Daily Trojan 9/2/22

Daily Trojan

HEAt WAVE WArNING

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Avoid the sun, drink fluids, replace salt and minerals, avoid alcohol and stay cool indoors.

by CHrIStINA CHKArbOUL, ImAGEN mUNKHbAYAr & JENNA PEtErSON Daily Trojan

Content warning: This article includesmentionsofsexualassaultand gender-basedviolence.

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

These 37 words, written in 1972 as part of Title IX of the Education Amendment the same year, transformed the landscape of higher education. No longer could institutions receiving federal funding legally discriminate against students on the basis of sex — as President Richard Nixon signed the bill into law, equity was set to be achieved and space was created for non-men in collegiate education and athletics.

While Title IX outlawed school-sanctioned gender-based discrimination, instances of genderbased harm on college campuses, including sexual assault and gender-based violence, continue to disproportionately affect non-men: According to nationwide statistics from the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 26.4% of women

undergraduates experienced rape or sexual assault compared to 6.8% of men undergraduates. More than 23% of transgender, genderqueer and gender nonconforming students have been sexually assaulted.

While critics have debated Title IX’s application to collegiate athletics since the bill was first signed into law, the policy undoubtedly increased spending and participation rates for women’s sports teams. And yet, inequalities remain: the NCAA Title IX at 50 report showed expenditure rates to be 23% higher for men’s Division I collegiate sports compared to women’s teams of the same division.

The Daily Trojan spoke with students and faculty about Title IX policy at USC through the years — from triumphs to scandals — and their hopes for the years ahead.

History of Title IX legislation

Over the storied history of Title IX policy, a handful of amendments were proposed and several lawsuits brought against the legislation. Sen. John Tower proposed in 1974 the rejected “Tower Amendment,” which would’ve exempted revenue-producing sports from complying with Title IX. Two months later, Sen. Jacob Javits proposed an amendment to provide for “reasonable provisions considering

the nature of particular sports,” arguing that sporting events and uniform spending for sports with larger crowds need not be matched in sports with smaller audiences.

The final version of Title IX, signed by President Gerald Ford in 1975, included Javits’ amendment. The congressional review of this version rejected multiple attempts by senators to disaffiliate the legislation from athletics — including Sens. Paul Laxalt, Carl T. Curtis and Paul J. Fannin’s 1975 disapproval of Title IX’s application to intercollegiate athletics.

The NCAA filed a later-dismissed lawsuit against Title IX in 1976, challenging its legality. Colleges and high schools were given until 1978 to begin fully complying with the legislation — USC began complying in 1972.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights outlined in 1979 a test to determine a school’s compliance with Title IX, particularly within the realm of athletics. The test’s three areas are: whether the school awards scholarship money to men and women proportionally with participation rates; whether schools accommodate athletic interests and abilities, such as by providing athletic participation opportunities proportionate to enrollment; and whether a school provides

equitable access to equipment, practice times, support services and other areas.

The 1984 Supreme Court decision in Grove City College vs. Bell temporarily ceased Title IX’s application to athletics; Congress passed the Civil Rights Restoration Act four years later over President Ronald Reagan’s veto, stipulating that Title IX involves all operations of institutions receiving federal funding.

EEO-TIX at USC

The USC Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX was established ahead of the 2020-21 academic year as a “centralized report and response office that provides consistent and equitable access to supportive measures and informal and formal resolution options,” the EEO-TIX site reads.

EEO-TIX was created as a merging of two formerly separate offices — the Office of Diversity and Equity, and the Office of Title IX. The combined office deals with all protected class issues, including those of sex, gender, race, disability, ethnicity and religion.

Title IX Coordinator and EEO-TIX Vice President Catherine Spear joined the office in August 2020. Spear saw the office double in size since she began, with an increase in supportive measures and dedicated resources

toward messaging and raising awareness among the University community about rights and responsibilities relating to the policy on prohibited discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

“We’ve continued to enhance what we call the investigation and resolution side of our team, where we’ve added new resources and focus has been leaning in with care for our community members, recognizing whatever brings them to our office, especially if they go through a formal process,” Spear said.

Reporting an instance of sexual assault or discrimination is stressful, Spear said, and can add to trauma the individual may be experiencing, so EEO-TIX created a dedicated intake support and care team.

“Even without a filing of a formal complaint, our care team can help facilitate, connecting that student to support resources — that may be connecting them to the ombuds, to RSVP [or] it may be with their permission reaching out to their faculty to help secure them a reasonable accommodation in the form of an academic adjustment, such as an extension of time on a test,” Spear said.

In the formal resolution process, the state of California requires individuals to go through a hearing and be available for questioning if they want

CALIFORNIA

Since Title IX’s introduction in 1972, USC has made strides in non-discrimination — but gender-based violence and inequities remain.

Lauren Schatzman | Daily Trojan

Young politicians are long overdue

by ANNiE bANG Assistant Opinion Editor

Though Generation Z’s influence is often limited to a heavy social media presence, many rising young politicians have begun to infiltrate the world of politics, a phenomenon that is long overdue.

CNN projects that Maxwell Frost, a 25-year-old candidate, will win the Democratic nomination for Florida’s 10th Congressional District, which would push the nation’s first Gen Z politician straight into Congress.

Gen Z encompasses those born between the years of 1997 and 2012, with the oldest members of the group turning 25 this year. Strikingly different from previous generations, Gen Z is heavily associated with the onset of technological advancements such as social media that have impacted their development and caused key differences from their predecessors.

In a country struck with political turmoil and bipartisan conflict — more than 40% of Americans believe that a civil war is “likely” in the next ten years — now is the time to bring new perspectives and fresh voices into politics.

Despite their young age, aspiring Gen Z politicians bring a voice to a

table which frequently dismisses the concerns of their rising generation. Rather than older politicians continuing to dictate what they think is best for the youth, a younger politician who understands the dominant worries of Gen Z can better cater to the demographic.

Especially with concerns regarding the future of the world, such as climate change and technological advancements, Gen Z will have to bear the brunt of the consequences of our actions today, rather

than our grandparents or parents. Therefore, having that voice at the table when making crucial decisions that shape the future is not only helpful but imperative.

Issues affecting Gen Z are endless: school shootings, loan forgiveness programs, climate change and rising concerns with technology, AI and social media. In all these matters, Gen Z politicians can provide a salient perspective into the issue and potentially help legislate new laws into existence

that more accurately reflect the desires of the youth.

When it comes to questions of technology and social media, Gen Z is arguably more knowledgeable than most about the internet, having grown up during the onset of its development. Rather than waiting on older politicians to learn technological jargon and understand how Instagram works, it may be better to bring in youthful interpretations of the issue at hand. Though our current political

Need to Fryft? Think twice.

by mELOdy GUi Assistant Opinion Editor

Recently, I began to notice the amount of spam I’ve received from the Uber Eats app on my phone. Take yesterday, for example, I received two Uber Eats notifications: one at 7:04 a.m. that reminded me of “a sweet deal” they’re offering, “Take 40% off your next 3 orders over $25,” and another at 12:10 p.m. that said, “Try Wingstop’s new chicken sandwich for free … Now through 9/5.” I would receive offers and promotions like these from Uber Eats and other third-party delivery services such as Grubhub and DoorDash every day, so much that it made me start wondering “what is going on?”

While I have always used thirdparty food delivery services here and there over the years, it wasn’t until the pandemic that I became a loyal fan of them. Indeed, by last year, the food delivery market had already more than tripled since 2017 and doubled during the pandemic. With

Daily T rOjan

just a few simple taps on the phone, I could have warm, delicious, readyto-eat food delivered to my door — whether that’s boba, sushi or cacio e pepe. Most importantly of all, it was cheap.

With the low price and convenience, I became spoiled by these urban-tech services — not just for food but also for everything else. I started Lyfting everywhere and got a Peloton bike at home. If you fit into roughly the same demographic as me — young, urban-ish and professional — then you’ve probably also been spoiled by the sweetheart deals companies like Uber have been offering for the past few years.

With USC’s Lyft Ride program, which offers free rides to USC students, faculty and staff to locations within a certain radius from the University Park Campus during certain hours, we get further accustomed to a lifestyle dependent on urban amenities in travel, food and retail that vaguely fall on the border of tech companies. I must partly thank these services for my now expired driver’s permit and poor cooking skills.

These modern urban amenities are so convenient and cheap that I extensively used their services for the past two years without any hesitation or reservation; that is, until this summer. I was living in New York and on my way home from the gym one day, I decided to order an Uber. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the number of the estimated cost pop up on the screen: almost $45 for a trip that was less than a mile and would have taken me only 20 minutes on foot.

Soon after that, I began to notice the surge in prices for other urban-tech services as well. When I decided to look into the economics behind it, I found out that, much to my surprise, food delivery platforms have remained largely unprofitable for years despite its explosive growth during the pandemic. They were actually hurting rather than profiting from the surge in business during the pandemic, hence all the discounts and deals I have been getting spammed with.

All these services that seemed to be dominating the market were actually losing money this whole time. The Atlantic staff writer Derek

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Thompson wrote, “If you woke up on a Casper mattress, worked out with a Peloton, Ubered to a WeWork, ordered on DoorDash for lunch, took a Lyft home, and ordered dinner through Postmates only to realize your partner had already started on a Blue Apron meal, your household had, in one day, interacted with eight unprofitable companies that collectively lost about $15 billion in one year.”

Challenges in the food-delivery and other urban-tech amenities businesses were underscored by DoorDash Chief Operating Officer Christopher Payne, who told the Wall Street Journal last year that “this is a cost-intensive business that is low-margin and scale driven.” We must remember that the too-good-to-be-true era of cheap, ready-to-eat food at your doorstep was only made possible by low demand and a weak labor market — people who drove Uber or delivered Grubhub because there was no competing job offer available that would pay more.

Delivery drivers making low, unpredictable wages are a prime example of gig economy problems.

system tends to disregard the youth — seeing as there are state and federal age candidacy laws that bar Gen Z from entering political races in the first place — the government must realize the value of younger viewpoints without infantilizing them when they enter office.

What Gen Z politicians may lack in age and experience, they make up for with a rejuvenated spirit and admirable candor.

According to Frost, if elected to Congress, he promises to “bring the fervor of Gen Z with him.”

Having lived through what Frost calls “the mass shooting generation,” it becomes all the more imperative to have young people at the forefront of shaping political decisions like these in the future.

If anything, starting a political journey as a youthful candidate may be beneficial in the long term. With only time ahead of them, a long-term political journey may allow for years of experience to build up without the fear of becoming too old to misrepresent the people.

With hopeful optimism and a desperate desire for change, Gen Z politicians are exactly what this country needs. Considering older and past politicians have proven unhelpful in the grand scheme of our political landscape and social progression these past few years, it is now time for a new generation to take the stand.

In fact, it wasn’t just the drivers that were getting hurt by the business model. Small restaurant owners are also losing money. “Who is profiting then?” you might ask, “surely someone’s got to be!” Well, venture capitalists — private investors that buy a stake in an entrepreneur’s idea they believe to have high growth potential — seem to be the only ones with faith in this model. The Silicon Valley venture capitalists have their bets on long-term growth rather than short-term profit, willing to lose money for a short while if they can acquire a gazillion customers, of which both you and I are a part of. We better get ready to go back to the way things are supposed to be, which is paying what things actually cost, because the sweetheart deals from Uber sponsored by the venture capitalist are now gone. The next time you are about to order a Lyft ride, may you be reminded of the bizarre financial engineering that has gone into constructing the business model behind all this and the even more bizarre capitalist world we live in.

Opinion Editor, Daily Trojan USC Student Union 421 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0895

The congressional takeover of Gen Z pumps new perspectives into politics.

Holden Kilbane | Daily Trojan

Venture capitalists are getting us all hooked on an unsustainable lifestyle.

No. 14 Trojans begin season against Rice, beginning the Lincoln Riley era

now you kind of feel the urge to look ahead, but you still have to prepare at a high level. You got to come out here and work every day and try to have a singular focus.”

By DANIEL PALMORE Staff Writer

On October 6, 1923, USC played their first game in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Trojans defeated the Pomona Sagehens 23-7, marking the beginning of one of the most storied programs in college football history.

The next chapter of Trojan football comes after an eventful offseason in which USC hired Lincoln Riley as the new head football coach and gained notable transfers such as quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Jordan Addision. The football team will begin a new era on Saturday against Rice.

USC and Rice are both coming off 4-8 seasons and Saturday’s game will be the programs’ first meeting since 1971. The last time these two teams played in the Coliseum was 1948, with the Trojans winning 7-0. USC will look to extend their home opener winning streak to 15. Historically, the Trojans have had a lot of success with season openers, with a record of 96-24-8 and 36 shutout wins; USC is 6816-7 in home openers.

“They’re excited. They’ve handled the preparation well,” said head coach Lincoln Riley in a press conference Tuesday. “Right

Ahead of the season opener, Coach Riley announced offensive lineman Justin Dedich, defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu, linebacker Shane Lee and quarterback Caleb Williams will be the four team captains for this season.

“I’m grateful to serve this team,” Dedich said in a press conference Tuesday. “I’m excited they chose me to represent them as well as Shane, Tuli and Caleb. None of us are above one another, we’re there for them and they’re there for us. We just have to be a player-led team and make sure we get this thing rolling for this season.”

Riley spoke highly of his new captains, citing their leadership abilities and dedication to the team.

“The team pretty clearly looks to those four as the guys they want to represent them,” Riley said. “It’s a big honor for those guys, that’s something that none of them take lightly. They’ve done a tremendous job leading the whole way through.”

Saturday’s game will also be the debut for the many transfers USC gained through the transfer portal. As one of USC’s most notable transfers, Williams is a candidate for the Heisman Trophy this season after his freshman season at Oklahoma University in which he was named a secondteam offensive Freshman AllAmerican. Addison transferred to USC after a season where he set the University of Pittsburgh’s

Some of USC’s other notable transfers set to make an impact this season include former Oregon running back Travis Dye –the Pac-12’s leader in scrimmage yards last season with 1,673 – and wide receiver Mario Williams from Oklahoma, a freshman AllAmerican from a year ago.

The Trojans also welcomed eleven true freshmen to the team, most notably five-star cornerback Domani Jackson, four-star running back Raleek Brown and four-star wide receiver C.J. Williams.

team coming in here and it’s the first game – so we know the level of competition that we’re going to face and we’ll have to be ready to play.”

Rice is returning 13 starters from last year’s 4-8 team and will be led by quarterback Wiley Green, who won the starting job during camp. Rice’s backfield features running back Ari Broussard – the team’s leading rusher last year with 569 yards and 3 touchdowns – and running back Cameron Montgomery.

record for receptions with 100, had 1,593 receiving yards and tied for the most touchdown receptions in the nation with 17.

Addison spoke about how he has progressed in terms of learning Riley’s offense before his USC debut on Saturday.

“I’m getting one step closer every day. It’s just all about getting in the reps, so the more reps I get, the more comfortable I get with the offense,” Addison said.

All three players are coming from Mater Dei High School, a football powerhouse that has produced former Trojans such as AmonRa St. Brown, Matt Barkley and Matt Leinart, among others.

Coach Riley mentioned that although the team is very excited to start the season on Saturday, Rice is an opponent that they will not overlook.

“They’ve played some extremely competitive games. Defensively, it’ll be one of the more experienced groups we play all year with a ton of returning starters,” Riley said.

“They do a good job of being very multiple. It’s a quality football

Although Rice reached 150 rushing yards as a team in just four games last season, the Owls were still No. 10 in the nation for time of possession. Their wide receiver group will be led by Cedric Patterson III – who had 38 catches for 583 yards and 6 touchdowns last year – and Tulsa transfer Sam Crawford, who had 114 catches for 1,623 yards and 10 touchdowns last year.

Rice’s defense features defensive lineman Ikenna Enechukwu, who led the team in sacks last year with five. USC’s offensive firepower has the potential to expose Rice’s pass defense that ranked 123rd in the nation last season, compared to 26th in 2020.

USC’s home opener against Rice kicks off at 3 p.m. at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Photo courtesy of PxHere

Rice University has not had a winning season since 2014, when the Owls went 8-5.

After a dramatic offseason, USC will have a chance to prove themselves on the field.

Peter Gastis | Daily Trojan

USC finished fourth in the Pac-12 South last season, marking their worst finish since 2014.

“I’m grateful to serve this team. I’m excited they chose me to represent them as well as Shane, Tuli and Caleb. None of us are above one another, we’re there for them and they’re there for us.”

JUSTIN DEDICH

USC lineman onbeingnamedoneofthefourteamcaptains

TrojansgoglobalforU20 WorldCup

By MAyA GOMES Staff Writer

“This has to be it. I can feel it. I can feel it. Okay, let me answer this.”

There is no bigger stage in sports than international competition. For many athletes, including sophomore forward Simone Jackson, being selected to these elite teams is an achievement they pursue from childhood and throughout the entirety of their career. It is the ultimate dream, and for a very select few, it becomes their reality.

This past month, four Trojan athletes secured their chance to carry out this dream during the FIFA U20 World Cup in Costa Rica.

Sophomore defender Brooklyn Courtnall, junior defender and midfielder Zoe Burns and sophomore midfielder Simi Awujo were selected to play for the Canadian National Team, while Jackson was tapped to play for the United States.

“It was the biggest soccer stage I have ever played on,” Courtnall said in an interview with the Daily

Trojan. “It was a really surreal experience. I had only played for Canada in the CONCACAF and then a couple camps before that, so I hadn’t really been in the national team system for that long. Just going straight to the U20 World Cup was a pretty crazy experience.”

Getting called up to the World Cup is not easy. It requires time, dedication and sacrifice on a nearly incomprehensible level, from childhood to adulthood.

“You are playing with the best in the world, quite literally. It’s more intense, it’s more on the line. You ask for more out of yourself as a player mentally and physically than you ever have before,” Jackson said. “The crowd is bigger, the gear is better. It’s just heightened, everything is heightened. You live for those moments. This is what I was training for for as long as I can remember.”

But despite all the hard work, the experience is like no other. The environment, the people and the level of play are unprecedented experiences for many of the young

“You stay with all the other teams, whether they’re in your group or not, so it was really cool to have everyone around,” Burns said. “Even if you don’t speak the same language as the other people, in a way you are still getting to know them.”

For all the Trojans, their journeys to the World Cup took very different paths. For Jackson, getting called up was years in the making.

“I started with youth national teams when I was 14,” Jackson said, “and then all of a sudden you pick your head up and you’re there. This has always been on the docket, always been something I have been working towards, camp after camp, kept my head down and grinded and I made it.”

For Courtnall, however, playing for the national team was a welcome surprise.

“I think that as a kid everyone dreams of playing for the national team, but really when I was growing up my main focus was just wanting to play college soccer,” Courtnall said. “I really never thought I would play in the World Cup or play for the national team, so it was a real shock and a really cool experience. I really never thought I would get to that point.”

But being able to play at the most elite level and represent your country is a feeling unlike any other, the players said.

“The first time I was so shocked because, for me, and actually Brooklyn and Simi as well, none of us had really been in the Canada program before,” Burns said. “Canada virtually didn’t know about us. For us, we all take Canada as a big part of our identity, so it was really cool and exciting to be able to represent them, especially for the first time and do so much in one year … [it is something] we all really cherish.”

With the World Cup in their rearview, the Trojans are getting ready to jump into the collegiate season.

“I love playing for [USC]. I love my teammates, so it’s somewhere that I genuinely want to be, whether I am coming off a flight or here at home,” Jackson said. “Home is L.A. and home is McAlister. It’s kind of comforting to know that if I can prove it on the world stage, I can prove it in my backyard. It’s a bit of a confidence booster, but I am back and I am level headed and I am ready to contribute where they need me.”

Transitioning between two major competitions is never easy, but it is not enough to stop the Trojans – despite missing out on weeks of training camp and the opening games of the season.

“I am going from one extreme situation to now another extreme, with the college season jumping right in the middle of it,” Courtnall

Trojans an opportunity to form relationships with competitors from all over the world.

athletes that make the trip, offering an incredible learning opportunity. “I learned a lot in the environment because you are playing with people that you haven’t really played with before. You all are getting thrown together and you have to have good

chemistry on the field,” Courtnall said. “It’s really cool to play with new players from other schools and play against people that are playing pro and have new coaches and learn a different style of soccer.”

The World Cup also offered the

Four soccer players were chosen to represent their national teams in Costa Rica this past month.

Polina Past | Daily Trojan Sophomore forward Simone Jackson scored 5 goals and had 8 assists last year.

Tailgate Tips: Acing the first game day

events! However, USC does require reservations for spots three weeks in advance and charges $25 for the lowesttier permits. So maybe it is better off to remain off-campus, after all.

By FAItH SAN MARtIN Staff Writer

It’s almost time, Trojans! Football season is just a day away. USC has a long history of tailgating before games, so if you’re interested in joining in, here’s what you need to know.

Where to Go:

ExpositionPark/RoseGarden

Exposition Park is located just outside campus across from Mudd Hall. This park is known for its Rose Garden and Fountain Center, as well as various museums — including the National History Museum of Los Angeles and the California Science Center. Exposition Park also holds the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home of Trojan football. The Rose Garden at Expo Park is a popular tailgating spot for the Trojan Family. Only a two-minute walk from the student section entrance at the Coliseum, I recommend grabbing some friends and snacks and heading over to Expo Park a few hours before kickoff. Tailgating at Expo Park does require a game ticket and ends just after kickoff, so plan accordingly.

UniversityParkCampus

During each home game, USC hosts “Trojan Family Game Day Experience,” a tailgating event for all members of the USC community. Just in front of Doheny Library, the Trojan Family can enjoy the hours leading up to the game while playing games, tossing a football and grilling food. If tailgating off-campus is not your preference, USC always goes all out for these

What to Bring:

Your group should have a canopy to place at whichever tailgating spot you choose. This canopy tent protects from the heat of the Los Angeles sun — which could reach as high as 99 F on Saturday. And, of course, a great tailgate involves some food. If you decide that bringing a grill and cooking equipment is too much to handle, I recommend cooking food before leaving and storing it in a cooler to take to your designated spot. Or grab a Victory Dog, a bacon-wrapped hot dog with onions, mayo, ketchup and mustard, on your way into the game. In addition to a canopy, you obviously don’t want to be standing. For this reason, make sure to grab some camp chairs and set them up at your tailgating spot. After that, you’re all set and it’s time to start the music.

Music is a must: grab a speaker! Heyday has affordable wireless speakers perfect for this type of thing. Collaborate with friends and make a playlist with football in mind. Perhaps title it “TROJAN FOOTBALL SEASON,” and go crazy at the tailgate with some drinks, food, music and good vibes. And don’t forget to learn all of the Trojan fight songs such as “Fight On” and “Tusk” so that you can fully participate in the student section.

Don’t be caught without a source of water during this heat — if you’re trekking over to

attend the game, note that the Coliseum only allows unopened water bottles that are 17 oz. or less in volume.

Start your tailgating experience with a fully charged phone. The day easily slips away amid all the fun, and you’re going to want every battery percentage possible to keep up with all the photos you’ll be taking.

What to Wear:

Show off your Trojan pride by wearing anything representing USC: cardinal red, yellow, a USC hat, red and yellow overalls and

more. The USC Bookstore on campus has a variety of options to get you, your friends, your family and even your dog ready for football season in Southern California. Make sure to bring a hat or sunglasses because if you get nothing else from the pregame festivities, you’ll definitely get some sun.

Final Notes:

Because the game starts at 3 p.m., make sure to get to the student gate entrance at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Students

typically begin lining up two hours before kickoff each game, enjoying the pregame show with USC favorite DJ Mal-Ski. Be sure to bring your electronic student tickets — which you can add to your Apple wallet — and your USC student ID. Most importantly, have fun and cheer on the Trojans as they take on the Rice University Owls. Students should note that the USC Lyft Ride program begins five hours after kickoff, which means free Lyfts will not be available until 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Megan Dang | Daily Trojan

Photos by Vincent Leo and courtesy of USC Athletics, design by Kathryn Aurelio

What to watch for in the Trojan’s opening game

passing attack for later in the game.

The battle at the line

By JACOB ROSE Staff Writer

Coming into the 2022 season, there is arguably no college football program with more intrigue or a more rejuvenated fan base than the USC Trojans.

After a dismal 2021 season in which USC went 4-8 and suffered an embarrassing 33-62 defeat against cross-town rival UCLA, newly acquired head coach Lincoln Riley looks to catapult the storied college franchise back into the spotlight.

With this coaching change comes a retooled roster. 71 players are returning from the 2021 roster, only eight of whom were starters.

Some of these starters include 2022 first team preseason All-American left guard Andrew Vorhees and wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr., who recorded 44 catches last fall.

In addition, Coach Riley has brought with him an entourage of high-profile transfer athletes, with over 40 new players joining the team. Some notable transfers include Caleb Williams, the dynamic sophomore quarterback from University of Oklahoma, who looks to build off his impressive first year after earning a 169.6 QB passer rating, the fifth-best rating among quarterbacks in 2021.

Travis Dye, a running back transfer from the University of Oregon, finished in the top 20 in the country in rushing yards with 1,271 and 16 touchdowns. Jordan Addison, the reigning 2021 Biletnikoff trophy winner and University of Pittsburgh transfer, recorded over 1500 receiving yards and tied for the top spot among

receivers by catching 17 touchdowns.

The revamped Trojans face off against the Rice University Owls to begin the new season. Many see this as an easy win for USC, as the Trojans are a 32.5-point favorite. While the game may not be a nailbiter, fans and experts alike will be able to gauge a lot from the Trojans’ home opener and what is in store for the coming season.

Here are a couple of things to look for in the game on Saturday.

USC’s rushing attack

This weekend will provide quality insight into the effectiveness of USC’s rushing attack this season. USC’s passing game will almost certainly be well-utilized, both against Rice and other opponents this season.

Caleb Williams demonstrated his passing capabilities last year with

Oklahoma and is already acquainted with Coach Riley’s air-raid style game plan. USC has also attracted numerous quality receivers to the team, including 2021 true freshman All-American Mario Williams from the University of Oklahoma, former Colorado Buffalo Brendan Rice and Terrell Bynum from University of Washington as well as Addison. A bigger question mark arises in whether USC can establish a stable and effective running game to start the season. USC ranked a mediocre 7th place in the Pac-12 in rushing yards last year with 1,747 yards. However, newly acquired transfers Dye and Austin Jones, a senior from Stanford who ran for 1,155 yards and 12 TDs in his three seasons with the Cardinal, will provide two solid options at the running back position.

USC has also brought in Coach Kiel McDonald to take over the job of running back coach. McDonald was previously the running back coach at the University of Utah, which led the Pac-12 in rushing yards in 2021. Coach McDonald will be working with newly hired offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Josh Henson, who has 23 years of experience — most recently with Texas A&M. Both coaches should bring a new image and game plan to USC’s rushing attack.

Establishing the run game early in the season will be critical for the success of USC’s offense, so keep an eye out on how the Trojan running backs are utilized. Rice allowed over 162 rushing yards per game in 2021, so if USC is effective running the football early on, the Trojans rushing attack could quickly wear down Rice’s defense and thus open up the

A defining factor of an effective offense is the offensive line. USC’s offensive line, unlike much of the other roster positions, has continuity from previous years. At the center position, redshirt senior Brett Neilon looks to build off his 2021 All-Pac-12 honorable mention and Pro Football Focus All-Pac-12 first team season. Veteran All-American Andrew Vorhees is returning for his sixth season after utilizing his extra coronavirus year granted by the NCAA, and his experience will be an anchor for the offense in 2022. Other returning linemen include Courtland Ford, Jonah Monheim, Justin Dedich, Jason Rodriguez and Andrew Milek.

However, Rice has proven talent on the defensive side of the football and will look to challenge USC’s frontline from the get-go.

Starting defensive end and Outland Trophy Watchlist player Ikenna Enechukwu led the team in sacks in 2021 (5-30 yards) and tallied 42 tackles last year (12.5 for loss).

Defensive lineman De’Braylon Carroll, after a strong first year in 2020 but losing 2021 due to injury, will also be a factor for Rice in Saturday’s game. Other notable names include defensive lineman

Izeya Floyd, inside linebacker Myron Morrison, linebacker Kenneth Orji and defensive back George Nyakwol.

If USC’s offensive line can keep Rice’s pass rushers at bay and hold off potential blitz schemes Rice defensive coordinator Brian Smith may deploy, this may all but seal the game for the Trojans. A stalwart offensive line will

A consistent rushing attack and staunch defense will set the tone Saturday.

Simon Park | Daily Trojan

USC returns with only eight starters from last season, but welcome a host of highly touted transfer students.

said. “I’m excited, I think college soccer is so fun and this is another reason why we all play.”

The Trojans will be tested on how quickly they can reintegrate into a cohesive team as their schedule starts to pick up.

“The biggest part for us coming back is going to be how quickly can we play with those new girls. Get to know them, get to know their style. You need to know your teammates like the back of your hand,” Burns said. “But for the most part, we know each other very well, so coming back was never really a worry. We’re just really excited to get the season going.”

Alongside the incredible experience of playing for the national team, the bond shared by the Trojans with their USC teammates is essential to who they are as players, students and people.

“They were always my backbone at home,” Jackson said. “My coaches and our videographer actually videoed their reaction to

me scoring, and I think that was one of the sweetest things any team has ever done to support me, and it’s really comforting. I almost got teary eyed, just thinking that I have a whole team at home that loves and supports me and roots me on.”

Still, national-level soccer is never far from the minds of the team. Awujo, who played with Courtnall and Burns in the World Cup, is still with Canada on their senior national team, joining them for their September matches against Australia. Senior forward and midfielder Olufolasade Adamolekun is away with the Jamaican National Team, preparing for their international friendly on Sept. 3 against Korea.

According to Jackson, putting the work in to receive a call to the senior national team will be the Trojans’ next goal.

“I am just going to put my head down and get to work, and hopefully in time, I will get my opportunity and I will be ready for it.”

SPORTS HIGHLIGHT EDITION OF THE

TWO ON-CAMPUS DISTRIBUTION DAYS

create holes for running backs Dye and Jones to exploit for big gains, and keep incoming pressure off quarterback Caleb Williams, which will allow him to show off his arm and hit his explosive receivers downfield.

Dynamic defensive plays

While USC’s dynamic offense cannot be understated, defense remains an integral part of the Trojans’ success in the 2022 season. Opening weekend will provide key insight into its prospects for the year. USC ranked 10th in the Pac-12 in yards allowed in 2021, with almost 5,000 yards given up. Thus, it will be essential that USC’s defense is much improved this year if they wish to compete for a Rose Bowl appearance — let alone the college football playoffs.

Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch heads the restructured defensive coaching staff along with former Oklahoma colleague and inside linebacker coach Brian Odom. Donte Williams, who took over as interim head coach last season after the university fired former head coach Clay Helton, is

the defensive backs coach.

Rice dominated time of possession in 2021, holding the ball for an average of 33 minutes per game — which ranked 10th in the country. It will be up to integral defensive weapons such as 2021 AllPac-12 first team defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu, redshirt junior defensive lineman Stanley Ta’ufo’ou and redshirt senior linebacker Nick Figueroa to force Rice to turn the ball over. Rice will be led by quarterback Wiley Green who has 11 career touchdowns and 10 career interceptions. Putting pressure on Green will be an important task for USC’s pass rushers. Rice only reached 150 rushing yards four times last season, thus preventing running backs Ari Broussard and Cameron Montgomery from big gains will force Rice to rely on the passing game, creating opportunities for turnovers.

If USC is effective in creating turnovers, whether through blitz packages or aggressive tackling, this will allow USC’s offense to dominate time of possession and dictate the tempo of the game.

Vincent Leo | Daily Trojan

Awujo remains with the Canadian team for their upcoming match.

to be considered a party or witness in the process. This, she said, can be a lot to ask, and some parties might elect not to do so — meaning their statement and provided information may not be considered by the hearing officer.

Today: Sexual assault reports and prevention

The USC Title IX office concluded in September 2021 that former Song Girls coach Lori Nelson harassed and body-shamed several former members from 2016 until she resigned in 2020. In April 2020, a former USC student filed a lawsuit with Title IX accusing former Marshall School of Business professor Choong Whan Park of sexual assault, specifically toward female student assistants of Korean descent. The lawsuit claimed that USC was aware of the harassment and discrimination, however, the University denied the allegations.

Forty-eight gay or bisexual former patients of former USC physician Dennis Kelly came forward in 2019 saying that Kelly sexually abused them. The University administration received complaints about the physician’s behavior in the four years prior to his departure. Two years prior, the University allowed George Tyndall — a former USC gynecologist who unlawfully penetrated and violated his patients — to resign without telling law enforcement or medical authorities about his actions.

“[We] concluded that USC violated Title IX by failing to promptly and equitably respond to notice of nine complaints by patients of potential sexual harassment during medical examinations between 2000 and 2016, and that that failure may have allowed patients to be subjected to sex discrimination,” the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights wrote in a summary of their investigation of the incident.

In February 2020, U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson approved a $215 million federal class action settlement, resolving the claims of more than 18,000 women who Tyndall treated. The University, along with the 710 women who filed cases surrounding

Tyndall reached an $852 million global settlement in March 2021.

Between Sept. 25 and Oct. 20, five to seven incidents of drugging and sexual assault at the Sigma Nu fraternity were reported to DPS. The University failed to disclose the reports to the USC community until a campuswide email was sent Oct. 20. Five additional reports at Sigma Nu, Phi Kappa Tau and other undisclosed locations were later reported and shared with the community.

“USC is one of the institutions that is kind of guilty about or guilty for creating rules that protect some more than others. In the past year, we’ve seen a lot of issues on sexual assault in the USC community, and just it’s been kind of wild to see who these rules are helping,” said Kat Lara Fuentes, a junior majoring in psychology and health and human sciences.

Fuentes said that as a woman in STEM, she feels she has not been treated with the same respect as her male classmates. Additionally, she said there are loopholes and safeguards for people who do not want to be impacted by Title IX rules.

“In the [reporting] process, a lot of people are just being traumatized further, or silenced further than when they originally started … The identities of the perpetrators are being so protected. Meanwhile, the victims are just not being listened to, and it’s kind of making it harder for us to want to speak up,” Fuentes said. “We’re asking for transparency and accountability.”

President of USC Flow Piya Garg, a junior majoring in international relations and global business, said the organization encourages solution oriented discussions about sexual assault at the University, Garg said. The “slowness” of the Title IX office, she said, stalls progress toward these solutions.

“The Title IX office in the University doesn’t already create an environment where people feel comfortable to do that to report, and while it’s so great that USC is taking this time to celebrate Title IX, isn’t it a bit hypocritical that the University hasn’t even really acknowledged once its role in perpetuating that same unsafe environment that the

core of Title IX opposes?,” Garg said.

Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, an assistant director of public and community engagement for the Center for Religion and Civic Culture in the Cecil Murray Center, noticed a lack of dialogue surrounding sexual assault in religious spaces. A member of the ministry since 1996, Smith-Pollard spoke with survivors of sexual assault and created a sexual violence awareness and training campaign titled “It’s Not Okay.”

“There was very little dialogue, but there were a number of people who were having experience within the church,” Smith-Pollard said. “The impetus for all of it was just my own personal experience … recognizing that the church had very little resources for people.”

“It’s Not Okay” offers training for faith and community leaders on speaking about sexual violence and raising awareness about the bias against those who report sexual assault or discrimination among church-going populations. Since many churchgoers have preconceptions about or personal experience with sexual violence, Smith-Pollard said, it’s important for religious leaders to open conversation up in a spiritual context to offer support.

“Even though sexual assault is a difficult conversation to have, for anybody, it is necessary that faith leaders of all kinds have these conversations because people in the congregation inevitably have been impacted,” Smith-Pollard said. “[Sexual violence] is so pervasive that you can’t even get 20 people in a room without at least two or three people having direct impact.”

Sexual assault is prevalent on almost all college campuses — and USC is no exception. Nationally, an average of one in four female undergraduates reported experiencing sexual assault.

At USC, that average nearly stands at one in three, according to a 2019 survey conducted by the Association of American Universities Survey on Sexual Assault and Misconduct.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security program reported 114 instances of rape on campus in 2018, a number that has

since fallen to 38 instances in 2019 and 24 in 2020 — the most recent data publicly available.

A common misconception about Title IX, Smith-Pollard said, is that reports are centered on retaliation. She argued that Title IX has, in fact, given victims of sexual violence the opportunity to protect themselves. Title IX policy has made a tangible impact on students’ education and feeling of security in higher education, she said.

“[Prior to Title IX] was a time where students, particularly girls, were on campuses having all kinds of experiences happen to them … and it impacted their ability to perform,” Smith-Pollard said. “Title IX, from what I’ve seen, helps those who are directly impacted — who have an incident or an attack, a violation — the educational opportunity to remain in school and remain

in their program but still have some safety net that they can go to.”

Student Health and sexual assault prevention

Following a compliance review of Keck Hospital of USC’s sex discrimination response policies by the U.S. Department for Health Services’ Office of Civil Rights, the parties reached a voluntary agreement June 17. The agreement includes a new policy for sensitive health exams, during which authorized members of the healthcare team will need to be present.

Keck Hospital also agreed to retain positions of Title IX Coordinator and Deputy EEO-Title IX Coordinator for Healthcare, conduct staff training and

Photo courtesy of USC News

Dorothy Wright Nelson served as dean of the Gould School of Law from 1969 to 1980.

a number of reforms, too, following the George Tyndall scandal. Changes included integrating Student Health into Keck for greater oversight of standards of care and creating new methods for collecting information about potential medical and sexual misconduct.

Equality in athletics

Many attribute the establishment and growth of women’s collegiate sports to the implementation of Title IX policy nationwide.

“I don’t think you can underestimate the importance of the women

leaders in Title IX and the diversifying of our sports led by some of those pioneers in what we see today,” said President Carol Folt during the celebratory event, Title IX: 50 Years of Progress, held in June.

In 1906, the National Collegiate Athletic Association was created to regulate men’s football and cemented its position as the primal regulatory body for college athletics. Prior to Title IX, women had no access to athletic scholarships or the right to hold championships for women’s sports teams.

In 1972, the ratio of collegiate women to men participating in sports was 3:17 — an inequality compounded by

disproportionately poor facilities, supplies and funding for female athletes.

USC women’s soccer goalkeeper Talia Grossman, a junior majoring in fine arts, was invited to speak at the June event and introduced Folt.

When she was first asked to speak in front of alumni and faculty, Grossman knew she wanted to participate because she viewed the opportunity as a chance to advocate for soccer. Her interest in advocating for the equal treatment of women athletes and traditionally-favored male athletes originates from having coaches underestimate her in her childhood. Even though she loved playing baseball as a kid, playing a male-dominated sport and pressure to succeed as a female athlete weighed on Grossman from a young age.

“It’s a heavy weight to hold because you’re representing all womankind, and at some point, baseball wasn’t as enjoyable anymore,” Grossman said in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “I really love baseball, it’s not just because I felt like I had to play, but there definitely was a pressure when I was young to keep on playing because I didn’t want to be that girl who stopped playing because the guys are getting bigger … and stronger now.”

As an example of the disparity between the treatment of male and female collegiate athletes, Grossman pointed to how the USC women’s soccer team wasn’t allowed to host an audience at their final rival game against UCLA, while the USC men’s football team was designated a “bunch of fans” at their scrimmage last November. Although Grossman noted that USC football brings in great acclaim for the University — the program has created $50,046,008 in revenues and $17,921,486 in net profit — she said it doesn’t “feel great” as a

female athlete.

“The high profile men’s sports, most notably football, get a disproportionate amount of resource support,” Grossman said. “To be fair, it’s a tough balance to strike because football, in particular, generates so much revenue for the University, but nonetheless, I think there is an opportunity to shift the balance a bit so that more resources are devoted to women’s sports.”

In her 18-year tenure as associate athletic director and later senior associate athletic director, Barbara Hedges was instrumental to the growth of women’s sports at USC. Hedges began at USC Athletics in 1973, one year following the signing of Title IX, and her team was chiefly focused on moving women’s sports forward and upward.

“The overall goal was to provide the same opportunities to our female athletes as their male counterparts,” Hedges said. “That included scholarships, travel, recruiting, upgrading coaching, upgrading scheduling of different athletic schools that are our athletic competition across the country.”

Every year, Hedges said, the department added scholarships, increased the budget and improved women’s sports programs. Hedges witnessed the cultural impact of Title IX policy from the start, and said she’s seen as Title IX affected “every female in higher education.”

Associate Athletic Director in charge of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Julie Rousseau said her role at Athletics is centered on upholding the mantra: “Here you belong.”

“We’re focused on making sure that we are creating a space where people have a sense of belonging, and that they know that they’re included, and so that’s my job is to

help create a space where our student-athletes and our staff have a space where they feel like they’re seen, they’re valued,” Rousseau said.

Athletics added two new mandatory modules for the 2022-23 academic year, one of which will focus on the LGBTQIA+ community and will include topics of implicit bias and preventing microaggression training. In the time she’s been with USC Athletics, Rousseau said the department has evolved in some ways — Athletics held implicit bias conversations last fall, partnered with the School of Cinematic Arts and Theater of the Oppressed to create vignettes acted out by student-athletes and staff depicting microaggressions, and expanded modules.

“Obviously, things don’t always go as fast as you’d like. But I do think that there’s been some common knowledge, common language that we’ve developed; common understanding,” Rousseau said.

The future of Title IX

The U.S. Department of Education proposed regulations June 23 that would expand the policy’s protection to include gender and gender identity. The measures would ensure protections for LGBTQIA+ students from discrimination based on “sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics.” They would also clarify and confirm protection from retaliation for students, employees and other school community members who report or otherwise exercise their Title IX rights.

The proposed regulations’ impact on athletics have not yet been addressed, and the DOE invites public comment on the measures.

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photo courtesy of USC News

Barbara Hedges started at USC Athletics in 1973 as the associate athletic director, one year after the signing of Title IX.

Feel old? These movies turn 20 this year

by tINA ter-AKOpYAN Chief Copy Editor

Flip-phones, low-rise jeans, the Iraq War and Bennifer. Yes, you can say 2002 was a chaotic and confusing year in our history. Born into this chaos was Generation Z. Too young to remember VHS tapes but old enough to remember CDs, college students celebrating their twentieth birthdays, like myself, can look back on some of the most influential films released in 2002 to make sense of the cultural moment they were born into. So, let’s go back twenty years and look at five films that defined 2002 and continue to shape pop culture today.

“Chicago”

Rob Marshall’s glitzy stage-toscreen musical did not fail to “razzle dazzle” audiences and the Academy, becoming the first musical to win Best Picture since the 1960s. Set in the height of the Jazz Age in Chicago, the film follows the story of murderesses Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) and Velma Kelley (Catherine ZetaJones), who transform into celebrities through the help of smoothtalking lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). Cutting from the grim reality of justice in the ‘20s to energetic and vaudevillian numbers, the film fuses theatrical and cinematic techniques to embrace and upend the genre conventions of the movie musical.

In addition to stellar performances, the film satirizes the glorification of celebrity culture. With the popularity of magazines, like People and Us Weekly, and the rise of new young stars, like Britney Spears, celebrity drama became headlining news in the 2000s. “Chicago” highlights the moral ambiguities that arise when the media decides to make a spectacle of every piece of news they get.

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” 2002 was the year of romantic comedies. As the U.S. grappled with the aftermath of 9/11 and entered into several military conflicts in the Middle East, rom-coms served as the perfect escapist films for audiences. The most successful romantic comedy of all time that highlighted the commercial potential of the genre was “My

Big Fat Greek Wedding.” The film follows the story of Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos), who upends her Greek family’s expectations by falling in love with Ian Miller (John Corbett), a white American. As Toula’s relatives learn to accept Ian into the family, Toula learns to embrace her heritage culture instead of shying away from it.

Coming from a large Armenian family myself, the obstacles Toula faces as she tries to express her own identity while simultaneously appeasing her family and culture feels all too familiar. With a hilarious ensemble, laugh-out-loud jokes and heartwarming scenes, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is everything you want out of a rom-com. But, most importantly, the film teaches us about the many ways Windex can change our lives!

“Bowling for Columbine”

Three years after the Columbine High School massacre, daring documentary filmmaker Michael Moore did not shy away from calling out America’s deadly obsession with guns in his film “Bowling for Columbine.”

Horrific and hilarious at the same time, Moore uses comedy and pop culture references to satirize the hypocrisy and fear permeating American society. By interviewing a wide variety of Americans from ordinary citizens to conservative actor and former NRA president Charlton Heston, Moore attempts to uncover the ugly truth behind the U.S.’s addiction to guns.

While Moore won Best Documentary Film at the Academy Awards, the audience booed the director when, during his acceptance speech, he criticized the U.S. for invading Iraq. Although Moore made Americans uncomfortable, his keen observations of the country’s outrageous gun laws have become more relevant than ever before. With mass shootings becoming a continuing occurrence in the U.S, Moore’s documentary serves as a searing reminder of how much progress still needs to be made.

“Lilo & Stitch”

Hawaii meets space! “Lilo & Stitch” features an odd mix of

characters from

scientist

the

adorable yet mischievous Experiment 626, to the CIA agent turned social worker Cobra Bubbles. However, the film grounds itself by focusing on the close-knit relationship of two sisters: Lilo and Nani. Before Anna and Elsa came along in “Frozen” (2013), Lilo and Nani were one of the first Disney characters to embrace sisterly love over romantic love.

Aside from the goofy alien creatures, this Disney film exhibits a sense of maturity, as it deals with heavy themes revolving around trauma and anger. At the age of nineteen, Nani becomes the legal guardian of Lilo in order to prevent her from being put into the foster care system. As Lilo and Nani struggle to overcome the grief they feel over the death of their parents, Stitch helps them redefine their notion of family and love.

“Lilo and Stitch” also represented the end of hand-drawn animation in mainstream films. While animation companies, such as Pixar and DreamWorks, created commercially

“Spider-Man”

“With great power comes great responsibility.” As the first successful superhero film in the 21st century, Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” lit the match that ignited the superhero craze that continues to dominate Hollywood. No matter your stance on superhero films, it cannot be denied that “SpiderMan’’ played a critical role in reshaping the box office. While the script occasionally feels forced and the visual effects are subpar compared to today’s standards, “Spider-Man” contains the charm and excitement that keeps audiences hungry for more superhero films, as evidenced by “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021), which became the biggest film during the pandemic era. Although I am not the biggest fan of Tobey Maguire, do yourself a favor and watch this movie for Willem Dafoe’s zany yet Oscar-worthy performance as the Green Goblin.

EEK3 Showcase kicks spooky season off early

New horror indie games premiered on The Haunted PS1 YouTube channel.

by AYLISH tUrNer Staff Writer

EEK3, a spooky twist on the professional game development conference E3, returned on Aug. 27 for its third annual showcase of lo-fi horror and experimental indie games. The event premiered on The Haunted PS1 YouTube channel, a community centered around low-res horror games.

Alongside its annual EEK3 showcase, The Haunted PS1 operates a Discord server with nearly 3,000 members. Users share resources and collaborate with one another, either through online mentorship, game jams or casual discussion of low-poly games — especially horror.

With the “horror games” tag currently ranking No. 1 on itch.io (a popular website used by independent

game designers and artists to upload their games and art), over 5,000 games tagged as “horror” on the Steam Database and the striking popularity of games like “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “Bendy and the Ink Machine,” it’s no wonder that a community centered around creepy thrills and indie aesthetics was formed.

Despite several delays due to coronavirus concerns and technical difficulties, this year’s hour-long virtual showcase made a strong debut to its live chat audience, featuring an explosive animated introduction from The Haunted PS1’s iconic giant purple Skully the Skeleton and 42 games from indie creators.

Interspersed with live-action parody energy drink ad segments along with commentary breaks hosted by the show’s producers and spotlighted Twitch streamers, EEK3 aired trailers for a multitude of diverse and bone-chilling games. Lowres does not mean low-quality, and

this year’s games proved their worth through some truly unique mechanics and visual styles.

“Smush Bois,” created by Blake Andrews, is a 2-4 player fighting game where you duke it out as critters resembling tomatoes, dinosaurs and just plain weird little creatures. Winning means crushing the other players — literally, since you defeat competitors by jumping on their pixelated heads. The high-intensity movement, bright colors and bizarre graphical effects make “Smush Bois” a definite one to watch. An early demo displayed at Wonderville in 2019 featured the arcade game on a CRT TV, although the EEK3exclusive trailer stated that a newer version will be released soon.

For a more relaxing experience, “Sauna2000” entices players to let go of their worries with a blast to the past: the year 2000. Playing as an elderly Finnish man, players go about their daily routine of trying to heat up

a traditional Finnish sauna, only to be faced with complications from their neighbors’ own preparation for the midsummer festival. Charming lowres 3D graphics and a fully Finnish script — with English captions — encapsulate the rural Scandinavian aesthetics. Created by Moya Horror, the game is in active development after raising over $15,000 on Kickstarter, but you can still play an earlier demo on The Haunted PS1 2020 Demo Disc.

“Security Booth: Director’s Cut” fully embraced its low-res horror concept. Though brief, the trailer featured a glitchy, extremely pixelated environment and a haunting “system failure” auditory alarm. Developed by Kyle Horwood, you play as a security guard employed by a mysterious science lab called Nova Nexus in the year 1996. However, this night at the lab is a very important, busy and mysterious event. The gameplay is reminiscent of “Papers, Please,” as you must ensure that all visitors are properly registered

for entry. This version is the director’s cut edition of the original “Security Booth” game, meaning additional endings, controller compatibility and other extended content.

These are only three of the incredible games presented at the EEK3 showcase, leaving nearly 40 other eerie and delightful indie games to delve into, as well as extra content from the producers and hosts of the show and The Haunted PS1 community.

18 of the selected games are available to play online via The Haunted PS1 Demo Disc 2022: Spectral Mall, a virtual snowed-in mall that players can walk around and explore by trying out the games for themselves.

The full EEK3 showcase is available to view on The Haunted PS1’s YouTube channel, where you can also be on the lookout for the release of The Haunted PS1 2022 Madvent Calendar on Dec. 1, a collection of 24 games to play leading up to Christmas.

Dr. Jumba Jookia,

alien

who created the

successful CGI feature-length films in 2002, “Lilo & Stitch” served as a reminder of the power of this traditional style of filmmaking.

Revisit these five films that celebrate their 20th anniversary this year.

trenyce tong | Daily Trojan