11.30.21

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021

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INTERIM IUP POLICE CHIEF CLEMENT RETIRES

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NEWS

News Editor: Benjamin Brumbaugh – msqy@iup.edu

Interim IUP Police Chief Clement retires Douglas Campbell to replace him as search continues MOLLY CUNNINGHAM Staff Writer kydy@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Anthony Clement is retiring as of Nov. 24 with Douglas Campbell selected to take over as the interim director of IUP’s Department of Public Safety and University Police. Campbell’s position is in effect and will be active until a national search is completed to fill the position.

Words to describe Clement are “seasoned and experienced” and “well established in the community,” Michelle Fryling, executive director of Media Relations, said.

Clement had his position since February of 2020. Prior to working at IUP, he had 35 years of law enforcement experience.

It is expected that the search process will be over before the 2022-23 academic year.

According to https://www.iup. edu/news-events/news/2021/11/ interim-director-of-public-safety-and-university-police-to-retire-campbell-to-serve-as-interim-director.html, “Campbell received his bachelor’s degree in criminology from IUP in May

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1994. He graduated from the everyone in order that students, director of the department.

Criminal Justice Training Acadeemployees and visitors have the “Chief Clement provided my in December 1994.” best possible living and learning strong and stable leadership “I appreciate the confidence environment.” during this transitional periDr. [Debra] Fitzsimons and uniCampbell spoke highly regardod,” Campbell said, “including versity leadership have shown ing Clement’s term as interim successfully working through in my ability the health and to serve in this safety changes interim role, and on our campus I am honored necessitated by to lead the fine the [COVID-19] men and women pandemic. of the Depart“He has all of ment of Public our best wishes Safety and Uniin his retireversity Police,” ment.”

Campbell said in Campbell is a press release. one of four lieu“As an IUP gradtenants for the uate and 24-year university and employee of has been in that IUP, I am firmly position since committed to 2013. He served the betterment as the interim of this university. director of the “My focus department will remain on from the fall of providing strong 2014 to 2015. He leadership and completed adcontinuing to vanced training do my best to programs during (iup.edu) his tenure at ensure the Douglas Campbell (above), was previously lieutenant of criminal safety of this IUP. Not only community for is Campbell investigations for the IUP Police Department.

November 30, 2021

an IUP alumnus, but he has also been working for the university for 24 years now.

Providing a strong leadership during this transitional period is something that Campbell intends to do. He understands that safety and health changes may occur on campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he will be safely working through those changes to create the best living and learning environment for students, visitors and employees.

As interim director, Campbell is responsible for oversight of the department members and preparing the annual Clery Report. The IUP Police Department operates on a 24/7 basis with a mission to provide a public service-oriented, safe and secure academic, working and living environment in support of the university’s overarching mission to prepare students to become productive national and world citizens.

Campbell, along with the rest of the department, gives his best wishes to Clement’s retirement.

University Police can be reached by phone at (724) 357-2100 or at 1011 South Drive, Indiana, Pa.

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News

IUP geography students work with drone 3-D map of university assists students, staff JULIA ROBINS Staff Writer spxbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP This month, students in GEOG 424, “Technical Issues in Geographic Information Systems”, created a 3-D, drone-based model of IUP, which can be seen here: http://bit. ly/2KBK9nR. The students were under advisement by Dr. John Benhart (geography). “[I like maps] because they are very useful models of the world that lead us do myriad things,” Benhart said. “The reason I became interested in drones was I quickly realized they were great devices to record information about the location of things on their surface.

Drones for civilians were dreamed [of] back then. Things have

changed a lot.”

Benhart enjoys integrating maps and databases together to solve problems. One problem that the perspective model solves is the inconsistency of campus navigation.

While the current IUP map is accurate, being able to use a perspective model can greatly assist.

“The campus never stays the same,” Benhart said. “They're always doing construction; they’re always closing streets, tearing down buildings [and] building new buildings. So, if we have a map of campus from four years ago, it's completely inaccurate.

“With my drone, I can quantify the change that's taken place, so not only can I say this building is gone and this building has been built, but I can tell you how much land has been taken up by those

(Julia Robins/The Penn) Dr. John Benhart (geography) has been a professor at IUP since 1994. Before that, he started his career in higher education at the University of Tennessee.

changes,” he said.

For example, Apple Maps, which is automatically installed with every iPhone, stated that Stouffer Hall is on 1011 South Drive, directing one to the courtyard outside of Stephenson Hall and not its actual address of 1175 Maple St. behind Davis Hall.

“One thing that people say is when they visit campus, they don't know how to get around,” Benhart said, “so if you have an accurate three-dimensional model of campus, people have this possibility of learning how to move through campus before somebody's actually here and getting lost.”

When Benhart was at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, he took a world geography class. In addition to being interested in the material, his professor told him that if he could keep a 3.5 GPA, Benhart would be guaranteed a full ride to graduate school in geography.

He had the option of being a planner in Washington County, Md., or a geographic information systems analyst in Dave County, Fla., but he chose to continue his education at the University of Tennessee. He first came to teach at IUP in August 1994 on his wife's birthday.

Benhart is also the director of Geospatial Intelligence Certificate programs and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Certificate programs, and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified remote pilot of a small, unmanned aerial system.

IUP has eight vertical takeoff and landing drones, meaning that the lift is generated by rotating propellers, which is the more useful type as opposed to fixed wing drones for navigating in small spaces and getting accurate pictures and videos. They can shoot high-definition videos and high-resolution photographs of 18, 20 and 22 megapixels.

The Unmanned Aerial Systems Science and Applications Certificate Program is just four classes or 12 credits. Students first learn about data collection and analysis in remote sensing and then progress to courses on not only how to fly the drone but the mechanics of how it flies as well as reading aeronautical charts and learning all the FAA regulations. In the final capstone class,

(Twitter/IUPGEOPLANNING) IUP’s Department of Geography and Regional Planning offers students a variety of education and career path options. students fly drones themselves and do projects for the community.

“We just flew Confluence Park at a plus or minus three-inch horizontal accuracy,” Benhart said. “There's no other map in the world that's as accurate of Confluence Park as the one we just made. Then we can put all kinds of data on top of that and really create something extremely useful.”

The students have also done projects for the Indiana County Office of Planning and Development, the city of Greensburg and White Township as well as personal projects the students are interested in. They recently flew the new science building, Sutton Hall, and did promotional videos for IUP. Students must pass the FAA Part 107 certification test, and IUP has a 100 percent pass rate. The program got off the ground in 2016 after the FAA published rules on small, unmanned aircrafts. Benhart had already written a drone certificate, but the university could not go through with it until the safety regulations were in place.

One main idea that Benhart

wanted IUP students to know is how applicable and useful drone technology is to a variety of careers.

“For safety sciences, drones are being used to do inspections and safety audits all the time,” Benhart said. “If you're in criminology, all major law enforcement agencies are using drones now to increase the safety of their officers. They use them to surveil people if they have the correct warrants. They can use the drone to try to identify where the suspects are without putting people in harm’s way.

“If you're inspecting a wind turbine or high tower with people climbing up there, you can send drones up there and keep people out of those situations. Drones are delivering organs for organ transplants. You can't watch a newscaster, a TV show, for even a minute without seeing drone footage.”

Benhart believes that when a student comes to IUP, they should get everything they can out of their education with as many credentials as possible, and that this program provides students with the opportunity to advance their future careers in this accelerating industry.

News

November 30, 2021

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November 30, 2021

Christmas time is here: Indiana Light Up Night

News

(Nick Schmidt/The Penn) Indiana Light Up Night returned in person on Nov. 19. The event kicked off the Christmas season in Indiana. The festivities began with a performance by the Indiana Junior High Spirit Band and continued with the annual lighting of the tree at Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC) Park. The 32-foot tree will remain lit until the Christmas season concludes. The lighting of the tree was followed by the annual Light Up Night Parade. The parade, which was presented by the Lucy Donnelly Memorial Fund, moved along Philadelphia Street between 11th Street and 15th Street. The parade featured festive floats and emergency vehicles. At the end of the parade, Santa Claus greeted eager children and brought Christmas joy to all. The event was virtual last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though the event was back in person this year, several customary indoor events were canceled as the organizers of the event wanted the day to be completely outdoors to mitigate risk of infection

by COVID-19 and other illnesses.

News

November 30, 2021

IUP listens, reacts to student concerns

By IUP News Information/ Mary Ann Slater Careful observations and thoughtful conversations from IUP’s first walking audit last fall are helping to make the university a more welcoming place for all.

These two walks around campus in September 2020—incorporating places like the Oak Grove, Sutton Hall, and Wallwork Hall—gave small groups of students from diverse communities the opportunity to let their voices be heard. By talking with the IUP officials who accompanied them and later by completing a written survey, the students revealed just how the campus looked and felt to them.

Their comments suggested some parts of campus were overdue for a makeover—a redo with color and vibrancy that emphasize hope, success, and the diversity of today’s IUP. In response to those comments, a working group of administrators, faculty, and students has been overseeing a host of changes. For example, a flagpole with a Progress Pride flag has been dedicated, and an art installation made by students for students is under way.

Elise Glenn, IUP’s chief diversity and inclusion officer and Title IX coordinator, said the students on the walks made it clear to her that much of the campus’s art seemed from a bygone generation they couldn’t relate to. The students— members of the LGBTQIA and Black and Brown communities— wanted more imagery that was

colorful, meaningful, and positive.

“One of the things the students expressed is they want to see themselves represented on campus,” Glenn said. “Every student body has its own IUP, and students today want their IUP.” Possibly the biggest initiative to emerge from the audit is new signage for single-occupancy restrooms to indicate they serve all genders.

“Single-occupancy restrooms were on campus but labeled other things, like ‘family’ or ‘handicapped,’ and it wasn’t clear to students that they were welcome to use those facilities,” said Michael Powers, executive director of the Division of Marketing and Communications, who leads the working group that is implementing the changes.

Now there are more than 70 facilities labeled all-gender restrooms.

Their locations are marked on an interactive campus map available online and will be on posters soon to be placed around campus. The working group is looking into having an all-gender restroom in every campus building.

In response to student comments about drab colors, old images, and aging designs, some campus areas are targeted for new artwork.

Clark Hall’s lobby has a new design, leaving space for art projects.

Officials are discussing a new mural for the Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement to showcase the diversity of IUP’s student body. Campus diversity will

also be featured in a new photo display planned for the first floor of Sutton Hall, near the Office of Admissions.

After comments from the audit, IUP has also updated its television commercials and print materials to showcase student diversity and highlight Black students finding success in a variety of fields.

Department of Art and Design faculty members Sharon Massey and Sean Derry, along with other members of the Sculpture Support System, a faculty-student artist collective they lead, are working on a new campus art installation called Free Space .

Answering a call for more participatory art projects on campus, the outdoor installation will include a nine-foot rocket amidst an array of small flags. Interested students will have the opportunity to design a flag that reflects a part of their life story. The installation will be portable, so it can engage students on different parts of campus.

“Some of the goals are to give students a hands-on activity and to create photo opportunities—something new and exciting on campus,” said Massey, who is also on the group addressing suggestions from the audit. She and Derry hope their work will prompt students to think about their role in creating art for public spaces.

Another project the working group is overseeing is the painting of a rainbow sidewalk depicting the Progress Pride flag, intended to help members of the LGBTQIA community feel more welcome

(iup.edu) IUP works hard to maintain a culture of acceptance and compassion for all people no matter their sexuality, race, gender or ethnicity.

on campus. The sidewalk, painted in large blocks of multiple colors, will be located between Stapleton Library and the new Leonard Hall (formerly the Humanities and Social Sciences Building). Plans had called for the sidewalk’s completion by the start of this school year, but supply chain problems delayed arrival of the paint. The group hopes for completion next semester.

This fall also saw the dedication of a Progress Pride flag that flies outside the Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement in Elkin Hall. Powers and Glenn credit Tedd Cogar, senior assessment coordinator and LGBTQIA support, for much of the work on the new flag as he won support from a state-funded “It’s on Us” grant. Cogar also contributed to the design of the rainbow sidewalk.

Glenn said Cogar’s work shows that many departments and offices want to recognize and celebrate the diversity of the university community.

“The walking audit was a good initiative, but it is part of a broader effort that many are championing to help IUP grow in diversity and in its equity and inclusion,” Glenn said.

Last fall, graduate students Nabiha Islam and Austin Marsico, who worked in Glenn’s office, were each tapped to lead one of the audit’s walks.

Islam, who is pursuing a master’s in criminology, grew up in Long Island, New York, and first came to IUP as an undergraduate. She described her first two years as a “culture shock,” because she saw little representation on campus of different races, nationalities, and cultures. She said the students on her walk felt much the same way.

“Honestly, I think we all shared the same views, which is there wasn’t enough representation, and what representation there is, is not really known,” Islam said. She pointed out that, until the walking audit, she did not know there was a Muslim prayer room on the ground floor of Stapleton Library, even though she is Muslim.

Marsico, who is working toward a master’s in school counseling, was excited to be part of last year’s audit and now believes those efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are paying off.

“I think that we are taking steps in the right direction,” Marsico said.

“That’s great.”

It was Jonathan Warnock, chair of

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IUP’s LGBTQIA+ Commission and associate professor of geoscience, who came up with the idea for the walking audit as he and Glenn discussed ways to help members of the LGBTQIA community feel more comfortable on campus.

“Coming here, people need to know they are accepted, supported, that they have a safe enough environment,” Warnock said. “It really matters for people to see the subtle background that I am a part of this, my people are a part of this.

Community matters so much.”

Warnock suggested walking around the university to see what the students saw and felt. Glenn took the idea to President Michael Driscoll, who quickly agreed.

“It seemed like such a good idea to walk around with students so that I could hear their voices directly, to make sure I was engaging them in a face-to-face way,” Driscoll said. “It is important for them to know we’re listening to them, and that includes me.”

After both walks, the students’ comments were compiled, and Islam and Marsico presented the findings to the president’s cabinet in December. The working group was then formed. In addition to Powers, Islam, Marsico, and Massey, its members include Nate Heuer, associate professor in the Department of Art and Design; David Raymond, creative director in the Division of Marketing and Communications; Kevin Foster, assistant director in the multicultural center; and Sam Phillips, associate vice president for University Operations and Administrative Services.

The group expects to hold another walking audit in 2022. Warnock believes IUP officials have done a good job of working on students’ suggestions from last year’s walks.

“I am already impressed that the administration immediately listened,” Warnock said. “Right away, actions were taken. We got the flagpole. We have the beginnings of updates on signage and imagery.”

But he thinks more change may be needed. “It is important to take that momentum and keep it going.

Keep your eyes and ears on the students.”

President Driscoll agreed.

“Coming to college is a big change in their lives,” he said. “It’s scary. And if you don’t feel that you fit in, it’s even more scary. The most important thing for me is that we engage students, we listen to them, and we take action on what we have heard.”

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November 30, 2021

News

New COVID-19 variant poses significant threat CAIO GOMES Lead Culture Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP My name is Caio and I am a political science major covering D.C. politics.

New COVID-19 variant, “Omicron,” poses a “very high risk” globally according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

On Monday, the WHO has warned that a new variant of the COVID-19 virus, named “Omicron,” poses a new global risk as there

is not a lot of information on the variant yet. It is unknown whether this new, highly mutated variant is more aggressive than the previous ones; however, many believe that this will be the case given that the Alpha variant was more contagious than its predecessor, the “original” COVID-19, while its successor, the Delta variant, was even more contagious.

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. chief medical advisor, and other experts, it will take two weeks or more to fully grasp information about the variant’s transmissibility and severity. So far, it is also unknown if the current vaccines will be efficient against the new variant.

According to the New York Times, most scientists believe that the current vaccines “are likely to offer

protection from severe illnesses.”

Despite that, it has also been reported that both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have been studying and preparing to reformulate their shots if it is deemed necessary. Together, both account for more than 430 million doses administrated in the United States, and this count includes both shots and a booster, according to Statista.

“In a few weeks, we will have a better sense of how much this variant is spreading and how necessary it might be to push forward with a variant vaccine,” Dr. Jesse Bloom, an evolutionary biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, said in an interview with the New York Times.

Because of this lack of knowledge surrounding the new variant, several

countries, including Japan, Israel and Morocco, have re-established travel bans, banning all foreigners from entering the countries. Some Countries, like the United Kingdom and Australia, have reported cases of the variant despite travel bans.

In the United States, President Joe Biden has announced travel restrictions banning visitors who have been in the eight countries where there has been a high surge of the variant. These countries are South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi. This new restriction comes just three weeks after the president had lifted travel restrictions on 31 countries including South Africa.

There have not been any indications of when the new restrictions will be lifted or if new countries will

join the “travel ban list” as of now.

“I’ve decided we’re going to be cautious,” Biden said to reporters Friday following the announcement of the travel restrictions. “We don’t know a lot about the variant except it is a great concern, seems to spread rapidly.”

Despite his announcement on Friday, Biden delivered new remarks from the White House yesterday, seeking to reassure the nation about the new variant. The president said that the new Omicron variant is a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic.” He added that his administration has been working with vaccine manufacturers to provide more booster shots, if necessary.

“We’re throwing everything we have at this virus, tracking it from every angle,” Biden said.

Opinion

Commit to ending Islamophobia, misrepresentation

Boebert’s hurtful comments draw attention to discrimination in U.S.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Co.) is facing criticism after she made derogatory comments toward Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Mn.) about her Muslim faith.

Speaking at an event last weekend, Boebert insinuated that Omar had been mistaken for a terrorist on Capitol Hill.

According to https://www. cnn.com/2021/11/26/politics/lauren-boebert-ilhan-omar-anti-muslim-comments/index.html, Boebert said, “I was getting into an elevator with one of my staffers, and he and I were leaving the Capitol, we’re going back to my office and we get in the elevator and I see a Capitol Police officer running hurriedly to the elevator. I see fret all over his face. And he’s reaching. The door is shutting. I can’t open it.

“What’s happening? I look to my left and there she is, Ilhan Omar, and I said, ‘Well she doesn’t have a backpack, we should be fine,’” Boebert continued. “So we only had one floor to go and I say, do I say it or do I not? And I look over and I say, ‘Look, the jihad squad decided to show up for work today.’”

These comments are extremely hurtful to Muslims in the United States and abroad. They also misrepresent the Muslim faith.

Muslims in the United States have faced significant discrimination in the United States, particularly in the years since 9/11.

According to https:// www.pewresearch.org/ fact-tank/2019/05/17/many-americans-see-religious-discrimination-in-u-s-especially-against-muslims/, “Most American adults (82 percent) say Muslims are subject to at least some discrimination in the U.S. today.”

Also according to Pew, “Among U.S. Muslims themselves, many say they have experienced specific instances of discrimination, including being treated with suspicion, singled out by airport security or called offensive names.”

Opinion

This discrimination and these feelings simply do not align with the facts. Islam is, by nature, a religion of peace and submission to God and his teachings.

Of the more than one billion Muslims in the world, radical Muslims who wish to do the western world harm are a very slim minority.

The negative sentiment towards Muslims in the United States is twofold.

First, Muslims make up just 1.1 percent of the U.S. population. Humans, by nature, tend to fear that with which they are not familiar.

People in the United States do not know much about the Muslim faith, so they fall back on their biases and preconceived notions, many of which are incorrect, about Islam.

Second, the 9/11 attacks are very traumatic for those who are old enough to remember them.

Because the attackers were radical Muslim extremists, many in the United States still harbor negative feelings towards the faith in general.

So how do we change the culture of discrimination towards Muslims in the country?

The answer is unfortunately time and educating the youth to move away from these feelings.

According to https://www. bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-09-09/muslim-american-discrimination-is-more-prevalent-than-ever-decades-after-9-11, “There is no simple answer to moving beyond hate. But one place to start is in schools. Last month, CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) released a classroom guide to teach about 9/11 without stoking anti-Muslim sentiment.

“Tips include refraining from singling out Muslim students to comment on the attacks, avoiding role playing perpetrators and targets, and using information from vetted sources such as museums and mainstream media outlets. The guide also lists other educational resources and documentaries.”

By changing the way that we

talk about 9/11, we can change the way that biases and ideas are formed about the Muslim faith and community.

Now back to Boebert’s comments: Comments and sentiments from politicians that disparage Muslim people make it harder for us to get away from these biases and false ideas.

The fact that few Republicans in Congress are even willing to speak out against her is very telling. They are basically telling their constituents that these ideas and discriminatory attacks are okay.

They are spreading ideas that are harmful and promote division as opposed to unity.

Boebert apologized to Omar and the Muslim community for her comments, but it is very much too little, too late.

Her empty apology will not be remembered or highlighted, but her negative comments will be.

Christianity and Islam are remarkably similar in messaging and system of beliefs. They share, largely, the same values and the same goals.

Until we elect people who recognize this and support and respect people of all faiths, these biases will continue to exist.

Changing thoughts and ideas

November 30, 2021

(Mohamed Abdirahman/Facebook) Rep. Boebert (R-Co.) (top) called Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Mn.) (bottom) to discuss the hurtful comments that were made in regards to Omar’s faith; however, the phone call allegedly did not go well. start with those in power and the education system, and, as of now, neither is playing their part in changing the anti-Muslim sentiment that has persisted in the United States in recent decades.

Brought to you By The Penn Editorial Board

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Culture

Culture Editor: Lane Lannan – ffpcc@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Caio Gomes – hysbc@iup.edu

Students share favorite moments of Thanksgiving break

(IUP/Twitter) Students were able to take the week away from IUP to focus on themselves. Whether that meant working to make money or simply spending time with family, the week was beneficial for everyone, allowing time to prepare for the end of classes and start of finals.

LANE LANNAN Culture Editor ffpcc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Relaxation and a pause on academics are important for students.

As of Monday, IUP students returned from the Thanksgiving break that lasted from Nov. 22 to Nov. 26.

With a week of time at their disposal, students were able to take time away from campus to enjoy themselves and unwind to alleviate some of the pressures that classwork was putting on them.

“The break was really nice for me,” Gabrielle Allison (sophomore, anthropology) said. “I didn’t realize how much I needed a break until I was away from campus. Not having to deal with

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classes in that time was nice.”

With this downtime, many students took the chance to spend time with family or friends, especially during Thanksgiving itself.

“I was happy that I got to spend time with family that I don’t see often [over Thanksgiving],” Mikayla Rich (sophomore, criminology) said. “It was nice to be able to see a lot of them, especially since the [COVID-19] pandemic really prevented that over the past year.”

In addition to being able to see family and relax, there was a lot to gain from the break for students. After all, time away from campus is imperative for many as finals rapidly approach. As it is a more stressful time for all students, having a week before the finals crunch helps to manage stress.

According to forbes.com,

there is an estimated 53.4 million people in the United States that traveled for Thanksgiving this year. That 53.4 million is a big change from the downturn that 2020 saw with only an estimated 50.6 traveling, according to statista.com.

“I think that traveling during Thanksgiving makes a lot of sense, honestly,” Rich said. “Even if you are only going to a family member’s house, there is still an element of travel there. Sure, it isn’t as big as getting on a plane and flying across the country, but it still contributes to the travel numbers.”

Rich went on to say that there is a lot of other ways that students could spend the break, like working or meeting up with friends. While those are just some of the options that were available, they were likely what

November 30, 2021

most students did.

In the cases of Rich and Allison, they both were able to see family for Thanksgiving. They both said that the time with family was something that they were in need of as it helped them take a pause from the college life and enjoy the break that they had.

“I was really happy for the break,” Allison said. “I think that it was important for a lot of people since it let them figure

stuff out that they were maybe confused about or questioning prior to the break but couldn’t decide anything because of the stress from school.”

Whether you traveled for the break, worked or stayed in by yourself, The Penn hopes that it was an enjoyable week. In addition to that, good luck on the next week of classes and the upcoming work required for finals week.

Culture

Culture

November 30, 2021

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Students gear up as classes begin to end LANE LANNAN Culture Editor ffpcc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Starting Monday, the last full week of classes for the fall semester has begun.

The fall semester’s classes will be coming to a close this Friday.

With that in mind, it has become crunch time for students as they all are making the preparations for the end of the semester and the start of finals.

“In a way, I am really excited and happy that the semester is coming to an end soon,” Gabrielle Probst (sophomore, early childhood education) said. “At the same time, though, I am anxious for finals and stuff because I want to do good on them all.”

Probst went on to say that she wanted the next two weeks to go by as fast as possible. After getting a small break with Thanksgiving over the past week, she really wanted to be away from college life for longer which will happen over the winter break.

While there is a lot that needs to be done in the next week, there are some students that are not too stressed about the coming weeks and what is in store for students.

“I think that I have my [school] work all in order,” Lily Carone (sophomore, pre-medicine) said.

“I mean, sure, there is some stress there over how I will do on finals, but as far as regular work and projects are concerned, I feel really good about them.”

While there is stress for classes coming to an end, there is also a great sense of relief among students. After all, an end to classes means an end to the semester with winter break right around the corner.

The winter break season is a coveted one for students as it allows them even more time to spend away from college.

“I am excited for the next break,” Carone said. “I love being on campus and the in-person learning, but I think that everyone needs a long break, especially after classes end. I think that a lot of students have

(IUP/Twitter) While a lot of students are ready for the semester to end, things will not be coming to a close until the end of the week when classes officially end for IUP students. After that, finals week and the end of the semester are what students have to look forward to. checked out and are just waiting for the end of classes.”

There are students on campus that are ready for the semester to end, especially seniors that are graduating during this semester.

Whether it is a classic case of “senioritis” or a want to be done with classes, students are ready for them to wrap up.

“I know a lot of people that are mentally done with this semester,” Probst said. “What is important for them and everyone in general is to be able to buckle down and make sure everything gets done for this week with classes. The last thing you want to do is have late work that can no longer be turned in if the deadline is Friday.”

Whether you are prepared for the end of classes or are making the last-minute scramble to get work done, good luck, Hawks.

Make sure to get everything turned in and good to go and prepare for finals because they will likely be here before you know it. After all, they are only a week away.

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Culture

Culture

November 30, 2021

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Naming best movies of 2021 CAIO GOMES Lead Culture Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP *This article contains opinion.

With only one month left before 2021 is over, it is safe to say that the 2021 calendar year for the movie industry has come to an end.

Most movies released from now on, such as “Spiderman – No Way Home,” will be considered as released during the 2022 calendar year.

Exceptions apply to “Oscar-bait” films like “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and “The Power of the Dog” which were screened at festivals prior to their upcoming releases in December, or like “Licorice Pizza” and “West Side Story” which were available for selective audiences prior to their upcoming releases.

As the year comes to an end, it is safe to say that the American film industry is as unique and diverse as ever, and these are some of the films that have made 2021 a great year for cinema.

Best “Oscar-bait” film - Belfast (Universal Studios) In a black and white world, cinema makes life colorful.

Taking place in the city of Belfast during “The Troubles,” a period of intense conflict and violence in Northern Ireland, “Belfast” tells the story of a young child living through the conflict and explores the events that led his family to abandon everything they knew to start a new life in London.

The film highlights that despite living through tough times it is still possible to find little moments of happiness, this being displayed through color, as the entire movie is in black and white except for the scenes in which the main character goes to the theater.

If this sounds familiar, it is because the film is inspired by the director Kenneth Branagh’s own life.

Branagh has previously worked in films like “Thor” and “Murder on the Orient Express” but had never worked on such a personal movie.

This openness and rawness have been praised by critics, and the film is considered a top contender

(thedirect.com) Upon its release in September, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” had a huge opening night, making $29.6 million. With that occuring on a Friday, the movie was set for massive success as the weekend hit. to win Best Picture at the next Academy Awards.

Best blockbuster film - ShangChi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Marvel Studios) Against all odds, a new hero is born.

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is a film that had every reason for things to go wrong in its release. It was the first big budget Marvel movie to come out solely in theaters after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic as “Black Widow” was released both in theaters and on Disney+, and it was introducing a new hero that was not yet familiar to the public that follows only the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Additionally, the few fans that were familiar with the story were quite worried at how production would go given that the first attempts of producing Shang-Chi were marked by controversies of racism.

So, “Shang-Chi” had every reason for things to go wrong, and yet it went better than expected.

It not only broke several box-office

records, but it has also garnered high acclaim for its well-choreographed fight scenes, many of which were inspired by the fight scenes choreographed by Bruce Lee. This is a meaningful inspiration, as the main character was inspired on his son. Furthermore, its representation of Asian culture and lighthearted humor were a selling points of the movie. It is worth giving a shout-out to Awkwafina for her on-point humor interpreting “Katy,” which brought a new refreshing face to Marvel’s notorious comedy jabs.

Best Animated Film - Flee (NEON) You can escape from a situation, but you cannot escape from yourself.

Although “Flee” will only make its official debut in the United States on Dec. 3, many have already had the chance to watch the animated documentary as it has been screened at some movie festivals. The film follows the story of Amin, a man on the verge of marrying his husband learning to share for the first time his traumatic past fleeing Afghanistan to Denmark.

Additionally, the film touches on his struggles being gay as well as being an Afghan in Europe.

Co-written by Amin himself (unknown last name), “Flee” has garnered praise for its sensitive and emotionally raw approach to issues such as sexuality, immigration, identity and intersectionality.

It was submitted as the official Danish entry for the Best International Film award at next year’s Oscars, and it is considered a favorite to win.

Best Musical Film - Encanto (Walt Disney Studios) “Encanto” was as enchanting as the name suggests.

Lin-Manuel Miranda had a very busy year. He has worked on two Netflix originals, “Tick, Tick…

Boom” and “Vivo,” producing the live action film of his 2005 musical, “In the Heights,” and he began production for the live action adaptation of “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.” Out of everything Miranda has done this year, nothing can quite compare to the high

standards set by “Encanto.”

“Encanto” marked Miranda’s second big collaboration with Disney with the first being 2016’s “Moana.” While “Moana” is a great film, it did not do quite enough justice to Miranda’s creativity and talent because it was his first work with Disney. He chose to play it safe, hence why most of the music sounded like what a traditional Disney song would.

This is not the case for “Encanto”; having earned his trust, Miranda was given more creative freedom to explore in his songwriting, and this was very notable throughout the film. Story-wise, “Encanto” is a typical Disney movie with all the “Disney” elements that the public has learned to love, but musically speaking, it is anything but a Disney film. Its spoken-verses will remind the public of “Hamilton” while its Latin-inspired beats is reminiscent of “In the Heights.”

Those elements combined with a Disney-classic script meant for a completely new and refreshing animation, one that the mouse house has not seen since 2017’s “Coco.”

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Culture

IUP Lively Arts prepares for performance (Nick Schmidt/The Penn) The IUP Lively Arts department was hard at work over the past week preparing for the performance of its show “A Journey to the Land of Sweets” that premieres at Fisher Auditorium on Thursday.

Tickets are available on the IUP Lively Arts website or available through phone at (724)-357-2787.

The show is part of “The Nutcracker,” the famous ballet that plays frequently during the holiday season. Although the performance itself is challenging, the students have been hard at work to put out the best show that they can. The Penn wishes luck to the students that will be performing in the show and an enjoyable time for anyone that attends the show in person. It will be worth watching considering the hard work that is being put into it.

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‘Get back to where you once belonged’

Students share thoughts on new Beatles documentary ‘Get Back’

(leisurebyte.com) Throughout the course of their career, The Beatles were inspired by other acts at the time, like Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and their main competitors for a decent chunk of time, The Beach Boys, the latter of which inspired The Beatles to make what is considered to be their best album, 1967’s “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

LANE LANNAN Culture Editor ffpcc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Over the past week, a special was released that was a pleasure for many music fans.

On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, a documentary released on Disney+ covering the Beatles, consisting of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr and the creation of their “Let It Be” album.

Titled “Get Back” and directed by Peter Jackson, the series spanned three parts and used never before seen footage of the band. While some of the footage was used in the original 1970 movie, “Let It Be,” there were hours upon hours of footage that was not used for the film.

With so much to comb through, Jackson managed to assemble a restored documentary that shows

various high and low points that the band was facing during the sessions, like Harrison quitting the band or the animosity that was present between Lennon and McCartney at times.

“I think that this documentary is really great,” Sam Shelenberger (sophomore, music education) said. “I mean, that album (‘Let It Be’) is a really good one, and it is cool to see the band work in the studio in such a good resolution.

I mean, it looks like it could have been filmed in the modern day.”

The point Shelenberger brings up is very true. The remastering of the original footage was done so well that it is almost surreal to see the Beatles working, especially with two members of the band having died: John Lennon in 1980 and George Harrison in 2001.

“I personally don’t really have enough interest to watch the series since it is really long,” Thomas Valcukas (sophomore, biology) said.

“Although, I think it is really cool for people that like the Beatles to see it. I watched the trailer and thought that it looked really clean considering it is footage from so long ago.”

In a historical context, the album was recorded at a low point for the band. The Beatles started recording songs for “Let It Be” but then shelved the entire project to work on something else, that being the band’s 1969 release, “Abbey Road.” Following the completion of “Abbey Road,” the band decided it had one more album in its system and pulled “Let It Be” off the shelf and got to work.

“I think my favorite part of the series was seeing them work in the studio,” Shelenberger said. “It was so cool to see their process while under pressure to get the album done. I also liked the rooftop concert at the end of the third part.”

The rooftop concert was what the original 1970 film ended on,

so it was only natural that “Get Back” ended there as well. The concert was the first time that the Beatles had performed for a live audience in over three years as well as the last time that all four of them would appear onstage together.

Whether you are a fan of the music of the Beatles or are interested to see an album be created almost from scratch, “Get Back” is a good watch. Spanning over seven hours of total footage, there is a lot of interesting scenes that capture the most popular band in the world at its worst and its best.

Sports

Editor-in-Chief: Jeffery Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Matt Glover – htpz@iup.edu

(IUP Athletics) Armoni Foster recorded the program’s first triple double since Malik Miller back in February of 2019.

Men’s basketball feasts on opponents over break No. 9 Crimson Hawks start season 5-0 against non-conference opponents

MATT GLOVER

Lead Sports Writer htpz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The Crimson Hawks’ men’s basketball team began its Thanksgiving break with a trip to Bowie State where it remained undefeated winning 90-83.

The team shot 51.6 percent from the field and made 50 percent of its three-point shots. IUP did turn the ball over 15 times, but the team made up for it by rebounding the ball almost twice as much as the Bulldogs. “[Turnovers] have been our Achilles’ heel,” head coach Joe Lombardi said. “Defensively, we want to speed the other team up, so there are going to be more turnovers.”

Guard Shawndale Jones (redshirt senior, communications media) played the best game of his college career scoring 37

16

points, the most by an IUP player since Brandon Norfleet scored 38 against Seton Hill in 2016.

“He’s just a hard matchup for a lot of people,” Lombardi said.

“He’s got a quick first step and uses his leverage well.”

Jones also went 4-5 from the foul line with six rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Forward Tommy Demogerontas (redshirt fifth year, business) also posted career highs with 23 points and 15 rebounds for his second double-double of the year.

He also went 4-4 on three-point shots with three assists and a steal.

Guard Dave Morris (redshirt junior, kinesiology, health and sport science), who is usually a standout player, sat out this game after coming out the previous game with a knee injury.

This was the team’s third straight game scoring more than 90 points, bringing its average to 95.3 points per game.

Before the break, the Crimson

Hawks dominated Le Moyne College Tuesday night, winning by almost 40 points with a final score of 106-67.

“We know everybody can score on this team,” guard Armoni Foster (redshirt junior, criminal justice) said. “That’s why we scored over 100 points, but some nights it’s going to be Ethan (Porterfield) scoring 20, some nights it’s going to be Tommy (Demogerontas) scoring 20 [and] some times [it’s going to] be me scoring 20.

“We just have a lot of options on the team, so we just had to utilize them.”

The Crimson Hawks came out swinging and shot 70 percent in the first half and 63.5 percent over the whole game.

Jones led the team again scoring 24 points and tying the career high he set in the 2020 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship win.

He also made two three-pointers, six out of seven foul shots, had

November 30, 2021

seven assists and four steals.

Porterfield (sophomore, criminology and criminal justice) also tied a career high of 19 points. He had five rebounds and two blocks.

Additionally, Porterfield has not been playing these first three games at full capacity as he was diagnosed with an “acute bronchitis” and is slowly recovering.

“We try to play in three minutes for him to not overdo it and extend it too much,” Lombardi said.

“He rested the last couple days, and he’ll rest tomorrow, so that’s going to be good for us.”

Foster got close to a triple double with 17 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Both teammates and coaches predict he will accomplish the feat more than once this season.

He had an unusual first half as he was heavily defended by Le Moyne and only shot the ball three times but tallied five assists and two rebounds.

In the second half, Foster took

the wheel scoring seven to 10 field goals and one three-pointer while tallying the other five assists, five rebounds, a steal and a block.

Morris scored 16 points with three assists and two steals before coming out early in the second half with an outer knee injury.

With these wins, IUP elevated itself from 18th to ninth in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll and third in the Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIDA) national poll.

The Hawks closed out their Thanksgiving break against Virginia State with a 97-45 victory.

Foster led IUP to victory with a 22-point triple double. IUP has gone 5-0 against its non-conference opponents to start the season.

The Hawks will next play Friday at Kutztown and then Saturday at West Chester. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m.

Sports

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November 30, 2021

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Fowler Jr. named PSAC West ‘Freshman of the Year’

By IUP Sports Information

IUP defensive end Tyrone Fowler Jr. was named the 2021 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division Freshman of the Year, as the league announced its postseason awards Wednesday afternoon.

Fowler, also one of IUP's league-best 17 all-conference selections, was dynamic from his edge position along the defensive line in his first season.

Fowler led the Crimson Hawks with 11.5 tacklesfor-loss, 7.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. His 29 total tackles were also most by any defensive lineman on the team. Fowler's 0.70 sacks per game were ranked eighth in the PSAC and 56th in Division II while his 11.5 TFLs were 10th in conference.

Fowler had his biggest showing of the year in the season finale

victory at West Chester, totaling 3.0 TFLs, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. His strip sack with one minute left led to the game-winning touchdown in the 31-24 comeback victory. He was named PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week for his efforts.

He was a terror over his last four games, totaling 8.0 TFLs and 7.0 sacks against Slippery Rock, Cal U, Edinboro and West Chester.

Fowler is the eighth player in program history to earn rookie or freshman of the year honors in the division. Others include running back Justice Evans in 2017, quarterback Lenny Williams in 2015, linebacker Terrance Jackson in 2005, linebacker Kirby Griffin in 2004, defensive back Harold Brister in 1993, receiver Jai Hill in 1988 and Roy Palamara in 1986.

(IUP Athletics) Fowler Jr. will be a crucial piece to the Hawks’ ongoing success over the next three years.

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Sports

Hawks start season undefeated with 6-0 record BEN SPRIGGS Staff Writer dzbbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

IUP women’s basketball remains undefeated in the regular season following two non-conference wins.

The Hawks were victorious against both Salem and Ohio Dominican over the Thanksgiving academic break to improve their record to 6-0.

Last Wednesday Indiana throttled the Salem Tigers by a score of 82-58 at home.

Gina Adams (freshman, marketing), Maura D’Anna (redshirt senior, kinesiology) and Kiera Baughman (freshman, kinesiology) all led the team with 12 total points each.

Adams also had seven rebounds.

Initially, the game was close with the Hawks leading by only four points at halftime.

Things opened up for IUP offensively in the third quarter.

The Crimson Hawks scored 27 points in the third, compared to Salem’s measly nine, to secure the victory.

An 18-2 offensive scoring run, including IUP going 10 of 17 from the floor, was the key to their third quarter success.

Salem also turned the ball over six times in the quarter, contributing to its own demise.

Assistant coach Lexi Griggs spoke on the team's recent success.

“The girls are looking to grow together on and off the floor each day which is showing in their basketball play,” Griggs said. “I think anyone can see they are playing as a unit and building chemistry each time they hit the floor.”

That chemistry carried over to Sunday afternoon when IUP women’s basketball was again victorious.

This time things were not as easy.

Indiana traveled to Columbus, Ohio, and defeated the Dominican Panthers by a score of 76-61.

Courtney Alexander (redshirt senior, nursing) led the team in scoring with 24 points in nearly 40 minutes played.

Alexander also hit five threes.

Adams once again led the team in rebounds, this time with 11.

Dominican gave IUP a second quarter scoring run scare, but the Lady Hawks ultimately survived and played well in the second half.

The Panthers were eliminated offensively by IUP in the fourth quarter.

Dominican shot just three of 11 to conclude the game.

“They are genuinely showing and creating their own identity,” Griggs said. “I think they are taking each game and each day as a new opportunity to get better than they were yesterday.”

At 6-0, IUP now holds the No. 12 spot in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll.

Things should also be put into perspective: the past two opponents for IUP have just one combined win on the season.

The road for the Lady Hawks is about to get much more challenging.

Non-conference play is over for IUP as every game from here on out is an important conference matchup that will contribute to playoffs determinations.

IUP will open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play this week in a section crossover road trip.

Indiana will travel to Kutztown on Friday to face the Golden Bears team that is 6-2.

The next day the Lady Hawks will also be on the road playing against a currently winless West Chester team.

Both games are set for 5:30 p.m. tip-offs.

We shall see if IUP women’s basketball continues its undefeated streak going deep into the season.

(IUP Athletics) IUP has won eight straight regular season non-conference road games, which goes back to the 2015-16 season.

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Sports

Crimson Hawks stand out at Magnus Cup, start season off 3-0 BEN SPRIGGS Staff Writer dzbbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Paige Mikesell was one of the five Crimson Hawks named to the IUP Weekly Honor Roll.

IUP swimming traveled to host Cleveland State University last weekend and competed in the Magnus Cup. Indiana had a great showing competing alongside many Division I programs.

The Hawks returned to the three-day tournament following a two-year absence.

Things went well for the team and many swimmers were competitive.

Day one saw the IUP men finish sixth of 11 and the women seventh of 11 teams.

Indiana posted 14 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifying times and one Hawk achieved a NCAA B qualifying time.

That one Crimson Hawk was Paige Mikesell (senior, health and physical education) with a 2:04.10 time in the 200 individual medley (IM).

Rachel Johnson (graduate student, M.A. Employment and Labor Relations) and Claire Mikesell (graduate student, food and nutrition education) also posted PSAC qualifying times in the 200 IM at 2:07.01 and 2:08.92.

The second day of competition at the Magnus Cup brought even more success for IUP swimming, especially the women.

Three IUP women’s swimmers were able to achieve NCAA B qualifying times: the Mikesell sisters and Johnson.

C. Mikesell and Johnson both hit the NCAA mark in the 100 breaststrokes with times of (IUP Athletics) 1:02.49 and

1:03.06 respectively.

P. Mikesell qualified in the 100 butterfly with a time of 54.69.

The mark was her third NCAA B qualifying time in just four meets.

Paige has had great success so far this season.

The second day also saw Ryan Hartmann (senior, cyber security) and Blake Hendricks (sophomore, pre-dental) compete well on the men's side.

Both achieved two PSAC qualifying times each.

Hartmann’s came in the 100 fly and 100 breast while Hendricks achieved them in the 200 and 100 backstroke.

Cleveland State’s Magnus Cup wrapped up with day three on Saturday.

IUP achieved 32 conference qualifying times.

The Mikesell sisters continued their dominance by posting three total NCAA B times.

Paige contributed two of those in both the 100 freestyle and 200 butterfly.

Claire was able to hit her mark of 2:18.16 in the 200 breaststroke.

Overall, the tournament was a success for IUP swimming.

The Hawks finished with 69 PSAC qualifying times and seven NCAA B standard times.

The men's team finished fifth out of seven with 453 total points.

Cleveland State, Xavier, Case Western University and Gannon all finished ahead of IUP on the leader board.

On the women’s side, they finished sixth of 11 teams with 375.50 total points.

They were the best non-Division I squad at the Magnus Cup. Akron, Ohio, Duquesne, Xavier and Bowling Green all finished in front of the IUP women's team.

The Hawks currently sit in a good place when it comes to team standings.

After early season domination against Shippensburg, Edinboro and Saint Vincent, IUP holds a 3-0 record heading into the remainder of team play.

Just three team competitions remain for IUP. Then individual swimmers will compete in PSAC and NCAA competition.

IUP swimming will now return home to Indiana to face off against Gannon on Dec. 3 in the Pidgeon Natatorium.

Gannon holds a 1-1 record with a win against Saint Vincent and a loss to Rochester Institute of Technology.

The event will begin at 6 p.m.