March 8, 2024

Board of regents tours campus

Poor Things, page 8

MSU breaks ground on renovations

GEORGE SVOBODA MANAGING EDITOR

On Feb. 29, Midwestern State University officially broke ground on Bolin Hall’s renovations, which started at the beginning of the semester.

Bolin Hall was built in 1966, and was partially renovated in 1997, without any other significant modifications.

The groundbreaking ended the first day of the board of regents meeting. Texas Tech Univerity System regents, local and state government officials and MSU faculty and administration members attended the ceremony.

President Stacia Haynie commenced the groundbreaking by acknowledging the contributions from Jim and Vicki McCoy through the McCoy foundation, which provided the initial funding for the project. With these contributions, MSU was able to secure necessary funding from the state of Texas.

“And Vicki, while I wasn’t in the room when it happened, I understand that having that philanthropic support was absolutely key to

the success of our request to the legislature,” Haynie said, continuing, “We cannot thank you, the McCoy foundation trustees, and of course, Jim, for your foresight and generosity. Thank you.”

MSU joined the TTUS in 2021, but the two worked together prior to that during 2020’s COVID-19 lockdown.

TTUS Chancellor Tedd Mitchell described the need for Bolin’s renovations.

“I will just say this, Bolin Hall was built in 1966, I was four years old. And I can just tell you, by the time you hit about 60, it’s time to renovate things,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell also spoke about the collaborative effort between the TTUS, MSU and state government officials. A major concern was the possible elimination of Bolin’s renovations from the budget.

“I want to tell you about the way Senator Perry and Representative Frank were working on things. The closer to you get to the end of the session, the more frenetic the pace gets,” Mitchell said, later adding, “And so, I was on the phone in wee hours with the delegation about what they’re about to try to do.”

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Mitchell continued, “James Frank actually went down on the floor, and these guys, they become vampires, they’re all there all night. So he’s down on the floor, making sure on the House side, that they get it back in to the final bill. Charles Perry is on the other side doing exactly the same thing there,” adding, “And this is before MSU was officially part of our system.”

Provost Margaret Brown Marsden emphasized her prior roles as dean of  McCoy College, and said she understood faculty, staff and student concerns regarding Bolin Hall. Brown Marsden said the constraints from the lack of space and technology made it difficult to continue modern STEM learning.

“The students and faculty in the college genuinely needed improvements, and updates to a building that had served well for many years,” Brown Marsden said.

MSU administration and Wichita Falls Mayor Tim Short spoke about the renovation’s importance to the whole community.

“I think it’s really critical that our university is successful for our community,” Haynie said, adding, “That renovated space will be critical

because our students now will have state of the art facilities as the progress in their education.”

“I think one of the major things is just morale. You see, besides economic development, besides financially, it’s just plain morale. Driving down Taft and seeing all of this activity going, seeing those flags there, community spirit is one of the good things that we will benefit from,” Short said, continuing, “It’s a proud day for Wichita Falls and the partnership that they have of Texas Tech.”

Brown Marsden acknowledged some of the worries of students regarding the renovation, saying, “It’s hard for us to lose half the building at a time,” adding, “I want to say thanks to the students for their support during this process. We know that it’s hard and that there’ll be days where it’s really difficult, and so we hope that they bear with us.”

Enrollment management and student affairs vice president Keith Lamb said the renovations will be worth the wait, with modern labs, learning spaces and community areas giving Bolin a new feel and improving students’ experiences.

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Vol. 88 | No. 10

Midwestern State University

Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201

3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704

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PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN State government officials, MSU administration and Texas Tech University System regents and officials break ground, Feb. 29.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN President Haynie describes the upcoming Bolin renovations, Feb. 29.

Board of regents visits MSU

CECIL WITHERSPOON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Texas Tech University System board of regents met on for the second time ever on Feb. 29. The meeting was the board’s first trip back to Wichita Falls since a 2021 special session in which it announced JuliAnn Mazachek as the sole finalist for MSU president.

“We’re so excited to be here, and it’s so great for our board to have the opportunity to be on each of our campuses and to be at Midwestern,” regent Shelley Sweatt said.

The visit began with board members touring part of MSU. Their first stop was Centennial Hall, where MSU President Stacia Haynie spoke briefly about Gunn College’s programs.

From there, the tour moved to McCoy Hall before concluding in the Bridwell Activity Center. In the BAC, Haynie emphasized the school's hopes to utilize the currently-empty upstairs space as

an office dedicated to coordinating education for students from Sheppard Air Force Base.

Sweatt emphasized the tour's ability to let the board of regents to get a feel for MSU.

“We just took a tour of our amazing facility, the campus, and getting to see students, getting to see the labs and classrooms and all of the spaces, it helps bring a personality. And every campus has its own personality. And I think for the board of regents, it gives them a context as we’re discussing different issues within the system and the opportunities. When they have kind of a face to put with the name, it just helps to make it more personable,” Sweatt said.

Shortly after the tour, the regents arrived in CSC Comanche to begin the meeting. President Haynie the president’s report. She used the opportunity to highlight several of MSU’s

strong points, including its honors and first-generation scholar programs.

From there, the meeting turned to financial reports, followed by confirming the promotion of a slew of professors across the TTU System.

Provost Margaret Brown Marsden then detailed plans to add a handful of new degrees.

McCoy College will add a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in industrial technology. Additionally, the school will begin offering a bachelor’s of science in political science.

Other items on the agenda included a new degree in event management for Texas Tech, a new Texas Tech master’s in resource management, university audits and approval of funds for facility projects. The next TTUS board of regents meeting is scheduled for May 9 in Lubbock.

SGA debates fall break, faculty awards

CECIL WITHERSPOON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Tuesday’s eventful SGA meeting started with a bang as Vice President of Internal Affairs Joey Arthur’s gavel broke as he called the meeting to order, sending the head of the gavel nearly into the crowd. Things smoothed over quickly though, as Arthur introduced professor Jonathon Quam as the meeting’s guest speaker.

Quam pitched a unique request to the assembled senators, asking for a one-time funding of $800 to host Twitch streamers Lawrie Bird and Elloriana for the campus group In! The group could not fund the event due to restrictions from Texas Senate Bill 17, but Quam offered to exchange the one-time SGA funding for a $1600 contribution to SGA funds from In! The student senate approved the measure.

Senators then raised concerns about reliability issues with the bus and shuttle systems on campus, prompting some to encourage emailing administrators. President Zetta Cannedy followed that by

announcing the theme for this year’s SGA banquet, titled SGA: The Eras Tour.

Cannedy then led a discussion about the inconsistencies of methods for booking rooms on campus. The group reached a consensus that Ad Astra, a software available through Mustangs Link would be preferable as an across-the-board booking system.

The group then discussed the possibility of mandating either a four- or five-day academic week. Currently, Dillard is the only college that utilizes a four-day academic week.

Cannedy also mentioned that a survey will go out to students soon, asking for input on the possibility of a fall semester break. The added time off would mean the fall semester would either have to start earlier or end later.

“There’s a couple of questions that we want answered in that. So first off, do faculty, staff and students, it’s going to go to the whole MSU community, want a fall break? Do

they see it as benefitting student mental health, campus morale, those types of things. Then our second question is, when should this fall break be?,” Cannedy said.

The senate meeting took a jovial turn then, as senators had the chance to nominate candidates for faculty, advisor, senator and staff of the year awards. Senators quickly put forward their favorite candidates, trying to garner support from their colleagues.

“These awards are the only student-nominated awards on campus,” Cannedy said, adding, “It often means a lot, when we hear the faculty members who won those, or the staff members who won those, it means a lot more because it shows that they are impacting those students directly and the students understand that.”

The meeting closed with organizations providing reminders of upcoming events and approval of a $250 SLF request for American Chemical Society members to attend a convention in New Orleans.

PHOTO BY CECIL WITHERSPOON | THE WICHITAN President Haynie takes the board of regents for a tour at Centennnial Hall, Feb. 29.

PHOTO BY SABRINA HARRISON | THE WICHITAN Senators gather to vote on new candidates for faculty, advisor, senator and staff of the year awards for the 2023-2024 school year, Mar. 5.

New market opens in CSC

CECIL WITHERSPOON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Clark Student Center has a new quick stop for snacks and drinks, as the convenience store market is open adjacent to Chick-Fil-A.

Dean of students Matthew Park said the marketplace is in the midst of a soft opening while Chartwells, the dining service MSU contracts with, works out the details of the market.

“They are still working on some pieces related to the integration with the student meal plans. So I would say they’re still in soft opening phase at the moment, that’s why you haven’t actually seen university-based announcements,” Park said.

“Soft opening is kind of a nice way to say, “Open up to test things out,” in other words, working out the kinks. And that’s really, I think, the intent of it,” he added.

The new market will allow students to use their flex dollars, but not their meal exchanges.

“So the meal plans will be able to use their flex dollars, or declining balance dollars.

And then other than that it would be like your traditional cash or credit card type of transactions. There’s no plans to have the meal exchange options,” Park said.

The previous occupant of the space, Ace Sushi, did not renew its contract with Chartwells after failing to meet sales goals. Now, the new market is nearly completely moved into the space.

Parks said the largest remaining hurdles are making sure flex dollars work at the location and installing a freezer. The freezer will stock items like hot pockets and what Park said was the most sought-after item not currently available on campus - ice cream.

The new market will operate during the same hours as Chick-Fil-A. While it doesn’t have an official name yet, Chartwells is gathering feedback from students on potential names.

Chartwells will also study how the new market impacts usage of the Legacy Market, with the hope that the CSC market will fill a different niche.

“We want it to be different from Legacy, we don’t want that. We don’t want, kind of, more

of the same. It needs to be differentiated,” Park said.

Overall, Park said feedback has been positive for the new use of the space.

“There’s certainly a positive energy in the sense of having something open finally.

It did take, I think, longer than dining was hoping to get through those key steps,” Park said.

Chi Omega talks philanthropy

PHOTO BY SAM DIFIORE | THE WICHITAN Casee Harl, mass communications senior, pies Claire Hollingsworth, early childhood studies senior, Feb. 26.

MADISYN BUTLER REPORTER

Chi Omega hosted their annual Wish Week to raise money for Make-A-Wish on Feb. 26. The foundation uses the money to grant critically ill children life-changing wishes.

Chi Omega president Claire Hollingsworth, early childhood studies senior, shared more about their cause and how they support Make-A-Wish.

“We do little events every day to raise money for Make-A-Wish, all leading to a big event. Our big event is called Waffles and Wishes on March 23. And we’re gonna be making waffles and playing BINGO to raise money for Make-A-Wish,” Hollingsworth said.

This year, the sorority held a PieA-Chi-O event. This is the second year of the event, after last year's success, Chi Omega decided to hold it again.

“We weren’t the first to come up

with it, by any means,” Hollingsworth said adding, “We saw other organizations doing it on campus and we thought ‘we can do that’ and it looked fun so we started doing it last year.”

This year, Chi Omega hosted multiple events such as Pie-A-Chi O and Cookies with Chi-O. However, each year brings different events.

“We don’t necessarily have any annual events for Make-A-Wish. Wish Week is annual, but we fill it with different events every year—whatever the girls and the philanthropy chair want to do,” Hollingsworth said.

Chi Omega has been partnered with Make-A-Wish for 20 years. It has raised over $176,000 nationally, and over $3,000 locally. So far, MSU's Chi Omega chapter has raised a total of $3,500 including presale tickets for their final event at the end of March.

A part of the program reaches out to the local community, advertising at local businesses and encouraging

other sororities to participate.

“We’d also like to reach the other sororities just as a time to hangout, come together, fundraise for Make-AWish. And it’s a time for us to hang out. A bunch of us are here. We like to come and do it,” Hollingsworth said.

The foundation also bestows a “Heart To Heart” grant each year to a hospital that has done groundbreaking work in women’s heart health. This year’s finalists are The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri and UTHealth in Houston, Texas.

Alpha Phi aims to strengthen community interaction with its members. They have members in various organizations across campus and they work with the school to host their philanthropic events.

“We strive to increase awareness for our philanthropy and women’s heart health as well as MSU engagement in total,” Molencupp said.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN Sabrina Harrison, mass communications junior, shops at the market, March 5.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN

The market place located in the CSC, March 5.

BSU celebrates Black excellence

GEORGE SVOBODA MANAGING EDITOR

The Black Student Union held its annual Black Excellence Gala at Sikes Lake Center on Feb. 28.

The gala unites Wichita Falls residents to celebrate the history and accomplishments of Black Americans.

“It’s very important to emphasize the Black excellence, the things that kind of get muted, especially in Wichita Falls because the Black community in Wichita Falls is a minority,” Monique Watkins, the gala’s planner said.

BSU partnered with local businesses and the HBCU Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, a group of Greek life organizations that originates from Howard University.

“We just invite the people who

own the businesses to come and celebrate with us, to dance and just take in the vibes of everybody partying together for the last day of Black History Month,” Watkins said, continuing, “There’s not many of us here and there’s many small, small businesses here in Wichita Falls and this is our chance for us to show them off and have a big party and celebrate.”

Watkins also emphasized the importance for students to come together to celebrate their heritages regardless of their backgrounds.

On Jan. 1, Texas Senate Bill 17 took effect, disallowing higher education institutions from using state funds to host  diversity, equity and inclusion events on their campuses.

Before SB-17 was passed, MOSAIC held the Black Excellence Gala.

Watkins works for MOSAIC but prepared the event as a member of

the BSU. Watkins said planning the gala was complicated because of SB17.

“It’s kind of like, well, I can still do that but, I only have this amount of money to do it. And it is way harder, but we still made it work, and still finding more creative ways and asking for help and reaching out to more people in the community,” Watkins said.

Local resident and attendee Ken White discussed the importance of the Black Excellence Gala for the community, focusing on what representation means to him.

“I think, within the community, it’s great to show representation. Especially being an older gentleman, coming back and trying to show the campus of what quote unquote 'black excellence' may look like for the underrepresented minorities,” White said.

Student organizations host Mardi Gras

ABBY TURNER REPORTER

For the past three years, the Residence Hall Association has hosted a Mardi Gras celebration for MSU students. This year was no different. On Friday, Feb. 24, students gathered in the CSC Atrtium and the Sunwatcher’s Plaza to celebrate Mardi Gras with friends

and fellow classmates.

The evening was full of activities for students to participate in, such as a cakewalk, mask decorating and jewelry making.

SGA offered mocktails for the students. SGA leaders and cabinet members played around with combinations until they found the best ones.

Cheyenne Brown, social work sophomore helped serve the SGA's mocktails.

“I just like people to come to our booths, just to see how much they like these wonderful drinks,” Brown said.

The University Programming Board put on the cakewalk. UPB learned only a week in advance that it would be involved with the celebrations, so getting the cakes provided some difficulty.

“We bought 36 cakes. There was no discounts. Usually for these events, we usually ask them if we buy a dozen can you match a dozen, but we didn't know we were doing this event until about a week before. It came out of our budget,” Lalawin Lay, marketing junior, said.

After working at the booth, Brown tried her hand at the cake walk.

“My favorite part about this whole event was winning a bundt cake in the cakewalk. I don’t think anyone could have topped winning a cake,” Brown said.

RHA planned the whole event. Although the Mardi Gras celebration has been a traditional event for the past three years, this year offered something new.

“This has been a traditional event for the RHA for the past three years, so we wanted to continue it, but we wanted to put our own spin in it with the carnival and involvement,” Adrian Robledo, computer science sophomore, said.

While some other groups did not have as much time to prepare for the event, the RHA started planning early in the semester. Most of the planning involved reaching out to

different groups to see if they would be interested in participating.  This event allowed students to relax and have a great time with others.

“It’s a great event. Seeing a bunch of students come through and be like this is really fun. It's all free, so I feel like that is a big part, that plays into student involvement and everything,” Lay said.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SVOBODA | THE WICHITAN Students dance at the Black Excellence Gala, Feb. 28.

PHOTO BY AARON BURROWS | THE WICHITAN Andrew Middleton, marketing junior, and Adrian Ransburg, exercise physiology sophomore, make elotes for the Mardi Gras festival, Feb. 24.

PHOTO BY AARON BURROWS | THE WICHITAN Students play a guessing game for a prize, Feb. 24.

Tennis coach inducted into Hall of Fame

ABBY TURNER SPORTS EDITOR

At the beginning of the month East Central University inducted MSU’s Scott Linn, head tennis coach, the school's hall of fame for his coaching excellence.

ECU, located in Ada, Oklahoma, was Linn's alma mater. He was a highly decorated studentathlete in his time at the university. Linn was a four-year letter winner and a two-year captain for the Tigers. He graduated in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in mass communications.

Linn never planned on being a coach. He went to school and got his degree to be a sports writer.

“I was going to be a sports writer. That was what I had planned on doing initially. Like most freshmen, you go to college, and it was statistically thirty years ago that most people were going to change their major at least once. I was a math computer science, and after I took calc 1, I realized I was not a math anymore and I didn’t want to sit in front of a computer all day. So, sports writing, I double majored in mass comm and physical education, and I was going to be a sports writer,” Linn said.

After graduating in 1995, Linn continued his education and received a master's in human resource administration while holding a graduate assistant coach position for the tennis team at ECU.

“I had done so well as just being a member of the tennis program at East Central, that coach was like, ‘Hey Scott, do you want to stick around and be a graduate assistant?' I could get my masters, and maybe I could do something else instead of sports writing,” Linn said.

He decided to take the position and became the GA. Although being the GA had some perks, it only paid for tuition. Linn still had to find a way to make a living.

“I also had worked at the sports information office, just like sports media, or athletic media, and I worked in that office. Justin Tinder was the communications director at the time, and he took me to football and basketball games. I did statistics and all those good things and, well, that really opened the door for me to become a college coach,” Linn said.

After finishing his master's, Linn got a job at Enterprise Car Rental. After working there for two months in the summer, Tinder contacted Linn with a job opportunity.

“Justin contacted me and was like, ‘Scott, the vice president at the University of Science and Arts in Oklahoma needs a tennis coach. I used to work with him at Northwestern Oklahoma. He needs a tennis coach, he really needs a dorm directory, but he wants to start men's and women's tennis, are you interested?’ I was like, ‘Absolutely! I want to be a tennis coach.' So I really, most of my pay, almost all of it was dorm directing, I was the dorm director for the oldest

active dormitory in the state of Oklahoma, but I also got a chance to be the tennis coach, so that kind of opened the door,” Linn said.

By being the GA at East Central, Linn was able to get into work study with Justin Tinder, and it allowed him to pay for his master’s degree. The work he did in sports information helped him secure his first coaching job.

Although he didn't have a great first season at his job, Linn took the next season to recruit. He recruited well enough that the next season he went to Nationals in men's and women's. By taking those teams to Nationals, it opened up the door to his time spent at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Embry-Riddle was the model program for tennis. Linn took what he learned while coaching there and continues to apply it in his coaching several years later.

“They really had the model athletic program. They really emphasized studentperson-player, so student academically, person was community service and what kinds of

person do you have on the court, and then obviously player, how hard are you going to develop these athletes,” Linn said.

Since then Linn has coached at several universities, including Indiana University, before finally settling in Wichita Falls and has been the head coach of the Mustangs for 14 years.

At Midwestern State University, Linn has taken great pride in the players his team has produced. While winning a National title may be the end goal for most programs, Linn believes in making sure his players and team compete as and are a family. With many international students, Linn and his family take great pride in making sure the players know they are apart of the family, and will always have a place to go no matter the circumstances.

“We have athletes from all over the world, that was something I missed at Indiana. The level is at a higher level of tennis. I didn't feel like we bonded the way we have here,” Linn said.

Linn said he has had many people who have encouraged him through his years as a coach for tennis.

“Hugh Warren at East Central University gave me a shot to be there, I will always be appreciative of that. Kyle Williams here at Midwestern State, a majority of my coaching career has been here. Kyle Williams has been great and the student athletes are amazing and you are only as good as the student athletes,” Linn said.

Linn said he also appreciated athletic trainer Gary Diehm, his wife Amy, son Austin, daughters Sydney and Alexis, assistant athletic director Trey Reed and many other people who have helped and supported him along the way.

“You are only good as the people you surround yourself with,” Linn said.

From all of his years in coaching, learning, and his studies, Linn has learned to put his everything into anything he does. He implements that with his coaching and into his student athletes.

“Whatever you do in life, do it the best you can and give everything. It will open up another door,” Linn said

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT LINN

The Linn family, from left to right Austin, Amy, Alexis and Scott, celebrate Scott's induction into the East Central University Athletic Hall of Fame, Feb. 2.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT LINN East Central University held a banquet to induct members into their Athletic Hall of Fame, Feb. 2.

Softball swept at home

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA |

WICHITAN

JESSICA BINZARI REPORTER

The Mustangs lost all games against Cameron University in a three-game series at Mustangs Park last weekend.

The softball team, coached by Brittanie Talley, lost the double header on Friday, Feb. 23, 3-0 and 5-4, in extra innings,  then fell seven points short on Sunday, Feb. 25, losing 15-8 to the Aggies.

In the opening game of the double header on Friday, the Mustangs recorded three hits by psychology senior Camile Nunez, finance sophomore Maegan Shannon, and exercise physiology senior Grace Martinez. However, the Mustangs were unable to convert on any of those hits. The Aggies scored two home runs, one in the first and one in the fourth inning. The third run came in the sixth, when the

Aggies scored an unearned run on a groundout to third sealing the win.

In the second game of the day, the Mustangs tied the game 4-4 in the fifth inning after being down by three. Nunez and marketing junior Briana Dominguez scored the first two runs for the Maroon and Gold, followed by nursing senior Kennedy Cameron and freshman Paige Gallegos, forcing the game into an extra inning. In the end, the Aggies clinched the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to conclude the game.

The final game of the series on Sunday started with the Aggies leading by six points by the end of the first inning, only for the Mustangs to rally in the second inning after Gallegos hit a three-run homer, clearing the bases and tying the game 6-6.

In the fourth inning, the Aggies powered through two solo homers, reclaiming the

lead 8-6. But the Mustangs once again managed another comeback, tying the Aggies 8-8 in the sixth inning after Dominguez and Gallegos secured runs for the Mustangs.

The final inning had the Mustangs quickly losing ground as the Aggies scored a two-run homer followed by another five runs, putting the Aggies in the lead by seven points, concluding the game with a score of 15-8.

The Mustangs faced West Texas A&M in a three-game series Feb.27-28, going 0-3 in the series. The team faced UT Permian Basin March 2-3, going 2-3 in the series.

Midwestern currently has only two conference wins after 13 and their overall record sitting at 4-20 for the season. The Mustangs look to change that this weekend as they take on UT Tyler in a three game series.

Mustangs roll on Military Appreciation Day

DONOVAN JACKSON REPORTER

The Mustangs' huge second half led to a 70-56 victory over the Texas A&M International Dustdevils at D.L. Ligon Coliseum Saturday afternoon.

On Military Appreciation Day, MSU had personnel from Sheppard Air Force Base in attendance as the Mustangs looked for a victory to keep their conference postseason hopes alive in their home finale.

It was a physical battle throughout most of the first half before the Dustdevils pulled away  on a 12-4 run to end the first half with a 39-29 lead. The Dustdevils shot over 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. However, the second half would become a whole different story for the Dustdevils.

The Dustdevils saw their 10 point lead quickly evaporate as the Mustangs went

on a 13-1 run to take a 42-40 lead early in the second half. The Mustangs defense contained the Dustdevil offense, holding the team to just seven points through the halfway point of the second period.

The Mustangs second-half barrage continued as a putback dunk from junior forward Reggie Hill sent D.L Ligon to an uproar and led to a big 13-2 run that saw MSU’s lead grow to 62-48 with 4:35 left in the game. D.L. Ligon turned into a playoff atmosphere as the Mustangs finished the second half strong, including a couple of dunks from business finance junior Will Shepard to put the exclamation point for the Mustangs on Military Appreciation Day.

The Mustangs defense showed up in a big way in the second half, holding the Dustdevils to only 17 points on 7-28 shooting and 0-11 from three. In addition, the Mustangs forced seven turnovers and

sent the Dustdevils to the free throw line only twice

The Mustangs scored 41 points in the second half with 50% shooting accuracy and finished the game with a perfect 14-14 from the free throw line.

Will Shepard’s game high 18 points and business sophomore Mason Gibson’s 17 led the way for the Mustangs, followed by sophomore Amaechi Chukwu and junior Bakari LeStrap scoring 10 points each. Accounting senior Pierre Sanders had a game high seven assists with a block and a steal.

Guard John Achebe led the Dustdevils in scoring, as he was their only player in double figures with 12 points.

With their victory against Texas A&M International, the Mustangs went undefeated at home in February.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN Kennedy Cameron (7) pitches in the 7th inning, Feb. 25.

THE

Mikey Dominguez (19) makes contact in the game against Cameron University, Feb. 25.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA | THE WICHITAN Personnel from Sheppard Air Force Base attends the basketball double header, Feb. 24.

"Poor Things" was poor, indeed

SABRINA HARRISON ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

This movie had so much going for it. This movie had so much going for it. The cinematography, costuming, and sets are all so beautifully done. It is well casted and it would have made an amazing movie if not for the plot and sex scenes.

First of all, the plot is very lackluster. The concept of reanimating life has many different avenues one can take, as seen in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” and the way this film depicted the most boring and disgusting avenue

possible is amazing.

Most of the characters are interesting. Godwin Baxter, played by Willem Dafoe, is not only interesting to look at, but he has a dark and interesting past. Bella Baxter, played by Emma Stone, the main character, is interesting and hilarious despite her circumstances.

I really loved hating Duncan Wedderburn. The rest of the cast was quite enjoyable, except for Max McCandles, Bella’s fiance. Despite being a main character and narrator for half of the book, the movie is based on, he plays a minor role in the movie. He is boring and a

pushover and the movie could have run its course without him.

This adaptation does a complete disservice to the book. The book tells Bella’s story both through McCandle’s and Bella’s perspective, but, more importantly it shares Bella’s opinion on McCandle’s retelling. Without Bella’s perspective, she has no agency in the story.

Bella is not a strong character. No matter how much the media tries to convince me she is a strong, independent woman, that is simply not true.

At this point, I cannot fully articulate my viewpoint without having to spoil parts of the movie.

For those who may not know,  Bella was created by taking the brain of a fetus and putting it in the body of a full-grown woman. This strips Bella of the “strong, independent woman” narrative Hollywood is trying to push.

She is a child in a grown woman’s body and that cannot be stated enough.

“This is not feminism, this is pedophelia with a budget."

SABRINA HARRISON RATING:1/5

The movie and reviewers portray Bella running off with Duncan Wedderburn, played by Mark Ruffalo, as Bella taking a hold of her destiny and following her hunger for knowledge. In reality, it more accurately portrays a man grooming a girl and convincing her to run away from home.

"Poor Things" hammers home the latter when it gives us a sex scene between Wedderburn and Bella.

On the same note, there were far too many sex scenes, especially when you consider Bella has the brain development of a child for over half the movie.

When Bella starts having sex with Wedderburn, she is still referring to herself as “Bella” instead of using self-pronouns like “I” or “me.” This tells the audience that she is still mentally young.

She also still walks like a toddler. I don’t know how anyone can look at that and believe yes this woman is old enough to consent.

Later, Bella is coerced into prostitution. Bella is now old enough to be speaking in complete and grammatically correct sentences, but I doubt she fully understands the concept of consent or prostitution. This can be seen by the way she speaks. She still doesn’t fully understand social queues or faux pas despite having socialized with a variety of people in her travels.

My main problem with this movie is the lack of acknowledgment of the fact that Bella is mentally too young throughout the film to fully understand what she is getting

into. They see a woman having lots of sex and believe it’s the story of a sexually liberated woman. For some reason, people equate sexual liberation with feminism.

This is not feminism, this is pedophelia with a budget.

It does not matter to me that Bella’s body is fully grown. If we set the age of consent at the age girls’ bodies stop developing, the age of consent would be fifteen to sixteen.

The reason this is pedophilia is because Wedderburn is still attracted to this woman while she has child-like tendencies and does not have the mental capacity to understand what these men are doing to her.

If I could give this review a negative score I would. But because I can’t, I give “Poor Things” one out of five mustangs.If I could give this review a negative score I would. But because I can’t, I give “Poor Things” one out of five mustangs.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMMA STEFANSKY

"Poor Things" was nominated in 11 categories at the 96th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, March 6.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL SMITH Duncan Wedderburn, played by Mark Ruffalo, entices Bella Baxter, played by Emma Stone, March 6.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES "Poor Things" released in theaters on Dec. 8.

ATLA adaptation brings classic to new audience

REMY B. PETRASH REPORTER

Embark on a captivating journey into the world of a bingeworthy series with the timeless masterpiece "Avatar: The Last Airbender", available on Netflix.

The animated series "Avatar: The Last Airbender" originally aired from 2005 to 2008. This creation by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko left an indelible mark on audiences.

Despite the misstep of a 2010 film adaptation, the enduring popularity of the series paved the way for a triumphant live-action adaptation by Albert Kim on Netflix. The animated television sensation has seamlessly transformed into a liveaction marvel, entwining intricate storytelling, compelling characters, and awe-inspiring world-building.

In a realm divided into four nations, each representing an element, the series follows Aang, the last Airbender and reluctant hero, on a quest to master all four elements and restore balance against the tyrannical Fire Nation.

If this sounds familiar it is because it is  based on the the animated version of this show One of the standout feature lies

in the rich character development, as each of the characters undergo profound growth over the three seasons of the animated show. The show artistically presented itself as a relatable and multi-dimensional plotline with internal conflicts and moral dilemmas.

In every aspect of both the animated original and this new liveaction series, the world-building is equally remarkable, delving into detailed bending techniques and diverse cultures within each nation.

"Avatar: The Last Airbender", in general draws upon inspiration from Eastern philosophies and martial arts. The show crafts an authentic and immersive universe complete with compelling lore and mythology. Visually stunning animation breathes life into the narrative, with fluid action sequences, expressive facial animations and bending battles that deepen character connections. The new series brings forth a wholesome persona that gives a nostalgic vibe to the audience who grew up watching the animated version. This series effortlessly balances humor and drama, notably through the beloved characters such as Uncle Iroh, whose wisdom and love for tea infuses both humor and

unexpected depth.

"Avatar: The Last Airbender" confronts thematic complexity, addressing war, imperialism, identity and friendship with nuanced storytelling. Its adept handling of weighty subjects contributes to its broad appeal, resonating with audiences of all ages.

I recommend watching the animated series first, then the new live action series. Just skip the 2010 live-action movie, since that film didn’t leave a satisfactory impression on the established fandom of the animated series. The movie lacked correct pronunciation and other thematic elements.

With just eight episodes in its first season, the new adaptation effortlessly invokes a significant nostalgic feeling for original audiences while captivating a new generation of viewers worldwide.

The magic of the "Avatar" world stands the test of time, making it an absolute must-watch for those craving an animated live action epic that transcends generations. Fans from all over are already gearing up to see what happens in the next seasons.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Avatar: The Last Airbender released on Feb. 22.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

This live action adaptation condenses most of the original plot into just eight episodes, March 7.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

This live action adaptation condenses most of the original plot into just eight episodes, March 7.

DUNE: PART TWO

Greatest sci-fi film of the generation?

GEORGE SVOBODA MANAGING EDITOR

Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film “Dune” made waves as a shockingly faithful adaptation of the infamously unadaptable novel. Fans were shocked to see the director pull it off again in 2023’s “Dune: Part Two.”

Covering the second half of the novel, “Dune: Part Two” begins just after the first part left off, with protagonists Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, and his mother, Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson traversing the dunes of Arrakis. Moments before, the pair met the Fremen, the native people of Arrakis.

Arrakis is important to the Imperium, the governing body of “Dune’s” universe, because it has a substance called spice melange which is used by space navigators to find a safe route through the galaxies. Because of spice’s importance, the Fremen have been oppressed by various political houses of the Imperium throughout their history.

Due to prophecy, Paul is fated to become the Lisan Al Gaib, the offworld Messiah of the Fremen. Throughout the film, Paul is pulled in multiple directions, with the main pulls

being between Chani Kynes, played by Zendaya, and her want for Paul to assimilate into Fremen life, and Lady Jessica’s want for Paul to take revenge on House Harkonnen and the Emperor, who assassinated her husband and took control of Arrakis from House Atreides.

The film is a breakdown of the white savior trope and religious fanatacism. Throughout the movie, Paul loses touch with the innocent version of himself seen in the first part and becomes increasingly violent. Paul, seen as a savior by the Fremen, slowly pushes them away from their traditions and into violence.

Although the antagonists deserve the war brought to them by Paul, the Fremen's culture will never recover from the corruption of revenge.

The film’s story and themes are top-notch. It is a thrilling ride from start to finish, gripping audience’s attention for the daunting 166 minute runtime.

Many fans of the book love this representation of the source material and its depiction of the characters and setting they love.

Just a few of the acting highlights are Paul Atreides, Chani Kynes, Lady Jessica, Austin Butler’s Feyd Rautha,

Javier Bardem’s Stilgar and Josh Brolin’s Gurney Halleck. This small list does not encompass the pure talent within the cast.

The cinematography and atmosphere of “Dune: Part Two” goes even further than the first movie. The movie is so immersive I dreamt about watching it again the night after I saw it.

The music and sound design is so enthralling I have had multiple tracks running through my head 24/7 since Sunday, when I saw the movie.

“Dune: Part Two” may be the greatest sci-fi movie of all time, in the same league with sequels like “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” and “Bladerunner 2049.”

There are small departures from the source material, with Stephen McKinley Henderson’s Thufir Hawat being cut, and Alia Atreides taking a smaller role. However, almost every change made only serves to improve the experience of watching the film.

The plot, cinematography, acting and sound design of “Dune: Part Two” lead me to give it five out of five mustangs. It is as close to a perfect movie as possible.

PHOTO COURTSEY OF WARNER BROTHERS

"Dune: Part Two" sits at a 93% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score is 95%, March 7.

PHOTO COURTSEY OF WARNER BROTHERS

"Dune Part Two" released on March 1 and grossed $82.5 million in its opening week, March 7.

PHOTO COURTSEY OF WARNER BROTHERS

Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, is forced to choose between love and the fate of the universe in "Dune: Part Two," March 7.

The Wichitan’s Artist of the Week: SARAH MOSCA

SABRINA HARRISON ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Sometimes artists must pursue unconventional paths to follow their passions.

Sarah Mosca is an undecided sophomore artist who decided to pursue her interests in art after serving in the military.

“I’ve always loved art. I’ve been drawing since I’ve developed any memories really,” Mosca said.

Mosca works with a wide variety of mediums, but took an interest in metals last semester.

“I was really intrigued by metals because I already started out with drawing and I love drawing. That’s like, I feel like it’s the source of all my art where everything began,” Mosca said, continuing, “So, taking something that was basically just a sketch, an idea, something pulled from the imagination and real life, and then being able to transmit that into more of a 3D object,

there’s just a certain level of satisfaction with that.”

Though Mosca wanted to go into art when she got out of high school, her family wasn’t too keen on the idea.

“My family was going through a lot of hardships and they would quote the classic trope, you know, ‘starving artist,’” Mosca said, further adding, “So like most people in my family, you focused more on something that can bring food to the table instead of, you know, your passion.”

The career that put food on the table for Mosca was the Air Force. Mosca believed she would stay in the military for the rest of her life, but eventually had to leave due to medical problems.

”When I was stationed in Japan, I had a severe case of pneumonia where I almost died. I was sick for like three months and I don’t remember one and a half months of it. And kind of from there, it was steadily downhill,” Mosca said

Mosca eventually ended up with nerve damage and spinal issues, which left her disabled and unable to move without assistance.

“When I got out of the military I actually had a walker,” Mosca said.

Though she is now able to walk, the nerve damage has not gone away. This made it difficult to pursue art, but not impossible. Mosca found a creative solution when her nerve damage threatened to stop her from painting her final project in Art I.

“There were nerves pinched in my neck and in my shoulders, and I started to lose function in my hands,” Mosca explained, “I couldn’t hold the paint brush for the end of that project and I didn’t know what to do, so I just duct taped it.”

Not only did this resilience help Mosca get through hard times, but it has also helped inspire her work. She often uses life as an inspiration and described life itself as struggle.

“No one goes through life unscathed,” Mosca said.

This can be seen in her piece “War Horse,” which is on display in The Juanita Harvey Art Gallery.

In the creation of “War Horse,” Mosca used a mixture of techniques. She took the plasma cutter, a tool usually used for cutting the metal, and a mig welder, which is often used to weld pieces together, to add texture along the piece.

“Life takes chunks out of you, kind of like the plasma cutter taking chunks out of the metal,” Mosca said, “Or it leaves scars, raised like the mig welder.”

In the base of the piece, the word “Go” is written repeatedly. Mosca explained that this repetition represents the drive she has in herself.

“Oftentimes, for myself personally, the only thing that keeps me going is a drive and I don’t exactly know where that comes from,” Mosca said.

Mosca intends to pursue art once she finishes college. As for now, she is learning and creating at her own pace. Though life has thrown her curveballs, art has been a constant outlet for her.

“Art, whether we realize it or not, is like oxygen. It plays a part of our everyday lives, it’s just that most people don’t realize it,” Mosca said.

PHOTO BY SABRINA HARRISON | THE WICHITAN Mosca created "War Horse" which is now on display in The Juanita Harvey Art Gallery, Mar. 6.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH MOSCA

Undecided sophomore Sarah Mosca wanted to bring her drawings to life by using metals, Feb. 14.

PHOTO BY SABRINA HARRISON | THE WICHITAN Mosca's piece, "Chakra Tear Drop," Mar. 6.

The Wichitan’s Song of the Week: “THE MAN”

JOSEPH ARTHUR REPORTER

Welcome back to this week’s edition of the Wichitan’s Song of the Week. In celebration of Women's History Month, this week’s pick is “The Man” by Pennsylvania-born singer-songwriter, Taylor Swift.

Released August 23, 2019, as the fourth track to her seventh studio album “Lover,” “The Man” is an anthem about feminism and the feminist movement.

In the song, she sings about the struggles of being a woman, especially in a male-dominated field. She addresses the struggles of gender inequality and the harsh reality of double standards.

The song imagines how her life, career, social interactions and experiences would be if she were a man.

She highlights various criticisms, social expectations and assumptions that women face daily. She also highlights the scrutiny that she has faced or faces for her personal life choices.

Born in West Reading, PA, Taylor Alison Swift is an American pop & folk singersongwriter best known for her songwriting abilities which have won her many awards. This includes Songwriter-Artist of the Decade or for her award-winning albums and songs. Her second studio album, Fearless which won her, her first album of the year at the Grammys at 20 years old.

Growing up in a small village in Pennsylvania, Taylor Swift had a strong

inclination for music but did not have enough resources to pursue it. She had a strong love for country music and always knew she wanted to be a country music artist.

In 2003, at the age of 14, Swift moved to Nashville to pursue her dreams of being a country artist.

In 2004, she signed a songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing and a recording deal with Big Machine Records in 2005.

In 2012, Taylor Swift started experimenting with the idea of switching genres from country to pop with the release of her fourth studio album “Red.”

Following the success of hits like “All Too Well,” “22” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift decided to switch from country to pop when she released her fifth studio album and her first-ever pop album, “1989.”

Swift has always defined her discography with her life experiences and being an advocate for marginalized groups. As a woman, she found the opportunity to highlight her struggles in “The Man.” “The Man” explores a side that Swift fans don’t get to see very often.

“The Man” is a great song from Swift’s discography.

In “The Man,” Swift navigates the complexities of being a woman not just in the music industry, but in any male-dominated industry. She explores the poignant nature of the double standards that society has placed on women.

many breakup songs or being too pop to be regarded as a country music artist.

Swift then explained how even after all her appeasements and concessions, she was still being criticized for being a “calculated manipulator” rather than a smart businesswoman.

Swift finished off by stating that through all the criticism, she learned that no matter what she does, she will always be criticized and cast as a villain simply for being a woman (which became the foundation for her sixth and seventh albums “Reputation” and “Lover” respectively.

In the song “The Man,” she reiterates this speech and she reminds her audience of the perils of being a woman in a man’s world.

As stated in previous editions of the Song of the Week, lyricism is an important aspect of any song and Swift understood that when writing “The Man.”

In the song, she utilizes personal experiences and storytelling to narrate her struggles and frustrations of being a woman in the music industry. My favorite lyric in the entire song are:

In the music video for the song, the audience is introduced to the protagonist, Tyler Swift, a representation of the patriarchy. Tyler Swift is also a representation of who Swift would be if she were a man.

Swift drew inspiration for the song from her personal life experiences from her debut album and entrance into the music industry to her release of her “Lover” album.

In 2019, Taylor Swift became the first-ever recipient of Billboard's Woman of the Decade award.

In her acceptance speech, she narrated the series of events that led to the release of “The Man.” She explained that despite her success from her breakthrough album, “Fearless,” her success has been questioned, explained away and negatively criticized.

She explained that she took all criticism as advice. She became the only songwriter on her third album, “Speak Now,” because she was criticized for having too many songwriters. She also took vocal training and lessons because she was called too pitchy.

She narrated that she let public opinion dictate how she lived her life to appease the masses. An example would be the creation of her fifth studio album “1989,” which was in response to criticism about her having too

“They'd say I hustled. Put in the work.

They wouldn't shake their heads.

And question how much of this I deserve.

What I was wearing, if I was rude

Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves?

And we would toast to me, oh, let the players play.

I'd be just like Leo, in Saint-Tropez.”

Expressing her feelings through music and advocating for marginalized communities is a staple of Swift’s discography.

In “The Man,” she delivers a strong commentary on gender equality in the music industry, and she challenges societal norms when it comes to women. She created a song about the struggles of womanhood. The song is a great listen with a powerful message. I rate it 4 out of 5 Mustangs.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSICA CHRISTIAN

Taylor Swift performs at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Friday, July 28, 2023.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT PRODUCTION COMPANY

"The Man" is the fourth track in Taylor Swift's seventh studio album, "Lover," March 7.