November 3, 2021

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The weekly student newspaper of Drake University Vol. 141 | No. 9 | Nov. 3. 2021 FEATURES

SPORTS

COMMENTARY

The Student Activities Board held a Halloween Spooktacular on Oct. 26., including a haunted tunnel.

The Drake men’s cross country team took first place at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.

A writer shares his thoughts after reporting on the “Save America” Trump rally in Des Moines.

Read more on page 3

Read more on page 6

Read more on page7

drake announces ‘next great era’ timesdelphic.com

“The Ones” campaign to fund University Center, scholarships and more

THIS DESIGN for the University Center would nearly span the distance between Meredith Hall and Goodwin-Kirk Residence Halls and include the fine arts. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE UNIVERSITY Andrew Kennard News Editor andrew.kennard@drake.edu

On Oct. 28, Drake University announced a $225 million fundraising campaign titled “The Ones” for a series of initiatives that aim to bring the fine arts into a new University Center, raise the percentage of technology majors at Drake who are women or people of color to 50 percent and use university resources to help solve issues in rural America, among other goals.

“This campaign is grounded in the notion that we’re looking up, and we’re asking ourselves: how might we have an even more positive impact on the world?” Drake President Marty Martin said.

The “The Ones” campaign also includes scholarship programs to enable students to get involved with these initiatives. It has already raised $107 million and is planned to finish in October 2024. Vice President for Advancement John Smith said the campaign includes some funds donated over the last few years for projects like the Harkin Center and the Boys and Girls Club on campus.

Martin said that the campaign addresses an external challenge facing the university:

a decline in numbers of undergraduate students that he expects to start in 2026.

He said that the campaign’s “University for All” initiative to reach “learners along the full continuum of learning” is part of Drake’s response to this.

“This campaign by its definition is to elevate the university’s brand, elevate the university’s reputation and to inspire the next generation of students who want to attend Drake with this enhanced and supportive environment,” Smith said.

The Times-Delphic has previously reported on an initiative undertaken by Provost Sue Mattison that intends to increase faculty salaries in the long run by making cuts to course offerings, adjunct faculty hiring and summer pay for professors. Martin said that Drake must both address present challenges like investing in its employees and also define its future.

“If you’re going to be a dynamic organization that’s going to hold yourself accountable to the goal of continuous improvement as we do, that’s what you’ve got to do,” Martin said. “Again, you have to deal with what’s in front of you, but at the same time, work hard to define the future state, and that’s what the campaign does.”

Seven priorities, four scholarship programs One of the seven initiatives outlined in the campaign’s case statement is a planned major expansion of the Olmsted Center to the south and east to establish a new University Center. Smith said the “scale, scope, and vision” of the center will depend on donors’ response to the campaign.

According to Martin, the plans for the center include an expanded bookstore, a food venue, an arts hall, a studio theater and a gallery. Martin added that the first two levels of Olmsted will undergo major remodeling to create a more “open concept” that allows visitors to see what’s happening in other parts of the center. “...The goal is to bring kind of a mall from the east of Olmsted towards Meredith Hall. And that mall will be the northern edge of new performing arts spaces, and where you move between the performing arts spaces and the University Center, we’ll have this intersection of the arts into the everyday life of campus,” Martin said. “So as you move through that space, you get some experience of the arts that brings some inspiration and joy into your day.”

Smith said that funds

from the campaign will also go toward the Knapp Center renovation and the community stadium project with the Des Moines Public Schools.

“The only major capital project in the campaign is the University Center,” Martin said. “There most likely will be classroom renovations, remodeling, [and] space remodeling that will support the programming for other of the big ideas, but we’re not anticipating a new building for any of those.”

The “The Ones” campaign case statement also includes an initiative to create a Center for Public Democracy to prepare students for careers in public service and a priority of investing in entrepreneurial and community engagement programs to make “Every Bulldog a Changemaker.” A fourth initiative, the Jay N. Darling Institute, is intended to make rural communities “more sustainable, competitive in the global economy, and resilient for future generations.”

“There will be a process by which rural communities will be able to solicit us for things they want to get done, and then we’ll match their needs with our competency, and help them accomplish those goals,” Martin said. “Ideally, if we are successful, we will raise an endowed fund that will provide resources to make those projects possible.”

Another initiative is the Digital Proficiency Platform, which sets a goal of increasing the percentage of women and people of color in technology programs to 50 percent of students through a scholarship program, recruiting initiatives and peer mentoring opportunities, according to Martin and the case statement.

Smith said that these technology majors include mathematics, computer science, data analytics and Drake’s new artificial intelligence degree, which Martin said was another piece of the overall initiative.

According to Martin and Smith, a major component of the Digital Proficiency Platform, Center for Public Democracy,

Darling Institute and Every Bulldog a Changemaker initiatives will be the awarding of 5 renewable $5,000 endowed scholarships. Martin said that the scholarship programs for the first three initiatives mentioned will begin in fall 2022.

“All four of those programs have new scholarship programs built into them that not only provide additional financial support to students who will be involved in those efforts, but also will provide opportunities for additional programming, both curricular and cocurricular,” Martin said.

A multi-year process The campaign first began in 2018, when the university invited students and faculty “champions” to submit big ideas that they wanted to see happen at Drake, and Smith said the campaign’s about 40-person steering committee, which includes the student body president, received 50 submissions that met Drake’s criteria.

“I think I was just there as a voice to kind of give input,” 2018-2019 student body president Nick Johnston said.

“I felt it was needed from a student perspective.”

Martin and Smith said that the big ideas were then vetted and combined by the steering committee, which made recommendations to the Drake Board of Trustees.

Smith also said that Martin received feedback from about 145 prospective donors about the big ideas.

“So, the champions that I mentioned have been involved from the moment they made their submissions,” Martin said.

“If their idea moved forward, they continued to be involved, and that’s about 35 faculty and staff who are even involved today, that will be involved all through the campaign, [and] that will be involved in the execution of these big ideas.”

Smith said the University will provide updates about the campaign but did not give a date.

This is a developing story.

University for All Champion Group

Public Democracy Champion Group

Changemaker Champion Group

Digital Proficiency Champion Group

Jay N. Darling Institute University Center Champion Group Champion Group

Kathleen Richardson Tracy Beck, GR’ 08 Craig Owens Scott Raecker

Renee Cramer Joseph Jones, GR’08 Rachel Paine Caufield Scott Raecker

Renee Sedlacek Lee Alejandro Hernandez Ryan Arnold Bill Adamowski

Eric Manley Alanah Mitchell Trent Grundmeyer, GR’05 Timothy Urness Keith Summerville

Keith Summerville Jennifer Zwagerman, LW’04 Amahia Mallea

Melissa Sturm-Smith John Pomeroy Jerry Parker

*Champion names provided by John Smith.

Student senate approves Epsilon Eta, Finance Society and denies ROTC Gannon Henry Student Senate Beat Writer gannon.henry@drake.edu

On Oct. 21, Drake Student Senate granted full registered student organization status to two of three applicants. Out of the three organizations, which consisted of Bulldog Company, Epsilon Eta and Finance Society, only Bulldog Company was denied.

According to vice president

of student organizations Joseph Owens, a total of ten organizations had shown interest in applying, but seven missed the time-slot deadline to meet with the Organizational Council. This effectively disqualified these organizations from the process.

The organizations that missed the deadline were: Turning Point USA, Positivity Project, Drake Swordplay Squad, Economics Club, Arabic Club,

Basic Institute for Zonal African Advancement, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

All of the organizations that were unable to apply due to the deadline will be able to apply in the 2022 spring semester.

The senate discussion surrounding Bulldog Company, Epsilon Eta and Finance Society consisted of a questions and open discussion section, during which senators were to determine whether the

organization met the criteria for receiving full RSO status. The criteria are: is the organization sustainable, would it provide a community for students, could it successfully exist without RSO status, does it align with the Drake mission statement,and does the RSO propose a safety risk.

This story, including the senate debates over these organizations, is continued online.

twitter: @timesdelphic | instagram: draketimesdelphic | facebook: the times delphic

Want to know more about the Meredith Hall renovations or the Pandora Papers revelations? Visit our website, timesdelphic.com

-[td]

02 | News

Nov. 03, 2021

News

Residents bundle up, Drake heats up as natural gas bills double CJ Younger Contributing Writer catherine.younger@drake.edu

Drake University student Sophie Van Zee is thankful that heat rises. Her bedroom is on the top floor of the house she rents with her two roommates, and this winter she’s expecting it to get chilly.

“Our house is very poorly insulated, so we already have to increase the heat quite a bit,” Van Zee said. “If the heat cost increases, we’re going to have some issues. We’re planning on using a lot of blankets.”

Van Zee isn’t alone. In early October, MidAmerican Energy released a statement warning customers to expect their natural gas bills to increase by 46-96 percent as market prices soar, forecasting a cold winter for many lower-income residents.

MidAmerican Energy is the primary natural gas provider for Drake and the surrounding neighborhoods. A resident paying the MidAmerican average as of Feb. 25, $47 per month, can expect their natural gas bill to increase by anywhere between 22 to 45 dollars every month because of rising natural gas prices. For lower-income residents, this can be harmful.

“Every time we see a jump like this in utilities, it hurts lower-income families much more than middle- or upperincome families, simply because they have less disposable income to start with,” said Anne Bacon, chief executive director of IMPACT Community Action Partnership.

IMPACT provides utility assistance to these residents, and Bacon anticipates a much higher demand for aid this year. While the organization has leftover federal assistance from federal COVID-19 aid, IMPACT has never been able to meet all of the aid requests, and they expect their funds to be exhausted by spring.

Many college students living off-campus can expect their bills to increase, a concern for those who rely on work-study or parttime jobs to pay the bills. Bacon includes them in her definition of low-income residents.

“If a college student is paying for their own utilities and they meet the income requirements, being a student does not preclude them from applying for assistance,” Bacon said. “I would urge them to do so.”

As Des Moines residents and Drake students face the prospect of a cold winter, Drake evaluates the function and

sustainability of its own heating systems.

Drake uses two boilers to heat its central campus. The boilers use natural gas to convert water to steam, which is then channeled to around 40 buildings through a series of pipes.

This is part of a three-year contract with MidAmerican, of which Drake has one year remaining. In 2019, Drake purchased a fixed amount of natural gas from MidAmerican, which means the cost of heating Drake’s main campus will not be affected by these rising prices.

However, exterior buildings such as the Roger Knapp Tennis Center have separate meters that are not contracted. Those will be subject to increasing prices. Kevin Moran, executive director of facilities, is confident that these increased prices will not affect Drake’s budget.

This may change as soon as 2022, when Drake begins a new contract with MidAmerican.

If prices remain high, the University will face these increased costs. This could create an opportunity for Drake to explore alternatives to natural gas in order to cut costs and reduce their carbon footprint.

“I think it’s a good challenge

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY, Drake’s heating provider, announced an increase to heating costs due to a spike in natural gas prices.

GRAPHIC BY OLIVIA KLASSEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

that a lot of businesses and universities are facing,” said Sophia Siegel, Drake’s sustainability coordinator.

“What is the next move? How do we fit that into our next 20-year plan? It’s hard to know since technology really hasn’t caught up yet, but we’re not going to go back to burning wood.”

Recent natural disasters such as the snowstorm over Texas earlier this year have brought to light how vulnerable natural gas systems are, and according to Siegel, this created an urgency around converting to new sources. However, Moran doesn’t expect change to happen soon.

“It’s not going to be an overnight solution, but renewable energy is definitely

going to be on the forefront of everybody’s thinking,” Moran said.

The Harkin Institute, built in 2019, is a landmark example of how buildings on Drake’s campus might be powered in twenty years. Moran explained how the building has no natural gas line and is instead powered by electricity generated by fossil fuels and solar energy — another step towards a carbonneutral campus.

Drake has years to explore alternatives to natural gas, but neighborhood residents are facing this problem now. Those concerned about the increased heating costs this winter can call IMPACT at 515-518-4770 to learn if they qualify for aid and what they qualify for.

COVID vaccine approved for ages 5-11, agencies recommend boosters Mack Swenson Staff Writer mackenzie.swenson@drake.edu

The past month has seen a wave of recommendations and approvals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding COVID-19 boosters shots and third doses. Additionally, as of Oct. 29, the FDA has authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children ages five to eleven. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is planning to meet on Nov. 2 to discuss their recommendations for the vaccination of this age group.

Drake Provost and epidemiologist Sue Mattison described the impact doses for ages five to eleven might have on the pandemic as a whole.

“The transmission should decline significantly,” Mattison said. “I know a lot of parents

on campus are really looking forward to being able to vaccinate their kids.”

“The third dose has been shown to increase resistance against the Delta variant. It’s going to be one more tool.”

According to Mattison, the Harkin Center vaccination institute has not yet decided whether or not they will offer doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to children in the approved age groups. In early October, the clinic offered Pfizer booster shots to Drake faculty and staff, including student workers.

Erik Maki, chair of the clinical science department at Drake, said that the clinic will offer Moderna vaccine boosters on Nov. 5 and 8.

The CDC recommends

booster shots for people 65 years and older, people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions and people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure due to their occupation, which includes Drake employees. Those who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are eligible to receive a booster within six months of completing their second dose, while those who received the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible to receive a booster within two months of their initial shot. Additionally, people between the ages of 18 and 49 who have an underlying medical condition may also be covered under the recommendation depending on their individual risks.

“Many of the cases that have occurred on campus this fall have been breakthrough cases, so we know that the two doses only are not as effective against the Delta variant,” Mattison

said. “The third dose has been shown to increase resistance against the Delta variant. It’s going to be one more tool.”

The CDC recommends third doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for immunocompromised people on the basis of research that indicates these groups may be less protected by the vaccine than those with stronger immune systems.

Moderately and severely immunocompromised people who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are eligible to receive a third dose within at least 28 days of their second shot.

“When we think about vaccinations, you can think about them in two categories, either a primary or booster series,” Maki said. “The intent of the primary series is to develop a baseline level of immune response that provides adequate protection against infection. With some vaccines,

this level decreases over time and a booster is necessary to maintain the desired immunity level. When we are looking more specifically at COVID vaccines, people who are immunocompromised or immunosuppressed did not achieve as high of a baseline immune response with two doses alone and thus for them to have adequate baseline protection, they needed a third dose.”

The CDC and FDA approved a “mix-and-match” approach regarding booster shots, meaning that those looking to receive a booster dose can choose between vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson regardless of their first regimen. According to a CDC summary, multiple small studies have suggested that those who initially received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will have a greater immune response after receiving a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine.

deal stormwater project to address runoff issue at drake Carmon Baker Contributing Writer carmon.baker@drake.edu

In spring 2021, Drake Environmental Action League (DEAL) began work on a project to make Drake’s stormwater more sustainable with the city of Des Moines’ stormwater subsidy program and Drake Facilities. The project proposes the construction of one or two bioretention cells or bioswales on campus between HarveyIngham and Herriott Hall where flooding is most noticeable.

“That’s been often like an area where the ‘Drake Lake’ is or when it rains, there’s water that runs off,” Drake Sustainability Coordinator Sophia Siegal said.

“And when water runs off, it can pick up, like, fertilizers or chemicals or sediment and then that flows into our stormwater system.”

According to DEAL sustainability liaison Elly Flemming, bioretention cells and bioswales are infrastructure that will help absorb stormwater runoff into the ground. They consist of layers of different materials under contained native vegetation with long roots that can filter contaminants out of runoff water.

“This will have a natural place for the rainwater to collect; that’s why we kind of

chose it at a spot where we know frequent flooding occurs on campus, and it’ll look, it’ll basically just look like a pretty little garden to people who don’t know [what it is],” Flemming said. “And there’s going to be a sign, we’re really, really hoping for educational signage similar to the prairie sign. We’re hoping for something similar so people, they may just enjoy that it’s a cute little flower garden, but also that it serves a purpose.”

Siegal said that Drake produces non-point source pollution, which does not come from an identifiable source like a factory and is not regulated by the government. By reducing contamination caused by rainwater running into a creek near Drake, the purpose of this project is to improve water quality in Iowa. According to the Iowa Environmental Council, 92% of phosphorus pollution in the state comes from agricultural and non-point sources.

“Iowa actually suffers from a water quality challenge,” Siegel said. “A large part of that is agricultural runoff, so that could be excess fertilizers or pesticides on farm fields, or it could also be manure.”

Drake contributes to the quality of Iowa’s waterways through the creek located on campus. Siegel said that while it does not have an official

name, this creek is referred to as Ravine Creek and eventually flows into another creek, which flows into the Des Moines River.

Next semester, Siegel hopes to go through the nomination process for officially naming the creek in order to raise awareness about where Drake’s runoff water is actually going.

“Most people don’t know we have a creek on campus, but it’s kind of a unique feature that we could utilize more as an educational resource,” Siegel said. “As well as kind of acknowledging that we are not the only place connected from the water systems in Iowa.”

Flemming said she first reached out to the city in March 2021, and DEAL has applied to participate in the City of Des Moines’ stormwater subsidy program. They have also met with various professors from across Drake who will potentially be involved with the project.

Those in charge of the project are now looking at hiring an engineer or developer, finding out how much student interest there would be in maintaining the project moving forward and applying for a grant that would match up to $100,000 of other contributions.

“Right now, I am working on a grant,” Flemming said.

“So we have a pre-application grant narrative due Dec. 3 through the [Iowa Department

STORMWATER RUNOFF tends to collect near Harvey Ingham Hall. PHOTO BY COURTNEY JACKSON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

of Agriculture and Land Stewardship], and they are potentially offering us a pretty large sum of money for this same stormwater project as well, [for] which the infrastructure we’re trying to do is 1-2 [bioretention cells], or bioswales right by Harvey-Ingham.”

Flemming said she hopes to get students involved with seeding and installing plants into the project. Although biocells and bioswales don’t require much maintenance, she also noted that there would be opportunities for students to help with maintenance like watering and weeding.

“If there’s not going to be any interest in student maintenance and maintaining these native

vegetation bioswales/biocells, then [the project] kind of will fall flat,” Flemming said.

Moving forward, Flemming is optimistic that the project will be successfully implemented.

However, she stressed that there are no guarantees.

“We really hope this comes to fruition, but we can’t guarantee that,” Flemming said. “Grants can be really hard and there’s a lot of stipulations with the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, which is something we have to follow. So we’re really hoping that this becomes big on campus, but if it doesn’t, it’s important for students to know that this is completely studentinitiated.”

03 | Features

Features

Nov. 03, 2021

Falling in love with Halloween Max Fouts Staff Writer max.fouts@drake.edu

Students at Drake University excited for Halloween shared some of their favorite ways to celebrate this spooktacular holiday.

“I love Halloween,” said Tanner Pollock, a junior majoring in marketing and management. “It’s the best holiday of the year, not going to lie.”

Pollock said he loves this holiday because people get to dress up in costumes, spend time with friends, go to parties and, of course, get free candy.

“I’ve been mustard before, I think I was a shark freshman year,” Pollock said as he recounted some of his favorite past costumes. “I was a cowboy last year.”

Avery Luepker, a senior majoring in music education, said he plans on dressing up as one of the characters from Disney Channel’s well-known TV show “Kim Possible.”

“I’m going to Madison [for Halloween] because my sister lives there,” Luepker said.

“We’re going as Kim Possible and Ron. We talked about doing Sharpay and Ryan, but she doesn’t have good Sharpay vibes.”

In addition to planning out his costume, Luepker said he and his family went to a pumpkin patch and carved pumpkins over fall break.

“I like the pumpkins, and the jack o lanterns and pumpkin patches” Luepker said. “I think they’re so fun.”

Anely Jimenez, a fellow pumpkin-lover majoring in anthropology and religion, said she likes to take a different approach when decorating pumpkins.

“I might paint pumpkins this year,” Jimenez said. “I like to paint them better than carve them.”

Cindy Ojeda, a senior majoring in anthropology and sociology, said she painted pumpkins with her sorority, a group that has so much Halloween spirit they decided to start celebrating at the beginning of October.

“At my sorority we’ve been watching a scary movie every day,” Ojeda said. “I ended up watching ‘Saw’ for my very first time, and I actually liked it. We also watched ‘It’ together and that was good.”

Luepker said that he’s been watching scary movies as well, such as his all-time favorite, “Halloween.”

“I was a fall kid. My birthday’s on the 14th of October, so everything fall I’ve always loved. My personal favorite was going to the apple orchard and picking apples when I was a little kid.”

“I just like being scared,” Luepker said.

Jas Kakar, a sophomore majoring in AI and data analytics, said his favorite scary movie is the “Conjuring” series.

Besides watching movies, Ojeda said her sorority also plans on going to an apple orchard together, which is something sophomore Noah Ellenberg liked to do as a kid.

“I was a fall kid. My birthday’s on the 14th of October, so everything fall I’ve always loved,” Ellenberg said.

“My personal favorite was going to the apple orchard and picking apples when I was a little kid.”

Something Ellenberg did this year to celebrate was attend the Halloween Hoops event for

EVEN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC couldn’t take away Drake students’ Halloween joy, and many enjoyed fall activities both on campus and back at home. PHOTO BY GRACE ALTENHOFEN | MANAGING EDITOR

charity.

“So, you go and shoot hoops for charity, basically, and it’s just a lot of fun,” he said. “A lot of people come, and you know, sometimes there’s a rivalry that happens.”

Another campus activity students participated in was

the Nightmare in Olmstead event hosted by the Student Activities Board on Tuesday, Oct. 26.

“It was really fun,” Luepker said. “I rode the mechanical bull, and they had a little haunted tunnel in the basement, which was actually really good, not

going to lie. They got me good a few times.”

He said the event was made even better with performances by the Drake improv group, D+, and the all-male a cappella group, the Brocal Chords.

Varsity Cinema preparing for renovations, spring reopening Logan Hock Staff Writer logan.hock@drake.edu

A Des Moines theater landmark is set for reopening next spring as film lovers and Drake students eagerly await its return.

The Varsity Cinema, a movie theater that borders Drake University, closed its doors in winter of 2018 after 80 years of providing a variety of films for the people of Des Moines ranging from small independent pictures to Oscar winners.

“We want it to be a community space where people can not only enjoy a great film, but to connect with other people. We want it to be a hub for film education and a resource for local filmmakers.”

Shortly after the doors closed, a nonprofit film organization, Des Moines Film, stepped in to save the historical site by devoting their time and resources to making sure the theater was revitalized.

“Des Moines Film was formed to grow the film culture in Des Moines,” Director of Des Moines Film Ben Godar said.

“Our long-term goals always included operating our own art house cinema, so when the Varsity closed, we saw it as the perfect venue to realize that

vision.”

Des Moines Film’s vision for the new Varsity is a place for both film lovers and the community in general to connect with each other about the art of cinema.

“We want it to be a community space where people can not only enjoy a great film, but to connect with other people,” Godar said.

“We want it to be a hub for film education and a resource for local filmmakers.”

After a period of pushing back plans, the reopening of the Varsity Cinema by Des Moines Film is set for the spring of 2022. With its opening around the corner, students share their reactions to the historic campus neighbor’s return.

“I have heard about the renovations and I’m so excited,” Drake Theater student Abby Rogers said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for students to have a brain break and be able to go to a movie theater within walking distance.”

While Des Moines Film wants to attract the filmmakers of Des Moines, they also want the Varsity to feel like home for average film lovers such as Drake student Whittaker Friedman.

“I had heard talks about the cinema and seen the fundraising sign in the window. I think it’s a great idea,” Friedman said.

“It definitely needed a refresh, and the renovations will get students in those seats–I know I’ll be one of them.”

Upgraded concessions and the addition of a café/bar area are some of the renovations in the works at the Varsity. With renovations like these centered around comfort and connection, the Varsity could be a new hub

THE VARSITY CINEMA is preparing for its spring 2022 relaunch after the Des Moines Film Society undertook the project of renovating the theater. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DES MOINES FILM SOCIETY

for younger students to meet each other.

“I think it is a good opportunity to meet new people and bring some buddies or a date to experience a variety of movies,” first-year student Liam Nugent said.

With students excited for

the arrival of opening day, they have begun to brainstorm ways to bring attention to the student body about the Varsity returning to Drake’s doorstep.

“Maybe a campus-wide event discussing details about the operation and the reopening could work,” Nugent said. “I

think a lot of people will get hyped up if they get informed.”

The Varsity Cinema has been known for bringing a film experience to Des Moines, and because of Des Moines Film, the theater will continue to do so like it has for decades.

04 | Features

Features

Nov. 03, 2021

Transfer students find community at Drake Courtney Jackson Staff Writer courtney.jackson@drake.edu

Drake University has roughly 100 students transferring into their community every year, making it a new experience for many students.

According to study.com, a transfer student is someone who starts their college education at one institution and then decides to move to a different school to finish their education.

Drake gets a plethora of transfer students from community colleges and other universities around the state of Iowa.

“I really want transfer students to become integrated into the Drake campus. I want them to feel like they’re Drake students, not just Drake transfer students.”

Lauren McCarthy, the Transfer Student Transition Advisor, helps many transfer students along this process.

McCarthy does everything from helping with registration to getting transfer students connected with their faculty advisors to making sure they are getting involved and seeing them through this transitional period.

“I really want transfer students to become integrated into the Drake campus. I want them to feel like they’re Drake students, not just Drake

DRAKE UNIVERSITY is home to Bulldogs from across the map, including transfer students. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

transfer students,” McCarthy said.

“Obviously, their experiences are different from students that come in straight from high school, but I want them to feel like they are just as much a part of the Drake community as students who come from high school. So, to have internship opportunities, have research experiences, get

involved with student activities or intramurals.”

Gonzalo Valdenebro, a junior studying data analytics, is one of the many students that McCarthy has advised during this time of change.

Valdenebro is from Madrid, Spain where he was studying business at the College for International Studies. The

one thing that truly drove him to Drake University was the community on campus and how attentive the staff was at getting him information.

Of all the universities that got back to him, Valdenebro said that Drake was the one that did the most. McCarthy was one of the staff members to help him through this with supportive

actions, like always emailing him back in a timely fashion, answering questions to the best of her ability and connecting him to the community that was around him at Drake.

“I really want them to become part of the community and not feel like school is this separate thing from the rest of their lives,” McCarthy said.

SAB Spooktacular event turns Olmsted into a haunted house either.

“I liked the clowns,” Grotenhuis said. “Clowns are the best part in a haunted house because a lot of people are afraid of them and make them scream. Additionally, I liked the detailing that [the event organizers] put into it.”

Sophomore Katie Das was one of those clowns in the haunted tunnels of Olmsted and said that being a scarer was a “blast.”

Cassie Schoene Features Editor cassandra.schoene@drake.edu

Drake University’s Student Activities Board called upon “all ghouls, goblins and creatures of the night” for a Halloween event of singing, games, food, social gathering and a haunted house through the underground tunnels of Olmsted. The event took place Tuesday, Oct. 26 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“I went to the event because I heard there were a lot of activities going on and I really wanted to try some,” sophomore Thersea Sheridan said. “My friends and I also wanted to try the haunted tunnels because we had noticed that entrance before and never knew where it led. We also wanted to try some of the food they had set up.”

Sheridan said her experience at the event was “very positive.”

“I loved seeing everyone out and about trying activities. I felt like it was much more involved than last year, so it was great to see the very wide variety of activities offered.”

“The food was really good and the desserts were so delicious. I tried the mechanical bull and got the high score as of that point in the night.”

“The food was really good and the desserts were so delicious,” Sheridan said. “I tried the mechanical bull and got the high score as of that point in the night. We also watched Fermata the Blue perform for a bit and that was very impressive.”

The eventful night contrasted the lack of Halloween activities last year due to mandatory social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“I loved seeing everyone out and about trying activities,” Sheridan said. “I felt like it was much more involved than last year, so it was great to see the very wide variety of activities

STUDENT ACTORS dressed on costumes took to the tunnels of Olmsted to scare their peers during the SAB Halloween Spooktacular Oct. 26. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCCADE GOWDY

offered.”

As for the haunted tunnels, Sheridan said they were “just the right amount of scary.”

“Enough to get my heart going, but not overwhelmingly so,” Sheridan said. “I get scared

easily, so that was appreciated.”

However, not everyone was impressed.

“I didn’t like the length of it, but also I understand that [the event organizers] could not have made it any longer due to other

circumstances,” sophomore Jack Grotenhuis said.

Grotenhuis said that if he could change it, he would add more rooms to the tunnels and add more jump scares. But, the event was not a failure to him

“I decided to be a scarer because my friends were going to do it too and I thought it would be fun for us to do it together,” Das said. “I was a clown in the haunted house, and I chose it because my two friends that I was doing the haunted house with were both clowns.”

Even though Das said she had fun, she would change things if she had the chance.

“If I could go back I would probably not scream so much because my voice is a little bit gone today but overall it was super fun,” Das said.

Sheridan, Grotenhuis and Das all said they would go to or participate in the event again if it happens next year.

“I would describe it as unique and fun,” Grotenhuis said. “It’s not too often that you would be able to attend a haunted house at Drake, so I thought it was really cool that we put one together.”

05 | Sports

Sports

Nov. 03, 2021

Drake’s women’s tennis team takes on MVC individuals Darinka Stepan Staff Writer darinka.stepan@drake.edu

Earlier this month, the Drake women’s tennis team traveled to Valparaiso, IN to compete in the Missouri Valley Conference Individual Championship.

Instead of competing in dual matches, this tournament was designed to be made up of individual brackets based on what position a person played.

Each school had one player compete in every bracket.

In the singles one bracket from Drake, senior Liza Petushkova won her firstround match 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 and advanced to the semifinals.

After a close two-set match, Petushkova lost 6-4, 6-3 to Bradley University’s Sandra Maletin.

Senior Daria Walczak played in the singles two bracket for Drake. Walczak lost her firstround match 6-4, 6-0 and then went on to win her next matches in the singles two bracket. Walczak defeated Alyson Piskulic from Missouri State in the back draw 6-2, 6-4.

Sophomore Ines Stephani competed in the singles three bracket for the Bulldogs.

Stephani won her first match 6-3, 6-2 against Missouri State’s Sandra Lukacova. In the semifinals, Stephani won her match against Bradley with a score of 6-2, 6-4. In a tough three-set match, Stephani won the final match of the MVC Individual Championships with a score of 0-6, 7-5, 6-3,

becoming the champion of the singles three bracket.

“I think the team competed throughout the whole weekend; it was great to see us bring home a couple of brackets,” Stephani said.

Sophomore Mille Haagensen competed in the singles four bracket. Haagensen was the first seed of the bracket, so she received a bye from the first round and was automatically sent into the semifinals in which she competed against Valparaiso’s Demi Jhaveri and secured a 6-3, 6-1 win to advance to the finals.

Haagensen competed against Tara Damnjanovic from Illinois State in the finals and cruised through to get a 6-0, 6-2 win to take home the singles four bracket.

Sophomore Darinka Stepan competed in the singles five bracket for Drake. Stepan received a bye for the first round and was automatically sent to the semifinals of the tournament. In her first-round match, she competed against Valparaiso and got a 6-3, 6-1 win. In the finals, Stepan competed against Bradley for the title. With a 6-1, 7-6(2) win Stepan won the singles five bracket with this victory.

Senior Kelsey Neville competed in the singles six bracket for Drake. Neville won her first match 6-1, 6-3 against University of Northern Iowa’s Issa Sullivan to advance to the semifinals of the singles six bracket. After a close match, Neville lost to Bradley 6-2,

DRAKE WOMEN’S TENNIS won four flights on the last day of the Missouri Valley Conference Individual Championship in Valparaiso, IN. PHOTO BY PAIGE JANSEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

7-6(4) in the semifinals. Neville won her last match against Valparaiso 6-2, 6-2 to get third place in the singles six bracket.

Nicole Lee competed in the singles seven bracket for Drake as well as junior Rebecca Ehn. Lee lost her first-round match in a close three set match with scores of 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Ehn also had a close three-set match against Bradley with Bradley winning that match 2-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(6). Lee continued to fight throughout the tournament to win the back draw of the singles seven bracket.

In the doubles one bracket, Petushkova and Stephani won their first-round match 8-3 against University of Northern Iowa to advance to the semifinal round. In the doubles two bracket Haagensen and Stepan won their first-round match against Missouri State 8-2, won their second match 8-4 against Bradley and finally won in the final round against Illinois State 8-5. Neville and Ehn won their first-round doubles match 8-0 to advance to the semifinals.

Freshman Mille Haagensen explained her thoughts about

her first time at the tournament.

“This was a really fun tournament to compete in.

I think the team did great,” Haagensen said. “This was my first time playing in the tournament and it’s great to be able to contribute by winning a draw for the team.”

The Bulldogs still have one more tournament to compete in this fall, the Bulldog Classic, which will be played here at home Nov. 5-7.

The attack on Johnny Bright and his legacy

Sports Results Women’s Volleyball Nov. 1 at Loyola Drake ---TBD Oct. 29 at vs UNI Drake loses 2-3

Cross Country Oct. 29 at Missouri Valley Conference Championship Men places first out of 10 THE JOHNNY BRIGHT INCIDENT brought to light the discrimination African-American athletes could face in sports in the 1950s/ Today, Bright’s legacy lives on through the newly established John Dee Bright College. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Lia Reichmann Sports Editor lia.reichmann@drake.edu

Johnny Bright, considered one of the best football players in Drake University history, had an illustrious career on the football field. However, he is often remembered for being the victim of an onfield racially motivated attack by an Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) player on Oct. 20, 1951.

Although it has been 70 years since this incident, the ramifications and legacy of this assault can be seen to this day in college football.

Bright was one of the first dual-threat quarterbacks in college history. He also was the first African-American Heisman Trophy front runner in 1951, ten years before Syracuse running back Ernie Davis became the first African-American to win the Heisman.

Drake came into Stillwater, Oklahoma with the senior Bright leading the nation in total offense, total scoring and rushing yards during the 1951 season. This was nothing new for Bright as in the two previous seasons he led the NCAA in total offense and in the 1950 season he set a then-record with 2,400 yards with 266.7 yards per game, a NCAA record.

With Bright at the helm the team was off to a 5-0 start and a chance to win the conference title with a win. However all of this would unravel after the team’s trip down south.

Before the game the campus newspaper, the

Daily O’Collegian, and a local newspaper, the News Press,​​ reported rumors that thencoach of the Aggies, Jennings Bryan Whitworth, encouraged his players to go after Bright and players had talked about knocking him out.

Within the first seven minutes of the game, Bright was knocked unconscious three times by Oklahoma A&M players, which nowadays is unfathomable as that player would’ve been benched and undergone concussion protocols after the first hit.

A&M defensive lineman Wilbanks Smith landed the last hit on Bright. Bright handed the ball off to fullback Gene Macomber who ran to the left. Not involved in the play whatsoever, Bright is seen standing there before Smith runs through the line untouched and smashes his forearm and elbow straight into Bright’s face. Bright’s lower jaw was broken.

Despite this, Bright tried to persevere through the injury and later tossed a 61yard touchdown pass, but he wasn’t able to finish the game.

He finished for the first time in his career under 100 yards and Drake lost 27-14. Bright was only able to play in one more game and finished fifth in Heisman voting, though he was voted first-team All-American and won the Nils V. “Swede” Nelson Sportsmanship Award.

A sequence of six photos from this attack by Des Moines Register photographers, John Robinson and Don Ultang, were splashed across newspapers and

they subsequently won the 1952 Pulitzer Prize for photography.

This brutal attack on Bright was one of the most blatant instances of racism within sports that Americans saw and highlighted the discrimination that Black athletes faced. The photos were also a precursor to the harm that would come to Blacks athletes and nonathletes during the Civil Rights Movements and the struggle against racism.

Neither Smith, Whitworth or A&M faced any punishment from the NCAA after the incident. Smith did apologize to Bright, but even up until a 2012 interview by Kyle Fredrickson for the O’Colly Media Group he reiterated that he was not racially motivated in his attack of Bright. In 2005, Oklahoma State formally apologized.

“There’s no way it couldn’t have been racially motivated,” Bright told the Des Moines Register in 1980. “What I like about the whole deal now, and what I’m smug enough to say, is that getting a broken jaw has somehow made college athletics better. It made the NCAA take a hard look and clean up some things that were bad.”

Public outcry and anger followed the attack, so much so that Drake withdrew from the Missouri Valley Conference because A&M would not punish Smith. Other sports came back into the conference five years later, but football didn’t return until 1971.

In 1952, the NCAA implemented new rules and regulations. Helmets were required to have facemasks

on them, which wasn’t the case during the previous year when it was optional, and if a player hit another with a forearm, elbow or locked hand or unsportsmanlike conduct a player would receive 15 yards and a mandatory suspension instead of just 15 yards.

Bright went on to be drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1952 with the No. 1 pick, but decided to play for the Canadian Football League as it was more racially tolerant.

He led the Edmonton Eskimos to successive Grey Cup titles in 1954, 1955 and 1956. In 1959 he won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award and was inducted into the CFL and College Football Halls of Fame.

Bright is the only football player that Drake has retired a jersey number for, No. 43. In 2006 Drake named the football field at Drake Stadium the Johnny Bright Field. The John Dee Bright College at Drake, which is a two year college, is named after him as well.

“Naming Bright College in Johnny’s honor pays tribute to his personal and professional qualities—the very qualities Bright College will instill in its learners: grit, resilience, dedication, drive and civic and professional engagement,” said Drake University President Marty Martin in an article for Drake Athletics.

Bright retired from football in 1961 and became a beloved teacher and coach in Canada.

In 1983, at the age of 53, Bright passed away after suffering from a heart attack during a knee surgery.

Women places fifth out of nine

Women’s Soccer Oct. 31 at UNI Drake wins 3-2 OT Oct. 28 at UNI Drake wins 2-0

Men’s Soccer Oct. 31 at Evansville Drake loses 0-2 Oct. 27 vs Missouri State Drake loses 0-2

Men’s Golf Oct. 24-26 vs Old Dominion ODU/OBX Invitational Drake places seventh out of 17 teams

Tennis Oct. 21-24 at ITA Division I Central Regional Championship Women at University of Iowa Ines Stephani won the only singles match against Creighton, 6-1, 6-3 Millie Haagensen and Darinka Stepan won the only doubles match against Oral Roberts, 6-2 Men at University of Nebraska Drake collected 14 wins Men won 10 singles matches

06 | Sports

Sports

Nov. 03, 2021

Football players react to canceled game against Stetson Lia Reichmann Sports Editor lia.reichmann@drake.edu

Drake’s football game against Stetson University on Saturday, Oct. 23 was canceled by the Pioneer Football League because of COVID-19 issues within the Tier 1 personnel which consists of players, coaches, managers and staff.

Senior defensive back Danny Morales said the team found out about the cancellation of the game on Thursday.

Kiernan Kohorst, senior defensive lineman, said the team knew “a couple of days” before the game “that our cases were rising to a point” where they knew they wouldn’t be “able to take the field”.

The game was declared a forfeit based on PFL policies.

“It was disappointing to lose that game after a long season of managing COVID and working to improve every week,” Kohorst said. “To lose a game that we were prepared for, and for some of the seniors to lose one of

their last games of their career, is definitely disappointing.”

Morales had the same sentiment.

“It was disappointing to lose that game after a long season of managing COVID and working to improve every week.”

“I was disappointed that the game was canceled because we have all worked so hard to have this season,” Morales said. “I would have loved to play, but the health of our team and the community is the primary importance.”

In the Oct. 29 COVID-19 Update, the university said that Drake Athletics are “adhering to Drake and athletic conference” COVID protocols and are also following the “NCAA Resocialization Health and Safety Guidelines”. The memo also said that more than 92

percent of student athletes and staff are vaccinated. It outlined that if a program made up of a minimum of 50 people have five percent or more be affected by COVID then the University or conference is allowed to stop activities and games, which is what happened for the Oct. 23 football game.

Both Morales and Kohorst said the team follows all of the COVID protocols directed by the NCAA, PFL and Drake which include social distancing and wearing masks.

Vaccine mandates have become a widely debated topic not just in politics, but also in the sports world. Kyrie Irving, a point guard for the Brooklyn Nets, has become one of the most famous and recognizable athletes to have openly said they will not get the COVID-19 vaccine. Irving has said he refuses for personal reasons, but because of his decision the topic of mandates has become more prominent and has led to discussions on whether or not teams/leagues should be able to dictate what a player does.

Kohorst said he has considered the implications of vaccine mandates.

“I think the vaccine carries particular affiliations it wasn’t meant to have. It’s become political, personal and controversial,” Kohorst said. “I have a particular opinion based on how the virus has affected people close to me. I believe the vaccine can be a symbol of unification rather than division.

If all of us were to get the vaccine and take that important step to protecting the people around us, I think it would build an increased sense of community.

It helps reinforce the message that we care for one another and want to protect each other the best way we can.

Drake has not made vaccines mandatory for student-athletes or even students.

“We try to respect every player’s personal decision,” Kohorst said. “A vast majority of the team is vaccinated, but we did have some breakthrough cases that affected us. Luckily the vaccine worked as advertised and limited any extreme

symptoms or reactions to the virus, so players feel healthy as they return to the team.”

“I think the bye week was beneficial for the team to allow the team to rest and recover.”

The Bulldogs next game will be against Marist College on Saturday, Nov. 6 in Poughkeepsie, New York.

“We are preparing for Marist the same as every game week,” Morales said. “We are continuing to improve and are looking forward to being able to compete at a high level. I think the bye week was beneficial for the team to allow the team to rest and recover. It allowed us to recharge so that we will be able to have a good week of practice and be ready for the game this week.”

THE FOOTBALL TEAM will play Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, next on Saturday, Nov. 6 after a week off due to COVID. PHOTO BY ABBY FICHTER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Men’s cross country takes first place at MVC championship Darinka Stepan Staff Writer darinka.stepan@drake.edu

This past weekend on Oct. 29, the men’s and women’s cross country team traveled to Illinois State in Normal, IL to compete in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. The women opened the event with a 6k at 1 p.m. while the men started an hour later with an 8k race.

The men’s cross country team made history after finishing in first place at the championship for the first time since 1999.

Junio Isaac Basten and Senior Adam Fogg finished first and second in the race. Basten finished with a time of 24:13.0 and Fogg finished milliseconds afterwards with 24:13.6. Firstyear Aziz Jdai took the third

spot in his first time competing at the championship with a time of 24:27.5. Another first-year, Enzo Marie, finished in sixth place with a time of 24:28.5.

Heading into the championship, the Valley released a pre-championship poll predicting that Drake’s women’s team would finish in fifth place and the men’s team would finish in second. There were a few votes for the men to finish in first place, but most predicted them to finish second overall.

The Bulldogs brought home two individual awards. Basten was named Cross Country Athlete of the Year after the race and Marie was named Freshman of the Year.

The women’s team finished in fifth place with sophomore Brooke Mullins being the

highest finisher after an 11th place finish. First-year Tyla Lumley finished 20th overall in the race, right behind Mullins with a 30 second separation between them.

“I know not each girl had their best day, the conditions were very rough, but seeing how happy everyone was for the men literally brought me to tears.”

Sophomore Anastasia Kirillov explained her thoughts on how the race went for her as well as her teammates.

“Each of our girls on the

team pulled together a great individual effort on a hard course and bad weather conditions, and how strongly we supported each other was amazing,” Kirillov said. “I ran my race with low expectations due to an ongoing physical problem, but doing it for them and with them really helped me to be in a good mental space and finish well-positioned. On the other hand, seeing the men’s team win their championship after we raced was one of the most unique things I have experienced at Drake so far.”

The weather during both races was not ideal. The athletes had to compete in the rain and mud while the event was going on. The men’s team finished with a team score of 20 points while Bradley had 53 points in second place. The women’s

team had a total score of 127 points to finish the competition.

Sophomore Mady Klebenow said she was proud of the team.

“I am so proud to be a part of a team that lifts one another up,” Klebenow said. “I know not each girl had their best day, the conditions were very tough, but seeing how happy everyone was for the men literally brought me to tears.”

The Bulldogs will compete again on Nov. 12 at the University of Iowa in Iowa City during the NCAA Midwest regional championship. The Bulldogs could potentially compete in the NCAA championships depending on how they finish in the regional tournament.

07 | Commentary

Commentary

Nov. 03, 2021

Letter to the editor: Kathleen Richardson Kathleen Richardson Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication Dean kathleen.richardson@drake.edu

I would like to provide some context to the article that ran on the Times-Delphic website on Oct. 26 regarding the pending sale of Meredith Corporation, the Des Moines-based media giant that is a longtime professional partner of the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

There are many reasons to be confident that this mutually beneficial relationship will not only continue but thrive under the new company, Dotdash Meredith.

The Drake-Meredith partnership is over 100 years old: Meredith executives were instrumental in the founding of journalism education at Drake in 1919. The first dean of the new School of Journalism in 1962 was a former Meredith editor, Hugh Curtis. Gifts from the Meredith family

and corporation funded the creation of Meredith Hall in 1965, and will contribute to the building’s rejuvenation in 2022. The E.T. Meredith Center for Magazine Studies at Drake provides resources for both researchers and journalism students, and brings in visiting professionals to address issues of public concern. Patricia Prijatel, the E.T. Meredith Distinguished Professor, was a former Meredith employee who partnered with the company to create what has become arguably the strongest academic magazine program in the country.

The 18-year-old Meredith Apprenticeship in Service Journalism provides handson experience for a cohort of student journalists, designers, data analysts and computer scientists. The apprenticeship provides wonderful opportunities for Drake students, but also supports Meredith employees, offers them insight into younger

audiences and provides a talent pipeline for the company. Even outside the apprenticeship, many of our students work part-time at Meredith in a variety of capacities and continue post-graduation as full-time employees. This is a rich relationship that provides great value not only to Drake and Meredith, but to the city of Des Moines as well.

Meredith Corporation has grown from a specialty Midwestern publisher into the biggest magazine media company in the world with some of the strongest brands in the world. The marriage with Dotdash, a digital innovator with a stated emphasis on quality content, promises exciting new opportunities for collaboration with Drake SJMC. Everything that I have read about Dotdash makes me confident that the new owner appreciates the talent and expertise at Meredith and in Des Moines, and that includes the emerging talent at Drake. Business acquisitions

KATHLEEN RICHARDSON first joined the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication as a full-time faculty member in 2001. PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHLEEN RICHARDSON

are complex, and because the Dotdash Meredith deal hasn’t officially closed, the process of combining the two companies hasn’t technically even begun.

It’s understandable that we

don’t immediately have all the answers about the future of SJMC’s partnership with the company. But I am very excited about the possibilities of this next evolution!

Trump toxicity and Biden biliousness

Luke Clausen Staff Writer luke.clausen@drake.edu

Recently, I wrote an article for the Times-Delphic on the Trump rally that was held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds here in Des Moines. Whether you saw it or not, I want to share some subjective observations and thoughts I had during the rally.

I hope that I might push you to think deeper about how you and I think about those with whom we disagree.

I believe that transparency is the best policy, so since this is a political commentary, you should know where I come from ideologically. I’m an economic progressive and moderate social conservative and I would have voted for Kanye last year, if that tells you anything.

As with any subjective observations on groups of people, I will undoubtedly generalize too much, so forgive me if I offend you. Also, it may seem like I’m supporting one side over another, but my argument is simply to humanize and understand the other side regardless of whether they reciprocate, because everyone has their reasons for their beliefs, convincing or not.

The most significant observation I had at the rally was that Trump supporters see the former president as the only possible catalyst for positive change, similar to how those towards the left see President Biden and Democratic party victories as the only way forward.

An attendee named Crystal Beckler from Crawfordsville, IA told me that “Obama campaigned on hope and change and there was no hope and change. Obama lied. In

LET’S WORK TOGETHER, sings Canned Heat. Let’s get together and feel alright, sings Bob Marley. All we are saying is give peace a chance, sings John Lennon. A detente is long overdue, one pacifist writer maintains. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Trump’s first inauguration speech, he said what he was going to do and he did it.” She had voted for Obama twice, then switched parties before the primary and voted for Trump.

In her and others’ minds, why would Biden, Obama’s vice president, be any more of a changemaker than his Democratic predecessor? A simple change in administration does not solve broken promises.

In their minds, staying with Trump is a safer bet than

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The student newspaper for Drake University since 1884 EMMA BRUSTKERN Editor-in-Chief emma.brustkern@drake.edu JEFF INMAN, Faculty Advisor jeffrey.inman@drake.edu

GRACE ALTENHOFEN, Managing Editor grace.altenhofen@drake.edu

ANDREW KENNARD, News Editor andrew.kennard@drake.edu

AUTUMN OSIA, Photo Editor autumn.osia@drake.edu

CASSANDRA SCHOENE, Features Editor cassie.schoene@drake.edu

MAX BROWN, Digital Editor max.brown@drake.edu

LIA REICHMANN, Sports Editor lia.reichmann@drake.edu COLIN FRIER, Commentary Editor colin.frier@drake.edu

CAT FARRELL, Media Manager cat.farrell@drake.edu ERIN DUENWALD, Copy Editor erin.duenwald@drake.edu e

returning to what was occurring previously.

The central issue here is that Americans on all sides simply want to change the political and economic system currently in place. Economically, both sides agree in desiring affordable healthcare, education and living expenses.

The differences lie in who or what is causing or sustaining these problems and what the solutions are. We fight like elementary school children

instead of adults on issues that require mature problemsolving skills. Everyone is complicit in this because we have lost a necessary part of our national culture, our ability to interact peacefully with those who believe differently from us.

Culture is something that is created or destroyed by everyone, not just small subsets of the population. The solution to this problem is a national revival of understanding and patience from everyone,

everywhere. This means that we need to put our prejudices aside, no matter our beliefs, and try to regularly have difficult conversations that might make our hearts burn in anger but in the process produce in us more compassion for others, which is so essential for a functioning democracy and republic. America may not be at its brightest point presently, but you and I can make it brighter.

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.