March 3, 2022

TODAY

M en’s hockey

24˚

begins playoffs page

7

28˚

Mostly cloudy today.

Probably don’t need those sunglasses.

STUDENT RUN NEWS SINCE 1926

MSUREPORTER.COM

Osman talks the benefits of involvement

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022

‘TIGHT BUDGET’

Joining forces for a safety solution

By JULIA BARTON

By JENNA PETERSON

News Director

Staff Writer

Minnesota State University, Mankato senior Zahara Osman shares how she lives by the campus slogan,“Big ideas. Real-world thinking,” while being involved in many aspects of campus life.

Majoring in aviation and double minoring in business administration and music industry and entertainment, Osman still finds time to give back to the Mankato community and indulge herself in campus activities.

Osman went into college undecided when starting her freshman year during the spring semester of 2018.

“It was crazy because I got accepted on a Wednesday, Friday was my orientation, and on Monday classes started,” Osman said.

Originally planning to take a gap year after graduation, she ultimately chose MSU since it was close to home, as she lives in Mankato.

“Coming in during spring semester was challenging because everyone already had their friends established, so my first couple weeks were just going to class, library and home.

So I thought, ‘What can I do to make friends?’ So I walked to student activities and that’s when I ran into Karen [MSU’s director of community engagement] and she asked if I’d become a volunteer for her.”

From then on, Osman started volunteering at Campus Kitchen that semester preparing sandwiches leading into summer of 2018.

After that summer of volunteering Osman was offered the shift lead position, and since then goes to Panera every Thursday during closing hours to pick up donations and drop them off at Campus Kitchen.

In addition, Osman later became a senator for the student body at-large during the 2020 school year.

“The reason why I joined was so I could advocate for students and give them a voice,” Osman said.

As the at-large senator OSMAN on page 3 

Throughout the past few weeks, Minnesota State University, Mankato’s College Democrats and Turning Point USA, two politically opposing organizations, have been meeting to draft a new accessibility resolution for students.

The idea of this proposal unfolded after Joey Novack, College Democrats Vice President, reached out to MSU President Edward Inch through email on behalf of the organization. In this, they addressed their concerns of the University’s dedication to aiding students with mobility disabilities and ensuring a safe campus for them.

In response to this email, Inch stated there were new plans put in place and instructed the College Democrats to report any instances of ableism through the tools with Accessibility ReSOLUTION on page 3 

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN • The Reporter

SAC Chair Zahara Osman (left) and Vice Chair Douglas Roberts present their recommended budgets to Student Government.

Student Allocations Committee recommends budget to Student Gov.

By MAXWELL MAYLEBEN Editor in Chief

The Minnesota State University, Mankato Student Government listened to the recommendation for next year’s budget from the Student Allocations Committee (SAC). As recommended to the Student Government, the budget would require

a majority vote from an all student referendum, due to the increase.

Departments that are funded by the Student Activity Fee were required to submit a budget request earlier in the year, along with a narrative that defines their reasoning for the requests.

SAC is then responsible for reviewing the budget requests

from each department. This process includes an analysis of previous years funding, as well as a meeting with each department to further listen to their programming needs.

The committee then compiles all of these requests and creates a recommendation as to how they believe the funding should be alSTUGOV on page 6 

International student enrollment at MSU increases

By RADIT MAHMUD For the second consecutive year, Minnesota State University, Mankato ranks 12 nationally in international student population according to an annual “Open Doors” report recently released by the Institute of International Education.

Jacy Fry, Director of the Kearney International Center, said, “Our application numbers are up. We have 150% more applications than what we had last year this time over the semester.”

This semester, there are approximately 1,615 international students from 96 different countries enrolled with the University, as stated by the International Center. Daniel Schwartz, Director of Reten-

MADDIE BEHRENS • The Reporter

Staff Writer

tion at the KIC, spoke about the huge influx of international students after the restrictions from COVID-19 began to be lifted.

“There are over 350 students working on their OPT [Optional Practical Training] right

now,” Schwartz stated. “Now there are more positions for staff members, as well as student workers, to work towards international student success.”

The center is always looking STUDENTS on page 3 

URC aids students’ research

By RADIT MAHMUD Staff Writer

The Undergraduate Research Center at Minnesota State University, Mankato supports mentored research as well as scholarly and creative activities for all undergraduate students.

The center promotes research as an opportunity to engage students in a community of scholars to enhance their academic experience and readiness to succeed in the future. It works with students from all majors and backgrounds as the center takes immense pride in honoring the young researchers for their work.

Patrick Tebbe is the director of the Undergraduate Research Center and a professor in Mechanical and Civil Engineering at MSU. Tebbe discussed the work and contributions URC makes toward student success. “URC gives out grants for students typically over RESEARCH on page 5 

2 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Ukraine war upends agenda on climate change

By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press

As Russian troops move deeper into Ukraine, President Joe Biden is taking steps to rein in rising energy costs even if those moves run counter to his agenda for addressing climate change.

Biden announced on Tuesday that he is releasing 30 million barrels of oil from U.S. strategic reserves as part of a 31-nation effort to help ensure that supplies will not fall short after Russia’s invasion of its European neighbor. The release follows ones ordered in November that also were coordinated with U.S. allies.

“These steps will help blunt gas prices here at home,’’ Biden said in his State of the Union address. The U.S. stands ready to do more if necessary to protect American businesses and consumers, he said.

The focus on high gas prices and increased oil flow is a far cry from Biden’s pledge to wean Americans off oil and other fossil fuels and cut planet-warming emissions in half by 2030.

Still, it reflects political realities. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shaken markets worldwide.

Oil prices have soared, with U.S. benchmark crude surpassing $110 per barrel — the highest price in a decade. Biden’s $2

PATRICK SEMANSKY • Associated Press

President Joe Biden speaks at an event to promote his infrastructure agenda at University of Wisconsin-Superior, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, in Superior, Wis.

trillion social and environmental policy bill, which includes about $550 billion for climate change efforts, has been stalled for months in the evenly divided Senate. It remains unclear when or if the bill will come up for a vote or what would be included in it. Biden’s hourlong speech

Tuesday night touched only lightly on climate and offered no new policy initiatives to address global warming.

The omission was especially notable coming days after a new U.N. report warned that climate change is about to get significantly worse and will likely

make the world sicker, hungrier, poorer, gloomier and far more dangerous.

The White House says all tools remain on the table, but harsh U.S. sanctions against Russia do not target its energy sector, despite bipartisan calls to ban Russian oil imports, at least

temporarily. Banning Russian imports could restrict global oil supplies and “raise prices at the gas pump for Americans,’’ White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday. “That’s something that we’re very aware of.’’

“If there was ever a time to be energy independent, it is now,’’ countered Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a prominent supporter of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas that are crucial to his energy-producing state.

In 2021, the U.S. imported roughly 245 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products from Russia — a one-year increase of 24%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

“It makes no sense at all for us to rely on energy from a country that is actively engaging in acts of war against a freedom-seeking democracy — Ukraine — when we are blessed with abundant energy resources right here in America,’’ Manchin said Tuesday in comments that were echoed across the political spectrum.

Liberal Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., a longtime climate hawk, introduced legislation to ban imports of Russian oil and petroleum products.

Thursday, March 3, 2022

News

Russians besiege Ukrainian ports

By JIM HEINTZ, YURAS KARMANAU, VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV and DASHA LITVINOVA Associated Press

Russian forces laid siege to two strategic Ukrainian seaports Wednesday and pressed their bombardment of the country’s second-biggest city, while the huge armored column threatening Kyiv appeared stalled outside the capital. After seven days of Russian assault, the United Nations refugee agency announced that 1 million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion, the swiftest exodus of refugees this century.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians to keep up the resistance. He vowed that the invaders would have “not one quiet moment” and described Russian soldiers as “confused children who have been used.”

Moscow’s isolation deepened, meanwhile, when most of the world lined up against it at the United Nations to demand it withdraw from Ukraine.

And the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court opened an investigation into possible war crimes. Russia reported its military casualties for the first time since the invasion began last week, saying nearly 500 of its troops have been killed and almost 1,600 wounded. Ukraine did not dis-

BERNAT ARMANGUE • Associated Press

Displaced Ukrainians take shelter in an auditorium in Lviv, western Ukraine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

close its own military losses but said more than 2,000 civilians have died, a claim that could not be independently verified.

With fighting going on on multiple fronts across the country, Britain’s Defense Ministry said Mariupol, a large city on the Azov Sea, was encircled by Russian forces, while the status of another vital port, Kherson, a Black Sea shipbuilding city of 280,000, remained unclear.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces claimed to have taken complete control of Kherson, which would make it the biggest city to fall yet in the invasion. But a senior U.S. defense official disputed that.

“Our view is that Kherson is

very much a contested city,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Zelenskyy’s office told The Associated Press that it could not comment on the situation in Kherson while the fighting was still going on. But the mayor of Kherson, Igor Kolykhaev, said Russian soldiers were in the city and came to the city administration building. He said he asked them not to shoot civilians and to allow crews to gather up the bodies from the streets. “I simply asked them not to shoot at people,” he said in a statement. “We don’t have any Ukrainian forces in the city, only civilians and people here who want to LIVE.”

STUDENTS from page 1 to provide the best resources for international students, as they understand the transition to a new country isn’t always easy.

“Most students are directly supervised and guided by the international student staff, who are appointed by KIC. There is a team of eight student workers who are truly dedicated to the success of newly admitted international students,” said Alissa Morson, Assistant Director of Strategic Recruitment and Communication at Kearney International Center.

“They are constantly in touch with new students through emails, phone calls, WhatsApp and telegram mes-

sages. Once they are admitted they are constantly kept in touch on how to prepare for their visa interview, how to request for i20, and there are free visa prep sessions to prepare them.”

The International Center offers virtual meetings for enrolled students to help them with their classes and immigration information, as well as prepare all kinds of official documents related to work.

Morson added, “MSU offers an incredibly unique program called “Steps to Success”, which focuses on students who are facing academic trouble and having a hard time understanding course material.

There are two college liaisons and a graduate assistant who focus directly on students with academic hardship and to help them set clear academic goals.”

“MSU is home to me for three years now,’’ said Mariana Dermenji, an international student from Moldova.

Dermenji pointed out how MSU helps their international students in various ways.

“MSU offers good scholarships for international students.

We [the KIC] are very welcoming here and we are always willing to help those who are having a hard time adjusting,” Dermenji stated.

OSMAN from page 1 she does not cover a specific department, but rather aids and all different types of departments.

Her interest in student advocacy then relates to her role in the Student Allocation Committee (SAC).

From being a member of SAC last year to now the current chair along with other students, SAC makes budget recommendations to Student Government following the budget presentations.

“The whole student fees are close to $3 million, and we make recommendations to the department and act as the recommending body,” Osman

said. SAC also deals with ROS programs and travel funding related to education. When speaking about the impact she has made through her time here she voiced the importance of building community.

“Anywhere I go I want to build a community like I built here. I know all the benefits you get and the impact you have by volunteering,” Osman shared.

Being highlighted as February’s Student Affairs Maverick Moment Honoree, recipients are awarded as they foster the university’s slogan. “When I thought about it, I thought ‘You know what, it does make sense’ because I feel like for the past four years I’ve been living

by that slogan. You can interpret it in so many ways, by applying what you learn and solving problems and making a difference in people’s lives,” Osman expressed. One of her proudest accomplishments is her hand in fighting food insecurity on campus.

This issue came to light in the height of COVID-19, as many students were left with slim food options available to them.

“I’ve seen the impact I’ve made, especially with fighting food insecurity. I am happy I am part of that and we are doing our best to make it better,” Osman stated.





MSU Reporter • 3 SOLUTION from page 1 sources and BISA. Inch further addressed this email with, “I encourage you [Novack] and the College Democrats to develop recommendations and policies that can address issues you see.”

That is exactly what the organization did, and they didn’t do it alone.

Riley Carlson, Campus Coordinator of Turning Point USA, explained how the two organizations came together to resolve the issue of student accessibility on campus.

“College Dems originally reached out to President Inch, and he told them to put something together for him and his cabinet to look at. Joey told me about this, and I said that Turning Point would love to second the proposal and be a part of creating it,” Carlson explained.

“We both believed that having two extremely different groups come together to get this done showed the importance and urgency of this issue.”

Val Weber, a freshman at MSU, was involved with the proposal writing process. Weber ran into an accessibility issue earlier in the academic year, and wanted to be a voice for the proposal.

“It matters a lot, but it’s more important to feel safe than emotionally hurt, to me. I feel like if they’re [campus security] treating people like that, they should 

definitely be held accountable,” Weber stated. “It’s just what battles do I want to fight right now.

Do I want to tell them that they hurt my feelings, or do I want to tell them that I feel unsafe?”

In just two weeks, the organizations met up and discussed what needed to be included in the proposal to ensure the necessary actions would take place to resolve the issue at hand.

Some of the items discussed in the proposal include hiring and training ADA certified staff, keeping all tunnels on campus open at every hour, and investing more money and resources to help students with mobility disabilities.

In the first meeting, Novack expressed the importance of this new proposal.

“We noticed an issue that’s very present on this campus that, often times, issues of accessibility and, more specifically considerations made for individuals that have disabilities or for individuals that have different body sizes or differences in mobility, are not taken into consideration or taken into account in many of the key decisions that are being made at our University here,” Novack stated.

After the proposal was finalized in the second meeting, it was voted unanimously to be passed. There are plans to bring the proposal to the University in the upcoming weeks.

4 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, March 3, 2022

SPRING 2022 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN

Remember to stay safe during break

maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Editorial Spring break is looked forward to the minute students return to campus from winter break. Free from stacks of assignments and the stress of exams, most students plan to get as far away from campus as possible. While students are leaving the Midwest cold to the warm sandy beaches of the Caribbean and Mexico, it is still a good reminder that COVID still exists.

The CDC warned that the Omicron variant is still at large with the potential possibility of new variants to occur, especially with the surge of spring break. While most airports require masks to be worn, there is a good chance that students will abandon them once they arrive at their destination. By still wearing a mask when students go out in public is a great way to make sure that students prevent the spread of the virus while preventing new variants from popping up.

Most students travel with a group of friends over spring break. Having everyone get tested before leaving for your destination ensures that no one can contract the virus. When students arrive at their destination, check to see what the city’s guidelines are for COVID and if they have any set policies in place.

To encourage students to stay safe over spring break, Student Health Services is offering two rapid covid test kits to the first 500 people

NEWS DIRECTOR: Julia Barton julia.barton@mnsu.edu SPORTS EDITOR: Kole Buelow kole.buelow@mnsu.edu VARIETY EDITOR: Emma Johnson emma.johnson.5@mnsu.edu MEDIA/DESIGN DIRECTOR: Mansoor Ahmad mansoor.ahmad@mnsu.edu

SERGEI IVANOV • Associated Press

available to be taken both before departing for spring break and before they return to campus. Instructions on how to perform the test are included in each kit.

One of the best ways to prevent spreading the virus is to make sure that you are fully vaccinated, including a booster shot, if applicable.

Minnesota State University, Mankato is still requiring students who live on campus to either be fully vaccinated or do weekly testings to further prevent the spread of

COVID. Student Health Services also frequently hosts vaccine clinics for students in the Carkoski Commons.

Students over break should still follow the CDC guidelines in regards to wearing masks and monitoring their symptoms. If possible, students should arrive home a day or two after traveling to monitor their symptoms. If they are experiencing COVID symptoms, it would be highly recommended to quarantine for five days before returning to campus.

It may seem like the amount

of guidelines set in place can be a mood killer, especially after the last few years of uncertainty and delayed vacation plans. Students are still able to enjoy themselves and have fun over spring break, but by simply following the guidelines, they can reduce the spread of COVID and its variants.

Having students follow proper COVID procedures over break will not only ensure the safety on campus upon student’s return, but get society back on track to its pre-COVID ways.

“What are you plans over Spring Break?”

Compiled by Dylan Long

JOHN BRIGGS, JUNIOR “Working and hanging out with friends.”

MAKAYLA KETTERLING, SENIOR “Staying in Kato and working.”

ALEJANDRA TRUJILLO, SOPHOMORE

KENNADI FELDTEN, FRESHMAN

DAVID GATLIN, FRESHMAN

“Going to San Antonio, Texas with my family.”

“Going to Tucson, Arizona.”

“Going to St. Augustine, Florida.”

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• If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, contact Editor in Chief Maxwell Mayleben at maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu.

The Reporter will correct any errors of fact or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are handled by the Newspaper Board.

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Subscriptions for the academic school year are $55.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing.

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THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE MSU REPORTER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR STUDENT BODY.

Thursday, March 3, 2022

News

MSU Reporter • 5

Russians start feeling the heat of Ukraine war sanctions

PAVEL GOLOVKIN • Associated Press

People walk past a currency exchange office screen displaying the exchange rates of U.S. Dollar and Euro to Russian Rubles in Moscow’s downtown, Russia, Feb. 28, 2022.

By DASHA LITVINOVA Associated Press

In the days since the West imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, ordinary Russians are feeling the painful effects — from payment systems that won’t operate and problems withdrawing cash to not being able to purchase certain items.

“Apple Pay hasn’t been working since yesterday. It was impossible to pay with it anywhere — in a bus, in a cafe,” Moscow resident Tatyana Usmanova told The Associated Press. “Plus, in one supermarket they limited the amount of essential goods one person could buy.” Apple announced that it would stopped selling its iPhone and other popular products in Russia along with limiting services like Apple Pay as part of a larger corporate backlash to protest the invasion.

 RESEARCH from page 1 the fall semester, which include URC grants as well as university funds which come in as donations and funds from alumni and other donors,” Tebbe said.

Each fall semester URC gives out 20 Foundation Grants and 10 URC Grants. Students are asked to submit an application with the research proposal and all proposals are evaluated anonymously by a review committee of multiple reviewers.

The URC presents opportunities for both teachers and students at MSU through student projects.

There are various screening processes to decide which project may get funded.

“The proposals are judged based on the research and how well it is prepared, how the structure is, what kind of back-

Dozens of foreign and international companies have pulled their business out of Russia.

Major car brands halted exports of their vehicles; Boeing and Airbus suspended supply of aircraft parts and service to Russian airlines; major Hollywood studios halted their film releases; and the list will likely keep growing.

That’s on top of the United States and other Western nations hitting Russia with sanctions of unprecedented breadth and severity. They have thrown major Russian banks off the SWIFT international payment system, limited high tech exports to Russia and severely restricted Moscow’s use of its foreign currency reserves.

Russians in Moscow and other cities talked to The AP about how those moves have played out in their daily lives, pointing to problems with converting rubles into foreign cur-

rency, long lines at ATMs and certain bank cards failing them.

Irina Biryukova in Yaroslavl, in a city about 250 kilometers northeast of Moscow, said she could only deposit a limited amount of money into her bank account through the bank ATMs. “The majority of ATMs (of this bank) don’t work to deposit (money),” Biryukova said.

Food prices, according to some businesses, have started soaring, too. “All the main ingredients we prepare our products from have gone up in price by 30-40%,” said Ilya Oktavin, who runs delivery service at a Perm sushi bar.

Certain goods are also harder to come by because of actions by companies like Nike, which on Tuesday night halted online sales with a statement on the company’s website saying it “can’t guarantee delivery of the goods to shoppers in Russia.”

ground research has been done and what goal it serves. Student research needs to go through a faculty member they will be working with and then needs to be passed on to URC. Grades are not considered at all as the work is mostly valued here at URC based on the research,” said Tebbe.

The grants are evaluated and given out solely based on proposals. URC gives away $500 for each grant and foundation grants giveaway $1,000 for stipend and $1,000 for supplies.

Max Keller, is a graduate assistant who has been working for URC for three years now. He shared what type of students apply for the program along with the most common majors.

“Most of the applications we receive are usually from

College of Science Engineering and Technology (CSET) and College of Social and Behavioral Science particularly Psychology, but we are expecting to see a larger number of applications from other departments as well,” Keller said.

Keller mentioned how the research projects are selected.

“The most important part about selecting a research proposal is usually if the material is able to be understood by the evaluator,” Keller said.

The process for the selection of projects to be reviewed goes through a basic screening process by the graduate assistants.

This involves them looking for detailed information and the necessary pieces for the project.

The Undergraduate Research Symposium will be held April 25, 2022.

In the film “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” a pivotal scene involves Arwen confronting the dreaded Witch King. During their fight, the Witch King declares “No man can kill me.” Arwen responds with the line “I am no Man” before dispatching the Witch King by stabbing him in the face.

It took me years into adulthood to fully realize that I was nonbinary, that I could say, at least in a sense, that I was “no man”. Witch Kings beware!

Given the history between police and the queer community, it was not an easy decision on my part to pursue a career in law enforcement. I know about the Stonewall Riots and the police harassment that preceded them.

Recently, I was accepted into the law enforcement program here at Minnesota State University, Mankato. It wasn’t easy, in part due to having to pass a psychological exam that shockingly enough, included very specific questions about gender identity and sexual orientation.

One would think that with discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity having been rendered illegal in the state of Minnesota in the early 90s, that such questions would never come up when applying for a job or to an academic program. Alas, one would be mistaken in making that presumption.

Objections to psych exams for police officers asking questions about sexual orientation go back a long ways. In 1988, Eric Rofes, the then director of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in West Hollywood, said to the Los Angeles Times “it is outrageous in 1988 that it is still on the books,” referring to the inclusion of questions regarding sexual ori-

entation being asked of police recruits. (Controversial Test for Police May Be Revised, Los Angeles Times, 3/10/1988) It has been decades since the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality as a mental illness from the DSM and gender identity disorder is no longer included in current editions.

Objections by the LGBTQ community to our identities being seen as a mental illness, predate Stonewall even.

When the then president of the Mattachine Society, (an early national gay rights org) Frank Kameny visited MSU Mankato in May of 1969, he is described in The Reporter as arguing that “homosexeuality” is not a psychological problem, but a sociological one caused by homophobia. (Majority of Homosexuals Untroubled, says Kameny, The Reporter, 5/7/1969) I have faced worse forms of discrimination than being asked about my gender identity and sexuality on a psych exam. But I can not think of another example of one so institutionally and systemically ingrained.

When I raised concerns about being asked what I felt were inappropriate and invasive questions about gender identity and sexuality, I was informed by the psychiatrist that the test I had been given, the Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory known as the MMPI was “the gold standard” for police psych exams.

As it were, the United States abandoned the gold standard in 1971. Given the need for police departments to diversify their ranks, perhaps the practice of explicitly asking police applicants unnecessary questions about their gender and sexuality should be abandoned as well.

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6 • MSU Reporter

News

Democrats see ‘no reason to wait’ on Supreme Court vote

SUSAN WALSH • Associated Press

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson smiles as she sits down for a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

By MARY CLARE JALONICK • Associated Press Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson began courting senators on Capitol Hill Wednesday, making her case for confirmation in private meetings as Democrats worked to move her through the Senate within weeks. Senate Democrats concerned about their narrow 50-50 majority — Vice President Kamala Harris breaks the tie announced Wednesday that Jackson’s hearings will begin March 21, just three weeks after President Joe Biden nominated her to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

With a goal of an April confirmation, they are using Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s quick confirmation ahead of the 2020 presidential election as a model for Jackson, who would be the first Black woman to serve as a justice.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin called the quick confirmation process “a contemporary standard” on Wednesday after he met with Jackson in his office, while acknowledging that part of the reason for the rapid timeline was because of his party’s tenuous hold on the Senate.

“There’s no reason to wait,” Durbin said, even though Breyer has said he won’t leave the bench until summer. He noted that the committee is also familiar with Jackson, who was just confirmed as an appeals court judge last year and had been confirmed by the Senate two times before that.

The sped-up timeline is one byproduct of increased partisanship, and a decade of rules changes, in the once-collegial Senate.

STUGOV from page 1 located, subsequently presenting their recommendation to the senate. The senate is then given several weeks to review the recommendation, speak with the organizations, and deliberate with their constituents. Last night, Chair Zahara Osman and Vice Chair Douglas Roberts of SAC presented a recommendation of a 1.77% increase to the fee, which, if passed, will require a referendum to be passed by the student body. While this is a significant increase, there are several areas that will be taking a decrease from their request, which was done in order to stay below the cap of the fee.

Notable budget items included a denial for an increase in the Student Government president, vice-president, and speaker’s compensation of service. The executive team has been pushing for an increase in their stipends, and their request was denied, with SAC stating they believed this increase should be discussed by the senate, not the committee.

Another notable increase was in the budget for the Green Transportation Fee, which is the funding for buses. Last year, the fee received $303,000 and requested an increase of $135,310. SAC recommended a cut from their request, instead, offering a recommendation of a $97,000 increase. One organization that took a hit in funding is the Fraternity & Sorority Life, which requested the same funding as last year, however, receiving a recommendation of a $5,000 decrease. SAC cited a decrease in enrollment as well as a history of not using the entire budget. “I know that some departments may have some questions down the road,” said Vice-Chair Roberts, “they should know that we are

Thursday, March 3, 2022



available to reach out for clarification if they so choose to appeal.” Senator Joey Novak, after hearing the presentation was trepidatiously in support of the recommendation.

“I understand a lot of the rationale behind things,” said Novak, “there are a couple of things that I have questions about, but hopefully those will get cleared up.” Off-campus senator David Wing was particularly worried about the funding for Veterans Resource Programming, which did receive an increase, although it was

only $500, compared to their requested $12,000. “Seeing an increase of only $500 seems less than desirable,” said Wing, “I believe that those who have helped protect our company deserve a bit more of our help.”

With the current recommendation increasing the fee more than 2%, the Student Government will need to decide whether to make cuts to either bring the budget below that number, or push a referendum for the students to decide whether they approve of the increase or not.

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Thursday, March 3, 2022

MSU Reporter • 7

Mavs battle UST in playoffs

By KOLE BUELOW

MSU baseball returns at Flordia invite

Sports Editor

The Minnesota State men’s hockey team is set to begin the Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament this weekend on home ice at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato.

After clinching the first seed in the tournament two series prior in their 5-1 regulation win over Bemidji State, the Mavericks will take on eighth seeded St. Thomas. The Tommies were the newest addition to the CCHA this year, after they were removed from their previous NCAA Division III conference for a fresh start in NCAA Division I hockey’s CCHA. It has been a rough jump for the Tommies as they have managed to win just three games of their 34 scheduled so far this season. St. Thomas enters the best of three series with an overall record of 3-30-1 while claiming a 3-22-1 record in the CCHA. The Mavs appear on the opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to team success, with Minnesota State holding the best record in all of college hockey. MSU is 31-5-0 overall this season while claiming the regular season CCHA title with a 23-3-0 record in conference play.

The Mavericks are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the nation, as they rank first in wins at 31, goals scored at 146, scoring margin of 2.81, and face-off percentage of 58.1%.

By KOLE BUELOW Sports Editor

DAVID FAULKNER • SPX Sports via Maverick Athletics

Junior center Nathan Smith (8) is tied for the team lead in scoring at 44 with teammate Julian Napravnik. Smith and Napravnik each have 17 goals and 27 assists on the season which is tied for second in all of Division I hockey.

The Mavs will bring an 11 game win streak into the series as well as a season sweep over the Tommies when the two have matched up. In the four previous games between the two squads, MSU has earned a 26-2 goals for goals against average against UST. Junior center Nathan Smith and senior winger Julian Napravnik have been driving forces in Minnesota State’s offensive success this season.

Smith and Napravnik both have

scored 17 goals and collected 27 assists this season, which ties them at second in the nation in scoring at 44 only behind Denver’s Bobby Brink.

Smith has done so while also missing games due to injury earlier in the season as well as his three-week stint in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Junior center Brendan Furry has also collected 27 assists on the season, which is tied for third in the nation alongside Smith and Napravnik. Junior wing-

er Ryan Sandelin also makes a splash in the national scoring lists with his team-leading 19 goals. Sandelin’s goal mark slots him in sixth in the nation.

In net the Mavericks rely on senior netminder Dryden McKay who remains one of the best goaltenders to compete in NCAA Division I hockey. McKay leads the country in wins this season at 31 while collecting a second-tying nine shutouts.

McKay’s 1.26 goals against PLAYOFFS on page 8 

Softball travels to Florida for NTC spring games

By KARSON BUELOW Staff Writer

The Minnesota State softball team is set to travel to Clermont, Fla this weekend to compete in a series of ten spring games. The Mavericks head to Florida with a 6-3 overall record and have yet to compete in any conference games.This weekend’s spring games for the Mavericks are part of the world’s largest softball tournament that takes place every year. The NTC Spring Games host hundreds of softball teams across the nation from the Division I Madeira level to the Independent level.

The Mavericks have had a long break since their last set of games, which took place Feb. 4-6 in the Portolite & Field Turf MSU Invitational Softball Tournament. The Mavs won their first two games of the tournament against Northwest

Missouri and Washburn before dropping their third game to Missouri Western. MSU was able to rebound quickly, defeating Washburn again and also Lewis.

Minnesota State then returned to action Feb. 20-21 for a set of games against Northwest Missouri and Central Missouri in Maryville, Mo. The Mavericks bested Northwest Missouri in their first game, winning by a score of 11-3 in only 5 innings, before dropping their second game to Central Missouri just a few hours later. The Mavs would have a rematch with Central Missouri just a day later, taking that game 4-0. MSU would end the set of games with a rematch against Northwest Missouri, falling by a final score of 2-3.

At this point in the season, sophomore Katie Bracken leads the team in batting average, sporting a .400 average and one

MADDIE BEHRENS • The Reporter

Senior infielder Hailey Forshee (6) leads the Mavericks in putouts at 62 with zero errors. Forshee averages .357 at the plate and has collected nine RBIs.

home run on the season. Bracken also leads in pitching this season with a 1.58 earned run average and has three wins on the season with no losses.

Sophomore Kylie Sullivan

follows closely behind Bracken in batting average with a .391 on 23 at-bats. Senior Mackenzie Ward is second on the team in earned run average for pitching SOFTBALL on page 9 

Baseball season returns this weekend when the Minnesota State baseball team travels south to Florida to compete in the RussMatt Central Florida Baseball Invitational in Davenport.

The Mavericks will compete in ten games in eight days spanning from Mar. 3 through Mar. 10. The Mavs are set to face nine different opponents in the ten games.

Looking back to the 2021 season, the team finished up their campaign with a 39-10 overall record and a 28-6 record in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.

MSU became the NSIC regular season and tournament champions in 2021 and finished third in the NCAA Division II Regional tournament with a 2-2 record.

Last season was historic for the team, with five players receiving All-American honors. Joey Werner, Hunter Even, Jon Ludwig, Collin Denk, and Nick Altermatt all made the honors claiming first team, second team, third team, third team, and third teams honors respectively.

With the addition of the five players making All-American honors, the Minnesota State baseball program upped its recognition count to 30.

Ahead of the season the Mavericks were ranked inside the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association Division II Top 25 Poll, coming in at No. 23 before falling out of the poll this week.

The Mavs have yet to play a game this season, due to their four-game series against Missouri- St. Louis getting canceled because of weather conditions.

Minnesota State will have a chance to redeem their top 25 recognition this week starting with a game against the Gannon University Golden Knights on Mar. 3.

The team will then compete in a double header against the Findlay Oilers Mar. 4. The Mavericks then move onto the weekend where they will first compete against the Tiffin Dragons on Saturday and the Northwood Timberwolves on Sunday.

Mar. 7 brings the Mavs’ first taste of an NSIC opponent, first playing the D’youville Saints at 2:30 p.m. then RETURN on page 9 

8 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Towns has 39 points as Wolves surge past Warriors 129-114

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Russian NHL players mostly staying silent about Ukraine

DERIK HAMILTON • Associated Press

Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin give directions to his teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Philadelphia.

By STEPHEN WHYNO

Associated Press CRAIG LASSIG • Associated Press

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) collides with Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney as Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, left, watches during the first half.

By DAVE CAMPBELL Karl-Anthony Towns took this game over like the All-Star that he is. The Minnesota Timberwolves performed like the playoff team they’re on track to be. Towns had 39 points and nine rebounds for the Timberwolves, who had their offense and defense humming inside and out in a 129-114 victory over the sputtering Golden State Warriors in a potential postseason series preview on Tuesday night.

“You’re playing the Golden State Warriors, you know how everyone feels about that. You wake up with a different energy and a different vibe,” Towns said. And when he learned Anthony Edwards would be sitting out with knee tendinitis?

“It just raised the competitive juices in me,” said Towns, who went 14 for 22 from the floor.

D’Angelo Russell pitched in 22 points, and Malik Beasley added 20 points on 6-for-9 shooting from 3-point range for Minnesota. The Timberwolves owned a 54-42 edge in points in the paint, with the banged-up Warriors mostly out of answers for containing

Towns around the basket.

“Feed him, feed him, feed him,” Russell said. “If you run out of food, feed him the fork.”

Stephen Curry led Golden State with 34 points, but the league’s career leader in 3-point shooting went just 5 for 16 from long range.

“Nights like tonight where you just don’t play a good brand of basketball defensively to give yourself a chance to win on the road against a team that you allow to have life all night, you’re not going to win a lot of games that way,” Curry said.

Gary Payton II added 14 points for the Warriors, who have the NBA’s second-best record but have lost six of their last eight games.“We’re going to be fine long-term. I’m excited about our team and excited about where we can go, but we’ve just got to weather this storm,” coach Steve Kerr said.

The Timberwolves (3429), who entered the evening 3 1/2 games out of the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference with the play-in avoidance that comes with it, won their sixth straight game against the Warriors at home. They moved a season-best five games above the .500 mark.

The Warriors (43-19), who are suddenly in quite the fight in trying to fend off Memphis (43-20) for second place, were without Klay Thompson for the second straight game because of an illness.

Nemanja Bjelica was held out with a bruised quadriceps, and Moses Moody — who started again at forward with Thompson sidelined — departed in the first quarter with a bruised left eye after a collision with Towns under the basket.

Then there’s the continued absence of Draymond Green and James Wiseman and the lack of depth to fill in the post.

Andrew Wiggins had eight points in the first 3:08 of the game against his former team, but he went quiet the rest of the way and finished with 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting.

This matchup of the two most frequent 3-point shooting teams in the league was mostly in Minnesota’s control, starting with an 18-5 run to close the first quarter. Russell converted a three-point play for a 68-56 lead just before halftime, and the Timberwolves stretched a 14-3 spurt well into the fourth quarter before Towns checked back in for the final stretch.

PLAYOFFS from page 7 average is second in the nation and his .934 save percentage is fourth.

On the Tommies side of the ice they are led by graduate student forward Christiano Versich. Versich in the only St. Thomas player to surpass the 15 point mark this season, doing so behind five goals and ten assists.

The Tommies have a tie for the team-lead in goals this season, which is held by junior and freshman forwards Luke Manning and Kyler Grundy at

seven.

Graduate student Peter Thome has been the main goaltender for St. Thomas this season, allowing an average of 4.33 goals while averaging an .878 save percentage in 25 starts.

UST is led by their head coach Rico Blasi. Blasi has decades of experience coaching college hockey, where he most recent ended his 20-year era as Miami Ohio’s head coach.

Blasi led Miami to ten NCAA tournament appearances as well as one championship

birth and another appearance in the Frozen Four.

Game one of the best of three series is set for Mar. 4 at 7:07 p.m. in Mankato. The second game is set to be played the following evening at 6:07 p.m.

If necessary the final game will be played on Mar. 6 at 5:07 p.m., once again, at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato.

If the Mavericks win the series, they will compete against the lowest remaining seed in the tournament at home the following weekend.

Associated Press



Russian players in the National Hockey League have remained mostly quiet about their country’s invasion of Ukraine, largely the result of fearing potential fallout back home.Among the 41 Russia-born players currently in the NHL, only Washington star Alex Ovechkin and Calgary defenseman Nikita Zadorov have weighed in about the war.

That list is not expected to grow much, if at all, given the threats that exist in Russia for players and their families.“It’s difficult for all the Russian players in the league,” said Brian MacLellan, general manager of the Capitals, who have three other Russians on their roster in addition to Ovechkin.

“There’s a lot of pressure put on them to have a political opinion either way, and they’re trying to balance out how they live their lives and what their political opinions are and the

repercussions that could happen back home. It’s a difficult situation for these guys.”

Several NHLPA-certified agents who represent Russian players spoke with The Associated Press about the challenges for their clients but would not go on the record out of concern the details could lead to negative consequences. They said players have been told not to share opinions about Ukraine because of the political climate back home, where the Russian parliament is considering making it a crime to spread what the government considers fake news about its military efforts in Ukraine.Agent Dan Milstein represents more than a dozen Russian and Belarusian players who have appeared in an NHL game this season including defending champion Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy.

He said he has received threats by email and on social media since telling ESPN many of his clients are dealing with harassment.

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Thursday, March 3, 2022

Sports

MSU Reporter • 9

BASEBALL RETURNS

76ers hype for Harden home debut

By DAN GELSTON Associated Press

James Harden wrapped a resistance band around his upper torso and took off. He sprinted the length of the basketball court and repeated the drill designed to build strength and endurance.

With the 76ers in championship-or-bust mode, Harden needs both traits if he wants to carry the team into June.

But parade talk can wait: Philly is in a tizzy over Harden’s impending home debut. Almost three weeks since he was acquired in a trade, two road games, billboards welcoming his arrival, and a spawning cottage industry of “Beard” T-shirts later, Harden will finally play in Philly for the Sixers on Wednesday night against the New York Knicks.

Much like the beard that’s as synonymous with Harden as his skillful scoring, anticipation is growing.

So are ticket prices.

The cheap seats start at $100 on the secondary market and the Wells Fargo Center will surely have a playoff feel for what would have been an otherwise routine weeknight game without Harden.

“It’s going to be turnt in there,” Harden said over the weekend, “and I’m ready for it.”

Harden was the last Sixer off the court after Tuesday’s practice, sharing laughs with All-Star center Joel Embiid and jamming to music during shooting drills with assistant coach Sam Cassell.

“The city’s excited. We’re excited,” coach Doc Rivers

Maverick Athletics MATT ROURKE • Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers’ James Harden practices at the NBA basketball team’s facility, in Camden, N.J., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Harden has averaged 28 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists as a 76er prior to his home debut.

said.

With good reason.

Harden, the 2018 NBA MVP, in his short sample size has impressed as expected. He had 27 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds in his debut against Minnesota and followed with 29 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds against the Knicks.

The number that matters most: 2-0. The issue that matters most: Philly is free of the Ben Simmons saga that weighed on the franchise until the All-Stars were traded for each other.

“This is not a forced-together team. This is a want-to-betogether team,” Rivers said.

“We get to be together and we want to be together. I think that’s a good thing.”

Tobias Harris’ production dipped in those two games -- he went 5 of 18 combined after taking 20 shots in the

76ers’ last game without Harden. Tyrese Maxey, meanwhile, has benefited the most from Harden’s arrival. He went 12 of 16 against the Timberwolves thanks in large part to fastbreak points instigated by Harden and catch-and-shoot 3s against the Knicks off Harden kick-outs. Embiid, Harden and Maxey combined for 176 points in their first two games together, the most for any debuting trio in the NBA since 1961.

“It is fun,” Harris said.

“We’re going into full arenas.

The hype is there for our group, our team. That always brings excitement to it. What’s not to like about it?”

Harden seems recovered from the left hamstring issue that sidelined him his final games in Brooklyn and his first games in Philadelphia (37-23, third in the Eastern Conference).

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RETURN from page 7 moving to the NSIC’s Concordia- St. Paul Golden Bears at 6:00 p.m.

On the eighth game of the trip Minnesota State will duel against the USciences Devils on Mar. 8 before competing against Notre Dame College on Mar. 9.

The final game of the tournament wraps up on Mar. 10 for the Mavericks where they

will take on the Seton Hall Griffins.

MSU will enjoy a few travel days before returning to action against Minot State for their first taste of NSIC action on Mar. 19 at Bowyer Field in Mankato. The series against the Beavers will begin a tengame homestand for the Mavericks before traveling to Superior, Wis. to battle Minnesota Duluth in April.

SOFTBALL from page 7 at 1.75.

Bracken also leads the team in on-base percentage at .571.

Senior infielder Hailey Forshee leads the Mavericks in putouts at 62 with zero errors. Minnesota State will open their NTC tournament with two games on Mar. 5 against Tiffin and Southern Indiana. Start times for the games will be at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

The Mavs will return to action the next day on Mar. 6 with a pair of games against Edinboro and Shippensburg.

Those games will start at 1:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

MSU will continue their tournament the next day taking on Northwood and Saginaw Valley State. Start times for those games will be at 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Minnesota State will have a day break before returning to action on Mar. 9 against Bloomfield College and Clarion University.

These games will begin at 2:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.

The Mavs will conclude their tournament with a pair of games against Concord on Mar. 10. Start times for these games are set for 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. All start times are in Eastern standard time.



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10 • MSU Reporter

What are Mavs doing over Spring Break?

By LILLY SCHMIDT Staff Writer

Spring Break is right around the corner for students at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and the annual problem for these students is finding a good way to spend it.

Minnesota State freshman Brooke Van Gelderen is spending her break taking a road trip to Chicago with some friends.

This will be Van Gelderen’s first time in the windy city, and she’s looking forward to spending time with her friends the most.

“The day spring break starts, [my friends and I] are going to drive that night to Chicago. We are going to drive through the night, and we’re going to switch people so we don’t fall asleep on the road,” said Van Gelderen.

“We’re going to spend time there seeing sites around Chicago, go get deep dish pizza, and see Lake Michigan. We’re just going to have fun around the city.”

However, not everyone has the opportunity to travel. For those sticking around the area, Van Gelderen suggests getting out and exploring Mankato.

“Get some rest and have a little bit of fun and definitely try to explore the town a little bit,” Van Gelderen.

“I know it can feel a little bit small, but every once in a while I’ll go and see it by myself and I’ll find something new.”

MSU junior Rachel Ruschmeyer is a Mankato native and will be staying in the city over spring break.

She plans to tackle some cleaning and studying over break as well as taking the time to rest and recharge.

As a resident of the area, she had some suggestions for what people can do around town.

“If the weather isn’t as nice, you can always go bowling, I love doing that.

You can always visit the mall and go shopping, that’s fun too,” said Ruschmeyer.

“If the weather’s nice, Sibley Park and Minneopa are SPRING on page 11 

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Book club brings students together

By SYD BERGGREN Staff Writer

For those looking to dive into a good book and even better discussions, Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Women’s Center, located in Centennial Student Union 218, is hosting a book club from Feb. 14 to March 15.

Bell Hooks’ “All About Love” is the featured title, and students are invited to obtain a copy from the Women’s Center up until the last day, on which they will be hosting a Zoom discussion about the novel.

Women’s Center Director Liz Steinborn-Gourley mentioned that this isn’t the first time that the Women’s Center has hosted a book club event.

“We did a series on Islamic feminism last year that was a smaller cohort of involved parties,” said Steinborn-Gourley.

“Access to literature is great, so the fact that we can do book clubs with our Student Government supported funding is awesome.”

Steinborn-Gourley has a particularly close connection with the title chosen for the book club, as it was the first book she ever read about feminism.

“After I got out of grad school, I was handing out copies of “Feminism is for Everybody” to every student like, ‘this is going to blow your mind,’” said Steinborn-Gourley. “Her work was exceedingly transformative for me.”

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Grad Assistant Erin Kotten holds up the Women’s Center’s book club book, “all about love” by Bell Hooks. The Women’s Center picked the book as it correlates with both Black History Month and Women’s History Month.

Steinborn-Gourley chose this tory Month and Women’s Histobook as it not only aligned with ry month. the Women’s Center’s goals, but “I was heartbroken when it was fitting for both Black His- [Hooks] passed because this

iconic visionary for equity, love, and justice has left us, but she’s left a legacy of incredible work,” shared Steinborn-Gourley.

“In the Women’s Center, we try to always consider people’s many and multiple identities, so it felt like a really fantastic fit.”

Both the provided reading guide and discussion are facilitated by Zara Houston, director of the “Read a F****** Book” program based out of Illinois.

Houston and Steinborn-Gourley have worked together before and Steinborn-Gourley expressed her excitement to have Houston’s input on this project.

“Having someone to come in and facilitate beyond basic discussion, especially for an important work, where we are thinking about social justice and equity was really important to me,” said Steinborn-Gourley.

The discussion for the book will be over Zoom at 7 p.m. on March 15.

Steinborn-Gourley mentioned the discussion questions in the provided reading guide will help direct the conversation.

“I’m just excited because people are going to learn so much from [Houston] and still have space to contribute their voice as well,” said Steinborn-Gourley.

MSU senior Krestiane Abshir knew the book club was something she wanted to participate in since the first time she heard about the club.

“Whenever I read books, I think and analyze a lot. I see how BOOKS on page 11 

MSU students get “technical” about theatre

By EMMA JOHNSON Variety Editor

While watching a play one can’t help but be drawn to the actors and dialogue, but what happens behind the scenes?

All the lighting, sound, and technical work are critical pieces to constructing a quality performance.

Minnesota State University, Mankato graduate student Danny McDonnell and senior Jason Wagaman got their starts in tech from being involved in theater while in high school. Both of them realized that there was more to theater than acting.

“I acted in high school and I knew that stage management was a career, so when I came here as a stage manager, I got roped into the scenic shop and I loved doing handiwork like this,” said Wagaman.

“I was like, ‘Wow, you can make a living doing [theatre tech],’ so I just continued to go

Courtesy photo

While actors put in long hours memorizing their scripts, tech students work just as hard behind the scenes. From being a stage manager to a sound designer to a stage manager, there are several jobs to get involved with tech.

down that path.”

“I saw that there is so much happening behind the scenes and I liked being a part of it regardless if I was an actor or tech person. I kind of just started do-

ing more tech stuff while acting and I just fell in love with it,” said McDonnell.

“As long as I am a part of the process, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Wagaman recently worked as the Technical Director for the Theatre’s production of “Tartuffe.”

Responsible for executing the scenic designers visions to life, the day of a performance is a rushed process of trying to get the set and props on stage as quickly as possible.

“I communicate with the director, scenic designer and lighting designer to see which elements they would like first and then once that’s completed, it’s making sure that everything is safe for actors to use and ready for actual performance,” said Wagaman.

“It goes into more tiny little notes that the stage manager and director give me.”

McDonnell is one of the sound designers for the Theatre department.

He credits the Theatre department for the ability to be adaptive to changes that may TECH on page 11 

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Variety

MSU Reporter • 11

Wind Ensemble Concert dedicates piece to Ukraine

By HAFSA PEERZADA Staff Writer

On Tuesday, the Department of Music & Entertainment Industries at Minnesota State University, Mankato held its first spring wind ensemble concert since the height of COVID-19 in the Elias J. Halling Recital Hall.

Students and attendees gathered to listen to performances by the wind ensemble conducted by Amy K Roisum Foley, MSU’s director of bands.

Foley shaped the sounds of musical notes from varying instruments into one unified piece for each musical segment.

Her waving hands set the tone of the music as she commanded the noise in the room as each piece was performed.

“Music gives us the opportunity to communicate with a broader audience and make a greater impact. I love working with students here and celebrating the art of making great music together,” said Foley.

Numerous musical pieces were performed by the ensemble. “Tempered Steel” written

by Charles Rochester Young, “La Cathedrale Engloutie” written by Claude Debussy, and “Let Me Be Frank With You” written by John Mackay were among the few performed.

One of the most prominent segments of the night was a 40-minute-long audio-visual piece “Pictures at an Exhibition” written in 1874 by the Russian composer, Modest Mussorgsky.

Before the performance, the

BOOKS from page 10 I can apply different things to my life, or how I can relate to certain situations,” said Abshir.

“Being in a book club gives you the opportunity to see many perspectives other than your own. It helps you understand things that you wouldn’t have understood otherwise.”

Abshir encourages those to read the book to gain insight on a variety of perspectives on the topic of love.

“It highlights how important love is, whether it’s romantic or platonic, and how critical it is that we know how to practice love as a society,” said Abshir. “I’ve learned a lot about love from the book so far, and how [there are] so many definitions.”

While this is the final book club for this semester, the Women’s Center has plans to pick a reading for the summer to discuss in September, along with a few book clubs over breaks during the year.

“It’s not going to go away, it’s just a matter of when. We’re also open to title suggestions,” said Steinborn-Gourley.

There are still books available at the Women’s Center, along with the reading guides.

Students are encouraged to pick up a copy to enjoy over spring break or even just a reading guide to absorb the book’s main ideas. 

AJAY KASAUDHAN • The Reporter

The MSU Wind Ensemble Concert dedicated a song of their performance to Ukraine. The song lasted over 40 minutes and was accompanied by a slideshow that helped direct the audience to specific performers throughout.

director voiced that this piece was dedicated to those in peril in Ukraine.

The 10-piece segment was performed in succession with each part cascading into the next, each creating its own unique experience.

“Performing a 40-minute piece like this is quite a huge undertaking,” said Foley.

The wind ensemble has been primarily performing their musical pieces using Facebook

Live the past two years due to the pandemic. Preparing for Tuesday’s performance, the ensemble had to once again navigate around limitations due to COVID during rehearsals.

“We had to flex with the realities of life and understand that things don’t always go our way.

It doesn’t diminish the power of what we do. The power of the opportunity to make music with each other every day. It was quite a challenge at first to navi-

gate through that but ultimately every musician rose to the occasion,” Foley added.

“They were completely engaged, and a part of the moment and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I’m so proud.”

Those in the ensemble voiced their excitement performing again.

“We haven’t had a spring concert since spring of 2019.

This is our first time doing anything after COVID of this scale

and extravagance, so It was definitely a super fun experience,” said Patrick Karl, a junior performing in the ensemble.

The piece also featured a video that went along with the music and further accentuated the entire performance.

Moving shapes and colors on the screen incorporated into a story helped direct the audience’s attention as the musical piece progressed, captivating the audience’s attention.

“It’s hard for the audience to have a perspective of what the composer originally intended, so incorporating the video reaches back and helps showcase the artist’s original intent,” added Foley when explaining the reasoning behind including the visuals in the performance.

The entire listening experience was illuminated by the perfect sync of the visuals with the rhythm and beat of the music, which made the performance all the more engaging and immersive.

“It was interesting to listen with the animations. I’ve never experienced something like that,” said Morium Moin, a sophomore who attended the concert.

“The videos went perfectly with the tempo of the music, and I was hooked from the moment that screen went up till the lights came back on. It was a one-of-a-kind experience.”

The wind ensemble will have their final concert of the semester on April 28.

“I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE GO ‘OH, THAT WOULD BE EASY’...”

TECH from page 10 quickly arise. “[Theatre] is something that we are trying to hone and craft to make [our shows] better,” said McDonnell. “It’s being able to take those critiques as more of a constructive thing rather than a deconstructive thing.”

While Wagaman has learned several practical skills, the most difficult part of his job is trying to stay positive while constructing sets.

“Staying positive can get difficult and that’s a big thing in the industry known as tech-director burnout,” said Wagaman.

“I think there’s ways to avoid that. Not beating yourself up too much when some scenic elements don’t look as good as you were hoping is one solution.”

Both Wagaman and McDonnell agree that people tend to underestimate how difficult jobs in theater tech actually are. “[Tech people] aren’t actors, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any easier to do design and run crew and all this other stuff. To be fair, it’s something that a lot of people sleep on,” said McDonnell. 

“I think a lot of people look at it and go, ‘oh, that would be easy and a fairly quick thing,’ but they don’t really understand how long it takes to put 24,000 napkins into chicken wire. I think people who are involved backstage a little bit see that and are more understanding,” said Wagaman.

McDonnell encourages students who are wanting to engage in the technical aspect of the theater to be proficient in “multiple hats” to not only be able to find more accessible jobs in the workforce, but to also still be involved with the processes of shows.

“The theater world is a very difficult field to get jobs in, so if you’re able to be an actor, try being a sound/lighting designer or a technical director. You’ll have an easier chance of finding jobs,” said McDonnell.

“Designers put in hours of work just as many, if not more, than actors do during rehearsal time.

Actors often work on their scripts and get them memorized, but without us, the actors wouldn’t have lights or sounds or costumes to wear. It would just be people on a stage saying things in the dark.”

SPRING from page 10 always fun as well.”

Minneopa State Park is located approximately five miles from campus. Students can go there to enjoy the view of a waterfall and hike some trails.

MSU also offers an annual spring break volunteering opportunity for students through Student Activities. This year, the group is heading to the Twin Cities to work on a few service projects.

Olivia Netzke, a postsecondary enrollment options student at MSU, is planning to work over break.

However, she noted that students should take a break from studying and do activities they enjoy.

“I would advise people to spend time with their family or their friends,” said Netzke. “Really try to focus on what you want to do.” 

12 • MSU Reporter

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Thursday, March 3, 2022

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UT ABO EE FR THE T O L

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ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING

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ABOUT GREEN FEES

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Parking & Transportation Policies, Budget, and Capital Improvements

Thursday, March 17, 2022 CSU 203 • Noon -1:15 P.M.

ABO ELEC UT T VEH RIC ICLE S

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Face-to-Face Meeting

Please email your comments or concerns to: david.cowan@mnsu.edu by 10 a.m., March 17, 2022.

Hearing Docket 1) Review of Proposed Income ($1,496,000) and Spending Plans ($1,635,375) for 2022-23.

• Includes a 3% increase in Permit prices for Gold (From $340 to $350) and Purple (From $216 to $222), an 8% increase for Residence Hall Light Green (From $280 to $302) and Dark Green (from $216 to $234) permits.

• Assumes $1 Million commitment to resurface this summer Lot 1 (Residence Hall Dark Green area of 471 stalls) – payback of internal loan in four to five years.

2) Lot 22 Orange Space & Free Lot Update: • “Free” overflow for Lot 23 (a.k.a. “Free Lot”) users – first 4 weeks of Fall Semester.

• Reduce the Orange semester charge of $76 to $35.

• No ban on employee use of Lot 23 (a.k.a. Free Lot).

• Registration still in place for users of Free Lot.

3) Electric Parking Vehicle Users: • Charge $3 per hour for “idle time” for electric vehicles who have fully charged.

• Include 30 minute “grace period” to allow owner to transfer vehicle out of lot 11A. • They can either buy a parking permit to park elsewhere, use Flowbird curbside stalls, or park in the Visitors Paylot.

4) Green Transportation Fees Proposal: • Fee of $421,713 requested to keep current bus routes active for 2022-23.

• Proposal before Student Allocations Committee and Student Senate.

An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University. Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact David Cowanr at 507-389-6931 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTY) at least 5 days prior to the event. This document is available in alternative format to individuals with disabilities by calling the above numbers. SHOP75OT 3-21

Constituency

Parking and Transportation Advisory Committee

Parking Citation Appeals Board

Administration or Excluded or MAPE (Minnesota Association of Professional Employees)

David Cowan, Advisory Committee Chair

Casey Boone, MAPE

Classified Employees

Katie Roeder

Not Applicable

IFO (Inter Faculty Association)

Seong Jin “Tommy” Kim

Lindsay Henderson

Student Governemnt

On-Campus Res. Community

Bennett Hanson

Jacob Glogowski

Student Government

Off-Campus Res. Community

Zachary Nichman

Vacant

MSUAASF (Minnesota State University Association of Administrative & Service Faculty)

Greg Wilkins

Jeremy Riesenberg

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Student Financial Services Representative

Jodi Orchard

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Parking & Traffic Services Coordinator; Parking Citation Appeals Board Liason

Adam Kruger

Appeals Board Liason

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Planning & Construction Department Liason

Nathan Huettl

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Office of Residential Life

Matt Burns

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Residence Comm. Assoc. President

Patrick Flynn

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Grounds Maintenance Department

Mike Hulscher & Adam Morris

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - MMA (Minnesota Management Associaton)

Vacant

Deb Sanford

Ex-officio Nonvoting - University Scheduling

Jane Kolars

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Student Government President

Reauna Stiff

Not Applicable

www.mnsu.edu/parking/hearing A member of the Minnesota State Colleges system and an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University.