Drake Women’s Basketball had its second consecutive 20-win season in 2015-16 and is primed to improve on that next year. Read more on page 12.
PHOTO BY MOHAMAD SUHAIMI |STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE TIMES-DELPHIC The weekly student newspaper of Drake University
Vol. 135 | No. 20 | Wed. March 30, 2016 timesdelphic.com
OPINIONS
FEATURES
SPORTS
As STEM construction continues, a student weighs in on the noise that hinders her concentration in the classroom. She finds it nearly impossible to concentrate, an issue many students are encountering. Find out more about what she thinks on the construction on page 6.
The Students Activities Board hosted “Glee” star Lauren Potter in collaboration with the Best Buddies organization. Potter spoke on Pomernatz stage about how she overcame her disability to achieve her dream of become an actress in Hollywood. Read more on page 7.
Women’s tennis took a hit as its no. 1 player, senior Mariel Ante, suffered an injury on Saturday. Despite their loss, the Bulldogs pulled off two wins and started conference play 1-0. Read more on page 10.
CAMPUS NEWS
STUDENT SENATE
Senate committee cuts funds to agree with budget Beth LeValley Staff Writer beth.levalley@drake.edu @bethlevalley
Plus/minus grading scale to be implemented next fall Jessie Spangler Assistant Relays Editor jessica.spangler@drake.edu @jessiespangler3
Drake will be changing its grading policy starting in the fall 2016 semester, meaning that professors will have the option to incorporate pluses and minuses into their students’ grades. The new grading policy will only affect fall 2016 classes and beyond. Any grades a student has received in the past will not be affected by the changes in grading. Transfer credits will also not be affected by the new grading policy. “The Faculty Senate in December 2012 passed a motion to bring to all faculty of nonLaw instruction, a vote or poll concerning a grading policy change from whole grades to the inclusion of the choice for plus or minus grades,” said Nancy Geiger, a student information analyst who also serves as the Faculty Senate secretary. The changes in grading will affect undergraduate, graduate and professional pharmacy students. Law students will continue to follow their own grading scheme. The issue of changing the grading system was brought up
several times before that. “That poll was taken in March 2013, Faculty Senate voted to approved the grading change (non-Law) to be implemented beginning with the fall 2016 courses,” Geiger said. Professors will not be required to use pluses and minuses in their grading. According to Drake’s website, instructors control what scale their students will be graded on, and some situations may not allow for pluses and minuses as part of students’ grades. “The plus and minus grades are options for faculty of instruction to use or not. I do not believe in any way ‘to hurt students’ was or is a reason the new grading possibilities were approved,” Geiger said when asked if the new grading policy would hurt or help students. The changes in grading will not apply to students who received an “incomplete” in a course prior to fall 2016 and complete it the next semester or afterwards. Some students like the changes in grading. “I think that the new changes are good because they are a better representation of your actual grade,” said Sara Schnuettgen, a first-year. “Someone that works super hard and gets an 89 percent in a class right now gets the same credit as someone who barely gets an 80 percent.”
Schnuettgen also believes that it will encourage students to work harder, because a B plus will mean more than a B. “I also hope that it makes the classes a bit more fair and equal on the grading criteria,” Schnuettgen said. “I just think that you deserve to get the grade you worked hard for.” Not all students are fans of the new grading policy. “For someone like me who kind of lives their life between 90 and 93 percent, it doesn’t really provide any benefits for staying over 90 percent. It’s actually kind of detrimental to my GPA,” said first-year Tanner Thurman. “There are some pluses. If I got somewhere between 87 and 89 percent then I’m getting more than three points for the class, so that’s where it can make up for it.” As a student who receives mostly A’s but can “count on one hand” how many A’s that are over 93 percent he’s received, Thurman is not excited for the new changes in grading. “I want to keep my GPA up, so if the new grading policy is going to force me into a corner to make sure that I’m not in the bottom range of an A, and to make sure that I’m getting great grades in class, then I’ll make myself work harder. In that light, I think it’ll be pretty effective. Do I prefer it? No,” Thurman said.
The new GPA scale A+ A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF
4.0 4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.0 1.0 0.0
twitter: @timesdelphic | instagram: @draketimesdelphic | facebook: Times-Delphic
Drake Student Senate took to the library fishbowl Thursday night to discuss cutting funding for organizations on campus. The initial budget for annually funded organizations included $336,191.88 to be dispersed among 38 annually funded organizations for the 2016-2017 academic year. Student Senate will finalize this budget in two weeks. The Student Fees Allocation Committee (SFAC) cut $122,910.35 from the initial requested funds in order to align with its budget. This committee decides on these cuts based on the Student Senate bylaws. After cuts based on the bylaws are made, the committee decides what cuts would be most equitable and consistent across all organizations. This year, SFAC decided to remove all money allocated toward movie rights from organizations’ budgets because Free Movie Friday already has money toward movie rights in its budget. SFAC hopes that organizations will collaborate with Free Movie Friday rather than obtaining specific movie rights. Funding for organizations’ retreats and food for all general meetings were also cut from each organization. In general, one event from each organization was also cut to align with the budget. The largest budget in a student organization, which is consistent with past years, is the Student Activities Board. A total of $163,122 was budgeted to this organization. Only two organizations were approved for their entire requested budgets — Curling Club, which requested an $800 discounted rate to rent an ice rink, and PreMed Club, which will have three small events totaling $190.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
02 | news
March 30, 2016
NEWS CAMPUS EVENTS
PRESIDENT MARTIN stands in Herriott Hall answering questions at ‘An Evening with the President’. Questions varied from diversity and inclusivity to Sodexo. PHOTO BY ALEXIS CRUZ | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Herriott hosts ‘An Evening with the President’ Event provides space to ask questions of president Martin Lauren Velasco Staff Writer lauren.velasco@drake.edu @laurenvelasco7
Students were invited to Herriott Hall on Wednesday for “An Evening with the President.” Drake President Marty Martin, that is. Many students came with questions about issues, future career advice and what he loves most about being university president. “It’s really impressive to see a university president be so involved with the university’s activities because you don’t see that with a lot of presidents at other institutions,” said first-year Claire Franksen. Before President Martin arrived, Drake’s all-male A capella group, the Brocal Chords, performed and even serenaded him upon his arrival. Martin was also given his own Brocal Chords T-shirt. Questions arose about issues
students have on campus and what President Martin and the administration are doing to address them. Martin also addressed the Campus Climate survey and Drake’s initiatives to address inclusivity. “I think a big part of it starts with who we are and who’s here and making sure that we have a diverse student population, a diverse faculty, a diverse staff,” Martin said. “A community, if you will, that really reflects the broader community.” Diversity and inclusivity are just a few of the issues that students focused on at the event. Some students were excited that they could ask President Martin tough questions firsthand. “He always seems to be honest with the student body about issues that are important to students,” said first-year Jacob McKay. “I like that he was so open about the issues and gave straightforward answers. This makes him very approachable and respected.” The topic of Drake’s contract
with campus dining services, Sodexo, which ends in 2018, also arose. “There is a new advisory group of students that are sharing these concerns directly to (Sodexo) and we’re expecting them to listen and we’re expecting them to make improvements,” Martin said. “If they don’t, that will be a significant factor on whether or not we decide to renew that contract.” Martin also gave students advice for their next few years at Drake and their future career. Before coming to Drake, Martin was a professor of law at Texas Wesleyan University for several years. “It was nice to hear from someone who had a very diverse career talk to us and answer questions that we all had because he has been everywhere throughout his life,” Franksen said. “It’s nice to know that you can go anywhere with what you want to do and what you want to do may change as well.”
Students also asked what he liked most about his job. Martin talked about the variety of experiences he has as president and what he likes most about the Drake community. “There are so many things
I get to do and there is so much variety. No hour is like the other,” Martin said. “There is just this variety and opportunity to be engaged and to think of ways to improve Drake and make Drake even better than it already is.”
BROCAL CHORDS performs for president Marty Martin and students who were in attendance of the program. PHOTO BY ALEXIS CRUZ | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
CAMPUS EVENTS
Campus group hosts bi-annual Pride Week
Molly Adamson Staff Writer molly.adamson@drake.edu
Campus will look a lot more colorful this week, as Rainbow Union puts on its annual Pride Week. Pride Week is a week of events meant to bring awareness to LGBTQ issues and to celebrate the community. “Pride Week is all about visibility,” said junior Kailyn Miller, president of Rainbow Union. “It’s more than just celebrating our diversity, but also acknowledging and respecting those who have paved the way, and also just acknowledging, how far we still have to go. We’ve made a lot of great strides here at
Drake.” Although Drake has made strides in a positive direction, the week is still a reminder of what is to come. “It’s a reminder that no matter how much we’ve done, there’s still more to do,” said the group’s Vice President, junior Hannah Smith. One of the main goals of the week is to spread awareness of the issues facing the LGBTQ community. The drag show, held tonight at 9 p.m. in Parents Hall, will be a huge factor in that mission because it is an event that gets a lot of attention on campus. “Drag has been such a big part of the queer movement for a long time, just because of how gender presentation is such a huge debated topic,” Miller said. “It’s just a way for people to
celebrate, and to show that this is something they enjoy presenting and performing. For Drake in particular, since it is a fundraiser, it’s great outreach for us.” The show will be free, but donations will go to Iowa Safe Schools, an anti-bullying campaign. Last semester, the show raised $320. This money sent a Gay Straight Alliance club to Iowa Safe School’s annual Governor’s Conference. The group is hoping to surpass that amount this time around. Rainbow Union has a busy week ahead, but its activities for the semester are not limited to Pride Week. The organization holds meetings every Wednesday at the CAYA (Come As You Are) House at 9 p.m.. At these meetings, topics related to the LGBTQ
community are discussed, ranging from “queer in the law” to bullying. Rainbow Union will also be hosting an “Other Prom” for highschoolers in the Des Moines area who feel uncomfortable going to their own proms, whether that be because they aren’t allowed to bring who they want or to wear what they want. The group will also be busy during Relays, as it will host an LGBTQ and allies lunch with the alumni that come back to Des Moines. The brunch is on April 30, is free for all students and is $10 for alumni. It will be in the Turner Jazz Center from 9 to 11 a.m.
Pride Week events Wednesday Drag show
Parents Hall, 9 p.m.
Thursday
LGBTQ cupcakes Trans day of visibility vigil
Friday Sextival
Pomernatz Stage, 1 p.m.
BREAKING NEWS: THE TD HAS A SNAPCHAT Add Drake-TD for senate election results and campus updates
03 | news
March 30, 2016
NEWS CAMPUS NEWS
Clash of clubs causes free speech concern Grace Rogers Staff Writer grace.rogers@drake.edu
What happens when two organizations on campus directly oppose each other? That was the issue Drake University faced last week after a tabling campaign, put on by Drake Students for Life, the campus’s pro-life organization. Students for Life set up an informative table and display outside of Hubbell Dining Hall to inform students about their side of the issue of abortion. “Tabling is a quick and easy way to reach many students on campus,” said senior Cassandra Aerts, president of Drake Students for Life, in an email. “The main purpose was to spread awareness to students so that they know our group is on campus, since we just started up this year.” The group also brought in an outside speaker to help with their tabling. “Reagan Nielsen is the regional coordinator for the national Students for Life Organization,” Aerts said. “She had an educational display about Planned Parenthood that she wanted to share with our campus,
and we agreed that it would be a good display to have.” The display covered many topics relating to Planned Parenthood, including the recent controversial videos released by the Center for Medical Progress. The videos allege that Planned Parenthood sold fetal tissue and body parts to research organizations for a profit. A large debate about the accuracy and legitimacy of the videos ensued. “Obviously, Voice of Choice works closely with Planned Parenthood, so to see that Students for Life claimed they betrayed women was frustrating,” said junior Taylor Eisenhauer, president of Drake Voice of Choice. “We don’t agree, and that’s okay. But the fact that they were blatantly saying things that weren’t true was very frustrating. Not a single state investigation found that Planned Parenthood mishandled any fetal tissues.” Voice of Choice is an organization meant to promote reproductive health and justice issues. Although Voice of Choice was frustrated with the content of what Students for Life was sharing, Director of Student Engagement Equity and Inclusion Tony Tyler explains that the university allows for completely open dialogue on
all sides of any issue. “It’s important to allow a free exchange of ideas, especially on a college campus,” Tyler said. “It’s the core of who we are as a university. We try very hard not to regulate the content of what organizations are saying, but rather to handle logistical issues.” “When it comes to the element of the actual content of what they’re saying, it gets more difficult,” Tyler said. “Our society hasn’t come to a definitive answer on this particular issue. Drake is a product of our society in that way – our campus reflects that. There’s an element of trying to create space for the dialogue to happen, and our students are doing an excellent job at facilitating this conversation on both sides.” Aert decided to start Student for Life to encourage this dialogue. “There was not a Students for Life group on campus for years,” “So a friend and I started it last April. We’ve been active on campus ever since. When there are two sides to an issue, it’s always important that each side has a voice.” “This is an important discussion,” agreed Eisenhauer. “We want Drake students to be able to make an informed choice.”
It is rare that two student organizations oppose each other so directly on campus, but the university has a policy in place to ensure all organizations beliefs are given the opportunity to be represented. . “We attempt to have a standardized process that any student organization engages in as far as having events, doing tabling, those sorts of things,” said Tyler. “And we do our best to make those processes as similar for every student organization as possible. With each side of a potentially charged issue, we allow free access for those organizations to table and express their opinions and their thoughts.” Both groups understand that this is a difficult conversation. “We recognize it is a controversial issue, so we are trying to make sure both sides have a voice,” Aerts said. “Since it's a controversial issue, there will always be strong opinions and reactions surrounding the subject. We aim to create an environment where peaceful and thoughtful conversations can happen.” “Our concern is not that Drake Students for Life exists on campus,” Eisenhauer said. “They have the same rights to
spread information as we do. We want to create a space in which Drake students can consider accurate information and make an informed decision for themselves.” However, from the administration’s perspective, this discussion happened just the way that they would like. “This discussion seemed very civil, it seemed very developmental, it seemed like people along the spectrum on this issue were being challenged and had to delve more deeply into their thoughts,” said Tyler. “Absolutely, at times, emotions were heightened and I think that’s totally normal, especially around this topic. I had conversations with students from both organizations throughout the day, and they seemed to keep this discussion centered in civility and respect. I don’t think you could ask for much better than that around a difficult topic like this.” Taylor Eisenhauer is a member of the Times-Delphic staff as a paid copy editor. Eisenhauer had no editorial oversight in the content of this article.
STUDENT SENATE
Allocation committee to revisit funding cuts for next Senate meeting CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Controversy ensued among senate members when two events from the Malaysian Student
Association were cut because SFAC believed it could collaborate with a similar event that the Chinese Students and Scholars Association had a budget for.
“Given the small amount we cut from other organizations versus cutting two whole events for (the Malaysian Student Association) just doesn’t seem equitable to me, considering it is a separate event,” Sen. Olivia O’Hea said. “I think it’s our role to tell how
they’re funded; I don’t think it’s our role to tell them… when to collaborate.” Sen. O’Hea also brought up an issue with the Rainbow Union’s budget because $300 for a private photographer and printing photos was cut from the budget. “There was a fear that if a lot of students there had cell phones or were just taking photos, or if there wasn’t a professional
photographer, information would get out that would ruin the confidentiality with this event,” Sen. O’Hea said. “For me, I’m comfortable cutting $300 from somewhere else to justify this.” Both issues were discussed thoroughly, and the Student Fees Allocation Committee will be revisiting those issues to bring back to the table next week.
04 | opinions
March 30, 2016
OPINIONS STAFF OPINION
Externalities of anti-Trump demonstrations or ‘disruptors’
John Wingert Staff Writer john.wingert@drake.edu
Much ado has been made since Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s emergence onto the political landscape of the vitriol and temperament of his rallies. In response to Trump’s message, demonstrators have emerged at these rallies to challenge his rhetoric. While the rhetoric deserves to be challenged, there are many potential problems with such demonstrations. The first, most noticeably, is personal safety. Whether it means you are merely pushed around or sucker-punched or pinned to the ground, antiTrump demonstrators seem to be putting themselves in
harm’s way by attending such rallies. However legitimate the grounds and however peaceful the demonstration, the anger of the people attending Trump rallies seems to put contrarians in danger. Whether this anger is natural or manufactured by Trump with the reckless abandon that he used to manufacture the disastrous Trump magazine, the scene is dangerous to any opposition. But tactically, there are even larger concerns. The increasing frequency of anti-Trump demonstrators, or as Trump prefers “disruptors,” has only increased Trump’s popularity. If the goal is truly to defeat him, then countering him with protests is setting that goal back. On an ideological level, it feeds the narrative of Trump and his supporters. Their narrative is one of needing to take America back and “make it great again.” They constantly criticize political correctness. Many Trump supporters have professed that they do not share his “politically incorrect” views, but they are simply so glad to be able to hear politically incorrect ideas from their politicians. Although saying something beyond the pale is not by itself a reason to vote for someone, it is nonetheless the narrative Trump’s supporters believe.
STAFF OPINION
So, when you measure out the effect of demonstrating against Trump, what are the consequences? It would seem apparent that you would only reinforce the narrative that political correctness is blocking the unadulterated flow of ideas. If the anti-Trump demonstrators distract from the rally or force a cancellation, as was seen in Chicago, then the narrative of political correctness blocking an exchange of ideas is reinforced. This holds true in the numbers. When likely Republican voters were asked whether these antiTrump demonstrations made them more or less likely to support Trump, twice the amount said that these made them more likely to support him than less likely to support him. As much as it is painful to admit, the only way to counter Trump’s message is to debate it like legitimate policy proposals. Although it is distressing, delegitimizing it with slogans or demonstrations only strengthens the support for Trump. After all, people rush to defend those that they perceive to be under senseless attack. The logical counternarrative is to allow the full flow of ideas and pragmatically refute Trump’s arguments. Think a wall costing tens of billions of dollars will fail to
prevent legal visa overstays? Use that point in meaningful dialogue with Trump supporters. Fail to see how banning all Muslims will engender the good will amongst Muslim countries we need to build an ISIS-thwarting coalition? Mention that point. Find discrepancy with Trump advocating for “hedge-fund guys” paying more while his tax plan provides huge tax cuts for them? Debate that point. Trump fails in debates where the moderators ask tough questions. After the first Republican debate, focus groups almost unanimously said he lost, and many said they were no longer considering Trump as a viable candidate. Trump does better when rivals devolve into trivial, ad hominem attacks, like insulting the size of his “hands.” Such tactics boosted Trump in Marco Rubio’s home state of Florida and ended the Rubio campaign once and for all. Although it is exceedingly challenging to debate Trump like an adult, those who oppose him must persevere and reach out to his supporters with coherent argumentation rather than demonstration. Such demonstrations will only force the tribalistic, embattled masses to cling tighter to the narrative they have formed. If their ideas are allowed
unrestrained expression, it may bring out an ugliness we had long since hoped had died, but it will allow them to be challenged openly with superior ideas. It is distressing that what is called the Overton Window, the spectrum of ideas which fall within the politically mentionable, has expanded under Donald Trump’s candidacy. Many wish that his ideas could be kept out of the Overton Window, but the time to gird ourselves against their entry has passed. This rhetoric is not only within the window, but it was arguably within our friends and neighbors for years. It begged to be let out and has finally found its chance. These ideas can only be tackled by pulling them out a few centimeters each day until the entire beast is dragged into the sunshine where it will perish. If the American people are patient, calm and decide to engage in the lengthy process of dispelling these ideas with tolerant, but steadfast diligence, we can cure this infection.
DEAR FUTURE PRESIDENT
Underdogs of March Madness Dear future President: Daunting tasks ahead
Jacob McKay Staff Writer jacob.mckay@drake.edu
March is the best month of the year. If you love sports or suspense, you can agree with that statement, at least partially. March Madness, or the celebration of basketball that is the NCAA tournament, might as well be a month-long national holiday. We love the NCAA tournament because no other sporting event in this country creates this amount of sustained excitement. People with no connection to basketball still fill out tournament brackets to compete with family, friends and coworkers. The amateurism of the NCAA is attractive to many who don’t like the flash and the flare of the NBA. These are college players, student athletes, who might be competing on the biggest stage of their lives. They can come from big
college programs with tradition and money, like the Universities of Kansas or North Carolina, who are expected to play every March. They can also come from small schools with very little national exposure, like Middle Tennessee State or Stephen F. Austin. We love March because it’s those teams, the little guys, who pull off the impossible. They dash our hopes at picking the winner of every game and ruin brackets nationwide, but they capture our imagination. They confirm the beauty and the thrill of sport, and in doing so, make us believe anything is possible. From 64, to 32, to 16, to eight, and then four, and then one final team, we follow as much of the action as we can. We love to love underdogs, and the tournament gives us plenty every year. Teams seeded from numbers one to five are teams we expect to win, but we watch because teams from six to 16 create surprises. w This year, at least one team seeded at each number from nine to 15 won a first-round game. A 15-seeded Middle Tennessee State beat a two-seeded Michigan State in the round of 64 in the biggest upset of the tournament so far. This year, more than many others in recent memory, has exemplified what the spirit of the tournament is about. Even if the teams we expect to win don’t win, we’ll keep watching, because that is what makes March great.
THE TIMES-DELPHIC The student newspaper for Drake University since 1884
TIM WEBBER, Editor-in-Chief timothy.webber@drake.edu JILL VAN WYKE, Faculty Advisor jill.vanwyke@drake.edu JESSICA LYNK, News Editor jessica.lynk@drake.edu ADAM ROGAN, Sports Editor adam.rogan@drake.edu PRANEETH RAJSINGH, Photo Editor praneeth.rajsingh@drake.edu
MORGAN GSTALTER, Managing Editor sydney.price@drake.edu JAKE BULLINGTON, Digital Editor jacob.bullington@drake.edu GIULIANA LAMANTIA, Relays Editor giuliana.lamantia@drake.edu MICHAEL LOPEZ, Design Editor michael.lopez@drake.edu
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Parker Klyn Staff Writer parker.klyn@drake.edu
Being the “leader of the free world” is no easy job. The United States’ next president will be the official spokesperson for our interests, whether we agree or not. But in this age of party loyalty and partisan deadlock, there will be millions who will be disappointed in the results. Whoever is elected in the 2016 presidential race, even more than usual, has an unbelievably daunting task ahead of them. The United States faces a plethora of issues across the globe. Especially on the heels of horrific terrorist attacks in developed, secure nations like France and Belgium, countries will look to the United States for its role as the world’s police. Whether or not you believe that America should assume that role is irrelevant — millions of people around the world will look toward the United
States to help them keep safe in these dangerous times. Being the official spokesperson of the American people, the next president will need to help promote our image abroad as a nation of hard workers, rather than complacent, xenophobic slobs. In recent years, the United States has become reactive instead of proactive in advancement of social issues. We were one of the last developed Democratic nations that legalized same sex marriage — a fight that is still fought today within states’ governments. The U.S. is far more lenient in their gun laws than other countries, and their citizens pay the price. The next president will have to prove that the U.S. values all lives equally — a black man’s life is worth as much as a white man’s life, and an immigrant’s life is worth as much as even the president’s life. Domestically, the United States has miles to go before it returns to its economic glory while retaining social advancement. In my short life, I have never seen the American people so deeply divided — a damning reflection of the policy gridlock in Congress, where representatives refuse to cross party lines even to accomplish something mutually beneficial. On issues ranging from education to government benefits to taxes to health care and more, people maintain dozens of different opinions. Unification
of these ideas is easier said than done, but the person we elect will literally be the president of the United States; they ought to be qualified. Throughout American history, the best presidents — or, at least, the most influential — have always unified their constituents in times of strife. George Washington helped establish a country. Abraham Lincoln unified a country that was literally divided down the middle. Franklin D. Roosevelt, for the first time in American history, provided a focus on its poor class. Unification is essential, especially in times like this. I believe that Barack Obama will go down as an average to above average president, but from what I’m seeing from current candidates, he will be sorely missed. All of the major candidates have immense flaws: Clinton’s reversal of views, Sanders’ impracticality, Kasich’s lack of excitement, Cruz’s incendiary personality and Trump’s clear lack of respect in general. Obama is not a perfect president — his persistent use of drone strikes is dumbfounding — but he provides an aura of calmness and relaxation, which are two characteristics that are sorely needed as president of the United States. One thing is for sure: whoever is elected has a hell of a job ahead of them.
The Times-Delphic is a student newspaper published weekly during the regular academic year and is produced by undergraduate students at Drake University. The opinions of staff editorials reflect the institutional opinion of the newspaper based on current staff opinions and the newspaper’s traditions. These opinions do not necessarily reflect those of individual employees of the paper, Drake University or members of the student body. All other opinions appearing throughout the paper are those of the author or artist named within the column or cartoon. The newsroom and business office of The Times-Delphic are located in Meredith Hall, Room 124. The Times-Delphic is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The editor-in-chief sits on the Board of Student Communications.
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05 | opinions
March 30, 2016
OPINIONS THE MOVIE BUFF
BOOK NOOK
Claustrophobic, apocalyptic sequel ramps up the intensity
Sedaris shares witty personal stories in ‘When You Are Engulfed in Flames’
Eric Deutz
Film Critic eric.deutz@drake.edu
Who run the world? Beyoncé would say girls. Most everybody else would say Beyoncé. I, however, would make a very strong case for director and producer J.J. Abrams – and he just pulled off the Beyoncé of all film premieres with “10 Cloverfield Lane.” After directing and producing “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which boasted one of the most high-profile (yet secretive) marketing campaigns ever, the next movie he produced was a low-budget film that went under the name “Valencia” for a very long time. The real name of the film wasn’t revealed until less than two months before the movie was set to open in theaters, and though it certainly didn’t shock as many people as Beyoncé did, the title “10 Cloverfield Lane” sent ripples through a film community that had found a cult favorite eight years ago in “Cloverfield” (also produced by Abrams). Released with a total cast of only five actors, and called not a sequel but a “spiritual successor” of the first film, “10 Cloverfield Lane” certainly drew curiosity.
Let’s face it — Abrams sure knows how to sell a movie. The only thing he’s better at than selling them is making them, and he’s helped craft another fine one here. There are several times “Lane” tries to be more than it is, but when it truly buys into its own simplicity, it serves as a tense, funny, and consistently engaging thriller, as well as a showcase for the talents of its lead actors. Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) doesn’t seem to be having the best day – we find her at the top of the movie driving alone in the middle of the night and ignoring calls from who seems to be her boyfriend. Things get even worse when she’s blindsided by a passing truck and is knocked unconscious. When she wakes up, inside a locked room with a broken leg and an unfamiliar man bringing her eggs and toast, and, that’s when she really knows she’s hit rock bottom. Eventually, she learns that she was found on the side of the road by this man, Howard (John Goodman), and that he’s taken her down to his underground bunker. Howard explains to her that the air on Earth’s surface is no longer safe, that everybody outside is dead and that they would have to wait this catastrophe out down here, whether that be weeks, months … or more than likely, years. Along for the ride is Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), also seeking shelter from … whatever it is that’s happening up there. But as always, nobody is who they seem to be, and the roommates are eventually forced to decide if the evil terrorizing the outside world is actually worse than the evil they discover within each other. French existentialist JeanPaul Sartre famously said, “Hell is other people.” He knew all
too well that humans are our own biggest threat, and firsttime director Dan Trachtenberg understands and portrays that part of the human psyche expertly here. We learn who these characters are very slowly as the story unfolds, which allows us to laugh with them, sympathize for them and fear them all at the same time – and helped along by spot-on performances by the leads, this creates a constant atmosphere of unease. That being said, this movie works best when it doesn’t try to force itself on us. Certain dramatic elements don’t seem to connect to anything else in the story, others leave open-ended questions that never get addressed and the “happy” ending feels way too easy after all we’ve gone through to get there. But all in all, “10 Cloverfield Lane” succeeds – and suggests new frontiers to be explored in the way of cinematic universes. Grade: B-
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE can be seen at some theathers in Des Moines, including Flix Brew House and Carmike Cobblestone 9. PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES
STAFF OPINION
SeaWorld’s orca decision makes waves
Jessie Spangler
Assistant Relays Editor jessica.spangler@drake.edu
Before I saw the “Blackfish” documentary, it had never occurred to me how sea animals suffered in captivity. I have never been to SeaWorld, but I have seen dolphin shows at the zoo. After watching “Blackfish,” I tried to imagine what it would be like to have your only life purpose be to perform tricks for food, spending your days swimming in circles. It sounds depressing. Not only does it sound depressing, but it’s also unhealthy. “Blackfish” is a documentary that originally aired on CNN. It revealed what orcas, specifically one named Tilikum, suffered while living in captivity. It emphasized that humans interacting with orcas was not only unhealthy for the animals, but also dangerous for the trainers. Tilikum alone has killed three trainers during his time in captivity. The most recent death happened in 2010. SeaWorld has 600 pages of incident reports of unanticipated aggression towards
trainers from orcas, with more than 100 reports of whales biting, pushing, pulling, ramming and lunging at trainers, which have led to countless injuries. Aggression towards humans and among orcas is almost non-existent in the wild. Being a lifelong animal lover, it broke my heart to hear about what really goes on in SeaWorld. Orcas, dolphins and other sea animals in captivity are constantly being exploited for one thing: greed. Contrary to popular belief, animals are not here for our entertainment. National Geographic stated that orcas in the wild usually live about 50 to 80 years. Orcas in captivity usually die in their teens. According to John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer who spoke about his experience in “Blackfish,” said that calves would be taken away from their mothers at around three to four years of age. This never happens in the wild; orcas stay with their family units their entire lives.
According to a website called SeaWorld of Hurt, orcas are contained to a tank that contains 0.0001 percent of the quantity of water that these whales usually travel in a single day. This is the equivalent of living in a bathtub for humans. T h e combination of small living spaces and incompatibility between the
groups that the orcas are placed in makes for irritated and stressed animals. Trainer injuries and deaths are by no means the fault of the individuals but of SeaWorld itself. Due to the difficult living conditions the wild-caught whales are forced into, they start having psychological problems. This can cause interactions between trainers and whales to become dangerous. When SeaWorld announced that the orcas living there now would be the last generation, I was ecstatic, but also a little skeptical. I was skeptical because while it’s nice for SeaWorld to announce that, I will be anxiously waiting to see if their actions will match up with their words. I am desperately hoping that this announcement is more than a promotional stunt. A calf has just been born to one of the orcas there, which means that technically one more whale will have to live its life in captivity. However, if SeaWorld’s statement is true, this means countless good things for both the trainers who work there and the orca whales. This means no more orcas will have to suffer physical and mental stress or float lifelessly for hours on end, and no more whales will be forced to live in a tank the size of a bathtub. Also, no more trainers will be injured or even killed by orcas. Hopefully SeaWorld’s decision to end the orca shows will have other similar businesses follow its lead. I am hoping that this will be a start to something much bigger, something that will eventually apply to not just orcas, but also to dolphins and other sea animals that are taken from their homes and forced to perform.
Natalie Larimer
Staff Writer natalie.larimer@drake.edu
Welcome back to my unqualified opinion on literature. Today’s pick: “When You Are Engulfed in Flames,” by David Sedaris. This book is a collection of essays about Sedaris’ life, ranging from his accidental befriending of a French pedophile to moving to Japan to attempt to quit smoking. This is the first book by Sedaris that I have ever picked up and I have not regretted it one bit. The cover of the book is my favorite painting by Vincent Van Gogh, “Skull with Cigarette. The contents are so funny that I had to put the book down several times so I could recover from laughing. Basically, David Sedaris is a strange guy who has a truckload of crazy experiences that he has written no less than nine books about. He and I share the similar interests of not understanding French, a strong desire to own a human skeleton model and being entirely too dependent on caffeine. Sedaris also has this beautiful way of not caring about anything, regardless of how important it is. There is evident in the quote, “High school taught me a valuable lesson about glasses: Don’t wear them. Contacts have always seemed like too much work, so instead I just squint, figuring that if something is more than ten feet away, I’ll just deal with it when I get there.” That is the kind of person I want to be. It also helps that Sedaris and I have similar (nearly exact) political viewpoints, so his opinions never seem to offend
me. For instance: “It’s safe to assume that by 2085, guns will be sold in vending machines, but you won’t be able to smoke anywhere in America.” This is in his story about how his hand was forced when it comes to quitting smoking because America outlawed smoking nearly everywhere. He then makes multiple sarcastic comments complaining that the government is trying to eliminate his chances of getting cancer, which is oppressive. Obviously. My absolute favorite stories of his always revolve around his experiences in France. Sedaris and his boyfriend, Hugh, have a house in Normandy, a region in northern France, and though he has taken a class on French and lived there on and off for years, Sedaris has yet to master the language. It’s particularly funny for me, the French minor who barely knows how to introduce herself, because I can relate so well to his struggles.
The contents are so funny that I had to put the book down several times so I could recover from laughing.
In his story, “In The Waiting Room,” he talks about how he gives up on learning French and just starts saying “d’accord,” which translates to “okay,” to everything anyone says to him. This lands him in several strange situations, such as sewing up a stuffed animal for a concierge and accidentally agreeing to dental surgery. His journey down the nosedive of “d’accord” leads to this truly iconic sentence, “It’s funny the things that run through your mind when you’re sitting in your underpants in front of a pair of strangers.” Sedaris offers humor and stories that almost everyone can relate to. Pick up any of his books and you won’t be disappointed. Basically, please read any of David Sedaris’s books. They’re like if I were funny and had interesting stories to tell.
Humans of Drake Each week, staff writer Rachel Wermager captures stories of students on Drake’s campus
Bailey Zander • Sophomore Graphic Design and Advertising Major, Spanish Minor “I’ve always liked doing art since I was a kid; I tried to take as many art classes in high school as I could and I didn’t know what I was going to do with it at the time until I took a graphic design class my sophomore year of high school. So when I found graphic design I figured it was a way for me to continue doing art and do that as a living.”
06 | opinions
March 30, 2016
OPINIONS STAFF OPINION
CAMPUS EVENTS
Construction disrupts classrooms
Bucksbaum lecturer influenced student’s childhood
Hilary Padavan
Staff Writer hilary.padavan@drake.edu
As I’m sure everyone knows by now, construction on the STEM building has been underway for quite some time. The tall chain-link fences were set up to keep students and faculty out of harm’s way weeks ago, the big trees behind Medbury have been chopped down and there is now a huge hole between Olin and Fitch. While it is rather interesting to walk past the construction zone and see the progress that’s being made every other day, actually focusing in class can be a bit difficult. Last Monday, when classes started up again after spring break, it was nearly impossible to concentrate on my lecture. I’m assuming that the construction workers were busy carving out the aforementioned hole next to Olin. Every few minutes for the full three hours I was in Olin, the entire building would shake and groan as dirt was dug out from around the basement layer. Tensions were clearly high in the classroom as every time one of the building’s vibrating fits set in, my professor would grimace and glare in the general direction of the construction zone as the students would grumble in
annoyance amongst themselves. I was admittedly dreading the rest of the school week if every class period was to be this way, but luckily the noise has seemed to have died down for now. But when the actual construction of the new buildings begins, I’m sure the noise level will spike once more, rendering most of the study spaces in Olin useless to every student who doesn’t have a heavy duty pair of headphones or an impeccable ability to drown out background noise. It’s rather unfortunate, though, since I always see students in the lounges of Olin getting work done between classes. My hope is that most of the really loud construction will get done over the summer when there aren’t as many people on campus to be affected by the noise. I definitely think the science students will still have to grit their teeth and try to focus in class for a while until construction is done, which is scheduled to be complete sometime in 2017. If construction is really as distracting as it was on Monday all through next year, I know I’ll have to be doing a lot more studying outside of class to make up for the material I missed while focusing on the clatter. I am mildly optimistic, however, that we have thicker walls than I’m thinking we do, and the noise won’t be completely unbearable, so students and professors can get their work done. Hopefully, construction on the new walkway connecting Olin and the STEM building is finished before winter sets in, otherwise it’ll make for an even colder winter for the poor science students trying to attend class in a building that has a gaping hole in its side.
Natalie Larimer
Staff Writer natalie.larimer@drake.edu
Put on your safety glasses, grab your bowties and mark your calendars to see the one and only Bill Nye the Science Guy on April 14 in the Knapp Center. Drake announced back in February that Nye would be giving the annual Bucksbaum Lecture. Previously, the Bucksbaum Lecture has been given by influential individuals such as Neil deGrasse Tyson and Tim Gunn. These lectures are made possible by a generous gift from late Melva and Martin Bucksbaum, longtime member of Drake’s governing board. Let me just come right out and say that I am pumped for the speech. I’ve loved Bill Nye since I first heard his name in first
grade. I remember my entire class chanting “Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill” along with the theme song and asking our teacher if we could visit Bill in his lab. (That one is still on my bucket list, just FYI.) As soon as I heard the news about the lecture, I bought his latest book just so I can get his signature on it, which I will treasure for the rest of my life. I think the reason Bill Nye was so significant to me is that he really showed that science was a fun thing to play with rather than just a bunch of numbers and graphs. He did things like cut giant wheels of cheese with a saw and go snorkeling to explain the ocean’s ecosystem to us. It was always fun to watch his show, and it showed us how science is used in the real world and also how everything we deal with is connected to some form of science. The first moment I can remember trying to mimic Nye is when I was in elementary school. I would dissolve Smarties candies into little Dixie cups of Gatorade and say I made a solution that would cure cancer. (I never did test that one on an actual cancer patient, so who knows — it might actually work.) Earlier that day, we had watched Bill Nye’s episode on chemical reactions, and I was so enthralled by it that I decided then and there that I would
BATTLE OF THE SEXES
This week: Public breast-feeding It takes a lot to make Joe uncomfortable and Claire challenges those who are against breast-feeding in public to put themselves in the women’s shoes. Either way, both agree this is not something to fuss over. Who do you agree with? Tweet us your response @timesdelphic
Joe Herba
Staff Writer joseph.herba@drake.edu So what does it mean to be breast-feeding in public? Is it gross? Is it normal? Is it weird if you look or look away? Personally, I don’t know what to do, and I don’t know if that is because of my own personal reasons or because of how everyone reacts to the entire subject. It would be weird if everyone was looking away and were all squeamish, and then there was me, who was not shielding my eyes and making it not a big deal. Growing up in a household of all women, it takes a lot to make me uncomfortable, and breast feeding is one of those things that just doesn’t seem to phase me. Let’s, for the sake of the argument, pretend that women had a choice when they needed to breast feed, which they don’t. If given this option to breast-feed at any time, in the middle of the day in public, how is that anyone’s issues besides a woman’s own. This is a legitimate question, and
I don’t mean to make this sound sassy, but how is that anyone’s business besides the baby’s and the woman’s? I have seen so many YouTube videos shaming women about breast-feeding in public even when they were covered up. I don’t know what it is about the whole breast-feeding topic that makes people so mad regardless of whether or not they actually see a breast. If a woman is exposed in public, I also just want to point out that it is a nipple. I have one. No, actually I have two. That’s how used to them I am by now. And as a science major, I can tell you that every single person has nipples because we are all innately genetically inclined to be female and male parts are not formed until later on. This means that male nipples are the exact same as female nipples. Another thing I would like to add is that we should all be pretty comfortable with female nipples. This might be scandalous to say, but I am pretty sure 99.999 percent of people were at least somewhat familiar as to what a female nipple looks like and potentially feels like (in their mouth) since their first months of being alive. Granted people might not remember it, but I promise that we were all pretty friendly with them at one point in time. So, next time, don’t be afraid to act normal around breast-feeding women.
Claire Franksen
Staff Writer claire.franksen@drake.edu Breast-feeding is one of the most natural things that happens in life. The sole reason that women have full breasts on their bodies is so that they can feed a child, if it were to come into the picture. So when I hear that people have been making a big fuss about doing something that is so natural and essential for the development of a baby’s life in public, it makes me very upset. In 2013, 77 percent of mothers chose to breast-feed their children, and it’s easy to see why so many mothers made this decision. Breast milk contains antibodies that fight off viruses. Many of those antibodies are not found in formula milk. Nursed babies are less susceptible to allergies and asthma and also get fewer ear infections and respiratory illnesses than babies who are bottle-fed. With all these benefits of breast-feeding, it’s not hard to see why so many mothers choose to breastfeed.
As we all know, mothers can’t just put everything on hold for the six-to-18 months that they are breastfeeding and stay in the comforts of their own home. Therefore, sometimes a mother has to go to extreme measures and breastfeed in public. But no, it’s not that extreme, and most mothers don’t see anything wrong in doing this, which is where the controversy arises. The “Free the Nipple” campaign has been a major advocate for breastfeeding in public. Currently, it is not illegal to breast feed in public in any state, though many people believe it to be taboo and inappropriate for women who are providing milk for their children to show their nipples as they do it. In restaurants, mothers are often asked to move to the bathroom to breastfeed instead of staying at their table. In parks, mothers have to cover up their baby with a nursing cover so that her nipple will not be exposed. It doesn’t make sense. I could take this argument a lot further if the discussion was on “freeing the nipple,” but this is something much more simple than that. This is about providing milk for a baby, something that we as women were born to be able to do, even in public. It shouldn’t be a big deal, I don’t know why it is and the stigma against it needs to change. I encourage anyone that doesn’t understand this to eat their next meal in a bathroom stall or under a blanket.
be a chemist when I grew up. Currently, I am a chemistry major, so hopefully my plan pans out, because that’d be a really cool story to say when somebody asks why I became a chemist. It really pains me to see people who grew up on Bill Nye starting to dislike him because of his views on evolution. You can’t say that he isn’t a good guy because he believes something different than you. A while ago I was at church when I mentioned that “Bill Nye the Science Guy” is one of my favorite TV shows from my childhood, and I got glares from a bunch of people because they saw his debate with Ken Ham about creationism versus evolution back in 2014. To me, that doesn’t matter at all. I love Bill Nye because he introduced me to the field I want to study and work in for the rest of my life. Just because I like him doesn’t mean I hate creationists or hate God or something. There’s such a stigma about this for some reason, and it’s really annoying to me. Yes, I understand that he is not quiet about his belief in evolution, and he is always ready to engage in debates about it. But that doesn’t make his influence on our generation any less significant. It’s Bill Nye the Science Guy, not Bill Nye the Atheist Guy.
07 | features
March 30, 2016
FEATURES CAMPUS EVENTS
Former ‘Glee’ star advocates for acceptance of disabilities
Anna Jensen Staff Writer anna.jensen@drake.edu Many people know her as the face of Becky Jackson, the cheerleader with Down syndrome on the hit TV show “Glee,” but on March 23, Drake University students got to know her as Lauren Potter, a young woman who overcame her struggles and achieved her dreams. The Student Activities Board Campus Impact Committee partnered with Drake Best Buddies to bring Potter to campus, where she spoke on Pomerantz Stage and told the audience to never stop dreaming big. People with disabilities think about the same things as everyone else, Potter said during her speech. Potter was born with Down syndrome and has had a passion for acting and dancing ever since she was three years old. Her dream was always to be an actress. In her mid-teens, that dream came true when she landed role in the then-new TV series “Glee” in 2009. “One day I got a call from one of my friends who worked in Hollywood -- she worked to find actors with Down syndrome for casting directors,” Potter said. “She told me there was a part on a brand new series looking for a girl with Down syndrome to be a cheerleader. I had always wanted to be a cheerleader.” Through her role as Becky Jackson on “Glee,” Potter got to express both a funny side and a romantic side, which made her character not much different than anyone else on the show.
“I was looking for love (and) sometimes afraid of what the future would bring. Sounds pretty normal, right?” Potter said. Being able to live out her dream made Potter realize that, everyone is capable of achieving their dreams, despite what may make them different from the norm. She wanted her message to reach people who might be doubting themselves. “Since being on ‘Glee,’ I have had the chance to speak up for others who have big dreams,” Potter said. “I want to help people with and without disabilities find their voices and encourage them to chase their dreams, whatever they are.” “Glee” gave Potter a voice loud enough to try to make the world a better place. Her message is about putting an end to bullying people with disabilities and simply to be kind to everyone. “I want to live in a world where people care about other people and who try hard not to hurt people with words or actions,” Potter said. Potter told the audience that she was bullied as a kid, and she has been speaking about it with the hopes that no kids or adults will have to go through it, especially with regards to intellectual disabilities. “We really are all different in one way or another,” Potter said. “We all need to stand up for one another, so everyone can live, go to school and go to work without having to be afraid.” Potter has dedicated a part of her life to a campaign working to stop the use of the “R-word” when describing people with disabilities. After her 15-minute speech, Potter enthusiastically responded
to audience members’ questions, asked by both students and Best Buddies members. Trinity Zeiger, a member of Best Buddies, said that Potter’s speech reminded her of something her favorite singer Taylor Swift said a few years ago on stage. “Taylor Swift said we are all the same, we are all people,” Zeiger said. “Lauren’s message was similar to Taylor Swift’s because Lauren said we are all unique, but we are also all people and should be respected (for) that,” said first-year Madeline Cheek, who is partnered with Zeiger’s in the
Best Buddies organization. Potter’s message and influence made Drake students want to help others and fix the bullying problems that she emotionally addressed in her speech. Many students signed a banner that said, “Stop the use of the R-word,” before and after Potter’s speech. “I think I am going to join Best Buddies now,” said first-year Josh Hughes. “I had been debating whether I would do some sort of mentoring or something like Big Brother, Big Sister or Best Buddies. and Lauren’s speech really solidified my decision.” Junior Lara Cox, president of Drake Best Buddies, thought
this event was a success because Potter brought issues to light and was very inspiring for the members of Best Buddies. “For one, she’s super down to earth and a role model for most of the kids,” Cox said.“Her message about stopping the use of the R-word means a lot more coming from a celebrity and a person who identifies with an intellectual disability rather than just a peer.” Potter’s friendliness and openness inspired students. Cox said that Poter’s message is universal and cannot be reiterated enough—be kind and stop bullying.
GLEE’S LAUREN POTTER visited Drake last Wednesday to speak to students about the importance of being accepting of those with disabilities and her personal experience with Down syndrome. PHOTO BY ALEXIS CRUZ | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
POLITICS
Political protests continue to strive for change despite risks Emily VanSchmus Staff Writer emily.vanschmus@drake.edu @vansmooches
Earlier this month, over 6,000 individuals gathered in Chicago at a rally for Donald Trump. In addition to the supporters there to hear Trump speak, protesters were there and ready to let him know their thoughts. As one Politico reporter noted, the protesters included several University of Illinois at Chicago students, and most were young black and Latino individuals. They told news outlets they planned to link arms during the event to make a silent statement, one they hoped would make a bigger statement than the large crowd of Trump supporters shouting about building a wall. After the supporters and protesters had all gathered, the Trump campaign announced they would be postponing the rally, citing safety concerns. Trump later told the news he didn’t want anyone to get hurt and tweeted about the ‘thugs’ at the rally. Hours later, fighting between Trump supporters and protesters made headlines, continuing the recent debate of whether freedom of expression outweighs possibilities of violence or harm to both protesters and innocent bystanders. This topic was recently raised in JMC 104, a journalism law and ethics course. Junior Mari Moroz explained that protesters do not always have the right to assemble and speak their minds, especially when violence is involved, but stopping violent gatherings is easier said than done. “From what I have learned in J104, it’s really difficult to limit the freedom of speech here in America, which some can consider a positive or a negative thing,” Moroz said. She explained that for protests, which are usually considered content-based speech,
the situation must be put through different tests in order to legally stop protests. These tests have many elements, and each element must be met in order for a city to forbid protesting in a specific area, making it difficult to take legal action against protests that may bring harm to individuals involved. For this reason, protests continued after the cancellation of the Trump rally and became violent, as fights broke out in the streets between supporters and protesters. Moroz explained that she sees the bigger danger in media coverage, rather than the actual acts of protest that occurred that night. “There is so much negativity that instigates violence and hatred because of how the media is showing Trump’s campaign, and really any of the campaigns in the current presidential race,” Moroz said. “The safety concerns are there, but not because there are protests, but because of the negative language surrounding
the protests and what both sides of the protests have to say about each other.” Senior Ben Verhasselt said he believes the benefit of allowing political protest is the creation of a more critical and embracing society, and called Trump’s reaction to the ‘safety concerns’ “nauseating and detestable.” Some students, like Verhasselt, find that the reason some protests become violent are because people care so deeply about issues that they need to be heard. “I think sometimes protests need to become violent before anyone will listen. So if that means taking on additional risks then maybe that’s how you stop a tyrant like Trump,” Verhasselt said. “I think we’re all aware that Trump is a megalomaniac committed to no truth and no God. He’s threatened journalists, spoke lovingly of Putin, encouraged violence and he’s the new American face of white supremacy. So what do I think about the protests? I think they’re only the beginning.” Junior Kenia Calderon echoed
this sentiment, saying she feels that not protesting is the same as supporting. “If we allow his events to happen without people trying to stop them then we are basically saying we are ok with his presence and message,” Calderon said. “It’s hard to speak for everyone who have protested at his rallies and say that yes the benefits do outweigh the risk, however, I personally think for me it does outweigh the risk. I have protested at two of his rallies and I will do it again if I have the chance.” Calderon organized the protest of Trump’s appearance at Drake in January, and described being racially profiled as soon as she walked in the door. Verhasselt heard of the protest after he was already at the event, and joined the group of students shouting ‘We love vets, Trump loves war.’ All protesters were immediately escorted out. Both Verhasselt and Calderon said they would have participated in the protests in Chicago, had they had the chance. “Seeing how people from
different communities such as Latinos, Muslims, African Americans, and Allies were able to come together to shut his event down gave me hope that him and his followers will get the message that America rejects his racism,” Calderon said. Verhasselt added that the ‘safety concerns’ that Trump cited would not have been a factor in his decision to participate in Chicago. “When people locked arm and arm in peaceful protest are being struck, called down, elbowed and beaten I think that’s the greater safety concern,” Verhasselt said. Moroz explained that she feels an understanding of our freedoms and rights as U.S. citizens is equally important as understanding our moral limits. “We can protest all we want, as long as we are civil and know what we’re talking about with facts to back up our arguments and opinions,” Moroz said. “Education and awareness are the most important aspects of any political or social conversation.”
DONALD TRUMP’S rhetoric has incited multiple occasions of violence and protests during his campaign for the Republican nomination. The protest that occurred in Chicago over a week ago was the most recent instance of public backlash against the candidate. PHOTO BY SARAH LEBLANC | FEATURES EDITOR
08 | features
March 30, 2016
FEATURES TERROR ABROAD
Media coverage affects reactions to terrorist attacks Beth LeValley Staff Writer beth.levalley@drake.edu
Tuesday morning, March 22, was solemn. More than 30 people were killed and 250 were injured during attacks at an airport and metro station in Brussels, Belgium. This was the largest attack in Europe since the Paris attacks last November. But hundreds of other attacks have happened around the world since Paris, including 11 major attacks in countries such as Turkey, Ivory Coast, Yemen and Nigeria. Junior Rebecca Cohen traveled to Brussels last spring while studying abroad in London and said her “heart was sad” when she heard about the attack. “It was just this beautiful city. It felt like a hidden gem,” Cohen said. “I just picture the cobblestone streets in my head, and everyone was so friendly.” Cohen reacted with sadness on Tuesday, but this attack was more personal for her. “This is the only one I posted a social media post about in recent times, just because it’s somewhere I’ve actually been,” Cohen said. “It hit a little closer to home because I didn’t go to Paris. I didn’t go to Turkey.” Cohen said she didn’t react as emotionally when San Bernardino was attacked in California in December, either, even though it was on U.S. soil. “I’m more in-tune to places I have been and places I want to go,” Cohen said. “(San Bernadino was) hard to ignore because everyone was posting about it and everyone was talking about it, but it felt further away than Brussels.” Cohen and senior Ali Jandal both blamed the media for not covering all attacks equally. “The media gets to pick what topics they cover, and even the choice of words they use,” Jandal said. “When a white person commits an act of terrorism, they call it ‘mental illness,’ but when a Muslim or someone with brown skin commits an act of terror, it’s ‘terrorism.’ When they cover Paris and Brussels and the U.S., it shows that they care about those countries more. They’re clearly putting a value on these Christian white people that died, but they’re not putting a value
on their Muslim brothers and sisters.” Professor Debra DeLaet teaches international relations at Drake. When attacks like these happen, she tries to put it in a “scholarly context” for her classes. “The number of children that die of preventable diseases far outnumbers the number of people that die from terrorist violence every year,” DeLaet said. “Why do we react different to human rights abuses to disease versus this type of violence?” DeLaet also said the media contributes to these emotions and reactions. The daily grind of poverty and global health are not covered as often because they require deeper investigative journalism, DeLaet said. However, Cohen said she can understand why Brussels is getting more attention because it’s the host city of the European Union. The general idea is that unequal coverage of these attacks leads to Americans feeling scared and vulnerable, but students at Drake don’t feel this way. “I’m more concerned for the safety by the potential of idiots running the country,” Cohen said. “I’m afraid of ISIS, not Muslims, and there’s a huge differentiation between them—(a) huge differentiation.” Jandal, a Muslim himself, said people often forget to think critically when making assumptions about Muslims. “Where I feel affected as a Muslim is that you see this rise of bigotry and hateful rhetoric,” Jandal said. “No one will ever criticize me because they know me, and they humanize me because I’m a person in front of them. But they will dehumanize the entire Middle East, they will dehumanize Muslims, they’ll dehumanize my culture, but they’ll put me out of it because they know that I’m an okay person.” Jandal said he feels safer in the United States than he would anywhere else in the world. “I’m very confident in U.S. security,” Jandal said. “I’m worried about going to Europe, but I’m not worried about staying here.”
JUNIOR REBECCA COHEN visited Brussels last spring during her semester abroad. After forming a personal attachment to the city, she was saddened to hear of the attacks last Tuesday. PHOTOS COURTESY OF REBECCA COHEN
09 | features
March 30, 2016
FEATURES J-TERM
CAMPUS EVENTS
Olmsted hosts salsa Thursdays Cuba J-Term to visit past and future landmarks Cassandra Bauer Staff Writer cassandra.bauer@drake.edu
On Thursdays in Olmsted’s Mezzanine, Allison Peterson of Salsa Des Moines teaches students latin dance, free of charge. These lessons are sponsored by El Ritmo Latino, an organization dedicated to promoting, celebrating and exploring Hispanic and Latino heritage and culture through their meetings and events. Estuardo Menendez-Villa, president of the club, hopes in the future for all potential members to understand the club doesn’t shut out those who are not Latino. “We give people the opportunity to come together through different backgrounds, I feel like those that do attend the events realize you don’t have to be Latino to be a part of the culture,” he said. Menendez-Villa has been in the club for three-and-a-half years and has been a part of its transformation. Before El Ritmo Latino’s current state, MenendezVilla was part of La Fuerza Latina, which is a group dedicated to providing a space for students to foster dialogue around issues impacting Latinos. According to Menendez-Villa, the group was struggling with finding and keeping its members, so he decided to branch off and create more of a social club, which became El Ritmo Latino. Shortly after, El Ritmo Latino decided to attract members by giving Latin dance lessons.
“If nothing else, the dancing is bomb,” Matthew Malmberg said. “Even for the people who think they ‘can’t dance,’ if you can count to four and count to six, you can dance. It is not that hard. You don’t have to be all like, ‘Latino senorita, move your hips,’ or whatever. You can just go and relax, so that’s awesome. It’s just cool to get to learn about a culture that is not your own, I find that super interesting.” Malmberg is a sophomore at Drake and discovered El Ritmo Latino and its dance lessons at the Activities Fair last year. He believes that the people he meets in the group are awesome and the meetings are “super chill.” “Dance is just a way to relate to other people,” he said. “The way we dance here is very different from the way they dance in Africa. The way we dance here is very different from the way they dance in Puerto Rico, Mexico, take a country, usually you dance differently. It is a way to bridge the gap. It’s a universal language, it doesn’t matter if you’re from there, or know the language, or have no relation to them at all. If you can dance like them, you’re cool, you can hang out. In a way it brings a part of other cultures to you.”
Ellen Koester Staff Writer ellen.koester@drake.edu Education professor Matthew Hayden will be leading the first J-Term class to Cuba in 2017. Since U.S. diplomatic relations with Cuba were severed over 50 years ago, the United States has put in place several restrictions on travel to Cuba. Even after President Obama’s recent visit, there is still an embargo on trade between the countries, and Americans cannot enter Cuba as tourists. They can, however, enter the country for educational purposes, as Hayden will with 15 to 20 students this upcoming January. The interdisciplinary class is open to all students eligible for a J-Term. According to Hayden, there has been a lot of interest in the class so far. “I have 78 names on the interest sign up sheet,” Hayden said. Hayden stressed the importance of going to Cuba as early as possible. Many in the country are still using 1960s technology and cars. Now that the United States is moving forward and talks are opening up about loosening the trade restrictions, companies are beginning to look to add updated American merchandise to Cuban streets. “It won’t look the same as it looks now for very long. Things have already rapidly changing,” Hayden said. “Students can go and see the past and the future
at the same time right now. If we wait much longer to go, we’ll lose that look at the past.” The itinerary for the trip includes visiting many different industries on the island, such as a tobacco factory and a sugar plantation. Students will also stay overnight at the infamous Bay of Pigs. “A lot of the time for the J-Term (classes) themselves, the baseline is helping getting students in a different place than the Iowa bubble, and this trip will certainly do that. One of the reasons I chose Cuba is that they are going to see a different life,” Hayden said. One of the goals of this trip is to see “other options that are just as viable as the ones they know.” Neil Hamilton, an agricultural law professor, has been taking law students to Cuba for several years. He started going in 2011, shortly after President Obama loosened restrictions on educational trips to Cuba. “The surveys and responses we get from students often say ‘life changing.’ It’s a unique opportunity to see Cuba,” Hamilton said. Hamilton also addressed some common misconceptions Americans have about their island neighbor. “Cuba is one of the safest places in the world to travel. The university has a ranking of the risk of the J-Term countries. Cuba is one of the only countries that has a safety rating of one— the safest,” Hamilton said Another misconception
Hamilton mentioned was that Americans think Cuba “is like a big prison camp.” Hamilton emphasized the pride Cubans have for their home country. “Cubans’ pride is that they were able to survive opposition by the most powerful country in the world. What the Cubans want out of this is a bit of respect. They should be able to control their own government and their own decisions,” Hamilton said.
“Students can go and see the past and the future at the same time right now.” Matthew Hayden Education Professor
Both professors expressed that they were willing to continue their respective travel programs. Hayden, however, said that he fears the trip may grow too expensive as restrictions lessen and demand increases. The twoweek long course this January will cost about $4,800.
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Students fill historical shoes Hannah Thomas Staff Writer hannah.thomas@drake.edu
Jessica Onove couldn’t sleep. After weeks of debating and negotiating, the trial was the next day. Her classmates would get to decide whether or not she was beheaded. More accurately, she was worried whether or not her character, Thomas Cromwell, would be beheaded in the class reaction game. Onove was one of the students who decided to take “The Power of Tradition, the Forces of Change,” one of the first-year seminars offered last fall, taught by English professor Elizabeth Robertson. This class is one of several classes at Drake University that are styled after a game. Robertson has been teaching these classes, called “role immersion” or “reacting” classes, for about a decade. She discovered them through a faculty seminar. “I was a little skeptical at first, but I became intensely involved in the game,” Robertson said. “I’ve taught it ever since.” Reacting classes are centered on a specific event or time period in history. Before the game begins, students are assigned a role they will fill throughout the entire process. These roles depend upon the game, but are often based on well-known historical figures. After that, the students control what happens. “The game is never scripted,” Robertson said. “Once the game starts, the students run the class.” The professor becomes the “game master” and focuses on making sure the students are behaving in the way they should for the setting of the game. Sometimes the professor will pass notes or send e-mails nudging a student to bring something up in class, but they will never interrupt the game. Throughout the course, students will have papers that they write, both in-character and as themselves. These include speeches, argumentative papers and reflection papers at the end of the course. Public speaking is also a big
part of the course, as students present evidence and ideas to advance their characters’ agendas throughout the game. “It was stressful and intense,” said Katy Weidner, another student in Robertson’s course last semester. Another role-immersion class came to Drake this semester: a history course taught by professors Karen Leroux and Amahia Mallea. “I’m excited by how much learning I am seeing before my eyes,” Leroux said. Just five weeks into the semester, she already saw improved discussion questions in her students. “I think the power of asking a good question can be really creative and inspiring,” Leroux said. These courses do more than teach students to ask good questions. They also help students learn to think critically about the information they receive, conduct complete and accurate historical research and succeed in public speaking. Alexis Cruz, a student in Leroux’s class, is excited for the historical content of the class. “You get the feeling of the actual people involved in history rather than the overarching themes,” Cruz said. Students in this class are completely immersed in the history of the time they are studying. The goal is to try to see the world from their characters’ eyes. The learning is not confined to the classroom. “We spent so much time outside of class on our roles, especially when two or three of us were together,” Onove said. “It felt so real by the end.” “It’s something that everyone should experience at least once.”
10 | sports
March 30, 2016
SPORTS WOMEN’S TENNIS
MEN’S TENNIS
Shorthanded Bulldogs pull off two wins
Problems in Houston
Ante’s injury not severe, Drake 1-0 in conference Men’s Tennis loses three straight, shut out once, conference up next Adam Rogan Sports Editor adam.rogan@drake.edu @Adam_Rogan
JOELY LOMAS makes a routine return at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center. She sports a record of 5-5 so far in her freshman campaign and is an impressive 10-3 in doubles matches. PHOTO BY PRANEETH RAJSINGH | PHOTO EDITOR Adam Rogan Sports Editor adam.rogan@drake.edu @Adam_Rogan An injury to the Drake women’s tennis team’s no. 1 — senior Mariel Ante — benched her on Saturday, leaving the Bulldogs with only five viable players for their doubleheader against Upper Iowa University and the Northern Iowa. That means that one point would automatically go to Drake’s opponent in each match and an automatic forfeit in one of the doubles matches, leaving the Bulldogs at a disadvantage. “It’s tough,” head coach John Hollimon said. “You start down 0-1 … Everybody’s got to go out and get the job done. I think they didn’t really play any differently than they would’ve any other day, other than they have that urgency that you can’t give (your opponent) an inch because you’re already starting down.” For Upper Iowa on the morning of Saturday, March 26, that forfeited match would be its only point of the day. “Going into the match, obviously being down a player, we knew that we really had to step it up, and I think we came out and did that today,” sophomore Summer Brills said. “Everybody played their butts off.” Drake won both of the doubles matches by scores of 6-2 and 6-1, and the singles matches would go just as well for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Tess Herder won
every game on the no. 3 court for a 6-0, 6-0 victory. Freshman Joely Lomas finished soon after with a 6-0, 6-3 win of her own. Brills took the decisive fourth point with a win on the no. 2 court, a 6-3, 6-2 straight-set victory. Taking on the University of Northern Iowa Panthers that afternoon – Drake’s first conference match of the season – the Bulldogs again overpowered their opponents despite being outnumbered. Both of Drake’s doubles teams got out to 2-0 leads in their matches, but the Panthers battled back. On the no. 1 court, Lomas and senior Maddie Johnson never relinquished their lead, although the Panthers did draw to within one game on two occasions, on their way to a Bulldog victory. Playing on the no. 2 court, Brills and Herder faltered fell behind 2-3 in a match defined by streaks. But they responded in turn, retaking the lead and moving ahead 5-3. Again, the Panthers battled back and tied the match at five games each. Down the stretch, however, the Brills and Herder dominated. The duo only lost one point in the final two games and won the match 7-5. Winning that doubles point kept the Bulldogs on an even plane with the Panthers to start singles, leaving the match tied at 1-1. Sophomore Mela Jaglarz snapped a five-match losing streak with a straight-set victory
on the no. 5 court. Herder followed with a 6-2, 6-2 win, extending her win streak to three straight matches and improving her record to 7-5. Brills clinched the match, and Drake’s first conference win of 2016, in a back-and-forth three‑setter: 6-0, 2-6, 6-2. Her two clinchers and doubles wins helped Brills earn her the MVC Player of the Week award. “It’s great knowing we’re starting off (the conference season) with a win,” Brills said. Johnson went on to win her individual match in a first-to-10 tiebreaker, while Lomas lost in the same format. The Bulldogs take to the court again this afternoon in a 3 p.m. home match against the University of Iowa before taking the weekend off. There’s a chance that the Bulldogs will be able field a complete lineup for that match, but Hollimon isn’t counting on it. “Hopefully (Ante) will be in the match on Wednesday, but I can’t say,” Hollimon said. “We’ve got to listen to her body and see how it’s doing. These conference matches are very important — they’re more important than the previous matches we’ve played, — but they’re not as important as the conference tournament. She needs to be as healthy as she can be for that.” The Bulldogs will have one more home match on April 7 vs. Saint Louis University before a four-match conference road trip through the middle of April.
It’s been a streaky season thus far the Drake men’s tennis team. The Bulldogs have topped teams like the University of Minnesota (who are no longer ranked, after starting the season at 23rd), LSU (48th), the University of Denver (47th) and Cornell (55th). But these wins came after starting the season 2-3 after losses to North Carolina State (34th), Dartmouth (42nd) and Harvard (50th). And that was all before spring break. While most students went home or on vacation at some point over the past several weeks, the Drake men’s tennis team played three matches against ranked opponents in Houston, Texas, at Rice University. The Bulldogs swept Brown University on March 11, but fell two days later to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a top-40 program. Drake bounced back on the March 22, taking down the 26th‑ranked Oregon Ducks, coming back from a lost doubles point and a 3-2 deficit to win 4-3. Even with the loss to Wisconsin, the Bulldogs had still won seven of their last eight matches and were ranked 44th in the nation with a record of 13‑6. But things took a turn for the worse for Drake last weekend. The Bulldogs lost three straight matches to no. 40 Rice, no. 7 Texas A&M and no. 74 William & Mary, and Drake’s ranking fell to 46th. Drake seemed outmatched by the Rice Owls on Saturday, despite the two teams’ relatively even rankings. Rice swept the doubles point and made quick work of the Bulldogs in singles. Freshman Ben Clark lost in straight sets on the no. 6 court, followed by sophomores Bayo Phillips and Calum MacGeoch on courts 3 and 4, respectively. The following loss to Texas Tech that afternoon wasn’t particularly surprising. Texas Tech is one of the best teams in the country and only needed to travel from Lubbock, Texas, to Houston for the tournament, an eight hour drive. The Bulldogs had more than 14 hours of travel from Des Moines all the way to south Texas. Drake sophomore Calum MacGeoch was the only player to win his match, and he did so in
SOFTBALL
Bulldogs light up scoreboard at Indiana State Matthew Gogerty Beat Writer matthew.gogerty@drake.edu @matt_gogo
Drake Softball has now won four games in a row after sweeping a three-game series on the road against the Indiana State Sycamores this weekend, every game ending via mercy rule. The Bulldogs improved to 16-11 on the season and are an undefeated 6-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference. “Coming away with a 3-0 sweep was awesome,” senior pitcher Mariah McKinnon said. “Playing all of those (games) in five innings was just a confidence booster for the whole team. Against Indiana State, the Bulldogs held their opponents scoreless twice and racked up a total of 36 runs in 15 innings. “It was nice having everyone on the team going and that hasn’t happened all the time,” McKinnon said. “We usually only have one or two people that are picking us up and getting those runs, but the whole team was on so that was a good way to start
conference within the first two weekends.” The Bulldogs were able to get a nice lead early on in the first game, scoring six runs in the second inning. Megan Sowa doubled to center to bring home the first three. A two-run home run from Taryn Pena extended the lead. In the third inning, Sowa was able to bring home two more runs on a double to right field. And a home run from Ashlie Chambers brought the score to 10-4 after the third. The Bulldogs drove home five more runs in the fifth inning, while the Sycamores scored two. That gave Drake a 15-6 lead, sealing victory. Sowa continued her power hitting in the second game, starting off with a two-run home run in the first inning. She went on to hit two more homers in the game and finished with seven RBIs, putting a major spike in opposing pitcher Bailey Benefiel’s ERA. In her last five games, Sowa is 10-for-18 at the plate with six extra-base hits, four homers, 10 runs, 14 RBIs and a
slugging percentage over 1.000. Unsurprisingly, she was named the MVC’s Player of the Week. Freshmen Kennedy Frank and Taryn Pena both scored twice in the game and had two hits each. Sophomore Kailee Smith had a multi-hit game and an RBI. Frank was again tabbed as the MVC Newcomer of the Week for the second straight week. Although she’s honored by the award, she tries not letting it affect her mindset. “I still try to do my best, no matter if I’m not doing so well.” With pitching from McKinnon and a strong infield presence, the Bulldogs only gave up five hits in the game, ending in a 12-0 victory and McKinnon’s first shutout of the season. “It felt good for me to get that shutout in, especially at the beginning of conference,” McKinnon said. “(It set) the tone for what I can do in the rest of conference play.” The third game was a slow start in comparison to the previous two. Both teams went scoreless in the first before the Bulldogs scored one in the second. Then Sowa established her
presence again, hitting a two-run homer in the third inning. Entering the fourth inning, the Bulldogs were able to regain the momentum at the plate that they had played with throughout the series. They scored five runs in the inning, with three coming off a home run by Frank. The Bulldogs drove home the last of their nine total runs in the fifth and final inning, while the Sycamores were unable to bring home any, leaving the score at 9-0. “Once you get going it gets a lot easier to keep going,” Frank said regarding Drake’s explosive hitting. Pitching alternated between Nicole Newman and Mariah McKinnon for most of the series, with Smith relieving Newman in the final inning of the first game. Newman pitched a total of nine innings for the series, and McKinnon threw five. Both pitchers recorded a complete game shutout, giving up a total of only seven hits for the final two games. The Bulldogs are set to take on Southern Illinois at home next weekend in a three-game series.
two contrasting sets. MacGeoch won the first set in a 6-0 sweep and escaped with a 7-5 win in set two. In doing so, MacGeoch also claimed his second MVC Player of the Week Award this month. Against William & Mary the next day, the Bulldogs came closer to ending their skid, but came up short. After Drake fell behind 2-0, freshman Tom Hands gave Drake its first point of the day with a 6-2, 6-4 win. William & Mary got that point back soon after as junior Damon Niquet defeated Bulldog sophomore Ben Stride in straight sets. In a three-set match, MacGeoch managed to take down Alec Miller 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 to draw the Bulldogs back to within one, but that would be the last point for Drake on the day. Senior Ben Lott had managed to win the first set 5-7, but lost the next two 6-2, 7-5 to give William & Mary the 4-2 upset. Had Lott been able to pull out the victory, the pressure would’ve turned to the no. 4 court where sophomore Bayo Phillips was tied with William & Mary’s Lars de Boer in a tightly fought third set. The Bulldogs have more than a week until their next match. They will be hosting Wichita State on April 9 to kick off the conference season. Drake and Wichita State have been the only teams to win the Missouri Valley Conference since 2010, with the Bulldogs winning the conference tournament each of the last two seasons. The Shockers haven’t beaten the Bulldogs since 2013, and Drake hasn’t lost at home to Wichita State since 2010. Drake will look to continue those streaks next Saturday.
Conference Standings Missouri Valley Conference 1. Southern Illinois
8-2
2. Drake
12-6
3. Wichita State
12-8
4. Illinois State
7-9
5. Creighton
4-3
America East Conference 1. Stony Brook
4-4
2. UMBC
4-12
3. Hartford
1-11
*America East teams are affiliate members of the MVC
Coming Up at Drake MARCH 30
Women’s Tennis vs. University of Iowa 3 p.m.
APRIL 2
Softball vs. Southern Illinois Noon and 2 p.m.
APRIL 3
Softball vs. Southern Illinois Noon
APRIL 5
Softball vs. Iowa State 5 p.m.
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12 | sports
March 30, 2016
SPORTS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Bulldogs disappointed with season’s end, set to improve next year Austin Cannon Beat Writer austin.cannon@drake.edu @NotAustinCannon
After year four of the Jennie Baranczyk era, the Drake women’s basketball team has established itself as a Valley contender. This season’s 23-10 record — the best under Baranczyk — marked the Bulldogs’ second straight 20-win season, a feat they have not accomplished since 2002. Drake also finished in second place in the Missouri Valley Conference in back-toback seasons. Individual accolades were in no short supply, either. Juniors Lizzy Wendell and Caitlin Ingle earned first-team All-MVC honors. Forward Sara Rhine was voted as both the conference freshman and sixth player of the year. And while that’s all evidence of a successful season, the Bulldogs’ season still ended in disappointment. “We just didn’t end quite like we wanted in the (MVC) tournament and then the WNIT,” Wendell said. Drake’s two final losses of the season came at the hands of conference foes. In the MVC tournament semifinal against Missouri State — a team Drake beat twice during the regular season — the Bulldogs shot poorly (34 percent) and fell 65-61. “It was just a really tough shooting game for us,” Ingle said. “Nobody was on.” The Bulldogs then earned an at-large bid to the WNIT and hosted Sacred Heart at the Knapp Center for their first-round game. Drake cruised past the Pioneers 95-59 to set up a second-round matchup with Northern Iowa. The Panthers were the only conference team Drake failed to beat during the regular season, and that trend continued when the MVC’s top two regular season teams met for the third time. The Bulldogs again struggled to shoot and Lizzy Wendell only played 20 minutes because of foul trouble, losing again to the Panthers, 6458. “They really wanted to beat us. They played their best games of the year,” Baranczyk said of UNI. “They were a senior class that hadn’t beat us much that really wanted to.” Baranczyk cited the collective “target” on Drake’s back. After
finishing second in the MVC the season before, the Bulldogs were ranked No. 2 in the MVC’s preseason poll. There was an expectation of success. “We didn’t sneak up on anyone this year,” Baranczyk said. An obvious reason for the Bulldogs’ success was the steady play of Wendell and Ingle. The juniors anchored the offense with Wendell scoring 19.6 points per game and Ingle dishing 6.9 assists per contest. They were also the two most experienced players on a young team and mentored the trio of freshman: Rhine, Sammie Bachrodt and Nicole Miller. Each of them averaged more than 19 minutes this season, a hefty load for first-year players. “That initial hurdle of just playing, game experience, is a big piece that we’ve had the opportunity to experience,” Rhine said. Wendell said all three of them have come a long way since November. “By the end of the season, we saw a lot different freshmen than we saw at the beginning of the year,” she said. They’re a big part of Drake’s future, both immediate and long-term. With the return of center Becca Jonas next year, the Bulldogs will bring back a wealth of something they lacked this season: experience. “When you start to look at all the building blocks that we’ve put it place, you’re starting to see something’s happening,” Baranczyk said. Jonas, who Baranczyk said is on-schedule with her rehab from knee surgery, will fill the void left by the graduating Emma Donahue. Along with the incoming freshmen, Drake will have a deep bench a year after only dressing nine players. It’s to the point that Ingle is ready to get back to practice only a week after the season ended. “I’m just excited to start workouts already,” she said, laughing. With the majority of this year’s team returning — and Jonas, who was a member of the all-freshman team in 2014-15 — Drake will again be expected to finish toward the top of the Valley, if not in the top spot itself. “Naturally, people are going to know that we’re going to still be really good, so we’re still going to have a target on our back,” Ingle said. “That’s what makes it fun.”
FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON, juniors Caitlin Ingle and Lizzy Wendell led the Missouri Valley Conference in assists and scoring, respectively. (Top) Ingle drives through two, taller Loyola defenders towards the basket. (Bottom) Wendell gets below a mess of Bradley defenders for the layup. PHOTOS BY MOHAMAD SUHAIMI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Notable Confirmed Bulldogs record eight wins at two meets Drake Relays Athletes TRACK AND FIELD
Men’s 800-meter
Boris Berian - U.S. no. 1, Gold medal at 2016 World Indoors Nick Symmonds – Two-time Olympian, Six-time U.S. champ Erik Sowinski – Bronze at 2016 World Indoors, Former Iowa Hawkeye
Women’s 100-meter hurdles
Lolo Jones - Des Moines native, two-time Olympian Dawn Harper-Nelson - Gold at 2008 Olympics, Silver at 2012 Jasmin Stowers - Defending Relays Champ and Relays record holder Brianna Rollins - Gold at 2013 World Championship
Men’s 400-meter hurdles
Bershawn Jackson - 2008 Olympic bronze, 2015 Relays champion Kerron Clement - 2008 Olympic silver, two-time World Champ Michael Tinsley - 2012 Olympic silver, 2013 World silver LaRon Bennett - Drake assistant track and field coach
Men’s 400-meter
Lashawn Merritt - 2008 Olympic gold, 2013 World champ Kirani James - 2012 Olympic gold Luguelin Santos - 2012 Olympic silver Chris Brown - Three-time Olympian David Verburg - Two-time World Champ in 4x400
Men’s 110-meter hurdles
Aries Merritt - World Record Holder, 2012 Olympic gold Hansle Parchment - 2012 Olympic bronze, 2015 World silver David Oliver - Four-time U.S. Champ, 2013 World champ Omar McLeod - 2016 60-meter hurdles World indoor champ
Katherine Bauer Beat Writer katherine.bauer@drake.edu @bauer_katherine
The Drake track and field team was divided this weekend as they earned first-place finishes in eight different events at two different meets. The Bulldogs garnered the the majority of their wins at the Grand View Invitational on March 25, where a small portion of the team competed. “It was a different environment (at Grand View),” junior Ethan Turner said. “There’s a certain feeling in the air that you get when you’re competing against people that can potentially beat you.” Freshman Josh Yeager won the men’s 800-meters in 1:59.50 after missing most of the indoor season due to a leg injury. “I’m still slowly getting back into running (and) things seem to be going well,” Yeager said. “It wasn’t so much winning that got me happy, it was being able to run again and compete. The win was nice, but that wasn’t what it was about.” Emma Huston placed first in the women’s 800-meters in 2:18.39. Katie Berger won the 5,000-meters in 20:34.17. Tyler
Zak took first in the 400-meter hurdles in 57.77. In the men’s triple jump, Turner claimed first with a jump of 44 feet and 7.5 inches. Sean Buczek was just behind him with a jump of 44 feet and 5.5 inches. “Me and Sean have always competed,” Turner said. “He had me on the first couple of jumps. It was between me and him to motivate each other because the competition was him.” The men’s and women’s 4x800 relay teams both took first as well. On March 26, the majority of the team competed at the Arkansas Spring Invitational in Fayetteville where the Bulldogs experienced strong competition from Missouri, Mississippi and Oklahoma State. “I think it’s always fun going against bigger schools, seeing what they bring to the table,” Vincent said. “I just enjoy competition, really, so it doesn’t matter who it is.” Pierce Vincent set new personal bests in the 100-meters and 200-meters with times of 10.40 and 21.18, respectively. He placed second in the 100-meters behind professional athlete Wallace Spearmon. “For (personal bests) to happen so early, it sets my season up to be pretty good,” Vincent said. “I got some more time I (need to) drop. I’m in a good spot.
I feel pretty confident about what I can do.” On the field, Kayla Bell won the triple jump with a leap of 40 foot 4 inches, which was just short of her own school record. “It shocked me, actually. I didn’t know how well I did until I read the actual article (about the meet),” Bell said. “Being that close that early puts me in a really good spot.” Taryn Rolle placed second with a personal best jump of 39 feet 10.5 inches. “I have a lot of stuff to work on and that’s completely fine with me,” Rolle said. “It’s good to see (Rolle) get competitive,” Bell added. “She’s not just going to sit there and not compete. It’s always good to see us competing together.” Bell also had a 19 foot 3.5 inch personal best jump in the long jump to finish third. Personal records continued back on the track with Virginia Hill recording her best time in the 400-meter hurdles to place fifth in 59.86. The men’s 4x100-meter relay placed second in 40.23. The Bulldogs will split up again this weekend. Several field athletes will be competing at the Texas Relays, while Drake’s top runners will either go to the Stanford Invitational or the San Francisco Distance Carnival.