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IUP IUP POSTPONES POSTPONES GRADUATION, GRADUATION, CHANGES CHANGES SUMMER SUMMER CLASSES CLASSES

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NEWS

News Editor: Jake Slebodnick – J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu Lead News Writer: Anna Mechling – A.Mechling@iup.edu

(IUP Website) With spring graduation postponed, students that were expecting to graduate question what the future holds.

(The Penn Archives) Stapleton Library, along with other facilities on campus, closed its doors on Friday as part of a university-wide effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Academic facilities close as COVID-19 pandemic grows JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

As cases surrounding COVID-19 rapidly increase in Pennsylvania, IUP is taking extra precaution in ensuring the safety of students and university staff members.

In a press release published Monday morning, IUP announced the closing of Patrick J. Stapleton Jr. Library as well as other academic facilities which took effect on Friday.

Despite the library shutting its doors until further notice, library services will continue to be available for students throughout the remainder of the semester, as a “virtual library” will serve as an online reference center.

With this virtual library, students can chat and email with library personnel, utilize a telephone reference area and access research support as well.

Copies of articles are also available by online delivery to IUP user desktops while students can borrow items from IUP’s digi-

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tal collections across the nation.

Questions can be directed to the “Ask a Librarian” feature on the Library webpage on the IUP website, compared to submitting an iHelp ticket to IT Services.

Students that need direct access to computers or internet on campus can utilize the Ruddock Hall computer lab, which started on Monday and is open form 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Access to the lab is at the entrance at the corner of Maple and 11th Streets.

In addition, various academic facilities will cease on-site operations for the remainder of the spring. Employees were given until noon on Monday to retrieve their belongings from their office, after which the buildings would close.

Anyone with immediate need to enter these facilities will have to contact University Police at 724-357-2141.

While most facilities close, those that will remain open include: - Limited residential spaces

in Ruddock Hall for students remaining in on-campus housing.

- The Hadley Union Building (HUB) food court, which will continue its hours of operation as before.

- The Health Services office in Suites on Maple East, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.

IUP students and employees seeking internet access must be on campus to gain access. A list of recommended locations to gain access is listed on a graphic on page 4.

Like the library, IT created a virtual support center, where students, faculty and staff members can access face-to-face help through a Zoom meeting.

IT will be accessible from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. daily.

Live help-desk support will join the call to assist, and IT says this will not replace iHelp tickets.

More information on closures and alternative methods will be released upon discovery.

April 1, 2020

IUP postpones graduation, changes summer classes KATIE MEST

Editor-In-Chief K.A.Mest@iup.edu @katiemest

The changes keep on coming.

The second week of online classes brought more updates to students’ inboxes.

Graduation IUP President Michael Driscoll sent an email to students Monday officially announcing the postponement of May commencement. Students have been wondering about the fate of their graduation since universities first started suspending in-person learning.

“Recognizing the need to stay safe and the uncertain status of the coronavirus pandemic, we are postponing May commencement, including all university-wide, college and departmental ceremonies, and will offer graduates the chance to participate in an on-campus commencement during the fall 2020 semester,” Driscoll said in the email.

He noted that students will still receive their degrees, regardless of when an in-person commencement ceremony takes place, and they still want to give both May and August graduates the opportunity to walk in a ceremony on campus. They are

corresponding with graduates and their families to try to plan further.

“We know this change is upsetting and disappointing, and we sincerely regret that some of our May graduates may not be able to participate in an on-campus ceremony,” Driscoll said. “Commencement is one of the high points for our university, but this necessary postponement does not lessen our pride in our graduates and our appreciation to all of you who have worked hard to help our students get to this important milestone.”

Online Summer Instruction Driscoll sent another email Tuesday morning saying that IUP would be following Chancellor Dan Greenstein’s instruction to continue the suspension of in-person instruction through the summer. This means classes, internships and field study work will be done online.

Any conference activity hosted

by IUP Conference Services through May is now canceled or postponed.

University presidents can grant exceptions for students in “extraordinary circumstances.”

Driscoll asked that faculty work through their deans or Provost Timothy Moerland to present him with such cases.

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Available Connection Bays: - Washington Street parking lot (west side) - Johnson Hall parking lot - Whitmyre Hall parking lots - Eleventh Street parking lot (next to Stephenson Hall) - Miller Stadium parking lot (near the ticket booth) - Reschini Hall parking lot - Stouffer Hall parking lot - South Campus parking lot

Spaghetti Benders burglarized on Friday

(Jess Truby/The Penn)

A late-night break in at Spaghetti Benders resulted in stolen funds and unanswered questions.

In a Facebook post by the restaurant, an unknown person broke in around 12:30 Friday morning, stole funds from the cash register and fled the scene.

Security footage was unable to pick up the identity of the suspect, however, according to WCCS-Indiana, police arrested 44-year-old Jude Alan Yackuboskey Tuesday morning and charged him with burglary, theft by unlawful taking, criminal trespass and receiving stolen property.

He is currently in Indiana County Jail after failing to post a $25,000 bond.

(IUP Athletics) Malik Miller (left) and Chucky Humphries (right) saw their season end abruptly after COVID-19 forced playoff basketball to stop.

Seniors see final semester cut short due to COVID-19 ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This semester has been like no other semester in colleges and schools worldwide.

Many people are out of jobs, are doing school online and are spending time at home self-isolating themselves because of the coronavirus.

Self-isolation and quarantine are beneficial to remain healthy for people to be away from those who may have the virus. For many, especially seniors, it has left them uncertain of what will happen with things like their requirements to finish the remainder of the semester.

Although May is not here yet, and things can change quickly with the virus and other economic situations, seniors who are graduating in May are left nervous and worried about the remainder of the semester.

President Driscoll and IUP have allowed student workers to get paid for the remainder of the semester despite not actually working on campus or working remotely.

For many students, it allows for some income to flow in, especially if their parents or family members are out of work and

aren’t eligible for paid leave.

Many seniors feel like they were gipped out of their last semester and are sad that they will no longer be able to see their friends on a daily basis, especially those who may not live in close proximity to them.

“Words can’t even explain how I feel about losing this last semester,” Anita Morrison (senior, early childhood/special education) said. “I never thought saying bye to my friends for spring break would be the last time I would be seeing them.

“It ended so quickly, and I’m still not able to fully process what happened. I have no idea if I will be able to continue student teaching and even graduate.”

It is not surprising that many seniors also feel like they may not get a graduation ceremony.

Although it is likely that most seniors know that having a large number of people in a small, secluded area is not the best thing with the coronavirus in play, they are still sad to think that they won’t have a May graduation ceremony to participate in.

“If they are able to work something out, I really hope they give the seniors and those who are graduating a ceremony,” Morrison said. “Everything has been taken away from us all too quickly.

“We seniors still deserve the recognition for the hard work we put in here at IUP. We lost our chance for senior sendtooffs, last dinners with our friends, senior pictures and so much more. I hope IUP decides to give us our ceremony or at least think about postponing it if are unable to do it in May. I will miss IUP so much, and I am sad I had to say goodbye to my home like this.”

Some seniors aren’t thrilled with what has happened with the remainder of the semester being moved to online classes but are eager to hopefully start in the professional world soon after graduation.

“Although I’m not too happy about having my last semester get cut short with enjoying it with my friends and staying up at IUP, I will be graduating in May, and I’ve accepted a full time position in Charlotte, North Carolina, as a technology analyst for a finance and insurance company,” Brighton Plauger (senior, management information systems) said.

“I am looking forward to hopefully starting there after graduation. Knowing the state our world is facing right now, I think I will be taking everyday as it is, but I am trying to be optimistic and hope that this will die down in a few months and that people will get better also.”

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Student employees elated as IUP opts to pay during pandemic JESS TRUBY

Digital Managing Editor J.L.Truby@iup.edu @jesstruby

When the university switched to remote learning, classes were not the only thing on some students' minds. On-campus jobs are popular with students due to their flexibility and convenience.

Student workers will continue to be paid, regardless of whether they can work remotely and will be paid with an average of how many hours they've worked according to Michelle Fryling, executive director of media relations. The Student Cooperative Association has decided to follow in the university's steps and pay its student workers, too.

If students can work onsite or remotely, they will be paid for their work as normal. If a student cannot work onsite or remotely, the student will still be paid. If you fall into the category of not being able to perform work, payments will be calculated using the average hours of the three full pay periods before spring break.

Many students are elated at the news.

"When I found out IUP would continue paying student workers I was surprised and very happy," Hayley Woodside (sophomore, communications media) said. "A lot of us use this money to pay for things like housing, groceries and other school necessities."

Woodside works as an office assistant in the communications media department, assisting professors, editing videos, making deliveries, giving tours and getting in contact with the departments' alumni to post updates on the departments' social media.

"I think it is helpful for students who really need the money to pay for college and are unable to work due to the circumstances," Stacy Everett (junior, fashion and interior design) said. Everett works in the Hadley Union Building at the front desk answering phones, taking messages, copying, on-campus deliveries, greeting office visitors. "Personally, I am obviously happy to still be getting paid. From the perspective of an Indiana townie, they said to me 'as a friend, I'm happy for you, as a taxpayer, I am not,' so I guess there are pros

(NeedPix) Job hunting can be intimidating enough, but finding a job during a national crisis could be more challenging.

How is COVID-19 affecting the job market for seniors?

(The Penn Archives) Students that have questions should direct them to the Office of Human Resources in Sutton Hall.

and cons and two sides to any situation."

The decision by the university shaped students' decisions to apply for other jobs or work elsewhere.

"I think that it's a great gesture that IUP is going to continue paying their student workers during the crisis," said Brandon Lynd (senior, management). "I was going to apply to Costco in my hometown, but then I got the news that we were going to be paid, so I held off on that. I have an internship that starts in June, so this will help me out until then."

Gabriel Griffith (junior, history) works basketball games while at IUP but returned to his hometown job. He has been working at a retirement community since high school.

"With everything going on with COVID-19, they've needed help in a lot of places, and it's really fulfilling to be there helping out," said Griffith. "COVID-19 has really hit these sorts of communities hard; I see it every day. Residents are confined to their rooms and no visits under any circumstances."

Griffith was less worried about the pandemics effect on his job situation and schoolwork, but the effect on society.

"My anxieties come from the effect COVID-19 has on our society and day to day," Griffith said.

"Namely people who are taking it lightly, looking at it as an extended vacation of sorts, which is frustrating for me. But overall, I'm

fortunate to still be working at this time because considering the time frame who knows how long my savings would've held up. I only work two days a week, so I can balance that with my schoolwork and having a steady income still is nice for me and my family."

Student workers can find more information on the student employment page of the IUP website, but that did not cure all students' worries and frustrations.

"I felt it could have been explained better to student workers," Sierra Gaunt (senior, communications media) said.

Some students may not see a paycheck if they are part-time employees.

"They are only paying students who are full-time students. And that's not acceptable because those students can still work up to 25 hours a week. I have started looking for other jobs, but with almost everything closed, it's been basically impossible. It's affected me personally by messing with my schedule. Luckily, I'm still one of the students still getting paid.

But there were two weeks where I didn't know that. As a whole, the university downplayed the entire situation until it was too late then suddenly, we didn't have classes and we didn't have jobs. I think that it all could have been handled better."

For any questions or concerns students can contact the Office of Human Resources at 724-357-2431 or human-resources@iup.edu.

EMILY LOOSE

Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Job searching can be a daunting task, but job hunting while there is a pandemic may feel almost impossible.

The world is feeling many difficulties due to the COVID-19 outbreak and that includes students at IUP. During spring break, President Michael Driscoll came to a decision to close campus and have students learn from home.

Though thoughts on this move are mixed, no one has more questions than current seniors.

Due to the recent change, not only is graduation on the line, but finding a job is more difficult than ever. Only essential employees are currently working and many places are not holding interviews because of the need to keep a distance.

This has added extra stress for the seniors who were already feeling anxiety due to the sudden change in space and learning.

Blaine Shindel (senior, psychology) is not only stressed, but annoyed with the current situation, as well.

“It honestly is kind of hard because I wanted to walk across the stage for graduation,” he said. “I wanted to see my girlfriend walk, too. It just sucks.”

Searching for a career in his field is not his first priority, however.

“I have graduate school, at least. So I will not be working right away with a full-time job. Just other types of work. Even then, I have something lined up.”

Noah Saylor (senior, communications media) said he is most upset with his summer plans being held up.

“My general concerns are that my internship plans for the summer are postponed,” he said.

“Not many places are currently accepting positions with the uncertainty of everything going on. I was looking at paid positions in different locations this summer.”

The whole IUP community has been struggling with the changes. No one can tell what the future holds for upcoming events, but seniors are trying to find hope and a bright side.

Although job hunting may prove to be an obstacle now, there is a chance that things will become easier.

“Not many places are currently accepting positions with the uncertainty of

everything going on."

- Noah Saylor, Senior, Communications Media

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April 1, 2020

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Online transition sparks conversation for art majors ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This semester has brought many drastic changes to the entire world. For many college students, online classes are now the new normal.

Professors had a short time to gather material and to change their classes to go online.

Many classes have made a slow, but finally comfortable transition to online course work. However, not all classes and not all majors made the transition easily.

For majors like architecture, nursing and teaching, there is not a great way to put material online, especially if they are doing handson, in-person training.

Art majors are not easily converted to online classes. Like architecture majors, much of the work is done in studio classes, which are often hour-long classes.

For art professors, especially, trying to figure out a way to do art classes online was initially challenging.

“It certainly was a crazy few weeks migrating my classes online,” professor Susan Palmisano said. “I am teaching several sections of figure drawing, a foundation course.

“We obviously won’t be working from a live model, but

(IUP Website) The transition to an all-online platform brought hardship to art majors as it’s made turning in assignements and one-on-one interaction less prevalent.

fortunately, students have had half a semester focusing on anatomy and proportions in the classroom.”

It is not surprising to hear that many art professors were initially stumped and had to think of creative ways to do their classes online.

“When the transition to online learning was made, I was currently teaching a Color & 2D-Design class as well as several different levels of painting classes,” professor Ivan Fortushniak said. “Before COVID-19, I had already been recording my in-class demonstrations for my students to have access to on D2L. “The hardest part for me was simplifying projects for my students so it could be manageable

for them to do wherever they are. I am grateful to have a large art studio at home that I have been able to equip with recording technology and work to pre-record my demonstrations, etc., so my students can access it whenever they have time.

“When we were in the classroom studios at IUP, they had space to work large as well as good ventilation for the paint fumes. My students are having to adjust to smaller sizes in some cases, as well as changing what solvents they use with their paints.”

Professors know that there are challenges that are arising with online courses, and although they want students to do well in finishing the remainder of the semester,

they are also concerned about safety, too.

“As professors, our hearts go out to the students who have been uprooted and dispersed mid-semester and the challenges this must be presenting to them,” Fortushniak said. “However, we know how resilient our students are, and I’m personally seeing my students rising to the occasion and carrying on their work even though it is difficult.

“My main focus and concern is staying connected and being accessible to my students. I have not heard from all my students after they were dispersed, so I hope they are safe and healthy.”

Art students are on the frontline of doing the work, and although

many say it’s been tricky managing work that is often done in person, many think the professors have done the best they can adjusting to online classwork.

“I would say overall, it makes time management easier, and the work doesn’t feel as intense,” Nicholas Richardson (senior, fine arts) said. “But it’s unfortunate how it’s really limited our resources.

“We don’t have access to studios or the tools in them, so we have to work around that from home, and it’s definitely been tricky. I think the professors have done the best they can in adjusting things and making sure the classes can still work and be beneficial to us.”

Our faculty are remarkably creative and energetic in finding novel ways to address these concerns and provide a strong educational experience, the sort of thing you would expect from IUP.” Another topic being discussed includes whether grades should be pass/fail or remain a GPA. Driscoll gave examples of special circumstances such as “a student may not have internet access at their home.”

“It’s true in Indiana County, and it’s true elsewhere in the country,” Driscoll said. “A student may have special learning needs that don’t adapt well to online education.

We’re finding ways to deal with that.”

The Student Government Association asked for student feedback on this topic and decided the best way to represent the students’ voice is that everyone have the option to choose individually.

SGA Vice President David

Laughead represented students at the president’s cabinet meeting Monday, SGA President Alex Fefolt said. The University Senate will vote on the semester grading system April 7.

IUP also established an emergency response fund.

“It’s being used to support specific student needs as they make the transition through these difficult times to this new way of doing business for right now,” Driscoll said.

The IUP emergency response fund includes nearly $100,000 already, Fefolt said.

All these changes could affect how IUP educates in the future.

“This situation shows education can be moved, to some degree, online,” Fefolt said. “It’s scary for me because there is value to having in-person classes, but we can move to this cheaper medium where it’s less expensive to educate students.”

COVID-19 outbreak results in numerous changes for IUP community KAITLYN CIANCIO Staff Writer K.R.Ciancio@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Despite coronavirus uncertainties, IUP President Michael Driscoll said, “I can report to you spring is coming to IUP,” in a YouTube video Friday, March 20.

“Trees are just beginning to bud, flowers are starting to peek up from the ground, and the squirrels are out looking for their next meal,” Driscoll said. “I think just as much as the rest of us, they miss our students right now. But they’re here, and we’re going to be here by working together to make sure this semester and the semesters that follow and the years that follow will have a strong IUP.” COVID-19 led to many IUP community changes; however, online classes resumed March 23.

On the first day, Desire2Learn experienced a statewide problem due to website traffic influx.

(The Penn Archives) The Oak Grove will lie dormant this spring after COVID-19’s outbreak.

On Twitter, IUP officials stated, “We are aware D2L is experiencing issues statewide. Pennsylvania State System is actively working on the problem and looking to resolve this issue this afternoon.”

This is not the only problem so far which IUP students and faculty have been working to fix.

“Our faculty are working hard to move to remote methods for providing education for all our students, all of our classes, all of our experiences,” Driscoll said. “Some of these are harder than others of course and requires some creative thought: things like internships and practica for nursing students.

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Online shopping, delivery options will not get you everything LAUREN ZUMBACH TNS Chicago Tribune Think you're going to find online the frozen vegetables and toilet paper you can't find in stores? Think delivery is going to be quick?

Think again.

Grocery stores aren't just battling to stock shelves in stores.

They also are swamped with online shoppers who are placing more orders and buying more.

The average order at grocery delivery service Instacart is up 20 percent so far in March compared with the same period in February, the company said.

Grocery chains say they're doing their best to keep up with the surge, including hiring more workers, but still warn shoppers could face longer-than-expected lead times or issues with out-ofstock items.

Connor Ulrey, 25, of Chicago, said he got a voicemail from Jewel-Osco saying the order he placed earlier this month for canned goods and bottled water was canceled. The message also promised a $50 credit, which Ulrey said he has not received.

A replacement order couldn't be delivered for another five days, said Ulrey, who buys groceries online because he doesn't drive and is hesitant to use public transit during the pandemic. That order arrived when promised, but Ulrey said the missed delivery made him nervous.

"The drivers and people in the store are working so hard. I'm not trying to sound like a jerk here, but I also need to know if I'm going to get these or not." he said.

How long a shopper will wait for an online order varies by store and depends on when customers place orders, as well as whether they are picking up their purchase or having it delivered.

About 67 percent of U.S. consumers expect to do more shopping online if the pandemic continues, and nearly 70 percent of those shoppers said they thought they would buy more food online, according to a survey conducted by Coresight Research last week.

It's hard for grocery stores to react to growth like that overnight, said Neil Stern, senior partner at Chicago-based retail consultancy McMillanDoolittle.

Delivering them isn't easy: A

(TNS) Some think shopping online will result in guaranteed items. However, studies show that isn’t quite true.

single order likely has a variety of oddly shaped products that need to be kept at different temperatures.

Adding workers focused on online orders who pick items off store shelves and pack them up for delivery can help, but they also compete with other customers for merchandise, Stern said.

In other words, there are no shortcuts. The employee filling your online order may lose out to another shopper reaching for the same product.

"Now grocery stores look like war zones. They're not going to have any more success getting toilet paper than you are," Stern said.

Several companies are hiring to help handle the demand, including Instacart, which said Monday it plans to add 15,000 people who will shop for and deliver groceries ordered through its service in Illinois and 300,000

nationwide. Walmart announced plans to recruit 150,000 temporary employees to work through May, including 5,000 in Illinois.

Walmart also said it will give current employees bonuses, as did CVS and Walgreens, while Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods and Amazon said they're temporarily raising wages.

Companies also are tweaking how the orders are delivered, such as by introducing "contact-free" delivery, where items are left at shoppers' doors.

Instacart said 25 percent of orders last week were made using the new contact-free option.

It also said it wouldn't penalize workers who received customer ratings under five stars and worked with stores to make sure caps on the number of in-demand items shoppers could buy in stores applied to online buyers too.

Shoppers might have better

luck going to an independent grocer's website, but it's no sure bet.

John Mourikes, owner of Foodsmart Urban Market in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, estimated he's getting 10 times his usual number of online orders, some coming from as far as the South Loop. His online customers are usually people looking for a single tough-to-find ingredient.

"Now I'm getting people just desperate for groceries," he said.

Dealing with out-of-stock items has been a challenge, especially when the customer indicates a substitute, like a different brand or size, isn't acceptable, Mourikes said. If too many items are missing, he'll cancel the order.

Mourikes handles orders through online grocery company Mercato. The 900 grocery stores using Mercato's service are now

getting 20 times the number of orders they received during the second week of March, said CEO Bobby Brannigan.

Mercato is making changes to better track whether items are in stock, since many grocery stores don't monitor inventory in real time. It has started listing in-demand items like hand sanitizer as out-of-stock if a store hasn't sold one in an unusually long time, he said.

"We never had to do that before, because we've never seen things move this way," he said.

Erik Archambeault, who owns specialty food stores Provisions Uptown and Rogers Park Provisions in Chicago and sells online with Mercato, said he now has an employee count inventory daily to keep the online store up to date.

He hadn't been getting enough online orders to require daily checks until last week, when his stores got more online orders during a single hour Thursday evening than it had in the past six months.

But will shoppers frustrated by long wait times or out-of-stock items, especially those trying online grocery shopping for the first time amid the pandemic, give online grocery shopping another shot once things return to normal?

Jonathan Thomas, 36, of LaPorte, Ind., said he wasn't upset when his Instacart order from Kroger had more items than usual requiring a substitute and a couple of things were out of stock altogether. He tipped 20 percent instead of his usual 10 percent because delivery workers "are just as important" as health care workers, he said in a message on Twitter.

"They're maxed out right now and deserve a bit extra," he said.

April 1, 2020

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COOK CHIROPRACTIC & REHABILITATION 266 South 7th Street Indiana, PA 15701

Dr. Scott Cook, DC, ACRRT

“Dr. Cook, Thanks for all Your Help!

You are by far the best Chiropractor out there" -Jason Capizzi (Former NFL and IUP Player)

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Monday & Wednesday: 8:15 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Friday: 8:15 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Saturday & Sunday: Emergencies only

(724) 465-9160

www.cook-chiropractic.com

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April 1, 2020

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Spring is in full bloom around campus

(Heather Bair/The Penn) As spring evolves, flowers begin to blossom both on the ground and on trees around campus. Indiana had a week of warm temperatures, but many are hopeful that it wasn’t a facade.

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April 1, 2020

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Contact Us: (724) 349-0462 philadelphiasquare.com

Opinion

CARTOONS

(Wikicommons) MAPs, “minor attracted people,” are trying to be part of the LGBTQ+ community.

MAPs push to be part of LGBTQ+; strongly denied There’s a new group attempting to join the LGBTQ+ community, but it isn’t what you think.

A new group, identifying themselves as MAPs, or “minor-attracted people” have been attempting to join the LGBTQ+ community since January. While the term has been around a few months longer than that, it has started becoming more prevalent since January.

A MAP is anyone who is attracted to minors. In other words, another way for pedophiles to create excuses for their behavior.

MAPs have created their own flag in the colors of baby blue, white and baby pink. Colors that are eye-catching to minors.

The LGBTQ+ community has refused entrance to the group as a new sexuality.

While the entire idea of pedophiles is sickening in and of itself, the fact that they are trying to excuse their behavior is another level entirely. Let’s call them what they are; pedophiles, sex offenders, sexual assaulters.

The so-called “community” openly admits to having sexual feelings towards children, and wish to “normalize those feelings,” according to the website, She the People (https://www.sheth-

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epeople.tv/top-stories/opinion/ rebranding-pedophiles-minor-attracted-people).

Pedophiles who have been interviewed and identify as MAPs have said that they “are trying to erase the stigma behind being attracted to minors.”

There is no stigma surrounding pedophilia. Put plain and simple, it is sickening. One excuse given by a self-identified MAP is that, “if a child can decide between wanting chocolate or vanilla ice cream, they can consent to sexual activities.”

A child is not capable of consenting to sexual activities. They have no concept of what sex or sexual activities are. Children are easily manipulated and easily bribed. They can be told they will be given an award or made to feel that they are solely important to the assaulter. Comparing sexual acts to ice cream doesn’t make any sense, unless, of course, you’re trying to excuse your behavior.

Even if a child is 13+, which is a “category” that MAPs can prefer, among others, they are still unable to fully consent to sexual activities.

Even pre-teens and teenagers are easily manipulated into doing something they truly don’t want to do. All it takes is the right bribe,

the right words, the right manipulation, and a child can be coerced into doing something. And last I checked, non-consensual sex is still illegal in all 50 states.

Pedophiles have no excuse, reason or cause to try to identify themselves as a socially acceptable category in the LGBTQ+ community. They are not a legal sexuality preference. Pedophilia is illegal, even if you identify yourself as a MAP. You are saying you are sexually attracted to a child under the age of 18. You’re saying you can be sexually attracted to a six-year-old child rather than someone your own age. The party with problems is not society, it is the MAP community.

Let’s call it what it is; it is not being a minor-attracted person, it is not being excused for a disgusting behavior. It is being a pedophile.

It is having a deep-seated psychological problem that requires help.

It is wrong. And trying to excuse it just makes it worse. Own up to a problem you have and get the help you need, don’t try to justify it by calling it something else, because it isn’t.

Brought to you

By The Penn Staff

April 1, 2020

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Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown– ydmx@iup.edu

(Facebook) Even though the IUP HUB Fitness Center has closed its doors, it is now offering fitness classes online on its Instagram page, @iupgroupfitness_. You can also find workout videos on YouTube, such as Blogilates (bottom left) and The Fitness Marshall (bottom right), both of which share workout videos and pilates videos to help you stay fit.

University gym closes, students find other ways to stay fit JEFF HART

Lead Sports Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Amidst the pandemic that has affected millions, many are trying to find alternative ways to stay in shape. This has particularly affected many students who get a majority of their physical exercise from their university’s gym and fitness programs.

With the practice of social distancing being imposed everywhere, that has made it impossible for many students to be able to practice their typical routine of staying physically active.

Culture

Across the country, many people are unable to leave their homes for long periods of time due to COVID-19, and having a healthy mindset is key if you are going to be stuck inside for days on end.

Even though universities across the country are closed, students are finding alternative ways to stay in shape to help their mental health.

“I try by working around the farms nearby and helping with any manual labor tasks,” said Eric Dountas (sophomore, criminology). “I also occasionally try to go out for hikes and long walks.”

Students can take advantage of nice days and explore their local parks. When you’re forced inside, you may have to rely on bodyweight exercises to get you by without the gym. But plenty of instructors are sharing their workout routines on YouTube and Instagram.

While conventional options like the gym may be unavailable for students, there are plenty of healthy and effective alternatives that students are finding.

Even though the students may be away, the university is still finding ways to provides students with effective ways of

April 1, 2020

staying healthy.

IUP Group Fitness has begun uploading virtual exercises and workouts that students can access at home. For some students this is the first time they have not had the option of a traditional workout environment available to them, and these videos can really help push them in the right direction.

IUP Group Fitness has been offering these virtual training exercises on their Instagram page (@ iupgroupfitness_) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for those who want this extra instruction.

The fitness classes are upload-

ed on their story for 24 hours and are taught by experienced past instructors. This unique option is very helpful, and some students are excited having this online option available to them.

“I personally like my routine, but I know other people who would definitely love the videos,” said Dountas.

With groups like IUP Group Fitness offering alternatives to the gym, it is making it easier for students to stay healthy both physically and mentally.

If we are to get through this, we need to remain strong and keep pushing through.

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(Facebook) IUP library faculty and staff are looking to expand using open educational resources, OER, that help with the cost of learning.

#textbookbroke campaign highlights steep expenses KAITLYN CIANCIO Staff Writer K.R.Ciancio@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Leaning over a pile of homework at 10 p.m., senior nursing major Allyson Donnelly explained her textbook expenses.

She reflected on her IUP years and said her first semester sophomore year was the most expensive.

She spent an estimated $1,500.

“For their first semester sophomore year, nursing students have to buy more than books,” Donnelly said. “We have to buy uniforms for clinical, a medical supply kit to practice with and Assessment Technologies Institute textbooks, too.”

ATI textbooks contain study guides or summaries of other textbooks that nursing students are quizzed on for extra points.

“It’s like spending $1,000 for an extra 10 points,” she said.

Nursing professors also suggested each nursing student should purchase a $300 phone app, but professors did not use it,

(Kaitlyn Ciancio/ The Penn) Allyson Donnelly’s nursing textbooks she’s had to buy since her time at IUP.

and the app had a one-year expiration, Donnelly said.

Clearances and drug tests need to be purchased by nursing students as well, she said.

“This semester was one of the cheaper semesters,” Donnelly

said. “I probably spent about $150, which is saying a lot since it’s the cheapest. I rented a lot of textbooks and reused a lot of online codes from previous years.”

In total, she estimates spending $2,500 on textbooks and school supplies.

“If I didn’t have to spend so much on textbooks, that money would have gone toward food and daily cost of living,” Donnelly said. “A lot of my stress would be gone with the extra money; I wouldn’t have to constantly work while in school.”

Her textbook cost left Donnelly without a car for clinical, and she rode her bike to Indiana Regional Medical Center during fall of her junior year.

“Despite the extra expenses, I am grateful for the opportunities IUP gave me,” she said.

Donnelly gave a similar account of her textbook cost with 186 other IUP students who stopped in the library and responded to the #textbookbroke campaign.

When asked what they would

do with the money instead, student responses included, “afford food,” “pay for my wedding” and “go home for the holidays.”

The campaign is run by library faculty who are looking to expand open educational resources (OER).

OER are “teaching, learning and research resources that are free of cost and access barriers and allow anyone to use, adapt and share,” according to the IUP Libraries’ website.

Library faculty and staff such as Elin Woods used different sticky note colors on a white board to signify the students who attend different IUP colleges.

The campaign showed the total average per semester for students textbooks is $325.

The students who spent the most money were in the College of Health and Human Services – a total of $31,313 from the 67 participants. These students’ average cost is $467.

The College of Fine Arts students spent the least at $201 from only six participants.

Woods shared this information at a Student Government Association meeting in February and proposed future steps be taken.

Her suggestions included using more OER overall, especially for general education classes, and hosting a townhall meeting for students, library staff, faculty and the Co-Op Store.

When asked how successful this has been implemented on other campuses, Woods said, “the power came from the students.”

She plans to continue the #textbookbroke campaign by surveying in college buildings to get more participants, taking the information to the college deans and hosting events to raise awareness.

“Our board has wheels,” Woods said. “We plan to go on the road.”

Using OER, professors can write their own textbooks or edit others online to fit their classes, she said.

Students can find current faculty members who teach with OER by going online to the IUP Libraries’ website.

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Different ways to keep busy during time at home ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

With the coronavirus affecting the majority of social aspects of everyone’s life like going to work, school or enjoying going out to different restaurants, gyms and people-based areas, many people are staying inside their homes.

However, many people are finding that there’s only so much you can do to pass the time and boredom at home for weeks on end. Thus, people are trying to find different ways besides simply watching hours of Netflix, Hulu and Disney + to keep busy.

“I am trying to stay on top of homework and studying more than watching TV,” Kyanna Price (freshman, marketing) said.

“When I’m not studying or doing homework, I am watching things like ‘The Walking Dead.’ I also have been meditating and vibing out to music. I recently made a Tik Tok, so I’ve been making videos with my family. Another hobby I picked up during these times of quarantine and self-isolation is running around my neighborhood. It allows me to let off some steam and get out of the house.

Since there aren’t people outside, it’s also a safe way to get some fresh air and avoid people.”

Many students have found that working, with the caution of washing their hands and staying several feet away from customers is a good way to stay busy and make some money.

“Going from a full-time, on-campus student to a full-time homebody has been a huge change for me,” Hannah Gardzalla (senior, music) said. “At the announcement that campus was closing, I worked with my job to become cross-trained in several departments allowing me to proceed as an employee.

Working for my main job about 30 hours a week, I have also started working as a house maid for elder residents in my area.

When I’m not at work, I dedicate at least two hours three days a week to school, with the remainder of my time being spent with friends or family.

“Most of my singing classes have had a hard time converting to digital learning, so listening to classical music has taken an interesting turn.

(Facebook) While some students are passing time binging shows on streaming services like “The Walking Dead” (top left) and “New Girl” (top right), others are checking out new apps, like Tik Tok (bottom left) and most importantly, doing some studying for classes over Zoom.

“I volunteer as a choir member for a local church, which also keeps me actively engaged in my major and keeps me busy.”

Many people are currently experiencing life without a job but are trying to keep in touch with friends and family via social media, calling and video chatting.

“It seems I have more time on my hands than I immediately thought,” Elizabeth “EJ” Fabiszewski (sophomore, marketing) said. “Due to the circumstances, I am unable to work where I usually do, which has given me a lot of free time. When I’m not doing classwork, I am usually playing the guitar or I am forcing my siblings to spend time with me. When those things aren’t occurring, I’ve been able to keep in touch with friends from school through Xbox and Zoom.

“I started to re-watch some of my favorite shows from the past like ‘New Girl’ to help make things feel a little bit normal in current time. I’d suggest people do what they like to do and enjoy most to keep grounded and not go insane.”

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Big names perform concerts from their living rooms for fans HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer H.Brown@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

The Live iHeart Radio living room concert began at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday and opened with a lovely speech by Elton John who “hosted” the show. The first performance featured Alicia Keys who sang her song “Like a Prayer” and dedicated it to the first responders and medical professionals that are risking their own lives to keep people safe and healthy. Keys sat in her living room at her purple piano in leggings and a T-shirt, makeup free, and performed the moving intro of the concert.

The hashtag #iHeartConcertOnFOX could be used for any social media coverage of the event, and throughout each performance, the links needed to donate to the organizations that were being supported appeared multiple times onscreen.

The concert was focused on supporting the First Responder’s Children Foundation and Feeding America, a network of food banks ensuring that no one goes hungry during this COVID-19 crisis. The First Responder’s Children foundation covers food, rent and other bills and expenses needed to support families of those working at the forefront of the global pandemic.

The second performance was “I Want It That Way” performed in five different living rooms simultaneously by the Backstreet Boys. The performance was fun and energetic, switching between the five screens of the band members and set up like a music video from the time the band peaked in popularity.

Two of the band members even included their children in their section of the video, and throughout the performance, it was obvious that each member was having an absolute blast.

Elton John made a brief announcement about how Proctor and Gamble made a $500,000 donation, which FOX agreed to meet, raising $1 million in donations within the first five minutes of the program’s start.

Short selfie videos of the first responders and healthcare providers were pieced together and provided a chilling and serious look into the lives of the first responders during the COVID-19 crisis.

(Facebook) Elton John (left) was the host of Friday’s living room concerts from iHeart Radio, at which Alicia Keys (right) opened the concert with her performance of her song “Like a Prayer.”

Multiple celebrities appeared onscreen to encourage the watchers to donate and to spread some comic relief as well. A few of the celebrities featured were Lizzo, Ellen DeGeneres and Ryan Seacrest.

Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters told viewers to tell those they loved how important they are to them and sang a song called “My Hero” in his home while accompanying himself on the guitar.

While each musician performed, a small bar of script scrolled along the bottom of the screen, listing the websites that viewers could donate to and mentioning some of the largest contributors to the cause, including YouTube. Tweets about the concert also scrolled along the screen during the songs.

At the end of Grohl’s performance, he jokingly encouraged viewers to sing the last verse of his song while handwashing to ensure a long enough time spent lathering.

The second feature was focused mainly on the police officers who are continuing to serve despite the chances of encountering someone ill while on duty A homeschooled performer was introduced in order to encourage the frustrated and likely exhausted parents who are now responsible for their children’s continued education during the crisis.

From their living room in Los Angeles, Billie Eilish and her brother, FINNEAS, thanked iHeart and FOX for allowing them to be a part of the program. For their feature, FINNEAS strummed the acoustic guitar while Billie sat on the couch next to him and

sang her hit “Bad Guy” while he provided some gorgeous backup harmonies. They ended playfully and the program segued into another clip.

Truckers and delivery men and women were highlighted next and thanked along with grocery store workers and they were all affectionately deemed “everyday heroes” by Elton John.

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello were shown next, thanking the first responders with a performance of “My Oh My.” Cabello mentioned how important an effort it is to stay “safe and compassionate” as we go through this together.

Mendes played the guitar and Camilla provided the gorgeous vocals to the simple strumming.

Cabello read the lyrics off her phone, clearly enjoying herself throughout the song while playfully making hand gestures and faces while Mendes played for her.

Their clip was followed by Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone, her husband, who comically wiped her face with a baby wipe after another encouragement to keep up the social distancing and hand-washing routine.

Billie Joe Armstrong from the band Green Day joined in and played “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” while his chihuahuas frolicked around his feet. He beckoned his puppies onscreen as he played the final chorus of the song on his guitar, blowing a kiss to all the watchers at home.

Lady Gaga threw in a short video message of her own and encouraged all to be compassionate and kind to themselves as well

as others and told viewers to take care of their mental health, move their bodies, meditate and to find joy in any way possible. She encouraged people to be kind to themselves, sending love and a hello to Elton John, who then video chatted with the ever-energetic Lizzo in Palm Springs.

Lizzo insisted on spreading the encouraging message: “We cannot let this tear us apart, the social distancing is meant to bring us together… we cannot let the fear spread faster than the virus, we must let love spread.”

Time McGraw sat in Nashville and sang “Something Like That” while his dogs played in the background. He performed while sitting on the diving board of his pool while his band mates joined in with the music from separate locations on separate screens.

A nurse came onscreen with a self-filmed video from her car and spoke about how she had finished of a 13-hour work shift which she spent mostly alone attempting to keep two critically ill COVID-19 patients alive throughout the shift.

Numerous videos followed this one sporting similarly defeated doctors and nurses who begged viewers to stay home and keep others safe and healthy and to help flatten the curve of the virus’ impact, showing how overwhelming the COVID crisis has already become for first responders everywhere.

An orthopedic surgeon from MayoClinic, Dr. Elvis Francois, came onscreen, singing with fellow doctor, Dr. William Robinson sitting beside him to play the piano. They performed the song

“Imagine” while a slide show of moving images of the impacts of COVID-19 scrolled.

Sam Smith joined the show from his home in London to sing an acapella version of “How Do You Sleep” snapping along to keep beat and grooving to his own vocals, exhibiting how excited and passionate he was about being a part of raising money for the cause.

Demi Lovato added a short video and reminded viewers that nothing could tear us down, performing an abbreviated version of her always-powerful song “Skyscraper” while more images of the crisis were shown onscreen including empty city streets, deserted playgrounds and empty airports and stations.

Ellen Degeneres added some much-needed comedy to the program and added a short message to all the incredible souls who were continuing to work hard to keep communities running.

She introduced H.E.R. in New York, who played guitar and sang, performing a song called “Keep Holding On.” Elton John mentioned the cancellations of performances and shows across the world due to the pandemic and introduced Mariah Carey who dedicated her song “Always Be My Baby” to her fans, accompanied by Daniel Moore who played piano for her section.

Elton finished off the show on a keyboard for the heroes “who are doing the best they can” during this crisis. He sang a short version of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” as the credits of the show rolled.

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(Facebook) Matt Smith played the quirky eleventh incarnation of The Doctor (left), and his trusty companions were Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) and Amelia “Amy” Pond (Karen Gillan).

The Eleventh Doctor started traveling the universe 10 years ago Friday HEATHER BAIR Culture Editor H.Bair@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Ten years ago Friday, Whovians everywhere welcomed the newest Doctor to “Doctor Who.” Matt Smith became a household name due to the cult classic science fiction show “Doctor Who,” which first premiered in 1963 with The First Doctor, William Hartnell.

Since then, the show has seen 12 reincarnations of the beloved character, most popular being those of the “New Who” genre, Christopher Eccleston, The Ninth Doctor; David Tennant, the Tenth Doctor; Matt Smith, The Eleventh Doctor; Peter Capaldi, The Twelfth Doctor and Jodie Whittaker as The Thirteenth Doctor and the most recent to date.

“Doctor Who,” a sci-fi fantasy show about a traveling Time Lord and faithful companions, has become a cult classic. While touching on subjects such as diversity, racism, gender issues and more, the show still remains family friendly,

offering something for everyone.

The first generation of the show, called “Old Who,” took place from 1963 until 1996, going through eight reincarnations of The Doctor, a Time Lord from the fictional planet Gallifrey who is the last of his kind. The show started with William Hartnell portraying The First Doctor, an elderly man who has just fled his home planet by stealing a TARDIS, a Time and Relative Dimension in Space time machine.

The TARDIS is the iconic blue police phone box that has become as synonymous with the series as each Doctor’s specific item (a leather jacket for Nine, Ten’s fluffy hair, Eleven’s bow tie, etc.). The TARDIS is classified as a “she” in season six, when the character of Idris is brought in as a humanoid version of it’s consciousness.

When most companions first set foot in the TARDIS, they’re first exclamation is, “It’s bigger on the inside.” The TARDIS has no set dimension, however it is much bigger than it’s disguise as an old-fashioned police box.

Upon the reboot of “Doctor

Who,” Christopher Eccleston was brought on as the newest Doctor in 2005. He lasted one season, giving way to the ever-popular David Tennant, who was The Doctor from 2005 until 2010. Matt Smith made his debut as the bowtie-wearing, custard-eating, no-eyebrows Doctor in his first episode, “The Eleventh Hour.”

From the regeneration of Tennant’s Doctor came a younger, fun-loving quirky Eleventh Doctor.

This was the youngest reincarnation of any Doctor to date. And, for the first time, he had two companions at the same time: Amy Pond and Rory Williams, who would later marry and give birth to The Doctor’s wife, River. Yes, you read that right. Never apply logic to Doctor Who. Also, The Doctor was around 909 years old at this point. So yeah, never try to apply logic.

Amelia, played by Karen Gillan (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) first encounters the newly regenerated Doctor as a 7-year-old little girl.

He crash-lands the TARDIS in her garden, and while it self-repairs, Amy shows him a crack in her wall.

He recognizes this as a tear in the space-time. He agrees to help Amy with it, however the TARDIS is in desparate need of one more trip to finish repairing.

He promises to return for Amy in exactly five minutes. The young girl packs a suitcase and waits.

However, five minutes to the Doctor can mean years or even decades in our time. He returns, 12 years later, much to the surprise of an older Amelia Pond, who now goes by Amy. She begins to scold him as she has suffered much ridicule from the residents of her town for her obsession with “the raggedy Doctor,” as she started calling him twelve years ago.

The Doctor is reminded of the crack in the wall and asks to see it, suddenly opening up a hidden door in Amy’s house that leads to the capture of Prisoner Zero, who escaped the Atraxi prison, housed in the crack.

The two run across Amy’s boyfriend, Rory (Arthur Darvill), who realizes Prisoner Zero, who can overtake any living being’s consciousness, has taken the form of one of his patience in the hospital

where he is a nurse.

The Doctor stops Prisoner Zero and the Atraxi nation from overtaking the Earth, declaring he is Earth’s protector and advises them to not threaten the planet again.

Without a goodbye a second time, he leaves Amy and Rory with a fully repaired TARDIS. He returns again, two years later, apologizing to Amy for leaving her.

She agrees to travel with him, not telling him about the next day’s events. As the TARDIS famously dematerialises, the viewers are shown Amy’s bedroom, where her wedding dress is waiting.

The Doctor has become synonymous with hope, protection and something to believe in. Nobody likes thinking there is no one out there to protect them. The Doctor has become the protector of Earth and its residents.

To honor The Eleventh Doctor’s first episode, you can catch the series on BBC or any streaming service. Enjoy an escape from Earth with The Doctor himself and his trusty companions.

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Why 'Cheers' is perfect show to binge during lockdown NEAL JUSTIN TNS Star Tribune By now, you've probably used this time of self-isolation to revisit an old TV favorite. If you're smart, you've picked "Cheers."

Americans have long been smitten with the Boston bar.

There's something special about this ragtag team of characters who seem to have very little of a life outside the no-frills tavern – and don't mind at all. Self-quarantine never looked so good.

Here are six early episodes to check out right away. I dare you not to order more rounds.

(Facebook) Instant Ramen and Instant Lunch from Maruchan offer quick and easy lunches for those on-the-go or who need something quick.

Spice up Ramen with five ingredients you can easily find in your kitchen MARTY WEAVER Copy Editor zglz@iup.edu @mrweavs Eating home-cooked meals is more than a little difficult nowadays.

Going to the grocery is hazardous, and us college students know that making food from scratch is a luxury.

Though, a few simple ingredients can take a student staple up a notch. That’s right: ramen upgrades. There are countless “ramen hacks” out there, but I’m here to give you some actual advice that a real person could follow.

guest. Just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling spicy components.

Hot sauce

Eggs are some of the cheapest and most filling ingredients you can get your hands on.

To make a sort of bastardized egg drop soup, you can beat an egg really well and stream it into the hot broth. This will create little ribbons of egg that you can scoop up along with the noodles. Add a touch more salt if you do this, as eggs are pretty rich and can take the extra salt.

If you’re feeling fancy (or if you woke up around noon and need to make both breakfast and lunch), you could make a soft-boiled or fried egg to place on top of the finished soup. Again, I’d recommend adding a touch more salt to those. You should season each

It sounds a bit silly, but a dash of hot sauce can really elevate your cup noodles. Even if you don’t like spicy food, a couple drops of something spicy will make anything taste better.

Whatever kind of hot sauce you have should help. Sriracha is a pretty popular condiment that a lot of college students will already have in their kitchens. I, for one, am a big fan of Frank’s RedHot and always have it in my fridge.

Of course, you can add as much or as little spiciness as you like. If you want to add so much that your broth turns red, be my

Vinegar/other acids Okay, hear me out. Samin Nosrat, author of “Salt Fat Acid Heat” and star of the Netflix miniseries by the same name, swears by adding a touch of acids to your food. Just a drop of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice can brighten up the flavor of ramen that has a tendency to be a bit heavy.

Eggs

component of food separately for everything to taste as it should.

Leftover protein Have leftover chicken, beef, pork or even tofu in your fridge?

Throw it in the bowl with those salty noodles. That will take a sad lunch to a full-blown meal.

If you can get your hands on a rotisserie chicken, that can stretch for several meals. They’re generally not too expensive, and if you’re up to the task (or live with someone who is), you could use the carcass to make chicken stock.

Win-win.

Vegetables I’m not telling y’all to go out and dig around for a fresh endive.

Instead, if you already have some vegetables on hand, try throwing them in your ramen. Some fresh scallions can do wonders, and so can minced garlic and ginger (fresh or jarred).

Look, this era sucks. It’s easy to fall into a pit of depression. So, do what you can to make every day a little special. If that involves going full-blown “Ratatouille” on some Top Ramen, by all means, go for it.

Lord knows we need it.

"Give Me a Ring Sometime" (1982) It usually takes a while for a sitcom to find its rhythm, but "Cheers" was firing on all cylinders from this very first episode, cleverly introducing most of the major characters. The barroom debate over the sweatiest movies of all time perfectly captured beersoaked conversations, and guaranteed that Cliff (John Ratzenberger) and Norm (George Wendt) would become regulars.

"Truce or Consequences" (1982) Thanks to "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The Good Place," viewers have fallen in love with Danson all over again. It's about time Long had a comeback of her own. Her gifts as a comic actress are well on display in this episode in which Carla (Rhea Perlman) tricks Diane into thinking Sam fathered one of Carla's children. Long's reactions take us on a roller-coaster ride that you never want to see end.

"Showdown, Part 2" (1983) Watching Sam and Diane bicker can get tedious, especially if you're watching them for five straight hours. But when the heat gets turned up, they create fireworks just as explosive as Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. Their most spectacular display came in this season one finale in which their fight-of-all-fights leads to a long-awaited kiss. Sam: "Are you as turned on as I am?" Diane: "More!" We know what you mean.

(Facebook) If you’re missing the bar atmosphere, check out “Cheers,” a 1982 comedy that makes you feel like you’re among friends.

"Fortune and Men's Weight" (1984) One of the reasons "Cheers" became a classic was its willingness to end certain episodes on a downbeat aimed at the heart rather than the funny bone. For this occasion, Sam and Diane decide to put their future in the hands of a fortunetelling machine. The somber "reading" is just as impressive as the show's biggest gag lines.

"Cliff's Rocky Moment" (1984) All the supporting characters would get their chances to shine, but none took advantage of the spotlight quite like Ratzenberger.

In this episode, the sad-sack mailman appears to be running scared from a bully – or is he? The fact that we're never quite sure until the final seconds is a testimony to great writing and great acting.

"The Heart Is a Lonely Snipe Hunter" (1985) If you ever wondered why producers made a "Frasier" spinoff, just watch this episode, the first in which Kelsey Grammer proved to be more than just one of Diane's stuffy suitors. After being pranked during a fishing trip, the psychiatrist turns the tables on the gang with the kind of wit and ingenuity that would serve him well in future years.

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(Facebook) “The Palm Beach Story” (left) and “His Girl Friday” (right) are two screwball comedies perfect to watch while under quarantine.

It's the perfect time to binge on screwball comedies CHRIS HEWETT TNS Star Tribune

This article contains opinion.

Always meant to catch up with movies you missed from the maddeningly prolific Spike Lee? Recently discovered Bong Joonho, because of the Oscar love, and curious what he did before "Parasite"? Now's the perfect time to dive into our best directors and most compelling themes, so we're presenting a weekly Top 7 to steer you in the right direction – and because my Top 7 in any given category won't be your Top 7, maybe start an argument, too.

Not much good ever came from censorship or the Great Depression, but at least they gave us screwball comedies. The fizzy genre, which had its heyday from the mid-1930s to the early '40s, owes its existence to both of those midcentury bummers.

The Hays Code was Hollywood's self-enforced censorship plan, cooked up when "decency leagues" objected to the violence and sex depicted in movies, which were then unrated and often surprisingly racy (such as Hedy Lamarr skinny-dipping in 1933's "Ecstasy").

The code, which essentially forbade sex scenes and unpunished villainy, was adopted in 1930 but not widely enforced until 1934, by which time the hammering Americans took in the Depression sent them to the

movies in droves for escapist entertainment. (Sound familiar?)

A lot of that entertainment came from movies such as "Bringing Up Baby" and "Holiday," comedies in which men and women who didn't have to worry about money spoke very quickly while falling in and out of love. Divorce, still not commonly accepted then, was about as close as screwball comedies got to pressing social issues, but, in retrospect, those fast-talking comedies had plenty to say, particularly about women.

Female protagonists, played

by Claudette Colbert, Barbara Stanwyck or Katharine Hepburn, almost always drive the action.

They're usually "tamed" in the end (this is pre-feminism, obviously), but coming in an era when most of the big stars were women, screwball comedies put them to great use. And I like to think their characters only pretended to be tamed, anyway.

You could argue that screwball comedies are a century-later update of Jane Austen's comedies of manners, in which the quick-witted women whom society has little time for work behind the scenes to hold things together (Austen's witty novels also appeared during a difficult period).

Since they keep the leads apart until the end, there's no sex in screwball comedies, but they affirm that in a world that is filled with chaos – whether it's a wayward leopard in "Bringing Up Baby" or a train crammed with trigger-happy hunters in "The

Palm Beach Story" – love is worth staying home for.

If you check libraries and online, you may find these titles for free, but all are streaming on services such as Amazon, iTunes and YouTube.

"The Palm Beach Story" (1942) "Sex always has something to do with it," Claudette Colbert says as she explains to puzzled husband Joel McCrea why she's divorcing him mere minutes after we've watched them get married.

Writer/director Preston Sturges' laugh riot has it all: vintage shots of Grand Central Station, the peerless McCrea doing his best good-guy-who-can't-keep-up act, Rudy Vallee as a millionaire goofball named Hackensacker, those deliriously funny hunters, musical dogs and almost every character actor of the black-and-white era in a supporting role. Movies don't get more perfect than this one.

(Colbert's "Midnight" is another classic, if you can find it anywhere.)

"Bringing Up Baby" (1938) The title character is a leopard, Cary Grant is an absent-minded scientist and Hepburn is a charming eccentric whose thoughts often derail halfway through a sentence, and the movie puts the "rom" in "romcom" as we spend its entire running time watching

Grant figure out exactly why he needs Hepburn in his life.

"The Lady Eve" (1941) A con artist (Barbara Stanwyck) and her wily father (Charles Coburn) are on a cruise, where they target a naive millionaire played by Henry Fonda, who was never handsomer or more endearing. Stanwyck finds herself falling in love with her prey – so, as in Austen, love and money get all mixed up. (If you're in a buying mood, there's a DVD set of seven Sturges movies that includes "Palm Beach," "Lady Eve" and five other gems.)

"My Man Godfrey" (1936) One way screwball comedies assured stressed Americans that the rich didn't have it so great was by depicting them as dopes.

It's hard to know how to read the class struggle in a comedy where a wealthy woman (Carole Lombard) befriends, hires and falls in love with a homeless man (William Powell), but the banter is so much fun that it doesn't seem to matter.

"His Girl Friday" (1940) It doesn't always get categorized as screwball because, like "It Happened One Night" and "Philadelphia Story," it also fits other

genres. But for fast-talking romantic nonsense, I say the Grant/ Rosalind Russell/Ralph Bellamy comedy, set in a newspaper office, fits the bill. (It's a swell chance to see the thankless work of Bellamy, who never met a screen heroine he wasn't cuckolded by.)

"The Awful Truth" (1937) In a movie career that only lasted two decades, Irene Dunne starred in an astonishing number of memorable movies (including "I Remember Mama"), but her unique comic talents are best shown off in "The Awful Truth" and "My Favorite Wife," both opposite Grant. Here, they're a divorcing couple who show their enduring affection with ridiculous attempts to head off each others' new relationships.

"Maggie's Plan" (2015) Almost every romcom bears the imprint of the screwball years, and some, such as Peter Bogdanovich's "What's Up, Doc?," are practically remakes. But the recent movie most clearly indebted to screwball is Rebecca Miller's "Maggie's Plan," which stars "Little Women" writer/director Greta Gerwig as an overconfident academic, Julianne Moore as an artist with an unidentifiably cartoonish accent, and Ethan Hawke as arm candy.

Sports

Sports Editor: Elliot Hicks – E.Hicks@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

(TNS) Print newspapers may not be in good shape, but that doesn’t mean we should be limiting coverage during this pandemic.

Limiting news coverage, laying off sports staff not a good idea ELLIOT HICKS

Sports Editor E.Hicks@iup.edu @ehicks39

This article contains opinion.

The effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has already had on the United States of America in what feels like an everlasting month of March has been massive.

That effect is only going to continue to grow as time goes on; the theme of “it’ll get worse before it gets better” is all but inevitable.

At the end of it all, when we finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, most of life will return to normal.

But there are some things that will never be the same, and the newspaper world and the sports media world may be two of those

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things that will never see what was once known as normalcy again.

As you already know, print newspapers have already been in trouble for a while now. If they weren’t, you’d be reading this story with a bunch of pieces of paper in your hand instead of from an electronic device.

But during and after this pandemic, print advertising revenue is scheduled to take an even steeper drop.

The International News Media Association reported that ad revenues have taken a 20 to 30 percent drop over the last two weeks and the downward spiral headed toward print advertising revenue could last for up to 18 months.

Some papers couldn’t even handle such a steep temporary drop; the Pittsburgh Catholic will cease

publication following a 175-year history of publication, as their readership will be all but nonexistent without masses.

The tie-in to sports media has seen the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who is already not in the strongest place either, lay off a wide variety of writers, mainly those who covered sports.

Seth Rorabaugh, one of the paper’s more prominent hockey writers, was laid off and verified that many sports writers, especially including high school sports writers, are currently out of work.

The Hockey News, one of the most prominent hockey publications in the United States and Canada, laid off eight editorial employees while the NHL season is in limbo.

There are almost certainly many

April 1, 2020

more stories and situations just like these. I don’t doubt that these publications didn’t make these decisions lightly and that they were hard choices.

But to act like there is no reason to be covering things related to sports or to take away the jobs of some of the hardest-working reporters in the entire media industry, no matter how long the layoff ends up being is ultimately foolish.

Even if there are not any active games or events taking place, there are always stories to tell.

These stories can oftentimes be more relevant or interesting than day-by-day, game-by-game coverage and would otherwise likely be overlooked. Those are the kind of stories we’ll still have in The Penn every week.

And while I do know there’s a

big difference between large newspapers and the student-run paper of a small Pennsylvania school, the importance of the media is perhaps never more important than now.

Entertainment, in whatever form we can get it, helps people through tough times. Everything from virtual NASCAR races to ‘exotic’ tiger-related murder-mystery Netflix documentaries help take away from the fright of living through a pandemic with each and every day bringing new uncertainties.

Even if these displaced writers focused on stories unrelated to sports, the ability to continue working should be ahead of all. At the end of the day, writers just want to write.

Unfortunately, these decisions may create an unfortunate effect on sports media for good.

Sports

Sports

April 1, 2020

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(TNS) The IUP women’s basketball team lost the chance to participate in a third consecutive national semifinal with the cancellation of the 2020 tournament.

Women’s basketball takes positives away from abrupt end JEFF HART

Lead Sports Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Hot after their run in the PSAC playoffs, the IUP women’s basketball team was hungry to make yet another splash in the national tournament after losing to Gannon in the PSAC Championship.

The Hawks were seeking their third straight appearance in a national semifinal game before being blindsided by the news of the entire NCAA Division II tournament being canceled on the night before it was supposed to begin.

“It was disbelief. We were all there about an hour before team dinner when we found out it [the tournament] would be canceled,” said head coach Tom McConnell.

“We are all processing together.”

“My initial reaction was that I was in disbelief and didn’t really know what to say or do other than cry,” said forward Natalie Myers (senior, education). “You work all season for this, and then it was all of a sudden taken away...There are some athletes that trained all year for their spring sports and were never able to take the field.”

This was hard news to hear after IUP’s spectacular season they had put together up to that point. The Hawks were the No. 1 seed going into the national tournament and were set to host.

This team was special all year long, and they handled the situation with grace like they would on the court.

“Once we found out, the [team dinner] turned into a tribute meal for our seniors. It was very special,” said McConnell.

Even in the midst of this terrible news, this team managed to take it in stride and make the best of their situation. Rather than hanging their heads low, the Crimson Hawks took the news in stride and took their last moments of the season together as a time of reflection.

“My aim has been to help our players focus on all the beautiful moments on and off the court. The 19-game win streak and winning a PSAC regular season title,” said McConnell.

“They just kept getting better and better. There is so much to be thankful for and so much to be proud of.”

“Looking back at the season, it brings a smile to my face” said Myers. “We did a great job this season. We overcame adversity and played IUP basketball the way it should be played. We grew together and accomplished so much.”

This ending to the season sadly will not bring any closure to the results on the court. This moment is especially tough for the seniors who will ultimately miss out on a chance to compete in their third

straight Final Four appearance.

It can only be left up to the imagination how far the Hawks would have gone in the national tournament. One thing is for sure, this group was phenomenal on the court this season.

They were able to get results

on the court throughout the season and made history by breaking a few records in the process. Even though they won’t be able to finish their season, the team is handling this situation as best as they can.

“They are outstanding students and amazing people,” McConnell

said about his team.

Once the dust settles and life is back to normal heading into the 2020-21 season, this squad will be back ready and hungry to continue the streak of national success which teams past have set up for them – even with this one-year gap.

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April 1, 2020

Sports

(TNS) Liverpool’s fanbase will likely see its club’s first title in Premier League history if and when the season resumes.

European soccer on standby as pandemic grows STEVEN LANGDON JR. Managing Editor S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

COVID-19 has put a hit on the sports world in a big way. Arguably the hardest hit sport has been soccer.

All of the big leagues in Europe are on pause with many not having a solution yet. The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has already canceled three competitions: the Champions League, Europa League and Euro 2020.

With that in mind, where do teams stand, and what are the plans moving forward?

Premier League (England) The English Football League (EFL) has been meeting on a regular basis to come up with alternatives to finish the season. The newest solution they are considering is a “World Cup-style” isolation camps. This was first reported by The Independent.

The teams would play the rest of the games behind closed doors and would be played in two locations. The earliest the games could be played is June. There are nine to 10 games left depending on which

team you look at.

The team hit hardest by this crisis is Liverpool. They were on track to win their first top-flight title since 1990 before the stoppage. Liverpool was potentially one win away from locking up the title as they currently have a 25-point lead.

Another team hit hard by the stoppage was in the second tier in Leeds United. A remarkable story of what the highs and lows look like in soccer. They went from making it to the Champions League semi finals to being relegated three years later in 2003.

They were in one of two automatic promotion spots in The Championship with a seven point lead over the promotion playoff teams.

As far as the non-league teams, tier six through 11, their seasons are voided. If you want to see what this has been like for a non-league team check out Hashtag United on YouTube.

Bundesliga (Germany) The Bundesliga is one of the closest leagues in Europe and like the Premier League had nine games left. There has not been much word on what the league will

do for the rest of the season.

The only rumor that has been out there is they will void the seasons of all leagues and restart next year.

They could also bring the teams in automatic promotion spots up and have 20 teams in each league.

Bayern Munich is the current leader as they are up by four points.

The league is between a handful of teams and was looking to crown a different title winner since 2012.

Germany has been where players have started the movement of cutting their wages until COVID-19 is over. Union Berlin of the Bundesliga was the start of the movement, and it has been taken up by many other teams around Europe.

Ligue 1 (France) The French league is in the same boat as the Bundesliga and has not said much as far as what will happen. The teams are preparing to play the last 10 games. The only thing that is certain is the league will not start before June 15.

The current table has Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on top with a 12 point lead and a game-in-hand.

Marseille are the second place team and currently have the second Champions League spot.

There is a small battle for the Champions League and Europa League spots. Rennes is six points under Marseille and would have to go through the qualifying rounds of the Champions League. Lille are one point below them and have the Europa League spot.

La Liga (Spain) There has been one thing on the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s mind and that is to finish the season at all costs. They would like to start games by mid-May, but that is one of three plans.

The second is to restart in the summer and have the season run until August. The final one is to restart in September and reschedule the 2020-21 season.

Barcelona, who sit at the top of the table, announced this morning that they will be cutting all wages due to the virus. Real Madrid, who are two points behind them, said they will be storing medical equipment at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Luka Jovic has been making the news with his actions during COVID-19. He was told to stay in Spain but decided to go back to Serbia, his home country, where

he was threatened with arrest. He was not arrested and did begin his self-isolation.

Serie A (Italy) We end with the hardest hit league out of the top five. Italy has been the epicenter of the virus in Europe. Damiano Tommasi, president of Italian soccer, said Sunday that the season could end where it is right now.

Top officials in Italy also called for players not to be paid until the crisis is over. Many clubs are losing money, and it will be difficult to prevent a collapse if the players are paid.

Juventus sit on top but only by a point over Lazio. It is the closest race in the top five of European soccer. Lazio were looking for their first title in 20 years, while Italy was looking for a new champion since 2011.

Serie A is likely the only league that could end the season now. Italy has had the second most cases reported in the world only behind the US. No league has made any final decisions. It seems that May is the earliest teams will be able to take the pitch again.

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April 1, 2020

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Sports

Chicken coop helping four NHL players stay connected during shutdown JACK HARRIS Los Angeles Times TNS It started when Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf mentioned his chicken coop.

After that, the conversation during a 30-minute video conference call with Getzlaf, Kings captain Anze Kopitar, San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture and Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury went all over the place.

There was talk of book clubs and beach excursions, home gyms and home schooling kids. The players swapped stories of fatherhood and family life, the sole focus for each ever since the NHL’s season was suspended more than two weeks ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like longtime friends reuniting over a summer campfire, they didn’t have to be teammates to enjoy one another’s company. Even in a video chat, during which they answered presubmitted questions from reporters, the group re-created the type of camaraderie made suddenly less common during this health crisis.

Getzlaf’s poultry plan produced the most pertinent example.

The chicken coop idea originated several days earlier when Getzlaf’s family ran out of eggs.

Rather than a trip to the store, they borrowed fresh-laid eggs from a neighbor in their Orange County community who had a backyard hen house of their own. Instantly inspired, Getzlaf went to work on building one on his property.

Three days in, he already has a wooden frame in place and plenty more planks of wood stacked in his backyard. When Getzlaf showed it off during the call Friday, the others couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“Impressive,” Couture said.

“That’s good,” echoed Fleury.

“A coop-and-a-half!” added Kopitar, laughing the hardest at his

(TNS) A chicken coop has helped four NHL players from the Pacific Division stay in touch.

Southland counterpart.

On the whole, of course, this unforeseen break hasn’t been easy on any of the veterans. Fleury’s Golden Knights were in the middle of a playoff push when play stopped on March 12. Kopitar and Getzlaf were looking forward to a final stretch of games for their rebuilding teams.

“Mentally for me, it’s pretty hard,” Kopitar said. “Because you don’t know whether you’re starting in the next couple of weeks or next couple months. You’re trying to stay loose somewhat and keep moving.”

Staying occupied, however, has hardly been a challenge. Couture started an online book club that was posted to the Sharks’ social media accounts. Kopitar, Getzlaf and Fleury, meanwhile, have all been busy making arrangements

for their children’s schooling to continue at home.

“My wife is grinding right now,” Getzlaf said of his spouse, Paige, with whom he has four children.

“She’s got a full school setup upstairs. They’re doing some of this stuff online now. But she’s got to run the whole thing.”

Kopitar, a father of two, chimed in: “We had our first Zoom (online video) class session today, so that killed off 45 minutes.”

Staying in shape has been another unique challenge. Mountain biking has been one of Fleury’s exercises of choice. Couture has a Peloton stationary bike in the mail. Kopitar has split his workouts between his South Bay home and the nearby beach. (L.A. County announced Friday that it had closed all beaches).

“Other than that, it’s pretty much just body-weight and core stuff for me,” Kopitar said. “Just trying to get through and stay as active as you can.”

Regular-season routines have been hardest to replicate, the rhythms of a season and the relationship between teammates proving difficult to maintain in what could be a months-long hiatus.

Kopitar did say texts in the Kings’ roster-wide group chat have been nonstop of late and had an immediate answer when asked which players he would most and least like to be quarantined with.

“I’m going to pick one guy for both scenarios, and we all know that’s Drew Doughty,” Kopitar said.

“Being around the guy every day, there’s literally something new every second.”

But, there has been far less of that lately. Because when hockey stopped, so did all those fleeting moments around the rink, the fond little memories accumulated over the course of a season.

It’s partially why, even with the Kings out of the playoff race, Kopitar would still like to finish the regular season if possible; why he and the other three players on the call Friday clicked into conversation so effortlessly; why each looked so happy to have even a small slice of hockey back again.

“At this point, it’s hard on everybody,” Kopitar said. “It’s not just hockey-related. Now it’s life-related on what is going to happen in the next month or two. It’s a big question mark. At this point, you’re probably just better off going day by day.”

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(TNS) United States swimmer Haley Anderson will still have the opportunity to swim in the postponed Tokyo Olympics.

Olympic qualifications will carry over into 2021 DAVID WHARTON Los Angeles Times TNS When Olympic leaders postponed the Summer Games this week because of the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing the massive competition into next year, their decision raised a big question.

What happens to athletes who already qualified for Tokyo? Would they have to go back and compete for their spot again?

The issue was resolved Friday: The 33 federations governing each sport reached an agreement with the International Olympic Committee to honor all previous qualifications when the Games finally take place.

“Definitely a big relief,” said Haley Anderson, an open-water swimmer who made the U.S. team last July.

The qualification process varies

by sport and nation. In some cases, athletes must prove themselves at a trials competition just before the Games. Other times, the spots are determined far earlier.

Fifty-seven percent of the approximately 11,000 available slots for Tokyo were filled before the coronavirus outbreak shut down sporting events around the world, the IOC said.

Sebastian Coe, president of the international track federation, confirmed that every federation voiced support for preserving existing qualifications. The decision, he said, will allow his sport to move forward.

“What is important now is that we develop a clear and fair process for the remaining athletes to qualify, given many events have been postponed,” Coe wrote in an open letter.

The matter was of particular concern to Phil Andrews, chief execu-

tive for USA Weightlifting, who noted that some of his athletes feared “they may have to fight again for what they have already earned.”

“The IOC absolutely made the right call on this,” he said. “You have to protect the ones who were told they are going to the Olympics.”

Andrews and others see questions still to be answered.

Some federations cut their qualification process short, canceling the final one or two competitions at the onset of the pandemic. Should they stand by these truncated results or go back and finish later?

In other sports, each nation earns its number of slots based on how athletes fare in competition.

Do the athletes responsible for securing that quota go to Tokyo, or does the nation wait until next year to choose its best performers at that time?

“You have these gray areas,”

Andrews said. “There are still some details to be ironed out.”

Timing represents another potential dilemma.

Some national teams named their rosters as early as the summer of 2019, which means two years could pass before they compete in the Games. As one athlete mused: “A lot can change in two years.”

What happens if the qualifiers include someone whose performance slips badly next year? Or an athlete who suffers a severe injury and cannot train much before showing up in Tokyo?

“That’s a really interesting question to ask,” Andrews said. “What is the fairest thing to do?”

Marathon runner Jake Riley, who earned his place on the U.S. team last month, raised another potential problem, saying that without the IOC’s decision “there might have been some legal challenges from some of the qualifiers.”

For now, Olympic leaders and Tokyo organizers are focused on setting a new date for the Games.

They must find a compromise that works for a long list of stakeholders and fits into a 2021 calendar already jam-packed with sporting events.

Though IOC President Thomas Bach suggested any time before the fall of next year could work, one of his top aides has pointed to late July through early August.

The track federation hopes to salvage part of its 2020 season, so, as Coe said, “our athletes can get back into competition as quickly as possible when it is safe to do so.”

Riley is trying to remain flexible with his preparation. In an already stressful time, he is happy that his trip to Tokyo – whenever that might be – is secure.

“From everything I had been hearing, I felt confident that would be the case, but it’s nice to have it confirmed,” he said.

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Reduction in revenue payout following March Mandess cancellation BRADY MCCOLOUGH Los Angeles Times TNS Since the cancellation of March Madness and the NCAA’s other winter and spring championship events because of the coronavirus, conferences and schools have been bracing themselves for what the economic effect could be.

The NCAA gave a painful first glimpse Thursday, announcing that its Board of Governors voted unanimously to distribute $225 million in June – $375 million less than the $600 million it had originally budgeted for distribution in April.

For many athletic departments, the eventual disbursement will arrive as a reality check of a murky financial future that likely won’t clear up anytime soon.

The NCAA Board of Governors stressed to members the importance of “planning carefully with less revenue.”

“We are living in unprecedented times not only for higher education, but for the entire nation and around the globe as we face the COVID-19 public health crisis,” Mi-

(TNS) Much of the revenue distributed following March Madness will not be paid out in 2020.

chael V. Drake, chair of the board and Ohio State’s president, said in a statement. “As an Association, we must acknowledge the uncertainties of our financial situation and continue to make thoughtful and prudent decisions on how we can assist conferences and campuses in supporting student-athletes now and into the future.”

The NCAA receives most of its revenue from its March Madness television rights deal with CBS and Turner, which pays the association nearly $800 million per year.

Of the $225 million distribution, $50 million will come from NCAA reserves, the statement said. The NCAA said it also has a $270-million event cancellation insurance policy that will be used to pay off a line of credit that will cover the remaining distribution within a year.

“The Association has prepared for a financial catastrophic event like the one we face now,” Drake said. “While we certainly have challenges ahead, we would be in a far worse position had it not been for this long-standing, forward-fo-

cused planning.”

The level of dependence on the NCAA’s annual distribution will vary by conference and school.

“Given the cancellation of the NCAA basketball tournament and other events related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the announcement today by the NCAA regarding a reduced distribution is not unexpected,” UCLA said in a statement. “It is too early to tell how much money each campus will receive, so it would be premature to comment on the specific ramifi-

cations for UCLA. “The financial impact of this pandemic is not unique to college athletics, and is just one of a number of factors that will have to be navigated as we collectively make decisions on how to move forward.”

USC athletic director Mike Bohn, speaking Monday on the school’s “Trojans Live” broadcast, said he was expecting a 70% reduction in the NCAA distribution. It ended up being 62.5%.

“We’ve been so fortunate to have many of our donors and fans say, ‘How can we help? What can we do to help these student athletes?’ Which is certainly comforting,” Bohn said. “I know that the NCAA is working on insurance elements, working on lines of credit, working on all kinds of solutions to help us deal with (less revenue) at the campus level. Again, those are in play and still really undefined at this point.”

Division II is projected to receive $13.9 million, a $30-million decrease from last year. Division III is projected to receive $10.7 million, a $22-million decrease from last year.

MLB players will earn 4% of salary if 2020 season is canceled BILL SHAIKIN Los Angeles Times TNS On the day the 2020 season would have started, major league players and owners struck a deal that provided a critical objective for each side in the event the season is called off entirely.

The trade is this: If the season is canceled, the players agree to accept a small percentage of their 2020 salaries in exchange for service time as if the whole season had been played.

If the season is not played, Mookie Betts can leave the Los Angeles Dodgers without ever playing a game for them.

Owners and players hope to play a shortened season, once the public health threat recedes from the coronavirus crisis. The owners would like to expand the playoff format this year – the better to maximize television revenue, and to try out such a format with an eye toward the future – and the players

(TNS) Much of the MLB season is in limbo due to COVID-19.

agreed to negotiate on the specifics.

Scheduling considerations – the number of doubleheaders, whether to waive rules that restrict playing on more than 20 consecutive days, and so on – also were left for negotiation.

But what was agreed on – ratified by players in a conference call Thursday and expected to be approved by owners Friday – addresses how players would be paid and

credited for this season.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, commissioner Rob Manfred can suspend contracts during a time of “national emergency.” President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency.

The players agreed to an advance of $170 million – less than 4% of their total salaries in a full season – and prorated salaries for whatever portion of the season is played. If the season is canceled, the players

keep the advance but cannot sue for the remainder of their salaries.

In exchange, and again in the event of a canceled season, owners agreed to credit players that earned a full year of service time last year with a full year of service time this year.

At a time when industry revenues have risen but salaries have not, that distinction was critical.

After three years of service, players are eligible for arbitration, meaning their team can no longer unilaterally determine their salary. With six years of service, players are eligible for free agency.

That guaranteed year of service ensures Betts will pass the sixyear threshold this year. When the Dodgers traded for him last month, they said they intended to pursue a long-term contract with him.

In the event of a shortened season, players who spend all of it in the majors or on the injured list would be credited with a full year of service.

The agreement also gives major

league owners significant leverage in their ongoing negotiations with minor league owners. Under the agreement, major league owners have the right to shorten the draft to five rounds this year and 20 rounds next year, although undrafted players can be signed.

The contract between major league owners and minor league owners expires this fall.

Major league owners have proposed eliminating 42 minor league teams, arguing in part that a stripped-down minor league system would enable better facilities and better salaries for players with the best chance of making the big leagues.

Eliminating the later rounds of the draft would limit the number of minor leaguers under contract to major league teams.

Without a contract that obligates major league teams to supply players, minor league teams could be forced into independent leagues in which they would have to pay players.

April 1, 2020

Sports

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(TNS) The Big 12 Conference and its commissioner Bob Bowlsby are aware of the possibility that COVID-19 could affect college football in 2020.

Don’t rule out COVID-19 affecting college football season DREW DAVISON Fort Worth Star-Telegram

TNS The coronavirus pandemic is going to be over by football season, right? Right?

Time will tell but Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby acknowledged the possibility that playing the season could be in jeopardy. At the very least it could be delayed depending on when teams and players are able to start training properly again.

Canceling the season would be a nightmare scenario, but one that has crossed the minds of those involved with college athletics.

As Bowlsby talked about the conference being able “to make members whole” on forecasted financial distribution for the current academic year, citing the league’s cash reserves, he added: “It’s a whole new ballgame if we find ourselves not playing football. It affects everything we do. It affects the largest portion of our network television contract.

“If that doesn’t happen, the underpinning of what we know as normal goes away and we’ll have some major changes to make.”

During an hour-long teleconference with reporters on Thursday afternoon, Bowlsby provided straight-forward answers without sugarcoating anything. With all of the spring sports being canceled, the big topics now center on football and the financial impact being felt by the conferences and universities across the country.

TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati said no formal discussions have been held on postponing, or possibly canceling, the football season. But it’s hard to ignore that possibility with how many major sporting events have been postponed or canceled in the last three weeks.

“It’s certainly on people’s minds,” Donati said. “No one would have imagined a month ago all the sporting events that have been delayed, rescheduled or canceled, so it would be naive to rule anything out.”

With that being said, Bowlsby shot down any notion that spring practices or spring games may be held at some point in the near future, calling it “highly unlikely.”

Instead, he sees at least another eight- or nine-week period before schools go back to “live activity on campuses.”

With that timeline, it’ll likely be another 60-90 days before any resolution will be known with regards to the football season. And it won’t be the Big 12 making the decision on its own. It’ll be a collaborative effort.

But you can’t understate the impact a lost football season would have on colleges and conferences across the country.

“It’s a driver from a popularity standpoint,” Bowlsby said. “It’s a driver for schools from a fundraising standpoint. It’s a big driver from a TV standpoint. It’s a big driver from ticket sales and revenue standpoint.

“We certainly are looking at the next 60 to 90 days. Depending upon how that goes, we’ll be-

gin modeling around what the fall looks like.”

It could be an interesting and unique time next fall to say the least. If the season is held, Bowlsby didn’t rule out football games being played without fans.

Or seeing fans being seated sixfeet apart at stadiums.

“It’s possible that we could end up returning to some form of competition before we get to the point where we’re comfortable with public assembly,” Bowlsby said. “We could end up with what we thought we might end up with basketball and that is playing in front of no crowd.”

The idea of a delayed football season could pick up steam in the coming weeks, too, depending on how the pandemic problem is being handled.

Much like the 2020 Tokyo Games being pushed back to 2021 because of insufficient training options and limited time to conduct trials, the football season could be delayed if there isn’t a proper buildup for student athletes.

TCU coach Gary Patterson, for instance, estimated it would take eight weeks or so to go through a proper strength and conditioning program with student athletes away. Then programs would have to go through a month-long training camp to prepare for a season.

Bowlsby acknowledged the issues with getting players ready for the season, mentioning there may have to be some sort of activities to make up for lost spring practices and time.

“If we get to the point where we don’t open up again until June 15, I think we need to look at what that transition window is,” Bowlsby said. “What it can include and then what impact it has on the rest of preparation. The month of May is typically a heavy lifting and training month, and then the kids get a little bit of time off and then they report back and the coaches have camps and clinics going on. And you know, maybe we can’t do any of that this year. So what do you do to get ready? What do you do to get your kids physically in condition?”