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Life inside Schroeder Hall
Students reveal their quarantine experiences, reflect on first week of COVID-19 health, safety measures indoors
By Ben Wells
benjamin.wells@marquette.edu
It was a birthday to remember for Marissa Sullivan, a sophomore in the College of Nursing. Sullivan spent her 20th birthday quarantined in Schroeder Hall, with hundreds of other students who must remain until Sept. 28. Sullivan, whose birthday was
Photo by Joceline Helmbrek joceline.helmbrek@marquette.edu
last Wednesday, said she thought she was going to be spending the day with her family and friends, but plans changed when it was announced Sept. 17 that residents of Schroeder Hall would have to quarantine for two week due to 3% of the hall testing positive
Academic Senate discusses budget
Meeting addresses monetary concerns, future spending cuts By Alexa Jurado
alexa.jurado@marquette.edu
Marquette faculty and staff voiced their concerns over potential budget cuts and layoffs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Monday’s
virtual university Academic Senate meeting. Provost Kimo Ah Yun said that the university is 424 students short of the budget for the current fiscal cycle — 363 fewer first-years, 24 fewer transfer students and a drop of 37 continuing students. Net revenue of tuition is approximately $23,000, Ah Yun said. See SENATE page 3 INDEX
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for COVID-19. Sullivan said she was nervous about going home to her family, which led to her and her roommates decision not to quarantine at their homes and spend the next two weeks inside of Shroerder. But many students who lived
in Schroeder Hall decided to go back home, despite both the university’s and medical expert Anthony Fauci’s advice not to. Fauci said that it is the “worst thing you can do,” according to an interview on Today. Sullivan and her roommate put
up post-it notes that said, “it’s my birthday” on her window, which faces the Alumni Memorial Union. “It was fun when people would walk by and scream ‘happy birthday’ throughout the day,” See LIFE page 2
MUSG results announced Guerrero, Murillo elected president, vice president By Alexa Jurado
alexa.jurado@marquette.edu
Evelia Guerrero and Elizabeth Murillo, seniors in the College of Nursing, were named the next Marquette University Student Government president and executive vice president Sept. 18. NEWS
New counselor
University hires a coordinator for Black student support
PAGE 4
Of the eligible voting body, 2,218 voted in the election. Guerrero and Murillo won 69.8% of the votes. Their platform was centered on three pillars: fostering social change, enhancing student experiences and increasing resources accessibility. Guerrero said when she found out, she cried. “Elizabeth and I have put a lot of hard into our campaign,” Guerrero said. “We made sure we were running for the right
reasons before we committed to running and it was overwhelming in a good way to see everything come together.” She said she and Murillo had spent their years being intentional about listening to student stories and pushing out of their comfort zones. “We saw so much support from our friends and peers that winning reminded us how important it is to have individuals who See MUSG page 2
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The Marquette Tribune
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
MUSG: Winners share plans for coming year Continued from page 1
are passionate about change,” Guerrero said. Murillo echoed similar sentiments. “We are excited to see what the next few months have in store,” Murillo said. Guerrero formerly served as a desk receptionist and then the outreach Vice President for
MUSG. During her time in those roles, she worked on community engagement, as well as diversity, equity and social justice programming and initiatives, which she said allowed her to form relationships with various student groups on campus, along with university departments and community stakeholders.
Photo courtesy of Evelia Guerrero and Elizabeth Murillo
Guerrero and Murillo received 69.8% of all votes cast in the race.
“(My experiences) allowed me to find my voice within a space that often doesn’t see (a) leader like me,” Guerrero said. Murillo was previously MUSG’s chief of staff and worked directly with the former executive vice president Dan Brophy on student organization funding and outreach. She said that prepared her for her new role, as well as connect with other student leaders on campus. Murillo said she wants students to know they are in office to listen. “We recognize that each Marquette student experience is unique, but that doesn’t mean their story isn’t any less worthy of being heard over another — each student at Marquette deserves to feel like they belong on our campus,” Murillo said. Guerrero said they want to amplify and prioritize student voices as well. “This campus … belongs to all of us and together we are going to foster real change at our university,” Guerrero said. Moving forward, Guerrero and Murillo said they want to
continue to build on the groundwork of past MUSG leaders while adding the perspectives they have learned about through their own platform. “We also want students to feel like they are connected to campus and Milwaukee as a whole,” Murillo said. “We want to lean into tough conversations and make historically underrepresented groups on campus feel like Marquette cares about their backgrounds (and) identities and that the university isn’t just speaking on their behalf without truly listening to their experiences as students in these groups.” Guerrero said that as MUSG becomes more representative of the student body, it’s important that its leadership does as well. Along with president and executive vice president election, students also voted for senatorial positions. Of those positions, 14 ran unopposed, while some positions remain vacant. Savannah George and Riley McAdams were elected to represent the College of Arts & Sciences. Ellie O’Brien was elected to represent the
College of Business Administration, Emma Mass the College of Education, Sierra Jones the College of Health Sciences and Yasmeen Atta the College of Nursing. Abby Gray is the newly elected residential senator for Abbotsford Hall, Nancy Flaherty for Cobeen Hall, John Gunville for Eckstein Tower and Grace Thompson for Schroeder Hall. David Felix and Christian Cruz were elected senators for commuter students. The off-campus senators are Ann Bertrane and Bella Hennessy. Senate seats for the College of Communication, the College of Engineering, Straz Tower, Carpenter Hall, Wells Hall, Humphrey Hall and O’Donnell Hall, among others, remain open. Andy Braatz, MUSG’s interim legislative vice president, will appoint the remaining open seats in conjunction with residence hall staff and college counsels. This process is determined through MUSG’s constitution.
LIFE: Residents allotted limited outdoor time Continued from page 1 Sullivan said. “My floor set up a Zoom call meeting ... and they all surprised me and left little notes on my door.” Other students inside of the sophomore residence hall have not had the same positive outlook. Other post-it note signs in the windows of the building spell out “send help” and “is this Hell?” “Everyone here is pissed off that we’re staying here, and can’t see any of our friends,” Kate Beltram, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, said. Beltram has spent her time in quarantine confined to her room, only leaving to use the bathroom and go to the dining hall. “I wake up ... I do my classes and literally just watch Netflix and YouTube and play my PS4 until I have homework to do,” Beltram said. Food in Schroeder is provided through Sodexo and the menu changes daily. Students can come down during an allotted time and choose whatever they want to eat, said Alex Abendschein, a marketing manager for Sodexo. “We continue to offer glutenfree options as we always have. For students that are vegan and vegetarian we have worked with our vendor partners to bring
Morning Star Farms Incogmeato products into Schroeder as an additional vegan/vegetarian friendly option,” Abendschein said in an email. Hope Johnson, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences appreciates the variety that Schroeder has. “They always have breakfast sandwiches, smoothies, and bakery items for breakfast. Then for lunch and dinner they always have chicken Parmesan and Caesar salad, some sort of panini, and usually veggie burgers,” Johnson said in an email. Schroeder residents were also notified that all students inside the building would have to be tested for COVID-19. “We got e-mailed the night before saying that we would be tested,” said Zach Madson, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, said. “They told us, ‘we’re gonna start at 8:30 a.m., so get ready to wake up.’” Madson said that one by one all 182 Schroeder residence were tested, starting with the top floors going down. Testing took place right outside, where testers from the Marquette Medical Clinic were waiting in full personal protective equipment with nasopharyngeal tests for the residents of the building.
The nasopharyngeal test involves sticking a swab up a patient’s nose to swab the back of their throat for up a few seconds. The residents got their results back within 24 hours. Madson, who tested negative, said that anyone who tested positive was told they had two hours to pack their belongings and move to Mashuda Hall to quarantine. Schroeder residents, with
supervision, are allowed an allotted time outside by signing up for 50-minute increments. They are required to socially distance in spray painted circles and wear masks in a fenced-off area outside by the AMU. Students who are not quarantined in Schroeder have also been trying their hardest to try and see friends who are quarantined inside the residence hall. “I’ve gotten some pretty
incredible support from my family and friends,” Kaitlyn Kohler, a sophomore in the College of Communications, said. “Every so often someone will see me and wave to my window asking if I need anything.” Kohler also said that she’s thankful for everyone who’s come by to make this situation a little more bearable. Natalija Mileusnic contributed to this report.
Photos by Joceline Helmbrek joceline.helmbrek@marquette.edu
Students have taken to using Post-It Note messages in their windows to communicate to the rest of campus.
News
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
SENATE: Attendees air grievances “We embarked on a series of what I call ‘temporary actions,’” Pogodzinski said. These include reduced discretionary spending and a decrease in the merit program and leadership pay reductions. A 403b is a type of retirement plan for employees of public schools and tax-exempt organizations. Pogodzinski said these temporary fixes were done out of necessity due to a short window to implement, and they allowed more time to address longer-term challenges, but aren’t sustainable for the long-term. He also said that the university could be looking at a larger revenue loss than first anticipated due to further de-densification of residence halls to gain approval of the Health Department and the Board of Directors. He said the risk in the 2022 fiscal year will be in the range of $45 million or more, with a second cohort of students with smaller enrollment numbers. “It’s our annual responsibility, as stewards of Marquette resources, not to outspend the revenues that we generate as an institution,” Pogodzinski said. He went into discussing the “demographic cliff” the university has been anticipating since last spring, which he said the pandemic has accelerated. What he was referring to is the expected drop in college-age students — particularly in the midwest — due to fewer births. “This is not a one-year event or a two-year event,” Pogodzinski said. “What we’re looking for is permanent, strategic, long-term actions.” Additionally, having to shift online or the potential canceling of the basketball season could contribute to lost revenues, he said. “This could be in the tens of millions of dollars,” he said. The use of Marquette’s endowment of nearly $700 million is the university’s last option, and it is not currently anticipated, Pogodzinski said. This is despite the call to con-
sider doing so by MU Faculty United this past summer. Using the endowment would impact future endowment growth and revenue, but also current funding of certain departments, programs and scholarships. Using the endowment may also violate the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, which requires all cohorts on a campus to benefit equitably, Pogodzinski said. “If using the endowment is last resort, it does not inspire trust in the leadership to make productive changes,” Noelle Brigden, an associate professor of political science, said in the Microsoft Teams chat. “Endowment should not be the LAST resort. That constrains the process in counterproductive ways.” Many faculty members expressed their concerns. “Losing ANY faculty should be the last resort, not using the endowment,” Sonia Barnes, an associate professor of Spanish, said in the chat. Allison Abbott, an associate professor of biological sciences, observed that it seemed like the university was planning on a “smaller Marquette.” “How committed are we to that lower enrollment?” Abbott asked. Ah Yun said the budget and the number of faculty and staff are generally built around the assumption that approximately 2,000 students will enroll each year. He said even if class sizes grow little by little in the next few years, there will still likely be a downward trend. Sergio Gonzalez, an assistant professor of history and Latinx studies, mentioned Marquette’s commitment to Beyond Boundaries and becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution, as well as the promises the university has made to its students of color in the last month, suggesting it is a “demographic shift” rather than “cliff” and that the university use current circumstances as an opportunity to reach out to minority groups.
MUPD REPORTS SEPTEMBER 17 Unknown subject(s) intentionally removed a tire from a subject’s vehicle while it was parked in the 900 block N. 20th Street. A subject walked toward a MU student and brandished a knife, causing the student to fear and flee the area. The subject was located by MUPD and taken into custody. SEPTEMBER 18 A person not affiliated with
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The Marquette Tribune EDITORIAL
Continued from page 1 By that calculation, the university earned more than $8.3 million less than usual this fall, excluding room and board revenues. The total loss, Ah Yun said, should be calculated by the students’ four years at Marquette, which is why the deficit is expected to carry over for the next three or four years. Many in attendance were confused about these projections. “It seems like that assumes that cohort of students just vanishes,” Kate Ward, assistant professor of theology, said. “Is there any chance that students who aren’t choosing to enroll this year — for obvious reasons — want to return for a more traditional college experience if things get better?” Ah Yun admitted that Ward’s scenario could be possible but reiterated that the university expects a smaller class size for the class of 2025 as well — 250 less than preCOVID-19 numbers. “Could we beat our estimate? We would like that,” Ah Yun said. “But right now we’re thinking we’re probably going to be short again.” Ah Yun said there are a number of different options the university is considering to reduce costs. Altering administrative structure — like having fewer provosts and vice presidents — is being considered. He said the university is predicting, based on a flat tuition and increased discount rate, a first-year class of about 1,770. The class of 2023 had 1,974 students and the class of 2022 had a record-breaking 2,162 students. There are a number of other strategies being explored to make up for the shortfalls of the 2021 fiscal year, which began July 1. The strategies will also be used to make up for the expected shortfalls of the 2022 fiscal year and beyond. Joel Pogodzinski, senior vice president and chief operating officer for the university, said the university has estimated financial risks of $20-25 million, largely tied to the smaller first-year class.
The Marquette Tribune
MU became loud and boisterous when speaking with another subject causing her to contact MUPD after the subject threatened bodily harm while at the intersection of N. 16th Street and W. Wisconsin Avenue. Subject was taken into custody by MUPD, issued a citation and was released. A person’s vehicle struck another person’s vehicle in the 700 block of N. 23rd Street and then left the scene. The person was not affliated with Marquette
SEPTEMBER 19 An unknown subject intentionally broke the front passenger side window of a subject’s vehicle parked at the intersection of N. 20th and W. Michigan Streets and removed the radio without consent. SEPTEMBER 20 Two persons not affiliated with MU intentionally removed merchandise from a business located in the 800 block of N. 16th Street without consent. One subject was taken to the Criminal Justice Facility for a warrant.
“We don’t want to build a university on the hope that students will come,” Ah Yun said. Doug Woods, vice provost for graduate and professional studies and dean of the Graduate School, spoke more on possible immediate budget cuts. These included workload adjustments; consolidation of colleges, administrations and staff functions; program consolidation and closure; changes to faculty workforce balance; various discretionary cuts; and tightening sabbatical requirements and availability. “Anything we do in the shortterm could have long-terms effects,” Woods said. That being considered, Woods explained the “workgroups” being created to aid in the short-term budget reduction process and the long-term planning process. These groups will broach teaching, programs, administrative structure, research and the student body, among others. Rachel Contos, a Trinity Fellow, reiterated that budgets are “moral documents.” As such, she suggested that one moral would be to not fire anyone. She also emphasized ensuring racial equity. The Trinity Fellowship is a “graduate fellowship program dedicated to developing urban leaders with a commitment to social and economic justice,” according to its website. Ah Yun mentioned deficits would be the equivalent of losing 450 faculty and staff members. However, Ah Yun said not all cuts would be from faculty. “Invest in your institution when you are in an economic down cycle,” Julia Paulk, an associate professor in the department of languages, literatures and cultures, said in the Microsoft Teams chat. The potential future reduction in faculty and staff comes after Marquette was ranked 18th in the country for undergraduate teaching by U.S. News and World Report. This is a jump from the previous ranking of 72..
Executive Director of Marquette Wire Natallie St. Onge (414) 288-1739 Managing Editor of Marquette Tribune Annie Mattea NEWS News Editor Shir Bloch Assistant Editors Alexa Jurado, Ben Wells Reporters Matthew Choate, Natalija Mileusnic, Charlie Pineda, Megan Woolard PROJECTS Projects Editor Lelah Byron Assistant Editor Amanda Parrish Reporters Grace Dawson, Maria Crenshaw, Aspen Ramos, Beck Salgado ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Arts & Entertainment Editor Skyler Chun Assistant Editors Charlotte Ives, Mason Stebnitz Reporters Ryan Lynch, Ariana Madson OPINIONS Executive Opinions Editor Alexandra Garner Assistant Opinions Editor Aminah Beg Columnists Jenna Koch, Hope Moses, Max Pickart, Lucia Ruffolo SPORTS Executive Sports Editor Zoe Comerford Assistant Editors Nick Galle, Molly Gretzlock Reporters Sam Arco ,Bryan Geenen, Jackson Gross, Kristin Parisi, Matt Yeazel, Matthew Valente COPY Copy Chief Eleanor Mccaughey Copy Editors Kendra Bell, Grace Kwapil, Emily Reinhardt, Kimberly Cook VISUAL CONTENT Design Chief Grace Pionek Photo Editor Zach Bukowski Sports Designer Kayla Nickerson Arts & Entertainment Designer Lily Werner Opinions Designer Mariam Ali Photographers Katerina Pourliakas, Claire Gallagher, Joceline Helmbrek ----
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COVID-19 TRACKER
CORRECTIONS
CUMULATIVE CASES MARQUETTE
Sept. 15’s ‘Checklist prepares for move to online learning’ incorrectly stated that Julia Azari, associate professor of political science, said she was not prepared for a pivot online. Actually, she said she was not prepared by the university. In addition, the story incorrectly referred to Azari as the assistant chair of the Department of Political Science, when she is an associate professor. The Tribune regrets these errors.
233 NEW CASES - 9/14 TO 9/20 68 CUMULATIVE CASES MILWAUKEE 26,900 SEVEN DAY AVERAGE WEEK OF 9/14 90.1
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News
The Marquette Tribune
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Counseling Center announces new hire Counselor to coordinate Black student support By Natalija Mileusnic
nataljia.mileusnic@marquette.edu
Marquette University announced its newest counselor in a Sept. 3 university news release, Shakari “Kari” Lewis. Lewis, who began her new role Sept. 8, will be a coordinator for African American and Black student support. Lewis’s hire follows plans by the university to create a more welcoming environment for its students of color, especially in light of recent protests for racial justice. The university also announced Sept. 3 that it had agreed on “collaborative action steps” to overcome injustices at Marquette. These steps included adding 40 full-tuition, four-year scholarships to qualifying seniors from the City of Milwaukee; reviewing policies on hate speech to create a more welcoming campus climate; including racial justice conversations more explicitly in the university’s Core Curriculum; hiring Lewis and adding more counselors of color in the future. Lewis said that her goal for her first year at Marquette is to allow herself grace. “With my previous clinical work being in the community, and the transition to Marquette, I must be patient with myself to
understand policies and procedures,” Lewis said in an email. “This is important with learning any new role.” Lewis said she has always had a passion for helping others, and her interest in the field of psychology only grew as she continued her work in the Milwaukee area after beginning her career as a counselor at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. She moved on to become a family therapist with SaintA, and then worked as a member of the Milwaukee Crisis Mobile Team. SaintA is a Milwaukee based agency that aims to heal trauma and restore connections in children and their families. “We empower people to overcome barriers to well-being – poverty, poor educational outcomes, unemployment and discrimination, to name a few – so they may thrive,” the agency’s website said. Lewis said that her experiences working in Milwaukee helped her see how necessary representation is in counseling. “While working with Milwaukee County, I met and served many people of color who looked at me strange and often made statements such as ‘you’re the counselor’?” Lewis said in an email. “After looking at their body language and sometimes hearing that sigh of relief, I knew many felt comfortable enough to talk more about the challenges they were having- which made it easier to connect and provide them the help that was needed.”
Lewis said that getting help isn’t always as easy as it seems, but she strongly encourages students to seek it out if they need it. “My hope is that students understand my position in the counseling center is here for them,” Lewis said in an email. “It’s okay to ask questions about the process of therapy, and what to expect. Do not be afraid to ask the questions regarding your treatment.”
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I think there should be more diversity in the staffing and even more diversity amongst students,” KEYAIRA MARSHALL First-year in the College of Business Administration
Keyaira Marshall, a first-year in the College of Business Administration, said that it takes a lot for her to ask someone for help, and that she would be more comfortable if help were less formal. “I would probably feel more comfortable going to her, or anyone for help if I was able to sit down and just have a regular conversation with her,” Marshall
said in an email. “That way I can become more comfortable with her and feel less afraid to talk about my problems.” Prior to her hire at Marquette, Lewis had colleagues that highly encouraged her to apply for the position. “There were several black advisors with whom I worked closely with while I attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville,” Lewis said in an email. “Had it not been for one of my previous advisors, I would have not seen this position. He believed in me and knew I would be a great addition to the Black and African American students within the Marquette community, which is why he encouraged me to apply.” Lewis said one of the main reasons as to why she accepted her position at Marquette was because of the university’s students. She met with some of them during an interview with students as part of the hiring process. “My interview with the students made it very easy for me to accept the position with Marquette. The students I met with have so much drive and ambition. I know what it’s like to have the support and representation of someone who looks like you on a predominantly white institution,” Lewis said in an email. Marshall stated that if she were to see Lewis, it would be an easy task since Lewis is such a trusted person. “If I were to meet with Ms. Lewis my goal would just be able to get everything off my chest to
a trusted person. It can be tough bottling things up, and I’ve found that actually talking things out is very helpful,” Marshall said in an email. Brenda Lenz, interim director of the Marquette University Counseling Center, said that Lewis is the ideal addition to the Counseling Center’s team. “She is dedicated and passionate about her work, she understands and has the experience to do the clinical work, as well as the outreach role with students on a college campus,” Lenz said in an email. “She joins the larger Counseling Center team of well established clinicians who are experts at addressing college student mental health issues with a keen eye and awareness to provide culturally informed care.” Although Lewis’s position is being a coordinator for African American and Black student support, some believe that MU should be more inclusive to students of color. “I think there should be more diversity in the staffing and even more diversity amongst students,” Marshall said in an email. “Not even just more Black students, but BIPOC in general. I know for myself and many of my Black friends I’ve made on campus tend to be the only Black people, or person of color in our classes and it’s strange and a little uncomfortable because you always feel like all eyes are on you and there’s no one for you to relate to.”
Organization supports women in STEM Marquette chapter sponsored to attend celebration By Megan Woolard
megan.woolard@marquette.edu
The Marquette chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery-Women has been sponsored to attend the Grace Hopper celebration. The Grace Hopper celebration is the world’s largest gathering of women technologists. It’s a collection of conferences and key note speakers to celebrate and encourage women in the computing field. The ACM-W is a nationwide organization that “supports, celebrates, and advocates internationally for the full engagement of women in all aspects of the computing field, providing a wide range of programs and services to ACM members
and working in the larger community to advance the contributions of technical women,” according to its website. Katie Tooher, president of the ACM-W chapter and junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said the club was started in March 2019. Tooher wanted to create a space for women in computing and STEM majors to be empowered as well as gain professional development and programming skills. Despite being a relatively new club, it has already been sponsored by the Northwestern Mutual Data and Science Institute (NWDSI) to take part in the Grace Hopper celebration. “The celebration brings together leading companies in the computing field and employees present seminars based on a variety of Computer Science fields,” Clare Herring, ACM-W Vice President and
junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said. “There is a career fair for tech internships and jobs, and there are keynote speeches from well-known and powerful women.” Some of the keynote speakers this year include Serena Williams, professional tennis player, and Megan Rapinoe, a soccer player for the U.S. women’s national team. The ACM-W is able to send six members to the event which will take place Sep. 29 through Oct. 2. “As someone who has mentored many student researchers over the years, I know that attending a national conference can be a life-changing experience, as the student gets to see herself as part of a larger scientific enterprise instead of an isolated researcher,” Edward Blumenthal, co-director of NWDSI and associate
professor of biological sciences, said in an email. The conference was established to honor the legacy of Grace Hopper. Hopper was one of the first women to receive a doctorate in mathematics. She served as a U.S. naval officer and helped to create the first compiler for computer languages. “For the Grace Hopper conference in particular, there is the added benefit of attendees seeing the numbers and diversity of women in technology (which they won’t necessarily see in the Marquette faculty) and getting valuable networking opportunities,” Blumenthal said in an email. In addition to attending the celebration the chapter also has other plans for this year. “As we look toward the 2020-2021 school year, we have plans to host many
virtual events including technical interview and behavioral interview prep, code challenges, guest speakers, movie nights related to STEM, hackathons, and tutorials for computing fields,” Herring said. Behavioral interview prep is a way to prepare students for job interviews in the computing field. Part of the behavioral interview prep includes solving coding problems in real time. “In computing fields people often have to prove programming skills in interviews by doing challenge problems, or talking through code on a white board in front of people,” Tooher said. The ACM-W is open to students of any gender interested in STEM and computing fields, with a focus on empowering women within those fields.
News
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
The Marquette Tribune
Hotel offers temporary pandemic housing Ambassador rooms available for individuals in need By Ben Wells
benjamin.wells@marquette.edu
If Marquette students come into contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus, they are asked to isolate themselves by moving back to their place of permanent residence or to an isolation area on or off campus. One of the off-campus options is the Ambassador Hotel. “A student would quarantine at The Ambassador if they have been in contact with a person testing positive closer than 6 ft, without a mask and for longer than 15 minutes,” Mary Janz, executive director of Housing and Residence Life, said in an email. The Ambassador Hotel, located north of campus, has the capacity to hold 132 students in quarantine and is currently holding 37 students from Marquette, Janz said. It does not cost anything extra to isolate at the off-campus location. Those who are interested can still reserve rooms to stay in at the Ambassador through their website for an overnight stay. Currently, the university has 35 quarantine and isolation rooms in
total between both Mashuda Hall and Carpenter Tower according to Marquette’s coronavirus FAQ page. Students who live in singles are also given the option to quarantine in their own rooms if they are in a single with a private bathroom. According to the university’s COVID-19 Dashboard, with the last gating criteria update on Friday, less than 50% of Marquette’s quarantine space is currently being used, which kept it in the “safe” criterion. It is unclear if the quarantine space includes the rooms at the Ambassador Hotel. “The Ambassador was identified as a quarantine site early on when we were developing our Recovery Plan steps. Its use isn’t unique to this situation—it was always a planned quarantine site,” university spokesperson Chris Stolarski said in an email. Stephen Petrus, a first-year student in the College of Engineering, had to relocate to the Ambassador after coming into contact with someone who tested positive at Wells Hall. He was escorted to the hotel via Marquette’s LIMO to isolate there for the next two weeks starting Sept. 12. “For the most part, it’s just me getting a lot of my work done,” Petrus said. “I’ve gotten pretty ahead in all my work for school.” The person that Petrus had come
into contact with originally was asked to quarantine at Mashuda after showing symptoms of the virus. Petrus currently resides in a hotel room all by himself. He has his own bathroom and has meals delivered to him at noon for lunch and another at 5:30 p.m. for dinner. At that time, he also gets breakfast for the next day. An email is sent each week with a menu of what is available, as
opposed to Schroeder Hall’s dining options which change on a daily basis. “It’s basically all dorm food,” Petrus said. “It’s nothing too special.” He was also tested for COVID-19 through the Marquette University Medical Clinic on Monday and got his results back two days late. Petrus tested negative, even after coming into close contact with someone who
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tested positive. “I think it’s an efficient way to quarantine,” Petrus said. “If you’re able to remove students from their residence halls ... you help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.” Petrus is in the final 5 days of his quarantine and will be allowed to go back to Wells hall this Saturday.
Photo via Flickr
One location that Marquette students are isolating in is the Ambassador Hotel near 23rd St. and Wisconsin Ave.
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News
The Marquette Tribune
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Positivity rates, lack of testing frustrate faculty
University response, action plan worries employees By Beck Salgado
beck.salgado@marquette.edu
As many schools across the country are closing lecture halls and transitioning to online classes, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the eyes of Marquette’s students and faculty are turning to administrative leaders for what the next step may be. Amy Blair, a professor of English, said she is concerned about how Marquette is handling the COVID-19 situation on campus. She said she has been getting increasingly worried about how Marquette is executing its “ethical responsibility to its students this term.” She said she feels more should be done to protect and inform students. Blair cited the recent rise COVID-19 case numbers on campus — which saw its biggest singleday rise in cases last Friday — according to Marquette’s COVID-19 Dashboard, and the use of only symptomatic testing as some of her main sources of worry for her. Other worries included Marquette’s decision to quarantine Schroeder Hall following 3% of the building’s residents testing positive. Blair argued that the way things are structured at Marquette “seem to incentivize people to not want to go get tested.” She said students are worried about missing their in-person classes or being banned from eating in dining halls. Blair also questioned the strategy of Marquette’s COVID-19 prevention plan. “The minimal amount of testing paired with the high concentration of students in one area makes it feel like Marquette may be inadvertently creating a COVID hotspot without even really knowing it,” Blair said. The Marquette COVID-19 Dashboard, which currently gives data up to Sept. 20, shows a total of 1,568 tests that have been administered and received by Marquette since the start of the school year. Of those results, 362 were received on the same day that Marquette athletes and coaches got their results Aug. 31., and 637 more of those test results came on the same days that the results for the mandatory COVID-19 tests in Schroeder Hall came in. This leaves a semester-long total of 569 test results — an average of 29 a day — that were not received on one of those three days. In the last week, UW-Madison
has done an average of 1,238 tests per day, whereas Marquette did 128 results a day if the Schroeder Hall tests are included and 52 results a day if they are not included. When accounting for school population sizes, in the latest week for each school, Marquette did 1 test for every 13 students at the end of the last week, while UW-Madison did 1 test for every 5.5 students at the end of
Marquette has put into place to combat COVID-19 and help advise students on whether or not they need to get tested, is the COVID Cheq that students must do each day. COVID Cheq is a survey that consists of healthrelated questions that range from one’s temperature to the kinds of symptoms they may have. The questions are filled in by an individual, and, based on the answers, they are deemed either eligible or
temperature unless I’m feeling sick. As for the symptoms, if I have a headache I don’t mark it because I know it’s just a regular headache and it’s not worth putting it down,” Hartman said. Hartman even expressed that doing the COVID Cheq is a sad way to start the day and for that reason resents the function to some capacity. “I started off strong but slowly have given up, nowadays it’s just
Graphic by Shir Bloch shir.bloch@marquette.edu
the week. Marquette only tests students who are symptomatic, according to previous Marquette Wire stories. Multiple students have told the Marquette Wire that they have been turned away from tests because they lack the proper symptoms. One of the measures that
not to go to class. Margo Hartman, a sophomore in the College of Communication, said she feels that COVID Cheq is not effective and that nobody uses it. Hartman even said that she will “go through the motions” when filling it out for fear of not being able to go to class. “I hardly take my
a reminder that we’re still living in this world so it kinda starts my day off with that reminder, and it’s not the best way to start the day,” Hartman said. Somers Welton, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, echoed said that she does not take the COVID Cheq seriously because, given the fact that she has
three classes that primarily meet in person, she fears being wrongfully assessed as a potentially infected person. “I normally just click through it, sometimes I might have a headache or sore throat but I know it’s probably from something else so I don’t feel the need to fill it out,” Welton said. “I’m not sure what would happen if I didn’t pass that check and I don’t want to quarantine because of it.” Welton said she is unsure about whether COVID Cheq does what it is intended to do. “I personally don’t think it does anything because I’m sure people can’t really tell if they have symptoms or what they are from and so they probably click through it. It might help remind people not to go to class if they think they are sick but I think there could be more effective ways to do that,” Welton said. Currently, the Marquette testing facility only tests symptomatic students. Faculty members like Leah Flack, head of Marquette’s English department, had to drive 40 minutes to her nearest testing center to get tested after being unable to get a test at Marquette. Additionally, unlike the many adjunct faculty and graduate students, she had the benefit of health insurance that enabled her to get this testing. Many instructors on campus do not have this luxury. “Testing is expensive and not widely available, but if you want to say to yourself at the end of the day that you have done everything in your power to track this virus on a college campus, then you have to do it. It is not only a financial question — it is a moral question, too. We need to live up to our values for the health and safety of our entire community,” Flack said. Flack also confirmed that there is a rising sense of unease among faculty as they feel their health is not being prioritized or protected adequately in such uncertain times. “A lot of people are very nervous about teaching in person. They have families, they have a lot of anger that they may be risking their lives to keep their jobs. They are worried about their students, and they are angry because they worry that everyone is at risk. However, if everyone wants on-campus learning, this is what is going to happen,” Flack said. As of Sept. 21, Marquette’s COVID-19 Dashboard grades the oncampus situation as “moderate,” which according to their website means the “threat of outbreak remains.”
News
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Law School hosts webinar Election officials cover effects of virus on November ballots By Shir Bloch
shir.bloch@marquette.edu
The Lubar Center hosted a conversation with election officials Sept. 16, hosted by Mike Gousha, distinguished fellow in law and public policy at Marquette University Law School, to discuss the upcoming election and the impact of the pandemic on voting. The featured speakers were Meagan Wolfe, a Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator, Claire Woodall-Vogg, Milwaukee Election Commission executive director and Kelly Michaels, Brookfield city clerk. The discussion focused on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on voting in the coming election, specifically with absentee ballots. “We’re in a kind of different world,” Gousha said. “I think people over time have grown used to having elected winners and losers declared at some point in the late evening, even national elections oftentimes.” However, Gousha said that the number of absentee ballots this year will cause delays that some people might not expect. “Are we entering a different phase now?” he said. “Because of the change in voter behavior we’re going to have to expect that counting the votes is simply going to take a little bit more time.” Wolfe said that the number of mail-in ballots is large, but that clerks have started to prepare labels for absentee ballots and to make sure every ballot is tracked in the statewide system. “It’s a volume that’s much different than what we’ve seen in the past,” she said. “I think we reached the million mark over the weekend and that number continues to grow each day.” However, Wolfe said that the April election gave her team time to re-examine how the November election will look. In April, a judge had to allow more time for voters to return their absentee ballots, and many of the city’s polling places were closed due to lack of poll workers. “Now things look a little different than we thought they would and I think that the April election allowed us to really take a deep look at what this new volume of absentee ballots would require of us and require of our systems,” Wolfe said. “We really did a deep analysis of that.” She also said that Wisconsin voters have made it clear they want to know what is going on in
the coming election. “We’ve heard loud and clear from Wisconsin voters that they don’t want us to just tell them we’re ready,” Wolfe said. “They want to see how and so we went into detail about … things we are doing in terms of program areas to make sure that the state of Wisconsin is ready to handle the November 3 election at the local level.” She said one thing she has to emphasize is that the election results might not come on election night, but that the official results are never released on election night. “One of the things that I think is incredibly important to this conversation is we’ve never had the official results of an election on election night,” Wolfe said. “The certification of an election can take up to a month because of the three
“
We will be doing our best to ... pull back the curtain so that voters see what it takes to process an absentee ballot,” CLAIRE WOODALL-VOGG Wisconsin Elections Commission executive director
levels of certification that have to happen before those results are final.” She said that election results have to be certified on a municipal, county and state level before results are official. “Those election night results that you see are always unofficial, they’re actually not even an aggregate that comes from the state level,” Wolfe said. “Those are some of the unofficial results that are coming from each of the individual polling places and then the media does that aggregation to produce those unofficial result sets.” Woodall-Vogg, who has worked polling locations in Milwaukee, said that counting ballots, such as for in-person absentee voting in the past, takes a long time. She said that she has sometimes seen long days become 24-hour days to process the number of ballots. “We have very precise procedures and I think that it’s important that voters understand that and we will be doing our best to kind of pull back the curtain so that voters see what it takes to process an absentee ballot,” she said. She said that she is not anticipating having results by 9 or 10 p.m.
The Marquette Tribune
Some isolation spaces available
on election night. “I’m hopeful that by the time the sun comes up on November 4 that we will be finished and have election results, but it’s definitely a concern and the city of Milwaukee has been working with all of the tools that we have within our means to improve processes and By Megan Woolard procedures.” Woodall-Vogg said. megan.woolard@marquette.edu Michaels said that a vendor for Marquette students who test higher speed tabulators moved positive for COVID-19 are reWisconsin clerks up its customer quired to live in certain isolist because, in the company’s lation spaces designated by multi-state system, it realized that the university. Wisconsin had the least time to These spaces are located all process ballots and thus needed throughout campus. Every unithe higher speed machine more versity residence hall has isolathan states that allow more time tion rooms that contain a private for absentee ballots to be counted. bathroom. Even residence halls “We still only have 13 hours to that have communal bathrooms process them and I think that’s such as Schroeder and Cobeen where we’re going to fall down a Hall, have special isolation little bit and we’re going to learn rooms available. On campus some lessons because other states apartments also have similar have more time to process all of spaces available. those absentee ballots,” she said. “We have 100 isolation rooms Michaels also said that, since and over 150 quarantine spaces” the process is based heavily on said Mary Janz, executive direcmanual labor, it takes more time tor of Housing and Residence for Wisconsin to count ballots be- Life, said. cause other states have introduced Isolation rooms are primarfaster processes and technologies. ily for students with a positive “They’re processing at such a COVID-19 test, but they can larger speed and rate than we’ll also be used by individuals who ever be able to do just because we have had close contact with a need legislation to allow us more confirmed case and have reatime and we also need experi- son to assume that they would ence going forward to see what test positive. technology we need to do a better Students living in off-camjob and I think those are the les- pus housing can request an isosons we’re going to learn here,” lation room if their living situMichaels said. ation doesn’t have such spaces. She said that the Wisconsin’s “Our testing capacity will ballot counting system makes warrant results within 24 to 48 the process long and difficult and hours,” Keli Wollmer, executive that she hopes this will change for director of the medical clinic, the future. said. During the 24 to 48 hour “I think that we’re going to learn time frame the medical clinic some more lessons especially on suggests that students stay in the back end because i think our their rooms and limit contact focus has been on the front end with others. where we collectively as a state Quarantining is different than could do more,” Michaels said. isolation, according to Mar“Legislatively-wise we haven’t quette’s COVID-19 protocol been given the tools to help on the document. Students quarantinback end so we’re going to get all ing in Schroeder Hall who do of these absentee ballots.” not test positive will only be Woodall-Vogg said that Milwau- required to quarantine for two kee has 15 locations for in-person weeks, while isolation has difearly voting, including Fiserv Fo- ferent terms. rum, which will allow for social “Those in isolation must redistancing for those wishing to main until symptom free for vote in-person. She also said that 24 hours and at least 10 days there will be drive-through loca- since the onset of symptoms tions, such as Miller Park, and have passed,” the university’s secure places to drop off absen- Step 4 COVID-19 protocol tee ballots even until 8 p.m. on document said. election night. Students must remain symp“As election administrators tom free without using “overwe’re always focused on the solu- the-counter” medications. tion and the next steps and look- This includes fever reducing forward,” Wolfe said. “With ers such as Tylenol or other the unprecedented volume of cough suppressants. absentee ballot requests that’s a If a student has a positive COtask that’s going to take a lot lon- VID-19 test but does not develger for this election than it has in op symptoms, they must be in previous months.” isolation for a minimum of 10 days after their initial test. On average, a student who has
Spots set aside for confirmed, suspected cases on campus
7
tested positive for COVID-19 will be in isolation for two to four weeks. Students in isolation will work with the medical clinic to closely monitor new or worsening symptoms and develop a plan for their health. In addition to the medical clinic, students in quarantine or isolation also have other resources available to them. For students in Schroeder Hall, spiritual resources are also available. “Schroeder Hall students have a Jesuit-in-residence and resident Hall Minister to support them during this difficult time,” Megan Heedler, Schroeder Hall Minister, said. While in-person spiritual events are suspended at this time Heedler says that there are still plenty of opportunities for students to connect with their faith and their community. “A weekly small group of Schroeder students called ‘Camino’ continues to meet weekly via a virtual platform to talk about faith and life, especially focusing this week on the challenges of quarantine,” Heedler said. Continuing to meet in small groups offers a place for students to safely engage with their community while remaining in quarantine. For students in isolation, additional resources are available. “Students who have been isolated due to positive COVID tests receive a daily call from the Hall Minister to provide them with community and companionship and to field any questions they might have throughout their isolation period,” Heedler said. Even though in-person ministry is limited, Heedler and Jesuit in-residence Rev. Jose Miguel said they have been making an effort to be especially present and accessible for students during this time. They are reaching out to students via email and are offering to meet via Microsoft Teams for students who wish to do so. Miguel and Heedler keep in contact regularly with Schroeder Hall Director Alexander Brandt to ensure that all students get the support they need at this time. Campus Ministry is also working on putting a book full of poetry, prayers and reflection for students in Schroeder. Counseling and academic services are also available to students quarantine in Schroeder or in other places on campus. For more information about quarantine and isolation, students should visit the university’s COVID-19 response page.
The Marquette Tribune
TUESDAY, September 22, 2020
Arts &
Entertainment
Page 8
Multicultural Greek Chapters celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month Sigma Lambda Betas, Gammas raise cultural awareness By Charlotte Ives
charlotte.ives@marquette.edu
The COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for putting multiple events, businesses and traditions on hold and now it is affecting how students are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Beginning Sept. 15 and ending Oct. 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of the cultures of Hispanic and Latino Americans and their contributions in the United States. According to the Hispanic Heritage Month website, it is a month geared toward “paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.” Stephanie Perez, president of the Sigma Lambda Gamma chapter at Marquette University, said this month of appreciation is meant to be far more inclusive than people may think. “Hispanic Heritage Month is not solely about Mexican culture or the cultures predominantly present on campus or around people’s lives,” Perez said. “It’s about a lot of other cultures as well.” Sigma Lambda Gamma is a multicultural, traditionally Latinabased sorority on campus. The Gammas, along with the brothers of the Sigma Lambda Beta, a Latino-based multicultural fraternity, celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month together by hosting their annual Fiesta De Noche. Fiesta De Noche is a large party open to the campus community. It showcases cultural foods, music and dancing and is a tradition on campus that has been around for over a decade. “In this event, we invite everybody on campus, the Milwaukee community as well, to come. And everything is paid for, free food, free drinks,” Edar Mellin, a junior in the College of Business Administration and president of Sigma Lambda Beta, said. Perez said Fiesta De Noche has been gaining a lot of engagement in the past years which has increased
Marquette Wire Stock Photo
Fiesta De Noche is an annual event that honors cultures’ prevalence on campus and in the community.
funding for the event considerably. She said this extra funding would have enabled them to open the event up to the entire community this year. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and related safety regulations and concerns prevented Fiesta De Noche from being held this year. “Due to COVID, we were jumping through lots of hoops to see how we could still host the event somehow while keeping it socially distanced and safe for everyone attending,” Perez said. For the sake of the integrity of the event, and to ensure the safety of the attendees, the celebration has been put on hold until at least next year. Perez said they have begun to plan for the Fiesta De Noche as if it will be held next fall. Both Mellin and Perez said they find it disappointing that Fiesta De Noche could not be held this year, especially considering how its cancellation may negatively impact the community. Mellin said not holding the event risks not having his voice heard. “We can’t really go out and express our traditions, our different ethnicities,” Mellin said. “Right now, we’re doing our best. We’re trying to hold events towards that aim, but with everything going on, it’s put on pause.” The Gammas are also experiencing difficulties raising
cultural awareness on campus through programming and events. “(Thursday) we were planning on hosting a Get Ready with the Gammas event,” Perez said. “But with current developments of Schroeder Hall closing and some sisters having some concerns about it being a hybrid model, social distancing guidelines and all that, we decided it would be better not to risk it.” Get Ready with the Gammas is a regular program held by the various chapters of Sigma Lambda Gamma that often involves fundraising for charities. At Marquette, this event had to be canceled. Nonetheless, the two Greek organizations are still actively searching for ways to celebrate cultural diversity in the community in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. For example, the Gammas will be hosting a virtual “Step to the Line Privilege Test” during their Gamma Week on Oct. 20. The goal of the event is to help participants understand the cultural barriers that may separate them from other members of the community. “It’s an event we’re hosting to bring to light our own privileges as well as the privileges of other people in the community,” Perez said. The Latin American Student
Organization is also making efforts to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in a safe and productive way. LASO is a student organization on campus geared toward building community and raising cultural awareness. “We are here to serve the Latinx populations, but basically anyone’s welcome,” Stephanie Salas, a senior in the College of Health Sciences and the president of LASO, said. “We love new members no matter their ethnic background, everybody’s welcome and we want to be a big family on campus.” Although COVID-19 regulations complicate programming efforts, LASO is still committed to celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. “This year I made it more of an effort to celebrate, I think it’s really important especially because we are a Latin American organization,” Salas said. To kick-off Hispanic Heritage Month, members of LASO handed out over 100 culturally-themed goodie bags Sept. 15. “It’s kind of nice even for non-Hispanics to see that we’re celebrating,” Salas said. Nicole Abalde, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Outreach Director of LASO, said in addition to candy, the goodie bags
included some educational content. “We were giving out goodie bags with a card promoting our first general body meeting,” Abalde said. “Also we had facts about Hispanic Heritage Month just to get more students informed about what this month is all about.” Abalde said all general body meetings are open to the Marquette students regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. every other Tuesday and the Teams meeting link can be found on LASO’s Instagram page. Additional to this first tabling event, LASO has more planned in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. This includes collecting donations for Centro Hispano Milwaukee, the first ever Latin-serving nonprofit based in Milwaukee, as well as an organized walk to Cesar Chavez statue in the south side, a largely Hispanic area of the city. “That’s just to show students, especially new students, different businesses and just the murals that are showcased in the south side,” Abalde said about the walk. LASO is making an effort to maintain a presence on campus despite any limitations that may be imposed by the pandemic. “We’ve been active,” Salas said. “But it’s hard to do in-person events.” The organization had planned on hosting a cultural show that would spotlight different Latin American cultures with cultural food, music and dancing. But like Fiesta De Noche and many other large events on campus, it had to be cancelled for health and safety reasons. Regardless of how difficult the COVID-19 pandemic has made it to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month Salas said it is an important practice to maintain. “I think it’s important to bring awareness that this population exists in Marquette and also outside of Marquette,” Salas said. “It’s a good way for (the general public) to explore and maybe learn if they want to learn more.”
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Arts & Entertainment
The Marquette Tribune
9
STEBNITZ: High-demand for an ‘ordinary’ McDonald’s meal Travis Scott burger generating a lot of hype, publicity By Mason Stebnitz
mason.stebnitz@marquette.edu
Of all of the artists in the music industry, Travis Scott may be the most popular right now. He recently partnered with the video game Fortnite for a virtual concert. He dated and even fathered a child with Kylie Jenner. His album, “Astroworld,” was streamed 349 million times and sold 270,000 copies, according to the New York Times. This success led to an unlikely pairing with the fast food
giant McDonald’s. McDonald’s released the Travis Scott meal Sept. 8. The meal, which includes all of the rapper’s favorite order at McDonald’s, costs $6 and is available until October. The burger consists of a quarter-pounder with shredded lettuce, ketchup, mustard, two cheese slices, onion and bacon. It comes with a side of medium fries with barbecue sauce and a medium Sprite. The meal is nothing out of the ordinary. The quarter-pounder has the best texture I have ever experienced in a McDonald’s burger. The combination of the bacon and lettuce is just what it needs. The bacon quality is about what you’d expect from a fast food restaurant, very salty
Photo by Katerina Pourliakas katerina.pourliakas@marquette.edu
The meal includes a bacon quarter-pounder with fries and a Sprite.
and not a lot of flavor. I think the addition of bacon and lettuce is a good touch and it was honestly the best cheeseburger I have ever had from McDonald’s. There is not much to say about the fries. They are the most iconic fries in America and are probably McDonald’s best food asset. The only thing wrong with them is that they come in medium instead of large in the meal. The Sprite is also always good and for some reason is more carbonated at McDonald’s. You can order any drink you want with it, but I would just suggest Sprite to stay true to the original meal. The meal is not revolutionary, or even that unique. This, however, is not a bad thing because the name itself and the hype surrounding it is enough to make people want to buy it. I would most likely order the Travis Scott meal every time I go, just to participate in the culture of it all. I would also suggest, from personal experience, to eat the meal while listening to Travis Scott music. It may feel excessive or unnecessary, but that is the nature of the campaign itself. Scott also released corresponding merchandise to the meal, such as hats, shirts and pants. The campaign has had a huge impact,
as McDonald’s is having trouble supplying enough beef to their restaurants according to the New York Post. I have been swept up in the hype train, purchasing the meal on two occasions and even ordering a shirt from the online store. After just a week, the merchandise store is currently sold out. If the store is resupplied, I would only recommend buying certain shirts or sweatshirts. The site sells everything from pillows to cardigans. Most items are either ridiculously overpriced or too flashy. Golden arches jean shorts cost $250, and a Travis Scott rug costs $350. Other clothing items are essentially walking billboards, displaying the price of the meal and the limited–time offer all over the item. My favorite items are the Cactus Jack crew necks and the sesame seed shirts. They are reasonably priced and a lot more subdued than most of the other options. The shirts cost $48 while the crew necks vary between $80 to $100. They feature a small Cactus Jack McDonald’s logo in the top left and are much more subtle than many of their counterparts. I am neither a Travis Scott fan nor a huge McDonald’s fan. The
value I get out of it is similar to the value of a “Summerfest 1985” shirt in your parents‘ basementit’s a sign of the times from 2020 that I will also wear casually. The merchandise is worthwhile for hardcore fans of Travis Scott or McDonald’s, but doesn’t feature a lot of clothing items suitable for casual consumers. The Travis Scott meal is an ambitious marketing campaign from McDonald’s because they brought in a celebrity who is not normally linked to the brand. It is well thought out, from the online merchandise to the fun commercials. I would suggest trying the meal because it is cheap and tastes very good. I would not be surprised if other restaurants take notice of the results, and begin to have more celebrities release their signature meals.
MADSON: Taylor Swift’s “folklore” album brings fall feelings New songs include ‘cardigan,’ ‘august,’ ‘invisible string’ By Ariana Madson
ariana.madson@marquette.edu
With only a one day’s notice, Taylor Swift announced the release of her eighth studio album, “folklore,” July 24. The album has 16 songs with a bonus track “the lakes” included in the deluxe edition. Even with seven albums already under her belt, Swift delivered one unlike
any other. The whole album brings about a melancholy tone, with dashes of her country roots and a taste of her newly found pop tone. Songs collectively tell different stories, including one of a love triangle. A few songs, including “the 1,” “betty” and “cardigan” particularly help to portray this story. Despite the summer release, the album cover also brings a fall vibe to the entire album. the 1 This is the first song on the album, and it brings a hint of the “pop” side of Swift that many have begun to associate her music with. The opening starts off simple with some piano and a light beat. T h e lyrics
Photo by Katerina Pourliakas katerina.pourliakas@marquette.edu
emphasize the “what-ifs” that can come once a relationship ends, specifically with the lyric “If one thing had been different, would everything be different today?” in the bridge, which is the part of a song that’s usually different than the verse or chorus. However, there doesn’t seem to be any bitterness concerning the end of the relationship, only nostalgia. This song pairs greatly with a nice, slow fall stroll to clear the mind. betty “betty” is a song that is rumored to be part of a three song story that describes a love triangle. The other two are “august” and “cardigan.” This song takes place from the point of view of James, a 17-year-old boy who, based on the song lyrics, seems to have messed something up with his love interest, Betty, and is attempting to get her back at a party. In the song, James said that even though he was with someone else for the summer, he only thought of her. The song brings back some of Swift’s old country with the sounds of harmonica in the beginning. This song gives a “staying inside” afternoon vibe, almost perfect for doing light chores and maybe lighting a favorite
fall-scented candle. cardigan “cardigan,” the second song on the album, was released as a music video the same night the album dropped. The song is said to be from the viewpoint of Betty, the possible scorned love interest of James from the song “betty.” The chords within the song bring out a melancholy tone, emphasizing the sadness and hurt within the story. Some lyrics, such as “I knew you, tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy” invoke a sense of ending and finality. The lyrics and melody, which are both on the sadder side, make this a song perfect for a rainy or stormy day while wearing a sweater or even a favorite cardigan. august This song sounds different than any other song Swift has done before. The vocals are airy and almost dreamlike, emphasizing how “august slipped away like a dream.” This song is from the viewpoint of the girl James was seeing over the summer. The lyrics hint at a possible affair, with lines like “you weren’t mine to lose.” Though the sentiment may be sad, the song itself brings nostalgia,
remembering the month slipping away along with the love interest, yet the story-teller had hope it would work out. This song is a great song for a walk along the lakeside while in jeans and a comfy sweatshirt to look at the leaves changing on the trees in anticipation of the fall season. invisible string This is one of the more cheerful songs on the album. The opening guitar plucking brings about a sense of Swift’s old country. The lyrics discuss a visible string that brought two people together. It’s about looking at perfect happenstances and emphasizing serendipity with lyrics like “Were there clues I didn’t see? And isn’t it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?” It has a soft vibe, with a bit of violin, light percussion and plucking of a guitar or two as the background to Swift’s vocals. This song is perfect for a sunny fall day while drinking coffee, or even baking pumpkin or banana bread. The album can be listened to through different musical mediums such as Apple Music and Spotify.
The Marquette Tribune
Opinions
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
PAGE 10
Editorial Board
Natallie St. Onge, Executive Director Annie Mattea, Managing Editor Marquette Tribune Kelli Arseneau, Managing Editor Marquette Journal
Alexandra Garner, Executive Opinions Editor Aminah Beg, Assistant Opinions Editor
Shir Bloch, News Executive Zoe Comerford, Sports Executive Skyler Chun, A&E Executive Lelah Byron, Projects Editor
Eleanor Mccaughey, Copy Chief Grace Pionek, Design Chief Zach Bukowski, Photo Editor
Julia Donofrio, Social Media Executive Aimee Galszweski, Station Manager MUTV Reese Seberg, Station Manager MURadio
STAFF EDITORIAL
MU must better prepare students for quarantine possibility As the likelihood of Marquette University residence halls going under quarantine increases due to a steady climb of COVID-19 cases on campus, it is imperative the university is more transparent and communicative with students regarding the possibility of quarantining. Residents of Schroeder Hall were notified around 7 p.m. Sept. 14 that a quarantine would be enacted for 14 days beginning 10 p.m. that same day. The email from Xavier Cole, the vice president of student affairs and chair of the COVID-19 response team, informed them that the decision to send residents into quarantine was the result of an increase in COVID-19 cases and a confirmed cluster in the building. Approximately 11, or 3%, of the 373 residents tested positive for COVID-19 in the building. Many students were crunched for time, panicking to try to pick up groceries, call family and friends and figure out how to leave on or off-campus jobs because the quarantine started at 10 p.m., a short time after they were notified. Giving students only two
services and mental health resources from the Counseling Center. While these efforts to support students’ mental health during their quarantine may be well-intentioned, it is unlikely the Counseling Center will be prepared to adequately help 373 students at once. The pandemic has brought a lot of unprecedented changes, such as wearing a mask and social distancing, which has created a lot of stress and anxiety. The university must be mindful of this when informing the Marquette community of changes to campus and give residents and resiPhoto by Joceline Helmbrek joceline.helmbrek@marquette.edu) A 14-day quarantine was enacted in Schroeder Hall after an increase in COVID-19 cases in the building dence hall staff at least two to three days notice in advance so they can and a half hours is insufficient students were crying while calling the email. prepare to quarantine. and irresponsible. their family as they tried to figHaving to quarantine is already a This would allow students Students rushing in clusters to ure out their plan for the next two very stressful situation and students enough time to contact their famigrocery stores and into the resi- weeks, according to a previous should not have to experience the lies, buy groceries and gather the dence hall creates the possibility for Marquette Wire article. additional stress of having to fig- necessary materials they need more contact, and therefore, more They were encouraged in the ure out their school and life plans for classes. potential to increase the spread. email to stay in the residence hall within a two-hour period. Students living in other residence Moreover, giving this little notice for the two weeks. If students deWith no possibility of leaving the halls on campus must be given earmay have created anxiety for resi- cided to leave campus to quaran- building during the quarantine pe- lier notice and sufficient time and dents, as they also had to make sure tine, they have to “stay off-campus riod, it was essential that residents resources if they are to go under a they had the necessary resources for all 14 days and provide proof of were given enough time to prepare. quarantine in the future. to complete their classwork under a negative COVID-19 test within The email to Schroeder residents quarantine for two weeks. three days of returning to post- also said they will be receiving reSchroeder residents said some 14 day quarantine,” according to sources for pastoral care, academic
Marquette should offer more events for students amid pandemic Lucia Ruffolo Marquette University must expand in-person social opportunities by creating more on-campus events for students, while still being mindful of social distancing guidelines. First-year students in particular find themselves in a difficult position this semester, as the social life that defines the oncampus college experience has been severely hindered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While current health guidelines meant to protect students’ safety make it impossible to resume normal activity, it is still necessary to create events that adhere to social distancing protocols, while still allowing a social environment for students. This socialization is a vital part
of the college experience and will aid the mental and emotional health of students who need a break from school work. Late Night Marquette has traditionally provided students with weekend opportunities to socialize without drinking and partying, such as trivia and movie nights. While these events are still occurring to a lesser extent and do offer socialization opportunities for students, it would be wise to also create daytime options and develop opportunities exclusively for first-year students who are seeking to meet others in a similar position as them. Groups could host off-campus events like hiking or biking. Some residence halls are hosting socially distanced events for residents outside, but student groups could host more events like craft nights, game nights or holiday-specified festivities to give students the ability to make friends while also
maintaining safe distances. It is especially important to create distanced events in large indoor spaces as the evenings grow colder and students are no longer able to hang out on campus green spaces. While sophomores and upperclassmen have had the ability to enjoy first-year traditions that have allowed them to create their own social network, first-year students lack this opportunity. Combined with the fact that there is little to do on campus and even simple things like eating in dining halls or visiting different resident halls have been significantly reduced or eliminated entirely, socializing is especially hard. While it is understandable that the university is following COVID-19 safety precautions by decreasing social gatherings, facilitating events that can be safely participated in will help students build relationships and
avoid isolation. The opportunities for social interaction and physical activity are decreased by the fact that many students have classes online, and spending all day in a small dorm room can easily make one grow stir-crazy. Without fun alternatives, it is easy for students to turn to activities like drinking and densely congregating together to party, which will only aid the transmission of COVID-19. Past instances of crowded off-campus parties have already been documented. If the spread of the virus becomes out of control, Marquette runs the risk of returning to complete remote learning and students may have to evacuate residence halls. If the university sponsors monitored events, it is able to plan events in accordance with safety guidelines. It reduces the worry of the students making decisions that can cause harm, while also
offering a much-needed option for students who are looking for something to do other than bingedrinking in the dorms. While the first priority of college is to provide a meaningful education, some people chose to attend college in-person this semester because they craved the full college experience. It is hard for universities to allow this aspect of college to fully resume, especially with the threat of a contagious virus. But if the university would increase the amount of on-campus events with first-year students in mind, it would dramatically improve the health and happiness of the student body. Lucia Ruffolo is a first-year student and is undecided. She can be reached at lucia.ruffolo@marquette.edu
Opinions
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
The Marquette Tribune
LGBTQ media must go beyond depressing tropes Jenna Koch
LGBTQ characters must be allowed to exist in narratives that normalize their identities. Media with LGBTQ characters should allow those characters to have personalities and conflicts outside ones that pertain to being queer. Lifetime, a channel notorious for its cheesy Christmas rom-coms, announced its firstever Christmas movie centered around a gay couple, titled “The Christmas Set Up.” The movie focuses on the couple’s romance rather than their sexualities, which is sorely needed in LGBTQ media. Too often, queer media involves a conflict or depressing ending that only came about because the characters are queer. For example, one character might die from homophobic violence, as is seen in the Academy Award winning film “Brokeback Mountain.”
Other critically acclaimed films such as “A Portrait of a Lady on Fire” and “Call Me By Your Name” end with one character marrying a member of the opposite sex, terminating the romance started in the film. Many other pieces of LGBTQ media are based around conversion therapy, such as “Boy Erased” and “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” or the AIDS crisis. Both topics are important to cover, but should not make up a majority of LGBTQ media. The FX show “Pose” is a great example of media that covers historical LGBTQ oppression as well as LGBTQ joy, romance and culture. It follows a group of mostly trans women and gay men in New York City’s 1980s underground ball culture. Issues like AIDS are covered, but the characters also have rich lives full of voguing and elaborate costumes. Most importantly, it focuses on how they find community with one another despite the adversity they face.
Often in AIDS focused media, the LGBTQ “scene” is shown as deviant or unhealthy, such as in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a fictionalized account of Freddie Mercury’s life. In one scene, the singer enters a gay club with his partner. The red lights and BDSM gear paint the LGBTQ club scene of the 1970s in hyper-sexualized light. His homosexuality is almost treated as the cause of his unhealthy lifestyle. This isn’t to say that LGBTQ scenes weren’t harmful to queer people in the past. It wasn’t because they were gay, but because society had pushed them into the margins. LGBTQ people coped however they could. This also isn’t to say bad things can’t, or shouldn’t, happen to LGBTQ characters. However, when all conflict in queer media is based around issues only queer people face, there is a problem. LGBTQ viewers should not have to be constantly reminded of their historical and present-day struggles simply to
see representation of themselves on screen. Furthermore, LGBTQ people still experience struggles unrelated to sexuality or gender. Some of my favorite pieces of LGBTQ media are not even about being LGBTQ at all. For example, the 2020 Netflix show “I Am Not Okay With This” features a lesbian main character, but the majority of the plot is focused on her newfound psychic abilities. We need more media like this. And we also need to be critical of LGBTQ narratives while also examining who is telling them. For example, the book “Call Me By Your Name,” which the movie is based off, was written by a straight man while “A Portrait of a Lady on Fire” was directed by a lesbian. The difference is evident. The latter’s ending is more important to the plot, which encompasses not just lesbian experiences, but also how female experiences are always influenced by the patriarchy.
The ending of “Call Me By Your Name” feels almost like a lazy ending. The main character, Elio, gets a call from his summer fling, Oliver, who tells him he’s set to be married in the spring. It creates an emotional experience for the viewer, but it isn’t entirely creative or interesting. Endings such as these send a message to viewers. It tells them that LGBTQ people’s stories will always result in strife. I don’t want people to equate LGBTQ experiences with suffering. Consumers, especially straight and cisgender consumers, must not buy into these tropes and call out poor representation. As a queer woman, I want to watch media in which I am represented, not pitied.
Jenna Koch is a first-year student studying journalism. She can be reached at jenna.koch@marquette.edu
Protecting essential workers must be a priority Hope Moses While strict COVID-19 guidelines have been developed in hospitals and medical care facilities, Americans have not taken health guidelines seriously protecting essential workers beyond
the hospital environment. Most essential workers include those we often forget about — fast food workers, retail associates, cleaners and many others we have desperately leaned on to fulfill our daily needs. When the coronavirus became known to the American public in March and critical businesses began to close, millions of people across the nation started
Photo via Flickr
A sign in a front yard showcases appreciation for essential workers.
panic-buying, forcing essential workers to stay employed amid a pandemic. Essential workers are those who conduct a range of operations and services that are typically necessary to continue critical infrastructure operations. Many of these industries have seen continued demand for their products and services, such as grocery stores, health care facilities and water utilities. With this being said, what occupations are considered essential vary from state to state. For instance, in Arizona, the governor considered golf courses a necessity, thus making golf course workers essential. In addition, laws vary from state to state. All 50 states have reopened, but only four states met the requirements to reopen, according to Forbes. States must meet four basic criteria: there must be a two-week decrease in coronavirus cases, fewer than four daily cases per 100,000 people per day, positive test rates must be below 5% and states should have at least 40% of their intensive care unit beds free in case things worsen. States reopening did not meet all of this criteria. Not only should we be embarrassed that our federal government has not done much to protect us, we should be equally concerned for essential workers. Most essential workers are those who are already economically disadvantaged, earning
lower wages and having little to no health insurance. The reopening of our economy has put these citizens at high risk for contracting the virus. Many essential workers with families cannot afford to quarantine for two weeks because it will set them back in numerous ways. For example, a fast-food worker does not receive paid leave so if one were to be stricken with the virus, they would miss out on a paycheck, making it harder to pay monthly bills. We as American citizens are also equally ineffective with how we handle the pandemic. The mask debate, which has sparked numerous of protests across the country, is endangering the lives of so many — including essential workers. Every time a citizen disobeys mask rules by not wearing one, or wearing it incorrectly, they endanger essential workers who have already risked their lives to service them in restaurants, stores, and many other public settings. In an odd way, antimaskers see this as being patriotic. However, actual patriotism would be to protect people of the country you love. This kind of mindset change can ensure that essential workers are protected. All in all, the nation has a duty to protect essential workers. Beyond being “essential” for our economy’s progress, they are human. These workers deserve much better than what is being done to
protect them. The federal government and citizens alike need to see the humanity in these jobs and at the very least, follow COVID-19 guidelines. Just by social distancing and wearing a mask, you are emphasizing the importance of protecting yourself while protecting others. So while the pandemic has felt like it has been going on forever, it is important to understand just how much is at stake and just how much power you have to protect others.
Hope Moses is a first-year student studying journalism. She can be reached at hope.moses@marquette.edu
Statement of Opinion Policy
The opinions expressed on the Opinions page reflect the opinions of the Opinions staff. The editorials do not represent the opinions of Marquette University nor its administrators, but those of the editorial board. The Marquette Tribune prints guest submissions at its discretion. The Tribune strives to give all sides of an issue an equal voice over the course of a reasonable time period. An author’s contribution will not be published more than once in a four-week period. Submissions with obvious relevance to the Marquette community will be given priority consideration. Full Opinions submissions should be limited to 500 words. Letters to the editor should be between 150 to 250 words. The Tribune reserves the right to edit submissions for length and content. Please e-mail submissions to: alexandra.garner@marquette.edu. If you are a current student, include the college in which you are enrolled and your year in school. If not, please note any affliations to Marquette or your current city of residence.
Sports The Marquette Tribune
SOPHOMORE MIDFIELDER COMES TO MKE FROM SEMO SPORTS, 14
Tuesday, September 22, 2020 PAGE 12
Men’s, women’s seasons to begin Nov. 25
Marquette Wire stock photo (left) / Photo by Zach Bukowski zachary.bukowski@marquette.edu (right)
Greg Elliott (5) attempts a layup on Senior Day Feb. 29. Marquette lost to Seton Hall 88-79. Lauren Van Kleunen (42) shoots over DePaul defense March 9 in the BIG EAST championship game.
campuses are far less populated and it’s (a) much more controlled environment.” Additionally, all fall sports have been moved to the spring. While there was debate on other dates, including pushing the seasons By Zoe Comerford back to January, Gavitt said the overisabel.comerford@marquette.edu sight committees were convinced Collegiate campaigns for that Thanksgiving week was the best the 2020-21 basketball season time to start. will begin Nov. 25, the NCAA “We need that break from the genDivision I Council decided eral student body that the ThanksSept. 16. giving week provides,” Gavitt said This decision comes less than to Katz. “Time for testing to make five days after the oversight com- sure that is available. That’s really mittees for both leagues submitted fundamental to all of this being suca recommendation to begin Nov. cessful. ... It provides an opportunity 21. The original date was Nov. 10 to start the season with some exciteto start the 2020-21 season, but was ment leading into a long Thankspushed back due to the continuing giving weekend of hopefully great coronavirus pandemic. basketball games.” “The Wednesday before ThanksA Nov. 25 start date means that giving is a date at which three-quar- in-person practices can start on Oct. ters of all Division I schools will have 14, 42 days prior to the first game acfinished their fall semester, including cording to NCAA rules. exams, or at least the general student However, there are some restricbody to finish the semester with vir- tions. In order to be eligible for the tual instruction and online exams,” NCAA Championships, teams are NCAA Senior Vice President Dan not allowed to play in less than 13, or Gavitt told the NCAA correspon- more than 27 regular season games dant Andy Katz. “Our medical ad- against DI opponents. In the 2019 visory group believes that provides season, teams played 31 regular the most optimal time period to start season games. the season successfully when the “They reduced the maximum
Practices to start Oct. 14, possibility of fan attendance
number of contests by four essentially because with a two-week delay, that’s an average of two games per week,” Gavitt said to Katz. “They also set the minimum number of games to 50% of the previous minimum number of games. That is now 13 games against Division I competition in order to be eligible for the NCAA Championships.” Additionally, exhibition games or scrimmages are not permitted before Nov. 25 and the Division I Council also recommended playing in a minimum of four nonconference games. “(This) comes from the two basketball tournament committees, men’s and women’s, that believe that it’s best for the sport overall, for the interest of the student athletes, to have at least some nonconference competition,” Gavitt said to Katz. “It also certainly helps the selection committees with the metrics and with nonconference contests to be able to evaluate teams for selection and seeding in the NCAA Tournament.” Gavitt said this hopefully will help direct schools and conferences for their decisions regarding the conference and nonconference mix of games. “It’ll be an institutional decision,” Gavitt said to Katz. “Those games
can be conference challenges, they can be (multi-team events), they can be local rivals, they can be regional travel. But the oversight committees thought strongly as to the basketball committee that that was in the best interest of the sport overall.” A BIG EAST spokesman confirmed that there was supposed to be a league-wide meeting Sept. 17 to discuss the men’s and women’s basketball conference and nonconference game schedules. The meeting continued into Sept. 18, but the BIG EAST has not yet announced any final decisions. Although Nov. 25 is the official date to resume basketball, that is not guaranteed if COVID-19 conditions worsen. The council is scheduled to meet again in mid-October to further discuss the women’s and men’s basketball seasons and vote on potential amendments, if necessary. “The announcement by the NCAA was important for a number of reasons, most importantly it gives us all a date to look forward to in terms of the return of college basketball,” Marquette men’s basketball coach Steve Wojciechowski said in an emailed statement. “It also helps us coordinate all of our efforts within the program to make sure we are
ready when that first game comes. There is still a tremendous amount of work to be done and decisions to be made, but we couldn’t be more excited about getting back on the court and representing Marquette.” It has not yet been announced if fans can attend games once the season begins. Marquette athletic director Bill Scholl said in an email to season ticket holders Thursday, after the BIG EAST and NCAA have announced their plans regarding conference and non-conference play, then the athletics department will determine the structure for MU’s home games at Fiserv Forum. “Universities across the country will follow guidance from their respective local governing bodies on social distancing procedures for large, indoor spaces, such as basketball arenas,” Scholl said in an email. “We hope to be able to welcome fans back to the best home arena in the country, Fiserv Forum, but the safety and well-being of all attendees remains our top priority. We will be working closely with campus leadership, Fiserv Forum staff and local government and health officials to determine the recommended capacity at games based on health and safety guidelines.”
Sports
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
The Marquette Tribune
13
ATHLETICS
Fall Division I sports officially move to spring 2021 NCAA releases plan for cross country, volleyball, soccer By Nick Galle
nicholas.galle@marquette.edu
The NCAA announced Sept. 16 that the Division I Council will be approving proposals that move the fall conference seasons to spring 2021. For Marquette Athletics, this will have an impact on men’s soccer, women’s soccer, volleyball, and cross country. The regular season for men’s soccer can span from Feb. 3 to April 17 with a Men’s College Cup consisting of 36 teams from May 13 to 17. The women’s soccer season will have the same time frame, but the Women’s College Cup will consist of 48 teams. During normal circumstances, the Men’s College Cup features 48 teams and the Women’s College Cup features 64 teams, but both have been cut down due to COVID-19. The volleyball squad will be
able to have a regular season The goal is to have teams meet amount of contests by 50%. there will be less locations used from Jan. 22 to April 3 with a 48- a specified minimum number of Championships will be played to preliminary rounds in order team championship tournament required games for the season, at predetermined locations that to maintain health and safety for scheduled for April 23 to 25. but the oversight committee has will be announced at a later date. athletes and personnel. The cross country regular already suggested reducing the The NCAA also announced that season will be from Jan. 30 to March 5, but there is some concern from head coach Sean Birren and his runners about cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field all taking place in the spring. The Division I Competition Oversight Committee will continue to look for solutions, but the men’s and women’s championships are currently scheduled for March 15. The Council has also made a variety of adjustments for the proposed spring season. Practices will be prohibited during finals and the week prior at the end of the fall semester if a team is “in-season” but not competing. Schools will be able to extend their seasons past the NCAA championship date, but must end prior to the conclusion of the academic year. There must also be a break before the beginMarquette Wire stock photo ning of the championship porMarquette women’s volleyball celebrates during their five-set victory over University of Wisconsin-Madison Sept. 5. tion of team schedules.
MEN’S SOCCER
New goals for Posarelli’s final year with Bennett, MSOC Senior defender brings leadership after 2019 injury By Matt Yeazel
matthew.yeazel@marquette.edu
Italy was one of the countries hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic in early spring. Italy also happens to be the home of the only senior on the Marquette men’s soccer team for the 2020-21 season, defender Oliver Posarelli. After redshirting the 2019-20 season and not being able to play due to injury, Posarelli spent the summer in his hometown of Verona where he was unable to leave his house to workout for a majority of the summer. “I was in the worst place ever,” Posarelli said. “Italy was really struggling, even the public parks were closed down. I was only able to do some little workouts at home but that was about it.” Now that he is back on campus, he says his approach to the team and to Marquette has been quite different with the new circumstances and COVID-19 protocols. “Usually in the beginning we
try to gather everyone together to create bonds off the field,” Posarelli said. “I have no clue who some of my teammates are other than the name on the screen, and you want to get to know people better to form relationships on the pitch.” Getting to know people has been more challenging for the
team as well and the men’s team has six new first-years and five new transfer students. However, as the team’s only senior and someone who has experience transferring to Marquette from Montana State, Posarelli’s teammates said that he has been a leading force for their team in this strange season.
“He’s always been that type of person that leads people,” redshirt junior midfielder Zak Wegner said. “We see him treating this year the same way as if it was normal and it’s very helpful to have someone like him getting everyone on the same page.” Redshirt sophomore defender Alex Mirsberger also commended Posarelli’s leadership along with his perseverance after returning from an injury a season ago. “We knew we lost a big part of our team and a big piece of the puzzle,” Mirsberger said. “He did whatever he could on the sidelines and at practice to make us better players and we’re all excited for him to be back and to be a big part of what we can do on the field this spring.” Posarelli said that he has tried to schedule Zoom calls without coaches on them in order to be less formal and to get to know his teammates. The team has been able to get to know each other in smaller groups and slowly learning everyone’s interests and their stories that way. “One of the goals I set this year was to pass down the experience and skills I have on and off the pitch,” Posarelli said. “I want to help the new people adapt to new situations, and I want to set Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics Oliver Posarelli (29) dribbles in Marquette’s Senior Night game Oct. 31, 2018. the tone for our team.”
The redshirt senior said that a lot of his veteran teammates have helped him carry the load in terms of leadership. He specifically mentioned his roommate, redshirt junior Manuel Cukaj, as someone he works closely with. “I rely on him a lot and I always try to have discussions with him about ideas for the team,” Posarelli said. “We try to talk with most of the juniors and guys with more experience here at Marquette to get everybody involved.” Getting back on the field this year was a goal for Posarelli and now that it is a possibility this spring. He is setting new goals for his final season at Marquette. “When we see the opportunity to play, I would really love to see this team be successful,” Posarelli said. In both his years at Montana State and his three years at Marquette, he has never made the NCAA tournament. This year, Posarelli would like to change that. “I came to Marquette because I believe the program would give me the opportunity to achieve the goal of getting to the tournament,” he said. “I would like to achieve that goal not only for me, but for my teammates and of course the University, it would be great for everybody.”
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Sports
The Marquette Tribune
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Grafton native returns to Marquette for chapter 2 OVC Freshman of the Year transfers to Golden Eagles By John Leuzzi
john.leuzzi@marquette.edu
For many Marquette fans, it is not uncommon to see sophomore Hailey Block on the sideline of women’s soccer games at Valley Fields. Now they’ll be looking for her in an actual uniform, not just handing out balls to the players. Growing up, Block served as a ball girl for Marquette women’s soccer games, but now the summer transfer midfielder will be getting prepared to actually play in the matches. “I just remember looking up to those girls like they’re my hero,” Block said. “I’d hand them the ball and I’d be freaking out about it. I wanted to do everything perfect, everything pristine, without any mistakes and it’s just kind of crazy that I get to be in that position now as a player.” The Grafton, Wisconsin, native said she would keep her eye on one particular position unit every game. “I definitely kept my eye on the midfielders,” Block said. “I was always told to kind of watch my position while I was that ball girl to kind of see how they worked as a team and how they moved on the field.” Head coach Frank Pelaez said
Block’s transition from ball girl to member of the program adds something more to the story. “Being able to play somewhere where you were a ball girl and maybe have your grandparents and your parents come watch you play, to me you play with a little bit more (energy),” Pelaez said. “You’re doing it with some pride, you’re doing it to make other people smile and make them happy.” Block spent her first year of college eligibility at Southeastern Missouri. With the Redhawks, Block was incredibly successful early on, being named the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and an All-Ohio Valley Conference Second Team Honoree. “It definitely kind of showed that a lot of hard work and stuff does pay off,” Block said. “I kind of put that as a goal in the beginning of the season for me to do that, so winning it was really awesome.” Block started 12 of 17 games last year at Southeast Missouri State. She said along with keeping herself accountable, putting herself around the upperclassman and remaining hungry played a significant role in her starting time. After one season down at Cape Girardeau, Block realized she wanted a change. “I wanted a program to push me academically, but also as a player on the field,” Block said. “I wanted that seriousness and (wanted to) surround myself with players that could make
me better as a player and a person.” She found that through the program she grew up watching as a ball girl. “She was looking for a challenge,” Pelaez said. “I asked her, ‘Why do you want to come here?’ and she goes, ‘Because Marquette has always been great and I’ve always wanted to be a part of that.’ She wants to challenge herself with the BIG EAST. She wants to be able to go against some of the best competition in the country.” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Player of the Year said while away, something was missing — her family and Milwaukee. “I am very close with my family. They have been able to support me even in my journey to Missouri. They were at a ton of games,” Block said. “I love this community and a lot of people in this community and I get nothing but love back and so again that piece of me was missing with my family, with other people in the community and I wanted that.” Even though Pelaez was unable to meet and get to know Block in person due to COVID-19, he said he got creative. Along with assistant coaches Steve Bode and Erin Scott, he would talk to Block every now and then on Zoom meetings. Along with Zoom meetings, Pelaez said he talked to numerous people to get to know the type of person she is. One person in particular was Block’s high school principal, whose daughter plays softball with
Pelaez’s 10-year-old daughter. “We got to talking and (I) figured out who she was. He couldn’t stop saying good things about her as a person and as a leader,” Pelaez said. “It was pretty funny when I told her I met with the principal, and she was like, ‘Why would you talk to my principal three years later?’ For a principal to know an athlete like that the way he did, I thought, ‘Well, she must have really stuck out.’” Prior to SEMO, Block played at Grafton High School, where she finished with 94 goals and 26 assists over four years, finishing her career as the leading scorer in program history. Unlike most of her teammates, Block is commuting to Marquette from home, which is around a 25-minute commute. Pelaez said this is something he advised his new midfielder to do. “I looked at it, as this fall, there was so much uncertainty on how we’re going to proceed. We all have a major game plan, but there’s so much uncertainty every week,” Pelaez said. “This fall was not to, it sounds so weird, but you’re not here to make new friends because of COVID-19. You’re here to know your team as much as you possibly can. If there’s a semester you can commute and be with your family that you haven’t been with for a long time, (here it is).” Even though Block is joining a new program during a challenging time and commuting, she has still
taken advantage of getting to know her new team. “It has been exceptional. We’ve been able to set up Zoom calls to get to know each other more,” Block said. “I have been able to go down to campus and run with a girl here and there and even meet following the rules, socially distant, to see the girls face-to-face and talk to them and communicate with them.” Block mentioned that senior defender Maddie Monticello has been someone she has gone to for help during her transition. “She has been a really big help to me. I trust her with asking questions and knowing that I’ll get a response back,” Block said. “She’s been really a blessing just along with everyone else.” As the Golden Eagles began team workouts last week, Pelaez said it has been extremely exciting to see Block compete and fight for a starting spot, as she is the first player he recruited without watching play in-person. “Too many players in this country are just given so many things so early without having to earn things, and she wants to earn something,” Pelaez said. “That’s what I want to build this program on. I want to build this program on kids who want to bust their butt, who want to be proud of where they’re at and just be a team and earn their way through college because you’ve got four years to do great things.”
MEN’S SOCCER
Wisconsin players add local perspective for teammates Alex Mirsberger, Zak Wegner among in-state athletes By Nick Galle
nicholas.galle@marquette.edu
The Marquette men’s soccer team features players from all over the country, and from all over the world. While some have traveled thousands of miles to continue their collegiate careers for the Golden Eagles, others drove no more than 30 minutes east to make Milwaukee home. Redshirt sophomore defenseman Alex Mirsberger and redshirt junior midfielder Zak Wegner are both Wisconsin natives. Mirsberger is from Brookfield, a city about 15 minutes west of campus, while Wegner is from Hartland, a town that is also west of campus, and was born in Milwaukee. “The coaches knew of me and I knew of them as well, so it was always in the back of my mind,” Wegner said. “Eventually it played out to be the place where I really wanted to be, so it ended up pretty well.”
In addition to being accustomed to the sports culture that Marquette had to offer, Mirsberger was also drawn to the university through family ties. “Obviously I grew up watching Marquette soccer and watching Marquette basketball. My dad went to grad school here, so I just kind of knew it. I knew the university well,” Mirsberger said. “Just knowing them and wanting to be part of it was definitely a reason why I wanted to come.” While the majority of the men’s soccer team come from out of state, staying in Wisconsin to play collegiately comes with its perks, especially after a successful high school career. “Being one of the top high school players in the state and then staying in your state playing college, your name’s definitely out there. People know who you are, which is pretty cool,” Mirsberger said. “If people were to come to the games and be like, ‘Oh, he’s from Wisconsin,’ that’s just another factor that I think is pretty cool, and something that I kinda pride myself in for sure.” Both players had success in high school, putting them on the Marquette coaching staff’s radar. Wegner
was a two-time All-State honoree, as well as the 2016 Classic Eight Conference Player of the Year, setting a single-season school record with 32 assists and 32 goals scored. Mirsberger was a First Team All-Conference selection as a junior and senior and also won a state title with Elm Grove Soccer Club in 2017.
minutes of play. He also played in every match of the 2018 season, starting in every game except one. Staying in-state can also make the transition from high school to college easier both on and off the field. Mirsberger said he feels like a “host” for the players that come from out-of-state since there are different
Photo by Katerina Pourliakas katerina.pourliakas@marquette.edu
Alex Mirsberger (21) sets up defensively during a match last season.
The success has carried over to college. Mirsberger tallied one goal and two assists in 16 games last season, 15 of which were starts. Wegner has played in 35 games over the past two seasons, notching 2,459
playing styles in Europe, the United States, and even in Wisconsin compared to other states. He also said the coaching staff has done a great job of recognizing all styles of play on the team, such as playing out of the back
and keeping possession of the ball. “(Being from Wisconsin) made (the transition) a little bit easier,” Wegner said. “Going from high school to college, obviously that’s a big jump in the level, but from being around here I knew other players who were on Marquette before me … So I was used to some players that were already on the team. So knowing that and knowing the coaches ahead of time, I think really helped the transition.” Wegner said he initially thought that he would want to be far away from his family, but seeing his parents and grandparents come to his games so often has meant a lot to him in his college career. He said that it is nice to have family close while being in a familiar area. For both players, it is clear that there is no place like home. After being immersed in Wisconsin’s culture for his entire life, there was only one way that Mirsberger could describe America’s Dairyland. “Wow, the state of Wisconsin? I would say the most dedicated fan base in the United States of America,” Mirsberger said. “For sure … the competitiveness is definitely there.”
Sports
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
The Marquette Tribune
15
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Goalie Mel McNamara shows personality on, off field Sophomore receives 3 lego sets from mom over quarantine By Kristin Parisi
kristin.parisi@marquette.edu
On the field soccer goalies might come off as intimidating, but sophomore Mel McNamara has hobbies like anyone else. “I really like building Lego sets, I mean they’re so cool,” McNamara said. “Over quarantine my mom got me three huge car Lego sets.” McNamara spent most of her time completing Aston Martin, Range Rover, and Bugatti Lego sets during her free time away from school and working out on her own. Although most kids decided to watch Netflix or bake, McNamara stayed with her childhood roots and kept busy with her Legos. Along with the love of Legos starting when she was really young, the Bethesda, Maryland native said the love for soccer came at a really young age. “I was probably like four or five. My kindergarten class started a rec team and my parents were like ‘Oh why not,’” McNamara said. Although McNamara started playing when she was very young, it was not until further down the road that she noticed soccer was something she excelled at and could take to the next level. “(In) sixth or seventh grade, that’s
when I realized ‘Hey I really like this,’ and ‘I guess I have the ability to go play in college,’” McNamara said. “I just really wanted to see myself play on TV.” From there, McNamara not only succeeded with her club team, Maryland United FC, but also with her high school, The Academy of the Holy Cross. During her career, McNamara earned all-conference all four years and received all-state and the Washington Post All-Met during her sophomore year. Throughout her years as a soccer player, McNamara has embraced the family aspect and takes team chemistry very seriously, redshirt firstyear goalkeeper Mikki Easter said. “I would describe Mel as someone who values the family environment that we have on our team,” Easter said. “She is someone who can make anyone laugh at any time.” On the field, McNamara strives to be the best goalie she can be and she tries to add to the chemistry of the defensive unit as a whole. Off the field, she is also pretty talented when it comes to video games. “Something that people may not know about Mel is that she is a beast at Grand Theft Auto,” Easter said. It is no surprise that McNamara rocks the Grand Theft Auto courses, because of her love for cars. Especially with all the time she had in her house over the last few months, McNamara was able to brush up on her skills with her twin brother, who according to Easter, has a very close relationship with Mel.
Along with her love for cars, Mc- but I really like it, it’s a lot different was a force on the field and a force Namara has succumbed to the Mary- from Maryland.” off of the field. She was a good perland stereotype of being obsessed Coming into her second season, son to have in front of me and to look with Old Bay. McNamara is hoping that she can up to.” “I also find her obsession/lifestyle help lead the team to more wins than Assistant Coach Erin Scott is with Old Bay seasoning pretty inter- last year and also hopes that she can also pleased to see McNamara in esting.” Easter mentioned. improve her consistency. She was a Marquette jersey. Scott said that Although Easter did not say how able to improve a lot of her skills last she already has a great first impresmuch Old Bay McNamara truly year under goalie Maddie Henry. sion of McNamara, even with the uses, natives will put it on crabs, “She (Henry) was a very consis- restrictions they faced while away fries, wings and will even go as far tent player and she was very com- from campus. as eating Old Bay flavored gum. Al- manding on the field,” McNamara “She has a great personality. She though the use is primarily for crabs, said. “She knew what she wanted cares a lot about the people in her Marylanders have adopted a whole life. She’s big on family, which I new use for the ingredient. think is great,” Scott said. “She is Being from Maryland, McNaone of those people that takes it how mara had to adapt to being far it is and that’s what’s great about her, away, but the move to the Midwest but I would say one of her greathas been a fun experience for the est qualities is how much she cares sophomore goalie. about people.” “I wanted to get super far away Scott was a collegiate goalie at from home. My minimum distance both Creighton and Campbell Uniwas eight hours. I’ve been in Maryversity, so having that experience land my whole life and I just wanted can be really rewarding for a young a change of scenery,” McNamara player like McNamara. said. “I really like it and being far Scott touched on what kinds of from home makes it cool.” skills and tactics are extremely imEven though she already lived portant and valuable to the position, close to Washington D.C, getting to and how she is implementing them adventure around another city has into McNamara’s game. been a really nice exposure to what “Speaking from experience, goalPhoto courtesy of Marquette Athletics the rest of the country has to offer, keeping is a matter of details and I McNamara is a sophomore goalkeeper. especially since she was not aware of tried to hone in on that as much as Wisconsin’s location. and she knew what she wanted the possible,” Scott said. “Then we can “I’m from like right outside of other girls to do.” go and build on how they (McNaD.C. So it’s nice to have like anMcNamara also mentioned that mara, Easter, and Schill) can best do other like kind of big city. I’ve never she was happy to have a player like that and how they can be the most efbeen to Wisconsin until I came out Henry to play behind in order to see ficient, not only for themselves, but here for one of my visits,” McNa- how she could improve her game for their team around them.” mara said, “I literally did not know and take her skills to the next level. Since practice resumed this week, where Wisconsin was on the map “I really liked her commanding McNamara is ready to work for a until I started applying to Marquette, presence,” McNamara said. “She starting position on the field.
VOLLEYBALL
Theis reflects on Martinez’s humor, work ethic Defensive specialist discusses favorite moments, memories By Jackson Gross
jackson.gross@marquette.edu
Senior defensive specialist Gabbi Martinez played basketball and tennis with her two sisters in Austin, Texas, before deciding to focus her time solely on volleyball. Martinez and her sisters played a variety of sports growing up. Her older sister participated in swimming and her other sister ran on the cross country team. “I played a bunch of sports when I was younger. I have two older sisters and we all did, and I was the best at volleyball from the start,” Martinez said. “I stopped playing basketball and the place I played tennis at was kind of far away and so volleyball is just what I got into and what I was best at from a young age.”
Head women’s volleyball coach Ryan Theis remembers the first time he went to watch Martinez play in Texas. “I went and watched her play at a qualifier in Dallas, Texas. I remember she was in the back corner, it was like court 70 and all the other games I had to watch were on court six and seven and eight, so I had to walk 60 courts,” Theis said. “I thought she was
really driven to be successful. You could just tell she took things seriously, like she wanted to be good.” While Martinez has not received a lot of playing time over the years, she has had her moments. In one instance, coach Theis recalled Martinez having a 5-0 serve run against University of Central Florida last year at the Redbird Classic, which had the
Marquette Wire stock photo
Gabbi Martinez (11) gets ready to serve against Purdue University Dec. 7.
Golden Eagles complete a comeback to win that match in five sets. However, Theis said Martinez has had many contributions off the court as well. “She’s our (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) representative, so she deals with a student council of athletes,” Theis said. “I’m a pretty dry and sarcastic person, so she actually beats me to the punchline on some jokes, on some funny, sarcastic comments at times. I just think that’s useful in our gym.” Outside of volleyball and humor, Martinez has other interests, including being by her dogs, going outdoors and even volunteering in the Milwaukee community. “I volunteered a lot at Milwaukee Rescue Mission over quarantine and I was with the kids up there in the section of they called Joy House and I got to know them and I just I have still been trying to go like once a week just to hang out with them,” Martinez said. “It’s a nice kind of mental break for me ... Even if I wake up and I’m tired and I’m like I don’t
really want to go volunteer right now. Every time I do, I’m like,’ That just made me feel like so much better.’” Theis said he will miss the sarcasm and humor that Martinez brings to the team along with her personality, independence and professionalism. “We go 45 minutes, four days a week and every one of those days she said something that made me laugh,” Theis said. “She’s an incredibly hard worker.” Martinez said although her first year on the team mostly consisted of adapting to college, Marquette is somewhere she’s happy to be. She said her team has become extremely close due to their Sweet 16 run in 2018. “It’s just been so like so crazy to be on that ride with what the group of girls that we that we have,” Martinez said. “It’s just been really cool to create a home here with people that I have and the staff and like everyone who supports us in like sets up all of the things that we get to do is just so great.”
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The Marquette Tribune
Sports
Tuesday, September 22, 2020