March 4, 2020

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The weekly student newspaper of Drake University Vol. 139 | No. 19 | March 4, 2020

FEATURES A panel on local racial issues was held on Feb. 29; read up on the history of the Black Panthers in Des Moines.

Read more on page 3

SPORTS Drake held its annual Pink Out women’s basketball game on Feb. 22. The team defeated opponent Bradley in the match.

Read more on page 5

COMMENTARY The new film ‘The Invisible Man” hit theatres on Feb. 28. Read one critic’s review on how the movie differs from the typical thriller.

Read more on page 8

timesdelphic.com

Black on Black Banquet THE BLACK ON BLACK BANQUET was a celebration organized by Drake’s Coalition of Black Students. It was held on Feb. 29.

PHOTO BY VISHVA TUMMALAPALLY | DESIGN EDITOR

Closing out Black History Month with a celebration of black excellence Cameron Bolton Staff Writer cameron.bolton@drake.edu

The Coalition of Black Students held its annual Black on Black banquet in Levitt Hall on Feb. 29.

The theme of the event was ‘stepping into your truth.’

Lunch was served to those who attended the event, which featured two keynote speakers.

“If it’s more like a keynote sort of thing, sometimes I’ll just ask the people who are booking me what’s going on your campus,” the first speaker, FreeQuency said. “What would be the most relevant for you and your students to hear, and then I’ll shape a show around it, insert poems here and there.”

FreeQuency is a workshop leader, social justice teaching

artist, host and performer who read her poetry for the audience to enjoy.

“Other times I’ll be hosting a show or something, so I’ll listen to what other students are saying their poems, and I’ll try and do poems based on what they’re saying to be in conversation with them,” FreeQuency said.

The second speaker was Bryant K. Smith, a workshop facilitator, trainer, speaker, author and award-winning educator who went over several topics in a prepared speech.

“Most of what happens is I try to find out if there’s a theme to this, whatever event I’m invited to, and I talk to the organizers about any issues that they’ve been facing or some particular topic they want me to address,” Smith said. “My disciple is communication, so

I’m very much in tune with pop culture and current events. So I always see what’s current and happening currently... I’m very good at taking current events and making them so that the average college student cares about them and understands why they should care about them.”

Besides, Smith said, there might be some audience members who, if the banquet was held in November, might not have felt comfortable if their friends asked why they were attending the event. Since it was Black History Month, it might be more acceptable that they want to go.

“The most important thing that I think I talked about today was having a sense of unity about who you are,” Smith said.

“Knowing that who you are doesn’t mean you look down

on anyone else, but it gives you a sense of pride to understand that I figured I’m colored, but as long as you are firmly rooted in who you are, you’ll be able to overcome.”

FreeQuency felt that the event happening during Black History Month was a doubleedged sword in the sense that as a full time artist, she is ‘always grateful for any opportunity to perform because it allows you to keep maintaining your art.’

Still, FreeQuency continued, they always challenge people who book speakers during black history month to schedule them outside of black history month because blackness is something that is occurring all of the time.

So it should also be celebrated, honored, showcased, all of the time as well.

“I always hope that my poetry will allow people to just

stop and ask themselves what is it that I can or should be doing to contribute towards whether it’s black liberation, whatever liberation that they’re currently working or dreaming towards,” FreeQuency said. “I hope it’s a catalyst at least to start thinking through, and if not, if you’ve already been thinking through it, then to just do something about it, whatever that ‘doing’ is for you. Sometimes that ‘doing’ for me is writing a poem.

Sometimes a ‘doing’ for me is organizing protests. Sometimes a ‘doing’ for me is something else, and it’s mentoring people, but figuring out what to do and start doing it. Because it’s going to take a lot of work and work is easier for each of us individually if we’re all holding our parts collectively.”

Student senate: redefining the RSO process Lizzie Deal Staff Writer lizzie.deal@drake.edu

A student senate task force is currently investigating different ways that could reinvent the process by which organizations apply to become RSOs, or registered student organizations, on campus.

The student senate decided to start coming up with ideas to reform and streamline the process after Turning Point USA was denied status as a registered student organization in November.

“There’s definitely been some areas for improvement that I’ve noticed, in full transparency, after there was come turmoil from the Turning Point USA denial,” Student Body President Nick Johnston said. “There was some additional pressure put on us from the administration to revisit this process. I welcomed it. I think there are some constructive things we can do better about our process.”

The goal of the taskforce, according to Organizational Affairs Senator Ian Klein, is to “have a conversation and share

ideas on how the RSO process could be revised to better serve the student body.”

The current system for registering organizations requires that prospective organizations meet with the Organizational Affairs Senator after doing some preliminary paperwork. They are also evaluated for a few key characteristics, such as having five plus members, a president and treasurer, and a written constitution. From there, the organization goes to the student senate to gain either a final vote of approval or denial.

Klein, whose position has made him responsible for assisting potential organizations with the RSO process for the past two years, has been sharing the knowledge and experience he’s gained on the job with the task force.

“I hope that the RSO process can be more clearly defined so as to better assist student groups in understanding what is required of them in the RSO process,” Klein said over email.

“Second, it is a hope of mine that any revised structure from the task force can provide long-term stability for the RSO

process.”

The task force is made up of students, faculty and staff who have met to discuss the history of the RSO process as well as potential ideas to improve the system. The members also have varying degrees of knowledge regarding the current RSO process to give the task force different perspectives on the current system and diversify the ideas presented.

“We intentionally picked

some people who aren’t really familiar with the process to get an outside perspective,” Johnston said. “These first few meetings have been like ‘here’s what the process currently looks like, here’s the history, here’s what peer institutions do.’ This week we’re going to talk more about proposals.”

The task force hasn’t made any decisions regarding the RSO system as they are still in the early stages of discussion.

Once they do reach a conclusion, the student senate will have the final say on whether or not it is implemented and what changes will be made.

“Whatever the task force decides, that will go to the student senate and that will be public record, whatever the suggestion is,” Johnston said.

“Hopefully they’ll come up with a recommendation and then Student Senate can approve it.”

STUDENT SENATE is redefining the process by which they select on-campus groups to become registered student organizations. PHOTO BY IAN EVANS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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NEWS

MARCH 4, 2020| Page 2

NEWS

STUDENTS ON THE RWANDA J-TERM traveled to Africa to study sustainability and learn about the country.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VISHVA TUMMALAPALLY | DESIGN EDITOR

J-term examines sustainability in Rwanda

Alexia Simonton Contributing Writer alexia.simonton@drake.edu

The J-term in Rwanda provided students with an opportunity to grow in their appreciation for community and sustainability while allowing them to gain new perspectives on their lives and future careers.

Michael Renner, a professor of biology, psychology and environmental science and sustainability, traveled with 16 students to see four national parks, participate in a day of service, and study ecotourism, conservation and genocide in Rwanda just 25 years after the Rwandan genocide.

Education Abroad Adviser Nathan Jacobson shared his perspective on the importance of a global experience such as the Rwanda J-term.

“We advocate for students to have international experiences because it allows them to gain fresh perspective, learn about

another place or people and often allows you to learn more about yourself and where you call home,” Jacobson said.

Renner started taking students to Rwanda in 2016.

“This country has a national scale thought about how to do conservation and use ecotourism to build the economy,” Renner said.

“Once students have seen one of those amazing places on earth, they become ambassadors of it.”

Renner is able to be an ambassador through collecting powerful examples and striking images to use back in the classroom of how animals find mates, find food and handle predators.

Students who went on the trip have become ambassadors not only for sustainability, but for the values and lessons they learned along the way.

Abbey Youker, a student who went on the trip, became visibly emotional when describing the lesson she will take away the most from Rwanda.

“You learn about how much the Rwandans used forgiveness in order to save both themselves and the people that hurt them,” Youker said. “If they can forgive people for doing something like that [genocide] then I can definitely forgive someone for getting on my last nerve. It made me a lot more patient and more in check with what really matters.”

Junior Allie Girvan also discovered a new outlook on life during the trip.

“I’m a lot more aware of waste and my privileges,” Girvan said. “When we were hanging out with the kids, they had very dirty legs because they don’t get to shower every day or have multiple choices of clothes. It’s made me want to be a minimalist.”

The trip’s focus on environmental sustainability and ecotourism has impacted both students’ future plans for a career. Youker’s experience seeing the animals in the wild has led to new research questions.

“In zoos, there are so many limitations,” Youker said. “I want to know how I can increase the wellness of these animals that are being protected and the animals that are in the zoo. How can I increase the wellness of the two while using each other?”

Girvan found inspiration for her career through Rwanda’s sustainability accomplishments.

“After I went there, I was sure that I wanted to be a city planner,” Girvan said. “I want to work for a national park and help develop it. You can do so much sustainability with that.”

Beyond careers and life lessons, the students made memories and friendships that are still important to them today. Through seeing gorillas in real life, getting charged by an elephant, having long bus rides with each other and doing community service work, the students formed special friendships in just a two-anda-half-week period.

“The entire group was so diverse,” Youker said. “It has made me want to reach out to a lot more people at Drake.

There are so many cool people here that I never even glanced at.”

The global perspective that the Rwanda J-term gave to many environmental science, animal conservation and sustainability interested students is an example of how J-terms can impact a student’s life.

“I wish every Drake student had the opportunity to get an experience like this for them and their interests,” Renner said. “Every student needs to have an amazing, this is why I came to college, experience.”

Girvan said she was lucky to have the Rwandan experience that gave her a lesson that can be applied far beyond Rwanda and far beyond J-term 2020.

“When there is a tragedy in society, I think you can grow together and work together,” Girvan said. “Rwanda really shows that.”

Worlds in Collision: the state of Latino politics

Kendall Hunt Sports Editor kendall.hunt@drake.edu

The Latino population in America is under attack, and some are “attempting to rid the nation of it.”

This was the warning of David Ayón, senior strategist at Latino Decisions, during his speech on Latino politics Tuesday night at Drake University.

Ayón, whose appearance was sponsored by the Slay Fund for Social Justice, presented to more than 15 Drake students, many of whom were of Hispanic descent, 4 teachers and a small group of Des Moines community members.

“Recently there has been backlash to the Hispanic community, enhanced by repatriation pressures,” Ayón said. “Some people are trying to reduce the size and influence of the Latino population by attempting to rid the nation of it. Some fear that without enhanced restrictions on immigration, our community would enhance its presence in culture, society and politics.”

Ayón is co-author of

“Power Shift: How Latinos in California Transformed Politics in America,” a book that discusses the origins and growth of Latino leaders throughout the nation.

In his presentation, he emphasized the lasting impact of the leaders who resisted government discrimination and encouraged students to learn, lead and fight for representation.

Specifically, he centered his analysis around the 2016 presidential election and the resulting fear of a “Hispanic invasion” that has spread and led to increased persecution.

“Latinos have faced backlash before, but did not have the tools of influence to resist,” Ayón said. “Our new Latino elected officials are a product of a history of Latino political tradition that stretches back to the 1940s.

The current backlash is the most severe it has ever been, but we as a community are not just awakened, but mobilized, organized and empowered for change.”

David Skidmore, event organizer and a professor of political science at Drake, echoed Ayón’s comments.

“Whenever there’s progress, there’s going to be

a backlash, but that doesn’t mean you end up stalled in one place because with each phase, you learn more about how to empower yourself,” Skidmore said. “We were able to use that same progress and lead to another era. A lot of people are discouraged about politics right now but we can keep moving forward.”

Ayón closed his remarks with an appeal to Drake students to support the Latino community’s growing influence in politics.

“I’ve tried to distill it to three core elements,” Ayón said. “One is learning.

Students need to learn, and a lot of learning has to happen before you can have any involvement. Another one I call development, but by that I mean developing as activists, as organizers, as leaders and critically of networks. Without those networks, you’re not going to advance anything.

See every relationship as an opportunity to build on it.”

He continued, “And the third I like to call resilience.

Of all those Latinos that were elected, nearly all of them had a losing election before they could win. And that ties back to learning. Unless you’re willing to experiment and

DAVID SKIDMORE AND DAVID AYON pose for a photo at the Worlds in Collision lecture on Feb. 4. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID

SKIDMORE

take risks, and not know what the outcome is, be willing to learn from a failure or a mistake. This resilience is necessary in politics, or your goal is not going to happen.”

Ayón received applause from the audience at the conclusion of his speech and stayed afterward to answer the questions of several students, including first-year

attendee Josefina DeLaCruz.

“Overall, the lecture was great,” said DeLaCruz, who is majoring in international relations and Spanish.

“It gave Drake students a different perspective on Latinos throughout history and how they’ve changed politics.”

FEATURES

FEATURES

MARCH 4, 2020 | Page 3

Black Panthers in Des Moines: History of Advocacy

STATE REPRESENTATIVE ABDUL SAMAD was a part of the Black Panthers panel on Feb. 29 in Sussman Theatre. PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPANONT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kendall Hunt Sports Editor kendall.hunt@drake.edu

Abdul Samad remembers the birth of black rights activism in Des Moines, as a lieutenant in the Black Panther Party.

“I started my work because of injustice - injustice of black folk, of colored people, and people in general,” Samad said. “With the Black Panther Party, I made a commitment to do this work until I die. I have and will continue to do this work until I die.”

These comments came as part of a panel discussion on racial issues in Des Moines held at 6:00 p.m. Feb. 29 at Drake University. Panelists included members from Children and Family Urban Movement, YMCA and the Willkie House, all non-profit organizations working to better the lives of black people in the Des Moines community.

The Black Panther event was organized by Jazlin Coley, the Service Coordinator for Equity and Inclusion at Drake.

Coley hoped that through the event, students would not only be exposed to the culture of black people and the Black Panther Party, but also feel encouraged to undertake community engagement and service learning within Des Moines.

The root of the Des Moines Black Panther movement traces back to the mid-1960s.

According to The Annals of Iowa Black politics and

activism for civil rights played a prominent role in the city of Des Moines. On one evening in particular, a large group of young African Americans took a stand against racial discrimination in housing, employment, education and politics with a violent demonstration against police in Good Park, Des Moines’ largest black neighborhood.

The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was created in response to the riots to help augment black pride, bring to light black oppression and encourage African American leaders in politics.

The Black Panther movement still persists with sixty survival programs, of which include the organizations of the five panelists. The party’s ideals, ingrained in the black organizations around Des Moines, underline the fight for black empowerment today.

Samad, who is the Iowa State representative of District 35, has experienced a long history of racial prejudice throughout his life. As a result, he built the organization Creative Visions, with the mission of helping economically burdened families in Des Moines as well as guiding black communities to become self-empowered and self-sufficient.

“Black power is the essence of identity,” Iowa State representative Abdul Samad said. “The Black Panthers were started to empower black people, and the way we continue that today is by

taking ownership in our own community.”

In a similar manner to Samad, Dionna Langford, one of the panelists at the event and a youth developer director at the YMCA, has worked all of her life to combat racism and challenge the political systems in Des Moines.

“I want black people to have the ability and ownership to live the lives they want to live,” Langford said. “But this idea is severely limited in this community. We talk about black power as our ability to act and live freely, but it’s not happening in Iowa yet.”

In noting the need for more community involvement with racial problems in Des Moines, Langford encourages all students, not just those of color, to take a stand.

“If we are going to heal this community, we have a lot of work to do,” Langford said, causing audience members to snap in agreement. “For my white students, someday you are going to lead organizations and have the opportunity to make a difference. Not just black folks can fight for equality. Take these seeds that are being planted, and challenge the ways of thinking that have had adverse effects on black communities. We need students.”

AJ Salinas, development assistant at Children and Family Urban Movement, echoed Langford’s comments during the panel.

“We need students and volunteers to help long term,” Salinas said. “We work with

hundreds of kids who need a regular role model, someone to look up to and someone they know is invested in them.

We want to put commitment in our youth so they can do better than us.”

Panelist John Douglas, executive director of the Willkie House, the longest running non-profit in Des Moines, also encouraged students to get involved around the community.

However, in his mission to develop character and self-esteem in young people, Douglas extended his argument further to encourage students to have tough conversations with community leaders and become more educated on black lives and opportunities to get involved.

“The best way to combat ignorance is through exposure,” Douglas said, receiving applause from the audience. “I challenge every single person in this room to do something within the next week that makes you feel uncomfortable.

We need to have these difficult conversations. We need to grow and learn from them and take these ideas back to our friends and family.”

The Black Panther event was packed full of students, many of whom were eager to ask questions to each of the panelists during and after the event and learn more about the Des Moines history of black prejudice.

One such student was Kyle Loecke, who had never been

exposed to the history of black prejudice in Des Moines.

He felt engaged throughout the presentation and asked several questions to individual panelists afterward.

“I decided to attend the event as a learning experience, because I did not know what the Black Panther Party was, especially as a white male,” said Loecke. “But I loved the program and felt very inspired by the panelists. It was amazing to be able to ask questions and stay afterwards to talk to State Representative Samad. He gave me a couple of book recommendations and helped me understand how to just be better, how to get outside this room and get conversations happening.”

Mariah Crawford, who also attended the event, is an active volunteer at Drake and in the Des Moines community.

Working weekly with the community children at the Willkie House, Crawford has already made a significant impact on the surrounding black community, and hopes to continue to do so, as well as motivate others to do the same.

“Students right now want to learn, it seems. This event was important because the speakers forced students to think about and confront challenging topics,” Crawford said. “At Drake, students have easy ways to get involved. The opportunities are all right here, the students just have to make the choice to get involved.”

Professor creates space for mindful meditation online Zoe Treibitz Staff Writers zoe.treibitz@drake.edu

Zoom, an app similar to a group FaceTime, is not an obvious tool to create a space for mindful meditation.

However, after using it to train as a mindfulness facilitator, Bengu ErgunerTekinalp, an associate professor of counseling in the School of Education, realized that it worked to do the mindfulness practices.

Tekinalp will be facilitating mindfulness calls every Monday at 12, with information available for how to access the call on the Drake Event Calendar.

The idea for these calls

came as she was exploring mindfulness and meditative practices with a group of staff in a contemplative learning group she started.

“I realized that I was in search of having a deep connection with myself, my students, and the content I was teaching,” Tekinalp said.

That yearning existed among many other staff members at Drake, which prompted the creation of the original group. Tekinalp hoped to reach many more than just those faculty.

“I noticed that many other people were interested in this work, but couldn’t leave their desk for an hour, but there was a big interest and need,” Tekinalp said.

Telkinalp believes

practicing mindful meditation even just once a week can lead to a more fulfilled life.

“It’s important even as things come in one after the next, we need to become okay with taking a moment to stop and be present.”

“My goal is to give an opportunity to people, on a Monday at the start of the workweek, just to give themselves permission to stop, to pause to focus on the present moment, and I think it

will help them to have a more open awareness and hopefully carry a more relaxed mindset during the week.”

Another member of the contemplative group, Christine Urish, a professor of occupational therapy and the capstone coordinator, was quick to give her stamp of approval in the name of accessibility and in the importance of being mindful.

Urish was quick to point out Drake Busy as a mindset that affects students and faculty across campus, and the idea that productivity often takes precedent, especially as people start their week.

“I think a lot of people have Monday regret, looking at all the stuff they didn’t get done over the weekend or all the

things they have upcoming in the week,” Urish said. “Being able to just stop and take a moment and settle your thinking is so important.”

Pointing out a mala, a small beaded necklace, she had hanging on a lamp in her office, she demonstrated how running her fingers over the beads could allow her to focus on breathing. Urish spoke about how it doesn’t need to be a big deal for people to try meditative practices. “You can just stay in your office and turn off the lights,” Urish said.

“It’s important even as things come in one thing after the next, we need to become okay with taking a moment to stop and be present.”

FEATURES

FEATURES

MARCH 4, 2010 | Page 4

Student leaders host Black History Month events

Madeleine Leigh Staff Writer madeleine.leigh@drake.edu

This February has brought black history back to the forefront of our consciousness.

Politicians, speakers, and teachers wield Martin Luther King Jr. quotes in every other sentence. It is the one month a year America sets aside to remember Black people’s contributions to society.

Student organizations have put on a rash of events covering things like black excellence in history and music and politics, in the world at large and at Drake.

February has been littered with social events as well, as a way to strengthen the black community on campus.

These events, prepared through time and effort by the Coalition of Black Students and Drake’s NAACP chapter, are a platonic example of organizing.

“A lot of organizing actually goes into the month itself,” Amari Love, president of CBS, said. “I would say there’s a lot of pre-planning for it, especially specific events.”

CBS has been planning for this year’s Black History Month since last fall. They assign a committee of members to each event, like the Black on Black celebration that occurred Feb. 29, to ensure every detail gets its

due.

“You have to hit the ground running, but you make sure all your ducks are in a row,” Love said. “A lot of it is small detail work that you have to pay attention to.”

The NAACP had a very similar process, according to Learenna Reynolds, first vice president, and Jamie Dixon, president.

“We wanted it to be easier on us, because we are also students,” Dixon said. “It’s like dividing and conquering with each of the events.”

“Black history is American history, whether a lot of people like to believe it or acknowledge it”

NAACP Drake University chapter is hosted a final event for Black History Month, “We the People,” on Feb. 28 in Meredith Hall.

But the fact that America has to designate a specific month to talk about Black History is troubling to Love, Reynolds and Dixon.

“If it were up to me, Black History Month would not be celebrated in one singular month,” Love said. “To me, every month is literally Black History Month. So, I think it’s essential for everyone, not only black people, but people outside of our race, to

BLACK STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS such as Coalition of Black Students and Drake NAACP both hosted various events this Black History Month. PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPANONT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

celebrate Black History.”

Love continued, “I think it’s so important to do that because we are a part of history, we are a large part of America’s history…but yet, we’re so unrecognized.”

Reynolds had similar opinions.

“Black history is American history, whether a lot people like to believe it or acknowledge it,” Reynolds said.

“Literally, [black people] built the country. It’s very saddening to see that it had to be separated into a month, like it can’t be learned throughout the year.”

Drake’s community,

faculty, administration and students alike, have a way to go on this issue, in these students’ opinions.

“There’s no celebration of [Black History Month] because they don’t understand it, or want to learn about it, or try to,” Reynolds said.

She later suggested, “I think you can start with recognizing the students who exemplify Black history on your campus, because every day we live and breathe as Black history…it could be as simple as an email, like, ‘we want to acknowledge all of the Black people on this campus.

We see you; we hear you;

you are making Black history.’”

Love expressed a similar desire for effort on the part of the Drake community.

“The university can always probably do a better job essentially with helping assist people, and themselves…with learning more about black people and Black History,” Love said. “And that can start with learning about the Black students, first: learning about their needs, learning about what they actually want…I think you have to start somewhere, but why not start exactly where you are? Start with yourself.”

“The Bachelor” watch parties bring students together

THE BACHELOR FINALE will take place on Monday, March 9 and Tuesday, March 10 at 8:00 p.m. eastern time. PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPANONT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kate Franke Contributing Writer madeleine.leigh@drake.edu

Inside a grand white house on 34th St. in Des Moines, Iowa is a group of 15 girls, all laughing at their living room TV screen.

On Monday nights, sorority members and friends gather at the Delta Gamma house at Drake University to participate in a watch party and bracket for the reality TV show “The Bachelor.”

The International Movie Database describes ‘The Bachelor’ as a TV show where one designated bachelor dates several women during

the span of multiple weeks, narrowing them down to find his potential wife.

Self-proclaimed “Bachelor” lover,” Erin O’Boyle, hosts the event and bracket each week.

“I cannot tell you why we love ‘The Bachelor” so much, other than it’s fun to laugh at the absurdity of dating, you know, 10 girls at once,” O’Boyle said.

The watch party is a casual event where attendees eat snacks, wear sweats and discuss their favorite contestants while watching the TV show’s newest episode.

‘The Bachelor” bracket is similar to fantasy football.

Participants make weekly contestant picks and collect

points based on their actions or phrases. When contestants cry or claim to be on the show for the right reasons, bracket participants earn points.

Informal, non-sisterhood events, such as “The Bachelor” watch party and bracket, require little planning or preparation.

The Vice President of Community Engagement on the Panhellenic Council, Emma Torry, said a post in a Facebook group is all that is needed to spread the word about an informal event. The focus of events such as “The Bachelor” watch party and bracket are not on attendance or participation.

“The purpose is to have

fun and get to know people you don’t see on an everyday basis,” Torry said.

‘The Bachelor” watch party in Delta Gamma has been going on for more than two years. Dedicated fans set aside homework, dates and phone calls to family to watch the two-hour long episode each Monday.

Abbey Mertz, a former “Bachelor’” bracket participant and current watch party attendee, likes watching the TV show in a group more than watching it by herself.

Mertz likes to talk about the episode’s drama with friends and gossip about predictions for the rest of the season.

“It is a really fun way to get

everyone together and just be a community,” Mertz said.

The impact of Delta Gamma’s “Bachelor” watch party and bracket is bigger than a shared love of a reality TV show. It draws people with varying personalities and interests to one place, where they can collectively enjoy the show.

“The reason we all love it is because we get to spend time doing something we all enjoy together, and that’s sometimes hard to do when we have busy college schedules,” O’Boyle said.

“This is one we can all come together for.”

SPORTS

SPORTS

MARCH 4, 2020 | Page 5

Women’s Basketball tops Bradley at annual Pink Out game

BECCA HITTNER JOINS 2,000 POINTS CLUB. Becca Hittner, along with her teammate Sarah Rhine, recently joined the 2,000 points club for career points. Her contributions were evident in the game against Bradley as Drake went on to win 85-72. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS. Gracie Geist Contributing Writer gracie.geist@drake.edu

More than 4,000 pink t-shirts were spread across seats of the Knapp Center on Thursday as the Drake Women’s Basketball team took on the women of Bradley in their annual pink out game to support women who have faced or are facing breast cancer.

On Feb. 20, the Drake Bulldogs hosted the Bradley Braves and left with a win.

However, unlike any other game, Knapp was a sea of pink as it was Drake basketball’s annual pink out game.

MercyOne Hospital supplied more than 4,000 shirts for the cause, and many cancer survivors were recognized during half time for their battles.

“It was a very humbling experience,” said Sarah Beth Gueldner, who is a first year on the women’s basketball team. “The atmosphere of the game was slightly different because it was not only a high energy environment, but it was also mixed with emotions as we were playing for those who were or are still at battle with cancer.”

Gueldner, like other players, has a personal connection to the cause as her dad and grandfather are both cancer survivors.

Each player on the team got to pick a specific person to dedicate the game to, and that person’s name was worn on their pink warm-up shirt.

Gueldner’s said ‘Dad.’ “My favorite part of the pink out game was when we were able to give our shooting shirts, which had names of individuals who have suffered from cancer, to the individuals

themselves,” she said.

Sara Rhine, a fifth-year basketball player, agreed, as she wore ‘Mom’ on the back of her warm-up shirt.

“My first few years we didn’t do names on the back of the shirts, and the fact that I got to wear ‘Mom’ on my back and afterwards give her the shirt was definitely my favorite part,” Rhine said.

“Getting to share that with her was really special.”

Rhine said her mom is always in the stands, but there is more emotion during the pink out game because the team is playing for more than just basketball.

“We have a lot of survivors come to the game itself, which is pretty neat, but then we get to recognize them,” Rhine said.

While she has been not present when it happens, many breast cancer fighters and survivors are recognized

by the community for the battle they have been fighting.

Rhine has been a part of the pink out game for the past five years whether it be on the bench or on the court, and every year she has learned to appreciate it more especially with her own personal connection.

“It’s become a greater event each year with people realizing how important it is to celebrate the lives of people that have won the battle, those who are fighting and those who have even lost the battle and are in our memory,” she said. “It makes the game of basketball bigger.”

Rhine also enjoys seeing all of the pink in the stands because it unifies the community. The women of Bradley also warmed up in pink shirts to show their support for the cause.

“We may have been playing against each other but both

teams are still cheering for the women and still trying to show their support,” said senior Maddie Grell, who is a basketball cheerleader.

Grell has been cheering on the Drake Bulldogs for the past four years and can also attest to the atmosphere during the pink out game.

“I think it’s a really fun game to go to,” Grell said. “All the people in the community are showing up to support, not just the avid Drake fans.”

Grell also said that she can tell all the players are trying to play their best to show support for the cause.

“The game is still upbeat, and everyone is still cheering for Drake,” she said.

“However, there is something really special about this game because we get to celebrate all of the women and their personal battles with cancer.”

Women’s Tennis wins 2 duals at home Erin O’Boyle Staff Writer erin.oboyle@drake.edu

The Drake women’s tennis team hosted North Dakota and Kansas City this past weekend at home at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.

The women’s tennis team had a busy weekend prior at home the weekend prior with matches against Iowa State, Milwaukee, and Gustavus Adolphus.

“After this weekend, I had a good feeling simply because I think the whole team, and especially myself, had made some improvements as weekend went on,” Junior Maria Tatarnikova said. “I improved my game and my attitude through every single match I had, and felt better and better every day.”

They finished that weekend with a two-match winning streak, and went into last weekend with the save drive for success.

The first match of the weekend was 12:00 p.m. on Feb. 28 against North Dakota.

Right away the Bulldogs secured the doubles point with a 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles, consisting of Liza Petushkova and Joely Lomas.

The No. 3 doubles team, made up of Megan Webb and Kendall Hunt, were also victorious in a set score of 6-2,

giving the Bulldogs an early lead.

The singles portion of the competition started off on the right foot right away as well.

Lomas at No. 2 singles was the first to finish her match with set scores of 6-2, 6-1 to clench the early victory.

Petushkova was not far behind at No. 1 singles, which she won as well in 6-3, 6-3 set scores to continue the hot streak that the woman’s tennis team was riding.

Maria Tatarnikova, at No. 3 singles, won her match in set scores of 6-4, 6-2.

At No. 4 singles, Drake’s Carmen Palumbo defeated her opponent in set scores of 6-3 and 6-0.

Finally, No. 5 singles Daria Walczak battled long and hard, winning the first set 7-5, losing the second set 1-6, but came out victorious in the end with a 10-4 tiebreaker score.

With five wins in the singles competition and the doubles point, the Bulldogs defeated North Dakota 6-1.

After the win on Friday, the Drake women’s tennis team came back to the Roger Knapp Tennis Center on Sunday, March 1st to play Kansas City.

The doubles competition began with a close set at No. 1 doubles.

However, Drake’s Lomas and Petushkova were able to win their set by a narrow margin after a 7-5 tiebreaker that resulted in a 7-6 set score

DRAKE DEFEATS NORTH DAKOTA AND KANSAS CITY AT HOME. With two more wins, Drake has won 4 duals in a row, bringing the team record to 6-4. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS.

for the Bulldogs.

Drake’s No. 2 doubles team consisting of Tatarnilova and Walczak won their set 6-1, and No. 3 doubles team Kendall Hunt and Megan Webb won by default, thus giving the Bulldogs the lead heading into singles play.

The No. 6 singles point was given to Drake off the bat since Kansas City wasn’t able to produce an opponent.

After a first set win of 6-2, Walczak at No. 5 singles for Drake won by opponent retirement.

No. 1 singles was played

by Petushkova for Drake. She ended up victorious with set scores of 7-5,6-4.

Petushkova’s doubles partner, Lomas, was at No. 2 singles for Drake and won her match with set scores of 6-3,6-4.

Tatarnikova took on No. 3 singles and won in set scores of 6-3,6-4 as well.

Finally, Carmen Palumbo defeated her opponent at No. 4 singles in set scores of 7-6, 6-2 to grant the Bulldogs a full sweep of the Kansas City Roo’s.

The women’s tennis team

ended the weekend at home with a four-match winning streak.

“I think it’s a huge advantage playing home, especially for me,” Tatarnikova said. “I love playing home, because I am so used to it. I know every single thing about our place, courts, atmosphere. I’m just simply so relaxed at home.”

However, they will leave their home advantage behind as they jet off to California in two weeks to play Santa Clara and San Jose State during spring break.

SPORTS

SPORTS

MARCH 4, 2020 | Page 6

NCAA rule change allows athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness Alexia Simonton Contributing Writer alexia.simonton@drake.edu

Drake student-athletes will have the opportunity to profit off of their name, image and likeness after a unanimous decision by the NCAA Board of Governors in Oct. 2019.

According to the NCAA, the decision initiated the process of modernization for NCAA athletics, directing each of the three divisions to update bylaws and policies to “permit students participating in athletics with the opportunity to benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness in a manner consistent with the collegiate model.”

The NCAA decision occurred following the California Fair Pay to Play Act which will go into effect in Jan. 2023.

According to an ESPN article titled “What California Bill Means for NCAA Image and Likeness Debate,” the Fair Pay to Play Act allows for college athletes in California to collect money from endorsement deals without losing eligibility or scholarships.

With no national legislation confirmed yet, Iowa joined California in introducing their own legislation on the name, image and likeness debate.

According to a Des Moines Register article published on Feb. 11, 2020, the Senate bill would: • require that team contracts could not prevent athletes from receiving compensation for • the use of their name, image and likeness for a commercial purpose when not engaged in official, mandatory team activities, • limit mandatory team activities to 20 hours per

week in the regular season and eight hours per week in the offseason, • allow colleges and universities to require student-athletes to enter their earnings into trust funds until the athletes are no longer eligible for athletic activities, and • allow athletes to obtain representation from agents, financial advisers and attorneys.

If passed, this bill would go into effect in July 2023.

Although the official rule changes from the NCAA have not been determined yet, Drake University’s athletic community is already interested in what the change means for the future of Drake athletics.

Director of Athletics, Brian Hardin, voiced his perspective on the impact of the changes for Drake.

“I think that there is this misnomer out there that as soon as this law passes, we’re going to have student athletes making a ton of money on the side and I do not think that is going to be the case,” Hardin said. “There could be some interest in local companies wanting to do something with our athletes, but I don’t know how much it will drastically impact the Drake studentathlete.”

Debates about allowing athletes to profit off of their name, image and likeness have often involved discussions of scholarships schools give for athletics.

“I wouldn’t foresee it adjusting scholarship limits,” Hardin said. “I think the name, image and likeness is being put into place to supplement, not supplant, scholarships. If the whole point is to have the studentathletes have the same opportunities as the regular students, if you’re going to

DRAKE STUDENTS CAN NOW PROFIT OFF IMAGE AND NAME. There may be repercussions to this change with team budgets, but recruiting processes for sports will remain the same. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS.

reduce the financial aid piece then you are putting them at a disadvantage compared to their student peers.”

Although Hardin does agree with the move the NCAA is making, he still has concerns for the Drake athletic programs.

“Anytime that there is a shift in philosophy there will be unintended consequences,” Hardin said.

Hardin mentioned that donations that previously would have gone straight to programs and travel budgets could instead go straight to athletes through events and sponsorships.

With a decreased budget, teams would not have the same experiences that they currently do.

“They would have to bus to Omaha and Kansas City for tournaments instead of flying to Texas and California,” Hardin said.

“That’s a small-scale version of some potential unintended consequences where we have

benefactors and businesses choosing to impact the lives of individual athletes instead of giving broadly and going towards the department that funds the sports teams and their experiences.”

Although the athletics budget could be impacted, the recruiting process, at least for football, will not change.

“There will be no change in the recruiting process for Drake football,” Todd Stepsis, football head coach, said. “As a smaller private school, the guys are coming for the best experience. There aren’t a lot of places in the country that can give the opportunities that Drake can. They’re good players looking for a great education.”

Stepsis believes the college experience outweighs the money that could be involved from this new image and likeness rule.

“At the end of the day, providing an opportunity with resources to get a great education and have a great

experience is hard to put a price tag on,” Stepsis said.

“You’re playing for your school and not yourself. That’s the essence of college athletics: playing for something that is bigger than yourself.”

However, current Drake basketball players Demond “DJ” Wilkins and Rebecca “Becca” Hittner wish that they could have created opportunities in the community with their name on it that are bigger than themselves.

“The first thing I would want to do is have a kids camp with my name on it in Des Moines,” Wilkins said. “It would be cool to have it under my name instead of just a Drake basketball camp.”

Drake will continue to respond to updates in the legislation as the NCAA and individual states work through a new, modern step in the college athletics process.

Drake Honors Athletes with 3.0+ GPA

STUDENT ATHLETES WHO MAINTAINED A 3.0 GPA OR HIGHER HONORED. Balancing academics and athletics can be difficult but 270 student athletes managed to stay above a 3.0 for the Fall semester. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS. Lizzie Deal Staff Writer lizzie.deal@drake.edu

Student athletes who upheld a 3.0 GPA and above during the Fall semester were honored at the Men’s Basketball game on Feb. 5 to celebrate their achievements both academically and athletically.

270 student athletes were honored at the game, according to Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Success Services, Dalton Moberly.

“I think being recognized was really nice because a lot of people don’t really understand what it takes to

be a student athlete. It takes a lot of time management and commitment on both ends,” Drake tennis player Kendall Hunt said. “We definitely spend a lot of time practicing and working and honing our skills in the sport, so being able to have that 3.0 GPA on top of all the requirements that the sport places on us is hard, but being rewarded for it is really nice.”

One of the largest struggles college athletes face is juggling their different commitments not only to their sport, but also to being full-time students.

“The biggest difficulty is time management because we are required to be at practices, lifting and games, and also stay on top of our classes,” cheerleader Kayla Hartman

said.

One way that student athletes manage their homework load and time spent at practices is by attending mandatory study hall hours. Most are assigned four to six hours to attend a week.

“Although a lot of people may complain about it, it really forces us to take time to study,” Hunt said. “A lot of the coaches really appreciate that giving us a set time to dedicate to our studies outside of practice.”

Along with being full-time students, student athletes have to attend practices and weight training.

“As cheerleaders, our week to week schedule varies quite a bit, but in an average week

we practice twice and have anywhere from one to five games to cheer at,” Hartman said.

In addition to the reward of being honored at a basketball game for their GPAs, student athletes also keep their grades up due to the Bulldog Cup, an annual competition between the different athletic teams.

“We compete in areas such as going to other sporting events, how we do in the season, and academics,” Hunt said. “One of the incentives we have is the higher the cumulative GPA of your team is, the more points you get towards Bulldog Cup. At the end, the top three teams earn money for their athletic program, which can be huge for travel fares and just team

fares in general.”

One of the largest motivators for student athletes, however, are themselves and their drive to maintain a balance between their course load and athletics.

“Being a high achieving student-athlete requires a strong work ethic, dedication and excellent time management skills. We believe student-athletes need to find and build a strong foundation [and] balance in their life to help be successful in the classroom, during competition, on campus and in the community,” Moberly said. “Athletes are generally driven by specific goals and GPA benchmarks are another measurable goal to help push them to overall success.”

COMMENTARY

COMMENTARY

MARCH 4, 2020 | Page 7

From crazy to plausible: fan favorite conspiracy theories Cameron Bolton Staff Writer cameron.bolton@drake.edu

My favorite conspiracy theory is anything related to Area 51 and aliens. Because wouldn’t it be cool if aliens actually existed?

I mean, getting abducted, probed, crop circles, chest burst, duplicated, or having your skull taken as a trophy would suck, as would having the white house getting blown up (actually, on second thought…).

Still, I’m talking about all the friendly aliens of the universe, like the extraterrestrials that share my love of Reese pieces or is a giant robot in love with a DC superhero. I’ll even take an alien that sounds a lot like Seth Rogen. Come on.

If there really is intelligent life in the universe, they can’t all be bad, though we may never find out, you know, due to the people in charge of keeping aliens a secret and stopping the Buffalo Bills from winning the Superbowl.

Yes, then there are the men in black. Not only are they the subject of a great movie, but wouldn’t it be great if the government really was covering up the existence of aliens in the most conspicuous way possible?

“If you’re ever in need of a good chuckle, you should watch the segments of ‘Room 237 about how Kubrick sprinkled references to faking the moon landing throughout ‘The Shining.’ ” No, because even if that is hilarious it’s still bad because it means that the government is still lying to us? The government’s already lying to us about a million different things that aren’t even remotely funny.

Plus, the men in black might not even be working for the government; that’s only the most popular theory.

The men in black could also be robots or aliens in disguise. Because in case you didn’t know, there are multiple different types of aliens out there. You got your little green men, grays and lizard people.

Or how lizard people are living under the Denver International Airport. Even if that is true, why would the lizard people want to live under the Denver International Airport? Are there bunkers soundproofed to block out the constant takeoff and landing of airplanes?

Who wants to even live by an airport, let alone under one? I mean, I imagine that it must be better than living in the center of the Earth, but still, could they not build their secret bunker anywhere that was better than an airport?

My second favorite conspiracy actually involves outer space, if not aliens, which is how the government faked the moon landing by

AREA 51 and the theories surrounding the alien contents inside have long been a topic of discussion. PHOTO COURTESTY OF

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

hiring film director Stanely Kubrick.

The only thing that would make that more fun is if Futurama was right, and they faked the moon landing on Venus.

Also, if you’re ever in need of a good chuckle, you should watch the segments of ‘Room 237 about how Kubrick

sprinkled references to faking the moon landing throughout ‘The Shining.”

The person who tells us that says that he expects his taxes to be audited next year in a manner that makes it seem like he’s completely serious.

Weekly horoscope: what each sign needs to keep going right now Laurel Cramer Staff Writer laurel.cramer@drake.edu

Aries Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re in a good groove this week and this is due to all of the work you’ve been cultivating. Your creativity is flowing at the moment so allow it to manifest in every way you can. Jot random thoughts and ideas down because they will be helpful later.

Taurus Now is a good time for you to do some spring cleaning.

This can be external— you might organize that random pile of junk in your room finally. Or it could be a more internal cleanse by setting clearly defined intentions and goals. The key, for you, is in the details.

Gemini Some hard choices will be presented to you this week.

Don’t put them off just because you are afraid of change.

It’s okay to recognize what around you is comfortable and safe. Just don’t try to hold onto that or you will lose more than you gain.

Cancer You are trying your best and right now that’s all that’s

needed. You know what will be coming up and what each decision will take of you.

Don’t focus on that right now.

Think about the light that will come with the work. If you are yearning for something, take the steps towards it.

Leo Don’t overstep your boundaries this week. As a natural extrovert, you are comfortable with a lot of things that you might not realize others aren’t. Make sure you are reading cues and recognizing how people have different needs than you. You have an empathetic heart so use it.

Virgo You are in a state of calm right now. These are very rare, so try your best to appreciate it while it’s here. Fight your natural urge to stir up drama or over-commit yourself to a million things. You thrive in pressure, but you need to know when to pause and recharge.

Libra This season seems unstable for you. You can’t seem to find your feet on any solid ground no matter how hard you try.

Let yourself go to some of the things that are unresolved.

It’s okay to live in such a fluid state right now. The future is still just the future.

PISCES SEASON is under way, and lasts until March 20th. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Scorpio There’s an extra bit of energy in your being this week. People might start to notice your sudden streak of optimism. Don’t allow any inner voices that try and tell you to stifle joy. Don’t avoid happiness, even in small ways, by writing it off as something frivolous or naive.

Sagittarius You can feel the life being breathed back into the air around you. Opt to go outside as much as possible. There are flowers growing in your hears, but they are currently just buds. Things can look bleak

or unimportant when they are just starting out so take heart.

Capricorn Retrograde has strained some of your relationships.

Think about how you can be a better communicator. Clarity can be gained by the way that you choose to express yourself, but also in how closely you choose to listen.

You’re not doomed for the rest of retrograde, just take extra care.

Aquarius You’ve found yourself daydreaming about the sun on your face. You are so

ready for spring break, it’s the only thing on your mind.

Remember that there is still quite a bit of work to do before you get there. Use your rewards as a motivator to get things done now.

Pisces You have booked every minute of every day this week. You are thriving on the constant new material.

This fast pace keeps you from ever getting bored, but be careful that you don’t become overwhelmed. If you are forgetting small things, reorder your time carefully.

COMMENTARY

COMMENTARY

MARCH 4, 2020 | Page 8

‘The Invisible Man’: not your typical thriller film

Reflecting the abusers in our society and our response to their victims

THE INVISIBLE MAN shines a light on how abusers and abusive relationships can be hidden in plain sight and are easy for bystanders to ignore. PHOTO COURTESY

OF CONSEQUENCEOFSOUND.NET

Celia Brocker Commentary Editor celia.brocker@drake.edu

At first glance it’s too easy to dismiss ‘The Invisible Man’ as a throwaway thriller film.

But despite its simple plot, the message of this film is no throwaway and should stick with every person who leaves the theater.

The driving force of the narrative is the protagonist Cecilia - who has recently left her abusive boyfriend, Adrian.

When she receives word that he has died by suicide and has left her 5 million dollars, it seems to good to be true.

And too good to be true it is. Not only is Adrian alive, but he has accomplished the impossible by finding a way to become invisible.

But only Cecilia and the audience are aware of the truth, and the latter is forced to watch helplessly as Adrian uses his newfound discovery to punish Cecilia for leaving him and dragging her back to him.

Make no mistake, the face of ‘The Invisible Man’ is Cecilia. Played by Elizabeth Moss - the star from Hulu’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ - Cecilia is a force to be reckoned with.

Though the deck is heavily stacked against her she stays fighting well after many would have given up, refusing to give in to Adrian. Moss plays every facet of her struggle, desperation and girt, with a ferocity that will move even

the most cold-hearted viewer.

The film uses the hidden antagonist to its full capacity, relying heavily on sound or lack thereof. From the opening scene we concentrate heavily on the sound coming from every character, since the majority of the film is built on characters sneaking around.

The quiet is eerie and does its job in putting the audience on edge, anxiously waiting for something big to happen, which is when the music finally kicks in. And though there is little score to this film, when the music does come in it is striking and filled with tension.

“What matters is that she is in a terrible situation, not how she came to be there.

It is no one’s fault but Adrian’s how things turned out.”

But characters and effects aside, the most important element of the film is the spotlight it shines on abusive relationships. Even now that our society is more aware nowadays, victim blaming is still constant.

People like to point their fingers and say “but they should’ve known better” or something like it because

it’s easier than admitting that there are people with monsters under their skins that aren’t easily detectable.

One of the best parts of ‘The Invisible Man’ is that we are never shown Cecilia and Adrain’s relationship before she decides to leave him. Not how/when she fell for him, or how long it took her to notice that something was wrong.

We never see any of this because it doesn’t matter.

What matters is that she is in a terrible situation, not how she came to be there. It is no one’s fault but Adrian’s how things turned out.

The literal invisible abuser is clearly an exaggerated metaphor for how abusers are able to go unnoticed, even

by those close to victims.

Adrian follows every trademark abuser technique - he controls everything about Cecilia’s life, he isolates her from her friends and family, makes it impossible for her to succeed without him and squashes her self-esteem until she feels like she’s worth nothing. And no one is able, or willing, to help her.

Again and again we see Cecilia reach out and be denied. She is never believed when she points to Adrian as the source of her turmoil, because it is more convenient for them not to believe her.

This is a mirror to how our justice system works in real life. Women are often not heard or believe if they dare to

speak up against their abuser, and are then abandoned to fight their own battles like Cecilia.

Even after the abuser has been “caught” there is no justice for Cecilia from the legal side of things. In order to scrape by with no personal penalties she is told to lie and compromise her experience with a half-truth, while Adrian goes free. So she uses her own power to find her own justice.

As frustrating as it is to see the system push Cecilia aside, it was ultimately the wisest direction the film could have taken. It’s frustrating to no end and that is good. They should be upset, because it’s happening every day in real life.

THIS POWER WHEEL showcases the signs of an abusive relationship to watch out for. PHOTO

COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA.ORG

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The student newspaper for Drake University since 1884 RACHEL JAMES, Editor-in-Chief rachel.james@drake.edu JILL VAN WYKE, Faculty Advisor jill.vanwyke@drake.edu

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