Restructuring plan elicits negative reactions
Photos by Clay Ellis-Escobar clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu
University Academic Senate members were able to voice their concerns
UAS members share concerns about reasoning
By Sahil Gupta sahil.gupta@marquette.edu
Marquette University faculty voiced concerns about how possible college restructuring models could negatively impact their colleges at a Nov. 17 University Academic Senate Meeting.
Acting Provost Sarah Feldner, who was tasked with leading the
college restructuring initiative, was not in attendance for the meeting. However, UAS Chair Paul Gasser fielded questions from faculty about the process and its potential ramifications.
“I believe that this process has identified things that should be done,” Gasser said.
Concerns came primarily from faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences, the college that would be the most impacted by the three models released to the Marquette Wire on Oct. 24. A fourth model would keep the
current structure the same.
None of the models make any changes to the Graduate School, Law School, School of Dentistry or the College of Nursing. All three of the models move departments out of Arts & Sciences into prospective colleges based on disciplinary similarities.
Here are some key remarks from the Nov. 17 UAS meeting: Faculty feel initiative lacks clear purpose
Several faculty members expressed concerns that the university has not provided clear reasoning behind
the proposed restructuring models. Ben Pladek, professor of English, expressed his opposition to the initiative in a statement on behalf of Arts & Sciences faculty.
“The reorganization has no clear purpose, goals or return on investment,” Pladek said. “It feels like too big of a risk for no obvious reward.”
This sentiment was echoed by theology professor Andrew Blosser, who felt he couldn’t clearly see positive outcomes from any of the proposed models.
“It’s almost as if we are
scientists at Area 51, given spaceships and being told to figure out how they fly,” he said.
In an interview with the Wire earlier this semester, Feldner said the restructuring would generate smaller operational savings. But, if the university gets to the end of the decision-making process and significant cost savings aren’t realized, the initiative will not proceed.
Concern over collaboration, Jesuit identity
Faculty also argued that the proposed restructuring
Students can expect increased parking tickets
Next year, MKE plans to change citation process
By Lilly Peacock lilly.peacock@marquette.edu
Marquette’s location in Milwaukee‘s Near West Side neighborhood places it within reach of these changes. Here are the upcoming or ongoing changes students should know about:
Years of I-94 construction
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Interstate 94 East-West project
Major changes — ones that could impact Marquette University students — are coming to Milwaukee’s transportation ecosystem. Currently underway is a seven-year interstate project, a debate over the viability of certain city transit systems and an increase in parking citations.
has officially begun, bringing new traffic concerns to the daily commutes of thousands of drivers for the next seven years.
Students commuting eastbound on I-94 can expect increased traffic and delays during normal times of congestion. Construction for the remainder of the year will include prep for the east leg of work, set to start in 2028 and spanning from the Stadium Interchange, and
west leg work, which started early November.
The project focuses on a 3.5-mile section of the interstate, beginning at 16th Street and spanning to 70th Street. With an estimated completion date of 2033, WisDOT is aiming to address several concerns, including:
- Deteriorated pavement and bridges
- Obsolete roadway and bridge design
- An average crash rate
of two to three times more than the statewide average - Existing and future traffic demand
Beginning Nov. 10, traffic between the Stadium Interchange to 70th Street is reduced to two westbound lanes. The WIS 175 southbound system ramp to I-94 West has also undergone a long-term closure.
Detour routes north of I-94 are Wisconsin Avenue and Bluemound Road.
Tuesday, November 18,
The MarqueTTe Tribune
Managing Editor of The Marquette Tribune Sophia Tiedge
NEWS Executive News Editor Mia Thurow
Assistant Editors Lance Schulteis, Lilly Peacock
Reporters Sahil Gupta, Elena Metinidis, Mina Marsolek-Bonnet, Jaylen Hill, Daria Stepanich
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Executive Arts & Entertainment Editor MaryKate Stepchuk
Assistant Editor Joseph Schamber
Reporters Elise Emery, Allison Scherquist, Annie Goode
OPINIONS
Executive Opinions Editor Rachel Lopera
Columnists Isabella Gruber, Amelia Lerret, Lexi Childers
SPORTS Executive Sports Editor Jack Albright
Assistant Editors Matthew Baltz, Raquel Ruiz
Reporters Benjamin Hanson, Mikey Severson, Sofie Hanrahan, Ben Ward, Eamon Bevan, Conor McPherson
COPY
Copy Chief Emma Fishback
Copy Editors Elizabeth Belmont, Shea Lancaster, Marin Rooney
VISUAL CONTENT
Design Chief Murphy Lealos
A&E Designer Grace Schneider
Sports Designer Amery Thompson
Opinions Designer Evelyn Riordan
Photo Chief Clay Ellis-Escobar
Photographers Lily Wooten, Owen Weis, Leo Stallings
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President Ah Yun gives first address
He discussed staff compensation, future projects
By Mia Thurow mia.thurow@marquette.edu
Marquette University President Kimo Ah Yun took the stage in front of nearly 500 people — largely faculty and staff — for his first presidential address on Nov. 12.
In his speech at the Alumni Memorial Union, Ah Yun addressed topics like faculty and staff compensation, Campus Climate Survey results and future capital projects.
Here’s what Ah Yun laid out his speech and in a post-address interview with the Marquette Wire:
Provost selection is reaching the closing stages
All final candidates for the position of Marquette’s next provost are in, Ah Yun told the Wire.
One last candidate will come to the university early next week, and then there will be a decision-making period of surveys, committee review and recommendation to the president.
Ah Yun estimates he will have committee feedback no later than Nov. 26.
Sarah Feldner has served as acting provost for over a year while the university has been in the process of selecting a new candidate. Conversations about restructuring are ongoing Marquette released three possible college restructuring models to the Wire on Oct. 24. Feldner is leading the process, which was initiated to generate cost savings for the university as it plans to cut $31 million from its budget by 2031.
These structural changes, which would reorganize colleges and move departments, could be implemented as soon as Fall 2027.
Ah Yun told the Wire the conversation is ongoing about university restructuring models.
“I’m involved at a very high level,” Ah Yun said, though Feldner is the one spearheading the reorganization discussion.
While Ah Yun didn’t disclose a specific number of expected cost savings, he said any money saved throughout the restructuring process could be put back into faculty and staff compensation.
“Maybe it’s a cost-saving measure, maybe it’s not,” Ah Yun said. “Maybe it just allows us to work more closely together.”
Employee compensation “continues to be an issue” Ah Yun addressed faculty and staff compensation as an area that “continues to be an issue” at Marquette. He said he connects with university employees during lunches and social hours to learn what can be done differently.
“We’re engaged with faculty all the time,” Ah Yun said.
During Ah Yun’s first year in office, faculty and staff have continued to protest university budget cuts and advocate for higher wages.
In April, outside of the Al McGuire Center where Ah Yun’s presidential inauguration address was held, some pro-union protestors demanded improved financial compensation and better working conditions.
In May, university leadership approved a $4.1 million salary pool for discretionary merit-based pay
increases for employees. These increases are given to “high-performing employees” and vary by position. In addition to the merit pool, the Executive Leadership Team also approved a $1.8 million pool for market adjustments to staff, tenured/ tenure-track faculty and non-tenure-track salaries.
Ah Yun said some faculty and staff have expressed appreciation for additional money going toward their paychecks.
“I’m grateful to all the faculty and staff that are here. Our university cannot be great without all of you,” Ah Yun said in his address. “Thank you for showing up every day.”
While more needs to be done to increase employee salaries, Ah Yun said, raising tuition is the wrong way to do it. He said the majority of Marquette’s revenue comes from students, but the burden of increasing tuition should not fall on them, so the university will have to look at other methods of increasing salaries.
“This is something that our campus community says we need to do something about, and we can’t do it on the backs of our students,” Ah Yun said.
Next capital projects could prioritize sciences, dorms
While ensuring a Marquette education is accessible for all, Ah Yun said, the university is looking to further invest in infrastructure.
The latest campus master plan, adopted in 2015, included buildings like the Wellness + Helfaer Recreation facility that Ah Yun said have benefitted the university. A proposed sciences district is the only capital project from Marquette’s $600 million campus master plan that hasn’t been completed.
A future master plan will likely “lean into the sciences” for capital projects, Ah Yun said. One goal is coming up with a definite plan for the sciences district that would include labs, research spaces and classrooms, he told the Wire in August.
Ah Yun also said the university needs a plan to intertwine student living with learning spaces, making
undergraduate housing more appealing.
“We know that there are some residence halls that need to be updated and others that probably need to be taken down,” he said.
University will address gaps in comfort on campus Marquette released the results of Campus Climate Study on Sept. 4. The survey, taken by over 3,300 participants, revealed gaps in comfort for some students and employees on campus.
Ah Yun pointed out three main findings from the results: gaps in social identity groups still exist; comfort with the campus climate has declined among faculty; salary and compensation still remain a concern for faculty and staff.
As an example, Ah Yun said, first-generation students and students of color don’t feel as comfortable as their peers at Marquette. While the university has closed certain equity gaps in the past, he said, there is still work to do moving forward.
Ah Yun also addressed a decline in comfort reported by faculty and staff. He said he was saddened by these findings and acknowledges that this is a spot the university needs to focus on.
“The reason why that’s unfortunate is because we know that this is an important arm of the connection of our students’ engagement to the university,” Ah Yun said.
Marquette held over 30 post-survey focus group sessions for individuals to discuss the results of the Campus Climate Study. Ah Yun said the university hopes to start collecting campus climate data every year — instead of every five years — to better measure how the community’s feelings are changing.
Ah Yun also asked members of the University Leadership Council to look through survey data and identify potential solutions for currently existing gaps. In December, he said he will receive data and feedback from the study implementation team about possible solutions.
“Please know this is something I am mindful of,” Ah Yun said.
Marquette Wire stock photo
Protestors gathered outside of Ah Yun's April inauguration to advocate for better compensation.
Ah Yun spoke in front of hundreds in the AMU ballrooms Nov. 12.
Photo by Lily Wooten lily.wooten@marquette.edu
PLAN: Faculty concerned about implications
Continued from page 1
models make it more difficult for students to double major, counteracting the university’s Catholic, Jesuit mission to provide students with a well-rounded, holistic education.
Many students choose to double major in both professional and humanities disciplines, a decision Pladek said makes them more appealing to employers. But if the humanities majors were split up into colleges other than Arts & Sciences, he said, it would make double majoring harder than it already is.
“The reorganization will damage existing collaborations in the College of Arts & Sciences and lead to siloing and turf wars in the new proposed colleges,” Pladek said.
Pladek’s feelings were shared by Rosemary Stuart, professor of biology, who said employers
expect students to have interdisciplinary degrees.
“There is a lot of potential to create more interdisciplinary programs and make use of who we are as a liberal arts, Jesuit university,” she said.
Suggested changes to current financial model
One of the factors faculty said contributed to a lack of students double majoring is the current funding allocation model at Marquette, known as 70/30. Under this model, 70% of a student’s tuition is given to the college that houses their primary major, while 30% is distributed to other colleges that a student takes courses in.
Several faculty members, including Spanish professor Sonia Barnes, said this inadvertently forces colleges to compete for academic loyalty from students.
“When you have the current financial structure, every college and every department wants to be [a student’s] first major,” Barnes said. “If we change the financial model in a way that is more equitable across colleges, we can think more creatively and allow students to do cross-college double majors.”
Marquette University Student Government Senator
Hannah Frain, a senior in the College of Communication, provided a student perspective at the UAS meeting. In regard to double-majoring, she expressed optimism about changes to the existing financial structure.
“Allowing more students to partake in double majors would be very beneficial,” Frain said.
University looking toward the future
Gasser did not spend much time speaking about the restructuring models at the Nov. 17 UAS meeting; rather, he encouraged faculty to continue having conversations with their colleagues about the best way to move forward.
“We should talk about what’s going on now and what should go on in the future, whether we reorganize or not,” Gasser said. “It will make this place function more like a university.”
This story is part of an ongoing series from the Marquette Wire regarding the university’s budget cuts and fiscal situation. If you’re interested in discussing your thoughts or program, please reach out to the Managing Editor of the Marquette Tribune at sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu.
MKE: Future of the Hop remains uncertain
Continued from page 1
Canal Street, Greenfield Avenue, Lincoln Avenue and National Avenue are viable alternate southbound routes.
Ongoing traffic impacts are updated weekly.
The Hop’s uncertain future
One city alderman has expressed dissatisfaction with the existence of The Hop, a free, electric streetcar with a route that circles downtown Milwaukee and another that extends north to Burns Commons.
The Hop connects with several downtown bus routes, including the 30, 14 and Connect 1 — all of which stop along Marquette’s campus. Hop stops include the Historic Third Ward, the lakefront and the Intermodal Station, locations that a number of students visit frequently.
Alderman Scott Spiker put out five news releases in the last month regarding his opposition to the city’s budget allocation for public transportation.
The city received close to $70 million in grants to first establish the streetcar in 2018; however, according to Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s proposed budget for 2026, the Hop will have an operating cost of $6.9 mil-
lion. This is nearly a $4 million deficit, since only $2.7 million of revenue comes from sponsorship.
On Oct. 28, Spiker released a letter he sent to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, asking that he “remove an albatross” from the city by releasing the remaining grant obligations it has acquired.
Some city officials are looking to expand routes into Milwaukee’s neighborhoods, but after a Republican-backed tax bill passed in 2023, obtaining funding for expansion is met with obstacles.
Most officials want the streetcar to stay. However, the Milwaukee Common Council recently passed an amendment to Milwaukee’s 2026 budget plan that added a footnote directing the Commissioner of Public Works to look into fare collection on the Hop.
This came after Spiker’s proposal to defund the streetcar completely, which would require $48 million to reimburse federal grants.
The streetcar operates weekdays from 5 a.m. to midnight and weekends from 7 a.m. to midnight with an arrival frequency of 15-20 minutes. Increase in parking tickets
Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works has planned to issue 65,000 additional parking tickets next year, with a projected total of 550,000 given by the end of 2026.
According to data from the DPW, gathered by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the city issued 397,000 tickets in 2024 and is anticipated to reach 485,000 this year.
Meter times have increased in the Third Ward, now requiring payment un-
til 9 p.m. Parking remains free after 6 p.m. in other parts of the city, including Marquette’s campus.
Most citations are issued for overnight street parking without a permit and expired or unpaid meters, the frequency of which can be expected to increase to meet the desired amount of violations.
Many Marquette students with cars on campus park alongside the surrounding streets; due to complications with obtaining the
proper permits and having to move their cars often, they are subject to increased violations.
Parking violations currently range from $25 for minor violations to $300 for major violations. Most citations generally start at $35 and increase the longer they go unpaid.
Effective Jan. 1, vehicles with unpaid tickets will be subject to towing, even if parked legally.
Photo by Michael Barera
The Hop is Milwaukee's free, electric streetcar that operates in a circlular route through downtown.
Some faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences are unsure where the university will see cost savings.
Photo by Clay Ellis-Escobar clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu
The marqueTTe TribuNe
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
How to resolve Wi-Fi issues on MU's campus
Here's what an IT manager suggests students try
By Lance Schulteis lance.schulteis@marquette.edu
Students studying in the library, texting on the sidewalk and scrolling TikTok in dining halls all share one basic need: the internet.
The invisible system of airwaves connects those students with Marquette University’s on-campus WiFi systems, most of which are reliant on the encrypted MUSecure network for their online needs.
The school-wide network bridges the gap to the digital world with access points set up across campus. Those access points work
in the same way as an antenna-dressed home router, but they all connect to the same network — whether a building is on Wells Street or Clybourn Street.
“We have roughly 2,800 access points around campus,” Danny Smith, information technology project manager, said.
Those access points are placed methodically, with surveys dictating how buildings connect with the internet. Building materials, room design and the number of people using the WiFi all factor into how many access points a building can hold and where they are placed within the walls.
Smith said large lecture halls, for example, may have multiple access points due to the quantity of students
they hold.
Despite the calculated placement, some students still experience a battle with the internet on campus. Those failed connections and slow speeds halt their online studying, surfing and scrolling.
“Sometimes it’s not the greatest, especially during the heavy demand hours,”
Drew Loutsis, a first-year in the College of Business Administration, said. “It’s mostly the inconsistency — [the Wi-Fi] will just drop for five to ten seconds, which, when you’re doing something, is really annoying.”
Loutsis added that one of those drops in his connection took place during a test, which was frustrating.
In some other cases for students, the digital breakups are lower-stakes.
“It doesn’t connect to our TV,” Emma Salas, a first-year in the College of Nursing, said. “We have to use the open Wi-Fi and it never works.”
Although internet issues can be frustrating, Smith said, the problem may not be with the internet itself.
“When you’re having Wi-Fi difficulties, it could be our Wi-Fi system,” Smith said. “More likely, it’s probably your laptop — maybe the drivers aren’t up to date.”
The drivers that sit deep within a computer’s inner workings are built to connect to the internet, but some drivers aren’t equipped
with the newest updates to perform their best.
As the online world evolves, Wi-Fi systems around the world are upgrading to the newest generation of internet, which aims to be faster and more reliable. Marquette is working to introduce the updated technology to its own systems, but some students may still have computers that aren’t equipped with the latest hardware.
Downloading those software updates, Smith said, can be crucial to getting a good internet connection on campus.
Other potential causes for poor connection include interference from other devices. Recent data from Information Technology, Smith said, found the average person has 4-5 devices connected to Marquette’s
Wi-Fi networks.
“We’ve been advising faculty who do D2L quizzes at a large lecture hall; we tell them to have their students turn off their phones, disconnect any other things and just leave their laptop as the only thing connected,” Smith said.
However, in other cases, connectivity issues aren’t as easily fixable. Those problems, Smith said, are investigated on the regular, as access points are frequently added to buildings, floors and individual rooms to boost the network strength.
But the only way to find those weak spots, Smith said, is with a guiding hand to point them there.
“Contact the help desk,” Smith said. “It sounds cliché, but if we don’t know about it, we can’t fix it.”
Political science restricting technology usage
Department will implement inclass device ban
By Sahil Gupta sahil.gupta@marquette.edu
It’s the middle of class, and the professor’s lecture seems to drag on and on. At this point, many students begin web surfing on their laptops, scrolling through text message chats, online shopping deals, Pinterest boards or anything else to make the clock tick faster.
But soon, for students in one department at Marquette University, finding digital distraction during class will be impossible.
Starting next semester, Marquette’s political science department will implement a formal policy that prohibits the use of laptops, cell phones and other devices during class time unless explicitly permitted by the instructor for educational purposes. If a student is found to be in violation of this policy, instructors may issue warnings, with repeated violations potentially resulting in reduction of participation grades.
Philip Rocco, chair of the political science department, said the new policy was implemented after higher in class participation was noticed among classes where professors had enacted their own technology restrictions.
“We recognized that there did seem to be some real improvements or gains in classes where there was a policy that required technology to be used for a distinct reason rather than a blanket permission,” Rocco said.
Technology in the classroom has long been a subject of debate amongst educators. Conversations have primarily centered around cell phone distractions.
Several states — including Wisconsin — have enacted statewide bans on cellphone use in classrooms.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 digital learning period, some students have turned to laptops for note taking during lectures, finding it more efficient to organize and edit their notes that way. However, Marquette’s political science department feels students are better able to retain information when they take
notes by hand.
“Handwritten notes have been demonstrated to improve course comprehension and retention of course material to promote active participation, minimize distractions and enhance learning outcomes,” Rocco said.
Rocco also talked about the distraction that laptops can pose to students and their peers in classrooms.
A study conducted by the United States Military Academy at West Point supports this sentiment. It found that students who had laptops and other devices out of sight during class scored 11% higher on their exams than those who were engaged in multitasking on their devices.
The same study also found that those who did not have their devices out, but were distracted by their peers’ multitasking, scored 17% lower than those who were not distracted.
Marquette students have mixed opinions about the new policy within the political science department.
Owen Ruby, a first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences, said he’s “cautious-
ly optimistic” about the new policy.
“I’m a big believer in physical notetaking,” Ruby said.
“I understand that technology can sometimes be a distraction.”
Another first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences, Ellis Lopez-Koch, expressed his concern about not being able to access readings to reference during in class discussions.
“As we move further into college, a lot more of the work we’re going to be doing will be heavy-reading based,” Lopez-Koch said. “As we take more political science classes, it’s going to be really important to have those resources to reference in class.”
The 18 professors in the political science department will continuously monitor student engagement and participation in class as it begins to implement the policy starting next semester. Faculty will be able to implement the policy as they see fit but won’t be discouraged from incorporating technology into their coursework.
During the early trial period, Rocco said faculty will assess the success of the new policy on their own terms.
“Part of what we do when we teach is we’re always assessing,” Rocco said. “We’re always taking stock of how well students engage and how well they perform.”
Failed connections and slow Wi-Fi speeds can halt online studying.
Photo courtesy of Marquette University
A cabling system for campus Wi-Fi in the 313 Building's IT center.
Photo by Lance Schulteis lance.schulteis@marquette.edu
Research has shown laptops distract students of all grade levels.
Photo courtesy of Marquette University
'WALKING ON A CLOUD'
Marquette retires men's basketball legend Jerel McNeal's jersey in Fiserv Forum rafters
By Jack Albright jack.albright@marquette.edu
The mic shook as his hands trembled. Tears, now out of space to keep welling in his ducts, slid down his face. His mouth gaped, but remained silent, his emotions hindering any words.
As Jerel McNeal stood with his wife and daughter at center-court, minutes after a black curtain revealed his gold No. 22 jersey banner 128-feet above
WOMEN'S SWIMMING
him in its new, permanent home in the Fiserv Forum rafters, a litany of feelings overwhelmed him.
He’d made it halfway through his jersey retirement speech without issues, despite having mere minutes to try and sum up four years of record-breaking greatness.
McNeal graduated as the program’s all-time leading scorer and currently sits third (1,985 points). He is No. 1 in
Inaugural women's swim roster announced
Program signed nine athletes to first-ever team
By Ben Ward benjamin.ward@marquette.edu
Marquette women's swimming has leapt off the starting block and taken its first strokes toward competition.
The team on Thursday announced its first official roster in program history, signing nine student-athletes ahead of the 2026-27 season.
"These nine young women chose to be trailblazers," newly-appointed head coach Joel Rollings said in a release. "They are
building something from the ground up, and their belief in our vision means everything. This class brings energy, depth and a standard of excellence that will shape our program for years to come."
Here is a breakdown of the 2026 class:
- Ariana Amaro: The Kalamazoo, Mich. native won the Greater Kalamazoo Arena Challenge Nov. 1-2 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53.35 seconds. Marquette listed Amaro as a 200 free/500 free/200 fly swimmer in the release.
- Reese Anderson: Anderson, a member of CSP Tideriders and Ozark
Swimming in Missouri, came in 6th place in the CSC Jim Devine Invitational 1000-yard freestyle. She will compete in the 500/1650 freestyle at Marquette.
- Mackenzie Choinski: From nearby Muskego, Choinski will participate in the 50 free/200 medley relay/100 back. She is the No. 18 class of 2026 swimmer in Wisconsin, according to Swimcloud.com.
- Bridget Corro: Corro, also from Muskego, finished last week's WIAA Division I Sectional 5 meet 500-yard freestyle in 2nd place (5:07.80) and 200-yard freestyle in fifth
place (1:57.32).
- Lexie Gliniecki: Wisconsin's No. 28 swimmer in 2026, Gliniecki came in first place in two events — 200 medley relay (breaststroke) and 200-yard IM — in the Turkey Splash on Nov. 2.
- Lilly Nicholas: The Reisterstown, Md. native was the anchor on a firstplace finishing 400 medley relay team at the Maryland Long Course Championships over the summer. She will compete in the freestyle and butterfly for Marquette.
- Nina Newton: Newton will represent Marquette in the 500 free/100 free/fly/
breast. At the OH BBA Viking Senior Invite Nov. 1-2, Newton placed 3rd in the 100-yard freestyle (55.14) and 100-yard fly (1:01.16).
- Sadie Podoll: Marquette's fourth in-state signee, Podoll will compete in the 200 back/100 fly/ sprinter/mid-distance.
- Janna Spetz: Spetz placed first in all five of her events at the Powel Crosley YMCA National Virtual Meet. "This group will forever be remembered as the first," Rollings said. "They're hungry, committed and ready to set the tone for what Marquette swimming will stand for."
Photos courtesy of Marquette Athletics
Marquette retired men's basketball legend Jerel McNeal's gold No. 22 jersey in the Fiserv Forum rafters during halftime of Saturday's game against Maryland.
See CLOUD page 7
Jerel McNeal graduated as Marquette's leading scorer and sits third all-time with 1,985 points.
The marqueTTe TribuNe
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
VOLLEYBALL
MU plays Creighton in Big East tournament
Golden Eagles secured No. 4 seed after rocky year
By Matthew Baltz matthew.baltz@marquette.edu
Marquette volleyball clinched a berth last weekend in the Big East Volleyball Championship with wins over Butler and Xavier.
The fourth-seeded Golden Eagles (17-9, 11-5 Big East) will square off with top-seeded Creighton (235, 16-0 Big East) on Saturday at noon CST inside the Al McGuire Center.
The Bluejays have won 10 of the last 11 Big East Championships, while the Golden Eagles haven't won the tournament since 2013, the lone-time they did under former head coach Bond Shymansky.
Here are some notes heading into the tournament:
How has Marquette fared against Creighton this season?
The Golden Eagles hadn't lost five or more conference games in the regular season since 2016. Marquette's first and last Big East losses came to the Bluejays this fall, with stumbles to No. 2 seed Xavier, Georgetown and No. 3 seed Villanova coming in between.
Marquette was unable to eclipse the 20-point mark in a set in its home loss to Creighton on Oct. 2. Bluejays' senior outside hitter Ava Martin stole the show, swinging .514 on 37 attempts en route to a 20-kill
performance in the sweep of the Golden Eagles.
Marquette's offense struggled in the loss, hitting just .200 to Creighton's .410.
The blue & gold nearly shocked the volleyball world in their return trip to Creighton on Nov. 1. After getting clocked 25-11 in the first frame, Marquette rattled off consecutive set wins to take a 2-1 lead.
However, the Bluejays locked in and won the final two frames to fend off the Golden Eagles' upset bid.
Marquette's offense — as it has been so many times this season — was led by the efforts of Natalie Ring.
The senior outside hitter finished with 23 kills on a .224 hitting percentage.
The Golden Eagles once again struggled to provide much resistance against Martin though, allowing the Big East player of the year candidate to hit .464 with 30 kills.
Marquette committed 14 service errors in eight
sets against Creighton this season.
Creighton finished its second-straight undefeated season and locked up its 12th straight Big East regular season championship last weekend, hitting a school-record .551 against Seton Hall.
Can Marquette sneak in the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid?
It was an up and down season for the Golden Eagles under first-year head coach Tom Mendoza.
There were moments of epic triumph, like when Marquette handed out sweeps to quality opponents Western Kentucky and Florida. But, there were also moments of disappointment, such as dropping a five-setter at home to Ball State, or losing to a Georgetown team that currently sits No. 129 in the NCAA's RPI rankings.
Marquette dealt with its fair share of growing pains
this season, not being able to close out matches during the first month and going to five sets in four of its first five games.
Then, came the serve line inconsistencies — both while serving and in serve-receive.
The Golden Eagles suffered their three worst serve-receive games of the season in Big East play, giving up 15 and nine aces respectively to Villanova and Georgetown on
back-to-back nights, and then another nine to Xavier on Sunday. And when Marquette was behind the line, it posted 10 or more service errors nine times in the regular season. In comparison, last year's Sweet 16 team only did that six times in 34 games.
The Golden Eagles also went quiet at the net for portions of the season, having four or less total blocks as a team in seven contests.
Despite all the regular season deficiencies, Marquette still finds itself with a chance to make its 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament. ESPN women's volleyball bracketologist Charlie Creme has Marquette in the 'last four in' portion of his latest bracketology prediction.
Marquette sits at No. 33 in the latest NCAA RPI rankings.
The winner of Marquette-Creighton will play the winner of Xavier-Villanova on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. CST in the championship game. All matches will be played at the Al McGuire Center.
Golden Eagles end regular season on a high
Marquette won its final four matches before postseason
By Jack Albright jack.albright@marquette.edu
With the end of the regular season, Marquette volleyball seemed to also end its year-long inconsistencies.
The Golden Eagles have spent much of year one under Tom Mendoza flip-flopping between a team that can sweep the 15th-ranked team in the country (Florida) and take No. 12 to five sets on the road (Creighton), and a team that loses two-straight Big East matches for the first time in
a decade (Georgetown and Villanova).
But, Marquette finished its final four matches before the Big East tournament with only one set loss, culminating in this weekend's road victory at Butler (25-16, 25-20, 25-14) and Xavier (25-20, 25-18, 19-25, 25-13). Its last loss came on Nov. 1 to the aforementioned 12th-ranked Bluejays, 3-2.
Over the final regular season weekend, the Golden Eagles hit .310 and held their opponents to .088. Spearheaded by its two seniors Hattie Bray and Natalie Ring, they had 86 total kills to their two opponents' 70. And, most importantly, they had less than half the attack errors (50-22).
For a team whose low points were low enough
to put them on the NCAA tournament bubble — unless it can muster a Big East tournament championship and grab the conference's automatic bid — the final two matches were the opposite.
On Saturday against Butler, Bray finished with 12 kills and Ring was right behind with 11. The Golden Eagles never hit worse than .240 in a frame and forced the Bulldogs to hit negative (-0.088) in the final set to finish .058 on the day.
Less than 24 hours later, it was a form of deja vu as Xavier went -.042 in the fourth set — compared to Marquette's .387 — and .118 on the day — compared to Marquette's .278. Ring finished the day with 21 kills while Bray had 11.
But on both days, it was
the errors (or lack thereof) that told the story behind the wins.
The Golden Eagles never had more than four errors in any of the sets against the Bulldogs and ended the match with eight. Butler, meanwhile, never had less than seven in any of the sets and, after three frames, had 25.
Xavier never had less than six in any of the four sets while Marquette never had more than six, which it did only once.
After the weekend, the Golden Eagles end the regular season 17-9 and 11-5 in Big East play, going into the conference tournament as the No. 4 seed. They face the top-seeded Creighton Bluejays Saturday at noon at the Al McGuire Center.
Marquette was swept by Creighton at the Al McGuire Center.
Marquette's last loss was Nov. 1 at Creighton in five sets.
Photos by Clay Ellis-Escobar clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu
The No. 4 seed Golden Eagles finished the 2025 regular season 17-9 and 11-5 in Big East play.
Photo by Leo Stallings leo.stallings@marquette.edu
MEN'S BASKETBALL
CLOUD: No. 22 banner unveiled on Saturday
Continued from page 5
steals (287), and top-10 in appearances (130), made field goals (726) and assists (455). Not to mention he was the 2006-07 Big East defensive player of the year — what he said he’s most proud of — a second team All-American as a senior and a four-time all-conference team honoree.
And those are just his personal accolades, forgetting that he spurred Marquette to the NCAA tournament every year he played and set the tone for the school’s reputation in the Big East.
“Truly a two-end of the floor guy. Didn’t take a possession off on either side. He did it the old-fashioned way. He just earned everything he got,” Marquette head coach Shaka Smart said last Wednesday. “The fact that his jersey will be in the rafters till the end of time is a tribute to him.
“He belongs up there.”
Not highlighting any of those feats, instead dedicating the time to thanking others, McNeal praised the university administration, athletics support team and his wife and daughter.
Then he brought up his parents, and the waterworks began.
“As kids, we want to make our parents proud,” McNeal said through tears to the 15,586 people in Fiserv Forum. “To my mom and dad, thank you for all your sacrifices.”
He waited six seconds for applause to dissipate, before continuing on his appreciation tour, thanking his Marquette coaches and teammates in attendance: Dominic James, Wesley Matthews and Dwight Burke.
The waterworks made an encore.
“You meant more than anything to me,”
he continued, choking and sniffling.
McNeal’s feelings-minefield of a speech marked two things.
One, most important, his official start as a Marquette immortal. Two, the end of a five-month trip down memory lane for the unveiling — which started with an Uber ride phone call from Shaka Smart and ended with a week of digging through memorabilia. It was mid-June when McNeal found out Saturday’s game against Maryland would be more than his former coach Buzz Williams’ return to Milwaukee.
After an early morning flight from the Nike Elite 100 Camp in St. Louis while in the back of his Uber home, at around 7 a.m., he saw Smart’s contact pop up on his phone. McNeal assumed Smart was calling to ask about the camp. How wrong he was.
“He just dropped that bombshell on me,” McNeal said last Friday in
a phone call with the Marquette Wire.
He still had 20 minutes until he’d get home. Mentally, he was “walking on clouds.” Physically, he was sitting in the back of a car.
“I got a little bit emotional,” he said. “Then, I had a good long quiet ride after I got off the whole phone with him.”
After allowing himself a day to bask in the afterglow, McNeal went about his busy life as a high school basketball coach, nonprofit president and college basketball color commentator.
"The fact that his jersey will be in the rafters till the end of time is a tribute to him."
Shaka Smart
Marquette
men's basketball head coach
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Until this week, he stopped thinking about the fact he would soon be in a vaunted group alongside other program deities like Dwyane Wade, Al McGuire and Bo Ellis. The same people he spent his playing days looking up to, literally, would be his equals. Forever.
Leading up to the big day, McNeal spent his final moments as just any other Marquette legend searching through his treasure trove of collectibles from his basketball career. Echoes of accomplishments to which few others to wear the blue & gold can compare filled his brain.
McNeal spent the present living in the past.
“It’s like going back in the time capsule,” he said. “It’s been good. Brings back a lot of memories.”
Not normally a sucker for memorabilia, this week was an exception. He let the nostalgia wash over him.
Thoughts of his prized defensive player of the year award. Marquette’s inaugural Big East game his first year, in which
the Golden Eagles proved they belong with college basketball’s best by upsetting the 2nd-ranked, pro-laden UConn Huskies 94-79. The countless hours spent with his best friends and teammates, who he made sure would be there when the curtain revealed his name and number.
“What this place has given me as a player, as a man, the relationships that I’ve built,” McNeal said, “I still haven’t quite found the words to grasp the feeling.”
Back on the Al McGuire Court, McNeal regained his composure.
He’d been speaking for nearly six minutes, and spent the entire time talking about everyone but himself: teammates and coaches, university and athletic department staff, family members. Last but not least, standing on Marquette’s crest and looking up to the stands, he gave the crowd their flowers.
“To the greatest fans in the world, y’all have praised me since I was an 18-year-old kid,” he said.
“It’s always felt like home. I always consider it home.
“One of the greatest fanbases in the country, in tiny pockets and corners all throughout the nation. We appreciate you. I love you all.”
Then McNeal spoke his final words before walking off the court.
“Go Marquette.”
He passed the microphone back, gameday operations staff picked up his framed jersey and he returned to his baseline seats for the second half of the game. When it finished, McNeal left Fiserv.
Unlike his name, which will stay there forever.
Walker joining MU in December, redshirting
Tasmanian guard fills final open scholarship spot
By Jack Albright jack.albright@marquette.edu
Shaka Smart made good on his word.
Before the season started, Smart responded to a question from the Marquette Wire about why Marquette men’s basketball had an open scholarship position this season.
“You’ll see that spot filled before the year is over,” he said then.
It took two months, but on Wednesday, National Letter of Intent day, the program announced the 15th and final scholarship spot would go to class of 2026 recruit Nash Walker, who is joining the program in December and redshirting. He is the third Marquette player to redshirt in 202526, along with Ian Miletic and Sheek Pearson. Walker, a 6-foot-6 sharpshooter from Tasmania, Australia, is the second NBA Global Academy product on Marquette
alongside senior forward Ben Gold. He averaged 18.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the NBL 1 playoffs and was the male junior athlete of the year for Tasmania Basketball.
“Nash is about as much of a shooting specialist as maybe I’ve ever signed,” Smart said after Marquette’s 89-49 win over Little Rock. “What I’ve learned over the years is if you want to get better at shooting, you got to recruit that specifically. If you want to recruit
good all-around players, they may become good shooters, but that may take time and they may not.”
From left to right, McNeal's MU teammates Wes Matthews, Dominic James and Dwight Burke.
Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics
Nash Walker will arrive on Marquette's campus in December.
Graphic by Jack Albright jack.albright@marquette.edu
MEN'S GOLF
Golfers spend winter climbing 'The Ladder'
By Trevor Hilson trevor.hilson@marquette.edu
The fall season has ended, and courses are closing for the winter, but Marquette golf doesn't hibernate with the greenskeepers and golf carts.
Instead, the Golden Eagles spend their break before the spring season training in the Valley Fields bubble and the Athletic and Human Performance Research Center to stay warm and improve for the second half of the season.
Marquette's fall season featured matches at several major championship venues, including Erin Hills in Hartford, Wisconsin, which hosted the 2025 U.S. Women's Open, Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which hosted the 2022 PGA Championship and The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee, where Tiger Woods won the 1996 NCAA Championship.
The Golden Eagles finished sixth of 14 in their home event at Erin, eighth of 12 in The Clerico event in Oklahoma and 11th of 12 in The Invitational in Tennessee.
Coming off a season where Marquette reclaimed the Big East and won four other events as a team, assistant coach Jordan Niebrugge said the focus for the spring will be scoring more consistently.
His solution to improve over the winter the last two seasons has been what he calls 'The Ladder,' a system he created last season.
Niebrugge's system ranks the players on Marquette's team based on their individual strokes-gained statistics in various categories. His drills range from putting work and wedge gauntlets to short and midiron accuracy tests.
"Last year, I was brainstorming and came up with it," Niebrugge said. "There's infinite possibilities put into it, but we try to keep it pretty basic and, if we need to, we can go more in depth with it."
The team members can move up the ladder by
beating their teammates above them or defending the top of the ladder. Players can only challenge players within two spots of their current ranking, and someone can only be challenged a maximum of twice a week.
Junior Mason Schmidtke said one of his favorite ladder competitions is '21,' in which players alternate shots and the player closer to the hole gets points. Naturally, it's the one he says he's best at. He also likes birdie conversion, where each player takes 20 shots with the Trackman simulator from 75-125 yards, and then make a putt on the team's practice green from the distance they have left according to the simulator.
"At this level, if you're not competing, you're taking steps backwards, so it really just gets you fired up and it makes you want to chase people on the ladder," Schmidtke said.
The ladder helps to mix up his practice patterns and maintains his competitive fire.
"A lot of our practice is very mundane and routine-based," Schmidtke said. "When we get to have a little bit of a change of pace throughout the week, it's like a nice
reward. It fires you up to compete, and you're not always going to do the same thing."
Niebrugge centers the ladder drills around what the team needs to focus on most in the offseason. He sees short game and iron accuracy as the biggest things to tune up before the spring season starts in February.
"At this level, if you're not competing, you're taking steps backwards..."
Mason Schmidtke
Junior Marquette men's golfer
"We're a good driving team, you can see that through our stats," Niebrugge said. "As far as scoring irons, short game and putting, that's just a recipe to shoot lower scores."
He said the team learned the most about its weaknesses from the tough courses it played during the fall season.
"We've been telling our
guys, some of these tournaments, it's not going to get much tougher competition from here on out, so we learn from it, we keep battling and come ready to play for the next one," Niebrugge said.
Schmidtke said the tough courses help him learn and get better for the next events.
"The courses you go play, you're going to get exposed if you don't come with your full game," Schmidtke said. "It might [make you mad] in the moment and make you feel bad about your game, but you realize a couple of days later that you now have the answers to the test to where you need to get better."
Even though it's very hard to recreate the undulation and length that Erin Hills has or the tricky tee shots of Southern Hills, Schmidtke said the one constant in his winter work is how he practices. So he drills that force him to think like he is on the golf course.
"A lot of what we do to simulate conditions that we'll see in tournaments is going to be more based off of our routines and how we prepare and the culture that we build," Schmidtke said.
Marquette golf uses its training laboratory in the AHPRC to prepare for the spring season.
One of Mason Schmidtke's favorite ladder competitions is '21.'
Fiserv Forum
Al McGuire Center
Photos courtesy of Marquette Athletics
Opinions
New federal hemp ban is blowing smoke
By Rachel Lopera rachel.lopera@marquette.edu
A surprise federal hemp ban may seem like a victory for those against cannabis use, but its impacts are far worse than getting high.
Hemp is a derivative of the cannabis plant and was legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill for industrial purposes. Medical and recreational marijuana are illegal in Wisconsin, but a loophole was created in the bill. Producers have been able to extract THC, the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis, from federally legal hemp, making the sale of oils, gummies and beverages legal.
However, Congress passed a funding bill on Nov. 12 to end the longest government shutdown, and with it came a provision tucked beneath all the expenditures. President Donald Trump signed a new law that will essentially ban the sale of THC products nationwide, includ-
ing in states where weed is legal.
Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell pioneered hemp legalization through the Farm Bill and wants to correct it in order to protect his agriculture-economy legacy before he retires next year.
The ban states that products that comprise more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will be outlawed, wiping out 95% of the $28 billion hemp retail market — a major negative economic impact.
The ban will take effect in a year, so while hemp businesses have some time to create a contingency plan, thousands of store owners, farmers and retailers are panicked.
Erin Kelly, the owner of Kelly’s Greens Cannabis Boutique and Cafe in Wauwatosa, is against the new law.
“Our seven employees who work here won’t have
jobs. I won’t have a job. People won’t have access to these products,” Kelly said. “I want to see legal, safe cannabis options be accessible right here in Wisconsin and across this country.”
Many people rely on these products to help with physical health. The percentage of Americans who acknowledge their medical use of cannabis has doubled since 2013. Based on 2020 census data, around 8.3 million people in the U.S. use cannabis for medical purposes such as pain management, migraines, anxiety, depression and more.
Some Republicans argue that the new ban “restores the original intent” of the Farm Bill, but others disagree.
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul called the provision an overreach that will kill many jobs and farmers.
“This is the most thoughtless, ignorant proposal to an industry that I’ve seen in a
long, long time,” Paul said. Not only does the ban have disastrous effects on businesses and stores that sell THC products, but it will also impact consumer behavior.
The demand for marijuana and THC products has increased in recent years, and cannabis executives warn that the popularity could drive the industry into black-market sales. This poses numerous dangers as products would not face testing, age restrictions or tax compliance.
People will still find a way to fulfill their cannabis needs — it will just come with greater risks.
Banning nearly all hemp-derived products is not a sound decision, as the industry continues to grow.
Prohibition laws often do not work as we have seen during the United States’ prohibition era when it tried to ban alcoholic beverages. Quality control vanished
and the criminalization of alcohol created black markets. We should implement federal regulations, not a nationwide prohibition.
Leaders in the cannabis business support a model that would split oversight between the Food and Drug Administration and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The former would oversee product safety, and the latter would handle taxation and distribution.
Taking away a medical option that millions of people use and pushing it into the illicit market is not considering the safety and health of U.S. citizens.
This federal hemp ban does not evaluate the dangerous consequences it could have — it’s just blowing smoke.
Follow through with adoption, it's worth it
For me, November is extremely fitting as National Adoption Month, as it is the anniversary month of both my sister’s and cousin’s adoptions. Without the adoption process, we would be an entirely different household. I cannot imagine life without my unbreakable bond with my sister, all thanks to my family’s patience through our adoption journey. While praising successful adoptions, like my family’s, the system’s time and financial costs can deter many from following through. Prospective adoptive parents must look beyond the challenges of the process and recognize how it shifts the trajectory of children’s lives by providing them with a safe, loving home.
In 2023, 50,193 children were adopted from foster care in the U.S. This marks a 5% decrease from 2022, and a 24% decline since 2019. The process from licen-
sure, to fostering, to adopting is complex and often costly, it may draw out over the course of months or even years.
To obtain an adoption license in Wisconsin, families must undergo a series of applications, home studies and training classes. During this period, prospective parents’ motivations, health and financial stability are assessed.
Licensure to foster a child may take months to complete, deterring prospective parents from considering adoption, but this step is necessary to provide a safe, stable home for a future child.
Once licensure is achieved, parents await their foster child placement, which is how over half of families adopt in the U.S. They could receive a call with an available child to foster at any time and when they do, families must quickly adapt to caring for a foster placement. Parents must immediate-
ly direct their lifestyles towards caring for their foster child, a drastic shift that is unique to adoption.
Sadly, between 4-10% of adoptions fail due to legal complications, reunifying the biological family or aging out of the foster care system. Due to the bond that foster parents form with their foster child, unsuccessful adoptions may result in emotional loss for parents intending to adopt. This disheartening emotional experience may discourage them from having hope for another child.
From licensure to raising a child, adoption expenses range from $2,000 to nearly $45,000. These costs cover licensure, agency or attorney fees depending on how a family pursues adoption — public, private agency or international.
The National Council for Adoption reports that 48% of prospective adoptive parents said cost was an “extreme barrier.” The financial cost of this process is not sustainable for all families, but many states offer Title IV-E aid: state-mandated subsidies or reimbursements for foster or adoptive families.
In Wisconsin, financial assistance is provided through an adoption agreement between the state and an adoptive family, allowing adoptees to receive aid based on their age and experience in foster care.
The initial costs of adoption may be shocking, but
if parents plan their finances accordingly beforehand, large expenses can become reasonable.
The adoption process is not easy by any means. Disappointment or frustration is nearly inevitable, but setbacks must be combatted with strength and perseverance.
Over 36,000 children who were eligible for adoption remained in the foster care system in 2023. If prospective parents follow through with their interest in the adoption process, this number can be lowered, and more children can achieve stability in a forever home without fearing displacement.
As National Adoption Month is celebrated, it is important to remember how valuable the outcome of adoption is. I wouldn’t want my sister living a life filled with anything besides the love and protection she has experienced in our household. My family’s faith in becoming her forever family carried us through the enduring adoption process; we have never regretted it a day since.
The process is expensive and time-consuming for a reason, so that children are put into loving, safe homes. Many factors may be discouraging, but prospective parents must consider the impact of their patience and resilience on a child’s life.
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 fourweek period. Submissions with obvious relevance to the Marquette community will be given priority consideration.
Full Opinions submissions should be limited to 600 words. Letters to the editor should be between 150 to 300 words. The Tribune reserves the right to edit submissions for length and content.
Please e-mail submissions to: rachel.lopera@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.
Photo courtesy of Bella Gruber isabella.gruber@marquette.edu
Bella Gruber (left) hugging her adopted sister, Ali (right).
By Bella Gruber isabella.gruber@marquette.edu
Bella Gruber is an opinions columnist. She is a sophomore studying public relations.
Rachel Lopera is the executive opinions editor. She is a sophomore studying journalism.
Soups
1. bakedpotato 2. cheddarbroccoli 3. clamchowder 4. Frenchonion 5. Minestrone
Baked Potato Cheddar Broccoli Clam Chowder
French Onion Minestrone Tomato
Chicken Noodle Miso Butternut Squash
Beef Barley Wild Rice Lentil
6. tomato 7. chickennoodle 8. miso 9. beefbarley 10. wildrice 11. lentil
12. splitpea 13. gazpacho 14. lobsterbisque 15. butternutsquash
Split Pea Gazpacho Lobster Bisque
Sandwiches
Across
2. Not quite a burger.
4. Chicago specialty.
6. Served on rye bread.
7. Shares a name with an island country.
8. Served with tomato soup.
10. Is it a sandwich?
11. Could be a messy man.
13. School lunch classic.
Down
1. Three ingredients.
3. Italian sub with marinara.
5. Fish and mayonnaise.
7. Tea party delicacy.
9. Philadelphia staple.
12. Flattened in a press.
Arts & Entertainment
REVIEW: Marquette Theatre's 'Fairview'
By Elise Emery elise.emery@marquette.edu
Marquette Theatre has finally returned to the Helfaer Theatre with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Fairview,” opening on Nov. 14. This is the program’s first show back on campus after “Fiddler on the Roof,” which was in collaboration with Skylight Music Theatre in October.
“Fairview” is a thought-provoking comedy that follows a middle-class African American family as they prepare for a birthday dinner. As the play unfolds, the storyline unravels into a larger commentary on race, exploring its complexities and misconceptions.
Before seeing “Fairview,” I didn’t think I’d ever find myself being simultaneously entertained and intellectually challenged. But, somehow, “Fairview” incor-
surprised by the unexpected arrival of her husband, Dayton, played by Draylin Pickett, a junior in the College of Communication, who flirtatiously admires his wife.
Throughout the remainder of Act 1, the audience is familiarized with the confident and fashionable Jasmine, Beverly’s sister, played by Kylee Ramsey, a sophomore in the College of Education, and Keisha, Beverly’s daughter, played by Esther Akinsanya, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.
In particular, Jasmine’s bougie and self-obsessed lifestyle interacting with Beverly’s selfless and humble personality was hilarious to watch.
Act 1 maintained Beverly’s frantic preparations, continuously being interrupted by the tomfoolery from her family members until the
porated these themes and accompanied them with phenomenal performances and comedy that had me immediately obsessed.
The play is set in the Frasier family home. Upon first seeing the set, it truly felt like I was invited into one of my neighbors’ homes, decorated with family portraits and dirty laundry sprawled across various pieces of furniture.
Act 1 opened with Beverly, played by Lauryn Middleton, a junior in the College of Communication, peeling carrots while dancing along to music to prepare for her mother’s birthday dinner. This particular dinner is the root of much of Beverly’s frustration throughout Act 1, as the continuous mishaps while preparing it cause her to be hostile towards her family members. Middleton brought pure mom energy to Beverly. This scrambled and stressed persona radiated off of her, and when she shouted for her various family members, even I shot up in attention.
While dancing in the living room, Beverly is then
end of the act, when Keisha unexpectedly speaks to the audience.
In her brief soliloquy, she expresses her excitement for her future while admiring her family members dancing together but mentions that she feels “something” is keeping her from achieving her goals.
I didn’t know it then, but this seemingly out-of-place fourth wall break would set up the core message for the remainder of the play.
As the pressures of this birthday dinner and the management of her chaotic family culminate, Beverly’s stress eventually comes to a climax, and the act ends with her fainting.
As the lights filled the theatre for intermission, I realized that Act 1 was only 30 minutes long. Surprised, I looked at the program to find out that there were still 90 minutes for the remaining two acts, leading me to ask, “What story is left to tell?”
When Act 2 began, confusion shot through me as Beverly appeared on stage exactly as she had in the
first act, peeling carrots and dancing to music. For a minute, I thought a second showing had begun. My confusion only increased when I whipped my head around to see two white characters appear from the back of the theatre, loudly arguing over the controversial question of “If you could choose to be any race, what race would you be?”
The inquirer of this question, Jimbo, played by Michael Kratzer, a sophomore in the College of Communication, epitomized the racist white persona and had an interesting perspective on the question. In contrast, Suze, played by Erin Cavender, a senior in the College of Communication, debated the insane nature of the question and initially refused to answer it.
As the two argue on stage, the events of Act 1 in the Frasier house continue in the background, except that the family is not audible.
As the debate continues, two additional white characters enter to share their perspectives on the topic. Mack, played by Brandon Engel, a senior in the College of Communication, and Bets, played by Eva Hesse, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, bring diverse but problematic takes on the topic.
I found myself consistently belly laughing at the characters’ bizarre arguments to the question, as well as their responses to one another with their natural banter.
As these characters conversed, it was clear that each one thought they were being progressive in their narrow understanding of race.
Even for characters like Suze, who performed the role of the stereotypical liberal white woman, her opinions exuded performative wokeness, as her discussions about race were obsessive and exuded a superiority complex, as she appears to believe that she has a better understanding of the Black experience than the fellow white
characters.
The other characters on the stage, as they conversed casually, observed the scene behind them, occasionally commenting on the actions of the Frasier family. While in the previous act, this family portrayed so much character, the introduction of these characters shrunk them down to puppets, into templates for these characters to push their stereotypes onto. Despite them facing away from me, even I felt like I was being watched.
Act 2 closed with a threatening monologue from Jimbo, which acted as a commentary on how white people feel as though they are both the villain, victim and the main character for other ethnic groups to center their lives around.
As Jimbo shouted at the audience, I shrank into my seat, hiding from each word that came from his mouth.
Act 3 began where Act 1 left off, with the Frasier family helping Beverly out of her fainting episode. As Beverly recuperates, she invites her mother downstairs to enjoy her birthday dinner. To the audience’s surprise, the upstairs bedroom door opens to reveal Suze, dressed in a turban, greeting the Frasier family. The rest of the Frasier family greets Suze as if she were Beverly’s mother, but Keisha senses something is wrong and can’t quite pin-
point what it is.
As the scene continues, the remainder of the white cast from Act 2 is introduced as various members of the Frasier’s family, each confidently dressed as gross stereotypes of Black people. Despite the horrifying oversimplification of Black people portrayed by these characters, this ignorance and absurdity only further played into the humor of the scene for the audience.
Keisha’s discomfort only grows as each of these characters makes themselves comfortable in her home and hits a climax when the white characters stir the pot and cause the Frasier family to erupt into a food fight. Eventually, after confronting Suze, Keisha falls into a long-winded monologue that begins by asking white members of the audience to come up on the stage.
As she continued to speak, various members of the audience joined the cast on stage. Initially frightened of the prospect, I remained in my seat until I gained the courage to join the fellow audience members.
As the bright stage lights hit my face, I felt eyes all over me. I found myself continuously fixing my hair and adjusting my outfit. My privacy felt invaded, which I now realize was exactly the point.
Keisha’s monologue was powerful and brought the show to a perfect close. Her sincere yet forceful tone truly illustrated this feeling of desperation and left a heavy sense of guilt within me.
I don’t usually find myself speechless leaving a theatre, but after “Fairview,” I realized that, at least for a moment, I can and should just listen.
“Fairview” will be performed at the Helfaer Theatre Nov. 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 23 at 2:30 p.m.
"Fairview" will be performed at Helfaer Theatre this weekend.
Photo by Clay Ellis-Escobar Clay.Ellis-Escobar@marquette.edu
The play follows a family as they prepare for a birthday dinner.
Photo by Clay Ellis-Escobar Clay.Ellis-Escobar@marquette.edu
The actors invited audience members to join them on the stage.
Photo by Clay Ellis-Escobar Clay.Ellis-Escobar@marquette.edu
Tuesday, November 18,
Try one of MKE's only Nepali restaurants
By Joey Schamber joseph.schamber@marquette.edu
On a chilly evening, there are few things that can warm me up better than a good curry. Luckily, there’s a Himalayan restaurant in Bayview that has me covered when I am craving bold South Asian flavors.
Himalayan Yak serves Indian and Nepali food, the latter of which is hard to find in the Milwaukee area. Nepal boasts a diverse cuisine, borrowing flavors from neighboring countries Tibet and India. The resulting flavors are a unique fusion of characteristically Indian cooking techniques and spices — such as ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilis — and Chinese ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns.
Himalayan Yak’s menu appears to tilt towards the Indian side of Himalayan cooking, featuring dishes including Tikka Masala and Vegetable Korma, but they still offer plenty of traditional Nepali dishes.
For example, they serve momo, a type of dumpling
found in Nepal and Tibet. The chili version, tossed in a ruby red dry chili and sliced onion sauce, is sweet, spicy and has a just barely detectable zing of vinegar.
The tingly sensation of the Sichuan pepper was also a welcome addition to the otherwise not-too-spicy dumplings making it a must-order menu item.
Himalayan Yak has a variety of Indian and Nepali dishes to choose from.
They also serve another traditional Nepali dish called thukpa, a spicy noodle soup with lean chicken. This tasty bowl of broth and springy noodles is a savory, warm and comforting way to warm up. Be warned, however, diners with a low spice tolerance may want to order the mild version.
I also enjoyed their gobi Manchurian, a popular Indo-Chinese dish of fried cauliflower that is battered and tossed in a sweet, tangy and lightly spiced sauce.
However, I found the coating on the cauliflower to be pretty soggy when I carried it out, so this dish might be
best left for dining in.
Nonetheless, it is a great vegetarian offering that packs in all the flavor that this cuisine has to offer.
One unique aspect of Himalayan Yak’s menu is the addition of meats like goat and beef. Beef is often omitted from Indian menus because many Hindus have a religious obligation to abstain from beef, but it is commonly eaten in Nepal and finds its place on Himalayan Yak’s menu.
I have also found that there are far fewer restaurants offering goat than I would like, so if I see it on a menu, I am going to order it.
Himalayan Yak’s goat bhuna did not disappoint. The meat had that distinctive gaminess from the goat that stood up to the powerful curry spices. I savored every morsel of the bhuna, scooping the last bit of curry up with some pillowy soft paneer kulcha, a North Indian style flatbread stuffed with cheese.
There have a frankly overwhelming number of deli-
cious dishes on their menu. Luckily, they offer a lunch buffet from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For $16.99 Tuesday through Friday, and $18.99 on Saturdays and Sundays, diners can pick between twenty different specialty dishes. The lunch buffet is the perfect opportunity to discover some new favorites.
Himalayan Yak is located at 2321 S Kinnickinnic Ave. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day but Monday.
ISA hosts Diwali 'festival of lights' event
By Allison Scherquist allison.scherquist@marquette.edu
Marquette University’s Indian Student Association (ISA) hosted a Diwali night on Sunday, Nov. 16, in the Alumni Memorial Union, where students were treated to Indian food, henna and a live performance from ISA’s Bollywood fusion dance team.
Diwali is a “Festival of Lights,” celebrated most commonly in the Hindu faith, as well as other religions like Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. It’s a five-day holiday symbolizing the victory of Dharma over Adharma — meaning "light over darkness" in Sanskrit. The holiday
celebrates the triumph of good over evil.
Janvi Patel, a junior in the College of Health Sciences and a co-president of ISA, was eager to share the festivities with the
Marquette community.
“We have a lot of different people from different backgrounds in (ISA). We love to sing and dance and share our love for Indian [culture],” Patel said. “I’m excited to share that with everyone. I want to showcase that it is a fun event for all, not just Indian people and Hindu people.”
ISA welcomes everyone, regardless of nationality. They organize several campus events throughout the year aimed at celebrating Indian culture, including bake sales and cultural showcases, but Patel’s personal favorite event is their annual Diwali night.
She and the rest of ISA’s executive board organized the function. They coordinated with Sodexo dining to provide traditional Indian food, including curries and flatbread for the event. They even hired live entertainers including a Henna artist and a DJ.
Patel said the group effort helped ensure everything was in “tip-top shape” for the special night. Alexis Biju, a junior in the College of Health Sciences and co-president of ISA, hopes the event gave students who are unfamiliar with Diwali a better understanding of the holiday.
“I feel like a lot of people
don’t know about Diwali and the whole point [of the holiday] is to spread this message of belonging,” Biju said. “We want to make sure everyone feels at home. It’s not just the Indian Student Association, it’s about Marquette.
dents also danced along to music from DJ Desi and took pictures in the photo booth. After, they were treated to a delicious dinner and were able to get Henna done by a professional painter. As the night continued,
It’s the bigger picture.”
At 5:30 p.m., Marquette students and their families piled into the AMU to celebrate the holiday, including ISA’s very own Bollywood fusion dance team, who performed several times throughout the evening. Stu-
ISA members, Marquette students and their families alike were able to share stories, enjoy each other’s company and soak up the festive atmosphere.
“It’s the festival of lights for a reason,” Patel said.
“There’s a little spark in all of us.”
Himalayan Yak is located at 2321 S Kinnickinnic Ave. in Bayview.
Photo by Joseph Schamber
ISA dance team featuring Janvi Patel (middle) perform at event.
Photo by Leo Stallings leo.stallings@marquette.edu
A professional painter was hired to give Henna tattoos.
Photo by Leo Stallings leo.stallings@marquette.edu
Attendees in the photo booth.
Photo by Leo Stallings