The Oakland Post 2.21.2024

A Trusted Source of Independent Student Journalism since 1987.

GEN-ED REFORM

Senate works to revise OU’s general education program PAGE 3

PHOTO BY CHARLES CONANT

Volume 49 l Issue 16 l February 21, 2024

SWIM & DIVE

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

PAGE 10-11

PAGE 13

Wins Horizon League Conference

SMTD’s gender-bent production

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EDITORIAL BOARD Autumn Okuszka Editor-in-Chief aokuszka@oakland.edu Payton Bucki Content Editor paytonbucki@oakland.edu Megan Judy Managing Editor meganjudy@oakland.edu

EDITORS

Courtney Blackett Photo Editor courtneyblacket@oakland.edu Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu Chloe Kukuk Campus Editor chloekukuk@oakland.edu Olivia Chiappelli Arts Editor oechiappelli@oakland.edu ROAD TO NCAA TOURNAMENT The OU men’s basketball team is one step closer to heading to the NCAA Tournament after their win against IUPUI on Feb. 17.

MARKETING Evelyn Gandarilla Marketing Director evelyngandarill@oakland.edu

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DISTRIBUTION Rory Strachan Distribution Director Zachary Oberdier Distribution

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Charles Conant Photographer Barret Schettler Graphic Designer

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REPORTERS

Gracie Murray Reporter Dayshawn Fields Reporter Noah Francis Reporter Chelsea Bossert Reporter Moe Del Rosario Reporter Summer Weathers Reporter Kurt Szymanski Reporter Noah Thomason Reporter Mallory Waligora Reporter Adrian Jimenez Morales Reporter Evan Blanchard Reporter

ADVISING

Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105 Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu 248.370.2533

CORRECTIONS CORNER: “Valentine’s Day: It’s not just for couples” was written by Noah Francis, not Payton Bucki in Vol. 49 Issue 15.

Some quotes were wrongly attributed to Lynx Mallett in “The Gender and Sexuality Center: A welcoming environment for all OU students” from Vol. 49 Issue 15. Mallet only stated “I have made so many friends here... that number has increased by a significant number.”

The Oakland Post corrects all known errors of fact. If you know of an error, please email editor@oaklandpostonline.com.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024 | 3

Oakland University Senate embarks on general education reform CHLOE KUKUK Campus Editor

An Oakland University Senate committee is currently in the process of reviewing and revising Oakland University’s general education program for the first time in approximately 20 years.

The General Education Program Revision Committee (GEPRC) began its research process in Fall 2023 following advice from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to update to a newer model.

Currently, OU’s general education program operates under a distributive model.

“Under the current general education program, students have to complete courses from several categories. They have [to take] a course in social science, a course in natural science and technology… there’s these checkboxes,” GEPRC Co-Chair Laila Guessous said. “A lot of universities in the country — actually, probably the majority — have moved away from that type of model.”

The committee has representatives from advising, the College of Arts and Sciences, every professional school on campus and more.

Guessous said that the committee is currently going on a “listening tour” across campus to gather information and feedback from various departments and units. In early March, the committee will meet with the Oakland University Student Congress.

“Our purpose here is to hear what kinds of skills, dispositions, background knowledge the various units want to see all of their students get out of general education, but also what all university students should get out of general education…

identifying perhaps some gaps that we are seeing,” Guessous said.

Additionally, some committee members are attending the Institute on General Education, Pedagogy and Assessments through the American Association of Colleges and Universities to learn about alternative general education models.

The importance of updating the general education model, GEPRC Co-Chair Maria Paino said, is to ensure OU graduates have flexibility in their college and professional careers.

“We want to design a program and create a new general education curriculum that’s really useful for students. It’s modern, it’s updated, it’s going to provide them with skills that they’re going to take in all kinds of different jobs,” Paino said. “Right now, I think there’s a disconnect between the current general education curriculum and program and what students need in terms of the job market.

“We want to make sure that Oakland University students feel really confident in taking on lots of different types of jobs because a very large percentage of people don’t stay in fields that match their major,” Paino added.

“We’re hoping to end up with something that’s exciting, that’s engaging, that also offers students the opportunity to explore different areas and maybe

take sequences of courses based on something they’re passionate about,” Guessous said. “It’s not about preparing you for a specific job, but rather providing students with skills and confidence in their own abilities to be adaptable and be able to keep learning throughout their throughout their life, because that’s the reality of it.”

However, changes are not expected to be made for at least another year and a half due to the magnitude of the project and the need to ensure that students experience a smooth transition.

“Our hope is that over the summer, we’ll have some proposals to bring forth to faculty to vote on and to tweak and to fine-tune, so I would expect at least another academic year after that before we could start piloting a program,” Paino said.

“We’ve been told by others that typically, general education reform takes somewhere between three and seven years. We really don’t want to do seven years,” Guessous said. “We really feel that this is a very important issue, very timely. We’re hoping to get through as quickly as we can, but also make sure that we’re not creating additional problems by rushing through, either.”

Soon, there will be surveys and focus groups conducted amongst the student population to gather feedback. However, students can contribute their opinions now by reaching out to either a committee member in their discipline, Paino at paino@oakland. edu or Guessous at guessous@oakland.edu.

“We want to hear the student side of it,” Guessous said. “We may have ideas, etc., but we’re not the ones taking the classes.”

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Registration updates and advice from the Office of the Registrar ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

Full-year registration for Summer 2024, Fall 2024 and Winter 2025 opens March 18. With the completion of South Foundation Hall’s construction and instructional method diversity, the Office of the Registrar offers insight and advice on this year’s registration process.

The schedules for the next academic year went live on Feb. 14. Thus, students are now able to browse the course schedule and start planning their upcoming semesters.

In order of class standing, students can access registration through the Registrar’s website or the MySAIL portal. Tutorials and additional help resources are available online or in-person.

“We’re actually ahead of schedule from where we’ve been the last few years,” Registrar Tricia Westergaard said. “That gives students a month to see their adviser, to plan, to have their questions answered.”

Another important note opening more flexibility for this enrollment period is the tentative completion of South Foundation Hall’s construction for Fall 2024.

“We will have more in-person courses, but also, we’re looking at which courses students want as hybrid, HyFlex or flex,” Westergaard said. “We are trying to think about the needs of our students and how we can effectively deliver the best schedule by using the resources that we have.”

Following a majority of in-person classes, the hybrid modality also presents one of the best options for planning the schedule.

“The combination of lessons learned during the pandemic and a desire for flexibility is why hybrid continues to remain a strong option,” Westergaard said.

After its official launch last year, the HyFlex and Flex instructional methods also allow students to customize their hybrid experience. The Hyflex allows students to choose at any point whether they want to attend class virtually or in person, while the Flex method allows similar flexibility with specific in-person meetings.

Identifying some confusions or complications such as error messages, conflicts of time and

PHOTO BY CHARLES CONANT

overrides, Westergaard highlighted early planning to make registration easier.

“The best advice I can give is to understand the prereqs,” Westergaard said. “You can definitely be proactive and reach out to your advisor to get the override in advance.”

Registrar Services Technician Ahmed Alobaidan offered a quick preparation plan.

“Check the ‘Prepare for Registration’ tab in ‘Register For Classes’ to ensure that you do not have any hold preventing registration,” Alobaidan said. “Another useful tool is the ‘Plan Ahead.’ That will save you time and effort, so when registration opens, you can easily add the classes you need.”

Alobaidan explained that after meeting with an academic adviser to double-check requirements and good academic standing, the best way to get help before and during the day of registration is by emailing Registrar Services (regservices@ oakland.edu).

“Sending an email gives you more opportunity to share enough information about the error,” Alobaidan said. “You can also include a screenshot of the error. Make sure to include all the information (Subject, Course Number, CRN and Term) about the class you are trying to register for. Also, make sure to include your Student ID.” (Continue on our website)

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4 | FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Possible initiatives and solutions at second Campus Food Committee meeting ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

The second Campus Food Committee (CFC) meeting further elaborated on the first meeting with many solutions.

Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) held the second CFC meeting of the year on Feb. 12 in room 125 of the Oakland Center.

An initiative proposed by Golden Grizzlies Food Pantry representative Kaeli Lowe was a grab-andgo option for breakfast and dinner meals to alleviate crowded dining halls with time constraints.

“The breakfast sandwich and the smoothies are a bit of a hassle for the morning crew because it’s all so chaotic,” Lowe said. “So the grab-and-go options are a great idea manageable for a one-person team.”

Circling back to the last meeting’s discussion on food-related events for housing, Chartwells Executive Chef Kevin Peasgood shared some plans for upcoming events.

“Bistro pop-ups—we have the Pacific Rim one going on March 8th, we just did the Super Bowl one this past Friday and that went well,” Peasgood said.

“Cooking class—I believe March 20 is the tentative date for the apartments, that’ll be on full utilization of food.”

As far as cashless campus complications go, Lowe also pointed out a lack of advertising for putting cash on Grizzcards and a remedy for the lack of information.

“Most people didn’t know about the Grizz Cash, being able to put physical cash on your card just with the machines,” Lowe said. “They have the

machine by the front desk. Moving it towards the restaurants and advertising it a bit more could probably help.”

OUSC President Murryum Farooqi advised all student organization representatives present to utilize polls and surveys to better reflect student body sentiment, following the food pantry’s recent use of polls.

Oakland University Student Activities Funding Board Representative (SAFB) Gio Liotti also reported some complaints regarding the Chartwells website and cultural foods.

“Some people expressed hesitance about ordering sometimes because they could be clicking on one that wasn’t like student price,” Liotti said. “They complain that they can’t get cultural food. Whenever they tried to do it it would take a long time to get an email back from Chartwells.”

A proposed solution was incorporating an orientation guide to cultural foods for the upcoming semester.

“It would be a good idea to do at the end of each semester a type of presentation or orientation for groups that are doing special requests or cultural foods,” Farooqi said. “Saying, ‘Here’s what we’ve done in the past for certain groups, here’s how the process works.’”

“A lot of these things will take some time to do,” Oakland Center Director Chris Reed said. “I don’t know if we can do it before the summer just because of what goes into it, but we will definitely communicate that.”

The possible incorporation of a smoothie option was further discussed.

“In the focus groups that Chartwells did last

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semester [the support for smoothies] was like 1-in4, one of the highest requested new concepts that we don’t have,” Reed said. “The more we see students on campus engaging on campus, the easier it is for us to do.”

The meeting finished with the possibility of hosting a future CFC meeting with a gallery and live silent audience, either virtual or in-person, so students can be more involved as initiatives and solutions move forward.

“We can do a gallery, on a case-by-case basis if someone wants to sit and watch or just to listen,” Farooqi said. “We can do a ‘comments from the gallery’ section.”

FEBRUARY 21, 2024 | 5 FEATURES OU Athletics Lepley Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony PAYTON BUCKI Content Editor

On Feb. 3, the Oakland University Athletics honored the 2024 Hollie L. Lepley Hall of Honor class with a day of festivities.

This year’s inductees included former volleyball player Samantha Condon, men’s swimming and diving star Hilton Woods, men’s soccer standout Andy Wagstaff, softball phenom Julie Owen, baseball and men’s basketball sensation Matt McClellan and the 1994 Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving team.

The 2024 Lepley Hall of Honor class was first honored during halftime during the men’s basketball game against Cleveland State. The

group enjoyed watching the Golden Grizzlies defeat the Vikings 83-71 before making their way to the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester for the evening’s induction ceremony.

The evening festivities began with a cocktail reception, wherein each former student-athlete was introduced and interviewed. The inductees shared their favorite memories with the crowd and mingled with their former teammates and coaches prior to the induction reception.

Andy Wagstaff, a former midfielder on the men’s soccer team, shared his surprise and gratitude for being named to the 2024 Lepley Hall of Honor class.

“I got inducted into the 2023 Lepley Hall of Honor class with the 1994 men’s soccer team. That would have been enough for me, I never expected to get inducted as an individual,” Wagstaff said. “It never crossed my mind that I would be recognized as an individual honoree, so I was very surprised and thankful to be chosen.”

Originally from England, moving to America to play soccer was a big change for Wagstaff.

“I was very fortunate to be selected to play here [at OU]. I was in England, playing for a professional club. I got let go, and then got the opportunity to come to America,” Wagstaff said. “I played here for four years, had the best time of my life and decided to stay in America for the rest of my life.”

Throughout his collegiate athletic career, Wagstaff was named an NSCAA Athletic All-American in

1992 and earned a spot on the 1994 Umbro AllMidwest College Select Team. Wagstaff shared his favorite memory from his soccer career.

“Our team was in the final four national tournament with 5,000 fans watching us. We were playing against the Seattle Pacific, a team that was known as the ‘seven-headed monster,’” Wagstaff said. “We were the underdogs. Our team ended up winning the game in overtime.”

Samantha Condon, a former volleyball player for the Golden Grizzlies, attributed her success in the sport to her incredible support system.

“I had the best experience at Oakland – with the best friends and the best teammates. They are what helped get me here,” Condon said. “I have two of my teammates here today to support me. They traveled from Chicago and Iowa to be here for me, so that speaks to how amazing they were as teammates.”

Condon shared some of her favorite memories from playing volleyball for the Golden Grizzlies.

“One of the favorites was making the NCAA tournament, which was a groundbreaking experience for Oakland volleyball because we hadn’t done that before. For my volleyball experience to end up with my being in the hall of honor is truly, truly special.”

To learn more about the 2024 Hollie L. Lepley Hall of Honor class, visit the Hall of Honor webpage on the OU Athletics website.

PHOTO BY CHARLES CONANT

Inclusion and acceptance, the driving forces behind Best Buddies DAYSHAWN FIELDS Features Reporter

Best Buddies, an Oakland University student organization, engages in community outreach efforts that goes beyond the acres of OU’s campus. Best Buddies is an international organization with the mission of promoting inclusion among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The college track of the program allows disabled young adults to engage in social activities with neurotypical and neurodivergent college students.

This academic year, the club has seen record numbers in turnout for its events and plans to continue to peak in its outreach efforts.

The program’s success is in part due to the efforts of the organization’s secretary, Ayah Neiroukh.

Neiroukh has, in partnership with Best Buddies president Payton Bucki, ushered events that allow “buddies” and their OU student partners to spend quality time together. However, the friendships developed through Best Buddies go beyond the walls of the event spaces.

“You make a one-on-one friendship with someone with IDD, which is an intellectual or developmental disability,” Neiroukh said. “If you get matched up with someone, you meet up with them and hang out with them one-on-one.”

The organization’s social events are a mainstay as well, though. The group meets as a whole bimonthly at pre-planned locations.

PHOTO BY PAYTON BUCKI

“We also have group meetings, so anyone without a buddy can come,” Neiroukh said. ‘We just aim to have a good time and provide support for the buddies.’”

These events span an array of locations and activities. Some are on campus, like at the Oakland Center, while others are off campus.

“We try to have meetings every two weeks. We had a pottery event last week and next week we’re having a movie night in The Habitat,” Neiroukh said. “The biggest event of the year is the bowling fundraiser and we have it at Avon North Hill Lanes.

Still, even with tremendous event turnout, the organization is looking to increase its number of participants. Neiroukh and other board members have considered numerous ways to reach their

participation goals.

“We’ve gotten a lot of people to join, but not as much as we’d like,” Neiroukh said. “We have our social media, it’s growing. Instagram is one of the ways we have to spread the word. I talk about it to my friends whenever I have the chance. We also had a table at Grizzfest.”

The group is ultimately about pushing inclusivity and welcoming individuals who face challenges, and making them feel comfortable in being themselves.

The next event, movie night, is going to do just that.

“The next event is movie night, the group decided to watch Legally Blonde,” Neiroukh said. “Then after that, bowling is March 8.”

Best Buddies events are open to anyone. That is the appeal of the organization. If one does not have a buddy, they can still get involved and have an impact on someone with an IDD. If students are not from the Oakland area, Best Buddies is a great way to familiarize themselves with the area and create roots within it. Many buddies and their families are not students at OU, but reside or go to school elsewhere in the area.

“We have the people with the IDD, and they usually are not students, but a lot of them go to schools nearby here in Rochester,” Neiroukh said.

“It’s not necessarily Oakland students.”

More information on the group can be found on its GrizzOrgs profile and Instagram page.

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OU launches its Freedom of Speech contest GRACIE MURRAY Features Reporter

Is freedom of speech a necessity in order to have a healthy democracy?

Oakland University President Ora Pescovitz and Professor Dave Dulio, the director of the Center for Civic Engagement, invite students to answer this question in OU’s “Freedom of Speech” contest.

This contest will allow students to use their critical thinking skills to parse out the ethical considerations regarding freedom of speech rights. The winner of the mixed-media contest will earn $2,000.

Earlier this year, Dulio and President Pescovitz met with local state representative, Donni Steele.

During the meeting, the three brainstormed the idea for the contest.

“She thought it was a good idea — President Pescovitz, that is — she called me and talked to me about it and asked me to get it up and running,” Dulio said. “I was very pleased to do so.”

The contest’s question seems simple, however, as our society’s levels of political and affective

polarization reach all-time highs, the intricacies of freedom of speech rights ought to be considered.

A question like this for students can help expand their knowledge of politics, the government and the influence speech has on others in society.

“It is a wonderful example of how meetings and conversations about one thing can lead to something else, which I think is terrific,” Dulio said.

College campuses are the best place to have conversations about politics and ethics. Students are provided a forum to voice their opinions and share what they think with others.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to earn a

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little extra cash and not even a little, I mean $2,000 is nothing to sneeze at, that’s for sure,” Dulio said.

All across the country, many schools have had contests like this but other institutions typically only accept written essays. OU has provided the option for students to do something different.

“However, freedom of expression, what the first amendment is about - isn’t limited to just writing,” Dulio continued, “So we thought, let’s open it up to other forms of submissions.”

Only one submission is allowed per fulltime student.

Applicants may choose to submit one type of media. Possible contest submissions include a 1,000word maximum essay, a 5-minute maximum video, a poem, a 5-minute maximum audio recording, or a visual art display, such as a drawing.

Students interested in entering the contest can do so through the Google Form located here.

Submissions are due by April 1st.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY NEWS

Keeper of the Dream: AJ Joseph NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Long before making it to Oakland University and majoring in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, AJ Joseph’s upbringing led them to find a great passion for the medical field.

“I’m in a family where both of my parents are practicing medicine,” Joseph said. “My mom’s a nurse and my dad’s a physical therapist, so I decided to also go into the medical field.”

Throughout their time working for the Center for Multicultural Initiatives (CMI), Joseph found appreciation in helping students of all gender identities and races find their path. Joseph’s experience at the CMI inspired them to apply for the Keeper of the Dream Scholarship award.

“I like working in the Center for Multicultural Initiatives, especially as a peer mentor,” Joseph said. “I get to connect with other students, especially those from different backgrounds, and it helps both of us grow as students at Oakland University.”

Joseph explains that their drive to earn the Keeper of the Dream award came from a lack of representation.

“I would definitely say that as a South Asian, queer person, I don’t feel I have representation of myself, so I’m just putting myself out there,” Joseph said. “I aspire to help inspire other Asians and queer

people to put themselves forward and out there.”

One role model that helped Joseph go through with applying for the award, was Kyle Griggs, a 2023 Keeper of the Dream award recipient.

“Kyle Griggs was my freshman year mentor for the GSC [Gender and Sexuality Center], so it was definitely where I talked to them about it [the award],” Joseph said. “They talked to me about the process of getting their award and that definitely was something where I was pretty anxious about.

They kind of told me about the process and I felt better knowing about it.”

Imposter syndrome and self-doubt can be detrimental obstacles to achieving any goal. The struggle was no different for Joseph when they applied for the Keeper of the Dream award.

“There was definitely a lot of self-doubt,” Joseph said. “In the back of my mind, there was a lot of impostor syndrome going on, but it was mainly this self-doubt and the lack of confidence I had.”

Joseph said visiting the GSC and CMI helped them move past their negative thoughts.

“Usually there’s always someone there that I’ve helped out or someone who I’ve made an impact on their lives,” Joseph said. “It just helps remind me that I’ve done work for Oakland University, and I helped promote racial understanding.”

Joseph’s goal after graduation is to work in the medical field and do their part in making themself

feel properly represented in the profession. Joseph hopes to make the medical field inviting for everyone to feel comfortable, regardless of race or gender identity.

“Sometimes in the medical field, you don’t feel like you’re being represented properly,” Joseph said. “That’s something where I definitely want to help people be able to get the medical care they deserve, as a doctor. As someone who wants to go into the medical field, I definitely want more equality when it comes to racial and gender rights for medical care.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OAKLAND PRESS

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024 | 7

Golden Grizzlies meal swipe drive mitigates food insecurity on campus NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Over the course of Feb. 12 to Feb. 16, Oakland University’s Golden Grizzly Pantry and OU EATS Chartwells have partnered with Swipe Out Hunger to create a meal swipe drive during the Week of Kindness at Oakland University.

Due to the success of the first week’s drive, the organizations have extended the Swipe Drive to Feb. 19 through Feb. 23, giving students an extra opportunity to participate.

The swipe drive allows students and faculty to donate up to five of their meal swipes to later be used to create meal vouchers. The vouchers allow

PHOTO COURTESY OF SWIPE OUT HUNGER

those in need to eat a warm meal from either of OU’s dining halls.

Chris Reed, the director of the Oakland Center, explains that the current Swipe Drive has been successful compared to the drive held during the fall semester.

“Compared to the fall semester, it is doing exceptionally well,” Reed said. “We are already more than double the number of swipes donated this semester compared to the fall. In the fall we had between 70 and 80, and now we’re already over 150 meals donated.”

A big component of the rise in donations stems from the new system for collecting meal swipes.

Isabella Levitt, the manager of the Golden Grizzly Pantry, says that making a Google form and QR codes has made a big difference in the process.

“The past couple of times we’ve done it, students had to go to the dining hall and go to the register and donate one swipe per day because their systems don’t allow anything more than that,” Levitt said.

“With this Google form, they can go in and indicate how many swipes they’d like to give, which is far more accessible for students who may not be in the dining hall every day.”

Once the meal vouchers are made, students are welcome to pick them up in the Golden Grizzly

Pantry in the Oakland Center.

“It’s one of my personal favorite things that we do because it allows people a hot meal,” Levitt said. “We’re great at offering perishable and nonperishable grocery items, but it’s great to have another option to get people a hot meal that they don’t have to prepare themselves.”

Reed explains why he believes it is important to donate meal swipes.

“There’s a lot of students that have a need on our campus for meals and food,” Reed said. “Obviously the [Golden] Grizzlies Pantry downstairs always needs help since they go through donations like crazy, which is a good and a bad thing. Anything that we can do, whether it’s students, faculty, or staff, to help support that great need on campus, I think makes a huge difference.”

For those interested in donating their meal swipes, please visit the Google Form, or visit either of OU’s dining halls, located in Hillcrest Hall and Vandenberg Hall. Even without a meal plan, anyone can help out. Those who do not own meal swipes can go to either dining hall to purchase and donate individual meal swipes.

Dr. Heidi Lyons explains her research in the field of sociology DAYSHAWN FIELDS Features Reporter

Heidi Lyons is looking for eager and engaged minds of graduate and undergraduate students alike to contribute to research projects within Oakland University’s Department of Sociology.

After earning her Ph.D. from Bowling Green State University, Lyons began working at Oakland University as an associate professor of sociology.

Lyons’ search for engaged students stems from her experience of once being an undergraduate sociology student, having found her niche early.

“As soon as I took Intro to Sociology, I was like I love this, I can do that and be happy. I also like that sociology makes me a better person, helped me understand social issues and explain social issues,” Lyons said. “[It] helped me gain skills and perspectives to understand and engage with a diverse range of individuals. I feel like that, it is a skillset, that I can go out and use in the world.”

Lyons’ research spans numerous topics. Family, sex and gender, social demography and life course are just a few of Lyons’ research interests.

Lyons expanded on what her research entails currently.

“I professionally study sexuality across the life course. I’ve continued that vein of research in casual sex. I currently look at sexual expression among older adult married couples and how that influences later marital qualities,” Lyons said. “There is a lot of stigma around older people and sexual behavior,

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINKEDLN

I would like to squash that stigma.”

Sexual behavior is not the only stigma that Lyons is looking to dissipate. Sexual norms and behavior are also interesting areas of research for Lyons.

“I have a second project looking at ethical nonmonogamy and consensual nonmonogamy, the outside nonnormative sexual behavior. I want to break the stigma and have people have healthy relationships however they try to do it,” Lyons said.

Lyons is always looking for student involvement in her disciplinary research. She also is happy to mentor students looking to conduct their own research.

“Undergraduates usually come to me through the honors college, and they do their own type of research, or come to me because they’ve had me in class and want to become a research assistant,” Lyons said. “I am always open to having graduate students and undergraduate students who are highly motivated and interested in the topics and want to understand how to do all research.”

When asked what that looks like, Lyons inferred it comes with stochasticity and depends on the circumstances of the project and the student.

“Depends on the project and depends on the student, it can be a student helping us with research questions, looking at the test questions,” Lyons said. “It’s based on the student’s skill set and their experience and the relationship to the data [and] how far they are.”

If students find themselves needing aid outside of contributing to research, Lyons is still the person to go to.

“I’m also the faculty advisor for the sociology program, anybody who has any questions about a sociology major or sociology minor, what research is going on in the sociology department, feel free to reach out to me, I can help make connections,” Lyons said.

Lyons’ contact information can be found on her OU staff profile page.

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The Graham Health Center: Keeping the Oakland University community healthy DAYSHAWN FIELDS Features Reporter

The Graham Health Center, located on Oakland’s main campus, prides itself on providing affordable health services for members of the Oakland University community.

New this year, students can receive PrEP, a drug that reduces the risk of HIV through sex and injection drug use, through the GHC’s partnership with the Oakland County Health Department.

The GHC hopes this new service allows students to practice safe sex practices in addition to its already established STD testing and contraception services.

With it being the so-called “season of love,” this is the perfect time to utilize such a resource.

“Often people think of us as STD testing and flu shots, but we can do way more than that,” Ann Rayford, director of the Graham Health Center, said. “When you think about college health, it’s one of the first opportunities where students may have been sexually active for some period of time, and they may feel like they couldn’t access reproductive healthcare or STI screening.”

The GHC aims to mitigate inaccessibility issues.

With its partnership with the Oakland County Health Department, it has done just that.

“We hold [STI] screening events. We started doing those post-pandemic, and we’ve done four different events in the resident halls,” Rayford said.

“We’ve done this to make it really easy, and we’ve partnered with the health department to do that.”

Along with services for safe sex, the GHC provides over-the-counter meds for everyday

ailments for purchase as well. Acetaminophen — which helps ease pain — and famotidine — a common acid reducer, are just a few.

“There are some things that people can come right up to the window and ask for without an appointment, like common cold medications,” Rayford said. “These medicines are reduced cost versus if you went to one of the big-box stores in the area.”

If these OTC options do not work, students may set up appointments to be seen by the various staff at the GHC. In-person visits are designed to be accessible to as many students as possible. In fact, the center accepts over ten health insurance plans.

Even if a patient’s insurance is not accepted, it remains paramount that they enter their insurance information in the patient portal.

“We may not be able to bill your insurance for the provider’s time, but the lab work, the lab can bill your insurance, ” Rayford said. “So it’s still very important to have that information.”

Along with this, the GHC is home to several heralded professionals. Rayford, an MSN graduate of Detroit’s Wayne State University, leads the way as the center’s director. Rayford can link students with adult nurse practitioners, physician assistants and physicians.

A new addition to this staff is a weekly visit from the Oakland County Health Department.

“We let people [whose insurance isn’t accepted] know what we recommend, and then send them off to the pharmacy, health department or their primary care provider,” Rayford said. “Now, the days that the health department comes, they’re able to offer those vaccines [and other services]

while they’re here.”

Adjacent to the GHC is the Oakland University Counseling Center, which serves student’s health from a mental standpoint. Counseling services are available, including personal counseling and crisis intervention.

For some, Valentine’s Day may serve as a somber reminder of past heartbreak. The Counseling Center aims to get students past such obstacles.

“All students are eligible for their first four visits for free, after that, there’s a $20 fee [for up to 15 visits],” Rayford said. “The Student Counsel awarded the Counseling Center funding to support students who maybe can’t make these payments.”

Prospective patients can learn more on the GHC’s homepage on Oakland University’s website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGGIE WILLARD

The Future Pediatrics of America -- and Oakland University ANGELINA TOMA Contributor

As students attending Oakland University continue into higher education, a newly developed student organization brings awareness to the pediatric aspect of healthcare.

Undergraduate students, Lourd Lazar, president, and Melinda Yossif, vice president, explain the rising prominence of the organization: The Future Pediatrics of America.

“I was a Catechism teacher at St. George Chaldean Catholic Church,” Lazar said. “Being that role model for kids to look up to is what makes my day and keeps me going in my academics, so I wanted to contribute that same love and passion for children.”

Yossif is also passionate about giving back to the youth of her community.

“I’ve always loved going to the pediatrician, it made me love the hospital in general, so I want to do it back for the children,” Yossif said. “Getting toys for them, or getting cards, this simple stuff, when you’re a child at the hospital and at your lowest, those things matter.”

The two addressed the background of the organization, highlighting the importance of membership involvement by considering the volunteering and guest speakers aspect.

“The mission is to provide college students with the resources necessary to pursue their careers, our aim is to give back to the children, we always

PHOTO COURTESY OF FUTURE PEDIATRICS OF AMERICA

say, ‘for the kids,’” Lazar said. “We want to bring speakers that inspire our day-to-day lives and allow our members to enjoy the meetings.”

Members develop the opportunities through networking, volunteering and attending informational club meetings including fundraising events.

“We’ve had a successful bake sale, which allowed us to raise money to buy fifty toys for The Bottomless Toy Chest,” Lazar said.

Yossif echoes Lazar’s sentiments.

“What we’ve done with bake sale, and delivering the toys to the children, it was my favorite thing we’ve ever done,” Yossif said.

As this student organization brings awareness to the pediatric side of post-secondary education, there is no restriction to any community member getting involved with the group.

“It is more of just wanting to help, helping anyone in general,” Yossif said. “We are open to any major who wants to make a difference,” Lazar said.

As the organization continues to progress, there is a need for e-board and club members. A larger body of general members would allow the club to expand the size and scale of upcoming community service and guest speaker events.

“We want students to actually learn something from the meetings, that they gain something from this,” Lazar said. “We want to bring more amazing speakers and volunteering opportunities for our members.”

The organization continues to strive for excellence and wonderful opportunities for current and prospective students.

“I hope to help people in the midst of their sufferings, so they can forget,” Yossif said. “Even one kid, we don’t have to make every kid smile, if it will take their suffering one percent away, we accomplished our goal.”

Considering the impact the Future of Pediatrics in America has already made on the local community, the organization will undoubtedly continue to increase and benefit the children.

For future information regarding e-board positions, membership involvement, or future meetings with guest speakers and volunteering opportunities, contact lourdlazar@oakland. edu or melindayossif@oakland.edu. For further information, access the Future Pediatrics of America on GrizzOrgs.

FEATURES

FEBRUARY 21, 2024 | 9

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Oswim AK L A N D and dive wins the Horizon

League

Conference

When great sports dynasties come to mind, people think of Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the ‘90s, Brady’s Patriots, Mickey Mantle’s Yankees in the ‘50s, or Wayne Gretzky’s Oilers in the ‘80s.

But what about the Oakland University swim and dive team? With their most recent Horizon League conference meet victory, they now have won 46 consecutive conference championships for men’s and 30 consecutive conference championships for women’s.

So how did this most recent meet go? Let’s break it down day by day.

Day One The first evening of events started off with a bang as the women’s 200-yard medley relay won first place with a time of 1:42.39. Clarissa Bezuidenhout (backstroke), Bella Gary (breaststroke), Sophia Davis (butterfly) and Sam Thiessen (freestyle) swam excellently. The men came up short in second place behind IUPUI, losing by a mere 0.14 seconds.

Harry Nicholson, Christian Bart, Colin Martin and Charlie Brown posted a 1:25.31 time, a new school record for the 200-medley relay.

Elleana Chalifoux, a senior, took first place in the 3-meter dive with a score of 323.35, followed by Victoria Sanders, who took third. The two teammates hold a very tight bond, with Chalifoux saying, “Watching her succeed and absolutely crush her dives makes me happiest, and I could not do it without her.”

The women’s relays continued to dominate the night, taking first place in the 800-yard freestyle relay behind junior standout Jordyn Shipps, Nora Molnar, Mia Englender and Thiessen again anchoring. The men also came in first, with Nicholson again leading, followed by senior phenom Jack Wike, Sofus Belladone and Jonas Cantrell.

The count at the end of the day stood at women’s 116 points in first and men’s 74 points in first.

Day Two The 500-yard freestyles kicked off the second evening. No women Grizzlies placed in the top three, but Lola Laenen took fourth, Erika Pietras claimed fifth and Angelina Baker rounded it out in seventh.

Jonas Cantrell took first for the men with a time of 4:20.27. Nicholson came in sixth as well.

Next up was the 200-yard IM. The women swept this race, with Shipps coming in first, Bezuidenhout taking second, and Englender in third.

Bella Gary would come in eighth. For the men, Wike would set a school and Horizon League record with a time of 1:44.66. Teammates, Ian Allen (basketball game haircut legend), Max Haney and Dane Charleston took fifth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

In the 50-yard freestyle, the sprint of all sprints, Ronja Riihinen and Sam Thiessen would tie for third place, sharing a podium spot with a time of 23.31. The Grizzly star, fifth-year Christian Bart, came up just shy of first place with a time of 19.72, just 0.08 seconds behind first-place Spencer Jyawook from IUPUI. Oakland’s Micah Scheffer took fifth.

More relay domination was up next for Oakland. The women came in first in the 200-yard freestyle relay, with Shipps, Thiessen, Mia Keranen and Riihinen clocking in at 1:32.31. What did the men do? They only set a new Horizon League record to the tune of 1:18.49. “We’re gonna come back the next year and break it again. Winning is the main quest, the records are just life’s reward for working hard,” Scheffer said.

After a second day of events, the women still led with 325 points, a whole 83 points ahead of second-place Milwaukee. The men were still caught in a close matchup, trailing IUPUI by 12 points with 267 total.

Day Three Jordyn Shipps set a school and league record in the 100-yard fly, coming in first with a time of 53.04. McNamara, Ajete Eggers, Davis, Killinger and Keranen all placed in the top eight as well.

“The race I am most proud of is the 100 fly,” Shipps said. “It’s always been one of my favorite races to compete in, but we also had six Oakland

women in the A final, which is unheard of at a championship meet.”

Belladone would claim third place for the men, followed by Martin in fourth, Auben Nugent in fifth, and Scheffer in eighth.

In the women’s 400-yard IM, Mia Englender would finish third with a time of 4:27.96, followed by Delaney Buckner in eighth. Second place went to Ian Allen, followed by Charleston at fifth for the men.

The Grizzly women took third, fourth and fifth with Thiessen, Pietras and Molnar in the 200-yard freestyle. Jonas Cantrell claimed his third first-place finish with a time of 1:35.92. Brown followed him in eighth.

Another Grizzly came in first in the 100-yard breast, this time being Bella Gary, winning first place for the women with a time of 1:03.07.

McNamara and Ava Lewis took sixth and eighth. The men took second, third, fourth and seventh, with Bart, Christopher Palvadre and Alex Lakin going second through fourth. Carson Ricker came up the rear in seventh.

Freshman of the Year in the Horizon League, Clarissa Bezuidenhout, came in first in the 100-yard back at 1:58.89. On the men’s side of things, Max Haney, Harry Nicholson and Sofus Belladone took fourth, fifth and eighth, respectively.

In the final dive event for Oakland, Chalifoux came in second, closely followed by teammate Sanders at third. Women’s diving coach Larry Albright won Horizon League Diving Coach of the Year as well.

Women’s relays could not be stopped, this time in the 400-meter relay.

Another first-place finish for Bezuidenhout, Gary, Shipps and Riihinen.

The men came in second with Nicholson, Bart, Martin and Brown.

After the third day of events, the men reclaimed first with 558.5 points, while the women held strong with a commanding 646.5 points.

Day Four The Grizzlies reigned on the final day of the meet with utter dominance.

It was first-place finish after first-place finish. The 200-yard back started the evening off strong, sweeping first place in both the men’s and women’s races. Clarissa Bezuidenhout took another first-place finish with 1:58.89, while Harry Nicholson swam a 1:42.64.

Oakland swept the 100-yard Free, as well. Ronja Riihinen went 50.41 followed by Christian Bart at 43.16. Two more Grizzly first-place finishes.

In the 200-yard breast, Bella Gary took her second individual first-place finish of the meet with a time of 2:18.64. Christopher Palvadre claimed second for the men with 1:56.49.

Shipps continued her stellar meet with yet another first-place finish, going 1:58.59 in the 200-yard fly. This was also a new school record.

Auben Nugent had another great race to take a huge first place for the men with 1:45.79.

And finally, the 400-yard freestyle relays. The women’s team took first at 3:22.03, winning every single relay at the meet. Shipps, Pietras, Thiessen and Riihinen brought it home. The men won first, as well, solidifying their 46th consecutive conference title behind Nicholson, Scheffer, Wike and Bart.

“After watching the 4-medley relay happen and seeing us get second, I was fired up and I knew I wanted to be a part of the final relay to put the dagger into IUPUI,” Scheffer said.

Put the dagger into them they did.

As the dust settled, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies women’s team won the meet with a score of 909.5, while the men’s team won with 876.5.

Shipps credits the coaches for “building a culture that is unmatched and playing a crucial role in our overall success.” More than that, though, is the “support for one another between the women and men and how that translates to our performance in the pool,” she says.

The next step for these swimmers is the National Invitational Championships in Florida, followed by the NCAA’s in Indianapolis.

STORY BY EVAN BLANCHARD DESIGN BY MEGAN JUDY PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES & KATIE REID

ARTS ‘A Little More Alive’ debuts at Meadow Brook Theatre 12 | FEBRUARY 21, 2024

MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

From Nick Blaemire comes the original musical “A Little More Alive” to Meadow Brook Theatre — a comedy with disconsolate undertones and great folkpop songs to keep you entertained through the whole 95 minutes.

“Two estranged brothers reunite at their childhood home after their mother’s funeral. An unexpected revelation distorts every memory they have, and as they uncover secrets that had been hiding in plain sight their whole lives, Nate and Jeremy find that no one is exempt from the gray area between right and wrong,” reads the summary of the musical from Blaemire’s website.

I was very excited to attend one of the first few nights of the musical and sit with audiences who were also new to the story.

I was not disappointed either. The first song besides the prelude, “Pot at a Funeral” captured my attention almost immediately. It set the tone for the musical. It was a humorous song set directly after one of the worst things to happen to Nate, the eldest son.

Liam Fennecken plays Nate and does so extremely well. The eldest brother was the unserious one of the two and spent a good portion of the musical high or cracking a joke at his opposite, Jeremy. Jeremy is the youngest and spends most of his time in business meetings or on his phone.

Noah Barnes plays Jeremy — who is known as Germ to his family — and does a spectacular job at adding a sense of complex emotions to his character

as he battles to choose what to focus on: his job or his father and brother.

The pair have a great connection and genuinely feel like brothers who grew apart due to circumstances. As the musical progresses, the audience realizes why the brothers react to their childhoods differently.

“Remember it Differently,” performed by Barnes, is one of my favorite songs out of the whole musical and I believe it is a relatable performance that audience members will understand. “Nobody Tells You” is another heartbreaking personal favorite.

“For some of us it will feel like it’s happening to our own family. While you won’t necessarily agree with every character, you probably know someone who resembles each of them,” artistic director Travis W. Walter said.

Lizzie is a lovable character who ties the plot together and reunites the family. Despite also going through grief and having the weight on her chest that she will have to do it all over again in less than a week, she helps the family through their own grief. Amber Hurst Martin has a one-of-a-kind voice to fit with the character.

Gene of course has to be mentioned. The complexity of his character and his actions made the plot thicken with complexity and Ron Williams did an amazing job conveying the father’s pain and love for his two sons.

Molly plays a small role in the musical with limited time onstage, but Melanie Frasca steals the scene with the song “With the Trees.”

The musical as a whole is a heartbreaking tale with splashes of humor throughout it and that’s what makes it so enjoyable. By the end of it, I was genuinely hoping for more. Alas, all good things must come to an end. I would recommend anyone to watch the musical.

If you would like to come out and support “A Little More Alive” and the cast, the musical will be presented at Meadow Brook Theatre from Wednesday, Feb. 14, until Sunday, March 10. You can purchase tickets by calling the theatre’s box office at 248-377-3300 or visiting Ticketmaster.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEAN CARTER PHOTOGRAPHY

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians:’ The newest TV adaptation MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Fans of the book series “Percy Jackson & the Olympians” everywhere initially freaked with the announcement that the book series would be turned into a show on Disney Plus and given a chance to retell the story on screen — apart from the terrible movie adaptations back in the 2010s.

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” premiered on Disney Plus on Dec. 19, 2023, with a two episode release. In the first six days of its release, the show gathered 13.3 million viewers. It was streamed for over 110 million hours — making it the most streamed original television series across all platforms in the U.S. for two consecutive weeks.

The show received various positive reviews and has a 92% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

The first two episodes were faithful to the books, in my opinion. Only a few changes were made including the Mrs. Dodds fight, Sally Jackson and Gabe’s relationship and how Poseidon claims Percy as his child.

Throughout the series, we see small changes here and there that either speed the episodes along further or change a character ever so slightly. Medusa’s storyline is among my favorite changes as instead of going with the Greek mythology version, Rick Riordan — the book writer and show producer — chose the Roman version.

It was a win-win. Book readers knew what was coming up and followed the trio on-screen, and new viewers were captivated by the series.

It was only in episode six that the show took a major

turn away from the book. Instead of the trio making it out of the Lotus Casino by the deadline, Percy, Annabeth and Grover just miss the summer solstice and Zeus is officially at war with Poseidon. Percy is also given a fourth pearl to save Sally in the show.

Despite the criticism these changes received from viewers when the episode was first released, the show fixes these changes and continues following the books timeline with Percy continuing the quest and the trio losing the fourth pearl.

While not all fans were happy with the changes, Riordan announced these changes before the release of the show.

“It has to stand on its own. It’s also an opportunity to do things that maybe we didn’t get to do in the book to

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

make it more three dimensional and see things from other points of view when you’re doing a TV series and update it. 2005 was a long time ago. It needs a little refresh,” Riordan said in an interview with Pop Culture Planet.

While I agree that some of these changes were unnecessary and changed the plot in a jarring way, some of the changes emphasized things about certain characters.

Take Percy, for example. The deadline passes and he could just grab his mom and leave the gods to battle it out — but he doesn’t. Despite everything, he finishes his quest, stops a pointless war and rescues his mom.

That being said, some changes diminished the characters’ personalities. Instead of the trio stopping at the Gateway Arch simply because Annabeth is interested in architecture, they stop because it is a monument to Athena and will grant them sanctuary.

Plot and writing aside, the casting of the show was more than incredible. The trio of Walker Scobell, Leah Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri feels like Riordan shook the books, and out came the characters. The chemistry the three have on and off-screen is something that could not be replicated.

“They’re perfect, and they’ve only become more perfect,” Riordan said about Scobell, Jeffries and Simhadri in an interview with Variety.

The show, while taking its own course instead of directly following the book, was entertaining, and as an avid enjoyer of the book series, I can say it was more than enjoyable for the readers.

The second season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” has been approved by Disney Plus, but a release date has yet to be announced.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

ARTS

FEBRUARY 21, 2024 | 13

‘Jesus Christ Superstar:’ A truly stellar and spiritual experience CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

Spoilers ahead for “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

One of the more controversial yet critically acclaimed musicals came to Oakland University’s Varner Studio Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 15 to a sold-out crowd.

“Jesus Christ Superstar” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, shocked friends, families and musical theater fanatics alike with stunning direction by guest director Suzi Regan and absolutely standout lead performances by Rachel Nesbitt (Judas) and Faith Green (Jesus).

You may have noticed that the main cast roles for JCS are performed gender-bent. This subversion is extended to almost the entire cast with Simon, Annas, Pilate and King Herod’s roles being played by women — as well as there being women apostles thrown in the mix.

The casting is not just there as a progressive move, the casting is truly superb. Each role is cast perfectly and Regan’s direction aptly gives each actor and actress room to fully embody their characters.

As Judas, Nesbitt opted to go for a more modern take on the classic tale of the betrayer.

“I think it is so important because it will give a fresh perspective to the character and it will also benefit the actor and maybe it will benefit somebody in the audience,” Nesbitt said.

Nesbitt’s performance was my favorite among the cast. Not only did she make and subvert expectations of what an already established character in the

religious canon could be, but she frankly sang her heart out — all the way from the character’s introduction until his untimely and pitiful demise.

Nesbitt’s best musical numbers were “Heaven On Their Minds,” “Damned For All Time/Blood Money” and of course, “Judas’s Death.”

Not only did JCS get me to sympathize with Judas, but it got me to think Jesus was not an infallible person. He was human, after all.

Green’s interpretation and performance as Jesus really sold me on the whole idea of a passionthemed musical. She wanted to respect the fact that this was such an important story for millions of people, but also wanted to highlight that this is an important part of recorded history.

“Even if he wasn’t some messiah I think that’s a human man and I am telling a very human story.

And I want to respect the fact that people did get crucified, people did get tortured and killed, people were oppressed by their governments — all the time throughout history,” Green said.

Green’s best moments included her performance in “The Temple,” “Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)” and “The Crucifixion” — the last of which sees Green’s character put up onto a cross and beg for mercy as life slowly leaves his eyes and he eventually succumbs to his fate.

I was moved and outright brought to tears by the whole story and ordeal. As a critic and as a person, I have never had a truly eye-opening experience like this while viewing musical theater.

The overall themes of overcoming oppression, standing strong on your morals, what it means to be close to someone and the overarching message

of faith are ever-present in the original source material and Regan’s adaptation, but they don’t overpower the music — which is one of best things about the production.

Compared to the Broadway recordings, the film soundtrack and the original studio recording, OU’s 11-piece orchestra did a pretty good job keeping pace with the performers.

It was refreshing to see and hear a rock opera musical that was not completely full of itself sonically and theatrically — Regan did a great job of balancing every single element that could have gone and tampered with the experience and made sure it did not.

“The legacy of JCS is validated when a whole new generation (who were not a glimmer in their parent’s eye in the 1970s when first produced) can find meaning in the music, words, story and make their own, in their own voice, for their own time and share with an audience of their peers. Super gratifying to witness,” Regan said.

The supporting cast, chorus, ensemble and muses also did an excellent job not taking away from the main performers, but also not fading into the background either.

If you have not bought a ticket already and you want to see this amazing, fantastic adaptation, it might be too late. During the final dress rehearsal — the performance that I saw — it was announced that tickets to OU’s JCS were sold out.

JCS will be performed at OU’s Varner Studio Theatre until Saturday, Feb. 24.

Rating: 5/5 stars

PHOTO COURTESY OF CRYSTAL ORSER

14 | FEBRUARY 21, 2024

The future of the College Democrats of OU MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

The College Democrats of Oakland University (CDOU) seek to give power to student voices on campus and facilitate friendly political discourse. The club sets forth an initiative to engage college students with political opportunities. Additionally, CDOU hopes to elevate civil discourse and allow students to converse in an open and honest environment.

“I wholeheartedly recommend joining CDOU. We try to stay a fun group and support folk, but it’s also a lot about offering resources for people who want to get more politically involved. Our resources include voter registration, information, internships and contacts. We try to host events to give students those opportunities that they might not get elsewhere,” CDOU Political Director Marcus Johnson said.

During the club’s general member meetings, topics such as current events and recent legislation are discussed. Conversations like these ensure that members are up to date on current political advancements.

At the general body meeting on Feb. 9, the club members talked about the primary results in South Carolina and Nevada. Additionally, members typically have fun making predictions for election results.

CDOU also collaborates with other organizations on campus. On Feb. 2, they hosted a student debate with the College Republicans of OU. Both student organizations civilly debated their political ideas and found common ground. Both clubs host collaborative events together, promoting an inclusive and cooperative environment on campus for students.

“It was nice to have a space where we were able to disagree about things. Everybody was civil in their disagreement, and it was fun- partially because I participated in the debating,” Johnson said.

Letters to Lansing is a collaborative effort with CDOU and the College Republicans of OU, taking place on March 11. At this event, students can write letters to their representatives working in Lansing about issues important to them.

Students can see elected officials while attending the event. Representatives Jason Morgan, Mike McFall and Jeremy Moss are expected to attend. The College Republicans also invited representatives on their behalf.

There will be a panel discussion along with workshops for students to attend.

“We’re trying to get elected officials to connect with students and to give them a more direct outlet to talk about the issues they’re facing, especially topics about living in Michigan. The cost of living is going up, and college students face several problems. This is an opportunity for students to either write to the people who represent them or talk to the ones that are coming to make their voices heard directly,” Johnson said.

CDOU also encourages students to register to vote.

The Department of State hosts a website where one can easily access information for students looking to register to vote.

In 2022, OU was nationally recognized for its excellence in voting and political engagement. OU continues to score high numbers in voter registration and student turnout rates in the polls.

Organizations such as Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) and CDOU hope to continue these efforts. The next election in Michigan is the presidential

POLITICS

primary election taking place on Feb. 27. OU students can expect to see an increase in voting resources on campus throughout the presidential election cycle.

In addition to voting initiatives, CDOU also provides information for members about potential internships for Democrats in the community. Emily Busch is looking for help for her campaign for Congress. Any potential inquiries should be directed to kayli@emilyformichigan.com.

Diane Young is also seeking interns who are eager to get involved with political campaigns. Those interested should contact campaign@dianeyoungforcongress.com.

CDOU hosts visits from political leaders in the community. Recently, Marianne Williamson visited campus to share her beliefs as a nominee for the Democratic party for president. Following the visit, Williamson dropped out of the race.

CDOU is looking for members to join the executive board, as two new positions have been added to the executive board.

The Public Relations Director will manage the club’s social media, announce club happenings, and document member meetings and events.

The Interior Communications Director will be the liaison between CDOU and OUSC, allowing for smoother communication between the two organizations and promoting collaborations in the future. Club elections are set to take place on March 8.

CDOU meets every other Friday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Oakland Center. More information about the club can be found on their Grizzorgs website, Linktree, or Instagram @collegedemsou. The club is also active on Discord. Any additional questions should go to their email at collegedems@oakland.edu.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny found dead in political prison NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter

On Feb. 16, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison at age forty-seven. With no cause of death given and Russia’s history of assassinating political rivals and dissidents, this has led many to speculate about who is responsible for Navalny’s death.

In some ways, speculation on Navalny’s death matters little. Even if his death was in no way the fault of the state, it would not change the reality of how Russia and its prisons treat its inmates, especially political dissidents. What does matter is looking back at who Navalny was, what his political opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin represented and what his death means for the future of Russia and political dissent in the country.

Navalny’s political history is an interesting and complex situation. Many praise him for his focus on anti-corruption, which Navalny proponents feel is necessary in a country fraught with corruption.

Navalny’s anti-corruption stance and opposition to the Kremlin is possibly the most important aspect of his political history because that was the issue that brought Navalny most into conflict with Putin. The corruption charges and Navalny’s investigations of Putin and various state-owned corporations directly threatened Putin’s power.

There is good reason to look at Navalny’s other political beliefs to get a wider picture of what he advocated for and against. Navalny was part of a liberal political organization for a time, but he was later

expelled from it.

Navalny was strict on immigration and held many negative views of immigrants to Russia, who he believed were bringing drugs into Russia. Navalny’s anti-immigration stance should not come as much of a surprise to some since he has a history with the nationalist and far-right politics in Russia.

According to Euronews Navalny also supported the invasion of Georgia, a country neighboring Russia that Russia invaded in 2008 after accusations of genocide of Russian speakers in Georgia were made by the government. A similar claim was made by Russia to justify the invasions of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022.

While Navalny has apologized for some of these views, including some of his negative comments against

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KYIV INDEPENDENT

Georgians and his support for the invasion of Georgia, that might not be satisfying enough for some — especially the Georgians affected by the 2008 invasion.

Nationalist leaders are highly influential in Russia, with Putin himself being a strong nationalist. Within the context of Russia, it is not surprising that Putin’s greatest opposition would be from other nationalists.

At the same time, Navalny represented a spark of hope for change in Russia. Navalny helped some to believe that the current regime could be challenged and, because of this, his political power base grew to be more diverse than the bases of other nationalists.

Navalny held some political positions that are less talked about as well, such as his support for gay marriage. In 2017, Navalny criticized anti-gay laws that banned any teaching of LGBTQ+ people to children and, in 2013, he pledged to have a regional referendum on same-sex marriage in Moscow if he won the mayoral race.

Russia is a strongly homophobic country whose laws and beliefs around the LGBTQ+ community mirror that of the far right in America. Navalny being fairly pro-LGTBQ+ is a surprising and encouraging sign that there was someone in Russia looking out for this historically oppressed community.

Much of Navalny’s political history is morally murky and, while it is important to take the good with the bad, none of this should be used to justify the unethical treatment of him or any other political prisoners in Russia.

You can find more about Navalny’s history and his treatment by the government in The Associated Press and The Washington Post.

POLITICS

FEBRUARY 21, 2024 | 15

French farmers protest — Vive la Résistance!

MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

If there’s anything the French people know how to do well, it’s how to protest.

Images of French farmers spraying manure on government buildings in Paris have spread like wildfire on the internet. Protesters have used tractors to block main roads and highways essential to French transportation and infrastructure. These tractors have shut down major highways all throughout the country. Acts of defiance like this are a symbol for the grievance that farmers, along with other agricultural workers, have against the French government.

Farmers have been protesting low wages for those in the agricultural field along with unfair competition from competitors abroad. Farmers are calling for financial support from the government for those struggling in the current financial situation.

Specific regulations on French farming equipment and tools have caused an outcry. A new French pesticide ban caused farmers to resort to more expensive techniques in agriculture. These pesticides are authorized in neighboring countries in the European Union (EU), suggesting an unfairness in legal regulations within the EU. In addition to the banning of products, many farmers are wary of outside competition posing a threat to their business. Gabriel Attal, the newly appointed Prime Minister of France, has reaffirmed that France will not sign onto free-trade deals that allow for cheaper, out-of-country produce to be

sold in France.

The EU and the trade organization Mercosur have a trade agreement that allows products to be transported cheaply and quickly between the two. The Mercosur trade group is located in South America and would be a potential trade partner in the French situation, offering cheaper prices to French buyers. In 2021, Mercosur’s exports to the EU totaled €43 billion.

Attal faces his first major test in office. Attal was appointed by Emmanuel Macron earlier this year.

He is the youngest Prime Minister in the country’s history. Additionally, he is also the first openly gay prime minister. Part of Macron’s purpose in appointing Attal was to promote a more diversified and revitalized French government that represents the social atmosphere that is seen in the country today. Attal personifies LGBTQ+ progress and stands for acceptance of the community.

Attal recently vowed to help support the farmers who have been protesting. While at a summit of EU leaders, Attal served as a leading voice in the confusion and difficulty of the situation. World leaders in the EU, notoriously filled with rich bureaucrats, have faced backlash from the working class, with several lashing out at the unjustness of the current financial crisis which specifically affects farmers.

“The question is currently being asked throughout Europe: is there a future for our agriculture? Of course, the answer is yes,” Attal said.

French unemployment remains a prevalent problem in the country. Attal has announced that the French government will take various measures to

ensure that minimum wage workers will get better pay and middle-class households will receive more tax cuts.

In addition to financial support, Attal also explained his plan for unemployed people in the country.

Unemployed people will receive an income from the state in exchange for their time spent at designated job training programs. Additionally, they will spend time at opportunities such as internships to boost their employability and hopefully land a secure job in the future.

Following the protest’s support in the media, farmers have gone back to work. The National Federation of Agricultural Holder’s Union (FNSEA) is a large organization that represents various agricultural unions all around France.

Leaders from FNSEA have encouraged farmers to end their protests and get back to work following the successful protests and road blockades.

“We say we should transform the action, by telling people they need to go home because there are also people who have jobs to do, there are also people who have been away from home for a very long time…We call on our members to suspend the blockades,” Arnaud Rousseau, head of the FNSEA union, said.

Dramatic protests have paused and the situation has subsided. Farmers tentatively watch as the government makes decisions that will hopefully aid their grievances.

SPORTS

16 | FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Oakland pounds IUPUI, secures conference tournament home game BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

For the first time since 2021, the Oakland men’s basketball team will be hosting a game in the Horizon League Tournament. Hosting a game in the second round of the conference tournament goes a long way in ultimately determining the champion, and Oakland is now officially one step closer to achieving its goal of becoming the 2024 Horizon League Tournament champions.

After upsetting Xavier and narrowly falling to Big Ten foes Illinois and Ohio State early in the season, it was clear the Golden Grizzlies were going to be a force to be reckoned with in the Horizon League, and that certainly has been the case.

Oakland has sailed through the Horizon League competition this season, and it now stands alone in first place with a 13-4 record in league play. Three of Oakland’s four conference losses this season have come on the road, and the one home loss it suffered (Purdue Fort Wayne) was later avenged on the road.

The Golden Grizzlies’ latest triumph came in the form of a 107-59 drubbing of IUPUI at the OU Credit Union O’rena.

It’s clear that the Greg Kampe-led Golden Grizzlies are one of the best teams in the league, and now they’ll have their chance to prove it and punch their ticket to the Big Dance.

Oakland has all but guaranteed itself a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the league tournament, meaning there will be a game at the OU Credit Union O’rena with everything on the line for the first time in more than three years.

Just earning a top-two seed in the conference tournament isn’t the goal, though. This team is clearly capable of far more.

In just a few weeks, Kampe and his crew will set out to prove over the course of five days what they have proved all season long: that they’re the best team in the conference. And it starts with winning the first home game against an opponent that is still to be determined.

One of the perks, though, of succeeding throughout the regular season and earning a top-two seed is that Oakland will earn a favorable matchup in the league tournament. Not only do the top five teams all get a bye into the second round, but the No. 1 seed will host the lowest remaining seed (the worst remaining team, essentially) in the second round.

Additionally, the No. 2 seed will host the secondlowest remaining seed in the second round.

It’ll be on Oakland to win what will be a should-win and must-win game and punch its ticket to the third round, which is better known as the semifinals.

The Golden Grizzlies haven’t been to the semifinals since 2021 when they won their semifinal matchup but lost to Cleveland State in the championship game.

With just three regular-season games remaining for Oakland, the focus is quickly shifting to the Horizon League tournament, where the fate of the team’s season will be in limbo.

Win, and Oakland will be going to Indianapolis to compete alongside three of the conference’s best teams. Lose, and the Golden Grizzlies will have their impressive season end in excruciating fashion.

Of course, if Oakland wins all three of its potential games in the conference tournament, it will head to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.

PHOTO BY CHARLES CONANT

Double Departure: Both Oakland soccer head coaches to move on are too many to name, but each has helped me grow and prepare to take on this next challenge as a mental performance coach.”

In addition to thanking those in the athletic On Monday, Feb. 14, the Oakland University women’s soccer head coach, Juan Pablo Favero, department, Favero expressed his appreciation for the became the second head coach this month to part ways student-athletes he coached.

“Most of all, I want to thank the student-athletes I have with Oakland. been privileged to coach over the years,” Favero said in a “This is a bittersweet moment for me as a very important chapter of my professional life ends, and press release. “You are why I got into coaching, and you a new, exciting one begins,” Favero said in a press will be the ones I will miss the most in the day-to-day.”

Over the course of Favero’s seven-year tenure at release. “I have loved being a soccer coach for almost Oakland, he led the women’s soccer team to 43 wins and three decades and am so grateful for the many blessings three appearances in the Horizon League tournament. and opportunities this profession has given me.”

The team’s most successful season under Favero’s Along with losing Favero, men’s soccer head coach Eric Pogue will not be with Oakland ahead of the 2024 season. leadership was in 2021, as the Grizzlies finished “I want to thank Coach Pogue for his years of service in second place in the Horizon League and made a to the men’s soccer program and to the university. I Horizon League championship appearance for the first wish him the very best as he moves forward,” Director time since 2015.

Although Favero’s time leading the Grizzlies has of Athletics Steve Waterfield said in a press release. come to an end, he remains optimistic that the future of Notably, Pogue led the men’s soccer team to the best record in the Horizon League this previous season. the women’s soccer program is promising.

“Although we fell just short of meeting our goal of Additionally, the team made an appearance in the winning another championship for the black and gold, Horizon League Championship.

Favero decided to depart from Oakland as he plans I am proud of what we have accomplished over the last to pursue a career as a mental performance coach for seven seasons, and I am convinced we have put the the ACL Guardians, the rookie-level affiliate team of program back on the map,” Favero said in a press release.

In addition to Favero’s optimism about the future, the Cleveland Guardians, who compete in the Arizona Waterfield shared the same optimism.

Complex League.

“I appreciate JuanPa’s many contributions to the “I want to thank everyone who has been a part of my journey — administrators, coaches, athletic trainers, women’s soccer program over the past seven years,” and all the support staff that make up the athletic Waterfield said in a press release. “He leaves the departments,” Favero said in a press release. “There program with a strong foundation that will help future Golden Grizzlies women’s soccer teams achieve

KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

success on and off the field.”

In the meantime, associate head coach Brian Diaz will lead the team as the interim head coach for the women’s soccer team. Additionally, associate head coach Paul Doroh will take over as interim head coach for the men’s team.

A national search for the next permanent head coach to fill the head coaching position for the men’s and women’s soccer teams has already begun.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSE JUAREZ

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 21, 2024 | 17

Oakland women outmatched by Cleveland State on road SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

The women’s basketball team fell to the Cleveland State Vikings on Thursday, Feb. 15, with a final score of 78-63.

While the Golden Grizzlies had a strong start, thanks to Linda van Schaik’s opening performance with five points, Oakland had an early 7-5 edge.

After some runs made by the Vikings, they had shown that they had regrouped and found themselves executing their offensive strategies, which resulted in a 7-0 run that was sparked by Mickayla Perdue as they took an 18-12 lead to end the first quarter.

The Golden Grizzlies came into the second quarter with renewed energy, though, credited to Markyia McCormick’s hot shooting that leveled the score at 24 with under seven minutes remaining to go.

Cleveland State eventually halted Oakland’s offense, and they then began to pick up their pace, and everything seemed to fall again for them, including a buzzer-beater shot by Cleveland State guard Colbi Maples that swung momentum into their favor as they headed into the halftime break with a 38-29 advantage.

As the third quarter commenced, the Vikings’ Sara Guerreiro made her presence felt with a triple that further extended their lead. However, Brooke Quarles-Daniels responded swiftly with a nice jumper in the paint, narrowing the deficit.

Then a long-range shot by van Schaik kept them

within striking distance. Yet again, Perdue continued to add to the stat sheet, as she led their charge with 24 points. Miriam Ibezim and McCormick fought valiantly in the pain, but Cleveland State had countered their offensive efforts.

The fourth quarter saw the Grizzlies remain determined to stage a comeback, refusing to back down. Maddy Skorupski knocked down a crucial jumper, trimming Cleveland State’s lead.

Mickayla Perdue and Carmen Villalobos continued to produce and weren’t allowing any sort of comeback attempt. Despite a late run by Quarles-

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

Daniels, along with Alexis Johnson getting in on the mix, timely scoring and defensive stops made

by Cleveland State resulted in them continuing to maintain their lead as Oakland came up short, 78-63.

The Vikings dominated in transition, and that gave them the higher field goal percentage of 50.9 percent to 35.9 percent, as well as the advantage in more fastbreak points, 36 to the Grizzlies seven.

Despite Cleveland State’s offensive efficiency, the Golden Grizzlies managed a slight edge on the boards, outrebounding 36 to 35.

Linda van Schaik led all Oakland scorers with an impressive 18 points. Her dynamic game kept them competitive throughout. Brooke Quarles-Daniels followed with 10 points of her own. McCormick had nine points, and Ibezim also chipped in eight.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, the Golden Grizzlies will head to Wisconsin to face the Green Bay Phoenix.

Scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m., Oakland aims to bounce back and regain momentum in the Horizon League standings.

With the regular season winding down and the conference tournament looming on the horizon, every game becomes increasingly crucial for Oakland as they seek to secure a favorable position for postseason play.

Oakland currently sits in ninth place in the league standings. However, the Golden Grizzlies are just 2.5 games back from Wright State, which currently is holding down fourth place in the conference.

A recap of the Detroit Pistons’ busy trade deadline day KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

The Detroit Pistons were the busiest team in the NBA on Thursday, Feb. 8, the day of the NBA’s trade deadline.

In total, the Pistons made four trades, the most of any NBA team during the trade deadline, bringing in eight players while trading away five.

The Pistons’ first trade centered around forward Simone Fontecchio from the Utah Jazz. In exchange for Fontecchio, the Pistons gave the Jazz Kevin Knox, the draft rights to Gabriele Procida and a 2024 second-round pick originating from the Washington Wizards.

So far this season, Fontecchio has averaged 9.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, shooting 45 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from the three-point line.

Considering how strong Fontecchio’s Pistons’ debut was against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, Feb. 10, where he scored 20 points and brought in nine rebounds, Fontecchio will likely be a mainstay in Detroit if he can remain consistent.

The next trade the Pistons made on the deadline included shipping off Monte Morris to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 2030 second-round pick, Shake Milton and Troy Brown Jr. Through three games in a Pistons uniform, Milton and Brown Jr. haven’t made a lot of noise in Detroit but have made some solid contributions from the bench. On Wednesday, Feb. 14, Milton and Brown

Jr. combined for 18 points in the Pistons’ loss to the Phoenix Suns.

While the duo from Minnesota doesn’t necessarily move the needle for the Pistons, it’s important to note that the Pistons got everything back and more from their initial trade for Morris this past offseason.

Next, the Pistons traded a 2028 second-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for Danuel House Jr., cash considerations, and a 2024 second-round pick that originates from the New York Knicks.

Notably, te second-round pick the Pistons dealt in this deal is top-55 protected, meaning that the Pistons will have to finish as a top-five team in the league in 2028 for the 76ers to take ownership of the pick.

The last trade of the day, and arguably the most significant for the Pistons, involved sending Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to the New York Knicks for Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono and two future second-round picks.

This trade signifies a strategic shift for the Pistons, bringing in a mix of experienced talent and a promising young player in Grimes. In 20 minutes of play this season, Grimes has shot 39.5 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from deep while averaging 7.3 points, two rebounds and 1.2 assists.

Interestingly, Grimes was teammates with Pistons’ rookie Marcus Sasser at the University of Houston for two years.

Notably, following the trade with the Knicks, the Pistons had 19 total players on their roster.

Since the NBA only allows 15 players, not

including two-way players, to be signed to a team during the season, the Pistons had to waive multiple players. The Pistons’ players waived include House Jr., Arcidiacono, Killian Hayes, Joe Harris and Danilo Galinari.

As for what this means for the Pistons, the team is likely preparing for a busy offseason.

Currently, the Pistons have the second-most projected cap space this offseason; this gives the Pistons the flexibility to bring in free agents and make trades without having to worry about matching salaries with other teams.

Additionally, Cade Cunningham, the Pistons’ former first-overall pick from the 2021 NBA draft, is eligible for a contract extension this summer. If the Pistons plan to extend Cunningham’s contract, this is the last offseason the team will have this flexibility to sign and trade for players with large contracts.

SPORTS Men’s basketball bests PFW in back-and-forth affair 18 | FEBRUARY 21, 2024

EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter

On December 2, Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW) came into the OU Credit Union O’rena and absolutely ran the Grizzlies off their home floor, 98-77. It was a stinging loss, one that left a bitter taste in the mouths of those on the team.

It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold.

Oakland had to wait more than two whole months, but revenge was finally served.

On Valentine’s Day, Jack Gohlke and the Golden Grizzlies beat the Mastodons on their court, 71-63. Not only did they beat PFW, but league-leading Green Bay lost to Northern Kentucky, bringing Oakland into a two-way tie with Green Bay for first place in the Horizon League.

As an added bonus, both Blake Lampman and Rocket Watts reached 1,000 points in their collegiate careers.

First Half The game started a bit rough for the Grizzlies with three turnovers, but Oakland held the lead at the first media timeout, 8-7. Oakland’s Gohlke hit two 3-pointers before the next media timeout to take a 1510 lead. It took awhile for both offenses to figure it out with many turnovers and missed shots, but Chris Conway was able to knock down two jumpers before PFW’s Jalen Jackson hit a triple to bring it to 19-15 at the under-8 media timeout.

Finally, the offenses perked up. Mastodons guard Rasheed Bello hit his third jumper, followed by a second from Grizzly DQ Cole and jumpers by teammates Rocket Watts and Trey Townsend. Oakland commanded a 26-19 lead with four minutes to go in the first half.

With a chance to really open the game up, Oakland’s Lampman hit a jumper to go with a third Gohlke 3-pointer to take a dominant 12-point lead. Bello added another jumper, quickly followed by a heavily contested Gohlke triple that splashed home. PFW’s Anthony Roberts cut the lead to 10 on a last-second 3-pointer of his own. Oakland led 34-24 heading into the half.

Second Half Oakland came out of the half with even more urgency. Gohlke hit his fifth triple of the game to go along with a Townsend layup. PFW sophomore Eric Mulder got a layup of his own and looked the part of a solid, developing big, except for his 2-6 day at the free throw line. He proved to be a good matchup for the Oakland bigs, posting 10 points and nine rebounds to go along with two steals and three blocks.

Just before the media timeout, it seemed like the Grizzlies were about to blow the game open with a Townsend dunk. But a miscommunication on defense gave up a wide-open Morton-Robertson 3-pointer for PFW, making it a 43-31 lead for Oakland.

What followed was an 18-2 run for Fort Wayne. Besides free throws from Gohlke and Townsend, Oakland would go scoreless for nearly eight minutes. This stretch saw the Grizzlies commit six of their 14 turnovers.

The run was fueled by Mulder and Bello. Mulder had five points in the stretch to go along with Bello’s two jumpers to take a 49-45 lead. The small crowd that was in attendance started to get into the game, and it appeared PFW might make a run to close the game out.

Everything hung in the balance until Lampman ended the scoring drought with a 3-pointer. DQ Cole added a triple of his own to retake a 51-49 lead. Moments like this have come all season, when it appeared that the

Grizzlies would break and give in, only to show their collective discipline and resolve to power through. For a team that struggled to finish big games earlier against the likes of Ohio State and Illinois, the clutch gene was starting to show itself.

But a full seven minutes remained in the game. PFW quickly responded with two 3-pointers of their own to reclaim a 55-51 advantage before Oakland’s Conway made a layup. Jackson came up big yet again with another jumper before DQ Cole hit a big-time 3-pointer to bring the game within one before the final media timeout.

As the final three minutes began, Conway made a layup to go up a point. Gohlke was fouled on a 3-point attempt and went 2-3 at the free throw line. But the Mastodons would not go away as Bello hit yet another jump shot. Townsend scored a layup of his own, followed by a Jalen Jackson free throw. Oakland held a 62-60 advantage with a minute to go.

Now the clutch gene really shows itself. Gohlke rose up and nailed a contested 3-pointer to take a five-point lead that the Grizzlies would never give up. Gohlke, Watts and Lampman combined to go 6-6 at the free throw line at the end of the game — the 16 years of college basketball experience clearly showing.

Oakland would emerge with a gritty 71-63 victory.

Gohlke led the way with 23 points, followed by 14 from DQ Cole, 12 from Conway and 11 from Townsend.

What’s Next?

Oakland hits the road one last time to take on the Robert Morris Colonials on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. The Grizzlies look to hold on to first place in the Horizon League as the season winds down and even possibly clinch an outright No. 1 seed over the Green Bay Phoenix.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 21, 2024 | 19

Gohlke ties career best, Oakland thumps IUPUI at O’rena SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

It was an electrifying game day for the Golden Grizzlies as Jack Gohlke soared to tie his career high with another 31-point showing, propelling Oakland to a 107-59 blowout victory over the IUPUI Jaguars.

Gohlke knocked down 10 triples (10-of-15), including five 3-pointers from deep in the second half that kept the energy in the OU Credit Union O’rena at a high.

The game began very competitive but quickly turned one-sided as Oakland asserted its superiority, and the story was Oakland’s continued dominance in the second half. They came out of intermission and went on an 11-0 run, with contributions from DQ Cole and Isaiah Jones, as they extended their lead to 68-28.

The depth of Oakalnd’s roster was on full display, as multiple players contributed to the all-around scoring. IUPUI could not get anything going offensively, and the Golden Grizzlies continued to do it all.

The Jaguars’ DJ Jackson had 17 points, but it wasn’t enough offensive power and was a game that was too far out of reach for the Jaguars to overcome.

Oakland sealed the deal with a final score of 10759, shot 76 percent overall in the second half and outscored IUPUI 42-22 in the paint.

In a display of complete dominance, the men’s basketball team delivered a masterclass performance

at the OU Credit Union O’rena. Gohlke led all scorers for the Grizzlies, Rocket Watts had 15 points and closely followed was Osei Price with 14 points. Trey Townsend also had 12 points in Oakland’s commanding victory, and this surely was another successful win in the books.

The men’s basketball team is still first in the Horizon League and will continue to stay focused and grounded with their eyes on the ultimate prize, poised to overcome any obstacle that stands in their way of getting to the NCAA Tournament.

“We want to be regular season champions, and

we want rings and all of that that we can focus on because we’ve accomplished our first objective, not a goal, just an objective,” head coach Greg Kampe said. “Now we can focus on, if we win the last three games, we win the championship, and it’s not our first time — we’ve won before, but we haven’t gotten to the NCAA Tournament in a while, and that’s the goal — and so we’re doing everything to try and get to the NCAA Tournament. We’ve accomplished our first mission, now we want to accomplish the second one.”

This is an Oakland team that has such a talented roster, and they are capable of making a major statement in the Horizon League and even beyond.

What’s Next?

As coach Kampe said, if Oakland wins its final three regular-season games, it will be the Horizon League champions and it will earn the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, which is scheduled to start on Tuesday, March 5.

The Golden Grizzlies will relish their performance and get back to it on Thursday, Feb. 22, to face the Colonials of Robert Morris at the UPMC Events Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. With three games left of the regular season before the Horizon League Championships, Oakland is determined to maintain its winning ways.

PHOTO BY CHARLES CONANT

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