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NEWS

News Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu

Voting looks different around the world, and every country has a different method of voting.

(FreePik/iStock)

Get out and vote! Salir y votar! Sortir et voter!

Voting is different in other countries than in U.S.

RACHEL FOOR Staff Writer myjv@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The Office of International Education hosted Lunch & Learn: Voting Around the World Oct. 21 to engage in conversations about the upcoming U.S. elections and how it compares to elections and voting across the globe.

Guest speakers for this panel include Dr. David Chambers, the chair of IUP’s Political Science department, and international students Yazeed Aljasser of Saudi Arabia, Ifeanyi Princewell Nnadozie of Nigeria, Jirayu Sinsiri of Thailand and Begona Vilouta-Vazquez of Spain.

During the panel discussion, the speakers touched on various topics such as each country’s system of government, their government’s history, how to vote in their country and how individuals campaign for election.

Saudi Arabia celebrated its 90th National Day Sept. 23, the day the country was united under King Ibn Saud in 1932. The King then passed power to his five sons.

Today, the country is ruled under Sharia Law by King Salman bin

News

Abdulaziz Al Saud.

“The way the power has been maintained in the country is that the king acts as prime minister and he appoints a vice president and has two ministry councils,” Aljasser said. “There are 22 ministries in the country, all appointed by the king, and they meet on a weekly basis to discuss and vote on important issues.”

As Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, government officials are not elected by the people.

Rather, they are appointed by the King. The formal advisory body of the kingdom is the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia, often referred to as the Shura Council.

This council can propose laws to the king and his cabinet.

“In a nut shell,” Aljasser said, “there are different voting processes within lower layers in the country like the council of journalists who take control of that is decided by votes, municipal powers also decided by votes, university clubs are also decided by votes, which were one of the first experiences for me to participate in votes.”

Spain is similar to Saudi Arabia in that they also have a king. However, they are a constitutional monarchy

much like the United Kingdom. As Spain was a dictatorship from 1936 to 1975, elections were not allowed until 1977.

Spanish elections differ from those in the U.S. in that campaigning is only officially allowed within a 14-day timeframe. The Spanish government also funds all campaigns.

“What is very different is all of the funding that the candidates here need,” Vilouta-Vazquez said.

“That’s been in the news lately, how much money is being donated to each campaign. In Spain that is funded by the state.

“I understand why all that money is necessary, but it is scary. In the sense that the more money you get from one donor would make you feel like you owe them something if you were elected.”

In Nigeria, voter cards are given to citizens who are aged 18 or older. Nigerians can then only vote at the polling unit that they received their voting card from, which can take hours.

In Thailand, there are no debates like the presidential debates in the U.S. Candidates, and they also do not attack each other in the way that American politicians do.

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News

(Teddy Jeannette/The Penn) Sculptures around campus were covered with blankets, tarps and sheets as a way of a silent protest at the dismissal of the fine arts department.

Sculptures around campus get masked for silent protest RACHEL FOOR Staff Writer myjv@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Early Monday morning, students armed with bed sheets, duct tape, maps, signs and tablecloths met at the loading dock behind Sprowls Hall to put a demonstration into motion.

These students covered artwork all over campus to protest the consolidation of the College of Fine Arts and College of Humanities and Social Sciences because of the restructuring of the college’s programs and retrenchment of numerous faculty that was announced Oct. 14.

“Each sheet will have a message attached that will say something like ‘by order of President Driscoll, since fine arts don't matter’, ‘because it's not in the plan for student success,’ etc.,” co-founder of the IUP Arts Initiative Kaitlyn Carey (senior, art) said. “Certain pieces will also have statements from the artists who created them, or the families or foundations that donated them to IUP that express their permission to be covered and their frustrations with IUP's reconstruction plan.”

The phrases “shame on IUP,” “a preview of what’s to come,” “result of IUP’s retrenchment plan” and “find another way so our professors can stay” were also written on the sheets covering the

(Teddy Jeannette/The Penn) A statue by Sprowls with a sign that reads “By order of Chancellor Greenstein since fine arts don’t matter #shameonIUP.” artwork.

“IUP is failing an open note test,” David John (senior, art) said.

“Schools that don’t invest in the arts are doomed to fail. Especially when the niche fine arts majors are what drove many of us to come here in the first place.”

John said that by covering the art on campus, they hope to make themselves known as an organization and let President Driscoll know that they are fighting for professors, future students and their own futures as working artists.

IUP’s restructuring and retrench-

ment plans include cutting 128 faculty, many of which are from the College of Fine Arts. The college’s programs would also be seriously affected.

“The goal of the covering is to deprive the university of art before they can do it to us,” Carey said.

“To give them a preview of what to expect if they slash the College of Fine Arts in half.”

She said that she co-founded the IUP Arts Initiative because the art department at IUP is her life.

“Every time I think about the potential five out of 13 faculty

members who are slated to lose their jobs…I cannot even imagine an art department without even one of the professors who have helped me to get where I am now,” she said. “Our professors, faculty and staff mean the world to all of us and they have been nothing short of supportive in the 3.5 years that I have been here.”

The students from the IUP Arts Initiative hope that covering the art on campus, much of which was created by students, will demonstrate the widespread effect of cutting arts programs at the university.

“Indiana has certainly grown into more of an arts town in the short time that I have been here,” Carey said. “The artists, visual and performing at IUP have formed relationships with the artists in this community. For example, my art education professors have formed a relationship with the Artists Hand Gallery, and part of our classes at IUP revolve around teaching preschool art lessons at the Gallery.”

She said there are families that depend on the art education program at IUP for quality lessons for their children.

“The Indiana community and IUP's Art department are so closely intertwined that this devastating blow to IUP will be equally devastating to the borough of Indiana.”

The Initiative’s cause has received support from much of the IUP student body.

“It's always the first thing

cut because it's supposedly less important,” Kortnee Flood (senior, sociology and psychology) said, “but what would a world without any art look like? Art isn't my main path, but it's still a very important part of my time at IUP.” She said she doesn’t blame IUP for wanting to focus more on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), but there needs to be more of a balance.

“IUP isn't the kind of place that's meant to be nothing but science and math. Without the richness of the departments that they're cutting drastically or erasing completely, IUP is going to lose its appeal for many students,” she said. “I know if I were a younger student, I would seriously be considering leaving.”

“The arts are essential to everyone, not just the students in the field,” said Carey. “What did we all turn to during the months of quarantine? It surely wasn't calculus problems or frog dissections. We turned to TV shows, movies, Hamilton, books and music.

Our local artists and crafters hand-stitched us all masks to wear.

Now that we're out, I've seen so many people going to breweries and wineries, and they are ecstatic that there are live performers there.”

Monday afternoon, the coverings had been removed. By Tuesday morning, they were replaced on the art once again, only to be taken down by noon.

“Art is all around us and is integrated into our everyday lives. Our lives would be dull without it.”

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Rare manuscript finds new home at IUP EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP A rare item is now on display at IUP, and it dates back almost 400 years ago.

The “Spanish Illuminated Manuscript” is one of the many rare books that is in IUP’s collection.

Part of the IUP Special Collections and University Archive, it is rarely seen by the public and cannot be checked out of the library.

Dr. Harrison Wick, an associate professor and special collections librarian and university archivist, said the document was first donated to the school before Stapleton Library had even been built in 1980.

“It was donated by William Lafranchi who served as director of the library and media services,” he said.

Lafranchi was director from 1953 until 1986.

The manuscript is one of the archive’s examples of unique book binding. It provides a look at royal history.

“The ‘Spanish Illuminated Manuscript’ is a compilation of handwritten documents, bound and written on vellum,” Wick said.

It was written between 1635 and 1637 by a scribe in the court of Spain’s King Philip IV, who reigned Spain from 1621 to 1665.

King Philip IV is widely known for his rule during The Thirty Years War and for being a patron of the arts. He reigned over both Spain and Portugal, the latter he reigned between 1621 and 1640 when he was ousted from the position by nobles in Lisbon.

Aside from writings, art can be found within the first few pages of the book depicting the king.

Though similar writings were done in the Spanish royal court, this manuscript owned by IUP is the only copy that there is. This, according to Wick, makes it a unique document.

It is also important for the library when it comes to student research.

“This manuscript demonstrates how diverse and important library resources can be,” he said.

Over time, the document has been enjoyed by various students. It has also given the

The “Spanish Illuminated Manuscript” is over 400 years old and speaks about royal history. possibility to garner some of their involvement with the library archives, specifically those who work with other languages.

“We are striving to encourage students to help us translate and transcribe this important document,” Wick said.

There has been no transcribing done with student help yet, but Wick said it is a possible project in the near future.

Though it is not able to be circulated, the full manuscript is available online through the archive’s webpage at libweb1. library.iup.edu/depts/speccol/.

Other books in the archives include “Homage to Catalonia,” written in 1938 by George Orwell. This copy contains Orwell’s notes and corrections within the pages. There are also many first editions and limited copies of books in the collection, which has seen an uprise in donations over time.

As stated on the IUP webpage for the archives, these books serve as “an integral component for research, scholarship and doctoral programs at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.”

To be able to view these books and other works, the archive is

able to be visited through scheduled meetings Monday through

Friday. Contact Special Collections and University Archives by

(Courtesy of Dr. Harrison Wick) phone at (724) 357-3039 to set up an appointment.

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News

Students protest changes with silent concert JULIA ROCKWELL Contributing Writer mbdx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP IUP fine arts students stood in silence to protest IUP NextGen and faculty retrenchment at 5 p.m.

Monday at Fisher Auditorium.

Everyone who participated in the Silent Concert dressed in black and wore stickers describing why the music department was important to them. Some students carried instruments, choir binders and conducting batons. Alumni and other students attended via Zoom.

Despite the rain, over 100 students participated in the concert. Thirty-five others watched, professors included, as a student held a sign that said, “This is a ‘student-centered’ approach,” in reference to IUP’s academic restructuring plan.

Jennie Jones (senior, music) planned the concert. Everyone wore masks and stood 6 feet apart.

The concert was 20 minutes. Jones concluded the concert by saying it was a preview of what the arts would look like with IUP NextGen. Jones said that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is important, STEM and the arts are intertwined and both should be funded and supported.

“The music students have been looking for some way to advocate for the arts since IUP announced the faculty retrenchment,” Jones said in an email. “I heard about the plan the art students came up with, and the idea of IUP without the arts inspired me to come up with the Silent Concert. What does the world sound like without music? Silent.”

Jess Teter (senior, music) described the music department as her home. Teter’s main reason for attending IUP was for the faculty.

She attended the Silent Concert to show her support for the music faculty.

“It gave me a sense of a home away from home,” Teter said. “I would not be where I am today without the music department. I feel like I’ve grown as a person and as a musician because of the music department. My friends are like my family.”

“The IUP music department, especially the faculty, make it feel

(Julia Rockwell) The Fine Arts department of IUP performed a student protest Monday, dressing in all black and providing a silent concert. like home,” Dureena Pierce (junior, music) said. “Never once have I been turned away when I had an issue. Never once did they tell me, ‘No, I don’t have to help you.’

They make time to help you and make you feel welcome.”

Maranda Garwood (senior, music) is angry with IUP’s NextGen plans. She urges IUP leadership and Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) administration to see the classrooms they are “dismantling.”

“Cutting the faculty that have built IUP’s success, while saying this is for our own good, is a danger to the university as a whole,” Garwood said. “You cannot speak of our resilience if you are the ones carrying the knife.”

Take a second and picture life without the arts, Jones said. It’s nearly impossible.

“Art is so much a part of daily life that cutting the arts cannot be an option,” she said. “No, one school will not be the end of the arts everywhere. It isn’t just one school. It’s happening all over the country.”

Jeremy Galloza (junior music and theater) had one thing to say to IUP President Michael Driscoll and the PASSHE Chancellor, Daniel Greenstein.

“Michael Driscoll and Dan Greenstein, shame on you.”

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News

To vote or not to vote, that is the question IUP students wonder if voting is worth it in 2020

OLIVIA CARBONE Staff Writer kxxw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP This is a year of many changes and disappointments, and now we’re faced with perhaps the most important election of our lives.

A lot is at stake for the U.S. that could make or break our nation.

This upcoming election has shown that young voters need to start using their voices at the polls now more than ever. Between COVID-19, racial divides and much more, this year has taught us what our country needs to work on in order to become stronger than ever.

Some students expressed their thoughts on whether or not they plan on doing their part in this election.

“I’m choosing to vote because women have literally died for that privilege and we should always honor that,” Jordan McLay (senior, psychology) said. “No matter if you don’t like the candidates at the time,

(Case Marshall/The Penn) Voters can mail their ballots in using the post office. always exercise that right whether it is voting third party or even writing someone on the ballot. Plus, it’s your home, why not have a say.”

Mason Carothers (junior, health and physical education) explained that it is crucial to vote because people have died for our right to vote, similar to what McLay said.

“We must honor that,” he said.

Angela Plazio (junior, nursing) agreed that it is important to vote because everything we experience in life is impacted by the government.

“Education, healthcare, human rights, the economy, etc. are all impacted by voting,” she said. “If you don’t vote, you don’t get to have a say in how the country is run, which

can affect you personally or your family and friends.”

Additionally, Gina Biancarelli (senior, nursing) said it is our duty to vote as U.S. citizens.

“We have the right to help in choosing who holds positions in office,” she said. “We must voice for what we believe will create a better future.”

However, not all students plan on voting in this election, and Aundria Stouffer (senior, early childhood/ special education) explained her perspective on why that is. “[Some] students are uncomfortable with voting and don’t know the right steps to take to register,” she said. “Political beliefs could be different from their parents, which could cause tension, and students are not educated enough to even know who to vote for.”

Unlike many other countries, the U.S. gives us the opportunity to have a say on who is elected into the public offices. So, as many students have said, it’s important to exercise our civic duty and practice our right

to vote.

Many women and minorities sacrificed their lives for this right, so it’s only fair to them if we continue to fight for what they started.

Also, Pennsylvania may be the state that makes or breaks the election. This is why it’s extremely important for young Pennsylvania voters to get to the polls on Nov. 3.

This is a swing state. What this means is that every election is different, and it can be a blue state in one election but red in another. This is very important because it will likely determine who wins the popular votes.

Before voting, please make sure you do a lot of fact checking on each candidate. One thing we’ve learned over the last four years is that things get taken out of context to fit a certain media agenda. Social media shouldn’t be your only source for election information. The best way to get information is to check unbiased sites and pick your candidate from there.

Happy voting, Hawks.

Final debate leaves voters more concerned than before CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden faced each other in a final debate Thursday before the 2020 presidential elections.

The debate’s topics were similar to the ones addressed in the first debate, and they ranged from current issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic to more atemporal issues such as the changes in the environment and global warming.

Noticeably less interruptions were made this time. This, however, has nothing to do with whether or not either of the candidates decided to express themselves more politely. Instead, the reason behind the sudden change was the introduction of a “mute button.”

The mute button allowed the moderator to shut off a candidate’s microphone whenever it was the opponent’s time to speak.

The mute button was well received by most. The Washington Post’s Senior Critic-at-large, Robin

The final presidential debate happened Thursday.

Givhan, said that the mute button was a godsend. A stance that the Brookings Institute’s writer, John Hudak, agreed. He called the mute button a gift to the president and to Americans.

Ironically, Trump was one of the people who criticized the decision to use a mute button.

“I just think it’s very unfair,” Trump said.

Others criticized the moderator for not muting the microphone enough times.

“I feel like they didn’t really use

(Facebook)

the mute button like they said they would,” Emily McAninch (freshman, speech pathology) said. “However, I feel that if they used the mute button correctly, then the debate would be less entertaining.”

Other IUP students agree with that position.

“I think the mute button was needed way more,” Winter Cunningham (freshman, interior design) said. “Everything Trump said about race should be muted.”

Trump’s comments regarding racism in America have indeed

caused some controversy among debate watchers. To many, it didn’t sit well that he said he was the “least racist person in the entire room,” especially considering that Kristen Welker, the moderator, was a person of color.

“I feel disgusted by his ignorance,” John Kroh (freshman, biology/pre-med) said. “I don’t think his privileged self understands how little he has done for minorities.”

Others felt particularly annoyed at the president’s claim considering how it contradicts his previous statements that could be deemed as racist.

“Trump made a pretty audacious claim about his track record on race,” late-night comedian Stephen Colbert said before mocking the president on his show. “There are all kinds of black people and Mexicans hiding out there in the dark — could be, I don’t know — plotting and planning, waiting to pounce, and I wouldn’t even know because I’m so not racist.”

Still on the matter of race, Trump accused Biden of calling black Americans “super predators.” A rather serious accusation, which

also happened to be false. According to ABC’s fact checker, it was former first lady Hilary Clinton who had used the expression, not Joe Biden like Trump said.

This is not to say that Biden walked out of the debate free of fact-checkers. His claim regarding Trump’s evolvement with Russia was also fact checked by ABC. “And to the best of my knowledge, I don't think the president has said anything to Putin about [election interventions],” Biden said. “I don't think he's talking to him a lot. I don't think he said a word. I don't know why he hasn't said a word to Putin about it."

This is not true. In the 2019 Group of Twenty (G20) summit, a premiere international forum for global economic corporation, Trump told Russian’s president Vladimir Putin not to interfere in the 2020’s election.

This debate was the last time Trump and Biden will face each other before the election Tuesday.Students over the age of 18 who have registered to vote can do so either in-person or by mailing in the ballot.

News

October 28, 2020

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Opinion

The Penn editors share their opinions on Halloween 1. Editor-in-Chief, Steven Langdon Jr.

Personally, I never was too keen on Halloween. I never liked dressing up and never thought of it as a holiday.

It is more of a day to sit in complete darkness inside the house to avoid people trick-or-treating.

2. Managing Editor, Jake Slebodnick

5. Sports Editor, Jeff Hart

For me, Halloween is a day that holds special memories of trick-or-treating. As an adult, it is really just a day that I buy candy with my fiance that is on sale. I do enjoy the holiday, but not as much as when I was a child.

6. Copy editor, Alexis Loya

Like all major holidays, I only see Halloween as one that lost its original meaning. Instead of having authentic, celtic culture behind it, its now a cesspool of people being obsessed about getting wasted at a frat while wearing the most scandalous clothing or going to “haunted” houses where actors do a mediocre job at scaring people. Thanksgiving is still the best holiday, in my opinion.

As a choco-holic, Halloween is probably my favorite holiday. Whereas others are centered around spending quality time with family and friends, Halloween can be spent doing whatever you want, and it’s never the same. Whether it’s going crazy, dressing up, getting spooky or watching horror movies - it’s up to you to decide. It’s the only holiday with creative freedom (and candy, of course.)

7. Graphic Designer, Teddy Jeannette

Halloween’s pretty cool. I’ll take any excuse to dress up, eat candy and watch scary

3. News Editor, Heather Bair

I didn’t really celebrate Halloween growing up and thought it was a holiday with a lot of negativity surrounding it. As I got older, I loved the myths and stories surrounding Halloween. The history and legends seem to come to life in the month of October, making them all the more interesting.

4. Culture Editor, Kate Pompa

What I like most about Halloween is seeing how excited and proud people are to show off their costumes.

It reminds me of when I was a kid because I loved to dress up as something else. It was kind of like I was living as my childhood icon for the day, and not to mention all the free candy.

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movies.

8. Video Editor, Sean Seaman

I’m a big fan of Halloween. What I like most about it are the scary stories and horror films that come along with the holiday. I also think it’s a fun part of the year that allows people to be creative and allow people to embrace and celebrate their fears.

9. Photo Editor, Autumn Dorsey

Forget Halloween, bring on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

October 28, 2020

Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Katelin Pompa – xzgw@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu

(Pixel2013/Pixabay)

Carving pumpkins is a great way to get in the Halloween spirit.

How are the students celebrating Halloween?

HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Although the allure of having a normal Halloween is especially strong because of the sheer lack of normalcy lately, many students are changing plans to protect themselves as well as others.

Many students are expected to party regardless of the ongoing threat of the pandemic. Others are deciding that keeping their usual plans this Halloween just isn’t worth the risk of being exposed, and they are changing up their traditions from years past.

Limiting your participating friend group to a few people who you know, being cautious and following all CDC recommended procedures is the best way to avoid being exposed yourself.

Though virtual mediums have become a go-to during COVID-19, they aren’t exactly the most viable option for Halloween-themed festivities. Even the most cautious students are still considering spending the spooky holiday in-person

Culture

among friends.

“For Halloween, a group of my friends might just get together for a small party,” Thea McCullough (senior, fashion merchandising) said.

She said that they will all dress up, take pictures and then just simply hang out.

“I changed my plans because of COVID,” she said. “I would have gone out to the bars. Now the bars will probably be crowded and a risk for being exposed. I feel like a lot of people this year have no idea what to do. We all are looking to each other to figure out what the move is.”

Students expect that the number of “open” parties will be reduced greatly even though certain areas will more than likely be participating in “closed” parties that only allow well-known individuals. Many fraternities are only allowing members and their associated sororities to participate in their parties.

Despite slightly limiting the partygoers, the odds of a spike in cases at IUP are high.

“I do not think there will be as many ‘open’ parties this year,” McCullough said. “Usually, anywhere

you walk, you could stumble across a party. This year, a lot of fraternities are having closed parties the night of Halloween.”

Many students’ plans have been completely canceled, and they are unsure what options they have for celebrating this year. When the usual go-to plan is going to all the parties and showing off your costume, there is little left to do when the smaller personal parties have been canceled and the usually huge parties, hosted by fraternities, are expected to be closed to the general student body.

“I don’t have any plans for Halloween this year,” Cassidy Newman (junior, biology) said. “I usually go to my friend’s house for a Halloween party.”

Many students have changed their plans, not because of cancellations or expectations of no festivities to attend, but because of health concerns, the threat of being exposed and of exposing others.

Students are deciding to limit their interactions as much as possible while still trying to enjoy the companies of others.

“My [Halloween] plans are to

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hang out with my friends and have a small get together,” Isabelle Jabbour (junior, political science) said. “I have had to change my plans due to COVID. If there was not a pandemic, my plans would be different.”

She believes there will definitely be big open parties, but maybe not as much as a usual school year.

“I think [COVID] cases will definitely spike after Halloween,” she said. People care more about partying than they do their health or social distancing.”

Some students are insistent that not much will change. Many agree that even though the risk of attending parties are still high, many frequent partygoers will disregard the risk and attend the larger celebrations anyway. Since COVID-19 is considered “old news,” students might be disregarding the usual health and safety policies encouraged by the CDC. “All I know is there’s going to be a couple parties going down even if COVID is here or not,”Aaron Hoda (senior, criminology) said.

“If you look at homecoming, [Halloween] will probably be similar

to that. Everyone still partied, but a lot of people knew how to get away with it,” he said “The smart thing to do is just keep it contained in your own house.”

Hoda said he definitely thinks COVID-19 hasn’t stopped any festivities.

“People don’t really care about COVID anymore because it’s not really the main issue we are facing right now in the world, whereas now we’re trying to focus on the election and trying to vote.”

If you plan to carry out your Halloween as usual by partying or going to bars to celebrate, there are plenty of options that can still allow you to keep yourself safe and have your fun at the sametime.

Choosing a costume with a CDC approved face mask that you can wear behind or with it is an inarguably smart option.

You can find facemasks online that are Halloween themed and can be worn with a clown costume, a jack-o’-lantern costume, and even a witch costume, among many other choices.

If you choose to go out for Halloween, remember to stay safe.

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October 28, 2020

Culture

Check out these fun STATIC activities HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This upcoming week, STATIC has plenty of entertainment to offer IUP, and all virtual events continue to be free and open to the entire community.

On Nov. 5, STATIC is hosting another of their Netflix Watch Parties. They are showing the original version of “Karate Kid.” The event begins at 8 and runs until 10 p.m.

The watch party will be hosted via Google Chrome’s Netflix Watch Party extension and can be accessed on STATIC’s page for the event. Access to a Netflix account is required to virtually attend the event.

On Nov. 6, STATIC is hosting “IUP Conquer the Mic,” which is a virtual version of a musical performance competition. The event starts at 8 and ends at 10

(STATIC website) p.m., and it is free for all who plan to attend and participate.

It will be hosted on Zoom, and the link can be found on the event’s STATIC page. The results of the competition will be up to official judges, but watchers are invited to vote and cheer on their favorite group participants

as well.

Performers of every genre and style are encouraged to participate and are eligible as long as at least one of their members is currently enrolled as an IUP student.

Winners will earn bragging rights, a trophy and even cash prizes. The first-place monetary

prize will be $200, second place winners will earn a cash prize of $150 and third place winners will receive $100 in prize money.

The registration for this event is open from now until Friday.

People interested in participating in the contest are required to preregister and have a sort of

“audition” beforehand.

To register and perform, a group must complete the application found on the event’s website page and submit a 30 second demo of themselves performing.

These files can also be submitted to znclark@iup.edu if the upload of the application at its specified link is unsuccessful.

On Nov. 8, STATIC is hosting “IUP Chopped: Cooking Tutorials.” This event will also be virtual and will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. This event is also free and requires no preregistration, and the Zoom link is to be posted on STATIC’s website soon.

Unfortunately, Gordon Ramsey will not be making an appearance, but local IUP “celebrities” will be presenting some culinary specialties, personal recipes, as well as some helpful kitchen hacks.

Check the IUP STATIC Twitter page for more information.

Culture

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October 28, 2020

(Free-Photos/Pixabay)

Halloween can often evoke ominous feelings.

The history of Halloween and more Heather Bair News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Halloween has been celebrated for millennium by young and old alike. Children dress up as their favorite superhero or princess and go trick-or-treating, eventually heading home with their bags of goodies to spend the night getting a sugar high. But that wasn’t always the case with Halloween.

The History of Halloween Halloween first received its name in 1745 from the Christian term “Hallowe’en” which means “Saints’ evening,” which comes from a Scottish term for All Hallows’ Eve. The first celebration of Halloween started in Celtic-speaking countries and is linked to the festival of Samhain, which is a Gaelic festival that is the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Traditionally, it is held Nov. 1, but is, in a way, the new years eve for the Gaelic areas and came to be celebrated Oct. 31.

Also, Oct. 31 was seen as the one day a year where this world and the Otherworld’s boundary was thinned.

This means the ability to see those who had passed was greater, and fairies or spirits were able to come into this world easily and were more active.

During Samhain, it was believed the fairies and spirits needed to be offered drink, food or portions of the crops in order to ensure the people and livestock would survive the winter.

It wasn’t until Irish and Scottish immigrants in the 19th century came to America that Halloween became a major holiday.

Jack-o’-lantern When we think of Jack-o’-lanterns, we think of the pumpkins with faces carved out of them and a candle placed inside. Jack-o’lanterns were originally carried by guisers, those dressed in disguises, to ward frighten away evil spirits.

A popular Irish Christian folktale tells the story of a man named Jack who was walking home one night and met the devil, who tricked Jack into climbing a tree. Jack etched the sign of the cross into the bark of the tree, trapping the devil. Jack then strikes a bargain with him, saying Satan can never claim his soul.

After a life of drinking and living in sin, Jack is refused entry to heaven when he dies. Keeping his promise, Satan refuses Jack into hell and throws a live coal from the fires of hell at him. Jack’s spirit takes the coal, hollows out a turnip and places the burning coal inside to stop the light and heat from leaving.

Ever since, Jack and his lantern

roam the nights looking for a warm place to rest.

Trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!

The act of trick-or-treating is a customary celebration that happens with children every year on Halloween. Children dress in costume, whether it’s their favorite superhero, princess or character, or even a machine or something they enjoy doing, and they go door-to-door asking for treats.

They pose the question, “trick or treat?” after knocking on doors. The word “trick” implies a that a threat to perform mischief on the owner of the property unless a treat is given. Treats can range from candy to money, and the trick can be something as harmless as trying to scare the homeowner to, quite possibly, harming the homeowner or the property.

The first incident of trick-ortreating was recorded in 1911 when a newspaper in Ontario, Canada reported children “guising” around the neighborhood.

Costumes, dressing up and guising Dressing up in costumes is an act of Halloween that were originally recorded in 1585. Costumes are traditionally modeled after

supernatural figures such as devils, ghosts, monsters, skeletons, vampires and witches. Overtime, the selection of costumes has become bigger, including celebrities, characters, storybook creatures and more.

Originally, dressing up and going trick-or-treating was prevalent in Scotland and Ireland originally.

In Ireland, the masks worn with a costume were known as “false faces” in order to scare evil spirits away from the living.

A Good Housekeeping article published this month listed 15 categories of costumes that people should stay away from. A lot of cultural misappropriation has happened in the past and is continuing to happen.

Some of the categories include anything indigenous that is not of your culture such as blackface, Black Lives Matter, COVID-19 costumes, mentally ill people, national tragedies, terrorists or transphobic costumes.

Contemporary Halloween These days, Halloween has become a holiday in which people dress up, eat a ton of candy, have parties and watch scary movies.

Some people spend Halloween night inside watching horror movies, where others go out and either take children trick-or-treating or go to parties to celebrate Halloween.

Some popular movies include

those from the “Blair Witch Project,” the “Paranormal Activity” franchise, and even “IT” chapter one and two. Some of these horror movies are for good fun, but others can lead to an interesting Halloween night.

Although some places advise against it, some people may celebrate Halloween in a graveyard or cemetery. Cemetery walks starting at midnight and ending at 3 a.m., otherwise known as “The Witching Hour” or “The Devil’s Hour.”

Three a.m. is the time of night that is associated with most, if not all, supernatural events. Demons, ghosts and witches are thought to appear at their full form during 3 a.m. and are deemed their most powerful.

Black magic, the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and selfish purposes, is said to be the strongest between 3 and 4 a.m.

Many folklores seem to come to life during Halloween, as well.

Creatures are seen most throughout October than any other month and “weird happenings” are said to be at their peak during the 31 days of October.

Whether you go trick-or-treating or are planning on staying home and binging horror movies, stay safe this Halloween, not only from COVID, but from the ghosts and ghouls that are looking for new souls.

Happy haunting.

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October 28, 2020

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Culture

IUP MSCLE: Breaking the Barrier RACHEL FOOR Staff Writer R.G.Foor@iup.edu @ThePennIUP On Thursdays for the remainder of the semester, the Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement (MCSLE) at IUP will continue to host a series of events called Breaking the Barrier to discuss different topics related to diversity and inclusion.

“Breaking the Barrier is an opportunity for people and students to come together and discuss their beliefs, perspectives and ideas,” Leslie Coates, the assistant director of Multicultural Affairs and Student Success (MASS) said. “This is also a chance to listen and learn about others as well.”

She said MASS has invited several student organizations to participate in a discussion each week about different topics.

Last week’s event was Intersectionality, Identity Awareness & Development Thursday from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Next up for this semester’s series is Systems and Structures of Oppression Nov. 5 from 3:30 to 5 p.m., Sexual Orientation will be Nov. 19 from 3 to 4:30 p.m., and Power & Privilege will be Dec. 3 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

The first discussion in this semester’s series was Anti-Racism/Racism, which was held Oct. 8 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. All meeting will be held on Zoom: https://bit.ly/3iiUMLN. The Breaking the Barrier discussions originally began during the spring 2020 semester to address the ongoing issues of racism and social injustice both on the IUP campus and in the U.S. To combat this, MCLSE designed two programs to facilitate discussion on these problems directly through continued programming and student-centered discussion, the first being Breaking the

Barrier.

According to the IUP website, “Breaking the Barrier discussions are designed to facilitate dialogue among all students who are interested in learning about and from groups with varying interests and needs, as well as advancing positive social change.”

The other program designed

by MCSLE is Building Bridges which provides Black and Brown students a safe space to receive support, express concerns and connect with their fellow students.

“MCSLE is proud to offer these programs and to lead the way towards supporting IUP as an anti-racist campus community,” Theo Turner, director of MCSLE, said. “We want to offer our support across the university for initiatives that may align with our direct programming goals to bring all interested parties within IUP into the fold. Speaking to this, MCSLE would like to encourage all areas of the university to reach out to us with your ideas regarding collaboration, topics, resources, speakers, and activities or events.”

Previous Breaking the Barrier events have included discussions such as Power & Privilege; Inclusion, Equality & Equity; Identity Awareness; Don’t Box Me In: Nine P’s of Creative Leadership with guest Dr. Marcellus C. Taylor; and Developing a Better Student Life for Black & Brown Students at IUP. Turner encourages anyone with a suggestion, comment or idea for a future event or discussion to reach out to him at tturn@iup.edu.

The MCSLE invites all students, staff and faculty to join in these important conversations. To find more information on specific events, look on IUP’s central calendar and MCSLE’s social media sites for any new updates.

Culture

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October 28, 2020

IUP Lively Arts present ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

IUP’s Lively Arts still has much to offer the community virtually, and their newest event available for streaming was their presentation of an adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing.”

Thursday and Saturday, the Lively Arts Theatre-by-the-Grove group offered live-streamed performances of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” Both shows began at 7:30 p.m., and both went off without so much as a stutter or an internet hiccup. The show itself ran for two hours with a short intermission between the two acts.

IUP student actors took to the main stage in Waller Hall on campus to virtually present a reimagined version of the show directed by Richard Kemp, a professor in the theatre department. This version of the famous Bard’s show was restructured as a radio play set in

the 1940s after World War II and was first performed on the stage of Main Street Theater in Rice Village, Texas.

The show involves Shakespeare’s original characters as volunteers, servicemen and nurses who perform the radio show to entertain allied troops.

Actors were socially distanced, and each wore a mask that was custom made to perfectly match their costume and tie comfortably behind their heads. Each performer also stood at a mic 6 feet apart from their colleagues on the same stage and held their scripts as they spoke, but they never seemed to use the scripts, even for just a single glance.

Despite the challenge of deciphering Shakespearean language, the actors were expressive to the highest degree, and the show flowed well as each actor had undeniable chemistry with the others.

Every time a new actor entered the stage, the setup of the actors shifted to allow for the most distance possible to remain between them.

It was strange, however, that

some of the actors and actresses didn’t have the ability to make eye contact with one another since some were positioned at their microphones onstage behind others.

This occurred even while characters interacted, though this may have only been because of the restructuring of the play in the format of a radio show.

Although the audience was not able to watch the lower half of the actors’ faces, each of the performers unflinchingly rose to the challenge and used every inch of exposed face to emphatically express their characters’ emotions throughout the play.

Watchers were likely surprised and impressed by how well the actors could still express themselves, despite the obstruction of their large masks. The actors playing the characters included Claudio, played

by Adeline Grace Riley, and Benedick, played by Jacob Wilt, were the most expressive in the cast of 15 students. Their eyebrows, eyes, voices, as well as their hand gestures

and body language embodied their characters’ personalities as skillfully as if they had no mask on at all.

Most of the actors’ voices were extremely expressive, and the play went beautifully. Some actors had more expressive faces and less expressive voices, but regardless of the variation between each player, they all made up for whatever expression was lacking in their own way. Those without fantastic dictation, intonation, or expressive eyes and eyebrows made up for it with their body movements and emphatic hand gestures.

At 8:30 p.m., there was a short 10-minute intermission for the actors to refresh themselves and have a small break.

During the intermission, pleasant 1940s style music was played for the audience and maintained the tone and setting of the comedy, even during the break from performance.

There was also a countdown timer included onscreen to let the audience know when the play would resume after the intermission.

Great camera angles danced from actor to actor to keep everyone in the correct frame at the correct time, and there were very few errors, if any. Impeccable camera piloting ensured that each scene flowed perfectly, and that the actors were well framed for each line they delivered.

It felt strange for watchers to not be able to respond to the scenes with well-deserved applause. There was no live curtain call for a bow at the end of the show, but there was a slideshow.

Each slide included headshots of each actor along with the name of the character they had portrayed. The curtain call slideshow also included information about the full stage crew, though without headshots.

The audience and actors were both cheated from the usual pleasure of experiencing the ebb and flow of energy between the audience and the actors during the show, but all gave an incredible performance, nonetheless.

Students share their ghostly experiences MARTY WEAVER Staff Writer zglz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Late October means hot apple cider, Halloween and ghost stories for IUP students.

From numerous reports of strange activity in Waller Hall to IUP’s own Paranormal Society routinely conducting investigations, it seems that a significant percentage of students have experienced spooky happenings in Indiana.

One such student is Rachael Forbes (senior, fine art) who, during her sophomore year, experienced some unexplained phenomena. What sets her story apart is the location of these occurrences: Instead of one of the older buildings on campus, Forbes’ story takes place in one of the newer dorms, Wallwork Hall. “...I stayed on the first floor of Wallwork,” Forbes said. “My roommate was super nice, but she often wasn’t around and stayed at her boyfriend’s most nights.”

Forbes and her roommate

(Humpelfinkel/Pixabay) Spirits are thought to be left over residual energy. stayed in a two-bedroom suite with a kitchenette.

“On my side, our neighbors never moved in, so the room next door stayed vacant all year.

I stayed alone in the dorm a lot, but it never was a problem, and things were pretty normal until around the beginning of the spring semester.

“I started to have a lot of trouble sleeping, and I woke up at 3:33 in the morning almost every night. That was weird, but I always overlooked it.

“I started to hear, and feel, knocking and tapping on the other side of my wall, which was the vacant room next door,” Forbes said. “It was always three knocks or taps, and I knew it was coming from directly on the other side of my wall because I could feel it if I was sitting in my bed or touching the wall.

“One day, not thinking it would do anything, I knocked back on the wall,” she said.

Immediately, three knocks came from the other side of the wall.

“It was as if someone was in the room waiting for me to knock.”

Forbes ran to the hallway and peeked under the door in the adjoining room. No lights on, no names on the door, nothing.

“No one ever moved in,” she said. “It didn’t scare me, though; I felt like I had a friend next door.”

Forbes’ claims were met with a bit of skepticism, though.

“No one believed me about

the knocks, until my boyfriend at the time was over, and I happened to be telling him about the knocks,” she said. “As if right on cue, my friend next door knocked three times right on the other side of the wall where we were in the kitchen. My ex’s face lit up, and I showed him that he/ she will knock back. I tapped on the wall, and sure enough, I got a response.”

This “friend” never went beyond simple knocks or taps according to Forbes.

“It was the craziest thing, because it was intelligent enough to know when to knock back, and it always knocked on the wall where I was in the room: If I was in my bed, it knocked behind my bed.

If I was in the kitchen, it knocked behind me in the kitchen, always [along] the wall [of] the empty room” “And if I didn’t knock back, it would tap/knock more and more until I responded,” Forbes said.

“It happened every single day until I moved out that May. One of the strangest experiences I’ve ever had.

“It was almost like I had a little ghost friend, always waking me.”

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October 28, 2020

Culture

Culture

October 28, 2020

17

All the ways to spend Halloween Borat Subsequent

MovieFilm:

Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay)

Ghosts are an iconic part of Halloween.

MARIAMA MANSARAY Contributing Writer mbpbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion: Halloween may be canceled this year, what with the pandemic and all, but it doesn’t have to be canceled in your house.

The best part of this year’s Halloween? It falls on a Saturday, and on this day, the clocks get moved back for daylight saving time. This is the perfect night for staying up late and having fun without any guilt. Since we at The Penn love you all so much, we wanted to help you celebrate in style with your friends; while adhering to the pandemic rules, of course.

After spending copious amount of time scouring the deep wideweb, researching, investigating and examining different Halloween traditions and celebrations, we have put together a list of fun Halloween celebrations we think you might enjoy.

DRESS UP I know, I know. This might seem like an obvious one. But with the pandemic, you might have reservations about dressing up. But, I’m here to tell you that you can still dress up as your favorite character while staying indoors. So, pull out that Frankenstein costume I know you’ve been saving for just a moment like this and put it to good use. You can use this as a way to have a costume contest at home with friends and family, safely.

MAKE SPOOKY COCKTAILS For those of us that are over 21,

this is a fun way to spend Halloween at home. Whip up some spooky cocktails and enjoy the night. My personal favorite is Apple Cide-Car cocktail. With only six ingredients, it’s really easy to make. You will need an apple, apple cider, brandy, Cointreau, ice and lemon juice. Trust me, this will also become your favorite. Don’t forget, the devil is always in the details.

PUMPKIN-CARVING

This is one of the oldest Halloween tradition out there. why let such a big tradition go to waste this year? Get that pumpkin out and carve up your best work. Get to work, Hawks.

CANDY AND WINE TASTING

tub of water, fresh apples and a few friends (or just you). This game is played by putting the apples in the water, then you and your friends try to catch one apple with your teeth. Be safe.

PUMPKIN GOLFING This is a fun and easy game that the whole family can partake in. Put your golfing abilities to the test by enjoying this fun Halloween game. Carve out a gaping hole in your pumpkin and have fun with it.

TELL SCARY STORIES Telling scary stories is an alltime favorite pastime for many people. Start your own Halloween tradition by telling scary stories.

LISTEN TO SPOOKY PODCASTS

Again, for those of us that are over 21, this is a cheap, fun and good way to spend our Halloween night indoors. The best part? You already have those spooky cocktails you made. Invite some friends over and host your own wine tasting. Trust me, your friends will love you for this. This can also be done with non-alcoholic drinks

Enjoy a night at home by listening to all things horror and paranormal. Some of my favorite scary podcasts: “Lore,” “The NoSleep Podcast,” “The Moonlight Road,” “The Wrong Station” and “Knifepoint Horror.” Happy listening.

BAKE HALLOWEEN COOKIES

HAVE A HALLOWEEN MOVIE NIGHT

This one is our personal favorite. Cookies and Halloween always equals a good time. Take your favorite cookies and turn them into spooky designs. Whip up a batch and invite some friends over for

This is the one Halloween tradition that you can never go wrong with. Whether you are into spine-crawling horror movies like “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” or funny-scary movies like “Scary Movie,” this is a good night to curl up on the couch and start your favorite scary movie marathon.

Remember to follow the Pennsylvania CDC’s guidelines to stay safe and keep those around you safe as well.

some good cookie eating session.

APPLE BOBBING This is a longtime Halloween tradition. All you need is a fresh

EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP After 14 years, a controversial film figure is back on screen with a new movie.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm” was released on Friday through Amazon Prime Video just one month after being confirmed to have been made.

Cohen, who had previously said he retired the character, was seen in multiple instances dressed as the character. The most recent spotting had been him driving a van in September, finally causing him to admit to the film’s shooting.

As with the original “Borat” film released in 2006, the sequel follows the Kazakh journalist interacting with average people. Though there is a storyline, many featured in the film are not actors.

Much of the film deals with the current political climate of the U.S. as well as discussing the coronavirus.

Like its predecessor, the film had already seen some controversy even before its release. A scene featuring a prank on Rudy Guiliani has made its rounds throughout social media.

In the scene, Giuliani is seen lounging on a hotel bed and putting his hand down his pants. This incident occurs after he does what he believes to be a coronavirus interview with a reporter, who then invites him to the room.

The reporter is actually actress Maria Bakalova. she plays Borat’s teenaged daughter in the film, but she is actually 24-years-old. In the film, she is being offered as a bride to Vice President Mike Pence to bring peace among the U.S. and Kazakhstan.

Giuliani, who is most known as being President Donald Trump’s lawyer and former mayor of New York City, took to Twitter after the scene went viral.

“Borat video is a complete fabrication,” he tweeted.

Happy Halloween, IUP.

(Wikimedia) Cohen is most known for Borat.

He received criticism and backlash from the public for his actions, specifically due to the character played by Bakalova being 15 years old.

He claimed the scene to be “a smear campaign” after his allegations against Hunter Biden’s email scandal. However, it has been confirmed that his scene in the film was shot before the scandal occurred.

Trump also spoke out against the film, calling Baron Cohen a “creep.”

Trump himself was originally featured in some of the film, but the scenes were cut amid production. Only Giuliaani and Pence’s scenes remained in the final version.

Despite the controversy, the film has already been praised by movie critics and viewers alike for both acting and for its take on culture. It currently holds a rating of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The character of Borat was first featured on Baron Cohen’s sketch comedy show “Da Ali G. Show” and has remained popular with audiences since.

Though unfavorable with the country of Kazakhstan, with many in the country tweeting #CancelBorat, others have cited his ignorance as helping show the misguidedness that Americans have toward foreigners.

Due to the nature of the film, many streaming services refused to take it before it was picked up

by Amazon. A Prime subscription is needed to view the film, though a 30day free trial is available on Amazon.

Sports

Sports Editor: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

Crimson Hawks garner No. 5 ranking in preseason poll Foster named preseason All-American

By IUP Sports Information

A delay in the start of the 202021 season hasn't stopped IUP men's basketball from getting national recognition, as the Crimson Hawks are ranked No. 5 by the Basketball Times in its Division II preseason poll released Thursday.

IUP is used to high expectations, especially during the Joe Lombardi era, earning preseason top-25 rankings by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for 11 straight seasons.

The NABC has not yet released its preseason poll for this season.

IUP is one of four teams from the Atlantic Region, and the only squad from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), in the Basketball Times' top-20. The Hawks are joined by West Liberty at No. 4, Charleston at No. 18 and Fairmont State at No. 20. Northwest Missouri State is the No. 1 team in the preseason poll followed by West Texas A&M at No. 2.

The Crimson Hawks are coming off one of the finest years in program history before the

18

COVID-19 pandemic ended their 2020 NCAA tournament run before it started. IUP finished with a 28-2 overall record, winning its fifth straight PSAC West Division regular season and second straight conference tournament title. The Hawks earned the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region and were set to host the regional championships before the cancellation of the season.

The Hawks reached as high as No. 3 in the national rankings before finishing the year ranked (iupathletics) No. 6 in the NABC poll.

The PSAC suspended all sports during the 2020 fall semester, so the Crimson Hawks cannot start their abbreviated year until January 2021. No schedule or start date has been determined by the conference.

Early season accolades have come in for IUP junior guard Armoni Foster as he was named a Division II preseason All-American by the Basketball Times.

Foster is one of 24 preseason

All-Americans across Division II after enjoying a breakout season as a first-year starter in 2019-20.

The guard earned all-region and all-district honors by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and D2CCA and was an obvious first team All-PSAC West selection. Foster led the Crimson Hawks and finished fourth in the conference in scoring at 19.8 points per game, putting up 15 20-point games and hitting double-figures in all but two of his 30 games during the season.

Foster finished the year on a hot streak, averaging 23.3 points over the final four weeks. He went for a career-high 33 points in the PSAC quarterfinal win over Cal U and followed that with 28 points against East Stroudsburg in the conference semis. He was a big part of IUP’s 11th PSAC tournament title, averaging 26.0 points and 6.7 rebounds, while shooting 54.8 percent from the field, 63.6 percent from three and 25-of-28 from the foul line.

Foster finished the year with 595 points, tied for 10th most in single season program history.

He was the top shooting guard in the PSAC with a 49.6 field goal percentage and was third in the league with 154 made free throws. He also played a huge part in IUP’s defense as his 56 steals ranked third in the conference.

IUP is used to high expectations, especially during the Joe Lombardi era, earning preseason top-25 rankings by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for 11 straight seasons. The NABC has not yet released its preseason poll for this season.

The PSAC suspended all sports during the 2020 fall semester, so the Crimson Hawks cannot start their abbreviated year until January 2021. No schedule or start date has been determined by the conference.

October 28, 2020

(Autumn Dorsey/The Penn) Foster looks to lead this team to a championship.

Sports

Sports

October 28, 2020

Kershaw redeeming himself in World Series

Athletics speaker series continues for athletes

JAKE SLEBODNICK Managing Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @slebby24 It’s become routine that the Dodgers are seemingly the National League representative each year as they have punched their ticket to Major League Baseball’s season finale three years out of four. But while this may indicate their dominance in the season, they haven’t found that metaphoric “extra gear” to win it all.

This is due in part to poor managerial decisions in key situations and star players underperforming each time they take the field.

One of those stars is future hallof-famer Clayton Kershaw.

While he’s struggled in the past, he is putting together a formidable 2020 postseason stat line.

But where did it go wrong for him in the past few seasons?

When the Dodgers first reached the World Series in 2017, most fans thought Kershaw would walk away with World Series MVP honors.

Coming off a regular season where he eclipsed 18 wins versus four losses, a 2.31 earned run average and 202 strikeouts in 175 innings pitched, he not only earned the NL Cy Young Award, but also the adoration of Dodger fans across the nation.

However, he would turn into a shell of his former self during the postseason, as in his only game in the NLDS, he would give up four runs on five hits in only six and onethird innings pitched.

This could have arguably been a fluke performance as he struggled in three divisional series starts dating back to 2013.

Kershaw bounced back in the NLCS that year winning one of his two appearances and walking away with a 2.45 ERA. However, he would fall again in the World Series.

Despite getting the victory in one start, he fell into a slump after appearing twice more in relief scenarios, a situation that was new to him. According to CBS Sports, the majority of his flawed appearances came in elimination scenarios.

The Dodgers would fall to the Houston Astros 4-3, in the series now filled with questions after the whole Trash-stros scandal, with Kershaw taking the loss in game 6 after Yuli Gurriel tied the game at four on the first pitch of his at-bat.

“2018 will be better,” Dodgers fans thought.

Kershaw was not himself after failing to reach double-digit wins the following season, but still posted favorable numbers on his stat line.

Along with his regular season performance, his postseason line almost mirrored his last season’s.

He dominated the NLDS with an 8-inning, 2-hit performance but lost his bearing in the NLCS and World Series with a combined 1-3 record and a 5.73 ERA. In 2019, he gave up five earned runs in eight innings during the NLDS, the farthest the Dodgers would make it that season after falling to the champion Washington Nationals in five games.

In game 5, Roberts allowed Kershaw to stay in the seventh inning to face impact hitters Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto after he retired Adam Eaton, a contact threat. He failed to convert and gave up backto-back home runs, and after the game, Roberts told reporters he felt comfortable with sending him out there despite reliever Kenta Maeda ready to pitch.

However, adding to an unusual year in 2020, Kershaw remarkably turned it around.

Kershaw continued his dominance in the regular season garnering a 6-2 record in 10 starts with a 2.16 ERA, his best since 2016.

The Dodgers ran away with the NL West and clinched the No. 1 seed in the NL postseason bracket.

While this seemed like this could be the Dodgers’ year, analysts quickly turned their attention to how effective Kershaw would be given his postseason track record.

Starting in the NLDS, he only gave up two earned runs in his only start while recording the win and not allowing a walk during the game.

Fans remained skeptical, but felt a bit of the weight lift off their shoulders.

The baseball gods were not as kind to him in the NLCS as he was hit around like a punching bag in Mike Tyson’s weight room. He was tagged with the loss after allowing four earned runs and seven hits in only five innings on the mound.

While this sent fear into the hearts of Dodger fans, Kershaw turned it around and collected two wins and an opponent batting average of .179 during the World Series, with the most recent coming in game 4.

While his previous postseason runs weren’t the greatest, this year he is putting together a textbook finish capped off with his first ring.

BRAD O’HARA Sports Writer B.L.Ohara@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The speaker series for student-athletes continued this week with a talk from IUP alumnus, Dave Reed.

In an effort to continue programming for student-athletes and help them grow outside of competition, IUP athletics ran their second week of their fivepart speaker series.

Each week of the speaker series focuses on a different aspect of growth for student-athletes. This week focused on the urge to vote

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and encouraging students to be involved in politics.

Reed is a former state representative and majority house leader.

With voting registration coming to a close in Pennsylvania and the election being a week away, Reed focused on encouraging students to play an active role in the democratic process.

He in no way influenced the students on who to vote for, but instead showed them the importance of voting as a whole.

In order to do this, he explained what both parties stand for, how to register to vote and where and how voting takes place. Reed challenged students to not just be focused students and athletes, but to also be active citizens.

“The athletes were very engaged to the speaker, and we got a lot of great feedback from our student-athletes on the topic, ”Athletic Director Todd Garzarelli said, “It was very good knowledge, not just about the presidential election, but also local politics and how people can get

involved and make a difference.

Reed indicated that most decisions in politics that effect people in their everyday life are made and the local level.”

Looking ahead to next week, author and motivational speaker John Gordon will be promoting leadership in the locker room.

“We are excited to have someone of John’s caliber talk with our student-athletes, coaches and staff about topics such as leadership, culture and winning in the locker room first,” Garzarelli said.

“John has worked with many different fortune 500 companies and several professional teams/ college athletic departments over the years. This is a great addition to the speaker series and show the commitment we have as an athletic department to continue provide our student-athletes with a great experience during the pandemic.”

IUP athletics is covering all of the bases for student-athletes as they continue to help them grow both on and off the field.

October 28, 2020

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Sports

Scary moves being made in NHL offseason JAKE TAYLOR Staff Writer J.M.Taylor8@iup.edu @JakeTaylor8726 The National Hockey League is going to look unrecognizable to the common fan next season.

Since the start of free agency Oct. 9, the league has seen superstars land in new places.

Primarily, goaltenders were on the move. The combination of duel threat goalies and the sheer coincidence of a plethora of goaltenders on the market made this off-season quite interesting.

Goalies who once ruled the Eastern Conference for their respective teams are now elsewhere. King Henrick Lundqvist went from ruling New York to his rival in Washington D.C. As for the former Vezina winner in the nation’s capital, well, he is now over the border in Vancouver.

Two-time Stanley Cup Champion Matt Murray signed a juicy contract with the Ottawa Senators after being traded. The New Jersey Devils signed two-time Stanley Cup champion and longtime fan-favorite of Chicago, Corey Crawford.

Try and keep up. Breakout goalie of the year Jacob Markstrom went from Vancouver to Calgary despite some major drama involving the Edmonton Oilers push for Markstrom.

Edmonton settled for Mike Smith.

Former Oilers and Flames net-

minder, Cam Talbot ended up in Minnesota. Stanley Cup bubble hero, Anton Khudobin, re-signed to Dallas. Robin Lehner re-signed to Vegas.

Time to judge the goalie moves with no other reasoning other than hot take analysis. Vancouver’s move for Holtby is one I particularly like.

Although they are losing a stud in Markstrom, they get a cup champion and Vezina winner for less money. Not to mention, they have the best young back-up in the entire league, Thatcher Demko. He is no doubt going to learn from the veteran Holtby and set Vancouver up for success for years to come.

A move I find baffling is Edmonton’s with Mike Smith. He is a good goalie and teammate but not championship caliber.

Edmonton needs to win now, they signed Kyle Turris, Tyler Ennis and Tyson Barrie, but a sub-par goalie will not get McDavid atop the hockey mountain.

Another doggie-doo-doo move is Vegas signing Lehner and keeping Fleury. Their playoff push made it clear the coach had no clue who to start and when.

Having two top tier starting goalies is a bit ridiculous. It costs too much, causes tension in the locker room, and adds a headache to the coach if one has a stretch of bad games. Both Lehner and Fleury deserve a starting job in the NHL. It would

not surprise me if one were to be traded midseason.

I wish the best for Matt Murray in his new home in Ottawa. The Sens are going through a complete re-build and have made it clear Murray is their guy for years to come. A group of young guns will feel safe having a two-time cup champ who practiced with the greatest players in the world on a daily basis.

As for non-goalie free-agent signings, there have been major moves. For starters, the St. Louis Blues captain, Alex Pietrangelo, signed a monster contract for the Vegas Golden Knights. St. Louis responded by signing their Stanley Cup foe, Torey Krug, from the Boston Bruins. Boston, in turn, locked up Matt Grzelyck.

Shockingly, former MVP Taylor Hall signed in Buffalo. Hall was the top sought free agent forward and landed in the hockey capital of the U.S. Hockey fans from all over are excited to see what he can do with Jack Eichel.

There were so many moves made and more to come. So again, let’s judge all the teams moves based on my very own, all things right no things wrong hot take analysis.

A team I think made some of the best moves is the Calgary Flames. The Flames added a No. 1 goalie in Markstrom, a solid defenseman in Chris Tanev, and a shifty forward in Dominik Simon while only losing T.J Brodie.

Now a team that was arguably the best in the West and now is certainly that, Colorado Avalanche. GM Joe Sakic is a sorcerer. He signs the best players for the lowest price.

The team only got better by re-signing Andre Burakovsky, Ryan Graves, Tyler Jost and Valeri Nischukin. They traded a can of chew and a bag of pucks for the solid defenseman, Devon Toews, from NYI. Teams that sucked at the free agency frenzy are many, but I will only name a few. The Chicago Blackhawks have signed minimal players for a max of two years.

The LA Kings and New York Islanders must still be in quarantine because they have not made any moves.

Of course, the team that made the most moves is Toronto.

They signed T.J Brodie, Wayne Simmonds, Zach Bogosian, Joe Thornton and Travis Dermott just to name a few.

Overall, it will take a few weeks into the new season to get used to the leagues’ new look. Many players that have been with their teams for a very long time are now gone. It is one of those off-seasons that reshapes the league.

Powerhouse teams like Washington and Pittsburgh are now falling off to young talent like Colorado and Tampa Bay. So, sit down, shut up, drink a beer, and enjoy the madness.

(Teddy Jeanette/The Penn)

IUP students finding alternatives to sports on campus JULIA ROBINS Staff Writer spxbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP On Aug. 5, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President’s Council announced that fall championships are “not feasible,” and Division II schools like IUP can only retain their season of competition if a waiver is approved in which the team completes 50 percent or less of the sport’s events for the 2020-21 academic year.

Most sports are at a standstill, leaving a gap in many students’ lives. For many, sports are not only a source of friendship and

community, but it also teaches leadership and responsibility.

Some students also spoke of athletics being an exciting motivation to get out of bed in the morning.

Sabrina Sepulvuda (senior, anthropology) has been a member of the Skate Club since Fall 2019. She is also involved in Cru (campus ministry), International Student Fellowship (ISF), and Native American Awareness Council (NAAC). Sepulvuda misses the community and friendships that form in sports.

“What I miss about sports is that it is basically a community,” she said. “It is fun to get your exercise in. It is more fun playing with friends. It is almost like a family. I not only miss the sport

but the people.”

This absence of community and closeness during COVID-19 has made Ryan Chadwick (freshman, social studies education) even more passionate about starting a diving team at IUP. “Diving is such a close sport,” he said. “Back in high school we were such a tight knit community with diverse even in other schools.

It is just a great bonding experience.”

For freshmen, that community and friendship is especially noteworthy. Making friends is difficult, and soccer player Chloe Theoricht (freshman, exercise science) pointed out that when you come to college being on a team, there is a group that you are already a

part of. She also explained how sports builds responsibility and time management.

“Being more disciplined with your schoolwork, you have to go to practice and keep getting your schoolwork done, so it helps and teaches you time management”, she said.

Thoericht is not wrong. Many believe that participating in sports lowers academic performance because of how much time is needed, however, many students can benefit as it forces students to develop organizational skills and a strong schedule to balance athletic commitments with academics.

One club working to help maintain the community that sports builds is the Reformed University

Fellowship (RUF). Once or twice a month, volleyball games open to anyone at IUP are set up in the Sutton Lawn from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 23 was their most recent game.

“As the campus ministry, we just care about trying to create fun activities for people, especially with the coronavirus and everything being shut down,” Oliver Pierce, IUP’s volunteer campus minister, said. “We are trying to do everything we can outside. We did volleyball at the beginning of Welcome Week, and it really caught on. Everybody seemed to like it. It is just one of the many things we do outside to try to be safe and create fun because it has been a harder semester for students.”