The Leader March 12th Issue

BY IAN MURPHY (HE/HIM)

University sued, former adjunct professor claims discrimination

The problem with YikYak

Winter Coat Today, T-shirt Tomorrow

UNIVERSITY SUED, FORMER ADJUNCT PROFESSOR CLAIMS DISCRIMINATION

Ian Murphy (he/him) Opinions Editor

A former Elmhurst University Music Department adjunct professor is claiming his 11-year, annually renewed, contract was canceled this year due to his religion and race.

Louis Yoelin, the former professor, filed a suit against EU and James Hile, Music Department chair, for $60,000, according to official court documents.

According to the case, Yoelin was a member of an online group dedicated to activism against antisemitism. On the organization’s Facebook page, they frequently promote engaging with and arguing against online, potentially bad-faith, actors frequently. Yoelin, according to the case, was an active member of this group.

The court complaint alleges, in March 2023, a user which Yoelin had previously interacted with because of this online group posted on Facebook their intention to contact Elmhurst University and “get [Yoelin] into trouble.” The court complaint claims, “upon information and belief,” this user sent emails to Hile providing “false, defamatory, racist, antisemitic, or otherwise harmful statements” about Yoelin.

An email shown in the court complaint shows Yoelin was notified via email in June 2023 he would not have classes to teach in the fall. A new full-time professor, Joshua Rodriguez, was hired and took over his position.

The court complaint mentions that Rodriguez had minimal teaching experience. In a comment to the Daily Herald, Yoelin’s law firm uses this as evidence for Hile and EU’s alleged discrimination.

When asked, Yoelin’s law firm, represented by Mark Trent, provided a statement claiming, “It is our contention that the unfortunate choice of the University and of Dean James Hile to terminate Mr. Yoelin due to his involvement in speaking out against Antisemitism in our community has caused harm beyond just Mr. Yoelin.”

“THE COURT COMPLAINT CLAIMS, “UPON INFORMATION AND BELIEF,” THIS USER SENT EMAILS TO HILE PROVIDING “FALSE, DEFAMATORY, RACIST, ANTISEMITIC, OR OTHERWISE HARMFUL STATEMENTS” ABOUT YOELIN.”

The firm also stated, “The evidence in this case will demonstrate that Mr. Yoelin was wrongfully terminated as a result of pervasive antisemitism on the Elmhurst University Campus.”

EDITORIAL BOARD

Adriana Briscoe (she/her)

Editor-in-Chief

Eve Hvarre (she/her)

Chief Copy Editor

Rachel Fratt (she/her)

Head Graphics Editor

Jennie Bosas (she/her)

Graphics Editor

Lily Morgan (she/her)

News Editor

Ian Murphy (he/him)

Opinions Editor

Sarah Glees (she/her)

Multimedia Editor

STAFF

Karissa Esposito (she/her) Staff Writer

Gabriel E. Galindo (he/him) Staff Writer, Spanish Translator

Michael Nicholson (he/him) Staff Writer

Tyler Ptaszkowski (he/him) Staff Writer

Samuel Shulman (he/him) Staff Writer

According to the court complaint, Hile did not share any of these emails with Yoelin, claiming “I’m not in the habit of sharing emails I receive from others, especially when they do not relate to any work-related decisions.”

According to the 2023-2024 EU Course Catalog, Yoelin was scheduled to teach one class, AMC 202/302 Composition, along with current professors David DeVasto and John Dorhauer. The court case identifies him as “an Adjunct Professor of Music Theory and Composition.”

According to the court complaint, in August 2023, Yoelin had filed a claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for his dismissal which found that the university had acted lawfully and Yoelin was “not discriminated against on any basis (including disability status, age, sex, gender, or religion).” The Daily Herald claims this is what allowed Yoelin to file a formal suit with the U.S. District Court. Hile has declined to comment on the matter. When asked, a representative of EU stated, “We cannot comment on personnel matters or pending litigation. The University stands behind our policies against discrimination and harassment.” and “We reiterate that there is no place for antisemitism or any form of discrimination at Elmhurst University.”

ADVISER

Eric Lutz (he/him)

ABOUT US

The Leader is the student-run newspaper to the students, faculty, and administrators of Elmhurst University. The Leader is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval. The contents are the decision of the editor in agreement with the editorial board. Opinions expressed in The Leader do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or its staff and are not intended to represent those of the EU at large. No text, photos, or art can be reproduced without direct permission of The Leader.

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General Inquires & Letters to Editor: theleadernewsec@gmail.com

ELMHURST UNIVERSITY’S YIKYAK PROBLEM

Lily Morgan (she/her) News Editor

An increase in bias-related incidents via social media platforms spurred Elmhurst University’s Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) to speak out recently.

The BIRT sent an email imploring EU students to maintain civility on social media platforms and to stop and think before posting something that may be harmful to others. They cited a variety of platforms including Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and most notably: YikYak.

YikYak is an anonymous social media app that connects students to others within their college campuses. The app has taken the EU campus by storm over the past year, with students taking to the platform to discuss campus issues ranging from parties to cafeteria food.

Under the shroud of anonymity offered by YikYak, students can post virtually anything they can think of with little to no repercussions. This is why the app has been the source of many such cases of harassment reported by EU students over the past few semesters. These harassment incidents have largely focused on targeting people for their sexuality, race, gender identity, and mental or physical abilities.

The email sent out by the BIRT emphasizes that people in these minority groups are protected under state and federal law, and

that, “We do this not simply because it’s the law, but because it’s right and just and who we are as a community.”

However, students who have felt the effects of this harassment firsthand beg to differ about that last point.

An EU student who wishes to remain anonymous has come forward to share their experiences with being harassed by their classmates on YikYak and some of the damaging effects this has had on them.

“I was bullied simply for being myself. I was harassed on my appearance, what I wore, and what I did,” the anonymous student recalled, “People were absolutely disgusting while describing things in their posts.”

They went on to describe how this harassment continued for several weeks during the fall semester, mentioning a few specific posts that called them out by name, ensuring they knew they were the intended target of the vitriol.

“They had zero regard for how I would feel if or when I saw it,” they said. “It’s easy when they can’t put a face onto their words.”

The anonymous student said that they chose not to speak to anyone at EU about the defamatory posts, mainly because they didn’t want the harassment to get any worse. They also cited hesitance that EU could actually do anything to stop the behavior.

Seemingly trying to quell these fears, in their email, the BIRT urges students to report bias incidents so they can be addressed “mean -

ingfully” and links to a form where reports can be filed, even anonymously.

“I honestly don’t think it will do any bad, but I don’t think it will do any good. I think that people will be too afraid to come forward,” said the anonymous EU student in reaction to the BIRT’s email. “When people talk about you in the way that they have several people on the app, it’s hard to speak on it.”

With a majority of the students who come under attack on these social media platforms afraid to come forward and report these incidents of harassment, or even to speak to The Leader about what’s happened, it’s no wonder that skepticism has fallen onto the BIRT’s promises of meaningful action.

“These are attacks on your character and your image, nothing that the incident response team will do will change the dreadful feeling of having everyone against you,” the anonymous student said of the BIRT’s efforts, “I don’t think they’ll be able to stop what people say when they are hidden behind a screen on an anonymous app.”

YikYak users seem to agree. Since the email went out to students, a handful of posts have been made ridiculing the team.

“Elmhurst thinking a task force can do shit to stop shit on this app is laughable,” wrote one anonymous user.

Reaching out to The Leader via email, the Bias Incident Response Team expressed concern

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for the continued social media backlash and reiterated that students should exercise caution when posting online.

“The University cannot control social media platforms or how people use them, nor would anyone want us to,” the BIRT said when discussing the intricacies of harassment via these social media platforms.

“The fact that some platforms, like YikYak, let users post anonymously doesn’t lessen the impact on the people who are being subjected to bias, harassment or bullying. And it likely emboldens the ones who are doing the harm. It’s a difficult and frustrating situation that the Bias Incident Response Team continues to grapple with,” stated the BIRT.

However, in the face of all that, the BIRT remains hopeful, reaffirming that the team is always

there to support students, especially those who may be apprehensive about reporting what they’ve been through.

“We understand that the decision to come forward can be intimidating, and one that takes courage and trust in the process,”

the BIRT said, “But we can’t help unless we know. Reporting an incident is still the best thing a person can do—it can lead to action, accountability, and resolution.”

The BIRT also says they’re working to earn the trust of the community through transparency in their process. “If a report is submitted to the Bias Incident Response Team, which includes a cross-section of campus representatives, the team will work with the person or people affected by the incident, to help determine the appropriate next steps.”

“Meanwhile, we have a strict no-retaliation

policy that carries heavy penalties and could lead to an investigation under the Student Code of Conduct or referred to Human Resources,” the BIRT assured.

Ultimately, the BIRT says they’ve been doing this work with students for a while, and they don’t plan on stopping any time soon. “The team has been helping individuals to address such incidents for some time, and will continue to investigate reports and provide resources and support for all individuals impacted, including the broader Elmhurst U. community.” With the spotlight planted firmly on YikYak users and the administration alike, only time will tell how the EU community responds to this wave of online harassment, and if this is a turning point for the BIRT.

ALPHA MU GAMMA HOSTS INTERNATIONAL POETRY READING

Adriana Briscoe (she/her)

Editor-in-Chief

Students and staff were treated to a taste of literature from several countries at Alpha Mu Gamma’s 15th annual International Poetry Reading in the Alexander Room, where students could read a foreign language poem of their choice.

A total of 21 poems were read in a variety of languages in honor of National Foreign Language Week, including Spanish, French, German, Greek, and Portuguese, and audience members followed along with them.

Beatriz Gomez-Acuña, professor of Spanish, noted that this year two students sang instead of reading.

“We didn’t plan it that way but Mateo started singing at the event and then Sofia ended with a song, so it was a full circle kind of moment,” Gomez-Acuña said.

Gomez-Acuña also remarked that one student was moved to tears because she read a poem in which the author of the poem expressed gratitude for their parents, and the student realized they received that same unconditional love.

Another student read a children’s poem that her mother had read to her, and Gomez-Acuña commented that it was nice that she shared that experience with everyone.

Senior Lizbeth Fraire, an Alpha Mu Gamma member, chose to read a poem this year (“La vida a veces” by Jaime Gil De Biedma) because

she was free at the time of the reading and didn’t get the chance to do it last semester. “I picked a poem about life in Spanish, so I thought it would be pretty neat to read it out loud,” Fraire said. “I’ve never read a poem out loud to people. I’ve only ever read poems at school assignment-wise, but I wanted to see how it felt.”

Sophomore Minh Ho participated in the poetry reading last year and found his interaction with professors and Alpha Mu Gamma useful, so he came to the event this year to watch and learn.

“I hope to learn more about different poetries and a different version of the other countries and also gain more connections with professors and also people,” Ho said.

PHOTO BY Adriana Briscoe

Alpha Mu Gamma members and Professor Beatriz Gomez-Acuña kick off International Poetry Reading.

OKLAHOMA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT’S DEATH REIGNITES TALK OF LGBTQ+ SCHOOL SAFETY

Tyler Ptaszkowski (he/him) Staff Writer

The death of a 16-year-old high school student in Oklahoma has sparked both international outrage and further discussion of school safety for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Nex Benedict, a sophomore at Owasso High School in Owasso, Oklahoma, died on Feb. 8, 2024, following a physical altercation in a school restroom the previous day.

Benedict, who identified as transgender and used he/him pronouns, reportedly experienced bullying at school for over a year due to his gender identity. Other sources indicate Benedict was non-binary and used they/ them pronouns.

Benedict was taken to a hospital following the incident, where he stated in an interview with police that the three other girls involved in the altercation had previously mocked him and his friends for how they dressed.

Although Benedict allegedly hit his head on the floor during the altercation, he was discharged from the hospital the same day.

However, the following morning, Benedict collapsed and stopped breathing. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that day.

Benedict’s death received significant media attention, with many individuals and organizations believing that Benedict’s gender identity

had been a major factor in the bullying he had endured before the altercation on Feb. 7.

Chuck Hoskins Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, referred to Benedict as “a wonderful child whose experience and identity mattered and was worth celebrating.”

LGBTQ+ advocacy groups Freedom Oklahoma and the Human Rights Campaign described the altercation that preceded Benedict’s death as “a possible hate-motivated attack” and “sex-based harassment,” respectively. The latter organization also sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education requesting an investigation into the incident.

In a joint statement, the American Civil Liberties Union described the assault on Benedict as “an inevitable result of the hateful rhetoric and discriminatory legislation targeting Oklahoma trans youth” and challenged a law that requires students in Oklahoma to use restrooms that correspond with their biological sex.

Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who signed the bill into law in May 2022, also responded to Benedict’s death, stating that “the death of any child in Oklahoma is a tragedy and bullies must be held accountable.” Stitt also encouraged law enforcement and schools in Owasso to be “forthcoming and transparent” during the investigation.

Democratic Oklahoma Rep. Mauree Turner, who became the first publicly non-binary U.S. state lawmaker in 2021, alleged that Benedict’s death was “the direct result of a failed administration in a public school that didn’t value the life of a trans student.”

Republican Oklahoma Sen. Tom Woods expressed sympathy for the family of Benedict but drew significant controversy by appearing to refer to the LGBTQ+ community as “filth.”

Chaya Raichik, a former real estate agent and prominent right-wing social media influencer, has been accused by many of being complicit in Benedict’s death. In 2022, a teacher at Benedict’s high school, whom Benedict reportedly greatly admired, resigned after they were profiled on Raichik’s Libs of TikTok account.

In response to these accusations, Raichik claimed on X that she had heard “insane insider details” on Benedict’s case and that people close to Benedict, whom Raichik misgendered, had “not been honest with the police about what happened.”

Students at Benedict’s high school, as well as the University of Oklahoma, have staged walkouts to protest what they believe have been ineffective policies against bullying, particularly bullying that targets LGBTQ+ individuals.

Elmhurst University’s Vice President of Equity and Inclusion, Bruce King, acknowledges that there are still many unanswered questions about Benedict’s case but believes the outcome would have been much different had the physical altercation involving Benedict been avoided.

Regarding Raichik’s social media behavior, King states that he is “always disappointed” but not surprised and that it is difficult to take seriously anyone “whose main objective is to create controversy” and accumulate followers “to feed their entrepreneurial interests.”

Although King considers EU a small campus, he believes EU accommodates the needs of all its students without assuming what those needs are, such as by providing numerous all-gender restrooms across campus.

King further notes that transgender people of color are killed at a “disastrously higher rate” than other demographics, and, pointing to an incident in which a transgender woman of color was attacked during Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Minnesota, believes we should all be aware that what happened to Benedict “can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.”

The investigation into Benedict’s death is ongoing, and a cause of death has yet to be established. Owasso police initially ruled out trauma as a cause of death, though this was later retracted.

It is currently unknown what charges, if any, the other students involved in the altercation that preceded Benedict’s death could face.

PHOTO BY Penn Today / Creative Commons GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

FAFSA: SIMPLIFICATION OR COMPLICATION?

Karissa Esposito (she/her) Staff Writer

Recent changes made to ‘simplify’ the FAFSA have left some students stuck in the middle of a glitchy, frustrating application process and others celebrating a new and improved experience.

The Free Application for Financial Aid Simplification Act was passed on Dec. 27, 2020, to make student aid more accessible to college students. The simplification included shortening the length of the FAFSA application, using IRS data retrieval tools, and requiring invitations to be sent to family members to fill out sections.

Traditionally, the FAFSA opens for student applications in October, but the 2024-25 FAFSA was opened as a soft launch in December.

Hopes were high after the act was passed, but now, after the opening of the FAFSA, thousands of students, parents, and counselors are questioning whether these changes are making it easier for students or not.

Megahn Webber, Elmhurst University’s assistant director of financial aid counseling, gave insight into how the Simplification Act will affect EU specifically.

“Trending positive for sure with all of the calculations that we have done so far,” said Webber. “It looks like it is going to be an overall positive for students getting more aid and the university getting more funds.”

Specifically, EU students are expecting to receive more funding through the Pell Grant. Now, previously ineligible students are eligible, and past grant recipients can receive increased amounts.

To get a gauge of what EU students are undergoing with the simplification, a survey was distributed via The Leader’s Instagram

and EU’s Snapchat story. Twenty-five EU students completed the survey and shared their experiences with the new FAFSA application. When questioned about their experience with the 2024-25 FAFSA application compared to previous years, 44% of respondents found the new form somewhat more challenging. Meanwhile, 36% reported that the new form was easier, and the rest didn’t notice any difference.

64% of respondents had not experienced any glitches or errors while completing the new FAFSA, but there were 32% who dealt with some sort of glitch.

Issues that students were presented with while completing the new FAFSA were “Website crashes,” “FAFSA was unable to save when I wrote races into the optional text box,” and “Sometimes the website is slow when I create an account for my parents.”

One major glitch is preventing students whose parents lack a Social Security number from finishing the FAFSA. To generate an FSA ID for parents, students need to input their SSN, but the updates don’t permit leaving the SSN field blank. Consequently, only the student’s section can be completed, rendering the FAFSA incomplete.

This issue is directly affecting EU students, as many students attend whose parents don’t have SSNs.

EU students replied to the survey, saying, “Most of the glitches occurred throughout the parent section due to the fact that my parents don’t have a social security number,” “Could not make an account for my undocumented mother,” and “Couldn’t make an account for my parents because the option that lets me say they don’t have a SSN doesn’t work.”

Many EU students were able to breeze through the application process, while others are

stuck waiting for the federal government to fix the issue.

Webber commented on the challenges the glitch has presented.

“This has been impacting students who already have difficulties with the FAFSA,” said Webber. “It’s just creating a bigger hurdle for students who already have hurdles.”

EU’s Student Financial Services are aware of this situation and have been guiding students through what to do if they are experiencing this issue. They are recommending students hold off on doing any workarounds until the issue is fixed unless they specifically have a deadline to meet.

Webber offered a suggestion for students who are experiencing this glitch.

“If there is something that you are concerned about, just give us a call and ask if we know anything so we can give you the information that we have,” Webber said.

The Department of Education releases new information every day. Student Financial Services is trying to release current and accurate information to students.

For any students who are having issues or just want guidance on filling out the new FAFSA, Student Financial Services holds workshops so students can have a counselor there with them while they complete the FAFSA.

52% of survey respondents expressed some level of concern about the FAFSA application for the next school year.

Webber acknowledged that all students are affected by the FAFSA Simplification Act.

“Every student is in the same boat,” Webber said. “No applications are being processed just yet. So it is not like students are behind other students. They are all together in it.”

STUDENTS AND STAFF COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE INTERSECTIONAL IDENTITY AT AFRO-LATINIDAD

Adriana Briscoe (she/her)

Editor-in-Chief

In honor of Black History Month, El Centro de la Promesa Azul and the Office of Equity and Inclusion coordinated “Afro-Latinidad: Celebrating Intersectional Identity” on Feb. 29.

Elizabeth Quirarte, DHSI Wellness Case Manager, presented about Afro-Latinx identities and intersectionality. She aimed to celebrate intersectionality in light of both Black History Month and the center’s goal of supporting Hispanic, Latinx, commuter, first-generation students, and students of color.

“I wanted to create a program event where we could celebrate something for Black Heritage Month but also talk about that racial identity of being both racially black but also ethnically Hispanic/Latinx, and maybe talk about that intersection during this month to center our Hispanic students … but also celebrate Black History Month,” Quirarte explained.

She highlighted Afro-Latino celebrities (Elizabeth Acevedo, Cardi B, Celia Cruz, Colman Domingo, Francisco Lindor, and Miles Morales), defined the terms Afro-Latinx and Afro-Latinidad, and defined intersectionality, basing the term on Kimberlé Crenshaw’s original definition. She also acknowledges that the definition has broadened and impacts all of us in various ways and to various degrees.

Additionally, she discussed the role of Blackness in shaping economic outcomes for Afro-descendant groups, shared a video of Afro-Latinos talking about their experiences and struggles living between the intersection of both identities, discussed how racism and colorism impact Latinos, and opened the floor for discussion.

Quirarte explained that while many believe that Black and Latinx identities are mutually exclusive, Latinx is an ethnic identity and Black is a racial identity, so identifying as Afro-Latinx allows people to embrace both identities at the same time.

Senior Gabriel Galindo, staff writer for The Leader, felt drawn to the opportunity to learn about Afro-Latinx identity and get to know a

different voice within his culture.

“If there’s one thing that I learned throughout my time at Elmhurst and from interactions that I’ve had, it’s that Latin American identity is very diverse in terms of ethnic identity, racial identity, and legislature. Getting to know a different voice within my identity and my culture just drew me to understand it better,” Galindo said.

Junior Giselle Palomar also highlighted the fact that this event was a unique opportunity to learn about Afro-Latinx culture.

“What brought me to the event was the fact that we don’t have many conversations about Afro- Latinos and I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the topic,” Palomar wrote in an email to The Leader.

Kwadwo Oppong-Wadie, Assistant Professor of Education, was happy to hear the group discussion and hear the young women in the video speak about their frustrations, hopes, and desires as Afro-Latinos. He also spoke to the fact that this lecture highlighted the diversity within Latin American and Hispanic cultures.

“I think with the development of the university as a Hispanic Serving Institution, I think that it is a great opportunity for us to explore and also engage the diversity that exists within the Latin American and Hispanic culture, so I think that what the center has done is setting us up on the right path, and it is my hope that this continues,” Oppong-Wadie said.

Galindo found the event to be perspective-shifting in terms of how he thinks about unity within Latin American cultures.

“Every time we speak about Latin America

we always say unity, Latinidad, Hispanidad, make sure we’re all united, but the fact that I was able to hear the videos and topics that Elizabeth sent out about how Latinos feel excluded or get placed in this void divide based on the color of their skin and their culture and heritage, it makes me rethink how we try to recognize our unity and how we try to empathize,” Galindo said.

He continued, “We can be inclusive, but at the same time you have to recognize that we as individuals have struggles and roadblocks that need to be addressed. They need to be recognized.”

Palomar took away that looks don’t necessarily correlate with race or ethnicity, and vice versa.

“My main takeaway from this presentation is that just because someone looks like you don’t mean you guys share the same culture or ethnicity and just because someone doesn’t look like you don’t mean they don’t share the same culture or ethnicity as you do,” Palomar wrote.

Quirarte hopes students walked away feeling welcomed.

“I hope students will take away that El Centro is a place where students can show up as their authentic selves, find community, create a sense of belonging,” Quirarte said.

Quirarte continued, “I want students to know that they can come to us to have these conversations that center around race, ethnicity, intersectional identities and not be afraid to share with us their experiences and what they need and want on campus to further magnify that sense of belonging and community.”

Students and staff discuss Afro-Latinx identity and intersectionality.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY Elizabeth Quirarte

WINTER COAT TODAY, T-SHIRT TOMORROW: CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEVERE WEATHER SLAMMING THE SUBURBS

Samuel Shulman (he/him) Staff Writer

Living in the greater Chicagoland area, the seasons have always seemed out of the ordinary. Usually, when the weather is odd, many Chicagoans simply blame it on the mystical powers of Lake Michigan. However, the recent record-breaking temperatures experienced between days of cold and snow cannot be explained away.

Climate change, no matter how controversial, is showing its true and devastating effects on our planet. And it is without a doubt that these effects are being felt by students on Elmhurst University’s campus.

On Feb. 27, there was a record-high temperature of 76 degrees.

Students went outside in the afternoon to enjoy the warm air and sunshine. Later that same evening, the campus issued a severe weather warning, and two hours later a tornado warning was issued.

The emergency alert system blared across intercoms all over campus, and EU students huddled in tornado shelter areas in the lower levels of campus buildings. However, 20 minutes later students were given the all-clear to return to their normal activities.

Tornadoes are another Midwestern phenomenon that isn’t always taken as seriously as it should be.

First-year EU student Levi Kovach has experienced close encounters with these violent windstorms and stated that while growing up he “never had to worry about tornadoes” until 2018 when one came through their hometown.

“I’m worried this will only get worse,” said Kovach.

Tornadoes across the Midwest have increased in not only occurrence but severity over the past decade or so, with more outbreaks and stronger tornadoes occurring in winter months. Elmhurst rarely experiences tornadoes; however, that does not mean the city or university campus is safe from any danger. Most tornadoes that touch down in the area are within two to 10 miles of Elmhurst, which will lead to a warning issued for the city and subsequently the campus.

There was an incident during New Student Orientation in 2011 when a tornado warning was issued, which forced the events of that day to be canceled. Strong winds caused

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

damage to the fences along Langhorst Field; no one was injured.

On March 12, 1976, two tornadoes struck EU on the east and west sides of the city. One came from Oswego and passed through Villa Park while the other passed from Northlake towards Wilmette. Two people died, and there was extensive damage.

In almost 50 years, no tornado has passed through the city again, but some EU students have raised concerns that, due to the drastic weather changes, severe weather threats could be more real.

“I believe that there will be a tornado hitting campus within my time here,” said Kovach.

Sophomore Cassidy Fanella believes that “due to climate change and the increase in tornado watches, the possibilities of a tornado touching down in Elmhurst is high.”

Junior Jason Yost also believes that a tornado may pass through campus as “there’s been touchdowns as close as Naperville recently.” Yost is referring to the destructive tornadoes

that passed through Naperville in the summer of 2022.

With growing concerns of a severe weather threat coming to campus, some students have differing ideas on how well EU is prepared to handle a threat such as a tornado.

Senior Leo Almeida believes that “students wouldn’t know what to do in a situation [where there’s a tornado].”

Almeida also expressed how in general there is a lack of sense of “how to take these warnings seriously.”

“The weather alerts last week were incredibly sporadic,” said Almeida.

Fanella believes that the campus is prepared because of “speakers in all of the buildings, including the dorms,” which are used to alert students about emergencies.

Kovach has reservations about the campus’ preparedness, as “a lot of things are not as secure as they should be.”

The question remains, what can be done about this? The mere thought of combating climate change often leads to exhaustion and apathy, especially when looking at how

larger corporations are the main contributors to climate change.

Thinking about the immediate, as weather changes lead to more severe situations, there are some ways the campus can be proactive to be better prepared, according to Almeida.

“I think more focus should be placed on knowledge of safety procedures in the classroom at the start of the semester as well as in the dorms,” said Almeida.

Most buildings on campus seem strong enough to withstand the winds of a tornado, but that will not be the only harsh weather the campus will have to go through.

With the 100-degree heat on New Student Move-In Day this past August, leaving hundreds of students in unairconditioned dorms to sleep in the Frick Center, and pipes bursting underneath the sidewalks due to drastic temperature changes in the winter season, will the campus and the student body be able to handle drastic weather changes seemingly outside of anyone’s control?

DEI EFFORTS UNDER SIEGE ACROSS THE NATION

Lily Morgan (she/her) News Editor

DEI efforts in higher education have now become a thing of the past for a handful of states across the southernmost part of the country.

At the start of this year, the Florida Board of Governors passed legislation to permanently prohibit the use of state funding towards Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in public college campuses across the state.

The Florida Board of Governors defines DEI efforts as “any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification.”

However, DEI, as defined by those who are actual professionals on the matter, includes any policies and programs that promote the representation of different groups of individuals and seek to correct inequalities within institutions.

The regulation impacts 28 state colleges, which will no longer be able to ‘promote’ any DEI content or material on their campuses.

In a statement released by the Florida Board of Education after the decision, the Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr. said,

“Higher education must return to its essential foundations of academic integrity and the pursuit of knowledge instead of being corrupted by destructive ideologies. These actions today ensure that we will not spend taxpayers’ money supporting DEI and radical indoctrination that promotes division in our society.”

Many wondered what this legislation passage would mean for campuses once fully enacted, though they didn’t have to wait long. In early March, the University of Florida went a step further and eliminated all DEI-associated positions within their institution.

This layoff impacted 13 full-time positions, 15 administrative appointments for other faculty members, and thousands of University of Florida students who relied on DEI efforts for safety and security throughout their educational journeys.

While Florida is the state that has most recently passed legislation targeting DEI efforts, they are not the only. Bills in Utah, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Texas have also seen DEI initiatives abolished on public campuses, leaving many students feeling alienated and many professors powerless.

Elmhurst University’s Vice President of Equity and Inclusion Bruce King says he’s grieving the state of DEI in upper education.

“I don’t know why the fight for equity and inclusion, that everybody should have access to

resources that help them be successful and that everyone feels a sense of belonging and inclusion wherever they are, I don’t know how that can be political,” King said.

King continued, “Somehow now that has been weaponized as something that must be eliminated. People being equal, the concept and the work towards that is now under attack, and it’s kind of mind-blowing in some ways.”

However, King thinks “this too shall pass” when reflecting on the politicized concerns around DEI efforts.

“I’m not of the mind that this has the sustainability, it’s just rooted in the moment,” King said. That isn’t to say, he emphasizes, that we should sit back and do nothing.

“I do believe that a lot of the advancements that we’ve made in DEI and equality in general cannot be taken for granted,” King said. “I don’t think this is a time to rest on our laurels. But it is a time to be very mindful and strategic about protecting the laws we already have, and the ones we need to put into place.”

Here at EU, DEI efforts are still going strong, with King emphasizing that the work doesn’t just rest with those in the upper echelon of power.

“These issues won’t be resolved by the loudest voices, but they will be at the ballot box,” King said.

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD YOU GUYS!

Sarah Glees (she/her) Multimedia Editor

Break out your pink pant suit, because Barbie is going to law school!

“Legally Blonde,” a campy and fun musical, is the current production at the Mill Theater. Based on the hit 2001 film, “Legally Blonde” follows the story of Elle Woods, a sorority president with a Barbie-like presence as she decides to go to law school to win back her boyfriend.

This musical resembles the movie pretty much to a tee, while tactfully adding in musical numbers that, for the most part, move the story between plot points.

Elmhurst University’s rendition of this musical was filled with a lively and spirited energy that couldn’t help but spill out into the audience. Despite technical audio issues, the cast maintained their composure and adjusted their performance as necessary.

The ensemble as a whole did a great job, however, a few vocal performances stood out above the rest.

“REGAN BOBICH (ELLE) {...} DEMONSTRATED HER VOCAL AND EMOTIONAL RANGE”

Amelia McNeil (Brooke) performed “Whipped Into Shape” where she managed to sing while also performing a full-on exercise routine, Aron Gomez (Warner) maintained a strong vocal performance while maintaining comedic timing in numbers such as “Serious” and “Ireland,” and of course, Regan Bobich (Elle) demonstrated her vocal and emotional range when going from more comedic numbers such as “Take It Like A Man” to more emotional ones such as “Legally Blonde.”

“Legally Blonde” will be running at The Mill Theater until Saturday, March 16.

GRAPHIC BY Rachel Fratt

“THE LION KING”: HOW DOES THIS DISNEY CLASSIC HOLD UP AFTER ALMOST 30 YEARS?

Michael Nicholson (he/him) Staff Writer

On June 24, 1994, Disney released one of its biggest animated films: “The Lion King.” The movie came off the heels of three other massively successful animated films for Disney: “The Little Mermaid” (1989), “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), and “Aladdin” (1992).

“The Little Mermaid” is known for starting the second golden age of Disney animation, called the Disney Renaissance, after a series of animated films that underperformed following Walt Disney’s untimely death in 1966. This period ended with 1999’s “Tarzan” before what is often known as Disney animation’s second dark age where the studio’s success started to backfire again.

However, “The Lion King” undoubtedly was the peak of the Disney Renaissance.

Other Renaissance films like “Pocahontas” (1995), “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996), “Hercules” (1997), “Mulan” (1998), and “Tarzan” (1999) were by no means disappointments, but they never quite reached the iconic status of “The Lion King” and its aforementioned predecessors.

“The Lion King” even today remains one of Disney’s most beloved films, with a live-action remake in 2019 that will also soon be five years old.

So how does the film hold up after almost 30 years? In my opinion, it remains a massively impressive film, and I definitely don’t see the popularity of it going away anytime soon. While my personal favorite animated Disney film is “The Little Mermaid,” this one still is easily in my top 10, if not top five. There are so many things to love about it.

For starters, the animation is gorgeous. You really feel the majesty of Africa throughout the entire film through vast landscapes and great lighting. For comparison, other animated films that take place on the African Savannah, such as “The Wild Thornberrys Movie” and “Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa,” enjoyable as they are, cannot measure up to how it is depicted here.

The movie makes you feel like you are in nature throughout the entire runtime. This is made even more grand through Hans’ Zimmer’s score, which goes along perfectly with the scenes it is in. His other major Disney score roles include the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series and “Muppet Treasure Island”.

This film is also one of the riskier Disney films. For those who don’t remember, there’s a pretty hardcore death scene. Unlike “Bambi“ where the mother is killed off-screen, we see Mufasa’s body. This was a really big deal for Disney back then, as Disney’s animated films tended to steer away from on-screen deaths outside of villain deaths. I highly doubt this film would be rated G if it came out today.

The songs are also great, with “Circle of Life” being my personal favorite.

The film’s epic opening song, “Circle of Life,” matches perfectly with the vast visual landscapes that accompany it. However, they’re all wonderful. Like the best Disney films, they legitimately drive the story and in no way feel like filler.

Scar is also a great Disney villain. He truly is a character you love to hate, and Jim Cummings does a great job of giving him a deliciously evil voice. I also like how he’s the only orange lion to give a contrast to the other yellow lions, making him stand out more as the villain. “Be Prepared” is also a monumental villain song that is one of my favorite Disney villain songs, top five easily.

The comedy is also a lot of fun with Timon, Pumbaa, and Zazu being the obvious comedic relief characters who are often the butt of the joke, such as during the song “I Can’t Wait to Be King.” The dim-witted hyena trio, especially

Ed, also fit this character trope. Ed just does nothing but laugh, and it’s really funny.

The overall story is full of emotion, and the message of not running from your past and taking responsibility is a very mature message for Disney.

If I have any nitpicks about the movie, it would be Doug Walker’s decision to have the lion pride only side with Simba after Scar admits to killing Mufasa. After Simba admits to killing him, convinced that he caused his father’s death before Scar confesses to the crime, no one seems to help Simba when Scar and his hyena henchmen corner him, leaving him to dangle off a cliff.

I can see why some would have an issue with this, as it suggests admitting responsibility for past mistakes will turn everyone against you unless it turns out it wasn’t really your fault. Despite having a nitpick with it, I don’t think this ruins the message in any way.

I think it’s natural everyone would be shocked at such a revelation, even if I personally find it hard to believe the pride could believe baby Simba could pull off a straight-up murder of Mufasa.

There’s also some controversy with Simba and Nala being brother and sister, but research shows this is perfectly normal in lion pride. “The Lion King” has very few flaws. It was also remade in 2019, and in my opinion, it doesn’t measure up.

While there’s a few good things about it, such as Timon and Pumbaa’s voice actors (Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner) having funny lines that weren’t in the original film, it overall seems very watered down and much of the epic, grand scale is simply not there.

I feel “Be Prepared” was butchered and turned into more of an overly long speech than a song. I also don’t like that the act of Rafiki hitting Simba with his stick was cut. It was a memorable part of the original because it encapsulates a message about how the past can still hurt. The original will always be the best, and a lot of others think that too, not just me. Kids or no kids, everyone should see this amazing film.

A YEAR OF FILMS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING TO DULLING: RANKING OF THE 2024 BEST PICTURE OSCAR NOMINEES

Sarah Glees (she/her)

Multimedia Editor

For years, I’ve made it a goal to sit down and watch every Best Picture nominee, and every year I get pretty close but fail with one or two. But this year I made it a point to sit down and watch every single one.

So here I am, 22 hours and 52 minutes later, with the ranking of the 2024 Best Picture Oscar Nominees as someone whose credibility is an in-progress digital media degree.

Spoilers Ahead

10. Maestro (1 ½ stars)

Last on this list is Bradley Cooper’s most recent directorial endeavor, which is based on the life of musical protégée, Leonard Bernstein, and his wife Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.

As much of a fan of Bernstein’s music as I am, especially the West Side Story (1961) soundtrack, this movie falls short in not having a compelling focus. The relationship between Felicia and Leonard is told from a very detached and even apathetic point of view, making it a dull and disinteresting watch.

9. Barbie (2 ½ stars)

This summer box office hit about the beloved plastic doll entering the real world was my chosen film to review for last year’s Orientation Issue. This was a film that I went into with a lot of excitement, however, left truly disappointed. I can appreci -

ate the messages that this film was trying to portray; however, this film turned into more of a commercial for Mattel rather than a movie that adds to the conversation of feminism.

8. American Fiction (2 ½ stars)

When Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a fiction writer, finds himself playing into racial stereotypes in order to get published, he struggles morally in grappling with his choice. Certain parts of this film had me laughing out loud and some scenes, such as when Monk was writing the novel and the characters came to life, I felt were extremely clever. However, it overall was an unmemorable film that attempted to cover a lot of ground and, similar to “Barbie,” didn’t add much to the conversations around racism and stereotyping.

7. Killers of the Flower Moon (2 ½ stars)

A scheming and power-hungry tycoon, William Hale, enlists in his nephew Ernest Burkhart to steal money from members of the indigenous Osage tribe. This film followed a truly interesting and devastating story; however, it was told from a point of view I personally found little interest in hearing from.

This film also comes in at three and a half hours, and rather than focusing on the Osage point of view during this time, specifically, Mollie Burkhart, whose character I found fascinating and motivat ed, it follows Ernest and William who were disinteresting.

CONTINUED ON Page 13

6. Oppenheimer (3 stars)

Following the story of the creation of the atomic bomb during WWII, this movie was one full of spectacle. The film itself had stunning acting and fascinating theming surrounding the ideas around social versus per sonal morality.

The pacing, however, felt inconsistent. Certain moments seemed to whiz by, relying on exposition that was delivered too quickly to be ingested, while others were bogged down to a halted pace making you wonder how much there was still runtime left in this three-hour picture.

5. Anatomy of a Fall (3 ½ stars)

A troubled marriage comes to a shocking end when the husband is found dead outside their home, leaving the wife as the prime suspect. This film was unlike a lot of others in this list, as it didn’t rely on crazy effects or high production values. It resided primarily in two locations — the home and the courtroom, yet was still riveting and suspenseful.

Certain aspects of this film did feel slow, and the ending was a bit anticlimactic; however, the theming of choice-making being based purely on the decision itself rather than on finding the full truth was something that still has me pondering.

4. The Holdovers (4 stars)

An outcast’s united story of a professor, a student, and a cook having to stay behind at a boarding school over winter break. What starts as a simple enough plot, quickly becomes a coming-of-age exploration and

a deep dive into how we make connections. While this wasn’t the most groundbreaking film, it was a heartfelt and uplifting story that I immediately added to my holiday rotation.

3. Zone of Interest (4 stars)

A WWII story that explores the perspective not often focused on, a family whose father is the commandant of Auschwitz. Being someone who is often so story-driven, this film surprised me with how much of an impact the score, cinematography, and direction left on me.

At the conclusion of this film, the main character is descending a set of stairs, literally and figuratively purging out every last bit of humanity he has left before cutting to shots of Auschwitz in the modern day. It then ends with him fully descending into darkness, making this one of the most impactful scenes I’ve seen in a film.

intriguing look at what it means to experience life through a pure and unfiltered lens. I’ll admit that the whimsical and fantasy scenery at times cheapened certain shots, yet the performances and story itself overtook all of this and made this movie one that accomplishes for me what the “Barbie” movie seems to do for so many others.

1. Past Lives (5 stars)

The connections between people and the passing through one another’s lives is the main theme explored in this film. As stated in my review of this film in Issue One, this film truly broke hearts in the best way.

While the story itself was at times a bit unfocused, I felt it could have been trimmed down to get to that final impactful beat quicker.

2. Poor Things (4 ½ stars)

An unconventional scientist decides to bring a woman who has committed suicide back to life, but to do so, he uses the brain of the woman’s unborn child. The summary itself is filled with a lot to unpack and easily could have been a convoluted and confusing plot; however, it was instead a powerful and

I originally gave this film four stars; however, I have since given it five since the more I’ve sat with it and revisited scenes, the more appreciation I have for it. I still would’ve loved to see more of it and felt this could have been a trilogy of films. But, this was, to say the least, a beautiful story about learning to grow and mature while simultaneously exploring what happens when you reconnect with someone who knows an entirely different version of you.

The final scene of this film when Nora faces the loss of not only the person she just reconnected with but of the person she once was is still beautifully heartbreaking.

EDITORIAL

EU BUDGET LEAVES STUDENTS FEELING IN THE DARK

Elmhurst University made a profit of over $14 million last year. Think about that for a second. After paying its employees, maintaining their buildings, and serving food, EU raked in $14 million.

Frankly, it’s a little absurd that us students pay so much for a school which seems like it tries to do so little. Sure, EU is happy to spend money on homecoming, Greek life, or first-year orientation, but even the students helping plan those events complain of budget constraints and lack of communication from administration.

The funding situation isn’t helped much by President Troy VanAken’s obvious favoritism to certain student groups. Case in point: EU’s new cocktail and watch party nights for sports teams. It’s great to see support for student activities, athletics is an easy way to show that support, but it only makes the lack of care given to the arts even more obvious.

The EU Board of Trustees was invited to

see “Legally Blonde” at The Mill Theatre on March 8. It was refreshing to see VanAken at a fine arts event but disheartening to see him on his phone or absent-mindedly staring at anything but the stage for the majority of the performance.

This attitude doesn’t just stop at fine arts though. EU’s administration has a notoriously bad rap among students, especially student leaders, for ignoring communication and requests for just about anything: money, advertising, or personnel.

In a previous issue, The Leader mentioned issues Music Business Student Union organizers were having with getting in contact with EU administration for help with major spring events, having to eventually call upon department chair James Hile just to receive a rejection.

University operations are constantly held up by the whims of finances too. Last semester, the groundskeeping department attempted to

purchase a new-to-them lawnmower. It would have helped significantly with reaching tight corners and parking lot medians. Months of red tape passed with nothing but reassurance for the department, eventually however, a rejection appeared with no explanation other than budget constraints.

It’s no secret that EU has been more fiscally conservative since VanAken took the helm. In the second year of his leadership, EU went from a two-million-dollar operating deficit to a ten-million-dollar profit.

On paper, the administration has been doing a fantastic job, but what is the price to student experience and to the long-term survival of the school? With the restrictions placed on students and staff, the price may end up being more than the few million VanAken is able to save each year.

GRAPHIC

Join

WHY WAS MY EXPERIENCE SO DIFFERENT?

Ian Murphy (he/him) Opinions Editor

The 57th Annual Elmhurst University Jazz Festival was the best it’s ever been, according to the hired staff in charge. From a student perspective, it was far from perfect but has great potential to be better.

I worked the festival throughout most of the week it happened, Feb. 22-25, and frankly, my experience was very different from the experiences of student leaders. I felt as if I wasn’t trusted, like I needed to prove myself somehow before I would be trusted with anything

I actually wanted to learn.

Part of this is me having a big ego. I’ll admit it. I’m confident in my skills, whether that be in broadcast, live sound, or even stage management, all areas I ended up helping with throughout the event, but that doesn’t mean the people I was working with knew that about me.

Sure, these are friends and peers I’ve worked with throughout the year, but I haven’t spent nearly as much time with the students running the festival as they have with each other.

What was more interesting to me than just complaining about how little I got to do, was seeing how much others were involved and

how they felt about it. I spoke with as many of the students and staff in charge of the fest as possible and what struck me as odd was how different all of their experiences were.

The first person I spoke with was Claudia Rejowski, a Music Education major who managed the PR team for the festival. Rejowski’s operation was interesting because it was essentially just her. She had another photographer, Marii Baez, who helped on the days of the festival, but otherwise was essentially left to her own devices.

Being essentially on her own, Rejowski said CONTINUED ON Page 19

PHOTO BY Claudia Rejowski

Students help out at EU’s 57th annual Jazz Festival.

CONTINUED FROM Page 18

she felt separated from the rest of the student crew heads.

“It would be nice to be kept in the loop,” Rejowski stated, talking quite a bit about how much planning and organization had been done on her end, and how it didn’t feel like others had done that. “Things were so unorganized, when things were communicated, they were communicated too late.”

Relating to her Music Education focus, Rejowski noted she would have preferred to see more of the operations of the festival, even if she couldn’t participate in the decision making, to better prepare her for future life as an educator likely to be in a similar position to the festival planners.

Rejowski’s opinion is unique in that the other student managers had almost no concerns about the level of communication or planning they received.

Cassadie Comiskey, student crew head of livestreaming, felt very in control of her department. Livestream, however, unlike PR, had a hired help, alumni Nate Baxter.

According to Comiskey, on the first day “it was 50/50” but “by the last two days, [livestream] was fully student ran.” She was managing a team of students who operated cameras, pushed overlays, and switched between video feeds in real time for paying livestream viewers.

Comiskey did note a lack of communication too though.

“[Other departments] didn’t really talk to me much about anything,” she said, admitting “I was in my own world” and “was very disconnected.”

She spins this as a positive however, believing crew leads shouldn’t feel the need to be meddling with other departments’ work unless they have to.

Dominic Bouffard, student head of sound, agrees. He admitted the majority of his job as student head of sound is “getting the volunteers.”

Before taking over the sound department last year, Bouffard claimed, “I didn’t know the work that was involved” and “we can’t do it without the ‘adults’.”

Throughout the festival, Bouffard worked closely with John Borne, the associate director of Innovative Solutions & Platforming at

Shure, a global audio company. Borne, being an Elmhurst alumni, has been working at the festival for the better part of two decades now. Ultimately, Bouffard was happy to let Borne do as much work as he felt was necessary, from planning to live sound mixing.

“This festival holds such respect in the Jazz realm.” Bouffard believes the festival is a stage where mess-ups should not be allowed, and if that means less student involvement then so be it.

This isn’t to say Borne is taking away control from Bouffard, much the opposite in fact. When I spoke with him, Borne was very excited to find new ways to get students involved with the festival and get their hands on the mixing table.

“Shadowing is really important,” Borne said, but he also recognizes that at a collegiate jazz fest, people should have the opportunity to actually participate on the big stage.

“Nobody is going to care… People don’t talk to me about sound, they’re not going to care.” Borne stated.

When asked about his experience working the festival, Borne explained that he has been working in the space for so long and has refined the necessary equipment and setup so much that he claims, “I almost don’t need a mic check.”

His statement isn’t just frivolous bragging though; it goes in tandem with his statement about supposedly nobody caring. Because the setup for the festival is so streamlined, it’s almost impossible for a student goofing off with the console to screw up and get people mad at them.

Plus, Borne claims, “It’s a student festival. Things’ll happen.”

The idea of the festival being too legendary to screw up stayed an underlying theme of Borne and I’s discussion too though. Part of the reason he’s the one planning exactly what equipment to rent, and where and when to load it in, is to create a minimum standard of quality.

Chris Parsons, festival director, generally agrees with this. He claims “this is an entirely student-run festival in many capacities.” Every staff member I spoke with said some variation of this, that the festival was totally student-run, except for the parts where it wasn’t.

I just couldn’t understand it. Parsons claimed,

“there’s endless opportunities for involvement,” but then turned around and said there were countless aspects of the festival he couldn’t share with any of the student leads, particularly surrounding money and contracting.

“YOU NEVER WANT TO STEP ON THE EAGERNESS OF STUDENTS WILLING TO LEARN”

Mechanically, I understand why it is this way, but I just can’t wrap my head around why there isn’t more done.

“You never want to step on the eagerness of students willing to learn” claimsParsons, but just a few sentences later he says, “there’s an expectation of how it’s supposed to sound.” It all comes back to a variation of that phrase. What stuck with me from my conversation with Parsons the most was the phrase “it can be frustrating to think you’re ready.” Because yes, it is! It was very frustrating to see parts of what was going on but not understand the greater meaning and not have it explained to me either.

A lot of this was because I was learning on the job. I wasn’t at the meetings during J-Term or fall semester where details were laid out, just the festival itself. Technically, I don’t need to know any of this, but I wanted to.

In the end, that’s what it boils down to. My Jazz Fest experience was one I wasn’t happy with. Instead of just being upset about it, I went out of my way to interview almost every student and staff leader and write an article about how I was upset about it.

At least with an article, I can make a big sweeping generalization about how Jazz Fest leadership should be more proactive in reaching out to students or should hand over more control to the crew leads who want it. The crew leads should be more engaged in the process, and they should stand up for themselves and try to be more active in the planning process. I don’t need to say it though. They already know that. All anyone needs to do is actually take initiative.

RUFFLED

FEATHERS: “TOUCH GRASS”

Jennie Bosas (she/her) Graphics Editor