February 9, 2024 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

Feb. 9, 2024

Vol. 88 No. 8

Stangs slide into season Candidate forum, page 4

2 February 9, 2024

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Haynie talks financial strain

CECIL WITHERSPOON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF fter years of operating at a budgetary deficit, MSU Texas is in the midst of a financial struggle to balance the budget while juggling concerns in enrollment and retention. MSU President Stacia Haynie said the situation is fluid from day to day, making it difficult to give a specific number. Since MSU was staring at starting 2024 with at least $7 million of budgetary shortfall, the university took actions to lower that number. The school announced last year that the print shop, testing center and Vinson Health Center would be closing. Those closures cut 10 university employees their jobs. Haynie said MSU has been able to cut about half the deficit so far. “We began the year with a 3.6 million dollar deficit in our budget. It’s more than double that, but we’ve resolved 50% of that problem. So we feel good moving forward, but we’re

not yet at a space where we’ve appropriately adjusted the budget to reflect the financial reality of the campus,” Haynie said. Haynie added that the cutting process has focused on preserving positions and services that bring students to the university and enable them to do well, focus points that administrators call access and success. “One of the things that we’ve done is look at the staffing all across campus and where we have available vacancies where again we’re able to provide access and success, we have eliminated those positions,” Haynie said. Other positions across campus have been eliminated or consolidated. Custodial staff have had some positions removed, while some staff members have been moved to residence halls to fill vacancies. Haynie said her office now takes its own trash to a central location to reduce the workload for custodial staff. "Well, we take our trash out. And that’s,

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

President Haynie describes MSU's financial situation, Feb. 7.

Vol. 88 | No. 8 Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

again, something that we recognize that we’re all going to need to be more attentive to ensure that we make the adjustments necessary," Haynie said. Haynie is leading the charge for the university on correcting the deficit. When she assumed the office of president in August, she also took on the role of interim vice president of finance and administration. The position is one that Haynie said she hopes not to occupy long-term. “Ultimately I do desperately want to fire myself so I will be working toward doing that in the upcoming fiscal year. I think it will be beneficial for the university to be positioned really well when we’re trying to hire somebody in the position, so that’s certainly the goal for the next year,” Haynie said. Solving the school’s financial issues could make the vice president of finance and administration position more enticing to potential candidates once Haynie vacates the position. In the meantime, MSU is leaning partially on Texas Tech for help. Aid from the Texas Tech University System has come largely in the form of advising. TTUS officials in areas like finance and law have helped MSU institute better financial practices, reviewed contracts for potential cuts and discussed ways to bring more resources to campus. “They have been really incredible partners, I've really been amazed, and again coming from a system that did not function in the same way, feel really fortunate to be a part of the Texas Tech University System,” Haynie said. Haynie was firm that current discussions on budget cuts are not focused on cutting majors, although she said administrators have to constantly consider which majors are successful and which might need to be examined or reinvented. “That’s not, and I don’t want it to be seen as, related to some sort of budget challenge,” Haynie said, adding, “I appreciate the idea that people are concerned, “Oh, we’re going to cut majors.” That’s not the conversation. The

Editor-in-Chief: Cecil Witherspoon Design Editor: Emily Copeland Managing Editor: George Svoboda Photography Editor: Stephanie Garcia Business Manager: Tiffany Haggard Social Media Manager: Aaron Burrows Entertainment Editor: Sabrina Harrison Sports Editor: Abby Turner Issue Staff: Juliana Abril, Joseph Arthur, Jessica Binzari, Madisyn Butler, Sam Difiore Advisors: Jonathon Quam, Jim Sernoe

PHOTO BY CECIL WITHERSPOON | THE WICHITAN

President Haynie is the Interim vice president of administration and finance, Feb. 6.

conversation is, if students are not attracted to a particular major, why is that?” Instead, Haynie said much of the budget efforts are focused on bringing in more philanthropic dollars from alumni and area stakeholders. “Our alumni, like me, who came here when it was much less expensive realize, like me, that we have a responsibility to support those students who are here at MSU today,” Haynie said. Haynie will continue to work on solving the budget, a issue she said is personal to her because of how much she cares about MSU. “I am here to build a bigger, better, stronger MSU. It’s personal for me, as you’ve heard me say many times. I ran to this situation because I care very deeply and very passionately about this place. It is home, this is family,” she said.

Copyright ©2024. First copy free. Additional copies $1.00 each. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include an email address, telephone number and address.

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February 9, 2024

Starbucks arrives back on campus JESSICA BINZARI REPORTER ampus Coffee and Tea now serves Starbucks products in Bridwell Activity Center. The coffee shop menu's expansion to MSU’s on-campus dining services caught the attention of several students, who say they are excited to have Starbucks back at Midwestern. “I come here every day,” freshman Dayanara Delgado said, “Ever since I got back from winter break, I’ve been here non-stop.” Starbucks first opened in 2015 at Moffett Library, but closed in the spring of 2022. Matthew Park, director of student affairs, explains that due to limited spacing and outdated infrastructure, the university planned to relocate Starbucks to Bridwell Activity Center at the start of fall 2022. However, students had to wait almost two years before they could have their on-campus

Starbucks again. Even so, many Mustangs are happy with the coffee shop’s new location in Bridwell, and some prefer it over the library. The Activity Center provides more accessibility to students who don’t have to go out of their way to grab their favorite coffee. “I think it’s better that Starbucks is in Bridwell because CSC is right here and it’s closer to the dorms too,” radiology sophomore Celeste Avalos said. “Yeah, and the library is pretty far,” Delgado added, “All of my classes are near Bridwell.” Another reasons some students prefer the activity center over the library is the uncomfortable smell that would make studying in Moffett a challenge. “I heard from a few people that it would get a bit nauseous from the smell, so I feel like Bridwell is better and is more of a study area,

whereas in the library I can’t actually focus,” Avalos explains. Campus Coffee and Tea is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is closed during the weekends. The coffee shop offers a limited selection of menu items, but students can still find their favorite classics. The students’ top picks include the caramel Frappuccino, the white chocolate mocha and the vanilla bean hot chocolate. Prices are around $5 and students can use their Flex dollars for payment. Campus Coffee and Tea is managed by MSU Dining Services. Further questions or concerns can be addressed to Director of MSU Dining Jaime Jaramillo via email at jaime.jaramillo@compass-usa.com.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Skaken Espresso, Feb. 7.

Wellness Fair promotes self care

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

Students try free samples, Feb. 7.

DONOVAN JACKSON REPORTER SU hosted a Wellness Fair on Feb. 7 for students to learn about the resources that are available to them on and off campus. Vendors set up booths on the Wellness Center's free courts, allowing students to

come and go as they pleased. Among the booths at the Wellness Fair were MSU’s Disability Support Services, MSU Counseling, TimelyCare, Wichita Falls Public Health Department, LiveWell Wichita County, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Complete Nutrition and Absolute Wellness. The booths at the Wellness Fair covered many aspects of health and the services available for college students. Experts and officials informed students about physical, mental, sexual and nutritional wellness. A popular booth during the fair was the Absolute Wellness booth, which gave students free product samples. Finance senior Lily Hartgrove and management senior Brett Hartgrove shared their ways on how they keep their wellness on the right track as college students, saying they plan ahead and pick the right foods for the week. Helena Wise and Ashley Sisk from the LiveWell Wichita County booth shared advice to help college students keep up with their wellness. Wise advised students to, “Find something that you love to do and make it a priority." “Care about your future self as well as your past self and present self,” said Sisk, continuing, “ I know a lot of people typically think of them in the past tense but really we

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

Lalawin Lay, marketing junior, learns about nutrition at the Wellness Fair, Feb. 7. have a whole future ahead of us and it really starts now.” “Really care about yourself because that’s what’ll set you for the day. It's gonna set your

tone to be mindful and actually get things done and be productive. Starting your day the right way will do wonders," Sisk said.

4 February 9, 2024

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Candidates for Texas Senator visit MSU

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

State Senator Drew Springer gives an opening speech at the state senator MSU forum, Feb. 6. GEORGE SVOBODA MANAGING EDITOR andidates for State Senator of Texas District 30 attended a forum hosted by MSU and moderated by SGA on Feb. 6. District 30 encompasses Denton, East Wichita Falls and

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

Michael Braxton, Democratic candidate for state senator, Feb. 6.

part of Flower Mound. The current state senator, Drew Springer, is not running for re-election, meaning the seat is up for grabs without incumbent competition. Seven candidates are running: Brent Hagenbuch (R), Cody Clark (R), Jace Yarbrough (R), Carrie de Moor (R), Michael Braxton (D), Matthew McGhee (D) and Dale Frey (D). Every candidate except McGhee attended MSU’s forum. The event opened with a speech from Springer, who spoke about his 12-year career as state senator. Springer touched on his participation in policies regarding end-of-life healthcare and the importance of a public servant to work for the people they represent. SGA President Zetta Cannedy and Vice President Joseph Arthur asked each candidate questions about their platforms, specifically regarding Wichita Falls, the economy, healthcare and education. SGA interviewed the Democratic candidates, Braxton and Frey, first. Braxton focused his answers on boosting other facets of the district by strengthening education and the economy. “One of the greatest things that’s happening in Wichita Falls concerning your schools is that, how many people you’re graduating, how many people that’s going into the job market,” Braxton said, adding “And y’all are really blessed to have Sheppard Air Force Base here, because they have a lot of employment.” Frey concentrated on the U.S. healthcare system, speaking about a healthcare provider he knows who said she was told to turn away Medicaid recipients to avoid going out of business. Both candidates stressed the importance of collaboration across the aisle and spoke about their concerns about harming immigrants at the border with concertina wire. Frey pointed out his legality concerns with the concertina wire on Rio Grande riverbanks, saying, “We need to at least focus here and understand that this is something that the

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN

Dale Frey, Democratic candidate for state senator, Feb. 6.

federal government should be taking care of.” The Republican candidates had more in common between their platforms. All four said they support aggressively tightening border security despite Supreme Court rulings. “I think we need to get our Texas National Guard down. I think we need to get them shoulder-to-shoulder with our D.P.S. troopers and eliminate every single one from crossing that border,” Clark said. “This is my number one priority. We have to stand with the governor here against the federal government,” Hagenbuch said. Yarbrough expressed concerns about foreign agents coming to the United States, “If a Chinese national comes across our border between the ages of 20 and 40, it’s not coming from McDonald’s and university education. It’s the age of the Chinese Communist Party.” De Moor, an emergency room doctor, focused on Medicaid, saying that Medicaid pays insurance companies for patients’ healthcare, not the medical professionals directly. She also mentioned her concerns regarding school funding. “Why, if I have three children in private school, and that is what I decide, why do I need $30,000 of money that I am, quite frankly, not paying personally in school taxes?” she said, adding, “One size fits all approaches are not going to work. We have to make sure we are not harming our rural systems.” Cannedy stressed the importance of local and state politics for MSU students. “From the local, state, national level, MSU students should be caring about these things. Our state senators are the people that help us get funding for renovations, like the renovations going on in Bolin,” Cannedy said, “And if we didn’t have reliable senators in that spot, that will hurt MSU students today, in the future, I mean this is the future of their state and our country and they should care.”

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

Carrie de Moor, Republican candidate for state senator, Feb. 6.

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February 9, 2024

Voting for students: a how-to guide

SABRINA HARRISON REPORTER or students, voting during an election season can be incredibly stressful and difficult. This is especially true for those who are first time voters or are from out of state. The most important choice students will have to make is whether or not to register to vote in Wichita County. Right now both of Texas’ senate seats are up for election. This means that out-of-state students who plan on staying in Texas for the next six years may want to register to vote in Wichita County. However, students who plan to move back to their home state, or are more invested in the senators of their home state, can decide to get a mail-ballot instead. Texas’ voter ID laws make it difficult for out-of-state students to vote in Texas. The simplest way for out-of-state students to vote is to apply for an absentee ballot in their home state. The rules for absentee voting are different in every state, so AllInToVote.org is a great resource for out-of-state students. All In To Vote was created by the League of Women Voters to help people get registered and vote. Out-of-state students can input their home state and their voting plans into the website and it will give the student a voting plan and point them in the right direction. Despite being slightly outdated, LWV's website also includes guides for different types of voting, including resources for disabled voters and articles on voting rights. As for students from Texas, the Texas

Secretary of State’s website has a step-by-step guide to apply for an absentee ballot. Once a student has an absentee ballot, the next step is to fill in sections one through four, then date and sign section five. After that, students will need to mail the form to the early voting clerk in their home county. The list of early voting clerks can be found on the Texas Secretary of State’s website. If students plan on voting in-person for the primaries, they will need to be registered to vote in Wichita County by Feb. 5. Out-of-state students are able to vote as long as they register in Texas using their

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

Brent Hagenbuch, Republican candidate for state senator, Feb. 6.

address on campus. Students from other parts of Texas can go to the Voter Name and Address Changes website and change their registration to Wichita County. To do this, they’ll need their Unique Voter Identifier which they can get by putting in their driver license number and birthday into the Texas Voter Registration website. When in-state students go to vote in person, they must bring a valid form of identification. The following forms are valid as long as they are issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety:

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

Jace Yarbrough, Republican candidate for state senator, Feb. 6.

A Texas Driver License A Election Identification Certificate Texas Personal Identification Card Texas Handgun License A U.S. Military Identification Card or a Citizenship Certificate containing the student’s photograph is also valid, as well as a U.S. Passport. Out-of-state students will need to bring a photo ID and a form of verification that has their Wichita Falls address on it. All of the following forms can either be copies or originals: A voter registration certificate A government document with their name and an address A bank statement A government check A paycheck A certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document) After students presents one of these forms of verification, they’ll be presented with a Reasonable Impediment Declaration that they’ll need to fill out. Once they fill out that form, they will be set to vote in person. Early voting for primaries opens Tuesday, Feb. 20, and closes March 1. Election day is Tuesday, March 5. Students who are unable to change their voting county by Feb. 5 can still vote using an absentee ballot from their former county or from their home state. The last day to apply for an absentee ballot in Texas is Feb. 23.

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN

Cody Clark, Republican candidate for state senator, Feb. 6.

6 February 9, 2024

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MSU ANNOUNCES NEW HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

PHOTO BY CECIL WITHERSPOON | THE WICHITAN

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Angie Reay, executive director of student wellness, discusses the offerings and services provided by Timelycare, Feb. 2.

Angie Reay, cxecutive director of student wellness, talks to Courtney Sanchez, client success manager, and Pam Midgett, director of the Counseling Center, about Timelycare, Feb. 7.

CECIL WITHERSPOON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF fter closing Vinson Health Center, MSU is bringing its students a new, free healthcare option. MSU has partnered with TimelyCare to provide telehealth tools for students. The TimelyCare resources focus primarily on medical, counseling and self-care. Executive wellness director Angie Reay said the medical side offers quick, convenient medical advice and diagnoses for users. “TimelyCare is our virtual health platform that is now available to all students when they go and log in. There’s a couple different features that it has, so it’s going to have the medical feature, when you log on if you want to talk to a doctor about any kind of things that you have going on, flu, cold, strep, anything like that,” Reay said. In more urgent situations, TimelyCare providers have access to a list of MSU resources, allowing for referrals to localized options. TimelyCare only offers general physicians, but those doctors can refer students to specialists when needed. “So let’s say you log in and the doctor recommends that you need to physically go

and see someone, they have those referrals and those recommendations that we’ve provided from the university,” Reay said. TimelyCare works exclusively with higher education institutions. “They tailor everything for the college demographic,” Reay said. Courtney Sanchez, TimelyCare client success manager, said one potential hiccup in implementation is that students are sometimes skeptical of the service. “If a student has never had a telehealth visit, there definitely might be some students who might be skeptical. You know, “Is it good quality care, who am I meeting with, is it really free?’” Sanchez said, later adding, “Typically what happens is once they have a visit, they see the convenience of it and they’ll come back and use it again.” Sanchez added that the most common positive feedback TimelyCare receives from users focuses on the platform’s ease of use. “Convenience, no cost, diversity when they select their provider,” Sanchez said of the benefits students have liked about TimelyCare. The TimelyCare network of providers serves over 350 institutions and over 2 million students. One service TimelyCare provides is

Talk Now, a free counseling service that allows students to quickly connect with professionals to discuss stress and mental health “The Talk Now side, that is the in-between of doing nothing if you want to talk to somebody and full counseling, going in for a traditional one-hour therapy session. You can still pop on the phone and talk to somebody if you’re having stress, anxiety, if you’ve got a big test coming up. Like anything that you want to go in and talk about, you can do that as many times a day as you want to, there is no limit to it,” Reay said. Signup for TimelyCare is relatively quick, involving filling out some basic personal and medical information. Reay said students should consider signing up even if they don’t expect to use the free service. “Even if you think you’re not going to use it, go ahead and register because the last thing you want is if you need to see a doctor you don’t want to take the 10 minutes it takes to register the profile and everything when you want to see a doctor right then,” Reay said. Another service TimelyCare offers is personalizable self-care programs and health coaching, covering everything from diet and

exercise to mental health. “If you’re having problems with sleep, nutrition, eating disorder, working out or any kind of health concern that you might have. Health coaching is the one that it is not immediate, that one’s a scheduled portion of the app. But you can hop on and talk to a certified health coach and they’ll help you through whatever you’ve got going on,” Reay said. Other resources are self-guided, involving videos and tips. “Having access to self-care for depression might be helpful. Our goal is to provide them with the resources needed before it escalates into a crisis situation,” Sanchez said. TimelyCare recently signed the Texas A&M and University of Texas systems, expanding the already large user base. The TimelyCare app offers students a peer-to-peer community where students can interact with each other to discuss problems and solutions for physical and mental well-being. TimelyCare is available in over 240 languages, and also offers students the ability to add a third party, like a parent or guardian to their accounts. For more information on TimelyCare, go to timelycare.com/msutexas.

NATIONALS! | News | Sports | Entertainment

February 9, 2024

BOTH MSU CHEER ROUTINES MAKE FINALS GEORGE SVOBODA MANAGING EDITOR rom Jan. 10-15, the MSU cheerleading team performed in the Universal Cheerleaders Association National Competition in Orlando, Florida. This is the first time both of MSU’s routines placed in nationals, placing fifth in game day and eighth in traditional routine. Game day is more about crowd involvement and school spirit, whereas traditional focuses on technique and skilled stunts. Recent MSU graduate and flyer Jordan Ingram expressed pride in the team’s success at the competition. However, according to team captain and exercise physiology sophomore Adarion Miller, says it was hard the team did not place higher. "I really, that was upsetting and kind of hurt. I mean, one, it was kind of good because we had never gotten both routines to final," Miller said, continuing, "But fifth and eighth. I felt like game day, to me at least, I was like 'It was a great routine.' I guess we had a little stuff they didn't like that we need to fix, and I felt we fixed it coming into finals." Miller described some places the team could improve. “Maybe crack down on the technique, if I would say,” Miller said, “I need to make sure my coach says, ‘Hey, this group needs a little bit more work. Can they have some practice time outside of practice or something? Can we open the gym or something, figure something out so that we can make sure everybody’s good?” The team met some turbulence on the road to nationals, said Miller. “Say stuff wouldn’t hit or stuff wasn’t going the way we’d like it, we end up getting upset and that would carry over and have, like, a domino effect on everyone else,” Miller said, continuing, “But then we’d just take a break. I’d, like, play some music, that’d get everybody hype, everybody dancing, and then the mood would

change. We’ll be right back into it.” Ingram described the process the team went through to get to nationals. The team’s primary practice method is two-a-days, where it practices early in the morning, and again in the evening. “In the summer, we get like the base of our routine. So we’ve been practicing since August over two routines,” Ingram said, “Two-adays for like, two, three weeks over Christmas break. So when everyone was gone, we were here doing practices and stuff,” she later added. Both Miller and Ingram described the team’s anxiety going into nationals, speaking on the entrance of Morehead State University into the competition. Morehead State University is one of the highest ranked cheerleading teams in the country, with several members also being on Team USA. PHOTO COURTESY OF GARRETT BAGGS “A lot of us, when we heard that, The UCA National Competition took place in Orlando, Florida, Jan. we were like ‘no way.’ Like it kind of put, like a damper on us. But it also made us want to try even harder. Like really show them that, like, ‘Okay, yeah, y’all might not know us, but we’re in the same division now and we’re gonna show why we deserve to be in this division just as much as you do,’” Ingram said. At the competition each team was allowed a 12-minute practice just before their two-and-a-half minute performance. During MSU’s practice time one of the team members, criminal justice sophomore Lauren Moon fractured her foot. “Like when we were warming up, about to go perform, she broke her foot and it was like, we’re like ‘no way,’” Ingram said, adding, “But she pushed through, oh my goodness.” In preparation for the competition, Miller tried to smooth over the team’s concerns. “So I was kind of thinking like, forget your nerves, you got to do what you need to do. And if you do what you need to do, it’ll help somebody PHOTO COURTESY OF GARRETT BAGGS else on the team,” Miller said.

MSU Cheer placed fifth in game day and eigth in traditional, Jan.

8 February 9, 2024

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MSU softball slides into season JESSICA BINZARI REPORTER idwestern State's softball coach, Brittaney Talley, hopes for a turnaround year, bringing ten new players to star in the upcoming season. The Mustangs faced a challenging season last spring, hooking in a record of 11-31 in conference play. The Maroon and Gold finished as the third-lowest-ranked team in the league and has not qualified for the Lone Star playoffs for seven years. The last time MSU appeared in the conference tournament was in 2016 when the Mustangs lost in the semifinals. Last season went "a little rough" as Coach Talley says, but she believes this year's recruits will play a tremendous role in the team's success. Talley focused on building a more complete team with more experienced players and stronger leaders. "We brought in some new people that communicate better and show some good leadership," Talley explains, "Last year we were playing a lot of freshmen, so that was a little dangerous, but they're maturing and growing this year. Now we have a good mix of upperclassmen and lowerclassmen." This past fall, the team has worked on getting closer together as a group and helping each other grow as players. This is a major step from last year where, as pre-dental senior Chloe Bryant explains, "We struggled with knowing each other really well." "We knew our strengths and weaknesses, but we didn't have enough people coming in and putting in the extra work; we didn't have

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Camile Nunez (6) slides into home plate, scoring the second point of the game, Feb. 6. that type of effort showing," Bryant says, "This year, that's what's going to take us in the long run." The Mustangs welcomed four transfers and six freshmen into the program, who helped redefine the team's culture and work ethic.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Coach Brittanie Talley discusses strategy during the game, Feb. 6.

Two of the players, criminal justice junior Myranda Jimenez and nursing freshman Addison Lindemann were listed as "Players to Watch" in LSC's preseason highlight. "I can always count on my teammates to give everything they have," Lindemann says,

"We are not going to let ourselves be an easy win for any rival team – we're going to fight all the way and that's our biggest strength." For Talley, the biggest strength would be how much the players believe in themselves and how hard they are willing to work and make each other better. "They're committed and they're bought into each other which is the first step. Nobody is scared to fail and if we do fail, we're failing forward," she explains, "Their little team motto is 'fast and furious,' so they want to do the work and get better which is always a plus." As the first conference games are fast approaching, the Mustangs have one major goal for this season: earning a spot in the Lone Star playoffs. To do so, Talley's team must place 10th or higher in the league by the end of the season. "I think this will be a much better season than what we had the past three or four years. We should be able to earn a spot in the Lone Star tournament," Talley says. The players are hopeful as well. "We all want to win at least half of our games and we want to make it to the Lone Star tournament for sure," Bryant says, "We're ready to come out and surprise people." The Mustangs had their season opener at the Division II First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas this past weekend. MSU dropped three softball games but secured a 4-1 victory against Central Washington on Saturday. MSU faced East Central University at Mustangs Park for a doubleheader on Feb. 6.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Elizabeth Uhl (15) pitches to Eastern Central University's softball team, Feb. 6.

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February 9, 2024

Women's tennis pushes to improve ABBY TURNER SPORTS EDITOR he Midwestern State women’s tennis team will open the 2024 season with a scrimmage against the Cowley College Tigers on Friday, Feb. 8. These scrimmages will start head coach Scott Linn’s 14th season. With most players returning, the team will strive to compete in the NCAA Tournament. Micaela McSpadden, psychology junior, said she looks forward to attending nationals and bettering herself as a player. “Going to nationals is a team goal that we all want to go and accomplish. Teamwise that is always the end goal for us, and stacking matches puts us in a position to go,” McSpadden said. The team is coming off a second place conference finish and dedicates itself to improvement. “I try to have more input goals than output goals. So meaning that my goals for myself are things that are in my realm of control. I believe that if you have an input, the output will take care of itself,” McSpadden said. Coming from the tournaments, the team played in the fall, but some adjustments were needed before the spring season.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Sydney Williams, winds up for a hit during practice, Feb. 3. The tennis season will begin on Feb. 8.

“The fall went really well. We had a lot of good results over the course of the fall and it was really exciting to see a lot of the players return head and shoulders better than last spring, and we all came back hungry, our results showed that," McSpadden said, continuing, "There were areas of our games that we all needed to target. I would say doubles is an area across the board that we needed to get more confident and comfortable playing. However, I think we are making great strides in doubles. I think we are getting better strategically in how we present ourselves on the court.” The team has shown dedication to bettering itself, whether through extra practice on players' own time or team-mandated practices. “We have multiple players on both teams that put in extra work. They will get there before practice to train. They will stay after practice to train. They will come in on their days off. It's not a matter of whether or not they will put the work in. It's a matter of whether or not they believe in the work they are putting in,” Linn said. According to Linn, the returning players are better and the new players are good. "I know we have more depth this year than we had, so the options are greater. Which

doesn't always mean better, but if thought out correctly could mean better," Linn said.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Skylar Minns, practices to get ready for the season, Feb. 3.

Men's tennis looks forward to new season ABBY TURNER SPORTS EDITOR ith the tennis season beginning, men's head coach Scott Linn said he is confident his team is ready to step up, be leaders and take its season far. Preparation for the season started in the fall when the team played in tournaments and held individual practices. “We play four tournaments in the fall, but they are all individualbased. In the spring is our true in-season, because it is team competition. Every fall they get to play three or four tournaments, and it gives them an opportunity to compete. It gives me an opportunity to see how they are going to do in a competition. It gives them something to work for in the summer,” Linn said. Linn uses the fall season to build his players' skills

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Killian Guillou prepares to return the ball, Feb. 3. The tennis season will begin on Feb. 8.

and strengthen the team bond. Germano Setti, general business sophomore, echoed Linn’s statement adding that the fall is for bringing the team together because they will need each other in the spring. “In the fall, we focus on getting better. We focus on getting fit. It's a moment to focus a lot individually, and at the end of the fall, it is more about getting everyone together because when we start the season, we all need each other,” Setti said. The bond for the team is strong going into the 2024 season. With many returning players and the addition of a few new players, Linn says he has high hopes for his team. “The goal is that I have a whole bunch of problem-solvers, a whole bunch of leaders. That value of being a part of a family. That's the part that makes college tennis special. The beauty of college tennis is that you get to be a part of a team.

You get to work together for something,” Linn said. Linn's expectations for his team are straightforward and are similar to what every coach expects their team going into a season. “I expect us to compete really well. I expect us to leave it all on the court. I expect us to value playing for Midwestern State and value playing for their team and family, and the athletic program at a high level," Linn said, adding, "We returned a lot of players. We have some great young players in our program. It's going to be a fun year. If the teams are successful, it allows room for growth. We have a lot of talented players on our team.” The Midwestern State men's tennis team will open its 2024 season with a scrimmage against the Cowley College Tigers on Friday, Feb. 8.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

Killian Guillou prepares to return the ball, Feb. 3. The tennis season will begin on Feb. 8.

10 February 9, 2024

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Wellness Center offers fun workout alternatives MADISYN BUTLER REPORTER ine dancing was a new experience for me and the majority of the other members in the Jan. 31 dance cardio class. While I was not perfect, it was a fun time and a good workout. The class began with a simple combination of step-crosses and jazz squares. As more people began to trickle in, the difficulty of steps and combinations increased. The hardest one for me came from a series of step touches to kick ball changes to mambas that change directions. While I have a dance background and picked up on the steps and combinations quickly, the majority

Students line dance, Jan. 31.

PHOTO BY MADISYN BUTLER | THE WICHITAN

of the class did not share that experience. Some students attended before and were familiar with the steps. A few of us picked up quickly, but the majority got lost in the combination. Our instructor, Terri Kennedy, was quick to move around the room, helping people remember the steps and stay on beat. Line dancing is not my specialty, but the repetition made it simple. Kennedy's teaching style is more learning on the job than I am used to, but the constant repeating steps made quick to catch on and easy to do. It was a challenge, and by the end of it, everyone was sweating, but the class was fun. I have been looking for an opportunity to move

my body since I am not a fan of traditional workouts. This class provided the exact opportunity to move and groove like I wanted. Pre-dental hygiene sophomore, Leslie Cortes, said, "I found the class very enjoyable. It was very beginner friendly and I found the overall experience fun." My roommate and I have already discussed continuing to show up for the class because it helped us to move our bodies without the need for a traditional workout. Even though the class was fast-paced, the environment was positive and uplifting. If you’re looking for something fun to do, the Wellness Center offers the Dance Cardio/ Line Dancing classes at 4:30 pm.

Mean Girls adaptation disappoints audience SABRINA HARRISON ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR he new “Mean Girls” movie is a subpar movie and a garbage adaptation. The new “Mean Girls (2024)” movie has hit theaters with mixed reviews. Some have revered the movie as the perfect mix between the original and the broadway adaptation. Others are outraged by how the movie butchered both. Arguably, the film was more of an adaptation of the musical than it was an update of the original, though it tried very hard to combine both. Therein lies the problem. When you combine musicals and movies, there needs to be a balance between showing with music versus actually showing the audience with a camera. “Mean Girls (2024)” does not find that balance. Out of the twelve main songs from the movie, I felt that only three of them were good: “Apex Predator”, “Sexy” and “Revenge Party.” These songs fit well into the context of the movie and were just a lot of fun. The actors in the song also seemed like they were having a good time recording them. However, a couple of the songs had me physically cringing in my seat. “Stupid With Love” was the main offender. I understand that they were trying to contemporize the Broadway show tunes, but this song was absolutely criminal. The original musical version of “Stupid With Love” was upbeat and poppy. It was about

"Mean Girls" was released on Jan. 12. a girl falling in love again for the first time in seven years. It characterized Cady as someone who was naive but excited at the prospect of romance. The film’s version strips the fun instrumentation in favor of a slowed down, more contemporary track. It reminds me of when the cast of “Riverdale” performed “Heathers,” and not in a good way. This song does not carry the energy of a former homeschooled girl getting a crush. It

PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT

feels like a better fit for an AI learning what love is. In general, most of the songs felt disjointed from the actual movie. Part of this may be the fact that the characters would look directly into the camera when singing. Another factor could be that many of the songs felt like they were music videos added in post. Though some of the musical choices in the movie were bad, the character development was far worse.

None of the characters had believable arcs. Gretchen Wieners had the least believable character arc out of all of them. In the movie, her arc revolves around her learning to live without the approval of others. The biggest problem with this is the movie does not give her enough screen time for the audience to sympathize with her. Instead, they cut her part out of “Meet the Plastics” and then, despite barely introducing her, gave her a song where she’s desperately trying to figure out what’s wrong with her as a person. The producers of the movie didn’t give any of the characters enough screen time to actually develop their characters, let alone Gretchen. Not only that, but not a single character learns a lesson in this movie. In the original movie, Cady learned that being fake in order to gain attention or friends hurts the people around you. She also learned that pretending to be dumb in order to get the attention of men can have unintended consequences. The new film has the hollow skeleton of those lessons, but we never actually see Cady get to learn them. Instead, the moral is forcefully shoved down our throats by Mrs. Norbury, Janice and Damien. Overall, the movie was just poorly put together. It seems like the producers had no clue how to adapt a musical into a movie.

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February 9, 2024 11

The Wichitan’s Song of the Week: “ANGEL”

JOSEPH ARTHUR REPORTER elcome back to this edition of the Wichitan’s Song of the Week. In celebration of Black History Month, this week’s pick is “Angel” by American R&B singer Halle. Released Aug. 4, 2023 as her first ever studio single, “Angel” is an expression of Halle’s love for her blackness. In the song, she sings about the perils of growing up as a black girl and even existing as an adult. She narrates the struggles and frustrations that come with being black in a society that claims to be progressive but is not. She based a majority of the lyrics in the song on real life affirmations that she had to tell herself following negative criticism to the announcement of her portrayal of Ariel in the live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” Halle originally thought of the song but didn’t plan on releasing it until after she shared a teaser of the song on her Instagram on December 31, 2022, and it received a great deal of positive feedback. Born in Atlanta, Halle Lynn Bailey, simply known as Halle, is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actress best known for her performances in award-nominated and award-winning movies and TV shows like "The Color Purple”, “The Little Mermaid”, “Grown-ish” and more. At the very young age of three, Halle started her acting career with her dad putting her in commercials and TV shows. By the time she was 12, she had a successful acting career after her performance in projects like “Joyful Noise” and “Let It Shine.” After moving to Los Angeles in 2012, Halle and her older sister, Chloe created a YouTube channel and the soon-to-bepopular music duo, Chloe x Halle. On this YouTube channel,

PHOTOCOURTESY OF HALLE BAILEY

"Angel" by Halle Bailey was released on August 4.

the duo would do covers of popular music, especially Beyoncé. After many hits and television and talk show appearances, the duo signed with Parkwood Entertainment (founded by Beyoncé)

"Halle wrote and released the song...as a reminder to the billions of black girls that, no matter what, they are angels." JOEY ARTHUR

RATING: 5/5 following a long legal case by the Manhattan Supreme Court. After much success as the duo Chloe x Halle, Halle decided to begin her career as a soloist starting with Disney’s announcement of her portrayal of Ariel in the liveaction adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” Following the announcement was a huge wave of backlash against Halle (an African American woman) portraying Ariel and how it was not true to the original character. Director Rob Marshall confronted the backlash, stating Halle’s audition was everything he was looking for in Ariel. He added that her singing brought him to tears and that she possessed the “spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance” of the character. After the release of the movie, Halle released “Angel” in response to those backlashes. “Angel” is my favorite song from Halle’s entire discography. In “Angel” Halle tells the struggles she underwent during the pre and postproduction of the live-action movie. After Disney’s announcement of the movie's cast list and Halle’s role as Ariel, the internet responded poorly. Comments about Halle and her background as an African American were brought up with people calling her unfit for the role of Ariel as the character is white in the 1989 animated movie. Halle was getting bullied on social media and there were talks of boycotting the movie. In light of this, Disney supported Halle by releasing an official statement stating that Ariel is first and foremost a mermaid and therefore has no specific race and if that was a problem, then the movie probably is not for you. On the other side of this, many people took the news of Halle portraying Ariel amazingly. Videos of little black girls smiling and laughing while watching the trailer for the movie went viral. The movie brought many minority communities together,

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALLE BAILEY

Halle wrote "Angel" about the challenges she faced growing up black.

especially to go watch the movie during the talks of boycotts. Following this experience, Halle wrote and released the song, not just to be a testament to the way the world treated her, but also as a reminder to the billions of black girls that, no matter what, they are angels. She reminds black girls that even though the world doesn’t see them as angels, they are. She sings that people will always point out their flaws and try to keep them caged in their mind, but they should always remember that “angels make their way somehow.” As stated in previous editions of the Song of the Week, lyricism is an important aspect of any song and Halle understood that when writing “Angel.” In the song, she utilizes personal memories and pathos to narrate her pain and struggles but also her warning and advice. My favorite lyric in the entire song is:

“Some might hate, and they wait on your fall (ah) They don't know there's a grace for it all (all) My flaws don't make me. Beautiful and real are you, they cannot compare, all you. Perfectly a masterpiece in all of me, even my scars (scars) Even my scars, yeah” Expressing feelings through music is a naturally occurring thing for Halle. In “Angel,” she sings about pain, frustration and persecution but also warning, advice and hope. She created a song about loving your black skin. The song is a great listen with a powerful message. I rate it 5 out of 5 mustangs.

12 February 9, 2024

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The Recording Academy presents: The 66th Grammy Awards

SABRINA HARRISON ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR n February 4, 2024, The Recording Academy presented its 66th Annual Grammy Awards. Hosted by “The Daily Show” former host and South African-born comedian Trevor Noah, the Grammys is a night of recognition and celebration for individuals and groups who are dedicated to the growth of music and the music industry. Those individuals and groups are awarded for their excellence in their respective categories. Held at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles, the Grammys houses the biggest and brightest names in the music industry for the sole purpose of celebrating music in all its forms and genres. From the announcement of the Grammys nominees to the night of the actual show, The Grammys (pre- and main show) was a night of making history through nominations, wins,

events and highlights. SZA got the most nominations for the night with a whopping nine nominations. Previously tied with Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon, Taylor Swift broke the record for the most album of the year awards. Her tenth album “Midnights” won her the award for the fourth year in a row. She then announced the release of her eleventh studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department” to be released April 19th, 2024. Miley Cyrus and Lainey Wilson both won their first ever Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Country Album. The Recording Academy honored Jay-Z for his global contributions with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, making him the first recipient of the award since its creation last year. Rap artist and social activist Killer Mike was arrested shortly after winning the Best

Rap Album award. Canadian singer Celine Dion surprised the audience and guests in attendance by presenting the award for album of the year. Burna Boy also became the first Nigerian artist to ever perform at the Grammys. The Recording Academy celebrated the versatility of music with performances from Annie Lennox, Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, Billy Joel, Burna Boy, Olivia Rodrigo, Travis Scott, Dua Lipa, Fantasia, Joni Mitchell, Luke Combs and more. The Grammys was a huge night for music and its different genres as it was celebrated by the artists that represented those genres. Although the Grammys featured a lot of amazing performances and felt like a music festival, it was still a night of awards. Here are a few of the award categories, presenters, nominees and winners.

BEST NEW ARTIST Presented by 2023 best new artist winner Samara Joy, the category celebrates artists that notably impact music through their debut. The nominees were Gracie Abrams, Fred Again, Ice Spice, Jelly Roll, Coco Jones, Noah Kahan, Victoria Monét and The War and Treaty. R&B singer Victoria Monét won the award.

RECORD OF THE YEAR Presented by American actress Meryl Streep and her son-in-law and British DJ and Record Producer, Mark Ronson, the category celebrates the musical composition and its uniqueness. The nominees were “Worship” by Jon Batiste, “Not Strong Enough” by boygenius, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, “What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture "Barbie"]” by Billie Eilish, “On My Mama” by Victoria Monét, “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift and “Kill Bill” by SZA. Tennessee-born singer-songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus took home the award.

SONG OF THE YEAR

PHOTO COURTESY OF SZA

SZA received the most nominations for the 2024 Grammys, winning 3 Grammys., Feb. 6.

Presented by American singer-songwriter, record producer and TV personality, Lionel Richie, the category celebrates the power of lyricism and how influential it can be. The nominees were “A&W” by Lana Del Rey, “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift, “Butterfly” by Jon Batiste, “Dance the Night (From Barbie

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT

After winning her 13th Grammy, Taylor announced her new album called "The Tortured Poets Department," Feb. 5.

the Album)” by Dua Lipa, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, “Kill Bill” by SZA, “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo, “What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture "Barbie"]” by Billie Eilish. Californian singer Billie Eilish took home the award.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR Presented by Canadian singer Celine Dion, album of the year celebrates the best album of 2023. The nominees were “World Music Radio” by Jon Batiste, “the record” by boygenius, “Endless Summer Vacation” by Miley Cyrus, “Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” by Lana Del Rey, “The Age of Pleasure” by Janelle Monáe, “GUTS” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Midnights” by Taylor Swift and “SOS” by SZA. Pennsylvania-born singer-songwriter Taylor Swift took home the award. From Jay-Z’s speech about the Recording Academy’s decision to not give Beyoncé a single Album of the Year win to Taylor Swift allegedly ignoring Celine Dion when receiving her award, The Grammys was a night of reveals, great representation and homage to music’s best and brightest.

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"Society of The Snow" shocks audience JULIANA ABRIL REPORTERA uan Antonio García Bayona’s "Society of the Snow” is becoming a global phenomenon due its historical accuracy. The film is based on a 1972 tragedy, in which a military plane from Uruguay crashed into the Andes mountain range on its way to Chile. There were a total of 45 people on board, of whom only 16 survived for 72 days in dire conditions. Survivors had to endure nights at -30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) covered in 3 meters (9 feet) of snow. The absence of food and water, and the total exposure to nature and other challenges of surviving in the mountains led survivors to take drastic measures including cannibalism. Despite being a catastrophe with a low survival rate, this journey was later referred to as "The Miracle of the Andes." Bayona decided to depict the event in the greatest detail possible, presenting a milliondollar proposal to several entertainment companies until Netflix finally decided to finance the project. After 12 years of planning, rejected proposals, and various castings, production began in 2019. The movie released in Dec. 2023.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

"Society of the Snow" was released on Dec. 22, 2023. The film focuses on telling the story of the deceased, with Numa Turcatti , played by Enzo Vogrincic, as the main character. This new perspective attracted the audience, as previously only the survivors' version was known in the film "Alive." Additionally, audiences praised the setting's realism, the resemblance of the characters to the survivors, the makeup's

detail, and the sporadic appearances of some of the real survivors. The movie was nominated for two Oscars: best foreign language film and best makeup and hairstyling. Without a doubt, "The Snow Society" is the version that most accurately recounts the events of that accident. The survivors themselves confirmed that the film is so real

that what they saw on the screen brought them back to the cold, the smells and the bad memories they thought they had already overcome. Finally, I would like to emphasize the extraordinary work of the actors who brought those 45 people back to life. For these young actors, "The Snow Society'' was considered a debut on the big screen, but they handled each scene as if they had been acting professionally for years. The actors faced sequential recording, which is uncommon in the film world, to show physical deterioration. The shooting days were extensive, and the set's cold was very similar to that of the Andes mountain range. Actors were subjected to extreme diets to lose more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds) as the recording progressed. All this sacrifice and more made the audience adore not only their characters but also them as individuals. I cannot miss this opportunity to once again recommend watching this feature film, as the makeup, hairstyle, sequence, reality and references to the original story make it a movie and a story that everyone should know about.

"La Sociedad de la Nieve" sorprendió al público JULIANA ABRIL REPORTERA a sociedad de la nieve, película dirigida por Juan Antonio García Bayona, está siendo un fenómeno mundial debido a la exactitud con la que se cuentan los hechos sucedidos en la catástrofe de 1972, donde un avión militar proveniente de Uruguay chocó contra la cordillera de los Andes en su camino hacia Chile. En total habían 45 personas a bordo, de las cuales solo 16 sobrevivieron a los 2 meses y medio (72 días) en condiciones de frío extremo, ausencia de alimento y agua, interperie total, avalanchas y demás retos que conllevaba sobrevivir en la montaña, como tener que alimentarse de sus amigos y familiares muertos o pasar noches sepultados a 3 metros en nieve con temperaturas de -30 grados bajo cero. Este acontecimiento sucedió el Viernes 13 de Octubre de 1972 y aunque fue una catástrofe con un índice bajo de supervivencia, más tarde esta travesía fue llamada "El milagro de los Andes". Bayona, director de la película, decidió plasmar aquel suceso con el mayor detalle posible, así que contrató especialistas en maquillaje, efectos especiales, y presentó una propuesta millonaria a varias empresas de entretenimiento, hasta que finalmente Netflix decidió financiar el proyecto. Luego de 12 años de planeamiento, propuestas rechazadas y varios castings, el rodaje comenzó para ser lanzado al público en diciembre de 2023. Esta película, enfoca su trama en contar la historia de los fallecidos, por esto Numa Turcatti (último fallecido del accidente) es el personaje principal de la trama. Esta nueva perspectiva atrajo al público, ya que, anteriormente

solo se conocía la versión de los sobrevivientes en la película “¡Viven!” (1992). Además, el público halago los realistas escenarios, el parecido de los personajes con los sobrevivientes, los detalles en maquillaje que exponen complicaciones médicas y la inclusión de apariciones esporádicas de algunos de los 16 sobrevivientes reales. Todos estos detalles enamoraron tanto al público que los premios Oscar optaron por hacer dos nominaciones a la película: Mejor Película de habla no inglesa y Mejor Maquillaje y Peluquería. Sin duda alguna, “La sociedad de la nieve” es la versión que más exactamente relata los hechos sucedidos en aquel accidente. Los mismos sobrevivientes confirmaron que la película es tan real, que lo que vieron en la pantalla logró transportarlos al frío, a los olores y los malos recuerdos que ya consideraban superados. Finalmente, me gustaría recalcar la extraordinaria labor de los actores que trajeron de nuevo a la vida a aquellas 45 personas. Para estos jóvenes actores “La sociedad de la nieve” se consideraba un debut en la pantalla grande, pero manejaron cada escena como si llevaran varios años actuando profesionalmente. Los actores se enfrentaron a una grabación secuencial (cosa que es poco común en el mundo del cine) para mostrar un deterioro corporal. Los días de rodaje eran extensos, el frío del set era muy similar al de la cordillera de los andes y estaban sometidos a dietas extremas para bajar más de 20 kilogramos a medida de que la grabación avanzaba. Todo este sacrificio y mucho más, logró que el público adorara no solo a sus personajes, sino a ellos como personas.

FOTO CORTESÍA DE NETFLIX

"La Sociedad de la Nieve" se estenó el diciembre de 22 de 2023.

No puedo dejar pasar esta oportunidad para recomendar una vez más ver este largometraje, ya que, el maquillaje, peinado, secuencia, realidad y referencias a la historia original, hacen que sea una película e historia que todos deberían conocer.