The Oakland Post 10.5.22

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REPORTERS

EDITORIAL BOARD

Gabrielle Abdelmessih Editor-in-Chief gabdelmessih@oakland.edu

Tori Coker Content Editor toricoker@oakland.edu

Megan Parker Managing Editor meganparker@oakland.edu

EDITORS

Sophie Hume Co Photo Editor sophiahume@oakland.edu Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu

Christopher Estrada Co-Photo Editor cestrada@oakland.edu

Arianna Heyman Features Editor aheyman@oakland.edu

Joe Zerilli Campus Editor jzerilli@oakland.edu

Gabby Gappy SciTech Editor gabriellegappy@oakland.edu

Bella Javier Arts Editor isabellajavier@oakland.edu

DISTRIBUTION

Sam Poudal Distribution Director spoudal@oakland.edu

Melanie Davis Distributor

ADVISING

DJ Lester Reporter

Chiappelli Reporter

Autumn Okuszka Reporter

Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105

Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu 248.370.2533

OU and AAUP withdraw unfair labor practice charges

JOE ZERILLI Campus Editor

It was announced on Sept. 30 the Oakland University administration and OU’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) have both withdrawn their pending Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges.

The full joint statement is as follows:

“In an effort to foster administrationfaculty relations, Oakland University and the AAUP have each agreed to withdraw their pending unfair labor practice charges. In addition, in an effort to enhance financial transparency, Oakland University and the AAUP have agreed upon a schedule for Oakland University to annually provide the AAUP with both preliminary and final medical insurance rate information.”

This news comes roughly seven months after both parties initially filed charges against each other relating to the faculty contract negotiations that took place at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.

OU-AAUP’s charge against

the university related to badfaith bargaining, stating important information regarding healthcare costs was known by OU but was withheld during the negotiation process. The university’s charge accused the AAUP of instituting an illegal strike at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.

With one of the issues previously stated between the university and the AAUP being transparency, the annual schedule to discuss medical insurance rate information seems to be trying to address those concerns.

“The AAUP hopes that this agreement will improve financial transparency and reduce the possibility of conflict in the next negotiation cycle,” OU AAUP President Karen Miller said.

Miller has been prevalent in the negotiations and accusations of bad faith bargaining, with letters being sent to President Ora Pescovitz and Board of Trustees members in the past revolving around these issues.

Executive Director of OU-AAUP Amy Pollard said they are pleased with the outcome.

“Health insurance benefits

always play a major role in contract negotiations, and last year was no exception,” Pollard said. “The mediation outcome means that from this point forward, Oakland commits to routinely (annually) providing critical medical rate information to the AAUP on a timely basis.”

“Regular access to this information will allow us to better serve and advocate for our membership,” she added.

Healthcare costs had increased in almost every category from 2021 to 2022, and followed a trend of increasing costs like tuition and room and board costs, which went up this past summer.

OU Vice President for Human Resources Joi Cunningham provided a comment on behalf of the administration.

“We are pleased that everyone saw the benefit in working together for the betterment of our faculty, students and campus community and therefore decided to withdraw their respective unfair labor practice charges,” she said. “The administration and AAUP plan to work together

to strengthen our communication efforts going forward, and will work to build a growing level of trust and transparency.”

Earlier this year, Pescovitz hosted the OU Forward event, which appeared to be a way to help ease previous tensions and make amends with the faculty and staff affected by these negotiations. The event and this statement are potential signs of a changing relationship between administration and the AAUP.

GrizzHunt to take place during homecoming week

PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

GrizzHunt is a week-long scavenger hunt which will take place on and around Oakland University’s campus during the week of homecoming, spanning Oct. 10-17. Students will be able to compete for prizes by completing a variety of challenges as individual participants or in groups.

In order to participate in the hunt, participants must download an app called GooseChase. There are over 200 challenges for players to complete, each worth a value of points ranging from 5 to 75.

Some GrizzHunt challenges involve answering trivia questions, whereas other tasks require participants to take a photo at a certain place or after completing a certain action. For a few of the photo challenges, students must locate Student Program Board (SPB) staff members around campus.

“The OU Student Program Board has also partnered with The Oakland Post to add a special challenge to the hunt (hint: an actor from The Spongebob Movie),” SPB Treasurer Cameron Roach said. “To solve the riddle, unscramble this phrase: tolnaeb okanald nirstuvyei nlmuia, viadd selfofhahs.”

For the entire week, students will be able to complete as many challenges as possible. The top three individuals and/or groups with the

most points by the end of the week will win shopping sprees at the OU Bookstore — $250 for the first place winner and $100 for second and third places.

“SPB believes the GrizzHunt scavenger hunt competition will create a sense of community and encourage OU pride on campus,” Roach said.

“We have many amazing prizes to give away to the participants that earn the most points by the end of the week.”

In addition to GrizzHunt, there are several homecoming weekend events happening on OU’s campus from Oct. 13-15. Some featured events include SPB’s Silent Disco, a Carillon Concert, a National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) Icebreaker and a Black Alumni Chapter Homecoming Afterparty.

“I am very excited for GrizzHunt and the upcoming Homecoming Weekend events,” OU sophomore Evan Sadler said. “I think the festivities provide a great opportunity for students to get involved, earn freebies and have fun throughout the week.”

On Oct. 15, OU’s Homecoming and Reunion Weekend will conclude with the highlyanticipated Homecoming Festival, taking place at Elliott Tower from 4-7 p.m. Students and alumni will be able to enjoy free, live entertainment and lawn games at the festival celebration. Food trucks will also be present at the event.

During the festival, attendees are encouraged to cheer on the OU Club Football team as they

compete against Michigan State University. The game, which is free to OU students, will begin at 7 p.m. at the Track Stadium Field.

“The OU vs. MSU club football game will definitely be a tough matchup,” Sadler said. “I can’t wait to see how OU performs during the game.”

SPB’s GrizzHunt scavenger hunt competition will surely add a friendly, competitive aspect to the excitement of OU’s Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. For more information about homecoming festivities, visit the homecoming webpage on the OU website.

PHOTO BY OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

GrizzHunt is a week-long scavenger hunt which will take place on and around Oakland University’s campus during the week of homecoming, Oct. 10-17.

PHOTO BY SOPHIE HUME

A view of OU AAUP supporters picketing during the job action that disrupted the start of the 2021 fall semester.

Running club hosts Golden Grizzlies 5k/10k

PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

Runners of all ages and abilities laced up their sneakers to participate in the Golden Grizzlies 5k/10k Run & Walk on Sept. 25 from 9:30-11 a.m. at the Elaine Leigh Track & Field Complex, located on Oakland University’s campus. All proceeds from the event will support OU’s Cross Country and Track & Field programs.

Despite the rainy weather throughout the week, the outside conditions were perfect the morning of the race. With a slight breeze and a temperature that hovered around 60 degrees, runners felt prepared to crush their personal record times.

Participants gathered in groups, completing numerous calisthenics stretches. Several individuals slowly jogged laps around the upper fields to warm their muscles.

Runners organized themselves by mile pace on the start line — with seasoned competitors assuming the front of the pack, while rookie hobby joggers filed in behind. As the minutes ticked down, they popped in their earbuds, double-checked the course map and gave each other pep talks.

The race began at 9:30 a.m., sending runners hustling a 3.1-mile loop around campus. Despite

the hilly terrain, participants enjoyed viewing the sites and scenery around OU’s beautiful campus.

“Running past Elliott Tower and Meadow Brook Mansion were easily the highlights of the race,” OU Running Club President John Sidwell said. “The Golden Grizzlies 5k was the perfect opportunity for the OU Running Club to host our first race of the year in a convenient, familiar location.”

The finish line for the race was located on the track at the Track & Field Complex. Upon completing their run, participants were greeted

with a variety of snacks, water and an OU-themed backdrop for photos.

Grizz also made an appearance at the race, handing out high-fives and posing for photo-ops. Meanwhile, The Little Donut Factory hosted a food truck at the event, selling yummy treats like donuts, cider and coffee.

“From start to finish, the race was extremely well organized and had all the right amenities pre- and post-race,” Sidwell said. “Our first-time racers and experienced runners all had an amazing time!”

The OU Cross Country teams entered the 2022 season in high spirits, as a pre-season Horizon League coaches’ poll ranked the women’s program No. 1 and the men’s program No. 3. Recently, the women’s team was ranked No. 13 in the region after the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division I Great Lakes Regional Poll.

As the fall progressed, both teams won a slew of team and individual titles, making the lead up to their league championship a highly anticipated event. Luckily, students will be able to experience the conclusion of the season themselves, since OU will be hosting the Horizon League Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 29 of this year.

PHOTO BY AARON BRADY Runners of all ages and abilities laced up their sneakers to participate in the Golden Grizzlies 5k/10k Run & Walk

How to apply for FAFSA

AUTUMN OKUSZKA Features Reporter

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — FAFSA season.

On Oct. 1, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened up to those who are considering or already pursuing postsecondary education. A part of the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid (FSA) makes higher education possible for students in need by providing them with grants, work-study jobs and loan options.

At Oakland University, 43% of full-time undergraduate students received need-based financial aid in the 2020-2021 school year. A study done by Sallie Mae discovered 34% of students did not complete a FAFSA application for the 20212022 school year — either because they missed the deadline or found the application too complicated to complete.

There are many reasons why a student could incorrectly submit or avoid submitting the FAFSA. Here are some tips to avoid missing out on money that could help further a student’s college education.

Write down FSA ID

An FSA ID is what lets a student access their FAFSA, as well as other FSA websites. FSA IDs aren’t a requirement to complete and submit the FAFSA, but they do make it faster for students to have their application processed, as well as granting students a way to edit it after submission.

FSA IDs also allow students to pre-fill their FAFSA with information from the previous

year’s application.

It’s important for students to remember their FSA ID, as it will be used for every year’s FAFSA — though if a student does forget theirs, they can reset it upon login.

If students don’t have a FSA ID, they can create one by visiting the FSA website.

Complete application with parents

Even if a student is primarily independent — meaning they pay their own bills and file for taxes — they can still be seen as dependent in the eyes of FSA, and will have to have their parents provide their own information when filling out FAFSA documents.

There are certain guidelines when filling out parental information — information about parents who are married versus those who are divorced, for example, will be filled out differently.

If dependent students cannot fill out their parents information, their FAFSA will not be fully processed. For more information regarding parental information, click here.

Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool

FSA has a partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to make it easier for students to transfer necessary tax information into their FAFSA. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool, or IRS DRT, is an option for students who have filed a U.S. tax return with the IRS.

There are students who are ineligible to use IRS DRT and will therefore have to fill out their tax information manually. Students can visit DRT eligibility to see if they qualify.

Ask for help

There are many resources for students to refer to if they’re struggling to fill out their FAFSA.

Nicole Boelk — the director of financial aid at OU — wants students to reach out to Student Financial Services whenever they’re in need of help.

“If you need help, we’re here to help you,” Boelk said. “We don’t want anyone to wait until the last minute. We want to make sure that we get these FAFSAs done early to meet any sort of deadlines.”

OU also offers FAFSA small group workshops that students are more than welcome to attend.

Student Financial Services is located in North Foundation Hall, Room 120. Students can contact them by phone at (248) 370-2550, or by email at finservices@oakland.edu.

PHOTO BY TIME MAGAZINE

After numerous delays, OU administration approves installation of feminine hygiene dispensers

ARIANNA HEYMAN Features Editor

Following subsequent delays, miscommunication and scheduling setbacks between Oakland University’s Student Congress (OUSC) and OU’S administration — the administration has finally approved the installation of feminine hygiene dispensers on campus.

As reported by the Post in April 2022, OUSC and OU’s administration reached an agreement to distribute free menstrual products on campus.

Products were already available in the Oakland Center and at desks in student housing, but this was an expansion of OUSC’s menstrual product initiative.

The original agreement was that dispensers would be installed in the Kresge Library, Pawley Hall, Elliott Hall and the Human Health Building.

Since spring, those plans have changed. Now dispensers will only be available in the Kresge Library, Recreation Center and the Oakland Center.

“Vice President McIntosh [said] if you want to do all these buildings

— it would be too expensive to have a dispenser in every bathroom,”

OUSC Vice President Murryum Farooqi said. “It was either lower the amount of buildings or have them in a lot of buildings, but it’s not every bathroom.”

Farooqi says this plan would have been too confusing for students because they would not always know which bathroom contained the free products.

After months of collecting menstrual products and dispensers, OUSC submitted a work order to the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) this past July at the direction of McIntosh.

“If it’s a work order and they’re a student organization, typically, we want them to work with the OSI department and they put in a work order,” McIntosh said. “Normally, if it’s a work order going to facilities, it’s not typical for students to put in a work order.”

OUSC President Andrew Romano and Farooqi stated that their request for a work order was approved this past July and they were asked to do a “walk through” with maintenance staff to discuss locations for the dispensers.

“We were told [maintenance staff] should be contacting you — and they didn’t,” Farooqi said. “Then we asked VP McIntosh and the answer was there was a ‘backlog’ because of so many projects going on.”

Between July and last week, OUSC and Jean Ann Miller, senior director of OSI, did not know approval was needed from the finance and administration department for the installation of dispensers to occur.

The discovery was made last week by Miller who relayed the information to Romano and Farooqi.

“She didn’t realize that she had to go through finance and administration,” Romano said. “I remember being like, ‘what?’”

Miller says that anyone who submits a work order must go through finance and administration because their department is in charge of structure, plumbing, grounds and electricity.

“It was some misunderstanding or miscommunication of the approval process and that it needed to go a step further than we were all aware of,” Miller said. “I took care of that last week, and over the weekend it

was approved. It’s totally innocent — there was no intention of not having this happen.”

Romano states that to Miller’s credit, the process of getting approval has been like a game of telephone for everyone involved.

“It shouldn’t be a game of telephone to do projects for OU,” Romano said.

Miller assured the Post that OUSC would be hearing from a maintenance foreman shortly.

(Continued on Website)

Biden says ‘the pandemic is over’ — What do OU students believe?

AUTUMN OKUSZKA Features Reporter

On Sept. 14, President Joe Biden visited the Detroit Auto Show with 60 Minutes and was interviewed on a wide range of topics — from rising gas prices to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Huntington Place center — where the auto show takes place — was packed with people for the first time in three years, which caused Biden to reflect on where the United States currently stands within the pandemic.

“The pandemic is over,” Biden said. “We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still doing a lot of work on it, but the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape, and so I think it’s changing — and I think [the Detroit Auto Show returning after three years] is a perfect example of it.”

Nearly 50 thousand people are still testing positive, and almost 400 Americans are dying daily from COVID-19 on average. In Michigan, over two thousand people are testing positive, with over 20 people dying daily on average.

Oakland University freshman Madyson Berlanga thought the pandemic was settling down — until she tested positive for COVID-19.

“It was pretty crazy,” Berlanga said. “I never really thought [the pandemic] was over, but I knew the

numbers went down drastically. I don’t think it’s over because I just had it.”

Graduate student Brisilda Musaka has not tested positive, but she still sees cases of COVID-19 firsthand as an ER tech.

“We still see the severity,” Musaka said. “It’s better than it was before, but we’re still in the pandemic.”

Musaka believes that U.S. citizens still need to work on protecting themselves — not only from COVID-19, but also from other respiratory illnesses such as the flu.

“Flu season is coming around,” she said. “I work with kids a lot at work, [and] we’ve been seeing an increase

now of respiratory illnesses in kids — critical ones, too. We need to become more aware of what’s going on in that aspect, as well. We need to protect ourselves [and] protect everyone that’s around us, because even if COVID [is] over, you still need to worry about everything else.”

In a recent study done by the Institut Public de Sondage d’Opinion Secteur (Ipsos), nearly 65% of people said that there is little to no risk in returning to their normal, pre-COVID life.

Junior Karsen Biebel believes this return is overdue.

“I’d say it’s pretty much over,” Biebel said. “People are mostly getting on with their lives, and they’re pretty tired of it by now.”

While Biebel believes the pandemic is over, sophomore Austin Scruggs thinks that for COVID-19 to become a thing of the past, the virus itself should be gone.

“I don’t think it’s ever going to be gone,” Scruggs said. “I think it’s always going to be around. It’s just going to be one of those things you just have to adapt to.”

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

While OU’s mask mandate was eliminated at the beginning of the fall semester, the vaccine mandate is still in effect until further notice. If students are experiencing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, they are asked to not come to campus and to get tested as soon as possible.

PHOTO BY ARIANNA HEYMAN

Photo of menstrual products in the OUSC office. Products include, 10 dispensers and 20 boxes containing 10,000 menstrual pads and tampons.

AI and software engineering with Dr. Kessentini

GABRIELLE GAPPY Science and Technology Editor

Dr. Marouane Kessentini is the professor and interim chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and is part of Oakland University’s Artificial Intelligence Research (OUAI) Center. In addition to artificial intelligence, his research interests and classes revolve around software engineering.

Kessentini is set to receive OU’s Researcher of The Year award, which recognizes the faculty member at OU who has achieved the largest amount of competitive grant funding in the fiscal year. He will also receive the Most Active Research award, which is presented to the faculty member awarded the highest number of grants during the fiscal year.

“We are trying to improve the quality of software, which is used basically everywhere: in transportation, health industries and so on,” Kessentini said. “We work to automatically detect errors in bots and softwares, making them easier to use and adapt. This is done in an automatic way.”

An example of their work is building an infrastructure that will aid those from other fields or those who have lower levels of proficiency in

software engineering.

“We built a bot that will do an automated evaluation of the quality of your code and give you guidance,” he said. “This helps give a more simple way for people who may not be experts in computer programming, such as those in the science community in physics and biology, to create code.”

Kessentini has several students working with him in this research — many of whom are females in what has been considered a predominantly male dominated field. He is very proud of their accomplishments in academia, research and industry work.

“Last summer, they actually went to validate their tools built during the academic year on a larger scale in industry settings at companies like Ford,” Kessentini said. “This was facilitated by the National Science Foundation. We spend a lot of time in our lab trying to address our industry partners’ problems.”

Kessentini has a masters in artificial intelligence, but has decided to “go out of his comfort zone” through working in software engineering. He believes the two go hand in hand.

His interest in this field was also inspired by many natural processes — such as transplants and the immune system — as well as connecting with industries.

“I use an approach called the artificial immune system to determine what is good and normal behavior of the software, and also have another contribution related to that about what is called code transplantation,” Kessentini said. “It is similar to the concept of organ transplantation. The idea is to develop a new code that is integrated into an existing software.

“I am also interested in providing scalable solutions in industry and building scientific foundations that can be used in practice,” he continued.

There are many exciting events and opportunities taking place in computer science at OU. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) program is set to begin soon at OU.

“There are many industry partners who are members, and our faculty and students will present ideas and have projects funded,” Kessentini said. “This is done in collaboration with two other universities: The University of Colorado Boulder and Oregon State University. More than 15 faculty and students are set to present research we are doing in the center.”

Additionally, OU is organizing

a prestigious international research conference on software engineering (ASE 2022) next week, from Oct. 1014. Over 200 people will be traveling internationally to attend. There will be distinguished speakers coming from both academia and industries such as Facebook.

PHOTO BY MAROUANE KESSENTINI

We CU SHOWING YOUR GRIZZLY SPIRIT.

Dr. Marouane Kessentini leading the NSF IUCRC Center on pervasive AI at OU.

2022 themed Halloween costumes for the funniest friend

Now that it is officially the first week of October, it is finally socially acceptable for me to speak about Halloween in a public setting!

And what else more perfectly fits into this spooky season than a Halloween costume?

You have a little under a month to put together a costume wor thy enough to be showcased in front of all of your friends — a make or break moment that reveals if you truly have a good sense of humor or not.

If you suddenly just felt the pressure mounting, you’re in luck, because this year has delivered an unusually fruitful amount of pop culture moments worthy of a Halloween costume that will undoubtedly show your peers that you know where the funny is at. Or that you spend too much time on Twitter — life’s a double edged sword.

Here are a few ideas that instantly came to mind:

1. The Wife Guy

This is a newly emerged category of horror, and arguably the frontrunner for 2022. This costume really caught its stride in the last few weeks with the new editions of Adam Levine and the least popular Try Guy — joining my fallen hero John Mulaney, who started the trend literally six days into January. Overall, wife guys have just been dropping the ball this year — it’s tragic and it’s terrifying. But looking back, making your entire brand being about how much you love your wife does seem suspicious. What are you trying to prove in that matching sweater?

Wife guys wear the scariest mask of all: a fake smile.

2. The “Don’t Worry Darling” cast

Group costume bonus! There are many potential renditions of this costume, but I think one reigns supreme: the “Don’t Worry Darling” cast at the Venice Film Festival.

So many identifying attributes of that night that can turn into costumes a little too perfectly. Chris Pine’s cute little bob. Florence Pugh’s grandmother on the red carpet. Harry Styles’s massively oversized pointy collar. Olivia Wilde’s feathery yellow dress.

For any Styles fans out there, it looks like you’re dressing as Nick Kroll, as that’s the closest you’ll ever get to locking lips with Styles (that was a burn towards myself as well.)

Bonus points for anyone who can come up with the physical manifestation of the tension in the air.

That video of Drew Barrymore joyfully dancing in the rain

This one needs little to no explanation. I just think we should all aspire to be this woman.

3. Robert Pattinson

I know what you must be thinking right now. “Batman costume, duh…” But you would be mistaken.

I am not referring to the box office smash that was 2022’s “The Batman,” I am referring to the reemergence of that cursed photo of Robert Pattinson standing in a kitchen, wearing a brown Adidas tracksuit.

The expression on his face is the perfect mixture of shock and fear to make any kid asking for candy uncomfortable. Double bonus points if one of your friends dresses up as the white refrigerator in the background — really ties in the vibe here.

Hope I helped!

Course Highlight: BIO 3350 — Animal Behavior

RACHEL YIM Science and Technology Reporter

Ethology is the study of genetics, physiology, ecology and evolution of animal behavior with an emphasis on social behavior. Ethology can shed light on humans as research on animals continues to offer valuable perspective into the evolution and causes of individual, social and reproductive human actions.

Oakland University is Animal Behavior (BIO 3350), is taught by Dr. Sandra Troxell-Smith, Ph.D, special lecturer for the Department of Biological Sciences.

The motivation behind Dr. Troxell-Smith wanting to teach the course was simple: her love and passion for animals.

“I absolutely love the content,” she said. “I took an Animal Behavior lecture course myself during undergrad, and it completely changed my career path. While I had always loved animals, I never knew that there was a field entirely devoted to learning and understanding how animals think, perceive their environments and make decisions. I kept wanting to learn more, which led to internships and jobs at several different zoos, and eventually performing both zoo and field research for my PhD.

“I could easily talk about how incredible and sophisticated animals are for days and never get bored,” Troxell-Smith continued. “Fortunately for me, this is now my job, and I get to share the amazing world of animals with others.”

While she loves teaching students who are on animalrelated career paths, she thinks anyone who has their own animals or who likes animals could benefit from taking this course and learning more about them.

“Animals are deeply ingrained into our everyday lives — from our pets at home, to service animals, to the annoying squirrels currently burying nuts in our front yards,” Troxell-Smith said. “Understanding why these creatures do what they do and gaining an appreciation for how complex they really are can help improve our relationships with animals in every facet of life.”

— provides students insight into how the scientific process is applied to understanding animal behavior, allowing them to learn about interesting things animals do and why.

The laboratory portion of the course — BIO 3351 — focuses on students actively engaging in applying concepts and knowledge learned from the lecture portion. Students have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience with conducting various behavior-related research projects, ranging from observing animals at the zoo, to creating enrichment for the animals they care for, to understanding how complicated something as simple as finding food can be.

“It was a very friendly class where we learned about a lot of little details animals use for numerous reasons,” Alessandra Cappussi, a senior majoring in biology at OU, said. “Very informative, but a fun topic to study and observe.”

According to Troxell-Smith, each chapter covered in the lecture highlights a whole new set of fascinating animal abilities. Despite the variety of interesting topics covered in the lecture, she said her favorite part of the course is the lab portion, due to her passion for experiential learning.

This is one of many reasons why scientists study ethology. One of the related courses offered at

The lecture portion of the course — BIO 3350

“While it is truly interesting to learn about what scientists have already discovered about animals in the lecture portion, I think it is really exciting to get the opportunity to conduct your own research project from the ground up in the lab course,” she said. “We start from the very beginning of the scientific process, and each student gets to experience every level of the process — including presenting their work to others.”

Hurricane Ian causes high death toll, displacement

GABRIELLE GAPPY Science and Technology Reporter

Hurricane Ian has hit Western Cuba, Florida, and now North and South Carolina. This beast of a storm has been classified as a Category 4 hurricane and has had winds of up to 150 miles per hour (Reuters).

As of Oct. 2nd, the death toll stands at 88 and at least 40,600 people are displaced. 76 of these deaths occurred in Florida alone (CNN). At one point, the entire country of Cuba (11 million people) were left without power, along with hundreds of thousands in Florida.

Many of the casualties in Florida were elderly citizens, many of whom live in communities predominantly composed of retired populations. To make matters worse, major freeways were closed due to heavy rainfall, making evacuation and rescue attempts more difficult.

A striking example of the power of storms like this can be seen in looking at Sanibel Island, a small Floridian island near Fort Myers. Sanibal has endured extensive damage both on the island itself and on the bridges connecting it to the mainland, leaving members of the still remaining 6,500 yearround residents stranded (NPR). Furthermore, the electric and sewer systems on the island have essentially been destroyed.

Hurricanes like Ian arise from terrifying combinations of warm ocean water, thunderstorm activity, wind patterns and tropical waves, which are areas of low pressure in the atmosphere (National Ocean Service).

Hurricane Ian has been dubbed as “one of the five most powerful hurricanes in recorded history to strike the US,” (The Guardian). Climate scientists are coming to believe that a recent trend of powerful storms occurring is not a coincidence, but rather in part fueled by human intervention.

As mentioned, a significant cause of hurricanes is warm ocean water, and this year it was found that bodies of water located on the coast were two to three degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal — which has a large impact (New York Times). The oceans absorb “more than 90 percent of the excess heat from human-caused global warming over the past 50 years,” (New York Times).

Although it has not been found that climate change increases the number of hurricanes that occur, it is worth paying attention to the increasing severity of these storms. Hurricane Ian is just one example of a disaster inflicting suffering and unimaginable loss to millions. It is important to recognize the various consequences that can and do occur as a result of the actions of human beings concerning the environment.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. SANDRA TROXELL-SMITH BIO 3350 provides students insight into how the scientific process is applied to understanding animal behavior, allowing them to learn about interesting things animals do and why.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CNN Aerial shot of Fort Myers Beach, Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian on Sept. 30.

‘Blonde:’ Problematic from beginning to end

LETICIA CEZÁRIO SANTOS Marketing Director

*Content Warning: This movie is rated NC-17 and contains explicit and sensitive material which might be triggering for some.

“Above all, I want to be treated as a human being,” Marilyn Monroe once said.

Netflix’s “Blonde” forgot to see the real person behind the persona it was portraying.

Monroe died decades ago at the age of 36. Yet, her legacy and talent were so remarkable that her name has continued to appear on an ever-growing list of new titles.

unique, positive aspects of the movie.

de Armas had gigantic shoes to fill, but did an outstanding job giving life to Monroe’s character. After spending a year refining her accent, voice and performance, the resemblance caught viewers’ attention from the outset of the movie’s promotion.

“There’s at least one moment in “Blonde,” (...) when you might not be sure if you’re watching Ana de Armas or the genuine article,” Justin Chang wrote for the L.A. Times.

In addition to de Armas’s acting, the film’s cinematography also caught the public’s attention. Its artistic quality was noticed in the pre-release photos, and the work behind the cameras was surprising.

“[Dominick] uses different aspect ratios and switches between color and black-and-white (she made films in both); reproduces some of the most indelible photos of her; and now and again employs some digital wizardry,” Manohla Dargis wrote for the NY Times. “[...] Again and again, Dominik blurs the line between her films and her life.”

Regardless of de Armas’s onscreen charisma and the cinematographic techniques, a good visual was not enough to save “Blonde” from its dramatic psychological thriller plot.

Even if its artistic value was glorious, the public perception of Dominick’s work has been disastrous. Louis Chilton wrote about viewers’ “disgust” in The Independent.

“Blonde is a tough and divisive watch,” Patrick Brzesk wrote for The Hollywood Reporter.

It’s hard to define all emotions that “Blonde” viewers go through. Invasive, insensitive, tone-deaf and agonizing are just the start of its plot description.

On Sept. 28, Netflix launched “Blonde,” directed by Andrew Dominick and adapted from Joyce Carol Oates’ 2000 fictional biopic of the same name.

Controversial rumors were circling “Blonde” since before its release. Still, the two-hour and 45-minute film received a 14-minute long standing ovation following its debut at the Venice Film Festival.

Part of the pre-release buzz was due to Ana de Armas being cast as Monroe. What caused resistance at the beginning — a Cuban actress portraying a (very) American icon — ended up being one of two

“[...] Blonde is not a bad film because it is degrading, exploitative and misogynist, even though it is all of those things,” The Independent’s Jessie Thompson said in her one-star review. “It’s bad because it’s boring, pleased with itself and doesn’t have a clue what it’s trying to say.”

Monroe’s difficult childhood and life struggles are well known by now. But in a desperate attempt to show a raw version of her life, “Blonde” portrayed a disrespectful view of any human being.

The movie goes to absurd lengths when it

explicitly portrays Monroe being raped or assaulted multiple times. The nonsense is so out of control to the point of exposing viewers to what the LA Times deems to be a “surreally invasive utero-cam,” from inside Monroe as she goes through abortions — which feels grotesque and wrong.

“There is something disingenuous about a film that goes to such lengths to recreate Monroe’s exterior so faithfully while tormenting her interior to no clear end,” Chilton wrote.

In a movie like “Blonde,” you would expect to see who Monroe was as a person. But in this movie, she’s only a victim of life who couldn’t defend herself from the agony of her fate — which in reality is not true.

“All that’s missing from this portrait is, well, everything else, including Monroe’s personality and inner life, her intelligence, her wit and savvy and tenacity; her interest in — and knowledge of — politics; the work that she put in as an actress and the true depth of her professional ambitions,” Dargis said. “[...] Mostly, what’s missing is any sense of what made Monroe more than just another beautiful woman in Hollywood: her genius.”

Monroe’s legacy was betrayed. de Armas’s talent was hidden by a wrongful perspective and extreme sexualization of her body. Women’s fight regarding respect and safety was diminished to fault staged trauma. Psychological disorders and struggles were portrayed with no care. As a woman, it was hard to swallow such insensitivity with so many heartbreaking moments.

“Blonde” is raw and degrading, with no moral or intelligent purpose. Do not watch it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX/TUDUM

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE

Constance Wu gets personal in new memoir, ‘Making a Scene’

BELLA JAVIER Arts Editor

When it comes to celebrity memoirs, I’m almost always skeptical. It feels like nine times out of 10 the book is a money grab, a capitalization on storytelling for the sake of self-branding. However, when I saw Constance Wu was set to release a memoir of her own, I was overjoyed.

Funny enough, much of Wu’s work on screen is adapted from published books. The beloved AsianAmerican actress is known for her success in both film and TV, starring in the on-screen adaptations of Kevin Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians” and Eddie Huang’s “Fresh Off the Boat.” Given Wu’s history of working with literature — and of all kinds, for that matter — I had high hopes for her first publication, “Making a Scene.”

Wu took a three year long social media hiatus after receiving backlash for expressing her frustration over “Fresh Off the Boat” being renewed for another season. During this break from the virtual world, Wu took to writing a collection of 18 essays which would eventually become her newly-released book. The memoir features an

anthology of deeply personal stories from over the course of her life.

Wu’s book is more than just another celebrity memoir — it gives a voice to those whose experiences are compromised in the face of stereotypes. While Wu’s life reflects that of the first-generation Asian-American, the stories she has to tell about sexual harrassment, mental health and discrimination speak volumes to a broad audience.

On the podcast “I Weigh,” Wu and host Jameela Jamil have a profound conversation surrounding their experiences as women of color — specifically as “model minorities” in the TV and film industry. At the end of the episode, Jamil asked what Wu wanted readers to take away from her book:

“I would like people to think that if they see a public figure or even a personal figure making a scene, having a moment of gracelessness or an outburst, to think about the scenes and the context and to ask questions,” Wu said.

Intimate, honest and without the sugar coating, Wu’s “Making a Scene” is available now! I for one cannot wait to get my hands on my own copy.

Paramore returns with first single in 5 years—‘This Is Why’

TORI COKER Content Editor

Alternative rock band Paramore returned with their first single in five years on Wednesday, Sept. 28 — a fiery track titled, “This Is Why.”

Their first follow up to 2017’s new wave inspired “After Laughter” once again subverts expectations for where the band would look next for influences. Though “This Is Why” comes with a heavier sound than their previous record boasted, the trio still refuses to bend to any critics who try to back them into a corner with their early 2000’s sound.

Rather, they’ve come up with an all new formula to redefine themselves yet again — this time with nods to icons of the noughties indie rock scene.

“It felt so urgent,” frontwoman Hayley Williams told The Guardian of drawing inspiration from dance-punk of yesteryear. “Important, a little bit cocky. Bloc Party, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Rapture, Glassjaw – those are characters, people that were larger-than-life indie superstars.”

The track invites listeners in with riffs that pack a sharp bite, jutting out against a rhythmic bass that introduces 70’s grooves into the mix. Williams’s gentle vocals hover over the erratic instrumental like an outstretched leg dangling above a cliff, scattering tongue-in-cheek lyrics suggesting to either “shove” or “shout” a challenged point of view before the pre-chorus assumes the conclusion that those who harbor hate can, “keep it to [themselves.]”

The chorus erupts with anthemic raucousness, incorporating gang vocals that transport the track to a place where Williams is already joined in song with an equally angry crowd — bracing listeners for what they can expect come the band’s return to

the stage this fall. The guitars snarl with heightened frenzy above punchy drums, adding conviction to the contempt expressed with every lyric.

“This is why I don’t leave the house,” the hook chanted, “you say the coast is clear, but you won’t catch me out.”

Williams told The Guardian that the song echoes her own pandemic- and politic-borne restlessness and paranoia, begging for release after building up over the past several years.

“I look at the internet, the news, and it feels like [we’re in] Lord of the Flies,” she said in The Guardian piece. “When I was writing the lyrics, I was like, this social experiment – the internet –has been going wrong since day one. It exposes and exploits the general population’s blatant disregard for nuance.”

Paramore — also made up of guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro — accompanied the release of this track with a music video directed by Turnstile’s Brendon Yates. The visual shows the band performing their hearts out under the judgmental gaze of onlookers, an extension of the gripe the song takes with those who lack an appreciation for nuance.

The band has delivered this angered anthem at a time where fans are hungry for something to both let loose and raise their finger along to. With elements of everything that makes this band great — from Williams’ electrifying vocals and gutsy lyricism to York’s and Farro’s inimitable chemistry providing groove and grit to every note — this track is a stunning amalgamation incorporating the energy fans know and love, along with a healthy appetite for something radically, refreshingly new.

Along with the single and video came the band’s announcement of their upcoming sixth album — also titled “This Is Why” — due for release on Feb. 10, 2023. For more information on this release and the ongoing fall tour, visit paramore.net.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY Constance Wu released memoir “Making a Scene” on Oct. 4, 2022.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PITCHFORK Paramore released “This Is Why,” their first single in five years, on Sept. 28.

‘Shadow and Bone’ season 2 — What I want to see

D’JUANNA LESTER Arts Reporter

With Season 2 of the popular Netflix fantasy series “Shadow and Bone” slowly approaching, fans have been speculating about certain scenes we want to see and expectations we have.

The popular Young Adult (YA) fantasy show — based off of Leigh Bardugo’s hit book series — premiered in April of 2021, becoming an instant hit with book fans.

Grishaverse fans got a sneak peek at the second season during Netflix’s “Tudum: A Global Fan Event” over the weekend, including a glimpse at new characters — such as Jack Wolfe as demolition expert Wylan Hendriks, Anna Leong Brophy and Lewis Tan as siblings Tamar Kir-Bataar and Tolya Kir-Bataar and Patrick Gibson as everyone’s favorite privateer, Nikolai Lantsov.

With controversies surrounding the first season’s casting of the Crows (the best characters), I was nervous about who would play the roles of some of my favorite characters in the series — but I am very excited about this casting.

With the addition of the Crows from Bardugo’s spinoff “Six of Crows” in the series, I am excited to see how the show is going to incorporate Wylan into the story. What I don’t want to see is the character being infantilized. Wylan is coded as dyslexic in the books, and the show better honor that respectfully, not infantilize him. With Netflix’s track record of

disabled characters, let’s hold out hope.

The second book in the “Shadow and Bone” series is “Siege and Storm,” so it’s safe to assume that the second season will follow that plotline. Enter (best character in the series) Nikolai Lantsov. His character, along with the Kir-Bataar siblings, is introduced in this second installment.

I want to see development in these characters. With so many figures in the story, I want these three specifically to be fleshed out as much as possible. They’re very interesting in the book, and I hope that translates to the screen.

The Crows, without saying, are the best part of the show, in my opinion. The show is supposed to revolve around Alina and the Darkling, but the Crows pique my interest more. Seeing as they were pushed into the kidnapping plot of Season 1, I’m curious to see what their role will be this season.

So many possibilities could happen with the Crows this season. I want to see how they end up meeting Wylan, as well as getting his backstory, as it specifically is so well-written and depressing.

In the sneak peak, there was a shot of Mattias being carried off by guards, which could only mean that we’re getting the Hellgate arc this season. I cannot wait to see how this plot plays out onscreen.

Last season, there wasn’t a lot of time to develop Nina and Mattias as characters. I hope that all changes this season. The shot of the Crows together towards the end could only mean one thing: they’re breaking out Mattias. I am definitely excited to see where they’re going with this.

The doomed ‘Bachelorette’ finale

D’JUANNA LESTER Arts Reporter

*Spoilers ahead*

Sigh. Where do I begin with The Bachelorette season finale? Do I start with the (several) controversies? The disaster of a format? The new Bachelor announcement?

With way too much happening in one season, I think it’s safe to say that fans are exhausted. With double the leads, fans were promised double the fun. Instead, all we got was double the problems.

With Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey both being leads for the entire season, production really had to scramble to fit everything into this finale. Considering this episode was three hours long, it showed.

Recchia was up first — great to get the drama out of the way. We all knew Tino would be her final pick way before the finale. What we didn’t know was that these two were so not ready for any sort of relationship, it’s incredible.

The two get engaged within the first 20 minutes of the episode — then it all goes downhill. When sitting down during “After the Final Rose (AFR),” a bombshell is dropped: Tino cheated on Recchia.

Fans were left floored as the episode quickly took a nosedive into flames with Recchia and Tino arguing back and forth about the scandal in a (annoyingly long) segment before breaking up. This fight brought out the worse in both Tino and Recchia.

Recchia barely let Tino get a word in despite screaming at him to give her answers. Tino is a cheater, so nothing he says is going to work, anyway.

To top it all off, in a brutal move by production, runner up Aven is brought out on stage at AFR to ask Rachel out. In. Front. Of. Tino. Am I watching The Bachelorette or Jerry Springer?

Windey and Erich had the easy ending. They got engaged and everything was happy — almost.

Host Jessie Palmer said that Erich was also involved in a scandal. Fans were hoping that ABC would finally address the blackface scandal — and we were wrong. Very wrong.

The scandal was text messages from an ex talking about using the show for fame. Come on.

After promising to divert the show in a more “diverse” direction and constantly dropping the ball (casting Matt James and immediately going back to your typical white leads, Shanae’s ableist comments on national tv, lack of body diversity — do I really need to go on?) fans are done.

I don’t blame them. I personally stopped being invested in the show after Shanae’s ableist comments on ADHD — I even wrote an article about it. Not only did she make the comments, but she was rewarded by being given more screen time.

This season finale was a disaster when it could’ve been a chance to reignite love for the franchise, which has clearly dipped.

The show is more focused on drama and scandal than trying to produce a decent show for everyone. The only people this show appeals to anymore is ABC’s standard white audience.

I think that The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise has run its course — ABC has run out of substance and integrity. Let this show die, please.

Photo courtesy of IMDb

PHOTO COURTESY OF CNN Recchia and Windey, co-stars of season 19 of The Bachelorette.

Men’s soccer secures big win over Robert Morris

SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

The Oakland University men’s soccer team secured their first win of the 2022 regular season over the Colonials of Robert Morris on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

Getting things going for the Grizzlies was Dawsun Schrum, scoring the first goal of the night right into the top corner of the left side of the net. Towards the end of the first half the Colonials started to give Oakland a little challenge, with a goal from midfielder Bryan Akongo making the score 1-1

Within the first few minutes coming back into the second half, the Colonials would attempt four shots. Incredible saves were made by Oakland’s keeper, Michael Sly Jr., denying them all and keeping the score tied.

Reid Sproat’s clutch shot, which was assisted by Ville Ahola, was the shot that won the game, putting the Grizzlies ahead 2-1. The Grizzlies were amped up — Sproat’s spectacular shot was his first of the season.

Although it was a shaky start for the Grizzlies, they still managed to pull through, showing exceptional efforts coming back into the second half with some authority, getting the win.

“I thought it was a dog fight for sure. I just told the boys that ‘if we want to be champions, we have to win games like this,’” Sproat said. “There was weather coming in, and really, nobody really wanted to be out [there,] but you have to find a way

to win those games, so I was happy to get the goal.”

Coach Eric Pogue had some things to say about the way the game went as well.

“I mean, we were disappointed with the way the first half ended – but we knew we had to just put that behind us and regroup,” Pogue said. “We basically said it was a 0-0, 45-minute game and was about whoever wanted it more. It is going to take a 90-minute commitment from everybody to get the result that we wanted and that’s what we did. They were a bit unlucky. They hit a few off the crossbar, but that’s the way the game goes.”

“We’ve been on the tough end of some games where we deserved the result and didn’t get it, and so I think the guys just found a way to get it done,” Pogue continued. “I think we defended really well. We’re going to use this as momentum going into a big matchup on Saturday against Mercy.”

The men’s soccer team is really committed to defending their championship and continuing to be undefeated in the league, taking it one game at a time. This win makes Oakland’s conference record 1-0-1.

“We have to rest and recover. Tomorrow

we just need to get healthy,” Pogue said. “We know Detroit isn’t going to be about Xs and Os, but more so about who wants the game more.”

Their next game is against University of Detroit Mercy, on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at Oakland Soccer Field.

Women’s soccer endures record-tying seventh draw of season

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

In sports, they say tying is like kissing your sister. No one likes it, it doesn’t benefit anyone and it’s quite honestly flat out disgusting.

The Oakland women’s soccer team is no stranger to the tie this season. In fact, Juan Pablo Favero’s squad has suffered (Endured? Achieved? Secured?) a record-tying seven ties so far this season.

For context, the women’s soccer team has only tied seven matches one other time in program history, back in 2015. However, in 2015, Oakland didn’t record its seventh tie until the 21st match of the season. The 2022 Golden Grizzlies have reached seven ties in just their 12th match of the season.

The latest draw came against IUPUI, with a score of 0-0. The scoreless draw is the fourth such tie for Oakland so far this season.

Despite the no-scoring affair, it wasn’t for a lack of effort on offense from either team. Oakland recorded 13 shots — six of which were on goal — and IUPUI shot 11 times — five of which were on target.

Obviously, all shots were saved in the match. Oakland goaltender Noëmi Stadelmann was an anchor in goal for the Golden Grizzlies.

Stadelmann, who is a fifth-year player from Switzerland, has done a fantastic job in the net this year despite the lack of help on the offensive side of the ball.

As a team, the Golden Grizzlies have only given up more than one goal once all season. In fact, as of this writing, Stadelmann has only allowed five goals all year, which is good for a 0.48 goals allowed per game average.

Stadelmann’s remarkable effort is going to waste due to Oakland’s inability to score. The team has scored 11 goals in 12 matches. You don’t have to be a math genius to realize that’s less than one goal per game.

The Golden Grizzlies have also held six of their 12 opponents scoreless. However,

Oakland has only won two of those six shutouts.

All of these scoring struggles have led Oakland to the bottom of the Horizon League standings. It sits third from the bottom, as one of the three winless teams in the conference (joined by Youngstown State and Green Bay.)

Oakland still has six conference matches to go, but if it can’t score more than one goal per game, it’s going to be very hard to make up any ground in the Horizon League standings.

The Golden Grizzlies are currently 3-2-7 overall on the season and 0-1-3 in conference play. They will travel to Cleveland State to take on the Vikings on Thursday, Oct. 6 before coming back home for a two-game home stand against Robert Morris and Northern Kentucky.

At the end of Oakland’s schedule is Detroit Mercy, which will visit Oakland for senior night on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

The Titans, which are near the top of the Horizon League standings, have not tied a conference match yet this season. If that fact still remains true when the two teams meet on the 26th, it shouldn’t shock anyone if Detroit Mercy heads back home knowing what it’s like to kiss its sister.

PHOTO BY SAM SUMMERS

PHOTO

Alyssa Ruhf: Conquering it all

SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

Alyssa Ruhf is a senior majoring in health science with a concentration in pre-health. Ruhf’s future goal is to get into physician assistant school, specializing in orthopedics.

Ruhf started out as a gymnast at the age of eight, spending many dedicated hours training. After five years of doing gymnastics, she broke her back and was forced to stop.

Going through the whole recovery process, being in a back brace and having multiple doctor visits for over a year, she didn’t let her love of doing flips escape her — which is when she found diving, and stuck to it.

“Diving is like the same, and it’s similar to what I’ve been doing for such a long period of time,” she said. “It’s not as much pressure on my back.”

When it comes to diving, she appreciates the support she receives from her teammates and the bond that they all share with each other.

“They are always there for me, cheering me on, and I am that for them, too,” Ruhf said.

Oakland’s future graduate has already accomplished getting sixth on three-meter dives and seventh on one-meter dives.

“Being able to just place top eight on both boards — I think [that] is my biggest accomplishment,” she said.

Ruhf is a hard-working student who keeps her

academics in check.

“My whole entire life, I’ve been an athlete,” Ruhf said. “I’m the type of person who needs a schedule and has this balance between everything in my life. I guess it’s just kind of like saying, ‘ok, well, I have to make sure that I’m up at this point of time for my classes. I need this done by this time,’ and so forth.”

In college, time management is key to success, and Ruhf has mastered that.

“I try not to think about my sport until I’m in my practice time,” she said. “Once I’m done with practice, I’m done for the day. I also try to balance my own personal time. When it comes to weekends, I try to get all of my work done so I can enjoy and have that time for myself.”

She has everything aligned for her future successes — an example of an incredible student-athlete. Her perseverance in becoming the great diver that she is from injuring her back to finding her calling to work in orthopedics makes for an inspiring success story. The future ahead of her

is bright.

She will be taking the diving board again on Oct. 8 at noon at Oakland’s Aquatic Center against the University of Michigan.

Early goal lifts Oakland over Detroit Mercy on Ted Lasso night

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

Despite being outshot by Detroit Mercy 1911, an early goal from Oakland’s Doug Hainer gave the Golden Grizzlies the 1-0 win over the Titans on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Oakland began its season with a slew of struggles, to say the least. The Golden Grizzlies went winless for their first eight games of the season before finally recording their first win of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 28 with a 2-1 victory over Robert Morris.

Apparently the first win of the season sparked a flame, because Oakland then defeated Detroit Mercy, and now finds itself on a two-game winning streak after going winless for more than a month to open the season.

The win over Detroit Mercy wasn’t the most exciting game, but sometimes it doesn’t need to be exciting. Doug Hainer, who is only a freshman, found the back of the net just over 90 seconds into the game, and that was all Oakland needed.

Redshirt freshman Michael Sly Jr. played an excellent game in goal for the Golden Grizzlies. He recorded six saves in a shutout effort, giving Oakland the slimmest of victories.

Junior Taiga Shiokawa led the way for Oakland in shots. The Nagano City, Japan native recorded three shots, and he put one of them on goal.

Other Golden Grizzlies to record at least one shot were freshman Kevin Hubbell, junior Gabriel Baylon, sophomore Kai Garvey, redshirt senior Dawsun Schrum, senior Ville Ahola, redshirt freshman Zach Townsend and Hainer.

Despite the sluggish start to the season, Oakland has managed to either win or tie its first three Horizon League games of the season. With wins over Robert Morris and Detroit Mercy and a tie against Purdue Fort Wayne earlier in the season, Oakland

is one of just three unbeaten teams left in the conference. Wright State and Cleveland State sit at 3-0-2 and 3-0-1, respectively.

The Golden Grizzlies are looking to win back-to-back Horizon League titles under head coach Eric Pogue.

The next few games will go a long way in determining whether Oakland does, in fact, repeat, or if it slips down the Horizon League standings. Two of its next three games are against the aforementioned Cleveland State Vikings and Wright State Raiders.

Mixed in that three-game stretch is the current fifth place Green Bay Phoenix. If Oakland can get through the tough three-game stretch with only one loss, or even unblemished, it will have a great chance of repeating as Horizon League champions.

Following the upcoming games, Oakland will host Western Michigan — which won’t count toward its Horizon League record.

After the match with the Broncos, the Golden Grizzlies will meet IUPUI, Milwaukee and Northern Kentucky, all of which are currently in the bottom half of the Horizon League. In fact, the three teams currently combine for just one conference win, and five wins total.

But before Oakland can potentially play bully ball against the conference bottom feeders, it must be prepared for a tough stretch of games. The next three games will be season-defining for the 2022 team.

The Golden Grizzlies will take on Cleveland State on Saturday, Oct. 8, Green Bay on Wednesday, Oct. 12 and Wright State on Saturday, Oct. 15.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

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SKIP

Golden Stay