Sept. 30, 2020

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The weekly student newspaper of Drake University Vol. 140 | No. 6 | Sept. 30, 2020

FEATURES

SPORTS

COMMENTARY

In the wake of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s death, Drake students remember her legacy and share their hopes for the future of the Supreme Court.

A new initiative called “All One” aims to make Drake athletics more inclusive and open by recognizing how marginalization affects student athletes on campus.

With classes, extracurriculars and social events all happening online, some students are feeling the burnout and screen time excess firsthand.

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Iowa Student Action organizes rally on campus

Students demand more transparency, testing, closed campus

IOWA STUDENT ACTION is an organization under the umbrella of People’s Action, dedicated to organizing students in support of free college for all and other progressive policies. Currently, ISA is pushing Iowa universities to close campus amidst COVID concerns. PHOTO BY SARAH BOGAARDS | BREAKING NEWS MANAGER Sarah Bogaards Breaking News Manager sarah.bogaards@drake.edu

Some Drake University students and members of the local community expressed their disagreement with the university’s COVID-19 response during a rally organized by Iowa Student Action on Sept. 15.

A group of more than 20 gathered to demand that Drake share complete infection data, provide testing for everyone on campus and ultimately make the decision to close campus and move classes completely online.

The group moved around Helmick Commons in masks while carrying signs and chanting “People over profits” and “Education is a right, not just for the rich and white.”

Distancing was also required and was maintained for most of the rally. At some points during the event, people stood closer than six feet apart.

Several student speakers took time during the rally to share their thoughts on Drake’s response measures.

“Last semester when there were 14 total cases in the state

of Iowa, this university shut its doors because it wasn’t safe,” Drake senior Connor Sullivan said in his speech. “And now that there are over 25,000 cases in Iowa, it’s somehow safe for all of us to be here?”

Students interjected calls of “That ain’t right,” throughout the speeches.

Senior Emily Miles discussed the university’s response to the threatening racist notes sent to several Black students on campus in 2018 and called on the administration to not repeat that response to COVID-19.

“Instead of taking action and actually taking the right steps for protecting its students, they painted a circle in the middle of campus black,” Miles said.

“I don’t know if you guys are noticing, but us students like most people in the world right now have had enough. How many Black and brown students and community members have to die, go missing or be threatened for you to actually care about their safety?”

Provost Sue Mattison said she intends to comment on the rally and the demands from students in an upcoming interview.

Organizers ended the rally

by leading the group to Old Main and directed their calls to President Marty Martin, shouting “Open the door Marty.”

“Last semester when there were 14 total cases in the state of Iowa, this university shut its doors because it wasn’t safe.

And now, that there are over 25,000 cases in Iowa, it’s somehow safe for all of us to be here? ”

Sophomore and Iowa Student Action organizer Abby Bankes got COVID-19 after returning to campus and said her case was “avoidable.”

“Having COVID really regrounded me in the fight for why we need to close schools and go online,” Bankes said.

“I shouldn’t be living in a residence hall right now.”

Bankes said Iowa Student

Action is part of a larger network under the umbrella of People’s Action, a nonprofit community organizing group. At the rally attendees were invited to take action by joining the Drake chapter of Iowa Student Action and “establish a movement of students bigger than this university.”

Community members also attended the rally to support students and include their voices among those concerned with the university’s response.

Giovanni Bahena lives in the Des Moines area and said he worries about how Drake’s response to the pandemic may affect the surrounding community. He called living in Des Moines right now “terrifying” due to the national attention Iowa received as a hotspot for coronavirus cases.

Drake alumna and community member Kate Broderick said although everyone would prefer inperson classes, she wants to see the university move classes online for the safety of all on campus.

“We should always be taking the very safest option, no matter what, because it’s lives at risk here. They try and

make safety measures. They try and do social distancing.

But the bottom line is that it’s not working and they know it’s not working,” Broderick said.

“Should anybody have fatal cases or even just get COVID . . . it’s this university’s fault and it’s the administration that is putting people at risk here, and there’s no doubt about that.”

Bahena said he thinks students should share their concerns because “in almost every situation, the citizens of any sort of community are the employers of any person in power.”

“When you think of Des Moines City Council, it is the citizens of Des Moines who are the Des Moines city council employers, the students of any college or university are the employers of the administrators,” Bahena said. “So when they unify, it is essential that they unify together to tell the people that work for them whether or not they’re doing a good job.”

This story will continue to develop and be reported on after an interview with Provost Mattison next week.

national security advisor robert o’brien visits drake Caleb Lillquist Staff Writer caleb.lillquist@drake.edu

On Sept. 23, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien spoke to Drake University students in Sheslow auditorium.

The event began with remotely delivered remarks from former Gov. Terry Branstad, who stepped down from his position as U.S. Ambassador to China on Sept.

14.

He welcomed O’Brien to the Sheslow stage, saying “Further China policy will continue to be led by people like Ambassador O’Brien.”

In his speech, O’Brien talked about the current global successes of the Trump administration, ranging from the recent historic peace treaty

involving the Arab Emirates to “standing up against the Chinese Communist Party” by implementing tariffs and other sanctions with U.S. trade.

The event was a moderated question and answer session, with O’Brien taking questions directly from students who submitted them beforehand.

Questions covered topics ranging from China, the coronavirus and threats to the national security of the United States.

Regarding COVID-19, O’Brien stated he believes that there was some sort of coverup on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP. “When you look at China’s track record, it’s deplorable,” O’Brien stated to the group.

He also accused the World Health Organization of being a

“corrupt tool of China.”

O’Brien elaborated on the failed reaction of the CCP, criticizing the act of not allowing CDC scientists to investigate in China when the outbreak first commenced.

“This all reminds me of the Russian coverage of the Chernobyl Nuclear Crisis,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien also talked about the Trump administration’s plan to donate to historically black colleges and to fund African countries to help create and support African health professionals.

After the event, O’Brien was interviewed by a select group of students and reporters.

Student Body President Adam Koch asked O’Brien if the threat of foreign interference in our next election is viable.

O’Brien stated “it’s a real issue” and went on to list off countries such as Iran, Russia, China and others he considered an ever-looming threat. O’Brien also claimed that fake news on Facebook, from both sides of the aisle, only serves to further divide the nation.

“He didn’t talk like a politician, like other Drake political figures that we’ve had on campus, so that was interesting,” Koch said. “I was surprised by the response I got from him. He appeared to be more concerned with the issue than I first thought he might be.”

Student Tanner Halleran also gave his thoughts on the event.

“From his speech, I was disappointed that he chose to primarily only use the time to

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speak about Trump. I expected to hear about policy, trade and the United States’ role in the world,” Halleran said. “Instead, I walked away feeling like I had just left a low energy campaign rally.”

Despite the immense amount of polarization in the nation, O’Brien encouraged students to remain optimistic about the future of the United States, emphasizing his belief that every generation is more creative, innovative and hardworking than the previous.

“We’re in a very polarized time and there are forces within our country and outside our country that are trying to sow discord and trying to divide us as a people,” O’Brien said.

“We have more in common as a people than what divides us.”

NEWS

News

Sept. 30, 2020 | Page 2

Bulldog Mile promotes healthy living Sophia Lacy Staff Writer sophia.lacy@drake.edu

A group of Drake University faculty members created a one-mile path around campus called the Bulldog Mile in order to improve and maintain overall health and wellness.

The Bulldog Mile was created by a committee formed by Linda Feiden, a wellness and recognition specialist and a part of Drake’s human resources.

The decision to create the Bulldog Mile came after Drake received the 2020 Healthiest State Large Workplace Award from the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative in February. Feiden and the committee made the decision to use funds awarded from the recognition to create a one-mile path around the campus in the shape of the bulldog.

Feiden said the committee hopes the Bulldog Mile becomes a “focal point” for the Drake community.

“Walking is a great way to improve or maintain overall health and this one-mile path is the perfect vehicle to be more active while exploring Drake’s beautiful campus,” Feiden said.

There are signs posted around the campus as well as blue paw prints showing the route for those to follow.

Sophia Siegel, Sustainability Coordinator and Facilities Planning and Management committee member, assisted with the

BLUE PAWPRINTS lead walkers around campus in a mile route, known as the Bulldog Mile. The route takes participants all over campus, from Olmsted to across from the Varsity Theater. PHOTO BY ALLYN BENKOWICH | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

project. She believes the Bulldog Mile will benefit the community as a whole.

“Walking is a great way to improve or maintain overall health and this one-mile path is the perfect vehicle to be more active while exploring Drake’s beautiful campus.”

“I think it’s a good way

for the Drake community members to meet up with one another and run into one another while walking the mile,” Siegel said.

Outside of Drake’s Olmsted Center there is a map of the route, which is shaped like a bulldog, as well as information about the mile.

Rachel Roth, a sophomore, said she walked the mile after seeing someone post about it on social media. With the pandemic, many students have been inside for the majority of the semester. Roth said the mile has been great during COVID-19 because it’s possible to socially distance

with someone while walking it.

“I think it’s a good thing for Drake to have the mile,” Roth said. “It gives us something to do when there isn’t much to do during this time.”

Camryn Huyser, a sophomore, said she liked that it was easy to find and thought the mile was great for students.

“I thought it was a really neat idea to get people outside and to see the Drake neighborhood,” Huyser said.

“I wasn’t really sure exactly where it was or anything, but the paw prints make it pretty easy to find.”

Many students have enjoyed the mile; faculty and parents have also experienced the route.

Drake parent Drew Friedman said the mile was a “pleasant route” and it was great to see all of the campus.

“If you don’t feel like, or have no access to another calibrated outdoor walking path, it’s great that the mile is right there on campus,” Friedman said.

Feiden said the committee encourages everyone to take a break on Oct. 7 to walk the Bulldog Mile for this fall’s Healthiest State Walk.

NAMIWalks goes virtual for 2020

NAMI IOWA is an organization dedicated to raising awareness for mental health issues and providing tools to those who struggle with mental illness.

NAMI Iowa traditionally hosts an annual 5k in October to raise awareness for mental health issues in Iowa. PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACH BLEVINS Ashley DeLarm Contributing Writer ashley.delarm@drake.edu

The NAMIWalks Your Way Iowa 5K, a mental health fundraiser, will take place virtually on Oct. 10, 2020. Now in its 14th year, the event promotes the organization’s mission of advocacy, education and support for those living with mental illness.

Zach Blevins, the outreach and events manager for NAMI Iowa and a 2017 Drake University graduate, has been working with NAMI’s walk for three years.

“We’re really just trying to promote awareness of mental health and trying to reduce stigma by giving people a platform to share their story

and talk openly about mental health,” Blevins said.

The event, taking place on World Mental Health Day, can be done from anywhere and doesn’t have to be a 5K. “On that day, we are encouraging folks to create their own walk experience and they can do that whatever way works best for them,” Blevins said. “They could cook, they could knit, we’re encouraging them to participate in whatever way they want to get active or be productive that day.”

The day will start with a Facebook live stream that will include different speakers sharing their stories, information about NAMI resources and building on the conversation that you are not alone.

“Often, speaking of one’s

own struggles is considered inappropriate or ‘taboo’ and I believe that having uncomfortable conversations is the only way to make any progress away from that mindset,” Drake Rise Up president Kaylee Farmer said.

“We’re really just trying to promote awareness of mental health and trying to reduce stigma by giving people a platform to share their story and talk openly about mental health.”

Farmer shares a similar passion for mental health advocacy.

“I joined [Rise Up] because of how impacted my life has been by mental health and suicide,” Farmer said. “As mental illness affects much of my family, it became much more important to me to be an active voice in ending the stigma of mental illness.”

According to NAMI, nearly one in five adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness, making it more important than ever to have open and honest conversations about mental health.

“It’s important to spread awareness about mental health because it is a bedrock for everybody,” Blevins said.

“There’s nobody who isn’t affected by mental health and we want people to know

that it’s okay to talk about it and we want to try to break down as much stigma around mental illness as possible so that people know that there are resources out there, and there is help.”

The 2020 event will not require registration fees, a change from previous years.

“We try to make the event as open and accessible as possible so we do encourage people to raise funds if they are able as that goes back to supporting our mission of advocacy, education and support,” Blevins said. “We want any and all who are interested in joining to help us out on this day and help stop [the] stigma around mental illness overall.”

To register for the NAMIWalks Your Way event, visit namiwalks.org/iowa.

FEATURES

Features

Sept. 30, 2020 | Page 3

The Notorious RBG

Students react to the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Grace Altenhofen Features Editor grace.altenhofen@drake.edu

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court justice and cultural icon, died Sept.

18 from complications of pancreatic cancer. She was 87.

Ginsburg was nominated to the Supreme Court in 1993

by President Bill Clinton, only the second woman to ever fill that role, after serving in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Prior to that, she had co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU and argued several gender discrimination cases before the Supreme Court.

Ginsburg’s life and work was the subject of the 2018 movie “On the Basis of Sex,” propelling her popularity among younger generations and earning her the nickname ‘The Notorious RBG’.

“The Notorious RGB will always be a symbol of strength to do what you believe is right,” Drake journalism student Karin Berdahl said.

“She is a role model for all people to do what is right, even in the face of ignorance and discrimination.”

Berdahl described Ginsburg as a role model, specifically to women seeking careers in male-dominated

fields.

“She affected the country in many many positive ways,” Berdahl said. “First of all, she was a woman taking on so many levels of discrimination to do the job that defines American life. Secondly, she did so with grace, power and strength. She gave women a role model to point at and say, ‘I can do things like that too’. I don’t have the words to describe the amount of voice and hope that she gave to women throughout her transformative lifetime.”

Drake student Bardha Ahmedi, a Law, Politics and Society major, said Ginsburg paved the way for women in law.

“I can only speak for myself, but she meant a lot to me. She was just this formidable lady who knew what she was talking about and was good at it,” Ahmedi said. “She paved the way for so many women in the legal world, in America in general.

She had a hand in bettering conditions for women in the workplace long before she was a judge.”

Ahmedi said her initial reaction to the news of Ginsburg’s death was overwhelming.

“My roommate told me immediately when the story

broke,” Ahmedi said. “[It was] deep anguish, along with a healthy dose of panic. I just laid in my bed in the dark for a solid hour trying not to cry.”

Berdahl said she was cleaning her kitchen when she got a BBC notification on her phone announcing Ginsburg’s death.

“The Notorious RGB will always be a symbol of strength to do what you believe is right.

She is a role model for all people to do what is right, even in the face of ignorance and discrimination.”

“I started to cry. I knew immediately that all sense of decorum would go out the window in nominating and confirming a new justice, that the Trump administration would trample the country’s mourning of this incredible woman to try to do something that his voter base might like,” Berdahl said. “I knew that the Lame Duck session wasn’t going to apply to Trump and that Republicans wouldn’t stop to think about

the consequences of their actions. I knew that Mitch McConnell would go back on his word regarding new justices in an election year.”

Berdahl said she believes that a new justice should not have been nominated until after the election.

“A new justice should not be nominated or confirmed until after the election,” Berdahl said. “I will 100 percent admit to a bias but it is a well founded one. I am a Democrat. I am bisexual. I am pro-choice. Our country needs to move forward and do things that help people, to keep them safe, and offer whatever is needed to maintain the freedom of people to be themselves. I fear a conservative justice would have enough power to make sure that those steps are not taken, and reverse the ones already in place. I fear that world.”

Ahmedi also said she believes there is not enough time to nominate and confirm a justice in a responsible manner before the election.

“I want it to wait. Even discounting all the politics, there’s honestly not enough time to responsibly pick a candidate,” Ahmedi said.

“We’ve got less than 40 days until election day, and the

average amount of time for the nomination process is around 60 days or so. You shouldn’t treat this stuff like a race, not when the consequences are this serious.”

According to Berdahl, the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg should be seen as a call to action for all Americans.

“The loss of RBG is another horrific thing to add to the list of terrible that is 2020. As much as I adore her and am so grateful for her, the amount of pressure that was on her was not fair,” Berdahl said. “To have the country be in such a state that one highpowered woman is the only thing seemingly stopping it from tipping over the edge is in one way extremely aweinspiring, and in another, objectively horrifying. To be in such a state of turmoil over human rights is not a sustainable state of being, and the deciding factor of such issues should not fall onto one person. I have called my senators about this issue and urge others to do the same.”

Trump has since announced his nominee to fill the Supreme Court seat, judge Amy Coney Barrett, who currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Sophia Siegel: Drake’s new sustainability coordinator Grace Hulin Contributing Writer grace.hulin@drake.edu

Sophia Siegel, a recent graduate of Drake University’s Environmental Sustainability and Resilience program, has returned to campus this fall in a new role–Drake’s first sustainability coordinator.

As the sustainability coordinator, Siegel works as a member of the Facilities Planning and Management team to promote social, economic and environmental sustainability across the Drake campus and to assist in reducing the university’s impact on the environment.

“I like it a lot, but there are challenges when you are taking a position that is new to the entire university,” Siegel said.

Siegel said the job of a sustainability coordinator looks different at every university, and that some larger universities even have entire sustainability offices.

“The benefits of having a person in this role is that they can serve as a liaison between faculty, staff and students to develop and coordinate sustainability goals that align with Drake’s Climate Action Plan,” said Kevin Moran, the executive director of Facilities Planning and Management.

To monitor and compare Drake’s sustainability practices with other universities, Siegel works to generate reports with Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, or STARS, a standardized self-assessment program for the universities.

Siegel said that she is

working to create a strategic sustainability plan that includes specific subplans with short term and long term quantitative goals for cost and energy-saving opportunities.

This entails monitoring and reporting utility data, including energy, water, gas and waste. Some of her specific goals for this include reducing the university’s greenhouse gas emissions and identifying zero waste opportunities.

Siegel said one of the first orders of business for her is to increase the involvement with sustainability across campus and community. She has begun meeting with a variety of faculty and staff on campus to gain a better understanding of the sustainability interests and needs and to spread awareness about sustainability opportunities.

Siegel said she is looking forward to “identifying more opportunities to see campus as a learning laboratory.”

Utilizing the campus as a learning laboratory would give students opportunities to engage with their interests across different schools and majors and provide students with real world professional and academic experience through opportunities to make real changes that benefit the entire campus and community. Siegel said she knows students already have the ideas and passion, they just aren’t aware of how to follow through and she hopes to help them do that.

Siegel said she sees student interns as an untapped resource for finding and working toward creative and innovative sustainability goals on campus. She also said that

SOPHIA SIEGEL has taken on the new role of Sustainability Coordinator at Drake University.

PHOTO BY TRISH RICHARDS | COPY EDITOR

she hopes to expand student opportunities for engagement past just traditional roles.

For example, Siegel said she sees many opportunities for students of different majors and backgrounds, such as entrepreneurship students. Her team is currently in the process of hiring a communications intern.

Siegel said she wants to develop a stronger centralized sustainability

communications platform to help spread useful sustainability information and boost engagement, such as public transportation guides and Sprout Garden opportunities.

Siegel graduated from Drake last spring with a degree in environmental sustainability and resilience.

While at Drake, she was involved in many sustainability leadership roles, such as the Drake

Environmental Action League and working as a sustainability intern for the university.

Moran said that these examples of leadership in sustainability are what made Siegel’s application for the position stand out.

“Sophia has a passion for sustainability and the environment that when you meet her, that passion shines through everything she does,” Moran said.

FEATURES

Features

Sept. 30, 2020 | Page 4

Greek Life adapts for online students

Rush, chapter meetings move online due to COVID precautions

TAU KAPPA EPSILON is one of many fraternities and sororities that had to adapt rush and chapter meetings to be completely online . PHOTO BY TRISH RICHARDS | COPY EDITOR

Grace Altenhofen Features Editor grace.altenhofen@drake.edu

Rushing sororities and fraternities is an annual tradition for those looking to participate in Greek Life.

However, like many things in 2020, this tradition has taken a twist because of coronavirus.

Members of Greek Life organizations have been working on ways to be inclusive to students who have chosen to do school completely online this year.

“I know one of our new members is completely virtual this semester,” said Jayna Lieberman, a member of Alpha Delta Pi. “Thus far, the majority of our events have been online. We’ve done Kahoot and Jackbox games via Zoom and we have Netflix parties about once a week.”

Rush also took place entirely online, with current members joining Zoom breakout rooms to talk to potential recruits.

“We used Blackboard Collaborate and one or two returning members would be in a breakout room with

a potential new member,” Lieberman said. “After a few minutes of conversation, we would rotate so the PNMs would get the chance to talk to different people.”

Artie Rodriguez said that rush was similar for his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon.

“We were just kind of informed that rush was virtual, so that wasn’t up to us,” Rodriguez said. “A lot of it was just conversations, they could ask questions about anything about the fraternity, and if they had some free time we tried to focus on them talking, talking about themselves.”

According to Rodriguez, the number of people rushing Greek organizations took a hit because of coronavirus.

“We got two new recruits.

Which, I know with a lot of fraternities, the number of recruits were a lot lower than they usually were,” Rodriguez said. “I believe Sig Ep, which usually gets the most members each fall rush, they got like a quarter of what they usually get, which surprised everyone.

But I can understand with the whole COVID situation why people are less likely to rush. But if everything clears up by next semester, I think we should have more people either rushing this spring or next fall.”

Rodriguez said that only one of TKE’s members is doing school completely online this year. However, they are holding chapter meetings virtually anyway for all members not living in the house.

“Our chapter meetings usually take place in our house, but because of COVID, we decided to only require people who are in-house to attend chapter,” Rodriguez said. “Everybody that was outside of the house would join through a Zoom link.”

This policy proved to be a smart idea after one of the house members contracted COVID-19, putting the house in quarantine.

“It was weird to just be stuck in the house for two weeks. It wasn’t a matter of ‘if’, it was a matter of ‘when’.

It was bound to happen,” Rodriguez said. “I think the only time any of us went out

during that period was to get tested. We were able to find ways to keep in touch with each other while staying in our rooms. All of our meetings were on Zoom. We found ways to hang out with each other without physically being there.”

Despite the COVID exposure, none of the other house members contracted the virus. However, Rodriguez said they continue to take COVID precautions seriously.

“There’s a whole lot of COVID precautions that we’re taking,” Rodriguez said. “We as a chapter think it’s important to sanitize everything after use.”

Lieberman said that Alpha Delta Pi has also been strict about COVID precautions, despite some events being held in-person.

“We have had a couple activities in person, but they have all been socially distant and outdoors,” Lieberman said. “We had a cookout by our house and our members signed up for shifts to come so that we didn’t overcrowd.

We are also having a tie-dying activity that will be in person, but we have also signed up

for limited shifts. I can’t say for certain, but I am fairly confident the chapters on campus are following COVID protocol as well as they can.”

For Lieberman, coronavirus precautions and virtual activities have not put a damper on her Greek Life experience.

“I joined late last year so I never experienced the beginning of the year events,” Lieberman said. “There are some things we aren’t able to do this semester like our Mallard ball or crush, but we are working really hard to find fun, safe alternatives.”

Rodriguez said this year has been even better than prior years for him, as he is able to bond with his fraternity brothers living in the house.

“I think it’s just primarily because I’m living in the house this year, but I’ve enjoyed it more, being in Greek life, than in previous years,” Rodriguez said. “I think it’s because I’m getting closer with the guys. We’re all in this together and we’re all there for each other.”

Character Counts project brings volunteer opportunities CJ Younger Contributing Writer catherine.younger@drake.edu

When the country shut down and schools turned virtual this past March, celebrities such as Kristin Bell and Jimmy Fallon read children’s books online for the young kids stuck inside.

This month, Drake University students have the same opportunity through the Character Counts! book project.

Students can take a break from quarantine madness to be creative and record themselves reading a children’s book to help kids around the world develop good character.

“It’s as simple as setting

up your phone and capturing the really great stuff that you make,” said Kelly Bruhn, associate dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “You are the talent.”

The SJMC has books available for students to check out, and encourages them to have fun with it. “[Kids] get into the stories when you’re really animated, when you just embrace the fun that it is to read a children’s book, and particularly a book with a really good message,” Bruhn said.

The SJMC is partnering with Character Counts! for the book project.

“Character Counts! is an initiative focused around teaching the six pillars of character: trustworthiness,

respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship,” said Hilary Ortmann, associate director of events for the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center. “[The founder] really had a vision that teaching good character transitioned into making the world into a better place.”

In July 2019, Drake became the home of Character Counts!, and its students are at the center of the global movement that is more relevant than ever in the age of COVID. “A parent is teaching a kid at home during the current climate right now, they’re 100 percent virtual,” Ortmann said. “By Drake students taking the time and energy to create these videos, we’re going to be able to push

them out across the globe for parents and educators to use as they need.”

The process itself is easy and lets students be as creative as they want.

“By Drake students taking the time and energy to create these videos, we’re going to be able to push them out across the globe for parents and educators to use as they need.”

Character Counts! is a unique opportunity for SJMC students to supplement their

resumes.

“I’m hoping a project like this can help some of the digital media students add something new and different to their portfolio that expresses a little more of their creativity and personality,” Ortmann said.

The project upholds SJMC values, helping students empathize with others.

The videos will be posted on charactercounts.org where parents and educators can access them with a login as a resource for their children.

Students interested in contributing to the Character Counts! book project can email denise.ganpat@drake. edu to check out a book.

The top three videos will win SJMC swag. The deadline for submission is Oct. 9.

Sports

SPORTS

Sept. 30, 2020 | Page 5

Drake Athletics launches All One initiative

DRAKE STARTS ALL ONE INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE EQUITY ON CAMPUS. Gathering student-athlete leaders across campus, the program intends to spark conversations and encourage action. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS. Alex Lemke Contributing Writer alex.lemke@drake.edu

On Sept. 2, Drake Athletics announced the formation of a new initiative titled “All One”.

The group is made up of Drake coaches, staff and students that meet and discuss topics that negatively affect athletics.

According to the initiative’s Instagram page, the vision statement is “to actively dismantle systems within our athletic department that oppress and limit Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ+, differently abled and marginalized persons.”

“We need to have tough conversations about racism and other issues because we feel our jobs as coaches are to be educators as well,”

said Jennie Baranczyk, head women’s basketball coach.

“It’s not always our job to be educated, but to educate ourselves.”

One of All One’s values is “All in This Together.”

The initiative’s mission areas include listening, educating engaging, raising awareness, empowering and inspiring change.

Katie Walker is the assistant coach of the Drake volleyball team and has been involved with the initiative since June.

“To me, the most important part is helping the players become better people on the court and off the court,” Walker said. “I hope that we can educate the girls on topics that will allow them to be the best nurse, teacher, businesswoman or

whatever it may be so that they’re creating an equal and fair environment for their coworkers and the people they work under or above.”

There are approximately 22 student athletes and 16 faculty members across various teams that make up the group, but those numbers are expected to grow.

Olivia Bruce is on the women’s soccer team and has taken a leadership role in helping come up with discussion and social media ideas for the group.

“As a woman who is biracial and identifies as black, I felt that it was my personal role to speak up and share my experiences, which started with my own team.

As much as I wanted to make a difference and speak out to the Drake community, I

knew that it first had to start within my own team,” Bruce said. “We are now taking the time to educate ourselves on a weekly basis as a group.

It has not been easy, but it is necessary, and the group members within All One have committed to starting these challenging conversations within their own teams as well to make all student athletes feel heard on our campus.”

The goals of All One are to create awareness to all prejudice and reduce barriers of racial discrimination and inequality, create empathy through conversations and education, educate and advise student-athletes and staff about the ways they can efficiently and effectively use their platform to educate, promote awareness, and effect change and build

programmatic opportunities with and for studentathletes and staff to educate, encourage and address vulnerabilities of those from and within marginalized communities.

The group’s more recent focus has been on voting.

All One’s voting goals are to have 100 percent voter registration for all eligible student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff, establish and train sports team voting captains, make Nov. 3 an offday for student-athletes and continue voter education.

“Racism is not going to be ended in one day, and most likely not even in one year,” Bruce said. “But this group we have created is a start, and my hope is that we can make this campus a better and more equitable place for all.”

Dallas Stars battle to remain in Stanley Cup playoffs

STARS TAKE GAME 4 WITH A 3-2 VICTORY OVER THE LIGHTNING. Both teams eagerly look to move on to the next round of playoffs and competed again Sept. 28.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKI COMMONS

Emily Godsey Beat Writer emily.godsey@drake.edu

With the Stanley Cup Finals officially underway, the Dallas Stars and the Tampa Bay Lightning are presenting hockey fans with an equal match; one that has most people questioning who is going to come out on top.

The Lightning are currently outplaying the Stars two games to one, but there is still hockey to be played – and if we know anything about the Dallas Stars from the last

round of the playoffs, they’re capable of getting gritty and making an unexpected comeback.

The two competing teams are so evenly matched that both are having performance issues with their captains, issues that could potentially cost them a shiny silver cup with their names engraved on its side.

Tampa Bay Lightning’s captain, Steven Stamkos, had not been able to play in a game since Feb. 25 due to a core muscle injury.

After undergoing surgery on March 2, the original

recovery time was expected to be between six and eight weeks, but Stamkos faced several setbacks that sent him back all the way until Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals, subsequently leading his team to a win and providing them with a convenient morale boost.

Stamkos scored on his first shot of the game and his team managed to easily overpower the Stars with the leadership of their captain, but according to the EPSN article, “Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos ‘unfit to play,’ ruled out of Game 4, the 30-yearold Stamkos took only five shifts, totaling less than three minutes of playing time, and did not play in the second or third period.”

He said he was held out because he encountered “an issue.”

Stamkos remained on the bench with his teammates for the rest of Game 3 and took a few twirls on the ice during TV timeouts.

After his short time on the ice, Lightning coach Jon Cooper stated that the captain will not be playing in Game 4 of the finals but he has not been ruled out for the rest of the series.

Clearly, under his guidance, his team worked harder and smarter to take Game 3, but it’s questionable whether or not they’ll be able to continue their winning streak without Stamkos on

the ice.

On the other side of things, Dallas Stars’ captain Jamie Benn’s line has been struggling to connect throughout the finals.

Benn’s line, consisting of himself, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov have failed to perform throughout the last three games, having a combined three assists and no goals.

While Benn’s regular season numbers weren’t impressive either, the struggle of the top players on the team has obviously put extra stress on the Stars’ performance.

Similar to Steven Stamkos, players like Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin – well known in the National Hockey League – presumably play huge roles in leading the team to victory and boosting clubhouse morale.

During a post-game press conference, coach Rick Bowness spoke out about the lack of points on the first line, “Do we need more from our top guys? Every team does. We’re hoping that’s coming, but until it does, if it does, then we’re going to keep battling. We’re going to stay in games and give ourselves a good change to win based on team play and everyone contributing at different times. That’s why we’re here. We made it here by committee, by team play, and we’re going to keep the focus on that.”

The Stars seem to be remaining optimistic in terms of their top players and the rest of their team; it seems like Bowness believes in the rest of the team’s ability to perform without Jamie Benn scoring frequently.

But that doesn’t mean that the captain has been flying under the radar completely; he’s been increasingly physical during games and has generated many chances around the net, something that the Stars have been doing well in the Finals.

While Benn’s abilities are being wasted, it seems as though the real question revolves around the rest of his team; are they going to be able to step up and defeat Tampa Bay if Stamkos comes back for Game 5 or 6?

Both Steven Stamkos and Jamie Benn have faced different kinds of struggles during the Stanley Cup Finals, but it remains anyone’s game.

The Stars were able to overpower the Lightning during Game 1, but it seems like Tampa Bay has found their opponents’ weak spot and has been able to beat them in the last two games.

Update: At the time of this issue’s publication, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars in Game 6 to win the Stanley Cup.

SPORTS

Sports

Sept. 30, 2020 | Page 6

Naomi Osaka makes a stand for BLM at U.S. Open

TENNIS PLAYER NAOMI OSAKA WEARS MASKS FOR BLACK VICTIMS AT U.S. OPEN. Osaka wore a total of 7 masks for each round of the tournament, encouraging viewers to remember lives lost and make a change. PHOTO COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM. Darinka Stepan Contributing Writer darinka.stepan@drake.edu

22-year-old tennis phenomenon Naomi Osaka made a stand for black lives at the 2020 U.S. Open.

Osaka, who represents Japan on the court, has a total of 6 titles in her career.

While Osaka was competing at this year’s U.S. Open, she wore seven masks for each round of the tournament with the names of Black people whose death has been cited in protests for racial justice: Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Travon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Tamir Rice.

Osaka took her face masks onto social media. Every day that she competed in the tournament, she posted a picture of her in a mask with one of the seven names.

Her fans showed their support for her in the comments of her post.

“Representation matters.

Serena and Venus Williams

blazed a path in tennis that helped young stars like Naomi Osaka follow in their footsteps and forge new inroads of their own,” said global women’s advocate Melinda Gates on Twitter. “Together, they’re changing the game.”

On each of these posts of her wearing masks, Osaka did not have a caption on them.

The only post that did have a caption was for Trayvon Martin, in which she described her experience following his death.

Osaka explains the impact that his death had on her, “I remember Trayvon’s death clearly. I remember being a kid and just feeling scared. I actually didn’t wear hoodies for years cause I wanted to decrease the odds of looking suspicious”.

Osaka is aware that this was not the first Black death that spurred a movement for racial justice, but for her it was the one that opened her eyes and has made an impact on her personal life.

Osaka also spoke online about why it took so long for Martin to get justice.

“Things have to change,” she said on Instagram.

Osaka previously withdrew out of a tournament prior to the U.S. Open to show her support in a similar manner for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Osaka created an Instagram post explaining to the world and her fans why she decided to pull out of her semi-finals match of the tournament at the Cincinnati masters.

In her post, Osaka explained how she was sick of the recent events that have happened with African American people and the police.

“Before I am an athlete, I am a Black woman. And as a Black woman I feel as though there are more important matters at hand that need immediate attention,” Osaka said. “Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the polices is honestly makes me sick to my stomach.”

Osaka continued her post, explaining how she is exhausted of new hashtags

that appear as well as having to the same conversations repeatedly.

Pulling out of this tournament was something that caught the attention of the tennis world as well as her fans.

“Watching the continued genocide of Black people makes me sick to my stomach. Things have to change.”

Thousands of her fans reposted Osaka’s messages to show support, spread awareness, and millions commented on the post supporting her as well as the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Osaka is so inspiring,” Drake tennis player Kelsey Neville said. “No matter what people think about her, she stands up for what she believes in and for the

betterment of society.”

As a result of her efforts in activism and on-court achievement, Osaka was named of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020.

The tennis community was ready to see what she planned to do next at upcoming events such as the Italian Open and the French Open.

Unfortunately, Osaka’s hamstring was still sore from capturing another grand slam title at the U.S. Open so she did not have enough time to prepare for these events.

Osaka revealed on social media that she will not be competing in the French Open because both the U.S. Open and French Open came too close to each other for her.

Usually, these events are months apart but due to COIVD-19, there was a need to move the events closer together to allow players more opportunities to compete.

However, Osaka reassured her fans that they will see her again very soon.

BEARS COME BACK TO DEFEAT FALCONS IN FINAL QUARTER

Maddie Topliff Beat Writer maddie.topliff@drake.edu @Top_dog30

Move over, The Bachelor. I don’t know how the Bears do it, but every game this season is more dramatic than the last.

Who needs reality TV or soap operas when football exists? Maybe I will write a thesis paper that answers that very question.

The Atlanta Falcons hosted the Chicago Bears over the weekend for the Bears’ second road game of the season.

And even though the Falcons hadn’t yet won a game, the majority of the featured local and national NFL analysts picked the Falcons to win this one.

Atlanta QB Matt Ryan is a seasoned veteran at racking up lots of points in a small amount of time, and the Bears have been inconsistent at covering the passing game thus far this year.

And that was true on Sunday, too, especially in the end zone.

A ho-hum first half The Bears had a very hard time capitalizing on scoring

opportunities in the first thirty minutes of gametime, largely because of penalties and muffed passes.

The half was basically summed up in the Bears’ first drive of the game, a promising couple of downs that converted into a missed field goal.

It wasn’t all Bad News Bears, though. Bears place kicker Cairo Santos eventually did find the uprights at the end of the first quarter, and Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky was able to find tight end Jimmy Graham just under two minutes before halftime.

The Falcons struggled defensively, but they found the endzone twice in the first half and headed into the locker room up 16-10 at halftime.

Trubisky takes a seat + other troubles If you thought the first half was bad, the second half had Bears fans feeling every emotion that has ever been defined by the human race.

The home team found the end zone in the first three minutes and followed up with a field goal a couple minutes later, stretching their halftime lead to 26-10.

Meanwhile, Chicago was

a dumpster fire. And by dumpster fire, I mean that the most impressive player of the third quarter was Bears punter Pat O’Donnell. But let’s get to the big news.

Despite Trubisky’s best effort in mediocre circumstances, head coach Matt Nagy made the controversial decision to bench him in the middle of the third quarter and substituted in backup QB Nick Foles, the former Philadelphia Eagle, for the first time.

I don’t want to speak for all Bears fans, but the decision was confusing — it is still very early in the season, and I think anyone who watched Sunday’s game would be hesitant to point the finger at Trubisky.

Former Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett let his thoughts about the choice be known on Twitter.

“There is no way you can tell me a QB that’s 2-0 would be benched the third game if you did not already have disbelief in him from the beginning,” Earl Bennett said on Twitter.

Unfortunately for Trubisky, Foles did exactly what he needed to do to secure the starting spot for

the next couple of weeks.

Foles threw three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, connecting with Graham, Robinson and Anthony Miller.

An interception by Bears safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. sealed the deal and sent the Bears into victory formation.

The final score was 3026 Bears. Don’t call it a comeback, but call it a comeback.

Cohen collision causes ACL tear Although the overwhelming feelings after the Falcons matchup were relief and a bit of awe, the positives were tinged with melancholy.

Third quarter was already bad enough for Chicago before running back Tarik Cohen was hit on a fair catch and suffered a torn ACL, which will likely sideline him for the rest of the season.

Cohen just signed a threeyear contract extension with Chicago last week.

Now we won’t see him until 2021. I couldn’t help but compare this situation to the Johnny Knox injury in 2012, but luckily, a torn ACL is not an injured vertebrae.

This season, Cohen

acquired a total of 53 scrimmage yards before Sunday’s injury.

It will be interesting to see who steps up to the plate as the new punt returner for Chicago.

Maddie’s Monster of the Game This week’s Monster is Tarik Cohen, who won’t be able to earn the title for the remainder of the season.

Here’s to a speedy recovery, as always.

Divisional roundup As of right now, we’re on top!

1st place: Bears 2nd place: Packers 3rd place: Lions (Won against the Arizona Cardinals) 4th place: Vikings (Lost to the Tennessee Titans) Now what?

Well, here’s the deal. We’re 3-0, which is absolutely bogus after the three games this fandom has had to endure.

Next week will prove to be an interesting teaser for the rest of the season.

The Bears host the Indianapolis Colts at home, who are also 3-0. You can find that game, dear reader, on CBS at noon next Sunday.

Until then, mask up and Beardown.

Commentary

COMMENTARY

Sept. 30, 2020 | Page 7

Media coverage of policing in America

Son and grandson of officers offers perspective Caleb Lillquist Staff Writer caleb.lillquist@drake.edu

My dad’s “Alright buddy, I am going to head out,” still reverberates in my head to this day whenever thinking back on my childhood. I can’t begin to tell you the countless times where my father had been called by dispatch requesting his assistance on some issue in the streets of Mason City, Iowa.

Many nights I watched him put on his uniform and kevlar vest down in our basement. When he was all geared up, I would hug him despite some discomfort from his equipment, and tell him I loved him as he headed out the door. There were numerous times like this, moments in which I wondered if my father would return back unharmed.

Yet every morning, I would be woken up by my father in his police uniform, smiling at me as he kissed me on my forehead and headed for bed.

Fast forward to the abhorrent present.

Two deputy sheriffs in California were ambushed when a man came up to the parked squad car and opened fire on them in broad daylight. Both of the sheriffs were shot in the head.

It was later reported by local media that the female deputy

had a 6-year-old son at home.

While rare incidences of police overextension of force are broadcast on TV, the increase of homicides and ambushes against officers is not an agenda that established media want to cover.

It doesn’t get the most views, nor it is popular amongst the anti-police rhetoric of politicians and political activists alike.

This is not to excuse the overstepping of American police officers, but express a need for more media coverage of these instances. In my own personal experience I have had plenty of run ins with officers who were not well suited for the job at all. I even tried to fight a ticket in court.

Without a doubt, I have met some that do not uphold the code of “protect and serve,” but instead use that power to strike intimidation to people they do not like or care for. Being one of the few minorities back home doesn’t help either.

It seems as if the current generation of officers hold the “I am the law” mentality whenever they attempt at ‘community policing.’

No more are the days of officers handing out police badge stickers to kids on the sidewalk. Those times are now seen as the novel generation of law enforcement officials.

One of those novel law enforcement individuals was my grandfather, Thomas Lillquist, who served for over 20 years at Forest City’s Sheriff’s department. When he passed away, I heard all the stories where many officers would call him in the middle of the night to calm a suspect or prisoner down.

“Sometimes all people need is someone to really listen to them,” he often would say.

Everyone knew my grandfather because of how he treated everyone he met with respect and dignity.

Many people he arrested even came up to shake his hand, thanking him for his kind words and sympathy towards humanity.

That is the policing that the United States needs more of, instead of the chest pumping bravado mentality of wanting to go arrest as many individuals in one given shift. Yet for as many bad officers I encounter, there are about twenty that are an exact depiction of what an officer of the law should be.

Justified or not, the media has left the law enforcement community out to dry with the lack of coverage regarding the increase of ambushes and killings of police officers.

According to a USA Today report, 40 officers in the line

of duty were shot and killed between 2014 and 2016. In the year of 2016, a total of 115 officers were killed, which is a 167% increase of shootings just in that year alone.

CBS News also reports that, “the number of police killed in the line of duty rose sharply in 2016, driven by shootings of police around the country, most notably ambushes in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.”

“Everyone knew my grandfather because of how he treated everyone he met with respect and dignity.”

This is not even to mention the horrific ambush shooting that killed Des Moines Police Officers in 2016 who are also unfortunately a part of that list.

“On average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty in the U.S. every 61 hours and more than 20,000 police officers have lost their lives in the line of duty since the first known line-of-duty death in 1791,” the CBS News report also stated.

As of recently in the year of

2020, 53 officers were killed in the line of duty according to Spectrum Local news.

Other than the ambush in California this past weekend, another one was reported by the LA Times in May where two other deputies in Santa Cruz were ambushed by a “far right” activist, killing one officer and injuring another.

I write this piece because there is definite lack of established media coverage on this topic, as there are for a plethora of other topics.

Yet there is a parallel amongst my life and the life of the 6-year-old boy whose mother was ambushed. The officer could have easily been my dad. I can’t help but think that the little boy, too, hugged his mother goodbye as she left their house for another day on patrol hoping that she too would come back home safe and sound.

This increase of homicides, shootings and ambushes is now a reality and a new norm for American police officers.

When law enforcement gets less support and more animosity is directed against American peace officers, this will only enable and encourage others to do more harm for those that protect and put their lives on the line everyday.

TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME WEARING ON STUDENTS Nala Gauvin Staff Writer nala.gauvin@drake.edu

I never thought Corona would ever affect us in the ways that it has in the past seven months. My first year of college was cut short, my birthday modified to fit social distancing standards and today all of my classes are online. However, nobody addresses the stress of sitting in front of a screen for hours on end every single day; the constant headaches, itchy eyes and wrist pain are just some consequences of staring at a screen while typing out answers in the chat that your professor probably won’t see.

It would be different if it was just our classes online. However; it’s our classes, our homework, our extracurricular activities and our fun events are entirely

through a screen. In the past week, my daily screen time has gone up 23%, and I had a weekly average of 122 hours of screen time. Throughout the week, I spent roughly 40 hours on Zoom, 26 hours on academic apps, 20 hours on web browsers and 36 hours on personal interests.

I remember years ago, adults were trying to limit our screen time because extended use could cause vision problems commonly referred to as computer syndrome or digital eye strain. Now that’s all changed due to the pandemic.

There was never a conversation between the staff and the students on trying to find a healthy middle, not only for our brain physically but mentally as well.

Nobody addresses the fact that it is mentally draining to sit on your computer all day and barely have any social interactions. I genuinely

thought I would have more in-person classes rather than online.

Despite all these negatives, there are a few positives to our Zoom-based education. For instance, all of my teachers have been recording their lectures, which allows me to pause, take notes at my own speed, as well as listening to them multiple times to ensure I am fully aware of what’s happening in the classroom.

I understand this is new for everyone, and I applaud the teachers for the work they put into everything they do because it is not easy to teach through a screen, let alone a pandemic. However, nothing makes sense, due dates are vague, the future is uncertain.

Whether we like it or not, online school is increasing the amount of “screen time” we use every day and decreasing the amount of connection we have with each other.

However, there are ways to

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The student newspaper for Drake University since 1884 RACHEL JAMES, Editor-in-Chief rachel.james@drake.edu JEFF INMAN, Faculty Advisor jeffrey.inman@drake.edu

TARYN RIPPLE, Managing Editor taryn.ripple@drake.edu

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

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

KENDALL HUNT, Sports Editor kendall.hunt@drake.edu ZOE TREIBITZ, Commentary Editor zoe.treibitz@drake.edu ROGER IPSON, Business Manager roger.ipson@drake.edu

OLIVIA HECKER, Media Manager olivia.hecker@drake.edu JAMES MENDEZ, Advertising Manager james.simmons@drake.edu SARAH BOGAARDS, Breaking News sarah.bogaards@drake.edu

STUDENTS STARE AT SCREENS on their laptops to participate IN classes, complete assignments and be in clubs | PHOTO BY RACHEL JAMES | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

improve this experience: Going for a walk outside, hanging out with friends in public while following COVID-19’s guidelines and reaching out to professors about misunderstandings.

Human connection is important throughout every stage of life, including college.

We need to support each other through the difficult times brought on by this pandemic.

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