARIA RODRIGUEZ

“If I throw too much away, there’ll be nothing left s the saying goes: Less is more — ­ except when of me,” she wrote. it isn’t, literally.

Maximalism fits the working class — they Many in the lower class know items work to save money and tend to purchase objects shouldn’t be taken for granted, as they can be hard that showcase their drive and accomplishments. to come by. Basic necessities in the United States Contrasted with the wealthy’s charade, the working aren’t always met. In 2020 alone, there were over 116 class often have emotional attachments to the objects million people suffering from food insecurity. in their home.

People struggling with poverty are forced to have These two distinctly different views on objects few belongings but naturally want to own valuables in highlight the economic and social disparity between their homes. those of higher and lower classes.

At the same time, some rich people flaunt owning In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau found that in nothing like it’s a trendy new discovery. But, in fact, 2020, over 37 million individuals struggled with it only shows how tone deaf they are to real-world poverty. people and their issues.

In that same year, about 18 out of every 10,000 In complete contrast to the wealthy’s minimalist people in the country were reported to have preferences are hoarders with tons of material experienced homelessness, as estimated by the U.S. possessions.

Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In an article from academic library JSTOR It is a punch to the gut to see those who have Daily about the rise of hoarding disorders, acclaimed more money than the general U.S. population flaunt investigative reporter Jeannette Cooperman explains their wealth as a “style” that imitates hardships that what it’s like for people with this struggle — come with poverty. which can be very different for both collectors and The minimalist aesthetic is a luxury for people minimalists. who can’t afford the lavish basics; the few items that “People fall in love with stuff they don’t rich, minimalist followers own can cost thousands of immediately need because it’s free, or it reminds dollars. them of a particular experience, or they might need it For example, an Anita Ko diamond paper clip someday, or they could transform it in some cool way earring sells for over $3,400, and Frontera’s plain to increase its value,” Cooperman wrote. black rocking chair sells for almost $36,300.

It’s an appreciation for objects which doesn’t seem Who else would buy expensive, mundane objects to resonate with affluent members of society, if Justin to showcase in their homes or on their person? It is Bieber’s statement in 2015 about not re-wearing certainly not the lower class that can barely afford underwear says anything. food, housing and education.

For diagnosed hoarders, everyday objects can Kim Kardashian’s minimalist, cream-colored become part of their identity, so much so that mansion, worth $60 million, has some of the most throwing them away instills a fear of no longer being expensive features and furniture spaced around the whole. Cooperman explained this mentality from a rooms; this creates a nearly staged effect within the hoarders’ point of view. home.

A

It’s not surprising the simplistic sink with a small, rectangular opening to function as the drain is estimated to be worth around $30,000 alone.

The irony in purchasing and renovating a $60 million mansion which has an empty interior design style doesn’t go unnoticed. Some on social media have gone so far as to state the rich use minimalism to imitate the lower class.

One Twitter user posted, “If you think about it, the tiny house movement, like minimalism, is just rich people fetishizing aspects of poverty that are palatable to them and still exercising their financial privilege in order to do so.”

It seems the only people choosing minimalism are the upper class, while those of low socioeconomic status recognize the true weight that possessions carry.

They see value beyond spending thousands of dollars and competing with their neighbors.

American celebrities, and others in the top percentile of income revenue, aren’t forced to have a sparse number of objects in their mansions — they simply like showing more with less.

There’s a privilege in having freedom to choose without worry or fear of ridicule from others concerning the scarce possessions that are displayed in one’s home.

Although having little to no objects may be favorable among the wealthy currently, with homelessness consistently on the rise, there’s at least one trend I’m sure they won’t follow.

In the context of minimalism, imitation of the working class is simply not the sincerest form of flattery.

ILLUSTRATION BY KAELEY COLLINS

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

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FEATURES HRL continued from page 1 • "Residential College Ambassador" (RCA) is changing to "Campus Living Initiatives and Partnerships Peer Supporter" (CLIPPS) • "Desk Assistant" (DA) is changing to "Campus Living Operations Assistant" (CLOA) • "Residents" is changing to "Community Members" • "Community Development Center" is changing to "Campus Living Resource Center" • "CARE Plan" is changing to "Community and Resident Engagement Plan" Considering these alterations, Lopez explained she is worried it may confuse students when multiple positions located behind the building’s front desk and discourage rather than encourage students from requesting help.

Anonymous RA #1 recalled their reaction to the news: “The way they said it was just so ‘spit in our face.' You don’t get a meal plan to feed yourself, you get a meal plan to converse with your residents, that is a paraphrased statement they said to us during training.”

Training and responsibilities within the department Lopez’s concern with continuing in her position was mostly due to the lack of attention provided by the authority figures within HRL. Alicia Voytek, associate vice president of Campus Operations, offered a forum after the training for employees to voice their concerns. However, current staff believe their worries consistently remain ignored.

“We specifically wanted higher pay, which we did get. Now we will make minimum [wage] which is $15,” Lopez said. “We wanted different meeting times because all student Housing and Residential Life meet Wednesdays from 7–9 p.m. and that’s kind of a daunting time that did not get changed, unfortunately. And we just wanted more control in our role.”

Instead of receiving more control, they received a complete alteration in their positional responsibilities.

The biggest dilemma is the complete revision of the job description imposed on the RCAs. There are eight academic colleges on campus; RCAs operate on a college-to-college basis with staff assigned to their major's corresponding hall. Next semester, that will change.

“They took the individuality out of it [the RCA position], because we’re no longer in our majors,” Lopez emphasized. “We are no longer working with students who we can talk to about things. Especially because we are all upperclassmen students.

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

That wisdom we can pass on, I’m not sure how we are going to come across that next semester.”

RAs indicated these departmental reworkings were not transparently shared with staff nor does the general NAU community have access to these changes. During the training, these alterations were vocalized and accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation, but no physical paperwork was distributed. Staff was also not provided additional information regarding the changes.

A superior for the RCAs created a document that was shared among themselves, but it was deleted at an unknown date.

Across campus, and through social media channels, HRL distributed the flyer promoting the changes and the beginning of its hiring process. However, the flyer was deleted from social media after the application closed — with screenshots as the only evidence the change occurred.

Though these adjustments are not initiated until the fall 2022 semester, the HRL website has already been updated with the changes. One line revealed the alteration in the hiring process and workflow of HRL: “In May to June 2021, we set out to reestablish our mission and foundational values.”

The semesterly training is another example of the lack of awareness administration has on what their employees undergo, Lopez said. RAs and professional staff who live in on-campus housing have a place to stay during training, but the remaining staff must make additional housing arrangements.

“There was very little respect, especially in that a lot of us didn’t have housing over the summer,” Lopez said. “So I knew a lot of people had to get Airbnbs that cost a lot of money that they barely made up throughout this semester.”

Staff responses These student employees said they are passionate about helping others and truly enjoy the student interaction they experience in their role.

A former RCA spoke on the subject anonymously. They said they have passion for helping students and true dedication in wanting to educate students on the benefits within the College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences — the academic college they oversaw — instead of “just being commercials for the university.”

In prior years when smaller changes were made, the staff received little notice beforehand.

“There were changes that would happen from year to year and we wouldn’t even know they were like happening,” the former RCA said. “It would be like, ‘Oh, we’re

not doing this anymore.’ And they never even really told us it would just be like, ‘What happened to this?’ And they’d be like, ‘Oh, we don’t do it anymore.”

This is not the first time there have been conflicts between RAs and the rhetoric used toward them.

“I’ve had pretty bad experiences,” anonymous RA #1 said. “I’ve been told we’re ‘expendable.’ It’s just tough sometimes because my RHDs care and my coworkers care, but it often feels that the higher-ups don’t care.”

If HRL administration would spend more time on the staff level they would understand a lot of the practical problems these changes will create, Lopez said. She expressed that an arrangement where her position and other student workers could be shadowed by a professional staff member could solve some of the disconnect.

Anonymous RA #3 agreed with Lopez and mentioned this action would increase respect on all sides.

Anonymous RA #2 said the support provided by their supervisors is one aspect of the job that remains consistent. The supervisor is the RHD, who — depending on the building — may have one to two RAs per residence hall.

“I have had supervisors who will actually put their neck on the line sometimes, but from the higher-ups of the department, it just feels so distant,” anonymous RA #2 said. “They make decisions without ever consulting RAs, and then they wonder why we get upset when a decision doesn’t make sense [to us].”

Some RAs said the university does not take into account the value of their work.

“I think the university has been so disrespectful and uncaring in the treatment of RAs because they view us as replaceable,” anonymous RA #3 said. “They know that other people are there to fill in empty roles as alternates and so they don’t need to retain the RAs they already have.”

Former RA Micah Kneeshaw said his experience was less hostile, but pointed out while he was an RA, there were not as many changes.

“I wouldn’t particularly say that the interactions or environment was hostile because during my time as an RA, there weren’t a lot of changes that occurred for the benefits side,” Kneeshaw said.

Overall, there seems to be a common thread of appreciation and respect toward the RCAs' immediate coordinators, which include graduate assistants and Tommy Newsom II who is the assistant director of Student Life Experience. From the student staff perspective, the respect ends there, according to the anonymous RAs. “They make these huge decisions and then they get confused why we get upset,” anonymous RA #1 said. “It just feels so disconnected, so often it feels like we are the boots on the ground and they are just generals behind screens.”

Hiring and communication issues There is also a lack of professional staff, which can be expected post-pandemic.

However, some roles were empty before March 2021 and have remained empty since. The anonymous RCA said these vacant positions have forced coordinators into tough situations. These are crucial elements of the HRL team and the lack of initiative to fulfill those positions leaves the responsibility on those lower in the hierarchy, allowing less of a support system for student employees.

The anonymous RCA estimated they had three separate supervisors during their first semester working within HRL, and even more since. These vacancies are not

simply about bad luck, the RCA explained.

“A lot of us just come in with really high expectations and feeling like we’re doing something good and then it all comes down to money and image,” the anonymous RCA said.

At the end of the day, RCAs are repeatedly overlooked, the anonymous RCA said.

“I think RCAs were probably screwed over the most,” the anonymous RCA stated.

The situation could have been avoided if staff were given more than a few days’ notice before the news was made public. Opening up transparent lines of communication would also allow the administration to show their student staff’s worth, Lopez said.

While the positional job responsibilities have been altered, the title change is also confusing and lacks clarification. The language correction eliminates the use of the word "residence." There are possible negative associations with the term residential schools due to the history of Indigenous assimilation into white, EuroAmerican culture, the anonymous RCA said.

“It was just a big change to make and I didn’t think anyone was actually associating [the connection between the two titles],” the anonymous RCA said.

Administration blindsiding their employees with this change demonstrates the lack of value they have for those who are the face of HRL, the anonymous RCA said. The workflow and student staff positions are being completely upended, while the same cannot be said for the entirety of the department.

“The crazy thing is they’re still called Housing and Residence Life when they changed all of our names, but not their own name,” the anonymous RCA said.

Although there are issues within the department that affect students on a daily and systemic level, anonymous RA #1 said they still enjoy their job. Their issue does not lie with the job they have — it resides in the lack of communication and loss of benefits, anonymous RA #1 said.

“Ultimately I love this job, and I truly don’t have too many honest complaints,” anonymous RA #1 said. “Most RHDs are awesome, sure some bad apples, but that’s any job. The ultimate problem is a severe lack of communication between our higher-ups and us.”

Some RAs said they believe the university does not fully understand their purpose on campus.

Anonymous RA #3 said HRL claims they care but do not actually listen to what their employees say. They explained the university sees their employees as “replaceable,” further contributing to the disrespect they receive.

“We are the ones seeing and doing things first-hand and when we give input for department decisions we are ignored; they do not view us as students and only see us as employees for their use,” anonymous RA #3 said. “I know I’m not alone when I say this job can be very draining and leave you feeling burnt out with little to no support from your supervisors.”

Professional department staff including graduate assistants did not receive approval to speak to The Lumberjack about this issue and declined to comment.

John Chaffeur contributed to parts of this article.

Left page far left: Residential College Ambassador Mikayla Lopez poses for a photo inside the University Union. Left page right top: Snow falls outside North Hall where the main offices for Housing and Residence Life are located. Left page right middle: The entrance to McConnell Hall is pictured on a sunny day, March 12.

Left page right bottom: The outside of Morton Hall is pictured during a flurry of snow. Right page left image: A light snow falls outside the Honors College, March 7. Right page left image: Students enter Sechrist Hall after a snowstorm, March 7. Jacob Handley | The Lumberjack

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FEATURES

STORY COMPILED BY BRISA KAR

T

his year, the United States hit an all-time high for all across the country. For college students, the ad students share a collective exasperation for the bur tactics in an effort to accommodate this financial develop their gas bills over grocery bills, and shopping around for bullet, paying more and more each day for gas.

Thomas Foreman Information Systems “I live in Munds Park, so I’d make like a 21-minute commute every day and it’s tough," Foreman said. "I’ve been having to buy less groceries and stuff overall [to pay] for gas. I'm just trying to take more hours at work while balancing class and getting everything done. So I mean, it’s definitely been harder for sure.

“There’s literally one time I got gas at the Circle K — it’s because it was cheaper. Usually [Speedway] is cheaper than everywhere else.”

Victoria Gonzalez Communication Science Disorders “I try to not go fully empty. I hit a gas [station], and then I’ll go fill up that way I don’t spend as much money,” Gonzalez said. “[I don’t drive] that often because I try not to — I don’t want to spend on gas. So, I try to save.

“I’m from Texas so I have to drive up and down during breaks. It’s actually a little cheaper there, so it’s nicer going back home.”

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

Allison Lynch Psychology “I don’t drive anywhere anymore because you pay for it,” Lynch said. “I used to be able to fill up my tank for $20. Now, it takes about double that.

“I needed to go to Walmart, but I just had to spend money on gas instead of paying for groceries. I just use the meal plan at school. I don’t go out and buy groceries anymore. I just make do with what I have.”

ROW | PHOTOS BY JACOB HANDLEY

r gas prices. The rising gallon price is impacting individuals dded expense of gas creates a budgeting dilemma. At NAU, rning holes in their wallets — many of whom turn to various pment. Students are walking more and driving less, prioritizing r the lowest prices in town. Inevitably, they have to bite the

Luke Napier Finance “Twice a week I work up at Snowbowl, so I gotta drive up there,” Napier said.

“My buddy’s got a Sam’s Club card, and I have an app that says this is the cheapest place. So, I went here. Last week, I went all the way across town to get cheap gas. It’s pretty far out — like a couple of miles out of town.

At the time, it was $4.29.”

Josh O’Connor Biology and Nutrition “I mean, it’s a bummer," O’Connor said. "I just pay more for gas. I can usually figure it out [without adjusting spending habits]. I don’t drive a whole lot honestly. And usually, when I do gas up, I just fill up a little bit.”

“I just went on a road trip last week. So, that just made things more expensive — that sucks.”

Joe Acuesta Math Secondary Education, Minor in Cinema Studies “Considering all the events going on right now with Ukraine and Russia, the stock market crashing, and other things going on in the world, [rising gas prices] make sense,” Acuesta said.

“I do Instacart and DoorDash a lot. So, I mean I make money off of gas.

The more gas increases, the less money I make. More frequently, [I do] Instacart because I drive less. You make a little bit more money if you spend more time grocery shopping and getting bigger orders.”

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FEATURES ILLUSTRATOR SPOTLIGHT

Brittani Poeppel

H

i, my name is Brittani Poeppel and I love anything and everything pertaining to art. My style varies but I tend to lean toward semi-realistic fantasy character design. I’m inspired by the beauty in everything, but I am drawn to anything otherworldly.

I’ve been drawing my entire life and finally decided to pursue graphic design and illustration. I see my future self becoming a character design artist for a video game studio like Riot or Blizzard. I love painting and hand drawing, but my heart is pulled toward digital art which is what I will use for my future endeavors.

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

The weight of overthinking JOHN CHAFFEUR

I

have these inner demons that control my day-to-day

my nine to fives are dictated by a dictator who i can’t see but merely feel there’s an ambiance of gray that hovers between the black and the white but that essence always pulled me towards the unlit

these inner demons in me make it so my aspirations become gray no clear image onwards foggy streets ahead a street lamp emerges through dense mist providing a glimpse of ambition the light brought me to tears the potential the light provided gave me a glimpse of who i can become

i have all these aspirations that can be taught as lessons my yin and yang doesn’t provide that influence to allow my adolescents to flee as i question my own intelligence i see the lack of foresight my subconscious has i have macgyvered my way to where i am with a lack of infrastructure as roads i paved decay, i still have hope for the next steps i take while the ground below me is crumbling, i know i can engrave my sign above me something everyone can see and be hopeful for

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CULTURE “Euphoria” is not fulfilling fans’ desires in second season

Editor’s Note: This column contains spoilers for “Euphoria” season two

T

he series “Euphoria” is one of the most popular shows today, and for good reason.

The writing, soundtrack, storyline and acting is phenomenal. Zendaya, who portrays the show’s main character and narrator Rue, is iconic and scarily accurate in her performance. Sydney Sweeney, as Cassie, fully embodies a love-crazed teenager, and Jacob Elordi’s portrayal of Nate creLISA HALL ated a psychopathic character willing to do quite literally anything to secure his future. Everyone WRITER involved in production executed their jobs wonderfully.

I still question plotlines though. Ashtray did not deserve to die and his death could easily have been avoided. His first reaction when things go left is murder — first with Mouse, and then with Custer. Why didn’t Fezco tell him to stop and think before he jumped to killing someone the first time it happened? Why didn’t Fezco create a signal for Ashtray the way Faye did for him?

Fezco’s arrest will hopefully be a main focus in season three.

What is happening with Rue and Jules? Leaving their conversation a cliffhanger by having Rue simply kiss Jules on the forehead does not answer the audience’s questions. Rue’s thoughts at the end of the episode lead viewers to believe she is choosing herself over the relationship but there is not any real closure.

The drug lord Laurie made very strong threats toward Rue and none of them were carried out. All plotlines around Laurie and Rue were left open, leading to the assumption that season three will have some focus there.

The play episode was a rollercoaster of emotions that took us back over both seasons of the show. Lexie putting on the play and calling everyone out on all of the awful secrets, lies and manipulation that has been happening as the silent bystander was a power move.

Her character is deeply under-appreciated in season one but shines in season two where she finds herself, her confidence and learns to be her own person, not just hide in Cassie’s shadow. Lexi has some of the most character development in the show.

Kat’s storyline basically disappeared in season two and when she did come on screen she was not painted in the best light. No shame to sex workers, but gaslighting? She gaslighted Ethan to the fullest extent in their breakup scene; it was painful to watch. Her character development in season two was disappointing.

Rue is a paradox because you love her but you hate her at the same time.

Her character is portrayed so well and the audience truly gets to understand Rue and why she is the way she is. It is very real and accurate to what would happen in real life in that type of situation as well.

I also cannot ignore the absurd amount of nudity and sex in the show. It is based on high schoolers — minors — there should not be that much of a need for nudity in a show where the characters are underaged. If the nudity was that necessary then set the show in college, or not even in school at all.

SURFACES continued from page 1 Trenton Lundin, event manager for Campus Event Operations and Support (CEOS), explained the process of how NAU books artists; Surfaces was a last-minute addition to the semester concert lineup.

“We have a really great team fronted by our boss Doug Quick who just reaches out to a middle agent and goes from there,” Lundin said. “Surfaces was actually like a crunch time decision sort of thing, and so we were really lucky to have booked them in between their tour dates.”

Moreover, Lundin said they were fortunate to have quite a large amount of money left over last year due to the pandemic putting a pause on large events, such as concerts and Prochnow movies, to name a few. That money, Lundin said, went into working with and negotiating set dates with Surfaces, Noel Miller and Wallows throughout the spring semester.

Lundin said that CEOS has already started planning for both fall and spring semesters, in terms of finding talent and providing a fun experience for NAU students.

“We don’t know anyone yet for sure, but we’re hoping to continue this great show that we got going on,” Lundin said.

“I know we’re going to continue putting on these awesome events from now on. It’s nothing too crazy, but be on the lookout, because we’re going to continue this route of obtaining these events.”

As the night was underway, students started to scan their tickets and peek at the Surfaces table full of the band’s merchandise; the clock slowly started to tick toward 8 p.m.

The start of Nox Holloway’s set featured music from their recently released debut EP, “If Only The World Didn’t Spin So Much,” complete with a mix of indie-pop sounds and electronic beats.

Nox Holloway made sure to perform their most popular songs from their EP that helped them break into the mainstream including “Audrey” and “Montana,” as well as a cover of Vance Joy’s “Riptide.” They also played new music, such as the unreleased single “Pink Cadillac,” a melancholy love story involving lead singer Bryce Vanhook’s fictitious pink Cadillac.

After providing a thrilling and entertaining set, Nox Holloway ended their performance by thanking the crowd for their energy, while also welcoming the night’s headliner, Surfaces, to the stage.

Surfaces knew how to entertain the crowd from beginning to end thanks to a mix of older songs from their first few albums, like “Where the Light Is” and “Horizons,” while playing songs from their latest album “Pacifico.”

Surfaces also mentioned their collaboration with country music star Thomas Rhett in “C’est La Vie,” which showcases Surfaces dipping their toes into making music with a country twist.

Surfaces previewed “I Can’t Help But Feel” as well, a song that has started to make its way onto TikTok with an expected release date of April 1, according to the group’s Instagram.

Continue reading on JackCentral.org

Top and bottom: The band Surfaces perform at Prochnow Auditorium, March 25. Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

An evening of poetry with Juan Felipe Herrera

Juan Felipe Herrera, 2015 U.S. Poet Laureate, performance artist and activist tells a story about his childhood in the NAU Cline Library Assembly Hall, March 22.

Omar Noah Gonzalez | The Lumberjack

NAU community brought together by 2015 Poet Laureate and activist Juan Felipe Herrera for a lesson in kindness and empathy PAIGE SPRINGSTEAD

I

n the Cline Library auditorium on March 22, an audience patiently waited to hear the words from the 2015 United States Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera.

The Department of Comparative Cultural Studies (CCS) put on the Cline Lecture Series in Humanities. They organized the event to encourage the Flagstaff community to come out and meet the esteemed author. Gioia Woods, a NAU professor as well as a chair holder of CCS, helped organize the event and made the night possible after many years of trying to get it off the ground.

CCS has hosted the lecture series since 1984. They have brought in many speakers since the beginning and Woods said she has been wanting to host Herrera at the event, but was unable to due to the pandemic.

“We were in touch over the last couple of years and finally we were able to arrange a visit,” Woods said. “This is one of his first visits after COVID-19, and we’re so glad that he could visit.”

The event was lively and active with the audience’s participation, even with the heavy topics Herrera highlighted during his presentation. He talked about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and asked his audience at home to write down their feelings about the situation. He said he wanted their voices heard and to stand up for the people who are suffering during this time of hardship.

“I hope they’ll take away a sense of being together in the audience and a sense of freedom of expression,” Herrera said. “A freedom of who they are and to shout it out, let it go and touch base with what is going on in Ukraine in particular, a subject that I’m very interested in.”

Herrera encouraged his audience to write. He said he wanted his listeners to write their feelings down and to analyze their feelings as best they could.

Herrera asked the audience to write to future generations about how the world is now and how they think it could be. He said he wished to give the future generation an idea how the world was affecting us.

Asya Darbinyan, a postdoctoral scholar for the Department of Comparative Cultural Studies, was in attendance for the lecture. Darbinyan had the chance to meet with Herrera before the event and she said he is an amazing and admirable person.

“I was surprised by the topic that he spoke of,” Darbinyan said. “I was also surprised by the audience participation that he had in his talk. It was fantastic and made us feel a part of the talk with him.”

Throughout the evening, Herrera kept circling back to how kindness is at the core of humanities.

“We get caught up in a special project which is great, but just turning up your kindness — so much suffering, so much debts, so many families ripped

apart, so many people lost so many family members,” Herrera said. “That’s a lot of pain, so if we can increase our level of kindness every day, every moment, then we’re working towards a system for those that suffer.”

The lecture held the audience’s attention throughout his presentation. Woods said she would like to bring Herrera back in the future for another lecture.

There is another lecture occurring at Prochnow, sponsored by the MartinSpringer Institute, with guest speaker Harriet Washington who will be holding a discussion on Medical Apartheid and Race, and the cruel experimentations and abuse of People of Color. Darbinyan said she hopes to see more students in attendance to learn and interact with future guest speakers.

Juan Felipe Herrera, 2015 U.S. Poet Laureate, performance artist and activist tells a story about his childhood in the NAU Cline Library Assembly Hall, March 22. Omar Noah Gonzalez | The Lumberjack

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CULTURE

SURFACES WITH NOX HOLLOWAY Colin Padalecki, guitarist and singer for Surfaces, performs at Prochnow Auditorium, March 27. Omar Noah Gonzalez | The Lumberjack

Bryce Vanhook, singer for Nox Holloway, starts his opening performance for Surfaces at the Prochnow Auditorium, March 27.

Omar Noah Gonzalez | The Lumberjack

Surfaces perform at Prochnow Auditorium, March 27.

Omar Noah Gonzalez | The Lumberjack

Forrest Frank, singer for Surfaces, comes close to the crowd during the band’s concert at Prochnow Auditorium, March 27.

Omar Noah Gonzalez | The Lumberjack

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

Colin Padalecki, guitarist and singer for Surfaces, performs at Prochnow Auditorium, March 27. Omar Noah Gonzalez | The Lumberjack

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SPORTS

NAU spring football begins

Kingsbury and Keim contract extensions are not as positive as they may appear

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ne. That’s how many firstround draft picks have re-signed with the team since Steve Keim took over as general manager of the Arizona Cardinals in 2013.

The Cardinals extended Keim and head coach Kliff Kingsbury through the 2027 season, coming off their first playoff appearance since 2015.

On the surface, this looks like a great move for a franchise that’s trending MICHAEL up. In reality, there are multiple MANNY causes for concern.

There’s no questioning Keim’s WRITER positive impact on the team, orchestrating some of the biggest trades in franchise history. It’s Keim’s drafting that’s concerning.

In Keim’s time as general manager, his first-round picks have either been solid but unspectacular (Deone Bucannon), plagued by injury (Jonathan Cooper), had off-the-field problems (Robert Nkemdiche), or not given the best chance to succeed (Josh Rosen). Tackle DJ Humphries (2015) is so far Keim’s only firstrounder to sign an extension, and he didn’t play in all 16 games until 2019, his fifth season.

He has found gems in the later rounds (Tyrann Mathieu, David Johnson, Budda Baker) but year after year, the team’s depth has suffered in part due to minimal contributions from first-round picks. Last season, the pattern continued. Linebacker Zaven Collins played just 20% of the defensive snaps.

Credit should be given where it’s due. Under Keim, the team had its most successful stretch since moving to Arizona from 2013–2015. Keim swung the trades that brought Carson Palmer, Chandler Jones and DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona. Plus, he made the bold move to draft Kyler Murray No. 1 overall in 2019, one year after trading up to pick Rosen.

Similarly, Kingsbury’s tenure has also been up and down.

He deserves some credit for helping turn the team around after a disastrous 2018. The team’s win total has increased in each of his three seasons, from 5-10-1 to 8-8 and then 11-6.

Kingsbury has also yet to avoid a mid-season collapse. In 2019, the team started 3-3-1 before finishing 2-7 down the stretch. In 2020, a 5-2 start was followed by a 3-6 finish. Last season, a similar story — the team started 7-0 and was the last unbeaten team in the league. A 10-2 record coming into week 14 was followed by losing four of their last five games.

This trend is not exclusive to Kingsbury’s NFL career either.

In his six years as head coach of Texas Tech, Kingsbury’s teams were 27-15 in the first seven weeks and 8-25 in games after that.

Keim and Kingsbury’s achievements should not be dismissed.

But to finally win the franchise’s first Super Bowl, these patterns cannot continue.

Freshman quarterback Angel Flores throws a pass during a quarterback drill at practice at the Student-Athlete High Performance Center, March 24. Brian Burke | NAU Athletics

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AU had its first spring football practice on Tuesday, March 22 marking the first time the team has had a full on-field practice in 2022. Coming off a tough season — in which it faced five FCS Playoff teams — NAU is looking to join the top tier in the Big Sky and join those teams in the postseason.

Seventy-four of the Lumberjacks’ 89 current players on the roster — not including 2022 recruits who still need to graduate high school — are retained from last year’s team, providing another year of growth for the program.

“We’ve got great leadership,” offensive coordinator Aaron Pflugrad said. “So those guys working with coach Shumate in the weight room, on top of that they’re out on the field doing player-run practices on their own going through everything. So from top to bottom we have a great group that is locked in and the leadership holds them accountable, so us as coaches we can coach and do our job and they’re going to take a youngster aside and say, ‘Hey, here’s how you do that.’ So a lot of that is those guys and their work ethic in the offseason, that’s why it can go smooth out here.”

Quarterback RJ Martinez returns for his sophomore year, looking to build off of his awardwinning freshman campaign. Joining him in the quarterback room is 2022 recruit Angel Flores, who graduated early from Casa Grande High School, getting his first offseason with the program prior to his freshman season.

Redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Niko Haen and PJ London as well as redshirt sophomore Jeff Widener all returned to the program as well. Widener has yet to join the rest of the quarterbacks in pads as he has been recovering from an injury that he incurred against University of California– Davis last season.

Pflugrad discussed the process of working with the different quarterbacks in the spring.

“We’ve got some guys with experience who have gotten their feet wet, and then the young guys we’re just trying to bring along, but it’s kind of like drinking through a fire hose, just with adjusting to college, the pace, the speed, plus learning the whole playbook,” Pflugrad said. “But that’s why they’re here early, so by the time we get to fall camp, they’re ready to roll.”

The receiver room seems to be a stacked one coming into this year. Last season, graduate wide receiver Stacy Chukwumezie suffered a season-ending injury against Northern Colorado but was granted another year of eligibility and will return to the team in 2022. In 2019, Chukwumezie hauled in 50 passes, going for 963 yards and eight touchdowns; he will be looking to return to form this upcoming season.

In Chukwumezie’s absence, redshirt freshman Coleman Owen and sophomore Hendrix Johnson were able to form a receiving duo that was among the Big Sky’s most explosive. Owen averaged 16.6 yards per catch on 43 grabs, going for 713 yards and six touchdowns. Johnson averaged 18.2 yards per catch, with 509 yards on just 28 catches, he had five touchdowns. Now both are a year older, each with stellar seasons under their belt.

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EVAN MCNELIA

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With Chukwumezie returning healthy, the trio should be a force that puts the entire conference on notice.

NAU picked up a notable transfer in the offensive line room, picking up Noah Nelson from Oklahoma. Nelson attended Williams Field High School in Gilbert and was a three-star recruit, according to ESPN, as part of the 2020 recruiting class. As talented as Nelson may be on paper, it may take some time before he is officially in the starting lineup as NAU returns four of their five starting offensive linemen from 2021.

Head coach Chris Ball explained spring ball was mostly about installing the playbook and giving guys the opportunity to compete against each other.

“Everybody gets reps in spring ball,” Ball said. “We’re always looking for that better player, we’re always looking for a guy to beat out that starter, looking for a guy to get into the rotation.”

Coaches have a great opportunity to evaluate their team in the spring; they get to work with their team without the pressure of designing a specific game plan for

an opponent.

NAU looked revitalized as a team and excited to be out on the field together through the first two days of practice. The energy level on Thursday was high and if the Lumberjacks can keep that rolling throughout the spring, they could be a dangerous team come fall. “[The biggest shift] is the team cohesiveness, everybody loves each other,” sophomore athlete Xander Werner said. “You can really see it, we’re working our asses off — pardon my French. In the winter we really wanted it and I think we’re seeing it right now, and we just want to keep stacking good days on top of each other and work towards a great fall season.”

NAU continues the spring with three practices a week — Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday — throughout the spring, with a scrimmage at Saguaro High School on April 2 and ending with the spring game on Friday, April 22. Stay tuned for updates throughout spring practices, and next week for a look at the defense.

Top: Graduate offensive line assistant George Attea speaks to sophomore athlete Xander Werner after a drill at practice at the Student-Athlete High Performance Center, March 24. Bottom: Redshirt junior Jamal Glaspie (3) catches a pass from freshman quarterback Angel Flores during a passing drill at practice at the StudentAthlete High Performance Center, March 24. Brian Burke | NAU Athletics

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SPORTS

Big Sky Conference unveils new baske New format for men’s and women’s basketball also includes coverage on ESPN channels, with the women’s tittle game on national TV for the first time ever

Idaho Central Arena pictured before the Big Sky Men’s Basketball Championship Game between Montana State and Northern Colorado on March 12. Brenden Martin | The Lumberjack

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BRENDEN MARTIN

he Big Sky Conference officially unveiled its brand new basketball tournament bracket and schedule for the next four years on March 10 — right in the middle of this year’s basketball tournament which will be the last of its kind under the previous format.

“Our coaches, administrators, and staff took the time and effort to reimagine what our basketball championships can look like moving forward, and we are absolutely thrilled with the result on so many fronts,” Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill said in a statement. “Enhancing the student-athlete experience, increasing our exposure to unprecedented levels, rewarding teams for competitive success during the regular season, and shifting days to provide our teams with more rest and our fans with more weekend contests are among the many positive outcomes from a thorough strategic process dedicated to continually elevating the Big Sky in Boise.”

Here are the biggest changes to the bracket to keep an eye out for in the years to come, including the format, schedule and ways to watch.

Format One of the biggest changes to the tournament bracket comes thanks to a change in the number of teams that will be competing. Southern Utah University will be leaving the conference after 10 years to join the Western Athletic Conference beginning July 1. The Big Sky will be downsizing from 11 schools to 10.

Big Sky Deputy Commissioner Dan Satter said the conference saw an opportunity to completely alter its tournament format. He said he knew changes were going to need to be made anyway, with the loss of the Thunderbirds, as opposed to simply shifting the current format around.

“We could have just defaulted to six teams getting a bye instead of five,” Satter said. “Everybody acknowledged well let’s take a moment and take a step back … We could do what I said was the default way of doing it, or is there a way we could improve other factors with this as we explore it. Everybody was willing to go through that exercise and I think it proved worthwhile.”

Here is how the new format works: Both the men’s and women’s brackets will be the exact same, just as they were before. As Satter said, the top six teams in the standings will indeed get a first-round bye, as opposed to just five in previous seasons. That means more than half the field of teams will automatically advance to the quarterfinal.

The bracket is more spread out as well, with no more than two men’s and two women’s games playing on the same day. There will be 18 games in total across both tournaments, as opposed to 20 last season. There will be no more morning games throughout the tournament as well, with the earliest time games can start at noon

MARCH 31, 2022 — APRIL 6, 2022

MST. The event begins on the corresponding Saturday with the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds playing in the early time slot and the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds playing later in the day. The winners of those games play the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds respectively on Sunday. The winners of those second-round games will earn Monday off as they prepare for the semifinals against the winners of the games between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds as well as the No. 3 and No. 6 seeds that day. The semifinal games will be on Tuesday and both the men’s and women’s championship games will be on Wednesday.

“I think where we landed with the bracket was trying to reward competitive success in the regular season as well but not overemphasize that was kind of the direction we heard from our athletic directors,” Satter said.

While being seeded from No. 3 to No. 6 may look beneficial because teams would have the most rest going into the tournament, on the flip side they will need to win three games in three days in order to win the title. The top two seeds would not only have the easier match-ups seeding-wise, but they would get a day off in the middle of the tournament by winning their quarterfinal game, which can be beneficial when it comes to rest leading up to the final stretch of the tournament.

The new bracket may seem more confusing at first glance, but the conference designed it in a way that makes the results of the regular season play an even larger role in where teams are placed.

“One thing our coaches were very in favor of and our administrators were partially in favor of was rewarding competitive success during the regular season,” Satter said. “There’s different models out there. The West Coast Conference extremely rewards the top two seeds of its tournament. We looked at a number of brackets with this and ultimately landed where we did where the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds do get a reward in the sense where they don’t have to play three consecutive days.”

Scheduling As of now, the new bracket for both men’s and women’s basketball — which will take effect next year and through 2026 — includes an entirely different start and end date for the event. Instead of starting the tournament at the beginning of the week and ending during the weekend, the tournament will begin on a Saturday and end the following Wednesday.

Satter said the move has multiple purposes, a major one being to increase fan attendance and engagement for the entire event as opposed to just the end of the tournament.

“We’re hopeful that with the shift we’re making with dates actually makes it easier for people because by starting it on a weekend, I think it’s easier for people

etball tourney format through 2026 to join the party on the front end now and then hopefully they are staying through the championship versus trying to come toward the end,” Satter said.

Satter said coaches who had been to the NCAA Tournament reported that it was grueling having the Big Sky championship game the night before the full 68team tournament field is announced on Selection Sunday. Teams have to travel back to their campuses to watch the selection show to see who they play in the first round.

“They’re not getting back to campus until that Sunday,” Satter said. “They’re spending the night in Boise and then they’re turning around really quick to have a selection show watch party and then it’s a whirlwind to wherever you’re going [in the first round]. It may be a long flight across the country. One of the coaches described it as like you’re running on fumes at that point.”

Montana State won the Big Sky championship across both the men’s and women’s tournaments. After winning the title Saturday, March 12, the team had to travel back to campus in Bozeman, Montana for its selection show watch party the following day. The selection show announced the Bobcats would be playing against Texas Tech that upcoming Friday in San Diego.

Montana State women’s basketball was in the same boat and needed to travel to California to play top-seeded Stanford that same day.

By moving the tournament up on the calendar to end on a Wednesday instead of a Saturday, teams will have more time to rest and get healthy after a grueling conference tournament that has the winning team play three or four games within the same amount of days.

Satter said putting Big Sky teams in the best position to advance in the NCAA Tournament is a major part of the conference’s strategic planning process.

National TV Broadcasts It has been less than a year since the Big Sky reached an agreement with ESPN on a new media rights deal that broadcasts all Big Sky basketball games, as well as other sports, on ESPN+. The deal was announced in July 2021 and brought the Big Sky Basketball Tournament to the network. The men’s championship game this year was aired on ESPNU while all women’s games remained on ESPN+.

Under the newly announced format, the men’s championship game will now be upgraded to ESPN2 while the women’s championship game will move up to

ESPNU, putting it on linear television for the first time ever.

“This was something that was on our radar a year, two years ago when we were beginning the process of looking at our media rights and really thinking about what was important to us,” Satter said. “Getting the women’s [championship] game on national linear [television] was at the top of the list. They deserve it.”

In December 2021, Satter told the Arizona Daily Sun in a special that getting the women’s title game on national linear TV was something the conference felt very good about. He also mentioned working on getting the men’s semifinal games on national linear TV as well. At the time of the initial announcement of the new tournament format, the broadcasting of the men’s semifinal games was still to be determined.

The date changes allowed the conference to have its championship games on national TV in a mid-week time slot, which larger conferences may not view as favorable.

Thanks to the Big Sky’s relationship with ESPN, it was able to make the change even after the initial media rights deal was done last summer.

“Because we were willing to look at changing out dates, that opened up some opportunities there that wouldn’t have existed if we kept our tournament dates where they had been,” Satter said.

In December, Satter stated that the conference’s deal with ESPN+ was on the shorter side. With the new makeup of the conference tournament going through 2026, that would put the deal in its current form at five years since its initial agreement.

The timing also lines up with the Big Sky’s current deal with Idaho Central Arena, which has been hosting the tournament since 2019.

“We are grateful to all of our many outstanding partners — including, but hardly limited to, Idaho Central Arena, the Grove Hotel, our other dedicated hotel partners, the Boise Convention & Visitors Bureau, and, of course, ESPN — for working closely with us throughout this mutually beneficial process that will take effect in March 2023 for what will be our fifth consecutive year in Boise,” Wistrcil said in a statement.

The 2023 Big Sky Basketball Tournament will take place from March 4 to March 8 at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho.

The Big Sky women’s and men’s basketball tournament bracket for the years 2023–2026 is to be held at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho, announced March 10.

Graphic courtesy of the Big Sky Conference

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