March 9, 2022

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The weekly student newspaper of Drake University Vol. 141 | No. 18 | March 9, 2022 FEATURES

SPORTS

COMMENTARY

The National Panhellenic Conference’s decision to require members to identify as female has implications for Drake.

Drake men’s basketball lost in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game to Loyola, 6458, for the second year in a row.

A writer breaks down the positives and negatives of “The Batman,” which stars Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano and others.

Read more on page 3

Read more on page 5

Read more on page 7

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drake lifts mask mandate Students vulnerable to COVID faced quick turnaround for accommodation requests Mackenzie Swenson Staff Writer mackenzie.swenson@drake.edu

Following recent updates to mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a decline in COVID-19 cases in Polk County since late January, Drake University scrapped its mask mandate on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Students and staff were informed of the policy shift by an email from President Marty Martin, who cited CDC guidance that states communities designated at a “low” or “medium” COVID-19 community level do not need to enforce mask-wearing indoors.

The CDC currently rates Polk County at a medium community level based on used hospital beds, hospital admissions and the number of new COVID-19 cases.

The mask guidance at this level says that those with “symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.” Additionally, those who are at high risk for severe illness are advised to discuss with their healthcare provider about whether they should wear a mask and take other precautions.

According to an email from Drake Chief of Staff Nate Reagen on March 7, there were three confirmed off-campus student cases at that time.

Drake’s COVID-19 Updates will no longer be emailed to Drake students and staff each Friday but will be available online.

Drake’s policy allows students and employees who receive legal accommodations under the American Disabilities Act to require those around them to wear masks, Martin said in the email. According to Reagen, the period between Martin’s email and Wednesday evening’s lift of the mandate allowed time to apply for accommodations.

“Most importantly, the delay has allowed students, faculty and staff sufficient time to submit ADA requests,” Reagen said in an email. “There are also several other facets to consider—all the way down to turning water fountains back on, removing campus signage, beginning to remove plexiglass, et cetera.”

According to Reagen, professors cannot generally require their students to wear masks unless a student submits a request for accommodations through Student Disability Services.

“I support the evidencebased, public health guidance of the CDC,” international relations professor Debra DeLaet said.

“The CDC acknowledges that individuals with medical vulnerabilities continue to have heightened risks for bad outcomes. I’m grateful that Drake policy recognizes accommodations in such cases.”

Senior Paige Penningroth said that campus was not informed early enough to allow students to apply for accommodations through Disability Services, given that students needed to submit a doctor’s note in order for

DRAKE lifted its mask mandate on March 2 at 5 p.m.

their accommodations to be approved.

Penningroth said she had an appointment with her doctor scheduled the afternoon Martin’s email went out, which allowed her to submit her doctor’s note that same day. Even so, she said that she skipped two classes on Thursday as a precaution after her professors did not respond to her request for accommodations.

“A two-and-a-half day turnover for that is not a lot of time for most people that wanted an accommodation to even get one,” Penningroth said. “At the very least, they should have given like a three week heads up about it so that everyone that needs an accommodation could get one in place.”

Penningroth said that the mask mandate lift is an issue of inclusion and that no harm is

PHOTO BY JOSHUA BRUER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

done in asking people to wear a mask.

“Knowing that rates aren’t lower—that people’s chances of catching it aren’t lower but maybe that non-disabled people probably won’t die from it like— is the reasoning, but then what about the disabled people that do have multiple conditions that when exposed do have that higher risk?” Penningroth said.

“It’s just not factoring them in or creating a safe space for them at Drake University, and I think that’s problematic, and administration should be a little ashamed of themselves.”

Sophomore Ash Canaday said they disapprove of the mask mandate lift and believe people should continue wearing masks in crowded public spaces.

However, from the perspective of a student with auditory processing issues, they also said that exempting professors from

wearing masks is beneficial.

“Having the teacher not wearing masking those circumstances can be invaluable to some people, and it’s useful to everybody,” Canaday said. “It can just be hard to understand what people are saying, especially if you’re in classes where you’re learning new vocabulary, so it’s definitely a give and take.”

Martin said in the email that Drake has also lifted requirements for special authorization or limitations for in-person events, audience attendance limits for fine arts events, vaccination requirements for domestic travel and restrictions in the Bell Center and Underground Fitness.

“It’s nice to work out in the Bell Center without wearing [a mask],” senior Nick Meyer said.

Understanding Russia’s invasion: a crash course in European history Luke Clausen Staff Writer luke.clausen@drake.edu Russia, with the military support of Belarus, has invaded Ukraine in what Russian President Vladimir Putin called a “special military operation” to “demilitarize and denazify Ukraine” on Feb. 24, according to The New York Times. This comes after weeks of tension during the Olympics between Russia and Ukraine, as well as Russia’s recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region on Feb. 21, according to CBS News.

Drake University held a panel discussion on the topic in Cowles Library’s reading room on March 2. The panel included international relations professors Deb DeLaet, David Skidmore and Kieran Williams, history professor Rob Collis, and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Monitoring Officer and Drake graduate Amir Busnov. Busnov has been working in Ukraine to prevent and monitor conflict.

“It’s the typical aggression of the hegemonic country who believes it’s entitled to run other countries other people’s lives. In some ways, it seems like Putin never woke up from the Cold War, that he’s still stuck there,” Busnov said. “Russia firmly believes that literally every single country on the border of Russia must submit and basically give up its entire sovereignty. It’s insane.”

The discussion centered on the history and politics of the conflict.

“What [Putin]’s essentially saying is that they’re all Russians, and that there is no separate identity for Ukrainians. I would beg to differ,” Collis said at the event. “There are intricate bonds just like there are between the English and the Scots.”

“In some ways, it seems like Putin never woke up from the Cold War, that he’s still stuck there.”

Russians and Ukrainians share deep cultural and historical ties.

The two nations have coexisted peacefully for extended periods of time, though the past eight years have seen a rise in tensions between the two countries.

“Even when Russia was at its weakest in 1992, the Russian government was still coveting the Crimea and Donbass as early as 1992,” Collis said. “This is still a contentious issue for the Russians.”

According to Williams, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, which included the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, operable nuclear weapons were still within Ukrainian territory. In 1994, an international agreement called the Budapest Memorandum was signed. The agreement was that if Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons, Europe and America

would ensure Ukraine’s security and territorial integrity.

“They inherited some nuclear weapons from the Soviet arsenal, where they were located on Ukrainian soil,” Williams said.

“Under U.S. pressure or with U.S. assurances, Ukraine surrendered those weapons, and at the same time, also made arrangements for Russia to have access to Crimea for its Black Sea Fleet. And in return, he was supposed to be giving assurances of its territorial integrity.”

The question seemed to be settled. Then in 2014, Russian military personnel without insignia occupied the southern Crimean peninsula, which violated the Budapest Memorandum and caused international outrage.

Williams said that “Russia today says that Ukraine is no longer the same country that [signed] that memorandum and therefore Russian does not feel beholden to it or does not feel obligated to it.”

Belarus’ military support of this invasion includes hosting Russian missiles and troops within its territory, according to TIME. Mutual economic and political support is the strongest explanatory factor as to why this is occurring, according to Williams.

“This is part of this long term relationship to develop a union of sorts between Belarus and Russia, not always an easy one,” Williams said. “Sometimes there’s friction, but on the most part Lukashenko is somebody who lost the last election last time

DEMONSTRATORS IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late Februrary with signs and Ukranian flags. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, PUBLISHED

BY FRANKIE FOUGANTHIN UNDER THE THE CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION - SHARE ALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE.

around. There was a massive, sustained campaign of opposition and protest in Belarussian society, which he has, for the most part, managed to contain, and obviously survive to some degree with Putin’s help and support.”

Both the Belarusian and Russian governments survive on forms of autocracy, which is defined as a system of government by one person with absolute or near-absolute power.

“You know, they don’t like each other, Lukashenko and Putin, it’s pretty clear. They don’t like each other. They don’t trust each other,” Williams said. “There are times when they’ve [quarreled] over things like energy supplies, and all that kind of thing. But at the end of the day, they’re in the same world in terms of how they view government. They’re the

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same type of regime.”

According to al-Jazeera, Russian forces are traveling from the north, east, and south and are currently fighting Ukrainian forces in an effort to capture the capital city of Kyiv in the north.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is on the ground in Kyiv fighting diplomatically and militarily for his country’s continued sovereignty and independence.

On Thursday, Ukraine and Russia met for the second of two recent rounds of talks, and Ukraine’s negotiator said that later Thursday negotiations ended “with an agreement on cease-fire corridors for civilians to escape heavy combat, but no progress on a settlement,” according to The Times.

02 | News

March 9, 2022

News

Student senate will allow “Divine Nine” to receive funding

DRAKE’S STUDENT SENATE will grant funding to the “Divine Nine” historically Black fraternities and sororities with chapters on Drake’s campus, following the passage of a resolution during the student senate meeting on March 3. PHOTO FROM STUDENT SENATE INSTAGRAM, GRAPHICS BY OLIVIA KLASSEN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Mackenzie Swenson Staff Writer mackenzie.swenson@drake.edu

Drake’s “Divine Nine” historically Black fraternities and sororities will have the ability to request annual funding from Drake’s student senate.

The student senate passed a resolution to allow these organizations to request annual funding on March 3, according to Connor Oetzmann, vice president of student life.

The student senate “understands the importance of honoring the rich traditions of this vibrant and impactful community,” the resolution says and “must take tangible action in the form of financial support.” The annual funding would support the eight chapters of the “Divine Nine” present on Drake’s campus,

some of which include students from Iowa State University.

“This [will] maximize the programming capacity of the council, which inherently increases its visibility and leads to a greater understanding about our work within the Drake community,” Coleman said in an email. “The work of these Black greek-lettered organizations has been essential on this campus, and students should know that.”

The resolution notes a distinction between the National Panhellenic Council, Inc. (NPHC), which oversees the “Divine Nine,” and the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Council, which oversee the seven social fraternities and five social sororities with houses on Greek street.

“The primary reason that bodies like IFC and

the Panhellenic Council are precluded from receiving annual funding is because they receive some form of dues from either their affiliate chapters or membership,” Coleman said in the email. “However, the same does not apply to NPHC, making their programming capacity more difficult when many events involve funding.”

In a statement of support for the resolution, Coleman and Oetzmann, among other student senators, said the step demonstrates support for equity and inclusion on campus.

“NPHC will now, hopefully, have access to annual funding so they can hold numerous events, work on initiates and better reach and serve our campus and community,” Oetzmann said in an email. “All senators were in favor of this resolution/ bylaw amendment, and many voiced their support during the

meeting.”

Vice President of Drake NPHC Layana Sariah confirmed the support statement’s premise, saying in an email that the funding will allow the organization to expand the reach of its events.

“With the funding, we can put in more money to host these events at a greater magnitude,” Sariah said in an email. “Doing so will allow the Drake Community to be aware of our historical and cultural organizations. These events include Meet the Greeks and NPHC 101, where the Drake and Des Moines Community is invited to come and learn more information about the history and culture of our organizations.”

Another use of the funding, Sariah said, will involve once again sending members of the Drake “Divine Nine” chapters

to the National Black Greek Leadership Conference which draws 3,750 participants from more than 200 campuses according to the conference’s website. The conference prides itself on being the “largest, most diverse gathering of fraternal stakeholders” in the U.S. “The conference gives our members the opportunity to network and fellowship with other Divine Nine members,” Sariah said. “In addition, this conference hosts workshops that facilitate dialogue about issues that we as Black Greek members face on a predominately white campus and brings these discussions back to the Drake Community.

These conversations will help NPHC members feel more welcomed and included in not only the FSL community but in Drake as a whole.”

Drake raises room and board costs by 2.5% for 2022-2023 year Bryson Rea Staff Writer bryson.rea@drake.edu

Drake President Marty Martin announced a 2.5 percent increase in room and board costs for the 2022-2023 year through a university-wide email on Feb. 10.

Martin wrote that the rise in room and board rates was recently approved by the Drake University Board of Trustees, a 36-member group that makes decisions by majority vote. The increase brings the cost persemester for a double, triple, or quad dorm room up to $3,157 for the 2022-2023 year. That’s an increase of $77 from this year’s $3,080.

The increase also brings the 175-block, $650 flex residential meal plan to $2,628 per semester in comparison to last year’s $2,564. Students who use this meal plan and pay for a double, triple or quad room will pay an additional $141 each semester next year.

According to financial aid director Ryan Zantingh, Drake creates Cost of Attendance budgets each year, and increased costs like room and board fees can result in higher calculated financial need, which may increase eligibility for needs-based awards like federal direct subsidized loans.

If the COA budget increases,

Zantingh explained over email, students can borrow more money. He said that the 20222023 COA will make full-time, on-campus students eligible to borrow $282 more than the previous year’s COA.

“Inflation is having an impact well beyond Drake and it is something we are trying to navigate while being conscientious of the impacts it has on our students and their families.”

Some first-year students were worried by the increase in room and board fees, with firstyear Charlie Schwabb pointing towards her already strenuous financial outlook for the 20222023 academic year.

“I come from a pretty poor family, I’ve eaten from food shelves before, and I’m worried I wont be able to pay for college,” Schwabb said. “Even with just a slight increase, I’m already barely getting by as is.”

First-year Jack Geppart is also facing financial strain.

“With my parents helping pay for my schooling, this increase pushes the cost just about to the limit of what they

can cover,” Geppart said.

Drake University Chief Student Affairs Officer Jerry Parker explained that the university uses the Higher Education Price Index, published by Commonfund, an American based asset management firm, as a primary basis for these decisions.

“The University looks at the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) that is calculated and published by Commonfund which puts out forecasts each quarter,” Parker said in an email. “Their most recent forecast for HEPI for 2021 is an increase of 2.7 percent.”

Parker went on to say in the email that the university’s goal is to keep costs in line through efficient spending practices, but as costs rise at the hands of inflation, pricing must rise to cover costs. He also took note of the impact price increases like these can have on students..

“We do not take these increases in rates lightly as we know the impact on students,” Parker said in the email. “Inflation is having an impact well beyond Drake and it is something we all are trying to navigate while being conscientious of the impacts it has on our students and their families.”

Andrew Kennard contributed reporting to this story.

DRAKE UNIVERSITY used the Higher Education Price Index to inform its decision to increase room and board costs by 2.5 percent. PHOTO BY RACHEL JALLOWAY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

03 | Features

Features

March 9, 2022

Nonbinary sorority members struggle with NPC rule Rachel Jalloway Staff Writer rachel.jalloway@drake.edu

Who exactly can be in a sorority? Some make the argument that anyone who is assigned female at birth (AFAB) can join, while others say only those who currently identify as female can.

In 2019, Drake changed the rule so that sororities on campus were able to recruit nonbinary members. However, this rule was short-lived, however.

There has recently been a change in the Panhellenic rules regarding non-binary members.

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) made the change that you must (1) be AFAB and (2) identify as a female in order to be in a sorority. These rules matter to Drake because they are the organization that governs Drake’s Panhellenic life.

“The bylaw passed in 2019 [at Drake] that allowed nonbinary people to go through recruitment has been removed because it goes directly aganist our member organization policies and NPC policy,” Drake Panhellenic president Claire Hill said.

At Drake, this means that nonbinary students can no longer go through sorority recruitment. However, this does not mean that current members who are nonbinary will be removed from their chapter.

However, NPC’s decision was not well received by sorority members.

“I think many people in this community wanted this bylaw to stay in place and are disappointed that the bylaw must be removed,” Hill said.

“We have worked very hard

SORORITIES AT DRAKE are affected by a new National Panhellenic Conference rule that sorority members must identify as female, overturning a previous Drake rule that allowed nonbinary sorority members. PHOTO BY RACHEL JALLOWAY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

to attempt to reverse the historic exclusion of certain marginalized populations here within our Panhellenic community.”

An anonymous nonbinary sorority member at Drake said that it feels exclusionary to prevent people from participating in sorority life because of their gender.

“I feel very disappointed,” the anonymous student said.

“With little push back from Drake to NPC, it feels as if they don’t see value in putting effort into fighting for a more inclusive atmosphere on campus for nonbinary people. Greek life is one of the most unique parts about the college experience and to deny somebody that experience because of their gender is ridiculous.”

They also emphasized the damage that this new rule has on the LGBTQ+ community. “...to say we aren’t welcome anymore is even more isolating,” the anonymous member said.

“It’s also frustrating because there is no house, either social or professional, for queer people specifically, and to say we would need our own is again isolating. It gets old having to create new spaces for queer people to exist in as themselves because the spaces that do exist already don’t welcome us.”

Those who are in Panhellenic life have acknowledged this, and have mentioned that they are not intending to hurt nonbinary students.

“It is not the intention of the Drake Panhellenic Council nor its community to harm any

population, only to abide by the rules that have been set in place for us,” Hill said. “Our members will continue to be educated on issues of gender identity and how to be effective allies. I hope our members discuss these issues with their inter/national organizations.”

“It gets old having to create new spaces for queer people to exist in as themselves because the spaces that do exist already don’t welcome us.”

Despite all of this, the past

actions of the Panhellenic community have worked to make nonbinary people feel included, and the hope is that they continue to do the best they can.

“When I joined, it was because I was struggling to make friends and meet people due to virtual class and COVID,” the nonbinary member said. “I needed that social environment, however I went through with being initiated because after I accepted my bid I asked our DEI person at the time if I was welcomed even though I was nonbinary. Their affirmation of me having a place in the chapter regardless of my gender identity is what made me feel like my chapter was a safe space for me.”

bulldog highlights: erica sawyer engages in internships with drake Courtney Jackson Staff Writer courtney.jackson@drake.edu

Erica Sawyer, a sophomore studying strategic political communications and digital media production at Drake University, is an intern with Drake Professional and Career Development Services.

In her role, Sawyer’s main focus is social media management. She said that since the start of her internship for the spring semester, she has primarily created content for the Be Limitless: 2022 Career Conference that occurred last Friday.

“I made Instagram slides to introduce all the different speakers, and then I made PowerPoint introductions because it’s all over Zoom,” Sawyer said. “And then I made a video showing how to register.”

Leah Berte, Assistant Director of Drake Professional and Career Development Services and the liaison to the Drake School of Education and College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, is Sawyer’s professional advisor. Berte said that they are coming up on a month of Sawyer working for the Professional and Career Development Services and describes Sawyer’s role.

“It is a lot of design, a lot of innovation in terms of being able to decide what our brand should be, what the colors should be that’s professional but fun,” Berte said. “It’s communications. She has to write quite a bit and she will be doing some research to figure out what we can do to engage.”

Sawyer said that one of

ERICA SAWYER has found social media management internships through Drake. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERICA SAWYER

her personal goals for the Drake Professional Career and Development Service’s Instagram page is to develop a brand.

“I want to create a brand because right now their page is a little disjointed because they have employer takeovers and then they have student takeovers and then they have Drake stuff,” Sawyer said. “So, one of the things that I had in mind was creating templates to give to the employers so that it creates more of a cohesive page.”

Sawyer describes how this internship serves as an opportunity to apply what she has learned at the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communications, especially for her J59 and J55 courses.

“I think learning basic skills on basic composition for digital media and taking Visual Communications and knowing how to put something together on InDesign is important,” Sawyer said. “And in Digital Media Strategies, learning about SEO and learning about engagement and stuff like that.

For a brand, just knowing that it is something that is important and knowing how to identify it is critical.”

Sawyer said she has taken classes on social media management, but the concepts always seemed abstract until she had the opportunity to apply them through her internship.

Berte comments on Sawyer’s professionalism. She said that starting with the interview, Sawyer came early and had clear communication. Berte said she was forthcoming on what her weaknesses were, and from there, she has been very impressive.

“Already, within the first week of her starting, I could tell that I could count on her,” Berte said. “She’s dependable.”

Sawyer has had two additional internship experiences.

“Last spring, I did a video internship with Drake Communication and Marketing,” Sawyer said. “I really liked that one because it was another on-campus internship, so they were super flexible and then I liked getting more professional video experience. I was mostly doing video editing.”

Sawyer has a passion for video editing. She said she originally came to Drake for the strategic political communications major (SPC), but when she added digital media production, she loved it. In addition to her video internship, Sawyer did a communications internship with the Iowa Hospital Association in Fall 2021.

“That was fun because most of my professional experience had been in more digital spaces, like digital media, so

this was something that was more focused on my SPC area,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer is excited about what she will gain from her current internship with Drake Professional and Career Development Services.

When asked why she applied for this position, Sawyer said, “I know looking at jobs for the future and internships, it seems like social media management is a super important growing field or a skill that people want for incoming interns. So, I’m glad I’m getting that experience to put on my resume.”

Berte is looking forward to Sawyer’s future contribution in her time as an intern.

“We’re excited,” Berte said.

“I already have confidence that she is going to be able to give us a brand. I already trust that. I also think she’s going to give us more visibility and help us connect better with our audiences. That’s something that I’m really looking forward to. It’s going to really benefit our office and then full circle, it benefits students because they’ll know more about us, maybe not be as intimidated to use our services, and she’s really going to give us that student perspective of what students want.”

Drake University prides itself on the pre-professional development that the University supplies for its students. This features series serves to highlight students at Drake who have explored pre-professional options and provide insight into what these experiences look like.

04 | Features

Features

March 9, 2022

students mourn the loss of fong’s pizza near drake Courtney Jackson Staff Writer courtney.jackson@drake.edu

Honey and garlic, crab rangoon and loaded potato.

Bacon popper, ramen pizza and mac and cheese.

You could find these types of pizzas at Fong’s Pizza on 3018 Forest Ave., Des Moines, IA — an easy walk from Drake University for students to grab a quick slice of something delicious. In November 2021, however, Fong’s posted a note on their door announcing the closure of the flavorful neighborhood favorite.

“We regret to say that after 2 ½ years of trying to make things work here, we have decided to close our doors for good, effective Saturday 11/13/2021.

Thank you very much for your patronage and support over the years. We have been honored to be a part of your neighborhood.”

“I was pretty sad when I heard Fong’s closed and honestly kind of shocked, too.

I always thought they did well in the neighborhood, so I was surprised to see them shut their doors.

I honestly don’t know

Managed by the Full Court Press, a group that oversees some of Des Moines’ favorite restaurants and bars, the Forest Avenue location joined the Fong’s collection (223 Fourth St., Des Moines; 1006 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids; 1450 S.W. Vintage Parkway, Suite 120, Ankeny) back in April 2019.

For many in the Drake

LOCATED CONVENIENTLY NEXT TO PEGGY’S BAR, and within walking distance of Drake’s campus, Fong’s Pizza provided students with cheap food and a variety of options until its unexpected closing in November 2021. PHOTO BY JOSHUA BRUER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

community, Fong’s on Forest provided a perfect quickservice place for the Drake Neighborhood to grab a slice on-the-go, especially for any late-night cravings.

“Fong’s was a fun, cheap place to eat that was even closer to campus than Dogtown was,” senior Elyse Dye said. “And it wasn’t a chain restaurant like McDonald’s.”

Fong’s also provided student-deals — something many students seek out in establishments to support.

“I loved their student deals,” Dye said. “Before COVID-19, they used to be open until 2 a.m.

It was a perfect place to stop for

some cheap food after a night out.”

Besides losing an affordable restaurant, the Drake Neighborhood has lost an eccentric gem, and students aren’t exactly sure why.

“I definitely think that Fong’s added a different vibe to the Drake Neighborhood,” junior Sydney Skemp said. “It was a fun, welcoming atmosphere that combined locals and Drake students from every age range.”

The closure of Fong’s on Forest Avenue confused Skemp, because to her, they were always successful.

“I was pretty sad when I heard Fong’s closed and honestly kind

of shocked, too,” Skemp said.

“I always thought they did well in the neighborhood, so I was surprised to see them shut their doors. I honestly don’t know why they closed.”

While the exact reasoning behind Fong’s closure is uncertain, there was controversy behind the management of the Forest Avenue location.

In March 2021, co-founder and part owner of the downtown Fong’s Gwen Page “alleged that she was fired ‘without notice of cause’ by a group of investors that included Full Court Press owner Jeff Bruning”, according to an article published by the Des Moines Register.

Full Court Press, however, denies those allegations.

Regardless of why Fong’s closed, community members will miss the mingling of flavors of pizza, drinks and starters.

And they’re eager for something similar to fill the hole it’s created.

“The loss of Fong’s is sad because we all have so many fun memories associated with that place and its food,” Skemp said. “I would love to see it come back or for another small place with a similar vibe to fill the neighborhood again.”

Drake alumna to open new bookstore in West Des Moines

THIS STOREFRONT will become the ‘Reading in Public’ bookstore in West Des Moines. PHOTO BY JOSHUA BRUER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Courtney Jackson Staff Writer courtney.jackson@drake.edu

Linzi Murray, a 2017 graduate of Drake University, is set to open a bookstore called Reading in Public in July of 2022 at 315 5th St., Suite 100 in West Des Moines.

Murray described Reading in Public as “a place for people to welcome people and a warm and inviting environment.” She

wants this bookstore to be a safe space for all people, making sure that they get the representation they deserve through the books that she will be supplying.

Murray says she plans to have a unique curation of books, with many of them sparking conversations about mental health and other social justice issues. This bookstore is a way of serving the community and providing a safe space for people to come together.

Murray graduated from

Drake University in 2017 with a double major in graphic design and painting. She said she truly loved her time at Drake University, getting involved within international student organizations and really loving all the design department had to offer.

After graduation, she moved to New York City with her husband and worked as a freelance graphic designer for many authors within the area.

One of her favorite projects

was getting to work with Ingrid Fetell Lee on her book called “Joyful,” getting to do many illustrations for this best selling book.

While living in NYC, the pandemic hit and this is truly what inspired her bookstore, with her saying that “bookstores are important to happiness.”

Many of the bookstores that Murray loved, such as Bookstore Magic, shut down due to this sickness, not even offering carryout for books, so

she turned to Instagram.

Murray ended up creating a Bookstagram page on Instagram, with her being able to connect with other readers, authors and even her favorite bookstores throughout the city, ones that inspired her to open up her own. Her Instagram page has amassed a following of 8,859 followers, allowing her to share her love for reading and all things books.

One thing Murray truly loves about the book community is how supportive they are of each other. Many local bookstores such as Dog Eared Books in Ames, Story House Bookpub in Des Moines and Raccoon River Press in the Des Moines area have supported her on this journey.

“I talked to every single bookstore in the area, with all of them being very supportive about a bookstore finally coming to Valley Junction,” Murray said. “This area really drew me because of the foot traffic, community and the area of destination. Valley Junction has been wanting a bookstore for a long time and we were able to help them with that.”

Reading in Public is set to open in July of 2022 with a cafe inside the bookstore and cards, stationary, a selection of storebranded merchandise and other gift items available. But Murray still has more planned before the big opening this summer.

She will hold a workshop at the Des Moines Book Festival on how to read more, with this festival happening on March 26th from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Capital Square in Des Moines.

Murray also holds occasional pop-ups at the Fox Brewing Company.

05 | Sports

March 9, 2022

Sports

Recap of Drake’s performance at MVC Tournament

THE DRAKE’S MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM finished the 2021-2022 season with a 24-10 record, going 13-5 in conference play. PHOTO BY PAIGE JANSEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

drake heads to semifinal round after beating siu, Nils Armitage Contributing Writer nils.armitage@drake.edu

Despite not having senior guard D.J. Wilkins for the Bulldogs, Drake utilized a second half offensive surge to defeat Southern Illinois, 65-52, on Friday, March 4. This win allowed the team to advance to the semifinal round of Arch Madness, the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

The Bulldogs were able to beat the Salukis for the third time this season, but the effort and game plan was not always pretty.

Both teams struggled offensively throughout the first half as Drake and Southern Illinois took advantage of turnovers to score most of their points in the early going. But this did not last long, as SIU senior forward Marcus Domask and the Salukis began to take charge.

With three minutes

remaining in the first half, Southern Illinois led by seven points thanks to 12 first half points from Domask and the Bulldogs were searching for answers. Thanks to Drake seniors, guard Roman Penn and forward ShanQuan Hemphill, the Bulldogs made some key baskets at the end of the first half.

Drake ended up holding onto the lead going into the locker room. However, the real story of the game for Drake began in the second half behind great offensive performances from Hemphill and recently named Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, Tucker DeVries.

The biggest question coming into this game was who would step up for the Bulldogs after the injury to star guard D.J. Wilkins who had averaged more than 15 points per game over the previous four games before tearing his ACL in the regular season finale. Hemphill,

who averaged 14 points per game last year as a starter, scored a season high 19 points for the Bulldogs. His ability to finish at the rim and make free throws—an area he has been inconsistent with this year— was the difference maker in this game.

Lastly, forward Tucker DeVries displayed why he was one of the nation’s top recruits before committing to play for Drake last year. DeVries finished with 13 points—11 of those coming in the second half—as he was making difficult shots with the ease of an NBA player.

It was an impressive showing from the freshman, as this year marks his first experience in the world of ‘March Madness’ as a player.

DeVries and the Bulldogs will look to continue their hot streak, as they play Missouri State at 5 p.m. this afternoon in the semifinal match-up of the MVC tournament.

drake wins in final seconds of overtime

to advance to the championship Nils Armitage Contributing Writer nils.armitage@drake.edu

New year, same result: Drake needs overtime (OT) to defeat the Missouri State Bears 7978 in a rematch of last year’s semifinal tournament matchup.

The story of the game for Drake was freshman Tucker DeVries who scored 23 points — including two free throws to win it for the Bulldogs with 1.1 seconds remaining in OT. Despite being a first-year player for Drake, Tucker DeVries has stepped up time and time again during this season.

“I had confidence in making those shots, and shout-out to my teammates for wanting me to be at the line in a situation like that,” DeVries said,referencing his game winning free throws.

Sports Results Men’s Basketball At State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis, MO March 4 vs SIU Drake wins 65-52 March 5 vs Missouri State Drake wins 79-78 OT

Missouri State has now lost two years in a row to Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament with both losses coming down to the final seconds.

However, the Bears were confident before entering this match-up as they had defeated the Bulldogs two times earlier this season. The stars of Missouri State showed up, as junior guard Isiaih Mosley dropped 27 points while center Gaige Prim scored 21 points — 19 of the 21 coming after the first half.

It was a back and forth battle the entire game, but the Bears ultimately struggled to create offense outside of these two players. However, junior Donovan Clay did force overtime for the Bears as he made a layup with 0.4 seconds remaining in regulation — the

March 6 vs Loyola

biggest play of the game for Missouri State.

Fortunately for Drake, Tucker DeVries stepped up and took over in OT, scoring seven of the Bulldogs’ eleven points — including a dagger three-point shot with 92 seconds remaining to give Drake a three-point lead. Despite the heroics from DeVries, it was an all-around team effort as Drake was a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line in crunch time — which included four made free throws from point guard Roman Penn.

The Bulldogs survive and advance, and they will now look to capture their first Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship since 2008 against a familiar foe — the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers who defeated the Bulldogs in last year’s championship game.

Drake loses 58-64

Drake loses 3-8 vs Kent State

Women’s Basketball

Drake loses 5-10 vs Kentucky

March 5 at Indiana State

Drake loses 0-11 vs Kent State

Drake wins 86-71 March 3 at Evansville

Drake loses 1-0 vs No. 19 Michigan

Drake wins 80-71

Track & Field

Softball March 4-5 at John Cropp Classic

Feb. 27-28 at Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships in Chicago, Ill

65-52

DRAKE LOST TO LOYOLA CHICAGO in the Championship game of the MVC Tournament. NILS ARMITAGE | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

drake loses to loyola in championship game Nils Armitage Contributing Writer nils.armitage@drake.edu

Loyola-Chicago defeated Drake 64-58 to earn an automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Men’s basketball tournament.

It is the second year in a row these two teams have met in the championship game, and Bulldogs have now faltered both times versus the Ramblers.

Drake started the game off hot, as the Bulldogs forced turnovers and scored most of their points in transition. The lead was as large as nine at one point for Drake, but then things quickly went south. Loyola went on a 19-0 run during the middle portion of the first half which gave them a lead of nine at one point as well.

Senior point guard Roman Penn commented on this moment during the post-game press conference stating that his team “cannot expect to win against a great team in Loyola” with a scoring drought that long.

Despite the Ramblers going on a huge scoring run, Drake was able to finish the first half strong and cut the lead to two points. This gave the Bulldogs

Day one Jaymie O’Connor won gold medal in women’s pentathlon with 3,357 points Brook Mullins took second place in women’s 5000 meter run with PR 16:37.03 Joey Harkins won silver medal in men’s weight throw with a top toss of 19.95 meters Day two O’Connor won another gold

confidence and composure going into halftime which was much needed after some struggles for a majority of the first half. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs did not mount any big run out of the break.

Freshman Tucker DeVries scored 15 points for the Bulldogs — but only five in the second half as Loyola was tremendous on the defensive end all game long. Penn chipped in with 18 points, but the real story of the game was the free throw shooting of Drake.

Free throws are what got Drake to the championship — but ended up being a struggle in the final game. The Bulldogs shot 11-18 from the free throw line including three missed one and one opportunities in the second half. The depth of the Ramblers proved to be too much for the Bulldogs as Drake seemed to run out of gas.

The tournament MVP was awarded to Loyola’s Lucas Williamson who scored 18 points and also displayed his high-level defensive skills throughout Sunday’s victory.

The Bulldogs will look to next year, as they finish the season 24-10.

medal in 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.50 seconds Adam Fogg won gold medal in mile run with a time of 3:56.89 Busiwa Asinga and Briandrias Rhodes won gold and silver in women’s 400 meter dash Cloud Masibhera won bronze medal in the triple jump with a jump of 14.65 meters

06 | Sports

Sports

March 9, 2022

Gov. Kim Reynolds signs bill banning transgender girls from sports

IOWA is one of several states who have recently signed legislation about transgender girls and their participation in sports. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Maria Heath Contributing Writer maria.heath@drake.edu

Iowa Republicans passed a bill that was signed into legislation by Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday, March 3. House File 2416 prohibits transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports. The law is effective immediately.

“This bill discriminates against and singles out transgender students,” said a Rep. Jennifer Glover Konfrsr, who represents Iowa House District 43 and is a School of Journalism and Mass Communication professor at Drake University.

According to the CDC, just 2 percent of high school students identify as transgender. Even fewer transgender students even want to play sports, so the bill targets a very small population.

Konfrst said transgender students just want “the chance to benefit from all the great things that come with participating in sports.” They feel targeted enough without the discrimination this law enforces.

Republicans claim the

bill “protects girls’ sports” from unfair advantages, but opponents note that cisgender girls come to the sport with different body shapes, heights and physical differences.

“As a woman, a mother of three daughters, and now a grandmother of three young girls, it worries me that this bill is needed at all,” Reynolds said at the bill signing ceremony Thursday. “It’s hard to imagine how anyone who cares about the rights of women and girls could support anything less.”

“Everyone should feel comfortable in their own skin and should get the same opportunities to play sports no matter how they identify.”

Trans girls have been competing in sports in Iowa for fifteen years without a problem, according to a report by the ACLU. The ACLU also said misinformation and stereotypes

about trans girls in sports have been harmful to the community.

Student athletes agree the law hinders athletic opportunity.

“Everyone should feel comfortable in their own skin and should get the same opportunities to play sports no matter how they identify,” said Jadyn Feucht, a first-year on Drake’s rowing team.

Feucht said there’s not much difference between men’s and women’s rowing teams.

“We both have the same tasks at the end of the day and put in the work to do the best we can to win,” she said.

First-year Savannah Ming, a sprinter on Drake’s track and field team, agrees that athletes deserve to play how they identify, but feels “there needs to be some other way to regulate it”.

“More individual sports are harder to combine because they’re individual wins. You’re working for a collective goal, but you doing your very best is imperative [to the team’s success],” Ming said.

She explained the inherent biological differences between males and females in relation to her track and field event. Males

are born with narrower hips that help them run faster.

“We can run with the guys, but the fastest women are still going to be slower than the fastest men biologically,” Ming said.

However, Ming stands with the opposition against the new legislation.

“If someone is being recruited, they may not attend a school in [Iowa] because of these restrictions.”

“They didn’t choose to have these unfair advantages,” Ming said. “All athletes should have the opportunity to compete.”

Both Feucht and Ming can see how the new legislation could affect Drake’s athletic teams as well as athletic programs in the state of Iowa.

“If someone is being recruited, they may not attend a school in [Iowa] because of these restrictions,” Feucht said.

Ming said she “get[s] it” as she wouldn’t want to go to

school “somewhere I’m not wanted”.

Ming is disappointed by Iowa’s decision because she hopes Drake would be more inclusive of trans girls in athletics.

“Going forward [the legislation] will make [recruitment of trans athletes] much more difficult,” Ming said.

There is hope for trans athletes in Iowa. The NCAA is discussing their policies, according to Konfrst.

“Students thrive when they are treated with dignity and respect, and transgender students are no different,” Konfrst said.

In addition, the Des Moines Register has published reports that legal experts are assembling a case against the bill. It’s possible the legislation is a direct violation of Title IX because it discriminates on the basis of sex.

Until then, Iowa schools K-12 and Iowa colleges must follow the legislation’s prohibition of trans girls in sports.

Drake’s athletic department did not reply to requests for comment.

After recent win, women’s tennis improves record to 7-3

THE NEXT MATCH Drake’s women’s tennis team will be against Wisconsin on Saturday, March 12 at the Roger Knapp Center. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Darinka Stepan Staff Writer darinka.stepan@drake.edu

Drake women’s tennis added another win to their record after a Sunday, Feb. 27 dual match against Northern Illinois.

The Bulldogs competed against the Huskies, at the Roger Knapp Center on campus.

Drake took to the courts at 10 a.m. to start the dual match, beginning with the doubles one team.

The doubles two team for the Bulldogs consisted of junior Rebecca Ehn and sophomore Ines Stephani. They got off to a quick start in their doubles set and kept sailing through the whole set to get a 6-0 win.

First-year Mille Haagensen and sophomore Darinka Stepan also got off to a quick start in their match, getting a quick 6-1 win over the Huskies, and clinching the doubles point for the Bulldogs.

At doubles one senior Daria Walczak and senior Liza Petushkova also got a win. The Bulldogs headed into the singles matches with a 1-0 lead.

Stepan was the first Drake athlete to get a singles point for Drake after winning her match 6-3,6-3, at singles five. At singles two Stephani had a close first set, but was able to win it 6-4.

Going into the second set Stephani continued to battle, but fell short and lost the second set 3-6. Heading into the third

set Stephani continued to battle to win the match. The third set was a 7-5 win for Stephani after coming back from being down 1-3 at the beginning of the set.

“I really enjoyed being at home again, the home crowd definitely helped me get this win today and get a point for the team,” Stephani said.

After Stephani’s win the Bulldogs pulled ahead in the match, with the score being three for Drake and zero for the Huskies.

Senior Kelsey Neville had a competitive match at singles six. Neville took the first set, but lost the next two competitive sets.

Haagensen also had a competitive singles match at the single four position. Haagensen

won the first set and then lost a close second set and a close third set.

At singles one Petushkova also had a three-set match.

Petushkova had a quick first set, getting a nice lead and closing out the set at 6-2.

Petushkova also had a close second set that went to a tiebreaker where Petushkova fell short by two points in the second set. She continued to fight in the third set and was able to get a 7-5 win, allowing the Bulldogs to get another point.

With the Bulldogs leading 4-2 Walczak won the last match at three singles. Walczak had a close first set, but a few points did not go her way and she ended up losing the first set 5-7.

Walczak had a quick comeback in the second set, winning it 6-2.

Using that momentum Walczak battled her way through the third set to win it 6-3 and got another point for Drake.

“Even though I lost the first set, I just kept playing my game and was able to win the next two sets and get another point for the team,” Walczak said. “I’m proud that we were able to get another team win.”

Since that match against NIU, Drake has won their last two games. Winning 5-0 against UNI on Friday, March 4 and 6-1 against Milwaukee on Saturday, March 5. The Bulldogs are back in action this Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m. against Wisconsin at the Roger Knapp Center.

07 | Commentary

Commentary

March 9, 2022

“the batman” review (spoiler-free) Chris Veninga Staff Writer chris.veninga@drake.edu

“Robert Pattinson is going to be the next Batman.”

My cousin announced this news when my brother, two cousins and I were at a crowded restaurant in Disney World in 2019. I remember saying that I thought it was a good casting decision, although I was only so familiar with Pattinson’s work. I knew that the “Twilight” movies gave him a bad rap, but that he also had some really great performances afterwards. I was also confident in Matt Reeves, the director, as he had directed one of my favorite movies, “Cloverfield,” as well as the successful “Planet of the Apes” franchise.

Three years and a pandemic later, I got together with a group of friends to see “The Batman,” arguably one of the most anticipated films of the year.

After production and release dates had been pushed back due to COVID-19, we finally got to see Pattinson and Reeves’ work on the big screen. And what’s my review?

It was pretty good.

Let’s break it down.

The Positives Pattinson delivered.

Obviously, the role of Batman is one of the most coveted roles in Hollywood. Remember all of the backlash Ben Affleck got for his portrayal of Batman?

Pattinson delivered a gritty, realistic Bruce Wayne that truly exemplified the tortured soul behind the cowl. It’s hard to compare him to his fellow caped crusader, Christian Bale, because Bale had three movies to fully flesh out his character.

Though Bale’s Batman had its merits, Pattinson did a phenomenal job showing the psychological aspect of what it means to be the world’s greatest detective. I personally believe that he showed this side of Batman a lot better than Bale did.

As for other characters, Paul Dano’s Riddler is a really good counterpart to Pattinson’s Batman, and he too delivers a great performance that is genuinely disturbing at times.

An unrecognizable Colin Farrell plays Oswald Cobblepott, the Penguin. Farrell, along with his co-stars Pattinson and Dano, delivers a gritty and realistic version of the Penguin that we haven’t seen in a live action film since Danny DeVito played him in 1992. Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman is extremely comic book accurate and Reeves does a fairly good job incorporating her into the story, and her character is pretty well fleshed out throughout the movie.

Finally, I really did enjoy the cinematography and the music in this film. Gotham almost looks like a noir detective

ROBERT PATTINSON will invariably live in the shadow of Christian Bale’s cape. Nevertheless, one writer asserts that the vampireturned-reclusive-billionaire injects enough gravitas and menace to do the role justice and silence the critics. The superfluous B-plots and schmaltz are mere peccadillos in this laudable take on Gotham’s vigilante. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

film city, which compliments Reeves’ mission to make “The Batman” a detective movie.

The city feels like a living and breathing character in the film–one thing the film seems to stress is that even though Gotham created Batman, it also created the other monsters that lurk the streets. The music, like many great film soundtracks, keeps you on the edge of your seat and communicates the tone of the movie extremely well.

The Negatives Though I think the positives outweigh the negatives in “The Batman,” there still were some small things that didn’t quite land. A lot of it had to do with the writing. There are times where Batman responds to dialogue in ways that seem unconventional and confusing, and there are also occasions where other characters say things that don’t really add to the story–there’s one particular scene with the Penguin where I was left wondering what on Earth he was talking about.

Some of the lines are too spoton.

At one point in the movie, some lines are said in a way that, on paper, would look wellwritten, but in reality it comes off as dialogue being cool-forcool’s sake. Additionally, Paul Dano’s Riddler, though great for the most part, has some scenes where I was left thinking, “Okay, I get it, you’re a crazy super villain. Can we move on?”

A point my friend made was that throughout the movie, it felt as if Batman was following the Riddler instead of being toeto-toe with him, something that seemed out of character for the “world’s greatest detective.”

There were a few scenes that seemed to only prolong the runtime. Not because they weren’t conducive to the story, but because they could have taken out some dialogue and the scene would still have made sense.

It’s a long movie, by the way.

I wouldn’t recommend drinking anything beforehand if you don’t want to miss anything.

On one hand, I understand wanting to establish things for the (potential) movies to follow.

On the other hand, there could have been scenes and dialogue cut for time.

Finally, the plot, though intriguing, can be hard to follow. Maybe it’s just my brain not being able to keep up, but several times throughout the film I was left trying to retrace the scene I just saw to make sure I got all of the facts straight.

I understand that it’s a detective movie and you want the audience to put the pieces together with some guidance, but I think there were a bit too many pieces to put together and fit to the overall plot. In essence, the subplots of this movie, though important to the main story, made the narrative muddied and confusing at times.

Conclusion I really did like this film. I think that Warner Bros/DC chose excellent people to make it happen. The actors all did a fantastic job with what they were given and Matt Reeves is a very competent director who knows what the audience wants to see in a Batman,

something that I think Warner Bros/DC missed the mark on in their previous iteration of the character.

Overall, if you’re looking for a gritty, realistic detective story featuring the Dark Knight, you will get what you want. And even if you’re not a superhero fan, you can still appreciate it as a detective movie and as a cinematographic success. But few films are truly perfect, and if you’re looking for a perfect Batman film: 1. I assume you’re comparing it to Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight.”

2. Don’t do that. Though this movie still takes the “realistic” approach Nolan did, it is entirely different in tone and what it’s setting out to do. “The Dark Knight” is considered one of the best superhero movies of all time, and some say even one of the best films of all time.

It sets a very high bar that may never be cleared. In summary, I’d recommend enjoying the ride for what it is instead of what it could be.

My overall ranking: 7/10

Saturday night fever: alcohol and reminiscence David Wang Staff Writer david.wang@drake.edu

Famous philosopher Reese Witherspoon once said, “if something seems frightening or horrible, I should probably do it.” Much is the motto of my weekly escapades, meandering down the forgetful path to ethanol-fueled self-destruction.

To the society of sense and sensibility, that could have struck a dissonant note.

But luckily, I revel in the soothing comfort of soliciting no such services from the department of psychiatric therapy. Free from those zealous faces of haunting subjugation, I thrive again on the indulgence of society’s understandings.

Unlike the fundamental theorem of aerodynamics, my Saturday night equation is one

that demands resolution. A little bit like the one UN general assembly demanded on the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

Armed with the grim knowledge of how that usually winds up, I rang my friend in sobbing fashion that my Tom Ford Tuscan Leather Eau de Parfum might have been involuntarily depleted. Before I could interpret the interesting silence on his end, he reassured me that a few drinks are justifiably warranted, once again exposing me to the centre of the world for its caprice.

Anybody with a modicum of imagination, however, dream occasionally of another life. I find myself wandering the streets of Soho during a sparkling winter day that is oddly reminiscent of summer in its cheering sunniness.

Carefully curated windows

pass me by, as I shuffle my way through rubbing shoulders with the finest specimens of East Village and abroad.

“If something seems frightening or horrible, I should probably do it.”

Unlike the swanky department stores and haute couture boutiques that terrorised Fifth Avenue, Soho stands a beacon of lively and often risqué vibes emanating a youthful air of no care. Courtesy of its elegant cast-iron facades and cobblestone streets, I find myself squiffy on chilled glasses of something rough while surveying the intermittent rain that imbues the city with Old

World charm.

Each time I go to Court District in Des Moines, however, I have similar fantasies of other versions of me. I can imagine myself prattling about in those louche summer nights with few blurred faces censuring me in sotto voce that Long Island Iced Tea is not a manly drink.

Thanks to a disabled frontal lobe, I succumb to their incisive criticism and conversations fall rather coquettishly. In this version of my life, I would be a regular at 208 3rd Street bathing in elaborate neon lights and contemplating another mouthful of cosmopolitan.

Wearing the shameless badge of international debonair, I call my friend best mate and girls in garish threadbare my dearest darling.

Gleamed from the conversations, my savoir faire

was rewarded and my gloating rights renewed.

Although I cannot ask all the virtues into the bargain, courtesy of other psychoactive agents, I would be found too many Saturday evenings in a state of mild disarray – collecting my stream of consciousness in a disapproving pirouette, amidst the bombast of my gung-ho loquacity, my mind turns into one made up of butterfly wings.

In the chosen vessel of mine it echoed that alcohol is truly god’s apology for making us self-aware, and helps shy people occasionally have sex.

My Saturday night equation corroborates the testimony to the triumph that good will ultimately prevail, albeit too ephemeral to recall.

08 | Commentary

Commentary

March 9, 2022

Hubbell: The student body’s punching bag Chris Veninga Staff Writer chris.veninga@drake.edu

“Hey, do you need a topic for a Times-Delphic article?” my friend asked as we were eating dinner at Hubbell, or “The Hubb.”

“Why? What’s up?” I asked.

“I found a bug in my food this morning.”

“You serious?” I said.

Sure enough, there was a dead fly in his food from breakfast earlier that morning.

I was really grossed out.

“That’s nasty,” I said, staring at the picture.

Hubbell Dining Hall here at Drake has long been a source of pessimism from Drake students.

Before I continue, this article is not about Hubbell’s staff or the people who make the food. They do an excellent job and by no means are responsible for the food Sodexo, the company that supplies the meals, provides them.

That being said, I believe that Hubbell badly needs better, healthier and more food options. Here are examples of complaints I have heard around campus: -Lack of healthy options -Lack of vegan options -Finding hairs/nails/bugs and other foreign objects in food -Mold -Stomach and vomiting issues (including food poisoning) -Digestive problems And here are some quotes I have also heard around campus: -“I generally try to avoid Hubbell as often as I can.”

-“We pay a lot of money

GOT A NETTLESOME STOMACH BUG? Don’t blame on the sunshine, don’t blame it on the moonlight, don’t blame it on good times, blame it on... Hubbell. Rumor has it that this quaint bit of real estate had its critics before the first grill was even installed. The list of 95 Theses against this scapegoat is longer than a CVS receipt. One writer explains why. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

for this stuff. I had better and cheaper food options back home in high school!”

-“Why are things always broken?”

-“When I want lemonade, water just comes out of the soda fountain. Why?” And when teachers just in my classes have asked how the food is here, the response is

resoundingly negative.

Personally, I can stomach the food. I find it edible enough and I’m not an overly picky eater.

And occasionally, I do have something that I find pretty tasty (the tater tots at breakfast, some of the grilled chicken and the blondie bars are to die for in my opinion). Yet, complaints persist about Hubbell’s quality,

cleanliness, atmosphere and maintenance problems.

For the amount of money we students pay for room and board at Drake, we students seek better, healthier food. I would be very surprised if the administration has not heard about these complaints. It has been the main complaint I have heard from Drake students

about Drake University. As I said at the beginning of the article, I believe it is appropriate to ask that Drake find better food options so students can remain healthy - and not find themselves in the bathroom after a meal in Hubbell.

Neat places to nosh: Des Moines area restaurants

Rachel Jalloway Contributing Writer rachel.jalloway@drake.edu

Food is an essential part of anyone’s life. While Drake does offer Hubbell as a dining option, sometimes I want to spend my money on food that is not Hubbell. But I always find myself struggling with where to eat. If you are like me, and need food recommendations, I have got you covered! Here are some of my favorite restaurants in the Drake area.

When I was a first year without a car, the best option was Drake Diner. With it being a 15 minute walk from my quad, I found myself eating there when I needed something that reminded me of something near my hometown. I tend to always get their burger with fries, but they do have a variety of food options too. The prices are not that bad either! It is good for my friends and I who work on a Drake student pay rate.

When I found myself without a car and sick of Drake Diner, another place that I enjoy in Dogtown is Lucky Horse. With it being a 12 minute walk from my quad, I think that the food is quite good. The few times that

I have been there, I have gotten their prime rib sandwich with fries. Their cheese curds are quite good as well!

Growing up having made frequent trips to Wisconsin, I feel like I have a good idea of what cheese curds should be, and Lucky Horse does them amazingly well. The menu also offers things for those who do not eat meat (vegetarian options) which I will check out during lent!

Once I bought my car, I found myself exploring a bunch of different dining places around Des Moines. One of the first places that I went to was Thai Flavors, and I still frequent it. I have gotten a mix of their fusion food, but my favorite so far has been their green curry with beef. But they also have a lot of options for vegetarian options too!

The curry is quite spicy, even when you ask other people too.

I do not have the best spice tolerance (and I will admit it!) but my friends who love spice think that the spice is quite good as well. But, they offer more than just curry. Their fried rice is good as well! For the price, their sizes are good as well! If you are looking for good

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The student newspaper for Drake University since 1884 EMMA BRUSTKERN Editor-in-Chief emma.brustkern@drake.edu ANDREW KENNARD, News Editor GRACE ALTENHOFEN, Managing Editor andrew.kennard@drake.edu grace.altenhofen@drake.edu LIA REICHMANN, Sports Editor lia.reichmann@drake.edu

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OH, THE PLACES TO GO... the panoply of diverse restaurants in Des Moines is something to behold.

Try the prime rib at Lucky Horse! Curry at Thai Flavors! PHOTO COURTESY OF LUCKY HORSE

Thai/Asian food, this is one of the places to go!

In the same vein as Asian food, one of my favorite sushi places in Downtown Des Moines is Akebono 515.

When it comes to sushi, I have not had anything better than Akebono 515. What is the most impressive thing to me is the fact that they offer vegetarian sushi. This is always hard to

come by when it comes to sushi, and so the fact that it is an option is great. Their tofu-fries are amazing too! Their ramen is good as well, even though they only offer two kinds.

The Times-Delphic is a student newspaper published weekly during the regular academic year and is produced by undergraduate students at Drake University. The opinions of staff editorials reflect the institutional opinion of the newspaper based on current staff opinions and the newspaper’s traditions. These opinions do not necessarily reflect those of individual employees of the paper, Drake University or members of the student body. All other opinions appearing throughout the paper are those of the author or artist named within the column or cartoon. The newsroom and business office of The Times-Delphic are located in Meredith Hall, Room 124. The Times-Delphic is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The editor-in-chief sits on the Board of Student Communications.

LETTERS & SUBMISSION POLICY

The Times-Delphic strives to represent student views as accurately and honestly as possible. We rely on readers to provide us with criticism, comments and new ideas so that we can continue to serve the interests of the students in the fairest possible way. We encourage interested readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters must include the author’s name and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be published. Deadlines for guest submissions are noon Sunday for the Wednesday edition. The Times-Delphic reserves the right to edit letters and submissions for space and in the interest of taste. Letters and submissions reflect only the opinions of the authors and should be limited to 250 words.

Emailed letters can be sent to emma.brustkern@drake.edu.

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 515-271-2020.