Ball State Daily News Vol. 104 Issue: 08

N D DAILY NEWS Voting Special Section

‘Underappreciated and Overworked’ Indiana’s education department has over 2,500 unfilled positions, underscoring the nation’s upheaval in teacher turnover. 04

Ballot power Voters must utilize their right to vote. 10

Voting lane Stay up to date with 2024 election information. 12

BRENDEN ROWAN, DN ILLUSTRATION

Election security

Indiana changes voter requirements. 14

ACLU, PHOTO PROVIDED

Gubernatorial breakdown Indiana govenor candidates establish their game plans. 16 Kindergarten teacher Jordan Parsons helps her class learn about shapes Oct. 1 at East Washington Academy. As of Sept. 29, 2024, there were 2,708 unfilled positions through the Indiana Educator Job Board.

ANDREW BERGER, DN, JULIAN BONNER, DN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

10.03.2024

ballstatedailynews.com

@bsudailynews

DNNews 10.03.24

02

BallStateDailyNews.com Helene death toll rises

The Ball State Daily News (USPS-144-360), the Ball State student newspaper, is published Thursdays during the academic year except for during semester and summer breaks. The Daily News is supported in part by an allocation from the General Fund of the university and is available free to students at various campus locations.

VOL. 104 ISSUE: 08 CONTACT THE DN Newsroom: 765-285-8245 Editor: 765-285-8249, editor@bsudailynews.com EDITORIAL BOARD Kate Farr, Editor-in-chief Trinity Rea, Print Managing Editor Olivia Ground, Digital Managing Editor Katherine Hill, News Editor Meghan Braddy, Associate News Editor Zach Carter, Sports Editor David Moore, Associate Sports Editor Derran Cobb, Associate Sports Editor Ella Howell, Lifestyles Editor, Copy Editor Maria Nevins, Video Editor, Podcast Editor Layla Durocher, Social Media Editor Andrew Berger,Photo Editor Isabella Kemper, Associate Photo Editor Jessica Bergfors, Visual Editor Brenden Rowan, Visual Editor Corey Ohlenkamp, Adviser

Sept. 26: Hurricane Helene made landfall Sept. 26 and devastated

the southeast U.S., killing over 150 people, according to the Associated Press (AP). At least 179 people in six states were reported dead, with at least 40 fatalities in North Carolina’s Asheville area. The storm caused severe flooding and cut off many methods of transportation. Federal and state officials are looking to provide aid, though damaged infrastructure hinders efforts. President Biden pledged federal support and plans to visit affected areas later this week. Rebuilding is expected to take months.

TO ADVERTISE • (765) 285-8256 or dailynewsads@bsu.edu • Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri. • ballstatedaily.com/advertise TO SUBSCRIBE Call 765-285-8134 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mon. -Fri. Subscription rates: $45 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Daily News, AJ278, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306

TNS, PHOTO PROVIDED

JOIN THE DAILY NEWS Stop by room 278 in the Art and Journalism Building.

All undergraduate majors accepted and no prior experience is necessary.

Kris Kristofferson dead at 88 Sept. 30: Kris Kristofferson, country music singer and actor, passed away at 88 at his Maui home surrounded by family, according to family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland. Known for writing hits like “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” Kristofferson also had a successful acting career, starring in films like “A Star is Born” and “Blade.” A Rhodes Scholar and former U.S. Army captain, he was part of the legendary country music supergroup “The Highwaymen” alongside Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

Kristofferson retired from performing in 2021 but made occasional guest appearances. No cause of death was disclosed.

CORRECTION In the Sept. 26 issue of the Ball State Daily News, elements from Freepik were used on pg. 09 and went un-credited.

To submit a correction, email editor@bsudailynews.com.

TNS, PHOTO PROVIDED

Cardinals face Chippewas on the road

4-DAY WEATHER

Oct. 4: Ball State women’s volleyball heads north to face Central

FORECAST

Michigan in back-to-back matches Oct. 4-5. The Cardinals are coming off two consecutive losses to Bowling Green and are currently the No. 9 team in the Mid-American Conference. The team’s overall record on the year is 7-6.

Freshman outside hitter Carson Tyler leads Ball State with 144 kills on the season and has earned a Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Week award.

Hunter Luzadder, Weather forecaster, Benny Weather Group

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

SUNNY

SUNNY

SUNNY

SUNNY

Hi: 76º Lo: 50º

Hi: 78º Lo: 49º

Hi: 75º Lo: 53º

Hi: 80º Lo: 51º ANDREW BERGER, DN

DNNews

10.03.24

Teacher

Turnover:

‘Set Up to Fail’404

03

National

Jimmy Carter celebrates 100th birthday Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President, celebrated his 100th birthday Oct. 1 with longtime friends, family and fans. The birthday marked the first time an American president has lived a full century. Having spent the past 19 months in hospice care, Carter “keeps defying expectations,” according to the Associated Press.

State

Effort to support children with high acuity needs Gov. Eric Holcomb announced a cross-agency initiative Sept. 30 to provide more support to children with high acuity mental and behavioral health needs, as well as keep youth in crisis in the least restrictive setting possible, according to Indiana Capital Chronicle. The ongoing initiative will receive some financial support from the state’s allotment of the National Opioid Settlement.

Local

Shots fired outside Reserve and University Phillips 66

Fourth-grade teacher Heather Veatch works on division with her students Oct. 1 at East Washington Academy. According to the NEA, educators have spent upwards of $750 from their own pockets on student supplies. ANDREW BERGER, DN

University Police Department and Muncie Police Department (MPD) investigated “reports of shots fired in the area of Reserve and University, ” according to an emergency alert message sent Oct. 1. At 10:46 p.m., around 20 minutes after the original alert, an “all clear” was sent. MPD later confirmed the incident.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: INDIANA NATIONAL GUARD TO DEPLOY TO MIDDLE EAST

DNNews

10.03.24

04

The flux of teacher turnover: Why are they really leaving?

Kate Farr Editor-in-chief Alyson Baugh just entered her final semester of undergraduate studies at Ball State University, the largest teacher preparation provider in Indiana, according to Ball State’s Teachers College website.

Like many other education majors in her shoes, she has worries as she enters the transitional period between schooling and her teaching career.

Teachers are essentially being set up to fail … It’s no surprise people don’t want to go into the profession just to be underappreciated and overworked and underpaid.”

- ALYSON BAUGH, Fourth-year English major at Ball State

Baugh, a fourth-year English education major, has wanted to be a teacher since childhood. While she’d loved reading and writing all through grade school, what gave her the push to pursue teaching was her eighth-grade English teacher.

While she desired to be a teacher for years, Baugh said she’d most likely only teach for a couple of years before shifting out of the field and becoming a curriculum writer. Besides apprehensions around the planned and “strict” nature of teaching, Baugh was driven away from her original career plan due to larger concerns.

“Teachers are very underappreciated and overworked,” Baugh said via email. “Teachers are responsible for hundreds of kids over at least six periods … usually upwards of thirty at a time. On top of that, teachers are underpaid and are told to teach an impossible load of curriculum in a limited amount of time.”

Education Resource Strategies, a national nonprofit that helps with resource management in school systems, found that 23 percent of teachers left their school during the 2022-23 school year — a higher percentage than pandemic rates (20 percent). The flux of current teacher retention begs the question: Why are they really leaving?

The National Education Association (NEA), which represents nearly three million educators, published a study in 2022 that unveiled the concerns of teachers. Key concerns identified by NEA’s research might answer why Indiana, among other states, is seeing staff shortages.

Third-year math education and data analytics double major Delaney Shoemaker Sept. 30 in front of Ball State’s Teachers College. HB 1447 was introduced during Shoemaker’s senior year of high school. ANDREW BERGER, DN

A fifth-grade student does online work in Michale Kissick’s classroom Oct. 1 at East Washinton Academy. In recent surveys many teachers have voiced feeling like they are being set up to fail. ANDREW BERGER, DN The 2022 NEA member survey found that 55 percent of educators across the nation indicated plans to leave the profession earlier than they expected. Those surveyed cited burnout and stress as a “serious problem.” And due to the fact over half a million educators exited the public school system post-COVID-19 pandemic, 74 percent of NEA members stated they’ve had to fill the gaps left behind by former colleagues.

“Teachers are essentially being set up to fail,” Baugh said. “… It’s no surprise people don’t want to go into the profession just to be underappreciated and overworked and underpaid. And the ones who do choose to teach often get burnt out from the sheer amount of work they’re doing.”

Taylie Heady, an elementary education major at Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has already decided in her second year of school that she won’t be staying in the state post-graduation.

“One concern I have about my profession is the pay, I will admit,” Heady said via email. “I believe that, if teachers were only expected to show up at 7:00 a.m. and leave at 3:00 p.m., the pay and benefits would be enough. However, many teachers are expected to do work before and after school in order to facilitate learning in their classrooms.”

From dry-erase markers to hand sanitizer, educators spend upwards of $750 from their own pockets on supplies for students, according to the NEA. It adds up, and Heady said that many teachers “struggle” to make paychecks stretch.

“Most teachers also use their own personal

funds within their classrooms,” Heady said.

“Because of the hours teachers must spend working outside of the classroom and the money they must spend on their classrooms, teachers should be better compensated.”

I’ve never met a person who couldn’t list a handful of teachers who made them who they are today.”

- DELANEY SHOEMAKER, Third-year math education and data analytics double major at Ball State

At a state level, Indiana is ranked 36th nationally in terms of average teacher salary and 28th in starting salary for teachers, according to NEA data. With an average teacher’s starting salary of $42,735 and the state minimum living wage being

05 $60,485, it doesn’t come as a surprise that a 2024 survey found Marion County educators specified “better pay” as one of the things that would keep them in the teaching professions.

The survey, organized by the nonprofit RISE Indy, drew responses from nearly 575 public school educators in the greater Indianapolis area.

We cannot fully protect and shield children from the world they live [in]. We can teach them about it and prepare them … We won’t prepare them for the world by hiding them from it.”

- ALYSON BAUGH, Fourth-year English major at Ball State

While nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of respondents felt they were “satisfied” with their workplaces, teachers 34 and younger had a satisfaction rate nine percentage points lower (56 percent).

“I will not be able to live comfortably on a teacher’s paycheck, and I will likely be [living] paycheck to paycheck,” Baugh said. “That’s also just factoring in myself. It would be even harder if I chose to have a family.”

Dea Bell, assistant superintendent for Muncie Community Schools, said that educators feel most supported when they are “paid a decent wage” and “have their concerns addressed.”

“Many young professionals believe ‘the grass is greener’ outside Indiana,” Bell said. “If we provide a good living wage, enjoyable working conditions and opportunities for advancement, then I believe we can keep a lot of young teachers from leaving the state.”

As of Sept. 29, there were 2,708 unfilled positions through the Indiana Educator Job Board.

Nearly half of those were teacher positions with an “until filled” deadline.

“There’s no singular reason [why] K-12 education is struggling to fill openings — it’s a combination of things,” Bell said. “Probably near the top of the list are low pay and lack of respect.”

Beyond the scope of salary and benefits, recent policy changes at state, local and district levels — as well as the autonomy of teachers in their classrooms — have also affected overall job security.

Only 13 percent of teachers surveyed by RISE Indy agreed that recent policy changes made them feel secure. 56 percent of teachers do not agree that changes in policy have increased their sense of security.

In 2023, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Indiana House Bill (HB) 1447, which allows parents and community members to request books be banned

from school libraries that they deem “obscene” or “harmful to minors.”

Current Indiana Code outlines material that is “harmful” to minors contains nudity, sexual content, etc.; appeals to the “prurient interest in sex” of minors; is “patently offensive to prevailing standards” in the adult community with respect to what is “suitable matter” for minors; and is considered, as a whole, lacking “serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value for minors.”

While state laws already banned the aforementioned materials from being accessible, schools can no longer claim legal protection under the reasoning of “educational purposes” when sharing certain materials in classrooms due to HB 1447.

Baugh believes politics shouldn’t “rule the classroom.” For her, the classroom is a space where students should learn about the complexities of life.

“We cannot fully protect and shield children from the world they live [in],” Baugh said. “We can teach them about it and prepare them … We won’t prepare them for the world by hiding them from it. In a similar vein, teachers aren’t even allowed to talk about certain issues, such as race or gender, in some places. I believe the best thing we can do is teach kids about these issues but do it in an age-appropriate way.”

Delaney Shoemaker, a third-year math education and data analytics double major at Ball State, worries about her future as a teacher. But even with uneasiness at the forefront of her mind, she refuses to “just roll over and quit advocating for more support.”

HB 1447 was introduced during Shoemaker’s senior year of high school. She remembers reading over the bill and feeling “appalled,” leading to her having conversations with the teachers at her school before leaving for college.

“It was clear that people who had little understanding of how education worked were attempting to assert that they actually knew better than the teachers who have spent their entire careers and educations becoming masters in their field,” Shoemaker said. “Policies like this tell teachers, ‘We don’t trust you’ … It’s insulting and demeaning. I ended up at the statehouse on the day of the bill’s hearing and was told by my state representative that we were wasting our time.”

Shoemaker said that, for current and future teachers like herself, the attitude of policymakers often makes them feel like they’re unheard.

“Not only was our esteem in our careers being steamrolled, but we were even being overlooked as mere citizens worthy of a say in our government,” Shoemaker said. “More people than not love and support our educators, even if policies and cultures don’t always reflect that.”

Even with the volatile state of teaching, Shoemaker tries to remember that, for her, teaching is more than a career but “a calling.” She said that support on all fronts is what will motivate teachers to “stay another day.”

“Teachers are underappreciated and underpaid by many loud and powerful people, but I’ve never met a person who couldn’t list a handful of teachers who made them who they are today,” Shoemaker said.

Contact Kate Farr via email at kate.farr@ bsu.edu.

10.03.24

DNNews

Fourth-year English education major Alyson Baugh Sept. 1 outside of Ball State’s Teachers College. Baugh has expressed the concern of politics “ruling the classroom.” ISABELLA KEMPER, DN

START LISTENING, FROM DAY ONE.

WCRD is a student-run radio station that operates as a fully FCC-licensed station broadcasting local news, music and more. WCRD offers comprehensive sports coverage of Ball State and surrounding area high school games not documented by any other stations.

WCRD offers game play-by-play and coaches’ interview shows for Ball State varsity sports and much more for your listening pleasure or participation.

07

10.03.24

DNNews

Political Perspectives Check out Ball State’s different political student organizations and how they are preparing for the general election.

I’m Re gi stered To Vote

Shelby Anderson Reporter

JESSICA BERGFORS, DN ILLUSTRATION

Editor’s note: The Ball State Daily News reached out to all student organizations on campus via email and social media. Legal Studies Student Association (LSAA), Mock Trial Association at Ball State, Ball State’s College Republicans and Feminists for Action did not respond with comments.

Student Government Association (SGA) Youth voices matter:

Young Democratic Socialists of America (YSDA) Youth voices matter:

Promotional campaign efforts for American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) during National Voter Registration Week 2023. The union works to promote the civil liberties of incarcerated individuals. LAURA FORBES, PHOTO PROVIDED

Vice President Brenna Large said students need to start looking at local elections with as much focus as the presidential election because “every vote counts.”

“It’s expected that the presidential election this year will be determined by, potentially, only a few thousand votes,” Large said. “So, it’s really Youth voices matter: important that [students] do vote because it really “Everyone’s vote matters and we should make can influence the outcome.” our voices heard,” Communications Director Laura Forbes said. She also thinks it’s important that candidates hear from the younger generations.

Encouraging young voters: Large said the way they will encourage voters is by making sure they are registered to vote, as well Encouraging young voters: as explaining to them that their vote matters.

Forbes said the organization has a campaign “ … Young people are going to be a driving force called, “Yes! You Can Vote!” The campaign in this election,” she said. encourages people to register to vote and debunks misconceptions about the voting process. Their efforts target younger people who are turning 18.

Election investments: Large said the Center for Economic and Civic Learning has put money into their initiative to get Election investments: Cardinals out to vote.

Forbes said the organization[ACLU] put money into their campaigns but did not disclose a specific amount. Forbes said they put the money toward Incentives: The organization is hosting plenty of tabling voter education for previously incarcerated people. events, Large said, as well as working with the political sciences department to have an election Incentives: night watch party.

The organization has an emailing list to keep receipts informed, Forbes said. They also create posters on social media and are working with other Different from past elections: This year, the organization is trying to encourage partners and businesses to help spread the word. more students to vote because of the presidential election, Large said. She wants to “work with as Different from past elections: many groups on campus because we feel that is the Forbes said this year they are sharing stories best way to get people involved.” from people who were formerly incarcerated.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

Overall mission:

Large said SGA’s mission is to get Cardinals out to vote this fall for the political party of their choice.

Overall mission:

She said ACLU’s mission is to increase voter turnout by debunking common misconceptions about voting.

Ball State College Democrats Youth voices matter:

Vice President Hunter Case said student voices do matter. “[Voting] directly affects everybody, especially at local levels,” Case said.

Encouraging young voters:

Case said they’re encouraging young voters by organizing tabling events to help register students to vote.

Election investments:

Case said the organization did not put any money in for its campaign, and they don’t plan to because they have funds from the Student Organization Funding Allocation Council (SOFAC).

Incentives:

Case said they are also doing tabling, as well as “partnering with other political organizations to get election information out, not only encouraging people to register to vote but just making sure they know where they can vote.”

Different from past elections:

Case said the organization has not developed any new initiatives and its primary focus is getting people out to the polls.

Overall mission:

Their mission is also to increase voter turnout in the state, starting with young voters, Case said. He said young voters are the future.

“Every vote matters. Our generation in college right now has the potential to be the largest voting block in America, we could swing the whole election if enough of us just went to the polls and voted,” said Justin Gehring, social media chair for YSDA. “[Student voices] need to be heard and can be heard,” he said.

Encouraging young voters:

Gehring said YSDA has been hosting tabling events around campus. The tablings help students check their voter registration status and become informed about the voting process.

Election investments:

Gehring said YSDA funds are low, but most of their funding has gone toward snack purchases for students during routine meetings. He said snacks help encourage students to come join the group and register to vote.

Incentives:

The organization has been holding tabling events, as well as providing snacks for students in collaboration with the Honors College. Together, the YSDA and the Honors College ran “Votes and Floats” where if students registered to vote, they got a rootbeer float.

Different from past elections:

“We’re trying to get the word out about how everybody’s vote matters, no matter who you’re voting for,” Gehring said, asserting that voting is a “civic duty.”

Overall mission:

Gehring said YSDA’s mission is to help students and young voters understand what socialism is because it is not a dominant political party, according to 2014 voter ideology data in Indiana from Pew Research Center.

Contact Shelby Anderson via email at sanderson9@bsu.edu.

DNNews

10.03.24

08

FAMILY WEEKEND FESTIVITIES

Ball State’s student section is photographed during the first game home against Missouri State Sept. 7 at Scheumann Stadium. ISABELLA KEMPER, DN

All are welcome to celebrate Family Weekend at Ball State and partake in the scheduled activities.

Thursday, Oct. 3

“Friday Night Filmworks”

“Earth, Moon, and Sun”

Sursa Hall, 7:30 - 9 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 5

“Saturn and Beyond”

Faculty Recital

Friday, Oct. 4

Field hockey game vs.

Longwood University

Briner Sports Complex, 11:50 a.m.

Dean’s List Celebration

Pruis Hall, 9 p.m.

Spirit and Traditions

University Green, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Football game vs.

Western Michigan

Scheumann Stadium, 2 p.m.

Teachers College first floor, 4 - 6 p.m.

Charles W. Brown Planetarium, 5 p.m.

“Halloween Celestial Origins” Charles W. Brown Planetarium, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 6

Soccer match vs. Buffalo Briner Sports Complex, 12:45 p.m.

“Halloween Celestial Origins” Charles W. Brown Planetarium, 6:30 p.m.

Charles W. Brown Planetarium, 3:30 p.m.

AMBER PIETZ, DN ILLUSTRATION

DNVoting DN Voting

10.03.24

09

VOTE MAKE YOUR MARK ON NOVEMBER 5TH

BRENDEN ROWAN, DN ILLUSTRATION

DNVoting

10

10.03.24

GENERAL ELECTION VOTE FOR ONE CANDIDATE ONLY

FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (Kamala D. Harris (Tim Walz (Donald J. Trump (JD Vance (Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Nicole Shanahan JESSICA BERGFORS, DN ILLUSTRATION

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: MY ADHD DIAGNOSIS DOES NOT DEFINE ME

11

10.03.24

DNVoting DN Voting

Using your right to vote is crucial.

Scarlet Gallagher

Columnist, “Sprouting Thoughts”

Scarlet Gallagher is a second-year international business major and writes “Sprouting Thoughts” for the Daily News.

Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

Low voter turnout is an issue that’s plagued the United States for many years. Within Indiana, it’s no different.

Indiana ranks second last among all 50 states, including Washington D.C., plus it has very nearly the worst turnout in the country, according to the 2023 Indiana Civic Health Index.

Voting is an important right, one that many people around the world don’t have. Whether it be because they live in a country where there is a dictatorship or because they are barred from voting because of their gender, race, religion or ethnic group — or a multitude of other discriminatory reasons — these people have no voice and no say in their own government.

People have made huge sacrifices fighting for democracy.

Millions of Americans are unable to vote even though they want to. And yet, many Americans choose not to vote. According to the Pew Research Center, the 2020 presidential election saw a third of eligible voters not cast a vote, and it was the election with the highest voter turnout since 1900.

One common reason given by those abstaining from voting is that they don’t feel the results of the election will personally impact them, according to an Ipsos poll taken in 2020. Others feel that their vote won’t matter or make a difference.

The idea that an individual vote doesn’t matter not only quickly adds up the more people who feel that way, but it also simply isn’t true, especially in state and local elections. Many races at these levels are won by only a handful of votes. In one of Iowa’s House of Representatives districts, the winning candidate in 2020 won only by six votes.

Voting can directly impact your life, ranging from the taxes you pay to the civil liberties you have. It is a way to have your voice heard in politics.

Those who choose not to vote are not the only ones who do not cast a ballot. Millions of Americans are involuntarily prevented from voting, whether because they lack transportation to the polls, are unable to vote because of work or have been disenfranchised by the state after being convicted of a crime, among other reasons.

According to a Global Citizen article, at least 21 million Americans didn’t have a government-issued photo ID at the time of the last presidential election, which prevented them from being able to vote. This is still the case as this year’s election approaches.

Additionally, Election Day isn’t a federal holiday in the U.S., unlike many other countries. This means many Americans are at

work for the majority of the time the polls are open, as Election Day always falls on a Tuesday, discouraging or even preventing some workers from being able to vote.

There have been efforts to make Election Day a holiday, with legislative proposals made in Congress by several politicians, including by U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo in February.

None of them have been successful so far.

Furthermore, a large percentage of college students are nonvoters, with the overall student voting rate in 2022 only at 31.3 percent, according to a Tufts National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement report. Reasons for this low number echo many of the reasons other Americans don’t vote, such as transportation or schedule conflicts.

It can also be difficult for them to decide whether to register in their hometown or the town of their university, but either one is a valid choice. Another option that might be the best fit for a college student is a mail-in absentee ballot. There is a page with voter information specifically for college students on the Indiana State Government website.

The process of registering to vote can feel intimidating and discourage people from voting.

Many groups have organized to try and provide assistance to voters and combat barriers to voting. There are nonprofit resources such as VoteRiders and Vote411, which work to inform citizens about voting requirements and help them get registered.

There are also initiatives like curbside voting that help disabled

people who are unable to physically enter an inaccessible polling location to still cast their vote outside the polling place.

Existing barriers to voting are not the only ones making voting challenging. There have also been a number of legal changes related to the election and voting process since 2020, causing confusion and uncertainty. According to a 2024 Brennan Center research brief, which focused on swing state policy changes, there have been extensive changes enacted by states since the last presidential election.

In the majority of cases, these changes were restrictive ones, such as Florida imposing new restrictions on voting by mail.

However, there have been a few changes expanding voting access, like in Michigan where new laws made voting by mail easier, increased the number of early voting days and expanded the list of accepted voter IDs. Policies like the ones Michigan has enacted, as well as sameday registration and accessible voting options, help encourage higher voter turnout. Unfortunately, they are in the minority right now, likely contributing to low voter turnout.

Voter registration purges, a sometimes-flawed process designed to clean up registered voter lists, have also become an issue. According to the Brennan Center’s research on voter purges, the rate of voter purging has significantly increased over the last several decades, with election denial groups pressuring government officials to remove large amounts of voters using unreliable information.

It is not enough to only register to vote — eligible voters must now frequently check their registration to ensure they have not been removed. You can do so by going to Indiana Voters and using ‘‘Confirm My Voter Registration.” Don’t allow yourself to be wrongly disenfranchised.

The Indiana registration deadline is Oct. 7 for all methods of voter registration, and absentee ballots must be requested

by Oct. 24. You can register to vote online at Indiana Voters if you have a valid driver’s license or other state-issued ID. The website also provides information on polling locations and what will be on the ballot, as well as allows voters to double-check that they are registered.

If you haven’t already, take an hour to register to vote and plan how you will vote in the upcoming election. Whether by mail or in person at the polls, there are options available to you and services to help ensure you are able to exercise your right to vote.

Contact Scarlet Gallagher via email at samantha.gallagher@ bsu.edu.

10.03.24

12

RACE S L L O P OTTEE!!!!

Ready... Set... VVO DNVoting

TO THE

VOTING BY THE NUMBERS

41.6% of Indiana youth voters voted in the 2020 election.

Brick By Brick

According to USA.gov, the Electoral College decides who is elected president and vice president of the United States. The Electoral College consists of a selection of electors, and each state receives as many electors as it has members of Congress. In total, there are 538 electors.

After casting a vote and submitting a ballot for president, the vote adds to a statewide tally. In all states, including Washington, D.C. — yet aside from Maine and Nebraska the candidate with the most tallies gets all the electoral votes for the state.

A projected winner is announced on election night, but the actual Electoral College vote takes place in mid-December when electors meet in their respective states.

The U.S. Constitution doesn’t outline a requirement for electors to vote for their state victor, however, some states do. If an elector votes against their state’s popular vote, they have the potential to be fined or disqualified as an elector and replaced. In some cases, electors are prosecuted by their state.

In order to secure the presidency, candidates must win 270 electoral votes, which means securing a little over half of the total electors.

Securing these votes requires candidates to campaign, specifically in battleground and swing states.

According to the website Political Dictionary, “Presidential campaigns are waged mainly in these battleground states as the outcomes in most other states on the electoral map are mostly known well ahead of the election.”

538

65% of registered Indiana voters voted in the 2020 election.

Total electoral votes

270

270

Electoral votes to win

270

75% of registered Ball State voters voted in the 2020 election.

VOTER REGISTRATION

Oct. 7 is Indiana’s voter registration deadline.

Each state has its own voter registration deadline.

Indiana’s registration deadline is Oct. 7, and potential voters can register online, by mail or in person. Indiana residents can head to indianavoters.in.gov to check their registration, request a mail-in ballot and find information about their local polling place.

The website also provides information on candidates, poll booth hours, campaign financial records and more.

Out-of-state or overseas voters can head to the National Association of Secretaries of State “Can I Vote” website.

This website provides information on voter registration deadlines across the country, mail-in ballots, and absentee and early voting.

Scan this QR Code to check your voter registration status.

13

Head to the Stands

Delaware County poll booth locations can be found online on the Delaware County, Indiana Voting and Elections website. The website provides information on where one can vote based on the precient they live in and how to find that precinct information. Here are some poll locations in Muncie, located close to Ball State’s campus:

10.03.24

DNVoting DN Voting

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10

Delaware County Polling Locations Westminster Presbyterian Church 2801 W Riverside Ave Delaware County Fairgrounds 1210 N Wheeling Ave First Presbyterian Church 1400 W Riverside Ave Oakwood Building 2501 N Oakwood Ave

In the Oval

The 2024 presidential election frontrunner candidates are Vice President Kamala Harris (D) and former President Donald Trump (R). The two candidates are projected to have similar opportunities to obtain victory if they win key battleground states.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the top election issues Americans are searching on Google are voter registration, crime, health care, social security, economy and immigration. Here is where each candidate stands on key issues according to AP:

KAMALA HARRIS

DONALD TRUMP

- Wants to reinstate Roe v. Wade

- Wants to continue his 2017 tax cut plan

- Middle class tax cuts

- Massive Increase to tariffs

- Address and fight to stop climate change

- Support fossil fuels

- Endorsed comprehensive immigration reform

- Wants to use the National Guard to “round up migrants” TRINITY REA, CONTRIBUTOR BRENDEN ROWAN, DN ILLUSTRATION Source: USA.gov, NASS.org, AP, Delaware.IN.US, Circle.tufts.edu

DNVoting

10.03.24

14

‘NOT AN OPTION’

New voter registration residency requirements pose potential barriers for Ball State students.

A pamphlet made by Project 50 outlines Indiana’s new voting residency laws at a voting drive put on by the NAACP, YWCA and Project 50 Sept. 26 at The Clubhouse in downtown Muncie, Ind. New voters will notice these changes in the online portal, which asks for a valid Indiana driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number. ANDREW BERGER, DN

15

10.03.24

DNVoting DN Voting

Voter laws in Indiana might pose trouble for first-time college voters.

Abigail Denault Reporter

D

uring this 2024 general election, potential voters in Indiana may have more trouble getting to the ballot box.

Indiana House Bill 1264 went into effect July 1 as Public Law 65. The bill introduced new residency requirements for first-time voter registration in the name of “election security.”

For new voters, they might notice these changes in the online voter portal, which asks for a current and valid Indiana driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number. That information will then be compared to Indiana ID records to prove the voter’s residency.

Linda Hanson, president of the League of Women’s Voters — a nonpartisan organization that promotes voter rights and informs people on how to vote — said the legislation was meant to make elections more secure, but it also “makes [voting] much more difficult.”

She said those who do not have either an Indiana driver’s license or an Indiana social security number will then have to produce additional residency documentation. This could come in the form of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check — “whatever paycheck [or] government document that shows your name and address” — or a valid voter ID with your photo, address and expiration date.

These materials must then be presented to the election or county voter registration office before polls close on election day.

“If you’re living in a dorm or you’re living in a retirement home or kind of a condo arrangement where you don’t get utility bills — something in your name and address — you won’t have those either,” Hanson said. “There are multiple forms of residency ID that get complicated, and it makes [registration] much more stressful — that much more effort to [vote].”

If [college students] cannot get proof of their residency, they really want to start considering getting that absentee ballot for them because not voting is not an option.”

- CHELSEA MCDONNELL, Director of Outreach for MADVoters

A NAACP welcome booth is photographed Sept. 26 at The Clubhouse in downtown Muncie, Ind. A few different community organizations put on a drive in hopes of building a value of voting in the younger generation. ANDREW BERGER, DN Sage Waters, a second-year teaching major at Ball State University, is one such student impacted by the new legislation, which could stand in the way of her original plan to vote in Muncie.

The option, she said, would have been more convenient than voting back in her home state of Ohio. It also makes it easier since she will be living in the area for three more years, and possibly more, if she ends up teaching in Indiana.

Waters said she was not aware of the new legislation, and she assumed she would be able to register to vote as she had been taught in high school in Ohio. She said she does not receive much mail to her Ball State address, which would have helped her to establish her residency.

Yet, Waters is still determined to try.

“It is definitely discouraging, but I’m still going to try to [register],” Waters said. “I know how vital it is [to vote], not just for the presidential stuff, but in general … Being a college student, I already have a lot on my plate. I just don’t feel like it should be as challenging.”

However, college students are not the only ones feeling the impact of the legislation. WaTasha Barnes Griffin, CEO of YWCA Central Indiana, works with voter initiatives through Project 50 and Martin Luther King Dream Team. Here, she aids in making sure other groups with barriers, such as women in “transient living situations,” have the information and resources to vote.

She said the organizations she works with help women obtain the necessary materials needed

to vote by finding solutions for issues, such as a permanent mailing address and a form of ID. They aid those individuals through the process of getting an ID and set them up using the address of the shelter, a P.O. box or a church.

“We want women to know that they can vote even though they don’t have their own permanent address,” Griffin said. “We need their voices because they are impacted in ways that many of us are not, and it is imperative that their voices are heard.”

Director of Outreach for MADVoters Chelsea McDonnell added the new legislation has impacted some groups of people unexpectedly, such as those in nursing homes.

Regardless of their situation, for those still wanting to register to vote, the registration deadline is Oct. 7.

“They have to be registered to vote by Oct. 7 or they cannot vote,” McDonnell said. “If they cannot get proof of their residency, they really want to start considering getting that absentee ballot because not voting is not an option.”

For those who can make it to the polls, the process will take time. Hanson said voters should be ready to vote as early as they can in case there are any complications.

At the same time, these challenges may not be enough to stop a large portion of young first-time voters. Griffin and McDonnell both said they are seeing a major upward trend of young people being civically engaged and interested in voting, especially in this year’s elections.

I know how vital it is [to vote], not just for the presidential stuff, but like, in general … And being a college student, I already have a lot on my plate, and I just don’t feel like it should be as challenging.”

- SAGE WATERS, Second-year teaching major at Ball State University

“The [baby] boomers and the Gen X’s, they have it ingrained that it is important to go vote,” Griffin said. “Generation Z, they are out there watching. They are out there speaking, and they are not just talking — but they are actually walking that — particularly related to the national presidential election.”

Contact Abigail Denault via email at abigail. denault@bsu.edu.

DNVoting

10.03.24

16

A Glance at the Gubernatorial Election Take a look at Indiana’s govenor candidates and their potential stances, policies and plans for office.

Jennifer McCormick (D) with Terry Goodin

JENNIFER MCCORMICK FOR GOVENOR, PHOTO PROVIDED

• • • • •

Protect reproductive rights and freedom Expand access to childcare and pre-K Increase the base salary of educators Support unions Implement 40 percent increase in homeowner property tax deduction

• •

Cap property tax bill increases at 10 percent Create a 33 percent increase in renters tax deduction Establish the ​​Indiana Cannabis Commission

•

•

Start a plan to legalize medical marijuana and eventually transition into recreational usage

•

Create and implement an overall water management plan

•

Join the U.S. Climate Alliance

Source: www.mccormickforgov.com

Mike Braun (R) with Micah Beckwith •

Back the “America First” policies that were created in 2017 after the inauguration of President Donald Trump

•

Ensure “hard time in state prison” for those who commit “violent crime, attack a police officer, or poison our kids with fentanyl”

•

Identify as Pro-life with plans to “help mothers and their infants receive the care and social support they deserve”

•

Would not implement mask mandates or state lockdowns Endorsed by Donald Trump Plans to “Reduce the size of government”

• ERIC PRITCHETT, DN FILE

Increase salaries of police

• •

Source: mikebraunforindiana.com

Donald Rainwater (L) •

Reform the residential and agricultural property tax system

• • •

Abolish the state personal income tax Eliminate the gasoline excise tax Streamline vehicle registration and abolishing vehicle excise taxes

• DONALD RAINWATER FOR GOVENOR, PHOTO PROVIDED

Advance cannabis reform in Indiana through decriminalization and legalization

Source: rainwaterforindiana.com

with Tonya Hudson

• •

Enforce “Voluntary vaccination” “Pro-life Libertarian” that is upholds “Nonaggression principle”

•

Wants to“Reinvigorate” vocational education in Indiana’s K-12 schools

•

Abolish statewide standardized testing

DNSports

10.03.24

17

State hosts ‘THEY Ball Longwood Field Hockey

GAVE ME A

SHOT’ Ball State starting quarterback Kadin Semonza’s journey has been full of new experiences.

18

Ball State welcomes Longwood University to Muncie Oct. 4 with the contest starting at noon. The Cardinals are 1-7 on the season and are 0-2 in Mid-American Conference play. The Lancers are 3-5 and are on a three-game losing streak. Junior midfielder Emma Van Hal leads Ball State with four goals scored on the season.

Men’s Golf

Cardinals compete in Badger Invitational

Ball State finished in a tie for 10th place in Wisconsin University’s Badger Invitational. Leading the Cardinals was redshirt senior Ali Khan, who finished the event one over and in the 25th spot. Behind him was Carter Smith, who was eight over and came in 40th. Ball State will have a slight break until the Cardinals compete at Little Rock Oct. 14-15.

Ball State Athlentics

Cardinals induct Hall of Famers

Ball State will induct six individuals and one team for the 2024 Hall of Fame Class. This class includes the 1999 Ball State baseball team, football alums Sean Baker and Keith Wenning, swim and dive alum Dave Garrow, softball alum Jenny Gilbert, cross-country/track and field alum Linise Gordon and volleyball alum Megan Hammons. The induction ceremony will be held in Worthen Arena Oct. 4, and the class will also be honored at the football game against Western Michigan Oct. 5.

ANDREW BERGER, DN BRENDEN ROWAN, DN ILLUSTRATION

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: BALL STATE AIMS FOR COLUMN WIN AGAINST WMU OCT. 5

DNSports

10.03.24

18

Kadin Semonza’s football career has included challenges.

Zach Carter Sports Editor

Freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza prays before facing Missouri State Sept. 7 at Scheumann Stadium. Semonza had four passing touchdowns in the game. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Ball State redshirt freshman Kadin Semonza’s college football experience started quickly.

Going from Huntington Beach, California, to Muncie, Indiana, in the dead of winter as a 19-yearold — and then starting against the No. 1 team in the country last season in his first collegiate start — Kadin had to adapt at a rapid pace.

“I felt a lot of pressure,” Kadin said. “I put a lot of hard work and preparation into the product you see on Saturdays.”

The Cardinals’ starting quarterback is said to be one of the biggest leaders on the team, one of the hardest-working players, as well as considered “the gut” by multiple people in the program. If you ask his parents Matt and Jaclyn Semonza, they’re not surprised.

“We always tried to surround him with a great atmosphere and great people,” Matt said. “That foundation of people around him showed him the right way and what he needs to do to be the best teammate.”

‘I always thought I’d be in this position’

Freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown against Missouri State Sept.

7 at Scheumann Stadium. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Growing up, Kadin’s love of sports came naturally as the Semonza family enjoyed watching them. He played baseball, basketball and football growing up, but his time on the gridiron helped the future Cardinal realize football was more than a game. Soon after, his dream of playing college football began.

“I always had a dream of playing in the NFL, and this is one step along the way,” Kadin said. “… I always thought I’d be in this position.”

When he started playing football, he played every position but quarterback. Around the time he turned 12 years old, his youth team needed a quarterback and he stepped into his current position.

He received the opportunity to become the starting quarterback at Mission Viejo High School during his sophomore year. After that, he kept the job, leading the Diablos to a 33-6 record and throwing for 6,709 yards, 77 touchdown passes and only 13 interceptions in his tenure.

“Kadin’s one of those guys that you look at and say, ‘He’s got it,’’’ former Cardinal football player Clayton Coll said. “The ball comes off his hand differently. The spiral, the release, it just comes off different, and you recognize that early on.”

While he worked immensely to get better, Kadin credited the environment in which he played.

To him, California high school football is on a different level than any other state. “[It’s the] best there ever is,” Kadin said. “A lot of people disagree with that. They say Florida or Texas or all that kind of stuff, but I truly do believe that California high school football is the best you’ll find.”

He said he believes the detailed play calling and pace of the game are similar to college and even professional football. Yet, it’s not just about the way the game is played, but who has played in the Golden State and where they are now.

I felt a lot of pressure. I put a lot of hard work and preparation into the product you see on Saturdays.”

- KADIN SEMONZA, Redshirt freshman Kadin said guys like Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, the NFL’s 2023 No. 1 pick; Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud, the NFL’s 2023 No. 2 pick; and the Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown are all inspiration for him.

“It’s not surprising because I’ve been around a lot of those guys and then people who are closer to me who are also at the college level,” Kadin said.

‘Damn, this guy has it figured out’

While his stats and performance in high school seem impressive, the recruiting process wasn’t the smoothest for Kadin. As the oldest child, this was unfamiliar territory for him and his family.

“He had some opportunities where he had a university that was highly interested in him, was talking to him all the time, and then all of a sudden, stopped calling him,” Matt said. “For a young high school kid, they start to wonder, ‘Maybe I’m not good enough.”

But when Ball State assistant head coach Kevin Lynch’s brother Joey – who was the offensive coordinator and quarterback’s coach at Vanderbilt at the time – was scouting a teammate of Kadin, Kevin was informed about the Diablos’ starting quarterback. After getting an invite to a Ball State football prospect camp during his junior year of high school, Kadin took the opportunity and ran with it.

Cardinals’ head coach Mike Neu watched as the quarterback balled out over 2,000 miles away from home.

4See SEMONZA, 22

19

10.03.24

DNSports

Bringing back the legacy Muncie Burris senior Lilly Howell wants to revive Burris volleyball tradition and hang more state championship banners.

Logan Connor Reporter

Senior Lilly Howell cheers for her team as she takes a break against Noblesville High School Sept. 23 at Ball Gymnasium.

Howell helped lead the Owls’ to the state championship game last season. ANDREW BERGER, DN

On the south side of Ball State’s University’s campus lies Burris Laboratory School. The K-12 institute educates many of the university’s staff and faculty’s children.

Near the school grounds is the historic Ball Gymnasium, originally home to Ball State’s basketball teams from 1925 to 1963. The gym now hosts Burris Owls’ basketball and volleyballs.

Entering the gym, spectators are met with the scene of banners hanging from the rafters in the Owls’ signature blue and gold colorway. A total of 23 state championship banners hang.

Alongside those state championships are two national championship banners. Although the rafters are full, the storied history of Burris volleyball has been in a slump, according to some Burris community members.

The Owls went 10 years without winning an Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) state title, which for most schools is normal since winning a single title is a tall task.

But for Burris, going 10 years without a volleyball state championship was out of the ordinary.

At the forefront of the Burris revival is senior outside hitter Lilly Howell. Howell, who was part of the state champion team last season, wants to bring back another title to Burris.

“Everyone is always telling us we need to bring back the tradition,” Howell said. “Our classmates and everyone in the community wants Burris to bring back that tradition of being in the championship every year. I always tell them ‘We’re really trying,’ and last year was a step in the right direction.”

Last season, Burris waltzed into the state championship game and proceeded to not lose a single set during their postseason run. This year, the team had an almost complete makeover, losing six seniors from the roster.

Howell returns though, along with only seven other upperclassmen, and still thinks the team has the ability to make a run.

“We definitely miss our [players] we lost,” she said. “We’re in sort of a rebuilding year but we’re doing that strongly … We were just working on

putting the puzzle together. Now that we put it together and everything is in place, we’re going to be hard to stop.”

Although they returned with a mostly new set of players, Howell believes the Owls still have a target on their back. After winning it all last season, most teams play them harder than they do others.

“Teams are going to want to say, ‘Oh, I beat the state champion,’ so we’ve just had to work around that, and we’ve had to realize that we have to play hard every single game,” Howell said.

She said this has been a blessing in disguise for her team.

“I think that, honestly, made us a little bit better this year because we’ve realized that we’ve had to play really, really hard every single game, every single point. And if we don’t, then we will have to be tougher,” Howell said.

For Howell and her teammates, some losses against teams they have beaten in the past have left them feeling disappointed. One of those losses came against county rival Wapahani — a team Burris defeated en route to their state title last fall.

Although it was a loss, Howell feels she and her teammates were able to use it as a learning moment.

“We played so hard that game, and we fought really hard and we lost, but we grew so much,” Howell said.“... I think that we’re more on the right track to dealing with that pressure.”

With a roster loaded with underclassmen, head coach Jim Craig relies on his senior leaders, like Howell, to motivate those players.

“Last year, they had different roles,” Craig said.

“Now, they have to kind of be in that hierarchy of leading and helping us do what we’re trying to do. Trying to keep Lilly and other seniors hanging in there for their young teammates to catch up to some stuff in practice has been important. They are doing great and have been great leaders as well.”

Howell came into her high school career with the expectation to compete. What she had not yet realized was how big of a role she would play for the team. Now, with over 1,000 career kills, she has embraced her larger role and those changes over the years.

4See LEGACY, 22

10.03.24

DNLife

20

TESTING TO

Community

TREATMENT Ball State’s Student Health Center offers free STI testing each semester.

Maybelle Music Fest There will be multiple femaleled acts at Elm Street Brewing Company Oct. 5 from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. for the Maybelle Music Fest.

The event will also include vendors, food, drinks and sunflowers. There will be a new performer every 30 minutes at this year’s fourth-annual music fest, and the schedule for performers can be found on Elm Street’s social media pages.

Campus

Friday Filmworks Festival Ball State University’s student organization “Spirit and Traditions” is showing “Inside Out 2” Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. in Pruis Hall as a part of their Friday Night Filmworks. The movie is 1 hour and 36 minutes, and there will be free popcorn and soda for those attending the event. The first 100 people to arrive will receive a DIY stuffed cardinal craft to take home with them.

Community

Gillman Ladies Night

BRENDEN ROWAN, DN ILLUSTRATION

“Fall Into the ’70s Ladies Night” at Gillman Home Center will be held Oct. 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. The workshop event will have food and beverages, a prize for the best ’70s themed costume, games and door prizes. The event is open to the public, and reservations can be requested by calling 765-289-3388.

The event is intended to “inspire and grow your DIY knowledge.”

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: MADE IN MUNCIE POTTERY OFFERS A CREATIVE OUTLET

21 10.03.24

DNLife

The Ball State Student Health Center partners with the Wayne County Health Department to provide free STI testing to students.

Ella Howell Lifestyles and Copy Editor As young adults with relatively newfound freedom, it’s a given that many students are sexually active on college campuses. Therefore, ensuring safety and keeping students sexually healthy is focused on encouraging protection over prevention.

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are preventable when engaging in casual sex with the use of protection, like condoms, dental dams and vaccinations, according to Mayo Clinic.

The National Library of Medicine warns college students to be cautious.

According to the National Library of Medicine, 62 percent of young adults report condom usage outside of a committed relationship, and 19 percent report using one in an established relationship.

They also said STIs would be close to zero if those in committed relationships could ensure monogamy, but “rates of concurrent partnerships among those who indicate that they are in a committed relationship are high among college students.”

The Ball State Student Health Center provides STI testing for students for a fee depending on the test, but once each semester, it partners with the Wayne County Health Department to provide students with free screenings.

Students are able to be tested for HIV, hepatitis C, gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Free tests are provided on a walk-in basis and don’t require insurance.

With this semester’s free-testing day coming up Oct. 17, Ball State’s student health center staff encourages students to stop by anytime from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Suzanne Swierc, Ball State’s director of Health Promotion and Advocacy, said students just have to come to the health center and ask for an intake form to get started.

She said the process depends on the test the student needs. Generally, staff from the Wayne County Health Department set up in the health center on free testing days and call students back when it’s their turn. They have a quick conversation with the student to figure out what they need to be tested for. The test can include a blood or urine sample or a swab of any potentially infected areas.

It can take up to a week to receive results, depending on the test, and the health department will contact the student with the results. If students need treatment, they also work with them to call a prescription into a pharmacy or talk them through the next steps, Swierc said.

Swierc said the Office of Health Promotion and Advocacy works with the health center to keep a record of STI tests conducted on campus.

Of those who received an STI test at Ball State’s student health center in 2023, the most common was chlamydia with 15 percent of tests coming back positive. Syphilis had a positive rate of 2.5 percent,

and gonorrhea was 2 percent. Swierc emphasized that all three of these are bacterial infections that can typically be treated with antibiotics.

Many symptoms can go unnoticed, and Swierc said without a test, some can go years without receiving treatment. Others avoid screenings due to the stigma associated with STIs. According to Planned Parenthood, Chrissy Cmorik, the senior director of education for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, said reducing any perception of judgment surrounding the topic is important.

“What lead[s] instead is a conversation stressing the importance of knowing your own body — what’s normal for you — so you can recognize any changes and treat them early. By destigmatizing the conversation, we can destigmatize the treatment,” Cmorik said on Planned Parenthood’s website.

Chadwick Menning is the department chair for Ball State’s Department of Sociology. His areas of interest are family, social inequality and quantitative methods.

“It is important not to catastrophize or to single out college student behavior. There is a wide variety in how students approach their sex lives — with some being quite safe,” Menning said via email.

Menning also wants students to understand that STI testing doesn’t only benefit your life but the lives of others, even when receiving a negative result.

“Getting tested can provide you with greater peace of mind. It might also be considered part of your own self-care, as well as an important facet of being responsible to your partner or partners,” Menning said.

Swierc also recognizes a barrier between students and their sexual health. She said some students avoid testing due to lack of insurance or being on their parent’s insurance, so she hopes the free testing days remove that barrier.

“We recognize that students either potentially are underinsured or uninsured, or if a student is on their parent’s insurance, they may not want to get tested using their parent’s insurance and have to disclose their sexual activity to their parents,” Swierc said.

“If we are able to provide the opportunity to get tested at low to no cost, then that can help students take care of themselves [and] each other.”

Swierc said the language surrounding STIs is also important. Some health care professionals and educators feel using the term STI instead of STD is “more accurate and less stigmatizing,” according to Planned Parenthood.

“Sometimes, the term disease can be a little intimidating as well, and we want to make sure that, especially students on a college campus, but in general, everybody is aware that all STIs are treatable. Many of them are curable, and the only way to know if you have one and to be able to get treated is to get tested,” Swierc said.

Contact Ella Howell via email at ella.howell@ bsu.edu.

The front of the Amelia T. Wood Health Center building is photographed Sept. 30 at Ball State University. The Ball State Student Health Center provides free STI testing once a semester to students. ISABELLA KEMPER, DN

STIs on campus

Below is dated collected from STI testing at Ball State’s Student Health Center in 2023.

15% 2.5% tested positive for chlamydia.

tested positive for syphilis.

2%

tested positive for gonorrhea.

All three of these STIs are bacterial infections and, once diagnosed, are typically treated with antibiotics — this means they’re curable if treatment is taken correctly.

Source: Ball State University Health Center

40% 30-60%

of college students reported consistent use of condoms.

Source: National Library of Medicine

of college students reported at least one casual sex experience without a condom during their time on campus.

Anybody who is sexually active is at risk of contracting an STI; however, these groups are more likely: • • • •

People ages 15-24 Men who have sex with men Pregnant people Racial and ethnic minority groups

Source: Indiana Department of Health

BRENDEN ROWAN, DN DESIGN

DNSports

22

10.03.24

SEMONZA Continued from Page 18

“He just lit it up,” Neu said. “We had around 20 quarterbacks here that day with four or five being in the position that we liked their tape but wanted to see them in person. He was just awesome — everything about that workout, from getting on the same page with wideouts and tight ends. There’s a lot of value I place in that and like, ‘Damn, this guy has it figured out.’”

After receiving an offer that same day from Ball State, the Semonza family flew back to California that night. The next day, Kadin decided to commit to the red and white.

Matt said getting to meet and spend time with Ball State’s coaching staff was a deciding factor in Semonza’s decision.

Kadin graduated early his senior year to get a jumpstart in Muncie. While he won’t admit it, Matt knew his son struggled with being so far from home.

“He got thrown into the fire. Getting that all under his belt, starting classes, going to a place that’s 2,100 miles away, living in a dorm room, starting the football schedule,” Matt said. “All those things were thrown at him pretty darn quickly.”

When his name was called to start against No.1 Georgia last season, he was once again in new territory. Considering it was his first collegiate start and his first action since playing high school football the year before, he took it all in.

“You feel the atmosphere and all that kind of stuff,” Kadin said. “But once you get out there, I can’t really describe the feeling. It was surreal, awesome and I loved every bit of it.”

With help from guys like junior tight end Tanner Koziol and former Cardinals’ tight end Brady Hunt, his teammates aided him in adjusting to the area and became leaders for the new collegiate quarterback. Another former Ball State player who helped Kadin was Coll.

“We had a bunch of conversations off the field about how I should go about things and how I can be better at all that kind of stuff,” Kadin said.

However, the Cardinals found themselves in a three-way battle for the starting quarterback job.

When then-redshirt junior Kial Kelley won the spot by week seven, Kadin was redshirted and watched the remainder of the year from the sidelines. Coll was there to help him through.

“I think that’s the biggest mistake that young guys make,” Coll said. “But it’s evident because when they get their chance, those young guys that have a great sophomore year or start as a junior, that’s because of the work they did as a freshman.”

While somewhat frustrating at the time, Kadin

LEGACY

now looks at the situation and appreciates what he learned from the moment.

“It’s awesome to play against [No.1 Georgia and Kentucky],” Kadin said. “Then to sit back and Continued from Page 19 redshirt, it made sure I got everything else figured out so that I’m able to go out there and lead the “I just realized that I was going to be a little bit boys and succeed this year.” more needed on the team,” she said. “My freshman year, I was surrounded by seven seniors. So, I just ‘They gave me a shot’ didn’t really have to have that role … I realized, I The morning before Ball State played the want to get these kills, and I want to put them away, Bulldogs Sept. 9, 2023, Kadin texted Matt and told and I want to help us win.”

Along with embracing a larger workload on him he was starting. It was a moment the family the court, Howell has stepped up as one of her will never forget.

“He said, ‘They gave me a shot’ and I was like, teammates’ most important leaders. They look to ‘Let’s go,” Matt said, chuckling. “I knew what her when times are tough, and when they need he was up against, but it was everything he ever someone to lean on.

“I learn more and more from her every day about dreamed of.”

As of Ball State’s first four games this season, what being a reliable leader looks like,” senior Mya Kadin has 828 passing yards, eight touchdown Trammell said. “In stressful or tight situations, passes and one rushing touchdown. Though the mentally, Lilly is a very stable and dependable Cardinals are 1-3, the offense has clicked with the leader whose willingness and heart are contagious.

She is someone the team counts on emotionally young quarterback so far.

“He’s working with our offensive line every and skill-wise.”

Howell has a kind of passion and leadership that day,” redshirt junior receiver Qian Magwood said.

“He just gets everyone on the same page, and we cannot be taught. Her teammates notice that every day, and they think that is what sets her apart from just go make the plays. He makes it easy for us.”

While his gameplay is respected by the Cardinals, other great players.

“There is nothing Lilly cares about more there is something else he brings every day.

“His swag, everything about him from how than the growth and success of her teammates,” he walks in the room, you just feel his energy,” Tramell said. “Lilly is a special player to me purely because of her heart. She cares so much Magwood said.

Magwood compared his energy to former Ball about this game, and that is a quality that cannot State running back Carson Steele, who now plays be taught. She sacrifices a lot for her team, and for the Kansas City Chiefs. In the loss against her passion and commitment to this team is not Central Michigan Sept. 21, the Cardinals were in a something that goes unnoticed.”

Contact Logan Connor via email at logan. two-minute position. Kadin was his usual self.

“He walks [in the huddle] and says, ‘Boys, don’t connor@bsu.edu or via X @_loganconnor act like we haven’t done this before,’” Magwood said. “Then we went down and scored.”

Though Kadin has seemed to adjust to Ball State football just fine, according to people around the program, there is one thing that reminds him of every game he’s played in since high school: a pregame text from his father.

“I send him a little note and a lot of it just centered around trusting and believing the process,” Matt said. “When you get an opportunity, do everything you can, and trust yourself and your training.”

To Kadin, it reminds him that his family has been there every step of the way. Regardless of what happens or how he performs, he knows his family’s support is one thing that will never change.

“I couldn’t ask for a better set of parents. They give me everything, and I owe them,” Kadin said. “I always find them [in the crowd] before the game.”

Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary. carter@bsu.edu or on X via @ZachCarter85.

Kadin’s one of those guys that you look at and say, ‘He’s got it.’

The ball comes off his hand differently. The spiral, the release, it just comes off different, and you recognize that early on.”

- CLAYTON COLL, former Ball State football player

Senior Lilly Howell spikes the ball against Noblesville High School Sept. 23 at Ball Gymnasium. ANDREW BERGER, DN

LISTEN TO THE DAILY NEWS PODCAST BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM

Crossword & Sudoku Across

1 Feature of most debit cards 5 Missing sections

9 Flower in a chain 14 Sitarist Shankar

15 Norwegian capital

16 Heroic knight of medieval Spain 17 Newspaper opinion piece 19 Appearances

20 Chicago’s Italian beef, for one 22 Distress call

23 Staple __: upholsterer’s tool 24 Timeworn

27 New Yorker who’s the youngest

woman to serve in Congress, familiarly

28 Curly coif 30 __ Mahal

31 Human rights lawyer Clooney 34 Pronouns on a towel set, in

some families

37 “Can’t you get anyone else?”

39 Early web portal 40 Figure out

41 La Jolla sch. with a top-ranked

surf team

44 Exam for jrs.

45 Feminine pronoun 46 Penny

47 Driver’s one-eighty

49 West Coast nabe known for

Chicano culture

51 Addams cousin

52 Informal promise of payment 55 Metaphor for constant,

unpredictable change, or the pattern made by this puzzle’s circles

59 Sing a lullaby, perhaps 61 House key that can be

memorized

62 Language of runes 63 Land unit

64 Ballpark level

65 “Rudolph the Red-__ Reindeer” 66 Demonstrate

67 Some 35mm cameras Down

1 Easy-to-grow herb in the mustard

family

2 “You __ be there”

3 Wall-climbing vines

4 Bread often cut into triangles

5 Neil who has been a Supreme

Court justice since 2017 6 From Japan, e.g.

7 Think ahead

8 Gavel banger’s word

9 Beings who are part deity, part

human

10 Jazz great Coltrane

11 Businesses that face liquidation

every year?

23 10.03.24

12 Transgression

13 Gridiron distances: Abbr.

18 “Take it away!”

21 Caution

25 Butterfly stage

26 Dance party mix 27 Utah ski resort 28 Valuable item

29 Rattlesnake tooth 31 Entertain

32 Very, in Spanish

33 Property tax calculators 35 “Sign me up!”

36 Optimistic feeling 38 In the mood

42 Like many Gallaudet students 43 Got too big for

48 “The __-bitsy spider ... “ 50 The ones over there 51 Opening words

52 How smoked oysters may be

packed

53 More weird 54 Operators

56 Bigelow products 57 Fraction of a foot 58 Plays a role

59 “This Morning With Kasie Hunt”

channel

60 Joey of kid-lit

Solutions for Sept. 26

Listen to the Daily News Podcast!

Updates Thurs. mornings

STAY UPDATED Follow the DN on Social Media!

DNPuzzles

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR NEWS, CONTESTS AND MORE!

@bsudaily

@ballstatedaily