March 6th, 2019

The Times-Delphic Wednesday, March. 6, 2019

Volume 138, No. 20

www.timesdelphic.com

“Don’t tinker with my rights”: Tinker Tour comes to Drake

JOHN AND MARY BETH TINKER from Tinker v. Des Moines spoke about free speech and the First Amendment in classes and in Cowles Library .PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPANONT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Celia Brocker Contributing Writer celia.brocker@drake.edu

Last Wednesday, John and Mary Beth Tinker visited Drake University as the last stop on their 50th anniversary tour of the Tinker v. Des Moines Supreme Court case.

The sibling duo held a panel in the Cowles Library about freedom of speech.

They welcomed students and other members of the Drake community to participate, answered questions and asked audience members questions of their own.

They encouraged audience members to speak about why free speech was important to them.

The Tinkers have been advocates for the rights of free speech since their case at the Supreme Court in 1965.

It was in the middle of the Vietnam War and America was still heavily involved.

The Tinker’s said they were horrified by the violence they saw on TV, and became a part of the peace movement.

“It really came from our heart,” Mary Beth Tinker said. “We saw the gap between peace in our lives and the violence on TV, and we decided to speak up about that.”

The two siblings wore black armbands at school to protest the Vietnam War. The administration would not allow it and suspended them from school until they agreed not to

wear the armbands.

The Tinkers took their case all the way to the Supreme Court to fight for their freedom of speech rights as stated in the First Amendment of the Constitution.

They won the case 7-2, and Tinker v Des Moines has since become a decision that defined First Amendment rights of students in public schools.

When students and other members of the Drake community applauded the Tinkers for their activism, they accepted the compliments but informed the audience that their part in 1965 was not the singular defining moment from the peace protest.

“We weren’t isolated, we weren’t knights in shining armor,” John Tinker said. “We were part of

a movement.”

One topic the students from Drake brought up was hate speech, since Drake had issues with racist notes and robocalls last semester.

When the idea of defining “free speech zones” by law came up, College Republicans President Kollin Crompton spoke up.

“When we start defining free speech zones, it makes me very nervous,” Crompton said. “It makes me think of where our rights end and where it begins.”

The Tinkers stressed that while it might be difficult legally to limit hate speech while protecting everyone’s rights to free speech, our culture can do more to protect minorities from assaulting and damaging words.

“The law is going to put limits

on what we can say, the culture will tell us what we should say,” John Tinker said.

Earlier in the day, the Tinkers paid a visit to Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and had intimate discussions with aspiring journalists.

The siblings told the gathered students that they would face ethical dilemmas in practically any job they would have, and their life was always going to be more than their job.

They encouraged students to “bring humanity” to whatever job they will have in the future.

Finishing the discussion, Mary Beth Tinker said to “think of your integrity and ethics, and what you will be willing to sacrifice.”

Uganda seminar builds experience and lifelong friendships Rachel Wente Contributing Writer rachel.wente@drake.edu

Elephants. New cuisine. Best friends. Students involved with the Uganda seminar program often experience this and more.

The Uganda seminar program started 13 years ago through Drake University professor Jimmy Senteza. Senteza is from Uganda, and said he dreamed of bringing a group of students there.

Throughout the 13 years, some unlikely friendships arose. One in specific was between Jess Hoffert and Provia Kesande.

Jess Hoffert graduated from Drake University in 2011 with a B.A. in journalism and mass communication. He took the Drake Uganda seminar in May of 2009, where he met Provia Kesande. “[Provia] reached out via Facebook and informed me that she had a daughter when she was 15 years old… she was also determined to provide a good education for her daughter,” Hoffert said, in an email.

Hoffert’s friendship with Provia Kesande led him to sponsor her daughter Racheal Achola through school.

In April, Hoffert will be traveling back to Uganda for the first time since 2009 for Achola’s graduation from secondary school.

Hoffert expressed his gratitude for the experience he received through the Uganda seminar.

“Making connections and building relationships with [Provia and Racheal] has been such a life-affirming experience that I wouldn’t have had without this Drake opportunity 10 years ago,” Hoffert said.

Hoffert is not the only person to have made strong connections. The past year found strong connections between the Makerere University Business School and Drake

STUDENTS DANCING while with the Uganda sustainable development seminar program this past year. PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHLEEN MCCRACKEN

students.

Students from Drake travel to Uganda through the May-Term course and learn about sustainable development. In February, students from Makerere University Business School travel from Kampala, Uganda, to the United States to learn about leadership.

Drake sophomore and marketing major, Tiara Jackson, coordinated the “fun” activities

for the Drake side of the exchange program.

“I listened to them [the MUBS students] and all the things that they were curious about,” Jackson said. “I wanted to make sure that they got to see and do all the things that they wouldn’t be able to do in Uganda or that would be hard to understand when you haven’t really experienced it.”

Reymond Nkata, a MUBS

student earning a degree in finance, also found important friendships because of the exchange program.

“The friendships that I’ve made here I feel are really going to be beneficial people,” Nkata said.

“Most of them are young, younger than me, which is really interesting.

They have great ideas, I add value to them, and they add value to me.”

The relationships built were not only limited to the students. Debra

Bishop, professor of practice in Management and International Business said that the Drake faculty - herself, Senteza and Professor Heath Henderson – are all good friends and have worked on adding more faculty to the trip.

“When I go back, now, I have friends,” Bishop said. “Not just acquaintances or colleagues, but I have built some friendships over 13 years.”

TOURIST VEHICLE rides by Uganda’s scenery. During the seminar, students learn about sustainable development and are able to foster friendships while there.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAELA SPIELBERGER

02 | News

March. 6, 2019

News Diversity, equity and inclusion forum shares new initiatives Ivy Beckenholdt Editor-in-Chief ivy.beckenholdt@drake.edu

In order to inform the Drake community of future plans regarding campus equity and inclusion, Associate Provost for Campus Equity and Inclusion Erin Lain and Assistant Dean of Students Tony Tyler held the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum on Feb. 28.

According to Tyler, this forum would address the increase of hate incidents at Drake since 2016.

Lain and Tyler discussed the goal of bringing the equity and inclusion efforts up to speed with other higher education institutions.

In order to do so, Lain and Tyler proposed several future initiatives that would expand academic and financial supports for students of color.

The forum shared a plan to increase funding for the Crew Scholars Program and the Flight Program. These programs aim to support students of color success, and students work to effect change in the community through these programs.

The forum also discussed devoting funds to renovating the multicultural homes on Drake’s campus. Lain said that these homes deserve to be up to par to the Alumni House at Drake.

With the intent on creating a more inclusive environment among first-year students, there will also be a required Haven training on equity and inclusion for all incoming students.

The development of restorative justice and mediation programs for students was also discussed by Tyler.

In order to increase diversity among faculty and staff, Lain also proposed the development of a new faculty pipeline in collaboration

with minority-majority PHD programs.

“You can’t just hope for a diverse pool of applicants,” Lain said.

Currently, Drake’s faculty is 87 percent white and the student population is 81 percent white, with 6 percent hispanic, 5 percent black and 5 percent asian students.

These statistics and more will be showcased on the soon to be public Diversity, Equity and Inclusion website.

This website will also include ways to become involved, upcoming initiatives and programs and Drake’s history.

The history tab will include a timeline of Drake’s past regarding the progression to increased diversity.

“In order for us to make progress we have to know where we come from,” Lain said.

Lain and Tyler also informed the audience of the former initiatives put through.

According to Lain and Tyler’s presentation, they helped to develop a “hate incident response plan in conjunction with Unity Roundtable to inform impacted groups of hate incidents on campus.”

The CORE pipeline program has also been in place with Des Moines public schools. This program helped to encourage public school students of color to attend Drake.

The presentation also stated that there was also a requirement for all “who serve on faculty hiring committees to complete an implicit bias training.”

Following this presentation, a student brought up the question of what is being done regarding certain professors using the n-word.

Lain stated that when one reports this to her, she has a conversation with that professor and provides alternatives to that word. However, Lain said “I have

STUDENTS ATTENDED THE FORUM and learned the ideas for increasing campus diversity, equity and inclusion.

PHOTO BY KIM BATES | PHOTO EDITOR

TONY TYLER discussing some of the initiatives proposed to foster diversity. PHOTO BY KIM BATES | PHOTO EDITOR

to hear about it in order to have that conversation.”

In response, Assistant Director of New Student Programs Brandi Miller said that the use of the n-word by anyone is not acceptable

and expressed that more action needs to be taken.

Tyler responded in support of Miller stating, “Until everyone of us has the same reaction that Brandi just had, it’s still going to

happen.”

In order to protest the use of derogatory terms, a petition was put up in Drake buildings with signatures of students and faculty who vowed not to say these words.

Biology faculty add changes to class format to promote academic success Emily Nelson Contributing Writer emily.elson@drake.edu

Drake University biology professors have implemented various new strategies into the curriculum for the 2018-2019 academic year in an effort to help students perform better in the classroom and on exams.

The science department has made changes this fall to how the introductory biology classes, Biology 12 and Biology 13, are taught. Although it may be soon to tell if there’s a correlation between the alterations to the classes and students having higher grades.

Professor Heidi Sleister, a facilitator in redesigning the intro biology classes, teaches part of these entry level classes. A redesign was adding a 50 minute class to students’ schedules called Supplemental Instruction, which

is taught by older undergraduate students. This class was created to replace tutoring, which many students never fully utilized.

“We felt that a lot more students

It was at times more inconvenient because I was just tired. could benefit from having that assistance from a peer,” Sleister said. “The explanations from a peer and the tips from a peer can be helpful because they’re close to being in your shoes compared to a faculty member.”

Sleister also said that even though it’s too early to see a real relationship between students

attending Supplemental Instruction and having higher grades.

She said that “the more frequently students went to SI, the higher the grades tended to be.”

Other changes to the course included adding an extra exam, meaning the professors split the previous four exams into five and then an optional final. This was meant to lower the pressure on students by giving them more tests with less material and questions on each test.

Also, faculty administered the exams later in the day rather than earlier in the morning, which was how past Bio 12 class exams were previously given.

For first year student Ellen Boehm however, the later exam may not have been what she needed.

“To me, it was at times more inconvenient because I was just tired,” Boehm said.

Boehm, a biology major, doesn’t know yet if SI has truly

been that effective in raising her grade in her class.

“I know we’re the trial run,” Boehm said. “They’re trying to figure out with us if SI is actually helpful. I wouldn’t specifically say that SI is the reason that I did well in the course, but I also don’t think that it can hurt you.”

Boehm said that other changes to the course, such as not having students take both entry level biology and chemistry classes plus two labs right when a student begins college, should be implemented.

“I think honestly the best thing they could do is if we didn’t take bio and chem at the same time during our [first] year first semester,” Boehm said. “Because honestly, that’s all I took last semester, and I was swamped.”

Senior Alex Miller also has had experience with how professors adapt to teaching the biology classes. Miller has been tutoring her peers in general biology, biochemistry, general chemistry and organic chemistry for two years. Although Miller herself didn’t struggle with Bio 12 or 13, she understands why some students may not be as successful.

“I know that for general bio, they change the professors a lot, and it’s really hard for students then because they switch professors in the middle of the semester,” Miller said. “Once you’re finally used to taking a professor’s exam, you have to automatically switch professors, who might then have a completely separate test taking technique.”

From a tutor’s standpoint, Miller said that switching professors means they don’t always know how to best prepare other students since they might never have even had that particular professor.

“We can’t always help the other people because we may not even know what the test format or style is going to be like,” Miller said.

Drake University biology professors may be better able to see just how strong the correlations are between their changes to the curriculum and grades in future years.

“All this takes quite a bit of effort to all put together, and we wouldn’t do this if we didn’t think there was promise to help students with academic success in the course,” Sleister said.

Staffing changes at The Times-Delphic

STUDENT HOLDING CHEMISTRY EQUIPMENT. The new changes and curriculum strategies regarding bio classes may lead to an increase in academic performance by students. PHOTO BY KIM BATES | PHOTO EDITOR

The Board of Student Communications appointed Ivy Beckenholdt as the new editorin-chief of The Times-Delphic on Feb. 27. Beckenholdt, formerly the managing editor of The Times-Delphic, is a junior strategic political communication major with a concentration in social justice.

Beckenholdt is taking over the role from the former editorin-chief, who stepped down on Feb. 21. If there are any

questions or concerns regarding the staffing change or the future of The Times-Delphic, please come to our new office hours on Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m. We are committed to reporting the stories of the Drake community with honesty and integrity and appreciate any critiques or suggestions offered. Thank you for reading The Times-Delphic.

We look forward to telling your stories.

March 6, 2019

03 | Features

Features

Capstone projects display students theatrical ability Ashley DeLarm Staff Writer ashley.delarm@drake.edu @ashleymd161

Drake University students in the Theatre Department were gaining valuable experiences while holding key positions in rotating productions put on from Feb. 21 to Feb. 24. These productions provided students with the chance to be in front of the audience, in the director’s chair, designing and creating the sets, while also working with costume design, learning theatre technology, and promoting their artistry.

‘This is Our Youth’ and ‘Time Stands Still’ were student directed productions that were the capstone projects of senior directing majors Emily Brown and Kalle Sorbo, respectively.

Hannah Parker, the set designer for both shows explained that the productions were small, consisting of only three or four actors each, and therefore required hard work and time commitment from everyone involved as they brought in their unique talents to the cast and crew.

“It was one of those things where it seems really slow for a long time and then it’s crazy fast right at the end,” Parker said. “It was my very first fully realized set design so I’ve done like class projects where you design a set and you build like a little tiny model of it, but this is the first one that I’ve handed off to somebody else and then had it appear in the studio theater two weeks later.”

According to Emily Brown, the director of ‘This is Our Youth’,

and a fine arts directing major, due to their capstone status, there was little staff intervention in the productions in order to prepare the seniors to go into the real world, and to gain valuable experiences for their portfolios, “We are still learning. Even though we’re kind of on our way out, we are you know at that point where we’re still learning we’re still students,” Brown said.

“Everyone involved is bringing all of this talent and creativity into this and I’m kind of just overseeing this and molding it into one cohesive product that we’re putting on stage.”

Not only was this a learning experience for the directors, but the actors and actresses were broadening their horizons as well by being challenged with new roles and techniques during an already short rehearsal time. Natalie Payne, a sophomore musical theatre major was cast as Sarah in “Time Stands Still”.

“This production is a huge challenge for me. I’ve never had a role this big, this meaty, and it’s a lot of really intense subject matter,” Payne said. “But it was also that I love a challenge and it was so much fun and I love being able to really put myself out there and like finally I think challenge my potential.”

The two shows had the same show weekend, meaning they shared a space and a set with alternating performance nights.

Since both performances are set in a New York City studio apartment, they were able to have sets with similar anchor points with only minor changes from night to night.

The two performances were

THEATER PRODUCTIONS of the two plays “This is Our Youth” and “Time Stands Still” were the learning experience for BFA Directing Majors Emily Brown and Kalle Sorbo, respectively. The capstone projects also provided students like Maddie Sell (right) and Melody DeRogatis (left) opportunities to portray roles they haven’t had the chance to before.

PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPANONT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

entirely directed, created and portrayed by Drake students. This

theatrical opportunity showcased many of their talents and strengths

in full for a performance-packed weekend.

An in-depth look into clinical depression Julie LaFranzo Staff Writer julie.lafranzo@drake.edu @JulieLaFranzo

Trigger Warming: This article contains information on depression that may trigger some readers.

According to an article from the Harvard Medical School, depression is more complex than just a chemical imbalance.

For a long time, many believed that’s all depression was, but it has been found through research and various medications that this is not the case.

Originally, many thought that it was caused by having less serotonin in the brain than there should be, as they discussed in the article “What has serotonin to do with depression?” from The National Center for Biotechnology Information.

According to the article,

serotonin is the chemical in your brain thought to increase good feelings.

The thought that depression was caused by a chemical imbalance, caused an increase in serotonin made.

Serotonin does help some because it can help increase the connections between cells in the brain, but it does not help all.

Depression affects multiple areas of the brain including two of the main areas, according to Harvard Medical School.

The amygdala, which is a “associated with emotions such as anger, pleasure, sorrow, fear, and sexual arousal” is highly active in people with depression.

The hippocampus is part of the brain that stores long term memories and memories that create emotion, especially fear, in remembrance of something that has happened. It has been shown that the hippocampus can be

smaller in people with depression because things like stress can stop the growth of those hormones, according to the article “What causes depression?” from Harvard Health Publishing.

Some of the symptoms of depression are “somebody had a change in personality than they used to be. They might feel like they don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. Loss of interest in things they would normally have interest in. Maybe a loss of appetite,” Diane Eischeild, a counselor in the Student Health Center here at Drake, stated. “A lot of people with depression stop taking care of their personal needs like showering, eating.

They feel hopeless about the future. They feel that their life is kind of meaningless, or they have trouble sleeping or sometimes the opposite, they sleep too much.”

As there are a lot of symptoms of depression, many are starting to

determine that there isn’t a singular way to treat it.

“Depression left untreated can then turn into suicidal ideation where they have thoughts of maybe dying, or what it would be like if they weren’t here anymore,” Eischeild said.

Eischeild said that this is an extreme case and not true for everyone. Furthermore, she said it is still “treatable”, even though there are so many kinds of it.

Typically, depression is treated by medication and therapy but some say it also may be treated by electrical shock therapy in rare cases.

“Many years ago, when I was in the army I participated in [electro shock therapy] and that is very controversial. The reason they still do those is when medications fail.

Medications is not a one sizes fits all as everybody’s is different,” said Mark Kloberdanz, another counselor at the Student Health

DEPRESSION IS A CLINICAL ILLNESS THAT AFFECTS multiple areas of the brain, including two of the main areas: Amygdala and Hippocampus.

Center. “We often hope that therapy or medication management or a combination of the two will help people get through difficult depression.”

However, there are downsides to electroshock therapy. Mayo Clinic warns people of some risks involving the treatment, which include memory loss and other physical side effects such as nausea, headache, jaw pain or muscle pain and cardiac issues.

There are a lot of different types of these three treatments that are used depending on one’s depression.

Both Kloberdanz and Eischeild shared that “depression is manageable.” Specifically, from Kloberdanz, “Some of the most renowned, respected, successful people in our history suffered from depression or suffer from depression. It is a very manageable disease but it needs to be treated to be manageable.”

PHOTO RETRIEVED FROM THE MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM.

04 | Features

March 6, 2019

Features PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLY FRAZIER

New restaurant caters health fanatics

HEATH HOUSE , a preservative-free restaurant in Johnston, serves fast and casual food, along with any customization request from customers for any dietary restriction. PHOTO COURTESY OF HEALTH HOUSE Taylor Vos Contributing Writer taylor.vos@drake.edu @TaylorVos

Humans of

Carson Reichardt Online Content Editor carson.reichardt@drake.edu @carsonjsr1998

Many student organizations require that members log a certain number of service hours to remain in good standing. Churches and religious groups will organize them as ways to help embody their faith.

Some people may just be truly altruistic. However, many advocate that there’s a difference between simple volunteering and engaging on a higher level.

Drake first-year Ashly Frazier, an environmental science major, said she came to college with a desire to serve. Over the summer before coming to campus, she applied to be a part of the Engaged Citizen Corps and was accepted.

“The Engaged Citizen Corps has only been started to be offered the past three years for incoming freshmen,” Frazier said. “This year, there’s only ten of us out of the entire Drake community. You form a partnership with a local nonprofit in the Drake community. I’m partnered with Anawim Housing, which serves low-income families and people who have experienced, are experiencing or are transitioning out of homelessness.”

Members of the Engaged Citizens Corp log over 300 hours of service work throughout the school year. Combining this handson work with new information at Drake led Frazier to change some of her conceptions of notions on volunteering.

“I never thought of service in the same way as I did in high school,” Frazier said. “I took an FYS called Toxic Charity that shifted my perspective on what volunteering is versus what service learning is, and how to make an impact with service projects.”

A key difference between the two ideas has to do with who is receiving what they want.

Volunteer work can often be done without the input of those who are receiving aid. Service learning, on the other hand, involves working with those getting help to find out what’s useful to them. An example of the former, according to Frazier, is tie blankets.

“They don’t make much sense,” Frazier said. “They don’t provide that much warmth. They can work well for certain projects, like giving them to kids in hospitals, but for someone who’s homeless, it’s not practical. They can’t wash them, they get dirty, they can’t dry them.

It gives people a lot of their own self-fulfillment, but it’s something that if you gave it to someone experiencing homelessness right now, it’s not very beneficial for them. It’s the downfall of a lot of forms of volunteering. People don’t think through the entire process or how the person will take the product and use it.”

Frazier is currently working with the Residence Hall Association on a similar project that will have a targeted impact. The group will be collecting plastics bags from students across campus and turning them into “plarn,” which means plastic yarn. From there, the plarn will be turned into sleeping mats that will be given to people experiencing homelessness. These mats also have several benefits to the people receiving them.

“Because of how thick the plarn actually is, it’ll keep people warm, provide more cushion, and keep things on top of the mats away from water damage,” Frazier said. “When rain hits, people have nowhere to go, and their stuff is destroyed, so these mats can help with that. It provides an extra layer of protection. They’re also really easy to clean. They can be dunked in a pond or lake, and it’ll clean them really well. They don’t absorb like how a tie blanket would. They’re quick to dry, too.

They’re pretty lightweight, can be rolled over your shoulder. People experiencing homelessness often have to take all their belongings with them, so that’s helpful,” Working together with the community was a goal of Frazier’s work with the Engaged Citizen Corps and the RHA project.

“Drake can be very isolated from the community, so it’s a great way to bridge that. Drake’s not its own bubble, it’s not its own island in the sea of Des Moines,” Frazier said. “I think doing little things to bring people onto campus will help Drake make those connections.”

It can be a struggle sometimes for college students to keep up with a healthy eating habit. On-campus food options can be limited and not able to meet several dietary restrictions some students might have. For Drake students that are struggling, there is a new restaurant in town that might meet their needs.

Health House opened Monday, March 3 and is located in Johnston, right off the 86th Street exit. It features items from protein shakes to Brazilian steaks.

Health House is a preservative free, fast casual restaurant that can customize their food to most diets.

With meal planning and pick up

orders, it can be suitable for busy people on the go.

The owner Rick Davis says that he was inspired by his trip to Europe. He says that without the preservatives, you can leave Health House feeling full, but not sluggish.

“I would think that if you eat here four times in the first month, I think you will notice a difference and it’ll become a regular place,” Davis said.

They are aspiring to be able to fit in with every diet, from keto to gluten free to vegan and everything in between. They are striving to keep up with the fad diets that pop up.

Rory Coinconde, the front of house manager, said, “It’s a fun and unique place. You can pick, essentially customize your whole

meal. Pick your protein, pick your sauce, everything. And it’s all delicious.”

Health House has two chefs from top culinary schools in the country and a nutritionist on staff. They are working alongside UnityPoint to plan for post-surgery meals.

They also have a large focus on meal planning for people starting new diets. They hope to have meal planning classes at their learning space.

“If you come in and order something for tomorrow,” Davis said. “We’ll pack it in a mason jar with a little cup of sauce and change the moisture content. That way, you can just pour the sauce in, put the lid on and shake it up and it will taste just as good as if you ordered for today.”

Students advocate for the trans community Cameron Bolton Staff Writer cameron.bolton@drake.edu @Cameron.Bolton

On Thursday, Feb. 28 Drake University held an event titled Become a Trans Community Advocate. The event was held in Sussman Theater, located in the lower level of Olmsted.

The first speaker was sophomore environmental major Autumn Ellisor, who also prepared a slideshow going over recent incidents currently affecting transgendered people.

The incidents presented include the protections previously offered to LGBTQ+ people, which have now been peeled back, or the instance of how our current president has appointed several circuit court judges like Brett Kavanaugh, who have a record of anti-LGBTQ+ stances.

“I learned the issues really facing the trans community more in depth,” junior biology and environmental science major Olivia George said. “Like, I knew there were things that have come up,

especially with this administration, that were problematic, like the actual long term implications of those things. such as the court appointments and how those are going to be in effect long after the Trump administration is hopefully gone.”

The goals of this event were to educate the campus on current events, on what people can do about it and how campus community members can be better advocates in general.

One of the speakers, Ric Tennenbaum, a Campus Coordinator at Iowa Safe Schools, spoke about how these goals can apply to college students.

“I’m hoping that they got a better understanding or a more comprehensive understanding of the current climate facing transgender and gender nonconforming students on college campuses,” Tennenbaum said.

“And also some ways that they can show up for transgender students.

Both their everyday lives and also thinking more long-term.”

According to Tennenbaum, there are a number of ways that

the administration can help, such as offering more and better genderinclusive housing on campus, more all gendered restrooms and amending non-discrimination policies to include gender identity and expression. Tennenbaum also went over the ways that students can help too.

“Just everyday ways that other students can show up for transgender students like intervening when they hear micro aggressions or transphobic jokes,” Tennenbaum said. “And just avoiding assuming people’s genders by using gender neutral language.”

Another speaker at the event was Jack Schuler, who talked about his time in the military which encompassed both “don’t ask, don’t tell” and the current transgender ban. The ban could cause the loss of several potential resources during a crisis.

“Everyone seemed engaged,” Tennenbaum said. “Everyone was paying attention and there was some really great questions asked at the end.”

RHA HELD AN EVENT this past Thursday, aiming to educate Drake students and the Drake campus on how to be better advocates for the trans community on campus. The event featured speakers from Iowa Safe Schools and Drake students. PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPANONT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

March 6, 2019

05 | Sports

Sports Men’s basketball claims share of MVC title Drake to face winner of Illinois State versus Evansville on March 8 Drake Lohse Staff Writer drake.lohse@drake.edu

The last time the Drake men’s basketball team won the MVC Title, Britney Spears was beating on the side of a Ford Explorer with an umbrella. That was 2008.

Drake clinched top seat in the Missouri Valley with a 73-62 win over Missouri State Saturday night.

The Bulldogs have been locked in combat for the number one MVC spot for weeks, duking it out with Loyola and Missouri State.

Drake put themselves in prime position for MVC Champs with a four-game win streak. UNI, Valpo, Southern Illinois and Bradley all fell to the Bulldogs over a 10-day stretch, but Illinois State snuck

by Drake for the second time this year, a week after the Bulldogs had claimed sole possession of the MVC No. 1. Drake found itself on shaky Missouri Valley ground.

It’s a feeling that we’ve been prepared for. We put ourselves in a good position, and I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m ready to get back to practice and get back to work.

The team needed to win the Feb. 27 matchup against Indiana State in Des Moines. Drake entered Wednesday’s game in a three way tie for the MVC lead once again.

Their opportunity to break that tie, and find themselves atop the conference, came at home. Their matchup came Wednesday night, against the former home of Larry Bird, the Indiana State Sycamores.

Before the tipoff, Drake honored their seniors. Students and fans came together to send their fans off right. In his final home game, senior Nick McGlynn got off to a humble beginning. All season long, teams have come to the Knapp Center, trying to provide one defensive look after another, all in the name of somehow matching the offensive prowess of the 6’8”, Nick McGlynn.

With the combination of 6’9” Bronson Kessinger, and 6’9” Emondre Rickman, the Sycamores all but shut down Nick McGlynn in the opening minutes of the first half. McGlynn simply showed up when the Bulldogs needed him most. Midway through the first half, with the Bulldogs clinging to a four-point lead, a Noah Thomas steal gave way to a messy Bulldog fastbreak—one that ended with a D.J. Wilkins assist to McGlynn.

McGlynn powered over Rickman for a powerful slam, and the Bulldog crowd erupted with thunderous approval.

On the ensuing Indiana State possession, Garrett Sturtz took his trademark charge and halted all Sycamore momentum. Sturtz hit a fade away at the buzzer, and the Bulldogs walked off with a 36-32 halftime advantage.

Indiana State shot only 35.3 percent from the field, and failed to keep any energy alive for long.

Drake cruised to a 80-68 victory, and improved their February home record to a perfect 4-0.

“You try to treat it as if it’s [senior night] any other game,” Nick McGlynn said. “You try to

FIRST-YEAR GUARD D.J. Wilkins pulls up for a shot in front of an Illinois State defender. The game pictured was the two teams’ first matchup on Jan. 30, when the Redbirds came to the Knapp Center. Drake now sits at the No. 2 seed in the MVC tournament and will face the winner of the Illinois State vs. Evansville game on Friday at 6 p.m. PHOTO BY HANNAH COHEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

keep your emotions in check, try to focus on the task at hand. But it was really special, Drake’s really special to me, and being able to get a win, in front of a good home crowd, against a good team, that’s what it’s all about. I couldn’t be happier with how my time ended here at the Knapp Center.”

Drake defeated Indiana State for the second time this season. The team shot an even 50 percent from the field, and Brady Ellingson’s three-point performance (4-8) yielded him 16 points. Anthony Murphy contributed 13 points, breaking his career best by a single point.

The stage was set for an MVC showdown in Springfield. The Missouri State-Drake action commenced Saturday night. The Bulldogs got off to a hot start on a 7-0 run. A D.J. Wilkins threepointer stretched that lead to 11, with seven minutes remaining in the opening half. But an 11-3 Missouri State surge helped the Bears take a 34-33 halftime lead.

The Bulldogs kicked off the second half with an 8-0 spurt that the Bears never recovered from.

McGlynn hit six straight points in the opening minutes to give Drake a 5-point lead. With nine minutes remaining, the Bulldogs had themselves a nine-point cushion.

Missouri State threatened with a pair of field goals, but a staunch Drake defensive held them to nothing more. A pair of perimeter

daggers from Anthony Murphy and Brady Ellingson helped bury the Bears in the closing minutes.

Missouri State pulled their seniors, and reality dawned on the Bulldogs.

They were MVC Champs.

Drake’s really special to me, and being able to get a win, in front of a good home crowd, against a good team, that’s what it’s all about.

I couldn’t be happier with how my time ended here at the Knapp Center.

“We are where we are because of the guys in that locker room and their unselfishness and ability to believe in one another and stay committed to their goals,” DeVries

said. “These guys have been special all year and as a first-year head coach I’m blessed to have them.”

Nick McGlynn turned in a 22-point, 13 rebound performance, and first-year Garrett Sturtz continued his season of efficiency, hitting 3-for-4 in just under 12 minutes.

The Bulldogs begin the MVC Tournament Friday, March 8, in St. Louis. Drake awaits the winner of the Thursday Evansville-Illinois State matchup. They enter as the No. 2, and share the conference title with Loyola, who posted a 12-6 conference record. Illinois State has been a thorn in the side of the Bulldogs all season. Drake is 0-2 against the Red Birds. Both losses to Illinois State have spoiled four-game winning streaks.

The Bulldogs last squared off against Evansville in late January.

Drake avenged their loss to the Purple Aces with a 78-66 victory.

But in the meantime, Drake gets to float in the feeling of being conference champions.

“It’s a good feeling,” McGlynn said. “It’s a feeling that we’ve been prepared for. We put ourselves in a good position, and I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m ready to get back to practice and get back to work.”

Early Monday afternoon Assistant Athletics Director for Athletics Communications Ty Patton sent out an email stating

that Drake’s first-year guard D.J. Wilkins will miss the remainder of the men’s basketball season due to a broken bone in his left ankle.

Patton’s email included some of the details and highlights of Wilkins season to this point.

“Wilkins suffered the injury with nine minutes remaining in Saturday’s 73-62 win at Missouri State to clinch a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title for the Bulldogs. The Merrillville, Ind., native led the Bulldogs in minutes played and assists this season while averaging 11.1 points per game as one of the top freshmen in the MVC. The Bulldogs enter this week’s MVC Tournament as the No. 2 seed and will face either No. 7 Illinois State or No. 10 Evansville Friday night at 6 p.m. in St. Louis.”

MVC regular season standings: Team 1. Drake 1. Loyola 2. Southern Ill. 3. Missouri St. 4. Bradley 5. Illinois St. 6. UNI 7. Indiana St. 8. Valparaiso 9. Evansville

Conf.

Ovr.

12-6 12-6 10-8 10-8 9-9 9-9 9-9 7-11 7-11 5-13

23-8 19-12 17-14 16-15 17-14 14-17 15-14 15-15 14-17 11-20

06 | Sports

March 6, 2019

Sports Men’s Tennis falls to two ranked opponents; picks up a conference win Erin O’Boyle Staff Writer erin.oboyle@drake.edu @erin_oboyle1

After eight straight home matches, the Drake men’s tennis team hit the road this past weekend to take on Oral Roberts University, Wichita State University on Friday in Wichita, Kansas and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis on Sunday.

“I think a lot of us have been here long enough to have played enough away matches to know the procedure but still every road match is going to be tough,” senior Calum MacGeoch said about how traveling impacts the teams’ performance. “There’s no home crowd, you spend a lot of time on the road and in the bus which can be a little draining but we normally go a day or two early so everyone is accustomed is well rested and used to the courts. We do play at altitude sometimes so that’s different as the ball travels faster so it takes a little longer to get used to that.”

After their wins at home two weekends ago, the Bulldogs went into their away matches being bumped from No. 46 to No. 43 in ITA national rankings.

On Friday morning the Bulldogs faced the Oral Roberts’ Golden

Eagles in their only Summit League match-up of the weekend.

No. 1 singles Vinny Gillespie defeated his opponent in set scores of 6-1 and 6-3. Gillespie and Ben Clark were set to play No. 1 doubles, but their match against the Golden Eagles was never played.

No. 2 singles Tom Hands, who was again named Summit League Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week for a second week in a row, won his match in set scores of 6-1 and 6-3, as well. Junior Barnaby Thorold won at No. 3 singles in 6-3, 6-2 set scores. No. 5 singles Calum MacGeoch won in both sets 6-2 and then went on to win at No. 3 doubles with Hands in a set score of 6-4. Ben Clark, at No. 6 singles, was also victorious against his opponent in set scores of 6-1 and 6-2. No. 2 doubles, consisting of Bayo Philips and Finley Hall, secured the win in a 6-4 set score and thus contributing to the 6-1 win for the Bulldogs.

Later that day, the Drake men’s tennis team faced No. 44 nationally ranked Wichita State. Gillespie at No.1 singles fought long and hard against his Wichita State counterpart and ended up pulling out the win after a successful first set that ended in a 6-4 score, a loss in the second set that flipped the score 4-6, and then a 6-2 win in the third set that gave Gillespie the win

for the Bulldogs. Thorold, at No. 3 singles, left his match with the lead, but couldn’t pull out the win.

No. 4 singles, Bayo Philips was the only other Bulldog to claim a win over the Wichita State Shockers.

In another hard-fought match, Philips won the first set 6-4, loss the second set 4-6, and won the third set tiebreaker 7-5. No. 3 doubles, MacGeoch and Hands, also left their match unfinished and thus leaving the Bulldogs with no wins in the double’s category. A 2-4 loss against Wichita State left the Bulldogs spilt 1-1 during their time in Kansas and on to Minnesota to face the No. 17 nationally ranked Gopher’s in Minneapolis.

“We battled hard on Saturday against Wichita, we didn’t have a great start but ended up in five 3rd setters but were unable to convert some close sets,” MacGeoch said.

“A big factor of that was our energy, we were a little flat at the start of singles after a very close doubles point which didn’t help our start but we picked it backup and that definitely put us in some winnable positions. As for our match against Minnesota, they’re a tough team that we are familiar with but we have to go out with confidence and a lot of energy and put on a good performance at every spot.”

The Bulldogs faced the University of Minnesota Gophers

SENIOR ON THE MEN’S TENNIS TEAM Tom Hands hits the ball during a match against the Oregon Ducks on Feb. 22. PHOTO BY DYLAN HEUER | PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS

at 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. The Bulldogs lost to Minnesota, winning only one point for the match which came from a huge upset by Vinny Gillespie at No. 1 singles. Gillespie, ranked at No. 72 individually, beat Minnesota’s Josip Krstanovic who is ranked at No. 38 in the individual rankings. Gillespie lost in the first set 5-7, made a major come back in the second set with a set score of 6-2, and then finished off the match strong with a 6-3 3rd set score. Gillespie also partnered with Thorold to win at No. 1 doubles in a set score of 6-3.

The Bulldogs couldn’t get the momentum they needed to secure the win against the Gophers and ended their time in Minneapolis with 1-6 match score and an overall season record of 11-6. The Bulldogs will continue on the road with their next match on Friday against the University of Iowa in Iowa City. The Drake men’s tennis team will then travel to Kalamazoo, Michigan on Sunday morning to face Western Michigan University and immediately after travel to East Lansing, Michigan to face Michigan State University Sunday evening.

Answering the Chicago Bulls’ tough questions Drake Lohse Staff Commentator drake.lohse@drake.edu

Chicago’s been exposed. After a three-game winning streak, the Bulls went 2-2 in a stretch that included home losses to the Hawks and Bucks.

But these losses may not be such a dreary reminder that the Chicago Bulls are the Chicago Bulls. After the appearance of Otto Porter and the three game win parade, the talk around the Windy City was nothing but hot air. With an open ear on Michigan Avenue, you might think the Bulls had a shot in the NBA title.

In Chicago’s case, exposure may play to their favor. In the midst of all the fervor, The Bull’s identity was more up in the air than ever. Were they a busted rebuild? A slow moving example of the tank method? Or were they truly thrust into a renaissance not seen since the Derrick Rose era?

With Sunday’s loss to the Hawks, the latter seems evermore unlikely. But with all the pressure off their backs, Chicago can double down and do what it does best— wait. They can use the rest of their season to experiment, find their offensive groove, solidify their defensive chemistry. The Bull’s can use the remaining 18 games to create a more attractive destination for incoming free agents and trade targets.

Jim Boylen…still?

When the Bull’s brought in Jim Boylen as their interim head coach, he felt very much like what an interim is supposed to be…a face and a name to hold a place until a more qualified candidate can come along. Boylen didn’t do himself any favors in the opening weeks of his tenure.

Right now Chicago’s in a tender spot. There’s breezes of hope through the Windy City, and every personnel move must be made with a heightened sense of calculation. Chicago has proved it can’t flourish under the lax style of younger coaches, like Fred Hoiberg and Jim Boylen’s to the emerging Bull’s talent. Don’t let the three game burst fool you—Boylen’s 1326 record isn’t going to get the job done. So what other options does a young and impressionable team have?

As these things go, Chicago may have met their next head

coach Monday night. Milwaukee’s Mike Budenholzer is heavily regarded among players and execs as a true tactician and culturefreak. Budenholzer was handed Atlanta back in 2013, when the Falcons were still contenders in the East. The Hawks quickly folded, and Budenholzer was shipped up to Milwaukee, where he has quietly led the wily young Bucks to an admirable 46-14 record.

Budenholzer has shown that he can maintain a firm, but loose grip on a wide-eyed squad, but can Chicago trust his calm and collected demeanor to lead them back to the playoffs?

They might not have to. Doc River’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season. The 32year league soldier has graduated to sideline general. When River’s gets hired into an NBA franchise, that franchise becomes a business, a rolling tank of success that does not stop or answer questions. The man has ice in his veins. He traded his own son. When he was asked about it, “yeah, I made that call,” Rivers said.

The answer may lie in the middle. Jerry Stackhouse is still learning his way around the ropes as a coach. He noiselessly lead the Toronto Raptor’s G-League team to two consecutive G-League title games, before being brought on as an assistant in Memphis.

Stackhouse was widely regarded as a fierce competitor in his playing days. He’s a film-addict who focuses on one-game-at-a-time prep, a simplicity that the Bulls may need going forward.

To Zion or not To Zion?

It’s difficult to keep this in mind, but there are players eligible for this year’s draft not named Zion Williamson. Stinging like a manta ray and plowing through collegiate defenses like a runawayfreight train, the 6’7”, 280 pound Williamson has made himself a lock for the number one draft spot.

Zion’s been tied to the Bulls all year, and if you tuned in last week, you saw that Bull’s GM Gar Forman was spotted at the UNCDuke game. But Zion isn’t the only player on Duke’s team, most of the time, the rest of the Blue Devil roster features some top-10 names the Bulls may tip their horns to.

R.J. Barrett won’t cure Chicago’s three point woes, but his soft touch from the field could be the offensive solidifier that Kris Dunn was supposed to be. The

MEMBERS OF THE 2009 CHICAGO BULLS during the game against the Washington Wizards in Feb. 27, 2009. PHOTO

BY KEITH ALLISON | PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR

Duke standout has connected on 46 percent from the field this season, and many top experts are beginning to place him ahead of Zion in their draft projections.

6’8” swingman Cam Reddish is frequently assigned to the Bulls in mock drafts in every dark corner of the internet. Reddish has been playing well and consistent since Zion’s injury, but his frequent mention as being one of the top names in college basketball is baffling. When Zion’s on the floor, Reddish has a tendency to disappear.

His motor is questionable at best in tight games. His 7’1” wingspan is intriguing, but his 13.5 points-pergame on 37 percent shooting make for an enigmatic prospect.

So who can the Bull’s call on come June? Murray State’s Ja Morant might be Chicago’s gift from the basketball gods. The point guard’s name often gets lost in the Zion Williamson shuffle, but he’s quietly averaged 24.1 points-pergame along with 10 assists. His quick floor nature inhibit Dennis Smith comparisons.

Morant may never be a superstar, or even a centerpiece, but he could be a valuable starter that could help carry Chicago into a new era. Should the Bulls call on Anthony Davis or another big name free agent, Morant’s presence might make the Windy City all the more enticing.

Questions We Still Don’t Have Answers Too…

You’re probably sick of hearing about Anthony Davis. I’ll admit now that the Bulls nabbing him this summer seems like a bit of a reach, and the Bulls are almost certainly out of the Antonio Brown sweepstakes, but rest assured that Chicago will be making some sort of splash. In a summer class riddled with talent and touted names, who else could Chicago woo to get the city buzzing again?

Grandma Marlene’s Gamebreak: Back to Earth now…the Bulls are the Bulls again. But boy what a week. I don’t care what Mrs. Kaufmann says, or what kind of dogs she owns, not even a month ago we never would have beaten Memphis, or Atlanta the way we did Friday night. What a wild game! I wish the announcers would stop yelling everything though, and talking so much, I know what’s going on, I don’t need them to tell me…anyway, 168 points! The most in franchise history! I’ve noticed they are playing a lot more off the fast-break, which is the way it ought to be, we’re so young and talented that we shouldn’t be playing as slow as we had been.

Lauri is really starting to understand that his length is as much as an asset on defense as it is on offense. The Hawks may have scored 161, but don’t let that fool you, the Bull’s look more excited on defense and are trying to create turnovers rather than just fill the

space. They aren’t good at it quite yet, but once they get some more time defending aggressively, they have the athleticism to really be pests.

I was disappointed in Kris with his technical. I love Kris, but he does need to be a bit more of a leader. I’m starting to wonder if he has that in him. That young fella…Trae, for the Hawks, he hit a three from Moline, I swear, it was something else. Then there goes Kris getting in his face. I swear.

And whatever we do, we can not hit the three or defend the three.

The Hawks had 21 threes Saturday night! I don’t know why they make them play two nights in a row like that. We had some hot shooting from some of our bench guys that night, this Antonio Blakeney hit a pair of threes. He has a really pretty jump shot, very smooth. But as a team we shot 29 percent from the three, and for as young as we are, we ought to do better. I watched the post game, and Lauri gave a quote on the Bulls’ recent troubles.

“We’ve had many good practices, I don’t why it’s not translating here (in games),” Markkanen said. “We know we’re capable of more than what we’re doing right now, and those three wins we got in a row proved that to us.”

At least my boys know they can do better. But my spirits are high!

We have the Pacers, the 76ers, and the Pistons twice. I can’t wait to show that Jimmy Butler that we didn’t need him. Good riddance.

March 6, 2018

07 | Commentary

Commentary

An intergalactic scientific mystery

What really happened in Roswell, New Mexico?

THE INCIDENT in Roswell, New Mexico caught worldwide attention and has left many skeptics suspicious of government conspiracies and alien threats. PHOTO COURTESY OF Pixabay Olivia Hecker Contributing Writer olivia.hecker@drake.edu @oliviaahecker

During the summer of 1947 a severe thunderstorm hit Roswell, New Mexico. Out of this storm, an unexpecting rancher by the name of Mac Brazel recovered unusual objects in the debris. Metal sticks that were held together by tape, pieces of plastic and foil reflectors were amongst the debris Brazel recovered. Not knowing what to make of the debris, Mac Brazel contacted Roswell sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office then contacted the Roswell Army Air Force base, who sent out soldiers to sweep the area and collect the unidentified scramble of objects.

Weeks later, public information

officer Lt. Walter Haut issued a press release stating that the Roswell Air Force base had a flying saucer in their possession.

Despite this, the next day another press release was issued, claiming that it was just a weather balloon they had recovered from the site.

This was the beginning of the conspiracy of a UFO government cover up that became well known as “The Roswell Incident”.

On July 8, 1947 the Roswell Daily Record newspaper released the article “RAAF Captures Flying Saucer on Ranch in Roswell Region”. Although the Air Force claimed that it was only a weather balloon, the pictures of the recovered debris showed it was clearly no weather balloon. During that time, people grew suspicious and argued that the mysterious debris must have come from

Must-see movies for journalists Cameron Bolton Staff Writer cameron.bolton@drake.edu

In my years of being both a journalism student and movie fan, I have come across two films that I believe journalism majors should watch. The first is Spotlight (2015), while the other is Shattered Glass (2003). Both of these films were based off of true stories and star some very talented actors.

The plot of Spotlight concerns the new editor of the Boston Globe, Marty Baron (Live Schreiber).

In the movie, he asks Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton)’s team, a small group of investigative reporters, to look into a complicated story. They start investigating the Catholic church and multiple priests accused of abusing children. They discover that the problem does not involve only one priest, but that the higher ups in the church who helped cover it up. Even going as far as to designate such offenders with a horrifying euphemism like “sick leave.” They also sent such priest to their own treatment center, one of which was a block away from a Spotlight reporter’s house.

What I love about Spotlight is that it makes going through multiple documents painstakingly exciting, while cross-referencing the information with even more documents look intriguing, not really boring and tedious. Joking about necessary evils aside, there is also something that can be said about sticking with something in order to uncover the truth. Especially with something that’s going to be incredibly controversial.

If Spotlight is what you should do, then Shattered Glass is what you shouldn’t do. It depicts the rise and fall of The New Republic reporter Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), whose very first scene has him recommending that being humble is the best way to stand out in a field filled with so much ego. This takes on a much darker turn as the audience realizes what Glass is doing in the movie.

We find out that he has been fabricating stories for years and has not followed through on important leads.

Christensen’s portrayal of Glass is that of a whiny egomaniac not incomparable to the character he plays in Star Wars. Unlike Anakin Skywalker, however, this movie shows that Christensen can in fact be a good actor.

However, while Christensen is good, the highlight of the film is Peter Sarsgaard. He plays Charles Lane, Glass’ second editor who slowly realizes that the errors in Glass’ articles are much more serious than simple dodgy fact checking. One of the best lines in the film is when this online journalist is fact checking one of Glass’ stories and they notice that Glass gave them a phone number with the wrong area code. So, after Glass goes on and on for what seems like an eternity of stalling, Lane says “Steve…give him the number.” In a polite, but firm voice that lets everyone know that Glass is totally screwed.

Another thing that both of these films offer is that they are also enjoyable to non-journalists.

So if you ever needed to convince someone the value of your field, you can invite them over for a movie night.

another planet. These skeptics grew even more suspicious during the 1950s when the Air Force began conducting an undisclosed series of “dummy drops” over deserted fields in New Mexico.

The Air Force claimed these experiments were to test ways for pilots to survive falls from high

People grew suspicious and argued that the mysterious debris must have come from another planet.

altitudes. The “dummy drops” included dummies with latex skin (looking similar to what space aliens look like) that would fall from the sky. The people that were already skeptic became even more suspicious over the dummy drops, many believing the dummies were actually kidnapped space aliens that were being used by the government for science experiments.

These skeptics turned out to be somewhat right with their suspicions. The government did know more about the recovered debris in Roswell than they were letting on. Apparently, since World War II, a group of scientists specializing in geophysics and oceanography from prestigious universities in the United States such as New York University and Columbia, had been working on a top secret project named Project

Mogul. Project Mogul was a highly confidential atomic espionage task.

The scientist involved in Project Mogul thought that by sending microphones into a specific part of the Earth’s atmosphere where sound can travel thousands of miles without intrusion, they would be able to eavesdrop on nuclear tests from countries as far away as the Soviet Union. Considering how classified Project Mogul was, even the Roswell Army Air Force base wasn’t aware of its existence. The “weather balloon” story was made up like people had suspected. Many people still believe the government is involved in covering up what really happened in the summer of 1947 and the government has yet to answer the questions that skeptics want answered. The crash site is now a popular tourism site in Roswell, New Mexico.

08 | Commentary

March 6, 2018

Commentary

Expired: why shows shouldn’t push past their due date Natalie Larimer Staff Writer natalie.larimer@drake.edu @nat_larimer

We are all far too familiar with overextended shows that should have ended seasons before they had finally stopped. For some shows, there is usually one episode that we can point to that should have been the last one (I’m referring to The Office, Season 6 Episode 14 that should have been their last).

For others, there isn’t a definite stopping point, but the show definitely should have ended earlier than it did. Some are still chugging along (*cough* Supernatural

*cough*) while others took the hint and got off air, like Friends did. While we all love these shows to death, sometimes the best thing they can do for themselves is get off air. So, I’m going to take a look at some shows, both on air and off, and see if we can teach a lesson to show runners in the future.

By far the most overextended show of all time has got to be Supernatural. It just got renewed for a fifteenth season. That should be illegal. I watched it when I was in middle and high school (I was young and naïve, what can I say?) and then somewhere around the sixth or seventh season I decided to call it quits. Why? Because any show where the protagonists keep

dying and being brought back to life should never run. There isn’t a plot anymore, and at best it is a glorified soap opera. To be frank, Supernatural should have ended after the fifth season like it was intended to in the first place.

Why? Because any show where the protagonists keep dying and being brought back to life should never run.

Now, clearly, I have some pentup anger about Supernatural, so to be fair, I’m going to analyze a show near and dear to my heart, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (B99). As you may know, B99 got canceled after the fifth season by Fox, but was immediately picked up by NBC. Fans everywhere were ecstatic to see their favorite characters again. The sixth season has been airing this year, and while I am thoroughly enjoying the episodes, I just can’t feel the normal B99 plot development anymore. It feels like they are all filler episodes to set up for the next season, which they just got renewed for. I think the writers just need to work out how to get the same amount of content in as they did before, and to stop trying to make the show different from before just because they can.

Same characters, same writers, same everything but network, and something is just off. I hope that

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE was aired on Fox until it was dropped on May 10, 2018. It was picked up the next day by NBC. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

SUPERNATURAL was renewed for a fifteenth season on Jan. 31, 2019. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

they can turn it around and bring it back to the show I’ve always loved it to be.

As I mentioned before, The Office has a clear episode in which it should have ended, and that was Season 6 Episode 14, The Banker, where a banker comes in and talks to Toby in HR to see if the company is in good shape for the buyer of Dunder Mifflin. What makes this a perfect last episode is how they used old clips to make us nostalgic while also giving us closure during the sale process of the company. Everything after this episode seems to be filler, leaving audiences wondering why they keep creating new, unauthentic plot points. The Office did themselves

wrong continuing the show after that episode. As soon as Steve Carell left, it quickly and swiftly killed the show. There was no coming back.

By no means am I calling myself an expert, and of course, I only picked shows that I am very familiar with and since I’m a really standard issue person, they’re really mainstream shows. I can bet there are a ton of excellent shows that just nosedived after a certain decision made in the writer’s room, like the decision made in the last 10 minutes of How I Met Your Mother. Hit me up on Twitter with the worst endings to your favorite shows ever and I’ll try and watch them so I can share your pain.

A note from the new Editor-in-Chief Ivy Beckenholdt Editor-in-Chief ivy.beckenholdt@drake.edu @ivy_why_98

As the new editor-in-chief of The Times-Delphic I believe that it is important to address where the publication is heading.

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I believe that journalists have power to make a true impact on their community, and so we have a great responsibility to ensure that the stories we share are true and socially conscious.

This is why moving forward The Times-Delphic is working toward bettering ourselves. We want to listen and better share the stories of the Drake community. We have new office hours on Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m in order to give others a chance to voice their opinions. We would greatly appreciate speaking

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ADVERTISING POLICY The Times-Delphic’s business office is located at 2507 University Avenue, 124 Meredith Hall, Des Moines, IA 50311.

The Times-Delphic is published on Wednesdays during the university’s fall and spring academic terms. The newspaper is distributed for free around the Drake University campus. All advertising information is to be submitted noon Sunday for the Wednesday edition. Advertisements can be designed by The Times-Delphic or submitted via e-mail. We accept cash and check. A 10 percent discount is offered for prepayment on advertisements. The business office can be contacted at 515-271-2148.

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