Collegian T he Cameron University
RBG www.aggiecentral.com
Monday, October 5, 2020
Volume 103 Issue 5
Honoring one of America’s leading feminist voices Payton Williams Staff Writer @YoureSoVanya
On Sept. 18, Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died of complications from pancreatic cancer. She was 87 years old. In the days following her death, President Donald Trump has already appointed Republican judge Amy Coney Barret to take Ginsburg’s place. Because of this, it is important to remember the woman Barrett will be replacing. Beginning her tenure in 1993 during the Bill Clinton presidency, Ginsburg served 27 years of her life on the supreme court, establishing herself as one of the leading feminist voices in public service throughout that time. She was known, even to her opponents, as a fierce speaker and legal mind. Former Republican Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia referred to her with admiration in an interview in 2013. “She has done more to shape the law in this field than any other justice on this court,” Scalia said. “She will take a lawyer who is making a ridiculous argument and just shake him like a dog with a bone.” Scalia’s faint praise bemused Ginsburg. When told about his remarks in an interview in 2020, Ginsburg’s reply was simple. “I wish he’d listened to me more,” Ginsburg said. Ginsburg’s disagreement with Scalia represents a part of her peculiar place in US history.
Throughout her public service career, Ginsburg was perhaps best recognized for her fiery dissents to decisions of the court. One notable example from recent history came with her dissent in the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby case in 2014. The Supreme Court ruled that certain companies could object to provisions in their
health coverage plans, namely contraceptives, on the grounds of religious belief. In Ginsburg’s dissent, she made it a point to note how the ruling would affect employees who do not share their employer’s religious beliefs and also pointed out the drastic difference in the cost of contraception for women as opposed to men. “It bears note in this regard that the cost of an IUD is nearly equivalent to a month’s full-time pay for workers earning the minimum wage,” Ginsburg said. While Ginsburg’s dissents were often fiery and memorable, they also represented something that is key to understanding why Ginsburg was so important. Ginsburg dissented because she often found herself on the losing side of the court’s rulings. As a result, Ginsburg established herself as perhaps the loudest voice on the court on issues of feminism and in opposition to religious persecution on the court. Ginsburg was the second woman ever to serve on the court and the first Jewish woman ever to do so, but these were far from the only things that distinguished her from her colleagues. Ginsburg was the loudest voice in opposition on the court. She stood up for what she believed even though she was often in the minority. Even though she often lost. Ruth Bader Ginsburg understood that there were worse things in life than losing. She was a powerful voice dissenting in a court that drifted ever further from what she believed. Without her voice on the court, who will come forward to dissent?
What’s Inside An evening hike with CCM
Tosado’s junior recital, “Nostalgia”
Dining Hall adapts to COVID-19
Page 2
Page 4
Page 5
2
News
October 5, 2020
www.aggiecentral.com
“Nurture the spirit, challenge the mind” Cameron Campus Ministry hikes the Lost Lake Trail Lea Killian
Managing Editor At 5 p.m. on Sept. 26, students and advisors involved in Cameron Campus Ministry (CCM) met at Lost Lake in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (WMWR) to hike the trail marked through the area. Led by Mike Morgan, CCM Chairman, and Peter Macias, Coordinator for Student Ministries, the group hiked alongside the lake, following the beaten path winding through the rocky terrain. Oftentimes, they stopped to listen to Morgan describe the local flora and fauna and recount his childhood stories of exploring the refuge, including one particular story detailing when he was able to swim in the 40-foot hole, another WMWR attraction. Macias, on the other hand, had only visited the refuge once before when CCM hiked the Jed Johnson Trail over the summer. He often stopped to take photos of the scenery, joking with the other hikers that the group was out searching for Sasquatch.
Macias also expressed that he was not aware of all the hiking trails available to explore in the WMWR, and looks forward to CCM’s next hike on Oct. 24. The group will be exploring the Narrows trail, a popular three-mile hike that showcases Oklahoma’s natural beauty. For Macias and Morgan, this beauty is proof of a higher power – and why they hope to encourage other CU students to join in on their hiking experiences. “Spending time in nature allows me to be in a place where I can be still and stand in awe and wonder of the beauty of creation,” Macias said. “It reaffirms my faith in the world and in humanity.” According to CCM’s promotional YouTube video, churches throughout the Lawton-Fort Sill community first initiated CCM in 1968 as a way to minister to the spiritual needs of all students, faculty and staff at CU. These churches were determined to “engage the campus as a partner in the process of growth and higher learning.” Now, CCM is a pillar of diversity and
inclusion on campus that encourages social awareness and consideration for other walks of life. For Macias, this is an important aspect of CCM. “As the only ecumenical organization in the state of Oklahoma, we are supported by various Christian organizations, as well as Muslim,” Macias said. “That includes Methodist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, Universal Unitarian and Muslim. “Although these organizations differ in their doctrines, a common thread runs through all of them. “That thread includes love and inclusion for all, creating and maintaining a safer world for our future generations, as well as fighting for social justice issues like human rights, civil rights and environmental justice.” If students are interested in joining CCM or simply accompanying the group on their next hike, they may contact Peter Macias at peter. macias@ccmcenter.org.
October 5, 2020
www.aggiecentral.com
3
Voices
anxiety & depression —
you’re not alone. Alison Malawey Staff Writer
You’re feeling nervous. Your body is tensing and trembling. You feel like your stomach is trying to crawl out of your throat. Your heart rate is increasing, and you’re breathing faster. The sense of impending doom is the only thing that fills your mind. You want to avoid anything and everything that makes you feel any worse than you already do. What is this? It’s anxiety. It’s exhausting and the feeling can make you unable to perform the most basic tasks. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the United States every year. It is the most common mental illness in the U.S. While anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only 36.9 percent of those suffering receive treatment. Healthline Media says when you feel anxious and stressed, your brain floods your nervous system with hormones and chemicals, like adrenaline and cortisol, which are designed to help you respond to a threat. Long term exposure to these hormones and chemicals can lead to an array of medical conditions, such as suppression of the immune system, digestive disorders, short-term memory loss, premature coronary artery disease and heart attacks — just to name a few. Those suffering from anxiety are at a higher risk for depression — which in turn, exacerbates anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2017 an estimated 17.3 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode — of which 11 million suffered severe impairment. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) defines a major depressive episode as a period of at least two weeks when a person experiences a depressed mood or loss of interest in daily activities — and has a majority of specified symptoms such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration or self-worth. The stigma of mental illnesses like depression and anxiety in the U.S. has waned in recent years, but there are still many people who are afraid to seek help. There’s no shame in admitting that you need help with depression or anxiety. You wouldn’t deny someone trying to help you from drowning, would you? This year, I lost my grandfather and my older brother to suicide — death by gunshot wound to the head. My brother left behind children. The 5-year-old is mostly angry and lashes out, and in doing so, has accidently broken one of their cat’s toes and the other’s leg. The 3-year-old pulls her hair out at night and cries that she misses her dad. The 19-month-old will never know her father. The last conversation I had with my brother was as he drove me back to
Lawton from Oklahoma City after our grandfather’s funeral. My car broke down, and I thought I had a test the next day. He offered to give me a ride home. We talked about how much he had been thinking about suicide. The only thing that stopped him was the idea that his family would be the ones to find him. That’s probably why, when he did it, he drove himself out to a large parking lot and called the police. He sought help for his depression once. He went to a psychiatrist who spent maybe five minutes with him before sending him on his way with a prescription for antidepressants. Out of frustration, he refused to seek help again, despite the insistence of his wife. Just like anything else, it’s important to know where to get the best help for you. It makes no sense to go to a foot doctor for an issue with your heart. If you fail through one avenue, search for another. Not all treatment is the same. According to the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System’s Leading Causes of
Death Reports for 2018, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. For Oklahomans, suicide was the ninth leading cause of death and the second leading cause of death for ages 10 - 34. In 2018, there were an estimated 1.4 million suicide attempts in the U.S., 48,344 of which were successful. There were 18,830 homicides. Statistically, you’re more likely to die by your own hands than by someone else’s. The 2018 NSDUH showed that men died by suicide 3.6 times more often than women, but women were 1.4 times more likely to attempt suicide. When I was in the seventh grade, I tried to cut my wrists with a plastic butter knife. I was obviously unsuccessful, but I did want to die. The next day was better. I didn’t reach out for help, but things are different today than they were back then. Suicide rates have been climbing for the past 20 years, and no one expects the current pandemic crisis to help with that situation. With everyone isolated to their houses, it’s important to reach out to your friends and families, whether it be for your mental health or theirs. A show I’ve been watching, “The Blacklist” compares the fallout for families of loved ones who commit suicide to the fallout of a suicide bomber. One of the main characters describes it as “an act of terror perpetrated against everyone who’s ever known you, everyone who’s ever loved you. The people closest to you, the ones who cherish you, are the ones who suffer the most pain, the most damage.” That may seem harsh, but I couldn’t think of a better way to describe how suicide affects those left behind. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Lifeline connects callers to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals for anyone in need. You can also text “HELLO” to 741741 which is the Crisis Text Line. The Crisis Text Line is free, as well, offering 24/7 support for those in crisis by connecting them with a trained Crisis Counselor. At CU, anyone in crisis can walk into the Student Wellness Center and speak to a counselor immediately. I drove past a man walking along the road the other day and he smiled at me. It was the most beautiful smile, and it instantly made my day better. Whether you believe it or not, you are important. The smallest things you do can drastically change someone else’s life. Should you or anyone you know suffer from anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts — please seek help. Your feelings are valid, no matter what the issue. Things can get better. You just have to be open to letting them.
Photo courtesy of Tribune Content Agency Graphic by Amanda King
About Us
The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available twenty Mondays during the year. It is printed by the Lawton Constitution. The first issue is provided for free. Each subsequent issue is $1.50.
Our Views
The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Voices” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma. Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.
Letters Policy
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
Editorial Staff
Managing Editor - Lea Killian A&E Editors - Cam Alsbrook Voices Editor - Amanda King Copy Editor - Brittney Payette
Newsroom Staff
Staff Writers - Alison Malawey, Rebecca Nelson Photographers - Stacie Larsen Financial Officer - Susan Hill Faculty Adviser - Prof. David Bublitz
Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by mail, by e-mail to aggiecentral@ cameron.edu or they may be dropped off to the Academic Commons 101.
4
A&E
nostalgia
October 5, 2020
www.aggiecentral.com
with Khalil Cabrera-Tosado
Cam Alsbrook A&E Editor
At 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 25, Vocal Performance senior Khalil CabreraTosado performed online at the Nostalgia recital. The recital covered music pieces and styles that span hundreds of years up to the modern era of music. Tosado was surprised that he was not nervous prior to the recital. “I guess I was — you could say — over-prepared,” Tosado said. “I was supposed to perform my junior recital in April, but for obvious reasons I couldn’t. “However, that night I found myself waiting in my professor’s office, while listening to worship music and praying to God that this performance glorified him, not me.” The Nostalgia recital exemplified Tosado’s connection with the pieces he sang — each piece featured meant something to him. “The focus of the recital was to remember my past while I was singing each piece,” Tosado said. “Each piece of my repertoire consisted of one memory that I connected with. For example, in the Spring semester of 2019, I was Prince Eric in the Cameron Theater production of ‘The Little Mermaid.’ “I sang my solo piece, ‘Her Voice,’ in my recital to reflect back on the fun and the impact the theatre department left for me.” Tosado’s past deeply ties in to why he performs, and it shows in how he performs the pieces compared to other singers. “A lot of performers think differently when performing,” Tosado said. “Some think constantly about technicality; others think melodically. “I am not saying that those performers are wrong, but in my mindset, I think about the text of the piece and what the text really means. Not only does it give me concentration and focus, it also gives me a motive and I can somehow connect the piece with a close family or friend to deliver every emotional aspect there is to that piece.” Tosado credits the department as well as his voice teacher, Dr. Gregory Hoepfner, for the success he has seen. He also commented on Hoepfner’s high level of patience with his students, as well as his positive outlooks for life. Hoepfner attests to Tosado’s character as a key part of the Nostalgia recital’s success. “...if he hadn’t been the hard-worker he is, this concert wouldn’t have gone as well,” Hoepfner said. “Because of the delays, the work-arounds and general
annoyance of dealing with health issues, another student may not have done as well. “Our guidance as professors is hampered and it takes students like Khalil to step up and be motivated to get things done under terrible pressures and duress.” Tosado’s favorite part about performing is the energy that he puts into every piece he performs. “People often mistake performing vocal music as merely just entertainment rather than the effort one has to put into the piece to convert it into what is — perhaps a life lesson that connects to people instead of just amusing them with the melody,” Tosado said. Tosado grew up in a religious household, so he found music in the church he attended as his communication with God. “Music has always been my life,” Tosado said. “Music is my devotion to God. Music is my communication with him. It says in Colossians 3:17, ‘And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.’ “With the input of the talent that God has honored me with to glorify his name, I knew that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.” Two of Tosado’s favorite pieces of the night are “O Komm im Traum” by Franz Liszt and “Dulce Embelso” by Miguel Matamoros. Tosado said both songs impacted his life when he heard them for the first time, and they still resonate with him while he performs. The Impressionist and Romantic eras of music interest him the most. Tosado has changed over the course of his academic career, yet still carries focus toward glorifying God with his voice and passion. “Starting from freshman year, it has been a long journey, but everything was worth it,” Tosado said. “It just depends on how much effort and practice you do to take you to that satisfactory state that you want to be in. “I am not trying to be arrogant when I say that I allow myself to fulfill the maximum effort I can to deliver the performance for God’s glory, always — not for me. “It says in 2 Timothy 2:15a, ‘Be diligent to present yourself approved to God.’ Comparing my freshman year to my senior year, I can say that those two performers are not the same person.”
Photo by Cam Alsbrook
October 5, 2020
www.aggiecentral.com
Student Life
5
Shepler Dining Hall adapts to COVID-19
Amanda King Voices Editor
As with many other student resources at CU, the Shepler Dining Hall has instituted some new modifications to adapt to life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sodexo Food Services is responsible for all food provisions on campus, including the Shepler Dining Hall and the McMahon Student Union. All students living on-campus are required to sign up for a meal plan. Different meal plans are available depending on how many meals a student wants per week. The Dining Hall now features additional hand sanitizers throughout the space, styrofoam cups and plastic silverware. Furthermore, the cafeteria has added floor stickers and guardrails to direct food lines. According to Sodexo General Manager, Joseph Worrell, this is one of the most important modifications. “That’s one of the biggest things,” Worrell said. “We wanted to make sure there was a smooth flow of traffic through the cafeteria as students going in and out.” Worrell noted that another big change to the Shepler Dining Hall involves a transition from self-service on the buffet line to assisted serving. “We always have someone attending the line,” Worrell said. “We also did some social distancing
of our tables to make sure that we invite staff and students to feel comfortable and safe when they’re in here.” Worrell also explained that the dining hall staff will not impose any new rules or regulations on students, as that falls under university jurisdiction. “We are a contracted service,” Worrell said. “We allow the university to be able to set those expectations and we just try to make it as easy as possible for students.” However, there are some cases wherein students ignore the new framework within the Shepler Dining Hall, including moving tables together or seating more than 10 people at one table. Despite the enrollment lull this semester, the cafeteria has not suffered. While some students and staff have reached out about concerns, the Shepler Dining Hall remains populated. Moreover, Worrell noted the cafeteria staff has also maintained the availability and amount of food served. “We still push out the same amount of food,” Worrell said. “We try to still offer the same amount of options that you would find any other day at Cameron University.” According to Resident Assistant Reagan Pyles, some of the changes to the Shepler Cafeteria are somewhat challenging. “The new hours are the hardest part for me,”
Photos by Amanda King
Pyles said. “I am a full-time teaching assistant this semester and working as an RA, so it can be hard to make the mealtime hours — especially dinner.” Thankfully, according to Pyles, the cafeteria offers takeout boxes for RA’s while they are working at the Student Housing desk, but she does try to dine-in as much as possible. However, aside from quarantine or isolation housing, there are no to-go options available for other students. Worrell explained that this will encourage people to sit down and socialize. Mealtimes for the Shepler Dining Hall are 7-9:30 a.m. for breakfast, 11 a.m-1 p.m. for lunch and 5-6:30 p.m. for dinner, Mon.-Thurs, as well as 10:30-1 p.m and 5-7 p.m. for brunch and dinner on Fri.-Sun. To see cafeteria menus up to a week in advance, students can download Sodexo’s new cell phone app, “Bite.” On the app, students can also find special features, vegetarian options and nutritional information. For more information or any other questions, students can email Joseph Worrell at jworrell@ cameron.edu or call 580-581-2387.
Sports
6
October 5, 2020
www.aggiecentral.com
cross-country holds strong: Loic Rossignaud & team previal in Aggie Duels
Cam Alsbrook A&E Editor
The morning of Sept. 25 was a bright one for the Cross-Country division of the Cameron Aggies at the Aggie Duels. The Aggies saw all of its participating members in the top ten finishers for the event, with Senior Eduardo Gutierrez taking first place and Junior Loic Rossignaud taking second place. Rossignaud says that the team’s determination to win was best showcased when they started practice at 6:15 a.m. nearly every day — initially starting the practices without a coach. “We have been able to run quite a few solid workouts that put us in a good shape for the Aggie Duels,” Rossignaud said. “We did a lot of ‘tempo runs’ that made me very good at running a fast pace during a long time, so I knew that, in order to perform well at the Aggie Duels, we had to keep a strong and consistent pace all the way to the finish line. It would have probably been difficult to win on a final sprint against other teams because of our lack of speed workouts.” The team’s long-term endurance practice paid off, as it helped Gutierrez and Rossignaud establish a powerful pace against competitors.
“Before the race, my thoughts were focused on keeping a nice, relaxed pace.” Gutierrez said, “I was also a little anxious to run because I have not competed since February. I expected either Loic or I to win the event.” Neither Rossignaud nor Gutierrez were surprised by the Aggie takeover, despite the lack of speed workouts. The team had to take the lead from the beginning to avoid unforeseen issues from competitors, Rossignaud explained. “Eduardo and I spent the first kilometer just looking at who was in the leading pack in order to control the race perfectly,” Rossignaud said, “without getting surprised by some competitors that we forgot to take into consideration. “At this point, only one runner from Redlands CC was confident enough to lead the race, so without any doubt, we decided to go over and ensure a strong pace. It was definitely the right move to do because nobody from Redlands CC even tried to jump into this pace — after a few miles we had the race under control.” The team celebrated at Medicine Park afterwards — for the win, as well as for three birthdays the team was not able to celebrate together before. Rossignaud noted that the team
Photo by Cam Alsbrook
was practicing harder compared to last year during the summer alone. “I feel like all our new recruits are really dedicated and follow advice from older runners that have extraordinary experiences,” Rossignaud said. “Nine runners from Cameron University in the top ten of this cross country was a very good reward for their work, and I hope we can keep it that way during the upcoming races.” The team’s average finish time was 27:37.80 seconds, with the first opponent finishing in seventh with a time of 28:37 seconds.
The results for this year’s duel for Gutierrez and Rossignaud are better than last year’s result, jumping from seventh and eighth to first and second respectively. Graduate student Aggie Chris Dunn retained a third-place finish from 2019 during this semester’s Aggie Duel. The team held together strong during the to-date height of the COVID-19 pandemic — and with the current precautions followed prior to each meet the team seems able to weather oncoming obstacles with the current pace they carry.