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Student debt: Daunting but manageable
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s the world rang in the new year at the beginning of 2018, the U.S. reached a new milestone as the amount of student loan debt Americans hold reached $1.5 trillion. According to Comet Financial, 58 percent of Millennials, 43 percent of Generation X and 18.3 percent of Baby Boomers have student loans. Although the amount of student loan debt is higher than that of credit card debt, which reached $1 trillion in 2017, financial experts say that credit card debt should still be prioritized. No matter the type or amount of debt that DU students owe, it does not need to be frightening if they know how to manage it well. For first-time debt holders, as many college students are, one of the most important things they can do is understand what type of loans they have taken out and when they need to pay them back. Also
important is knowing what debt collectors can and cannot do as governed by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Student loans are good starter loans, according to CNBC, which says, “Experts consider student loans to be ‘good debt’ because they are typically low cost and may have tax advantages.” The federal government offers students two types of loans: subsidized and unsubsidized. A subsidized loan is one in which the government pays the interest while the student is still in school. An unsubsidized loan will start accruing interest as soon as it is taken out, creating a higher amount to pay back once the student graduates. Undergraduate student loans of both types currently have a 5.05 percent interest rate. Additionally, student loans do not need to be repaid until six months after the student’s graduation date.
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Credit card debt is much more complicated, as there are many types of credit cards one can hold, with different interest rates, annual fees and additional requirements. The interest rate for people who do not have a credit score ranges from 15 to 25 percent, and cards typically require monthly payments. Many financial journals and websites, such as The Motley Fool, urge debt holders to get organized and stay organized. Keeping track of what types of loans one has, the interest rates on them, the amount taken out and the payment deadlines will prevent bankruptcy, tight budgets and debt collector calls. If debt collectors do start to call, students should consult the FDCPA guidelines if they are feeling harassed. According to the Financial Rescue LLC blog, debt collectors are not allowed to be initiating contact every day, multiple times
a day. If they do, keep track of when they call and what they are saying. Additionally, debt collectors might be quick to threaten jail or other types of legal actions. However, unpaid debt is not always a violation of the law and there must always be due process before jailing becomes a legitimate option. Most debts also have a statute of limitations that, in some states, may be as low as five years. All of these practices are good for students to start exploring while still in school so they will be prepared to pay back loans come graduation. DU’s financial aid office also offers services that help students learn about their loan options, balancing their finances and paying their debts.
Serena Bettis | Contributing Writer
DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF
TARYN ALLEN, Editor-in-Chief GRACE CARSON, Executive Editor DANIELA SANTOS, News Editor HANNAH BRANIT, Sports Editor The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.” Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion. com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion. Reproduction of the Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of the Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation. The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.
HOW TO JOIN The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Hub. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.
ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor JUSTIN CYGAN, Arts & Life Editor NINA PETROVIC, Arts & Life Editor CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor VICTORIA VALENZUELA, Photo/Video Editor SARA LOUGHRAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor CHELSIE FINCHER, Illustrator LAWSON MONTGOMERY, Paper Delivery Person HALEY BIRT, Paper Delivery Person ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser Cover photo courtesy of Creative Commons
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From education to budgeting, gubernatorial candidates express all at their last debate
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n Oct. 23, Denver7, The Denver Post and DU’s Center on American Politics hosted the final gubernatorial debate between Democratic congressman Jared Polis and Republican state Treasurer Walker Stapleton. The moderators for the night were journalists Anne Trujillo of Denver 7 and Nic Garcia of The Denver Post. The event gave each candidate an opportunity to express his views on important topics affecting Colorado today. Numerous topics were discussed at the debate and can be seen in its entirety via Denver7 and on DU’s Facebook page. Here are the highlights on issues including education, homelessness, crime and the state budget. Education Education was one of the many topics discussed in depth that night. When asked about how to have an effective school system and whether they needed more funding, Stapleton and Polis had different approaches. Stapleton wanted to
focus on building accountability and transparency across the state’s school districts. “I would take a numbers-based approach to education finance as governor; I’ve taken numbers-based approaches to problems as treasurer because it’s hard to politicize numbers. Numbers illuminate problems in public policy,” said Stapleton. Polis said Colorado local government needs to invest more in schools. ¨There’s a state role, not only in making sure we invest in our schools but making sure that money actually reaches the classroom and addresses some of the great funding disparities across our state to reduce class size and make sure we can recruit and retain the very best teachers in our state,” said Polis. Homelessness/Crime When homelessness in Denver was brought up, each candidate offered solutions to the problem, especially regarding ways to keep families and kids away from the streets. Polis urged the need for
affordable housing and easier access for rehabilitation programs. “When you’re talking about young families, it’s about making sure the kids have some continuity in the school that they go to [and] that the parents are able to, again, live with dignity,” he said. Mental health and substance abuse treatment were some of the ways Polis mentioned to regain dignity. Stapleton praised the work of the programs like Bridge House which provide resources and assistance for homeless adults. He also discussed the need for an improved regulatory model on marijuana. “I don’t know if it’s directly linked, but I know that if somebody’s on the streets and they’re addicted to opioids or heroin or meth, giving them the opportunity to smoke marijuana on top of it is not helpful. It’s not helpful for Colorado youth either,” he said. When Garcia noted the steadily increasing crime in Colorado, Stapleton and Polis answers touched on solutions similar to their methPhoto courtesy of du.edu/news
ods for tackling homelessness. Polis urged that mental health and substance abuse be addressed before prison with better coordination through health care. Stapleton touched on a need for better regulation of illegal marijuana growing and for improved rehabilitation programs to avoid the likelihood of recidivism. Budget Each candidate was asked what his spending priorities were and what he would cut if Colorado were in a recession. Polis wishes to make kindergarten full-time for all students and make preschool accessible for all as well. If cuts were needed, Polis believes finding more effective mental health and substance abuse programs outside of the criminal justice system could save money. “Is there a way to tackle mental health issues more effectively and also less expensive as a health care issue rather than a criminal justice issue,” he asked rhetorically. Stapleton focused on cooperating with legislators on economic policy and plans to prioritize roads, infrastructure and creating attainable housing. He mentioned the need to update the Gallagher amendment and focus on how it contributes to residential and commercial properties and its links to school funding. “I think we need more flexibility in budgeting. We need more accountability and transparency in budgeting,” said Stapleton. As of writing this, according to fivethirtyeight, Polis is ahead in the polls by 12 points. Voting ends on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Daniela Santos | News Editor
Local experts join DU’s College Republicans for a ballot discussion
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ocal experts, including a DU alumnus, joined College Republicans on Oct. 25 for a roundtable “down the ballot” discussion. Landon Gates, Shawn Martini, Zach Riley, Andrew Struttmann and Vince Szilagyi are all involved with organizations that hold influence over some of the ballot issues. They gathered in Margery Reed Hall that Thursday to explain a few of the propositions and amendments listed on this year’s Colorado ballot. Rachel Wagner is a senior public policy and socio-legal studies double major from Brighton, Michigan and current president of College Republicans. She sees great value in events like this. “I think it’s really important to have discussions and be informed about these ballot issues,” Wagner said. “They have the possibility to affect our lives as much if not more than who we elect into office.” The experts gave basic descriptions of some measures followed by their personal opinions. Amendments Y and Z
These amendments aim to put a stop to gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is a practice in which a commission changes the boundaries of a legislative district to benefit a particular political party, according to Vince Szilagyi, DU alumnus and former president of College Republicans. “I like the spirit behind Y and Z on both personal and partisan reasons,” Szilagyi said. “It’s nice to have a more fair system and it guarantees Republican representation in a state that is fairly blue.” However, Szilagyi also noted that while the vote for these amendments may seem obvious, there are still a few issues associated with Y and Z. Drawing district lines that look geographically pleasing means that these districts lose political competitiveness. Amendment 74 This amendment proposes that private property owners be compensated for any reduction in property value caused by government action. According to an example by an
article published on Denver7, if the city approves of the opening of a dispensary within a neighborhood, the value of houses within that neighborhood may go down. Amendment 74 would require that the government fairly compensate property owners for that lost value. Landon Gates, who used to work for the Colorado Farm Bureau, was one of the biggest proponents of this amendments. “The government is one of the biggest opposers to this,” Gates said. “They do not want to be held liable for what they’ve caused.” Proposition 112 Proposition 112 would mandate that all new oil and gas projects be placed at least 2,500 feet away from occupied buildings. Current restrictions state that these projects be placed at least 500 feet away from homes. Proposition 112 would greatly increase that zone. However, according to Andrew Struttmann, those in the oil and gas industry believe that the restrictions are already tight enough. Struttmann works for the American Petroleum Institute.
“By telling an industry they’re not welcome to grow, that hurts communities that may be thriving as a result of oil and gas.” Struttmann said. However, Struttmann also mentioned he is sympathetic to supporters of the proposition and understands voters may not want to live near oil and gas production sites. All the experts agreed that they did not want to tell students how to vote; instead they encourage them to do their own research and vote with their consciences. Voting in Colorado is open until 7 p.m. MST on Nov. 6. Ballot drop off locations can be found at Denver’s Police Department District 3, Washington Park Recreation Center and RTD’s I-25 and Broadway Station. To vote in person, visit Harvard Gulch Recreation Center, the Denver Botanic Gardens or Union Station. A complete map of voting locations in Denver can be found here.
Barbara Urzua | Contributing Writer
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Meet DU’s USG freshmen senators
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he Freshman class of 2022 elected Kirby Motsinger and Marshall Marrs as their student senators in the undergraduate student government, two students who have experience in leadership as well as a passion for serving their communities. Both senators are adamant to make sure that every voice and idea from the freshmen class is heard, also aiming to address some key issues here at DU. Whether it is fostering a better environment for students to voice their opinions and ideologies without the fear of isolation, issuing a form of transparency in the financialization of DU or taking steps to improve Sodexo for students on campus, Motsinger and Marrs are firmly motivated to voice the needs of students. Motsinger’s desire to serve on the student council as a senator derived from passions of helping students and being a voice in her communities. Motsinger’s past experience in high school as a class and student body treasurer and her experiences at leadership camps this past summer inspired her to continue to explore her leadership potential at DU. Noticing how quickly and excited students in this year’s freshmen class are to foster a community and leave their comfort zones, Motsinger believes that the current issues that can sometimes polarize communities should be discussed in open communication and conversations. Because
students are now doing a good job to build a unified community, she believes open conversations about certain topics are a good method to prevent isolation of certain students with opinions that could contradict a sometimes liberal atmosphere at DU. Motsinger
states, “It’s ideal that everyone would be able to say what they want to say and have their voice heard without being ostracized for having a certain opinion.” Similar to Motsinger, Marrs also has a passion for leadership. He has always felt the need to represent those who
feel unrepresented and was inspired to run based on his desire to serve the needs of his community. Marrs reflected his passion throughout his campaign, presenting advocacy as one of its main pillars. One of Marshall’s primary ambitions is to address the lack of transparency and financialization which he feels occurs at DU. Marshall is a strong believer in students’ ability to understand how DU operates its budget. Marrs states, “That’s going to be my biggest fight. Having the budget published inside the University of Denver, so students can see how their money is being spent.” Marrs and Motsigner are also both addressing rising issues with Sodexo, as the senators feel the nutritional needs are being cut short by the company’s limited options. The two senators are holding “Sodexo with your Senators” meetings every two weeks in halls to discuss meal options with students. Overall, Motsinger and Marrs are two senators who primarily aim to be the voice of first year students here at DU. With their individual ideas and passions for serving their communities, students can expect frequent action and communication from both freshman senators.
Vishal Beeking | Contributing Writer
Inflammatory email sent to DU community
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n Tuesday, Oct. 23, an email was sent out to, what the Office of the Chancellor said was, “several hundred members of the University of Denver community,” including both faculty and students. The email addressed the suspension of Addison Puffer, who was suspended this Fall Quarter for using racist and homophobic slurs toward her classmates, as reported by 13 individuals in her dorm. The student herself denied the allegations and appealed the suspension, saying she was targeted because she is a vocal conservative student. The email was a letter addressed to Samantha Harris, the Vice President of Policy Research for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), who, according to the email, sent a letter of support for Puffer to DU in May. FIRE’s mission is to “defend and sustain the individual rights of students and faculty members at America’s colleges and universities,” including freedom of speech, freedom of association, due process, legal equality and religious liberty.
Throughout the letter were “inflammatory and derogatory remarks” aimed at Maria DeHowitt, an investigator with the DU Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX office, who handled the investigation of Puffer. It referred to DeHowitt as a “failed attorney who graduated from a third-tier law school” and a “grotesque and overweight Latina actively involved with the militant LGBTQ movement on the University of Denver’s campus.” It stated, “The sight of a beautiful Republican Caucasian student with seven academic letters who will one day have a gorgeous family in a traditional marriage reminded the Latina bully of her inability to achieve any of those wonderful things.” The email targeted several other minority groups on campus: “DU’s Black and Latino Student Alliances frequently hold events with loud rap music where the most vile form of misogynistic and racist statements exit from the holes of brown and black faces, yet the students who hold these events never end up in front of an academic disciplinary committee. And even if they did,
would the university administer a similar punishment? Would a black student be forced to watch a documentary on the grossly disproportionate crime and poverty rates in black communities?” The letter also targeted Asian and Muslim students, and asked if a Latino/a student would be “forced to watch a documentary on the havoc illegal aliens have wreaked across most US cities, the ensuing destruction of the American identity and the caravans of filthy Latinos illegally heading north for the US border.” Office of the Chancellor responded to the incident in an email, describing it as “full of inflammatory and derogatory remarks,” sent out to DU students and faculty on Wednesday, Oct. 24, saying that the DU community “received a spam email that referenced specific community members. The message, which came from an encrypted web-based service, does not appear to have originated from anyone on the DU campus.” The encrypted email was sent through an anonymous web-based service called
Hushmail, presented as being sent from a variety of different names, such as Elise Richard, Beth Kennedy and Martha Goldberg—all from an email ending in hushmail.com. While staff and faculty emails are public information on DU’s website, student emails are not, and they are only accessible if one has an active DU ID and password. The source of the email and sender are still unknown. Regarding the suspension of Puffer, the Chancellor’s email stated that DU stands by its decision: “As a University, we stand behind our policy and processes related to any investigation and have the utmost confidence in the highly trained faculty and staff that support that important work.” The Chancellor’s email ended by asking anyone with knowledge about who wrote the piece to send a report to the Office of Equal Opportunity.
Grace Carson | Executive Editor
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Denver Volleyball stays spookily perfect
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enver Volleyball stays on top of the Summit League following sweeps of Omaha and South Dakota State. They swept South Dakota State on Friday, Oct. 26 with scores of 25-18, 25-16 and 25-18, followed by their Sunday sweep of Omaha with scores of 25-12, 27-25 and 25-15. During the Friday sweep, the sophomore Lydia Bartalo (Colo. Springs, Colo.) served her 50th ace of the year, breaking Denver’s previous record for aces in a single season, previously at 48, held by Lisa Hunter, ‘03. Bartalo totaled seven aces, eight kills, five digs and one block in the match. Following the match, Head Coach Tom Hogan said,”Lydia is executing well at the service line. The quality of her serve is impressive, and she continues to improve her consistency.” Junior Katarina Marinkovic(Belgrade, Serbia), who tallied 10 kills, two digs and three blocks, as and senior Emma Willis (La Jolla, Calif.) earned a 0.714 hitting percentage. Sophomore Ellie Anderson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and junior Andrea Eddy (Evergreen, Colo.) each had 16 assists.
On Sunday afternoon, the Pioneers swept Omaha to improve to a historic 22-1 on the season and earn their 13th sweep of Omaha. Denver’s current win streak is at 20 matches. Eddy had 5 of Denver’s 10 aces in the match, bringing her to 32 aces for the season. She is currently ranked No. 108 in the NCAA for total aces and 114th in the nation for aces per set at 0.35 aces per set. Bartalo hit a 0.467 hitting average with 15 attack attempts, as well as collecting eight kills. Sophomore Tina Boe tallied five blocks, leading Denver with 91 blocks this season. The Pioneers head to South Dakota at 7 p.m. MST, on Oct. 30. They return to Denver on Friday, Nov. 2 for senior night, a match that will see them face off against Summit League rivals Oral Roberts. There will be free pizza at the Friday night match for DU students.
Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
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Women’s Soccer clinches on Senior Night
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here’s no better way to finish a Senior Night than to clinch a share of the Summit League regular season title. This share of the regular season title is the program’s second conference regular-season title and Denver’s third trophy overall in the Summit League. The program’s last trophy came last year when Denver beat North Dakota State to win the 2017 Summit League Tournament. “I thought we showed good respect for the opponent, understanding the situation that both teams were in today, needing to win to accomplish their respective goals. At the beginning of the game, these games are always a bit emotional, and it took us a little bit to get going. We got the third goal which helped us be able to relax a little at the end,” Head Coach Jeff Hooker said following the match. “It was a really nice way to send off the seniors in their home career, making sure they finished their senior year unbeaten at home. As a whole, I thought we accepted the challenge today, knowing the conference championship was on the line. We’ll take the win, celebrate it tonight at our banquet and then quickly shift our attention to Thursday.” Senior Leah Swander (Grand Junction, Colo.) scored in the 14th minute of the first half after junior Hannah Adler (Oak Park,
Calif.) crossed the ball to freshman Esther Malers (Fort Collins, Colo.) who played the ball to Swander. Swander headed the ball back to the left of the Oral Roberts goalie and into the back of the net. Alder picked up her sixth assist of the season, while Malers secured her second assist. Denver scored again in the 29th minute after freshman Samantha Feller (Grand Junction, Colo.) scored her eighth goal of the season. She scored with a header off a corner kick from freshman Natalie Beckman (Denver, Colo.). Beckman’s assist was her ninth of the season, a team-high. Adler scored at 73:14 to make it 3-0, Denver, with assists from freshman Devan McSwain (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) and Feller. Beckman crossed the ball to Feller, who then passed it to McSwain. McSwain chested the ball to Adler, who scored her 19th goal of her Denver career. Denver outshot Oral Roberts 21-2, requiring junior goalkeeper Brittany Wilson (Littleton, Colo.) to make only one save in her eighth shut-out of the year and her 15th of her Pioneer career. Following the match, the Pioneers honored seniors Behnken, Swander and student manager Courtney Coffey (Grand Junction, Colo.). Behnken was named to the 2015 Summit league
All-Freshman Team and helped anchor a strong Denver defense that consistently allowed the lowest goals in league play in 2016 and 2017. Swander played in 20 of Denver’s 21 matches in 2017. She scored in the NCAA Tournament First Round at Colorado to open up the scoring against CU Boulder. Coffey was declared medically ineligible to play for Denver and spent the 2018 season serving as the student manager. She has used the
skills she learned in school and brought them to the field in evaluating statistics for the Pioneers. Denver is seeded No. 2 in the Summit League Tournament that begins on Thursday in North Dakota. Denver will first face off against North Dakota State, a rematch of the 2017 Summit League Final, on Thursday at 5 p.m., MST. The Summit League Final is planned to take place on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 11 a.m., MST. Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
Photo courtesy DU Athletics
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Shinyashiki’s brace pushes the Pioneers past Saint Louis
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enior Andre Shinyashiki (São Paulo, Brazil) scored his 23rd and 24th goals on the season to defeat the Saint Louis Billikens. Shinyashiki, the nation’s leading goal scorer, puts the Pioneers in prime position for the end of the season with a 12-2-2 record going into tournament play in the coming weeks. The Pioneers and the Billikens were evenly matched in the first half as they tied with 4 shots apiece. Redshirt-senior Scott Devoss (Centennial, Colo.) would come closest to the goal for the Pioneers as his header in
the 31st minute was saved by the Billikens keeper. The first half would end scoreless. In the second half, fancy footwork by senior Kenny Akamatsu (Niigata, Japan) earned a penalty kick for the Pioneers after a Billiken defender tripped Akamatsu inside the box in the 55th minute. Shinyashiki would step, place the ball to the keeper’s left and capitalize from the spot to put the Pioneers ahead 1-0. The Billikens would quickly equalize 38 seconds later when a shot from a Billiken player deflected shot off of a teammate. With the score 1-1, the Pio-
neers continued to press on offense with close shots from senior Moshe Perez (Shim’a, Israel) and Akamatsu. Inside the 84th minute, the Pioneers earned a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Perez sent in an inswinger from the left side where Shinyashiki would head it into the back of the net to make the score 2-1. Redshirt-sophomore Will Palmquist (Denver) would come with a massive save in the 90th minute to deny the Billikens a late equalizer. The Pioneers showed class as Shinyashiki got his eighth multi-goal game on the season and has scored an NCAA-lead-
ing nine game-winning goals. Shinyashiki is now six goals ahead of second place in the golden boot race. The Pioneers, on Nov. 3, will take on Summit league opponent Oral Roberts on Senior night at 7 p.m. MST.
Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer
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Denver Swim and Dive sweeps Wyoming
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enver Swim and Dive had an eventful week this week, as Denver Men’s Swim and Dive defeated Air Force 183-114 to open their Dual season, followed up by a win over Wyoming at El Pomar Natatorium. On Tuesday, at Air Force, the men’s team saw victories from seven different student athletes. Sophomore Cameron Auchinachie (Binghamton, N.Y.) swept the freestyle sprints with times of 20.34 in the 50 free and 26.61 in the 100 free. Juniors Colin Gilbert (Kamloops, B.C.) and Neil Wachtler (Waco, Texas) both had multiple individual event wins. Gilbert took first in both of the 1000 free, clocking in at 9:49.05, and the 500 free, with a tie of 4:41.07. Wachtler took first in the backstroke events, winning the 100 back in 50.09 and the 200 back in 1:52.70. In the group events, the Pioneers took first in the 200 medley thanks to Wachtler,
sophomore Cy Jager (Moscow, Idaho), sophore Adriel Sanes (Rosharon, Texas) and Auchinachie. They finished with a time of 1:32.40. Five Pioneers got a first time win including junior Hugo Sykes’s (Weston, Conn.) coming in first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:42.26, as well as sophomore Anthony Nosack (Beaverton, Ore.) in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 57.74, junior Alex Morgan (Dyer, Ind.) in the 1-meter dive with a score of 261.38 and freshman David Mihalic (Ljubljana, Slovenia) in the 200 IM in 1:56.01. On Saturday, the men’s and women’s programs swept Wyoming in dual meets at El Pomar Natatorium. The men’s team improved to 2-0 in duals this season while the women improved to 4-1 for the season. The meet started off on a great note for the Pioneers as Redshirt-senior Heidi Bradley (Victoria, B.C.),
junior Kylie Cronin (Marblehead, Mass.), freshman Brandi Vu (Longmont, Colo.) and senior Lauren Moden (Parker, Colo.) took first in the 400 medley relay, combining for a time of 3:45.45 to win the race with a solid 5.45 second lead on Wyoming. The men’s 400 medley took a comfortable victory with a 2.76 second lead thanks to Wachtler, Nosack, Sanes and Aunchinachie finished with a time of 3:20.24. Gilbert took first again in the 1000 free with a time of 9:42.19, followed by fellow junior Jesse Haraden (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) with a time of 9:43.93. In the 100 back, Bradley took first with a strong swim, finishing with a time of 55.98. On the men’s side, Wachtler took his second win of the meet with a time of 50.09. Vu finished the 100 breast with a time of 1:03.69 to take her second victory of the meet and earn the women’s team their second-consecutive event victory.
Denver swept the top two sports on the women’s side in the 200 fly thanks to Cronin and junior Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.). Cronin touched first in 2:05.23, followed by Valette, who finished in 2:07.78. On the men’s side, Denver swept the top three spots, lead by senior Kyle Ewoldt (Gilbert, Ariz.) in 1:51.39, followed by fellow senior Graham Walker (Nairobi, Kenya) in 1:52.97 and Mihalic in 1:53.04. Denver’s 200 free relays both took wins. Bradley, Moden, Valette and Leckie took first in the women’s race with a time of 1:33.37. On the men’s team, Aunchinachie, Gainer, Sanes and Sykes took first with a time of 1:21.43. Both the men’s and women’s teams will go to Iowa City for the weekend of Nov. 2 to face off against Iowa and Michigan.
Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
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Students respond to Trump administration’s attempt to redefine gender
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n my theatre class, we were asked to devise a theatrical presentation of a current cultural happening. While we all focused on different political movements and events, the one presentation that struck me the most was a collage that focused on the Trump administration’s attempt to redefine gender. On Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, The New York Times posted ‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined out of Existence Under Trump Administration,’ which caught the attention of second-year student Sarah Alfey, a theatre and strategic communications double major from Denver. It was this article and its title that inspired her devised theatre project. “I chose to do my devised project on the announcement because trans rights are really important and a big part of my life,” explained Alfey. “One of my best friends when I was younger struggled with gender dysmorphia for many years, and finally ended up taking their own life because they couldn’t find a way to accept themselves.” Alfey’s hope is to bring awareness to trans rights through her
project and outside of it in order to prevent something like that from happening again. “Accept and love everyone, and give everyone a safe place to be whoever they want to be.” Under the Trump administration, gender would be defined as a “biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth.” The memo leaked to The New York Times and provided by the Department of Health and Human Services suggests that gender is unchangeable, therefore eradicating federal recognition of the estimated 1.4 million Americans who define themselves as a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth. It’s hard to imagine the outrage, the pain and the anger that the transgender community is experiencing since this news came out. To be told that you cannot change yourself or express yourself in a way that makes you happy is an injustice to your civil rights. “I didn’t emotionally process it until yesterday. I saw it and I read through the article, but I didn’t think about it too much because I had too
much stuff going on,” said June Churchill, a second-year physics and astronomy major from Colorado Springs, Colo. “But then the farther its gone on and the more I’ve read, the more I’ve seen, the worse and worse it’s gotten, especially for my own mental health. Pretty much all of yesterday, I was on the verge of tears.” Churchill is a transgender woman and the vice president of the Queer Student Alliance (QSA) on campus. She has spent this last week consoling members of her community despite the emotional and mental toll this experience has taken on her. With this devastating and aggravating news, it’s hard to stay optimistic; however, now is the time to show support, to become allies and to learn. As a community, we must come together to support our open and closeted transgender peers during this difficult time, Churchill suggested. Churchill suggests openly showing your support for the community in any way possible. It’s the small things like wearing ally pins, introducing yourself using your preferred pronouns,
using your pronouns in emails or putting a sticker on your door that have a huge impact. She added, “A societal change comes from allies being supportive, being affirming and standing up against injustice like this and standing up against civil rights violations like this.” Madalyne Heiken | Contributing Writer
Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis
The Center for Multicultural Excellence doesn’t exist
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fter the appalling email sent out last week, DU was sent into a whirlwind of chaos attempting to delete the email sent to over 300 students and faculty. The email was sent out targeting multiple Latinx DU community members, exhibiting racism, homophobia as well as fat shaming in protest of Addison Puffer’s suspension last spring after being reported for using racial and homophobic epithets towards classmates. As a student of color, as a Latina, I was infuriated with the email but not surprised with the consistent themes of white supremacy reigning on campus. I cannot imagine being reported spreading anti-white rhetoric by 13 individuals across campus with the ability to return to campus, regardless of whatever merit-based scholarship I received. I would have been expelled. Why? I’m not white nor am I from a upper-middle class household. Not even my own prestige of being a Boettcher Scholar would prevent a severe punishment. Puffer was suspended for one quarter, giving students an idea that they are allowed to use hateful rhetoric and return to continue doing so on campus. Why is DU being so lenient with white students?
I have a theory. After the email was sent out and Chancellor Chopp sent her first statement regarding the incident, I wanted to discuss it with someone. With a quick Google search, it was quite clear that the Center for Multicultural Excellence (CME) was relocated to the Hub (the smelly frat house across from Sturm Hall) after half of the Driscoll Bridge was closed off for construction, even though this information has not been updated on CME’s own website. I traveled to the second floor to find only one faculty available to speak to. A majority of staff are waiting for a director who still has not been hired to take charge of CME, which has now been renamed to be the Office of Cultural and Spiritual Life. Once again, this information has not been updated on the website or included Another hit for students of color is the Volunteers in Partnership (VIP) program, focusing on students of color promoting confidence in middle and high schoolers. Their space was closed. The link to the program is broken and reads “Error 404.” Both the Office of Cultural and Spiritual Life and the VIP Program have not been mentioned in the DU Impact 2025 plans. After a talk with said staff
member in the Hub, I wanted to find and discuss this with other students. Two small rooms are available on this floor. One contains a mildew-filled small refrigerator leading to the main patio with space available for only seven or eight students. Another room next door is smaller with pieces of incomplete couches organized to seat five or six students. This is the CME. A single floor of a smelly building with incomplete pieces of furniture, staff awaiting an always shifting agenda and one student of color (me) present. It seems to me that that DU doesn’t want to nor plan to support or fund the students of color already on campus. Quite successfully, students of color themselves seem to create and organize plenty of events that are centered around their culture, needs and finding space that is not provided by DU. If students can organize, fundraise and attempt to create these spaces on their own, why can’t DU do the same? Their lack of retention of students of color is quite clear; even graduate student Samuel Museus created his own model during his own time at DU: The Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) Model: A New Theory of Success Among Racially Diverse College
Student Populations, and this highlights the necessary growth for this Private White Institution (PWI). His research was published four years ago. Yet, we are still stuck in this systematic loop of being pushed under the table, despite DU even using Museus’s framework to survey students every two years. I would like for DU to take the initiative to stop perpetuating ideas of white supremacy on campus by truly speaking to the students that diversity on campus and the true inclusion is worth more time spent sending email(s) clarifying wrongdoings of others. I want DU to build an Office of Diversity and Inclusion that doesn’t shift agendas or locations every year. I want DU to have physical events on campus, with Chancellor Chopp promoting these ideas in real life, literally standing in solidarity with students of color and not behind a screen. Can DU successfully create an official Office of Diversity and Inclusion with a space for students of color to meet and interact? Is it really that difficult to invest some money into students of color or does all of that money go towards the marketing of students of color on every lamppost across campus? Tahlia Lucero | Contributing Writer
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Initiated Ordinance 300 aims to make college more affordable
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nitiated Ordinance 300, proposed by the Denver College Affordability Fund, is a tax increase that the organization aims to raise approximately an extra $14 million annually towards a scholarship fund for college students in Denver. In order to garner these funds, it would mean that sales taxes would have to rise an extra .08 percent. Comparatively, it would mean on a $100 purchase, there would be an extra .08 cents in taxes. This ordinance would make it more affordable for Denver residents to go to college in state. 300 is a great step in making college more affordable for students. According to Student Loan Hero, amongst 44 mil-
lion student loan borrowers in America, collectively they owe over $1.48 trillion in student loan debt. To put that into perspective, that’s roughly $620 billion more than the credit card debt in the U.S. Clearly students could use a little help. This measure would supplement current government scholarships—not replace them. The scholarships and Federal Aid offered are prevalent in many families’ financial situations, but sometimes it isn’t enough. Drawing from national averages, according to the College Board, in America, the average cost of tuition for out-of-state residents attending public universities is $25,620, for state residents at public colleges it is
$9,970, and for private colleges it was $34,740 in the school year 2017-2018. Taking it even further, Business Insider revealed that the average income of the American household in 2016 was about $58,000 annually. That was a high point for the middle class. Even at its peak, with a yearly salary of $58,000 how can a household feasibly take out, say, $10,000 for their child? That is without taking into account if the family has multiple children, and other expenses. It’s simply not feasible. Granted, these statistics are on a national level, they are still relevant to Denver. This ordinance should, arguably, be implemented in many other parts of the country.
It is worth acknowledging the oppositions side of the argument. Their main point is that college scholarships aren’t the responsibility of the city’s government and its tax base. Yet, a community cannot prosper unless the citizens of that area work communally. In following through with this ordinance, it will propel the future by increasing the likelihood that its youth will pursue higher level degrees. This will, in turn, work to benefit the cities economy as the students give back through their advanced jobs they were able to attain due to their degrees.
Megan Cooney | Contributing Writer Illustrations courtesy of Tony Borek
Can we know if ghosts are real?
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t’s that time of year again, of struggling to find the last piece of a costume and trick or treating. It is also time for a lively debate: Are ghosts real? Maybe I have a bias because I’m forever a dreamer and a wisher for things to be more than meets the eye, but for me, there’s no doubt that ghosts exist. It’s obviously a controversial topic, and to this day, science has not uncovered hard evidence that ghosts as we know them are real. Many people, like myself, have a lot of “ghostly encounters.” These moments aren’t actual encounters of ghosts you can see—nobody is seeing a real life Halloweentown ghost. However, there is no shortage of spooky stories people have that are unexplainable. For instance, when I was younger, thirteen or fourteen, I was in my bedroom getting ready for bed and my dresser drawers were open. Now for context, this dresser was ridiculously heavy, it took four fully grown men to carry it, even with all of the drawers out of it. Now, I was in my room, drawers open and it was a calm night, not the slightest of breeze, and —not that one
could move these drawers—the dresser drawers began to move on their own, one closing shut and another one opening. There was no explanation for this that I could come up with at the time and after four-five years, I still don’t have an explanation, and a lack thereof in the logical thought department makes me sleep easier at night because, for me, ghosts are real. The debate is pretty on the fence, in a YouGov poll of 1000 people, when asked, “Do you believe in ghosts, or that the spirits of dead people can come back in certain places and situations?” 45 percent of people said yes. For me, this is interesting because in the same poll, when asked if they believe in life after death, 65 percent of people said yes, so why not believe in ghosts? The strange thing is that a lot of people find comfort in spirits, especially after losing a loved one, that the person’s spirit is with them, looking over them, protecting them. People love to tell stories about how after their mother’s death, her favorite flower suddenly bloomed in the garden, however, they do not believe in ghosts. It’s interest-
ing, the picking and choosing of the connections between the living and the dead. Personally, I feel like more people believe in ghosts and don’t want to admit it because they’re afraid of what will happen if they admit it. Colin Wilson, vice-president of the Ghost Club Society for that past 25 years, has researched and discovered a lot of evidence; however, his most striking experience came in 1978 with a woman named Pauline McKay who was a nurse in Plymouth. When entered into a hypnotic trance, McKaywould develop a strong Devon accent and state she was “Kitty Jay,” a milkmaid who committed suicide in the late 18th century. McKay had never heard of Jay, nor did she know the existence of her grave which was located on Dartmoor. While in her trance, McKay said she had gone to Canna Farm, near Chagford, which is the most haunted village in England, to look for the laborer that had made her pregnant. After learning how the man really felt about Miss Jay, she hanged herself in the barn. Due to her death being a suicide, her body was buried at a crossroad on the
edge of the farm in an attempt to confuse her spirit. When McKay was taken to Canna Farm, she became very upset, however, and without being prompted, led the group straight to the barn where Kitty Jay had hanged herself, going as far to point out the specific beam. The farmer verified that she was correct; it was the same barn Kitty Jay had died in, despite McKay never having been to West Country in her life. Skeptics will say that this story is ridiculous, that McKay could’ve just researched the story and faked the whole thing. However, in reassuring the validity of this story, I did some research of my own, and in the vast amount of folklore surrounding “Kitty Jay,” nowhere does it state the exact beam on which she hung herself, or that the barn she died in even still existed. There is an endless supply of spooky ghost stories, and there are a million excuses to be made about the paranormal, but there is only so much excuses can do before we have to accept the existence of ghosts. Julia Barela | Contributing Writer
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PIONEER VOICES Question of the week:
What is your biggest fear?
“Bears. I fear so little in life, but they are terrifying.”
“My biggest fear is drowning.”
Dory Rosenthal, fourth year
Annie Phillips, second year
“My biggest fear is not being able to accomplish everything I want to do in life.”
“My biggest fear is getting lost and not knowing where I am or how to get back.”
Sophie Jiang, fourth year
Katie Krouse, second year
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“Halloween”: Frightfully fit as a sequel
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ith Halloween right around the corner, nothing says getting into the “scare” of things more than scary Halloween movies. The much anticipated horror slasher film of the year is finally here, and with no surprise, “Halloween” delivers. Serving as a direct sequel to the 1978 classic, “Halloween” takes everything that made the original so intense and edgy and improves on these feats, while adding a thriller soundtrack and some much needed kills; “Halloween” is a spooky treat for moviegoers. “Halloween” takes place 40 years after the events of the original film, as Michael Myers, who has spent most of his life in a mental institution after a string of murders he committed in 1978, is finally getting a change of scenery with a full on prison transfer. Though when Michael Myers and a bunch of different mental patients escape during this process, a murderous rampage soon ensues. With Halloween right around the corner, it is up to Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis (“True Lies”), as one of the only sole survivors of Myers’s murderous rampage in 1978, to put an end to the crazed killer before he recreates the events of 1978, but on a much bigger and deadlier scale. “Halloween” doesn’t go easy on the excess amount of gruesome and squeamish kills. Michael Myers may be old, but he is stronger than ever, and every time he appears in the film, he towers over everyone;
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
with broodingly relentless tactics and unnerving movements, he gives chills by just his mere presence. One scene has him walking around on Halloween with his iconic mask and jumpsuit as he bumps into trick-or-treaters, and viewers feel all but helpless as they watch him painfully lay waste to victim after victim. Without even delivering one line of dialogue, Nick Castle (past credit), who also reprises his role from the original film, delivers a bone chilling performance that breathes a ton of life into the film. Sound is everything in horror films, and when placed at the right moment can cause for a sense of paranoia and chills. In “Halloween,” John Carpenter, who is most famously known for cre-
ating the intense sounds for the original “Halloween” film, takes these erie and heart pounding beats and adds to them, which has a sense of nostalgia in it but feels new almost altogether, as well. The ever subtle use of new instruments and a longer and more suspenseful use of the soundtrack at the right moments lends itself to not only be terrifying but captivatingly impressive. “Halloween” struggles in a slow first act though. It starts with a stellar introduction and then slows down into a sort of family drama. With it focusing on Allyson Nelson’s character, played by Andi Matichak (“Miles”), the granddaughter of Laurie Strode. The relationship between Nelson and Strode is in-
teresting when it gets to a more climatic middle part of the film, but otherwise it takes way too long to develop and displays Nelson with little to no motivations as a somewhat hollow character. The film also isn’t helped with some really weird jokes that don’t quite feel like they have a place in a slasher film. Overall, “Halloween” is a really well done horror movie, and the idea to focus on it being a direct sequel to the 1978 classic really helps it. The soundtrack for the film is perhaps one of the most ambitious takes on the classic Halloween theme that many have come to love, and it delivers to the creepy feel that the film has going for it. The gruesome kills in the film work well; they feel realistic and well thought out and are just squeamish enough to make any movie goer run out of the theater in fright. What holds “Halloween” back from being a true masterpiece is some pacing issues and one or two lackluster characters. At the end, “Halloween” is a scary delight that will conjure a little bit of the fear in all of us just in time for the Halloween season. 4/5 Stars
Jacob Miltenberg | Contributing Writer
Upcoming events in the Denver area
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all is in full swing and Denver is ready. Between sports games, haunted houses, museums and races, there is no time for boredom. Here are a few events coming up that you don’t want to miss. The Frightmare Compound Haunted House: Now until Nov. 3 This haunted house is the first haunted compound found in the Denver area, so its reputation of being the scariest haunted house in Denver should come as no surprise. Legend has it that Brad Holder was building the house in the 1960s when he fell ill, died and was buried somewhere deep in the crevices of this house. Along with Photo courtesy of Denver Arts Week
the haunted house, the bloody, abandoned House of Darkness is available for visitors to replicate the clown terror that took place in this exact location just decades ago. Test your fearlessness and see if you can handle the Frightmare Compound. Broomfield Trails Marathon: Nov. 4 Lace up your running shoes and get ready for the soon-tobe largest running event in the Metro area of Denver. Offering full marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K races, this event is designed for people with all different skill levels to support A Precious Child, an organization that provides children in need with the resources necessary to achieve their full potentials. With the start-line located at
Broomfield Civic Center, this course includes beautiful views of the Flat Iron Range, Rock Creek Trail, Deception Hill, Plaster Lake and various other remarkable sights that come with a backdrop of the beautiful Colorado Rockies. Set your alarm for the 8 a.m. start and get ready to witness Denver through this unique perspective. Denver Arts Week: Nov. 2 to Nov. 10 With over 300 events being featured and tons of special deals, this annual festival celebrates all things art related in the Denver area. Denver Arts Week is showcasing well-known artists and entertainers as well as many of the newest Denver locals. Visual arts, theater, music, film, dance, comedy and his-
tory are just a small portion of the culture and imagination you will experience, and these artists and entertainers are eager to parade countless creations at Denver’s landmark museums and performing arts venues. Night At The Museums is on Nov. 3, so plan on exploring these galleries between 5-10 p.m. completely free of cost.
Rebecca Shagrin | Contributing Writer
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K h a l i d dri ves t o “ S u n c i t y ” in new E P Photo Courtesy of NSS Magazine
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halid has received acclaim and success in his 20 years. From collaborating with artists such as Lorde and Logic to being a five-time Grammy nominee for his album “American Teen,” Khalid has become massively popular in the R&B world and has shown no plans of stopping with his recently released EP, “Suncity.” “Suncity” seems to be a more personal project of Khalid’s than “American Teen” was. The EP begins with audio of Khalid receiving the key to El Paso, Texas, his hometown, earlier in September. The EP then continues with “Vertigo,” a song analyzing the messes in life Khalid has been through, but realizing he was never one to give up to get where he is now. He describes the experience as a type of “verti-
go,” as it has been a blurring and dizzying one. Khalid then explores different types of relationships in “Suncity.” “Saturday Nights” describes his relationship with a woman who hides her actions and thoughts from her parents, with Khalid being the only one who truly knows her while she continues to hide her double life. In “Better,” Khalid describes the sensation of being with someone in secret, but no longer wants to keep hiding his relationship, even though his partner prefers they keep their life hidden. Both tracks seem to have a theme of secrecy, perhaps suggesting that he could never truly be open with a relationship and that there was always some reason to keep aspects of his romantic life closed off from the world.
Themes of self-exploration and wandering are also explored in the EP through the tracks of “Salem’s Interlude” and the title track “Suncity.” “Salem’s Interlude” is a dialogue in the middle of the EP where Khalid discusses his fears of failures and that letting go of his fears would lead him to more success. Is the path he is on the right one or must he go back and change the direction he is going? Without knowing the future, Khalid feels he is stumbling in the dark, never knowing if he made the right decision at the present moment. The EP closes with “Suncity,” featuring Empress Of. Sung in both English and Spanish, the song talks about Khalid’s want to go back to El Paso, where he states he left his heart behind. He wants to take
a drive and is adamant he will return there by nighttime. The song closes with the outro, a voicemail from Latin artist Rosalía saying she hopes to see him very soon, likening her voicemail to El Paso calling Khalid and hoping he comes back to his hometown. Overall, “Suncity” shows growth in Khalid’s music career, as he goes from discussing his teenage years to analyzing his growth to a popular artist. As he prepares to release his sophomore album, perhaps he will have his answers to where he is going as he looks towards the future and fully discovers the path he has chosen to take. Nina Petrovic | Arts & Life Editor
The 13th Floor Haunted House is a Denver Halloween legend
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hether you’re an adrenaline-loving Halloween fanatic or an anxious scaredycat dragged along by your friends, you may find yourself at a haunted house this fall. While there are many to choose from, some are better than others; there is only one that’s called the “largest and longest indoor haunted attraction in Colorado,” and with a plethora of awards to back up its quality and fear level, the clear choice is the 13th Floor Haunted House. Most buildings don’t have a 13th floor, but a visit to this Denver favorite will take you in an elevator down 13 floors to three different worlds filled with what fears us most. The first is Half Alive, where you can explore Dr. Hadelstein’s Bio Engineer Facility, sent into lockdown after the escape of strange science experiments, underwater creatures, yetis, sasquatches and more. The fear begins immediately in Half Alive, especially with unique lighting effects that make you feel like you’re wading through a swamp and jump scares around every corner. Once you make it out of the lab, you’ll find yourself in The Possession, the second world set in an orphanage full of restless spirits. You may find yourself wanting to run to avoid the Nun and other unsettling scenes during this portion of the haunted house, but try your best to take in the impressive effects and
costumes that make you feel like you’ve been dropped into a scene from American Horror Story. There is a sense of relief in entering the final world, Trick or Treat, because you know you’re getting close to the finish line. The scares are far from over, though. An homage to the classic Halloween motifs, this section introduces the Femoral family, a group of “Necrofarmers” who have set up a Halloween carnival from which you must escape. There is no comfort in the classic pumpkins and hay bales, as more jump scares, uneven flooring, creepy music and other effects keep you hurrying toward the exit. There’s a huge sense of relief and accomplishment in completing the haunted house, and while a part of you wants to calm your heart rate and forget the whole thing, a part of you is tempted to turn around and jump in line to do it again. Erin Urban is the General Manager of the 13th Floor, and this position includes a bit of everything, from designing and construction to costumes and makeup, even just selling concessions. Urban has been with the 13th Floor company for eight years, but, in her words, she’s been “haunting since [she] was 11.” 20 years in the industry has caused her Halloween spirit to only grow; she speaks highly of the holiday and has a clear passion for the work she does. “You get to be someone else
Photo courtesy of 13th Floor on Facebook
for a while. You get to see the reactions you create by making a scene,” said Urban. “Just the reaction you get from the public is so gratifying.” Urban is right to have pride in the 13th Floor, too. The haunted house has been featured on national television on networks like USA Today, MTV and The Travel Channel, and it has been ranked number one on multiple lists of the most scary haunted houses. The 13th Floor is not recom-
mended for children under 12, and ticket prices start at $27.99 depending on the day. Fast Pass and Skip the Line tickets are also available for a higher cost. While it closes for the season on Nov. 10, the haunted house is certain to reopen next year with new designs and even more scares.
Taryn Allen | Editor-in-Chief
Illustrations courtesy of Tony Borek
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“Wrld on Drugs” is Future and Juice WRLD’s most versatile album Photo courtesy of The Michigan Daily
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uice WRLD (999) and Future link together for an explosive mixtape called Wrld ON DRUGS. This album is a medley of Future’s trap capabilities and Juice WRLD’s punk rap tendencies. Some of the stand out songs on the tape include “Astronauts”, “Red Bentley,” “Realer N Realer” and my personal favorite, “WRLD On Drugs.” The album is produced by the producer “WheezyX5” who is known for his collaborations
with Quavo, Gunna, Young Thug, Future and Drake. Juice WRLD and Future teamed up to talk about their vices on this album. This album has so many hits jam packed that it is hard to find a song that doesn’t hit you somewhere in your heart. From Chicago, the “All girls are the same” rapper has been popping up on everyone’s radar for the past year and a half. This tape is a marker of more to come with the Chicago Atlanta connection made between Juice and Future.
One of the standouts of the tape has to be “Red Bentley”; this song features the illustrious Young Thug. Young Thug added a “sauce” to the song that made the song pop. His alien rapping style makes the song more well rounded. Murda Beats clearly outdid himself on this beat. Off of only one listen, the instruments take you to a different world. The title track, “WRLD on DRUGS” is also a great addition to the tape. The OOGIE Mane produced track features a synth guitar loop that draws you
in from the very beginning. All in all, the Wrld ON DRUGS tape demonstrates the versatility of Juice WRLD and Future. This tape is a marker of more to come from both of these artists and hopefully some more tracks and mixtapes/albums together. Even though the tape was made in less than a week, it is a high quality and admirable work.
Jamal Abdullahi | Contributing Writer
McKamey Manor: What nightmares are made of
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Photo Courtesy of The Daily Edge
arah yells, “I want out.” She has an unidentified black substance covering her face. A hand reaches out and grips her neck. Her body is slammed against a metal wall. Curran is wrapped around her head and she is submerged under a body of water. After Sarah is forcefully suffocated, she is thrown in a large inoperable deep freezer. This was just the beginning of a 36-hour long experience. Sarah M. was a willing victim of McKamey Manor in 2016. McKamey Manor has been named the “most extreme haunted house in the world” by The New York Daily News, Tech Times and The Travel Channel. Although, in an article by AL, Russ McKamey claims it’s just “a lot of smoke and mirrors.” Russ McKamey, the founder
of the manor, describes himself as a square to AL, but he evokes “fear that [adrenaline junkies] can’t find anywhere else.” DailyMail UK wrote about how “more than 24,000 people are lining up to take on” the horror house, but McKamey says that he is still considered a psychopath. At first glance, I thought so too, but in all actuality, he is quite sane. In order to enter McKamey Manor, you are obligated to take many different precautions, but this is only once you have reached the top of a very long wait list. First, candidates must participate in pre-event interviews. Then they have to submit a letter from a physician, receive a background check and sign a 40-page waiver. Finally, a drug test is ad-
ministered the day of the haunt. Throughout this entire process, McKamey continuously tries to convince them not to do it. But this does not stop participants, even though the imaginary audience is screaming, “Don’t go in there.” The manor was located at McKamey’s residence in San Diego, Calif., but more recently, it was moved to Tennessee and Alabama. Each part takes place in a different location. According to AL, the first few hours are spent in Summerville, Tenn. engaging in “physical activity.” Then it is off to Nashville for a tour of the haunted attraction, Caedis Siluis or “murder in the woods.” Those who survive the tour go on to the final and undisclosed location in Huntsville,
Ala. McKamey becomes the only thing between the participant and the end of their constructed nightmare. People rarely make it this far but, if they defy all of the odds, they’re in for three hours of psychological torture. It may look and sound completely insane, but he is simply providing a service that people want for free. If McKamey Manor did not exist, I’m sure there would be another haunted house to fill its place. The only difference between us is that he brings his imaginative ideas to life. There is nothing wrong with McKamey Manor; no harm, no foul. But consider this as a warning. Victoria Valenzuela | Photo/Video Editor
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& LIFE
Marijuana use has negative long-term effects
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ith the overwhelming amount of information that circulates about marijuana, both fact and fiction, it may feel difficult to find reliable sources that accurately describe how the drug may affect users in the long run. Despite its positive short-term effects and potential medical applications, excessive and consistent use has proven to lead to some negative long-term effects. Cognitive development issues According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana affects brain development, especially when use begins in the teenage years, impairing things like thinking, learning, attention and memory. These impairments are proven negative long-term effects, evident even in adults who have stopped using the drug, revealed through IQ tests and other cognitive tests. American Addiction Centers reports that people who smoked weed regularly as teens often have memory problems as adults, including false memories and poor long-term storage, even abnormally shaped hippocampal regions in the brain. Satisfaction and achievement issues
Chelsie Fincher | Clarion
On a similar note, “Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use” also points to decreased levels of overall satisfaction and achievement for long-term marijuana users. The above impairments play into this, as there is evidence that “Heavy marijuana use has been linked to lower income, greater need for socioeconomic assistance, unemployment, criminal behavior and lower satisfaction with life.” Those who make a habit of using
marijuana may perform poorly in educational or work-related circumstances; they may lack social development, miss opportunities, have a lower sense of well-being or lack motivation. Addiction and other illnesses Maybe contrary to popular belief, marijuana can be an addictive substance. Long-term and frequent use can lead to substance abuse and addiction. The National Institute
on Drug Abuse states that between nine and 30 percent of marijuana users develop a use disorder like addiction, and for those who start use before the age of 18, the likelihood of a use disorder increases up to seven times that. Using marijuana can have similar negative effects to smoking tobacco. There may be lung issues, coughs, trouble breathing, heart attacks, strokes, heart disease and more, according to American Addiction Centers and the American College of Cardiology. There is also evidence that with long-term marijuana use, the risk of mental illness increases, including depression, anxiety, paranoia, schizophrenia and more. Those predisposed to mental illness may face a greater risk. Although some research suggests potential connections between marijuana and cancers like testicular cancer or lung cancer, this has not yet been confirmed. As a whole, long-term effects of marijuana will differ from person to person based on amount, frequency, method of consumption and other factors; it is still important to recognize the risks that one takes when using the drug. Clarion Staff
Pi Lamba Chi puts on cultural appreciation fashion show
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Photo Courtesy of Pi Lambda Chi
i Lambda Chi hosted their annual “My Culture Is Not A Costume” fashion show this past Friday, featuring modeling and other performances to teach the DU community at large to appreciate cultures, rather than appropriate them. All proceeds of the event went to Pi Lambda Chi’s philanthropy, Starfish Inc., an organization that helps middle school and high school girls in Guatemala pursue their education.
The Towers Ballroom was transformed into a “red carpet” runway, complete with string lights, balloons and streamers, for each model to display an example of their culture’s attire. They succeeded in representing a great number of countries (and cultures) in the show: Kenya, Somalia, DRC, China, Vietnam, Colombia, Mexico, Polynesia (Hawaii and Tahiti),
Guatemala, Brazil and Morocco. Even their food selections were diverse; they had Colombian milhojas, Mexican sopapillas, Chinese mooncakes and more, all helping to make a culturally immersive night. Each model walked in the outfit of their choice. Some were more traditional, such as Winnie Nguyen wearing a Vietnamese Áo dài, which she explained are most commonly worn by women, for everyday activities like school and for special occasions like weddings. Fartun Sherif, representing both Kenya and Somalia, chose a primarily Somalian dress that’s worn exclusively for special events. There were also more modern takes, such as Katherine Zapata wearing a Colombian national football team jersey and holding the country’s flag (while walking
to “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira, I might add). There were also quite a few performances from the models; Vanessa Santiago represented various aspects of Polynesian culture by performing a Hawaiian Hula and a Tahitian dance, which are often confused with one another. Lumiere Sidonie recited her original poem “The Fabric of My Identity” while wearing a Congolese Kitambala, a head wrap that women usually wear for special occasions as part of a matching ensemble; in her poem she spoke of the empowerment she finds in her Congolese culture, which she refuses to relinquish in the face of adversity: “My culture is a raging fire that words or appropriation cannot quench.” The biggest performance of the night was the Matachines
dance group, who brought the house down by performing a northern Mexican (also found anywhere from Peru to New Mexico) traditional soldierand-warrior-like dance to a fiddle and thunderous drumming. Donned in elaborate and brightly colored garb, they captivated the whole room, performing the highly complex dance as though it was second nature to them. They left everyone in awe of their dedication and passion, exemplifying exactly what it means to appreciate a culture in all of its beauty.
Emma Cohen | Contributing Writer
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The Clarion Crossword: Week 8 Need some help? Visit duclarion.com for the answer key.
Chelsie Fincher | Clarion
Chelsie Fincher | Clarion
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