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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2018 • VOL. 123, ISS. 23

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WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1896.

Health professions, fine arts deans talk student input on infrastructure proposal BY MATTHEW KELLY

Wichita State’s deans were tasked with generating infrastructure priorities for their respective colleges in preparation for a “student-driven” initiative to raise student fees by $6 a credit hour for the purpose of upgrading campus facilities. The proposal will be voted on by students in March, and although WSU is not required by law to respect the outcome of the referendum, the university’s infrastructure priorities list states that using student fees requires “serious student support.”

BIBB

MILLER

The proposed hike would allow the university to bond $38.5 million — $20 million of which would be allocated to the construction of the new business school. The rest would go toward other colleges’ priorities. There is no hard data available on

student input for the infrastructure priorities, Vice President for Student Affairs Teri Hall said. The Sunflower reached out to the deans of each academic college to ask how they used student input to set their infrastructure priorities. Health Professions Dean Sandra Bibb and Fine Arts Dean Rodney Miller responded. The top infrastructure priority for the College of Health Professions is relocating the dental hygiene program to an expanded oral health facility at the Hughes Metroplex — a project Bibb said has been in the

works since before she arrived at WSU in 2014. “The goal always was to move dental hygiene over there and build out the first floor into the parking lot,” Bibb said. “There was input from faculty and students and the department chair of dental hygiene at that time in designing that first floor.” Architects provided an estimate for the facility, and Bibb said the college planned to seek donor support for its funding. Then WSU’s infrastructure proposal came along and she saw an opportunity to

expedite the process. “It made sense then, when there was an opportunity to move [the new dental hygiene facility] forward with the possibility that we could have both donor support and then have it be part of this referendum, that we would have it at the top of the list,” Bibb said. Moving the dental hygiene program would free up space in Ahlberg Hall for a renovated advising and student services suite — the college’s other infrastructure priority.

SEE DEANS PAGE 2

blackhawk down SELENA FAVELA/THE SUNFLOWER

Provost Rick Muma answers questions about the proposed infrastructure student fee during the SGA meeting Wednesday in the RSC.

Student senators raise concerns over potential hike in student fees BY JOHN DARR

Representatives from the student steering committee for the “student-driven” campus infrastructure project and proposed increase to student fees — Hannah Foster, Gentry Thiesen, and Ashley Estes — presented to student senators during the open forum of Wednesday’s Student Government Association meeting. Most of the answers were either provided or clarified by Vice President for Student Affairs Teri Hall and Provost Rick Muma.

The student committee explained that the state of Kansas would not pay for the construction or maintenance of any building on campus, so the funding would come from increasing student fees. The proposed increase would be a $6 per credit hour increase, but the increase could initially start as low as $4 before gradually increasing. INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY

SGA senators voiced a number of concerns during the presentation. SEE SGA PAGE 4

Kansas Army National Guard showcases helicopter before campus flyover SELENA FAVELA/THE SUNFLOWER

Above, a Blackhawk sits near Braeburn Square before a flyover performed by the Kansas Army National Guard. Right, a pilot’s helmet sits in the cockpit of a Blackhawk helicopter. Members of the Kansas Army National Guard flew Blackhawks over the Wichita State campus Wednesday morning.

Freshman Cavves drummer helps set the rhythm of Wichita BY RYAN CREWS

ELLA DOMINGUEZ/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State freshman Jackson Relph is a drummer for The Cavves.

The Cavves have risen right alongside Wichita’s music scene. The band literally grew up with it. As the city entered its cultural renaissance, members of The Cavves were in Catholic high school writing their first songs. In 2016, they were finishing school. Tthey played their first 70 shows in dive bars and coffeeshops in the span of a single year. Pulling the essence of the city and channeling it into their music is something the band learned early on. In the

background of every show, channeling the precision of that pulse, was drummer Jackson Relph, now a freshman at WSU. Relph embodies the band’s passion and hometown pride to its core. Often regarded in jest as “the band’s 13 year-old drummer who just graduated eighth grade by front-runner Sophie Emerson, Relph is the youngest member of the band by a year. As the most youthful in a band that embodies the rowdiness of growing up, Relph holds a unique position in The Cavves. He feels like his age doesn’t hinder him.

Instead, he gleefully states that his bandmates see him like “the nerdy little brother” of the group. Relph’s musical journey started in middle school, when he got his first drum set from a fellow churchgoer. He started carrying sticks with him everywhere he went. As Relph puts it, “You never know when you’ll hear a sweet lick that you’ll want to learn immediately.” This habit stood out to Emerson, who was a sophomore in high school at the time.

SEE RELPH PAGE 3

Military student finds voice through service BY ANDREW LINNABARY

Riley Jones found his voice by shouting over roaring Humvee engines and giving reports to rooms full of high-ranking officers. Jones always had a weak voice growing up, he said. At 18, he joined the Air Force, where he worked as a radio operator. Now 25, Jones is in the Air National Guard — and less than a year away from completing his business management degree at Wichita State. A strengthened, confident public speaking voice came in

handy while chasing that degree. “I was and still am terrified [of public speaking],” Jones said. “It’s just I’m a little more effective at it.” He became more effective because of pressure. There’s a constant weight on your shoulders, Jones said, to perform well in front of your peers and superiors in the military. “It’s making you work a little bit harder on it because you’re wanting to do the best you can.” That extra work paid off. Jones joined the military as an “absolute couch potato,” he said.

He quickly learned that wouldn’t fly in the Air Force. “There’s very high physical standards — a lot of attention to detail,” Jones said. “I learned to roll my socks perfectly. Stuff like that.” And he quickly learned discipline. The motivation and drive he acquired through training and repetition are what stuck with him most, public speaking skills aside. “Having an attitude where you can’t quit, won’t quit — it puts that in your mind.” SEE JONES PAGE 3

COURTESY

Riley Jones leads a group of students and student veterans at the second annual Shocker Ruck event. The event aims to give insight into the life of veterans in a multitude of ways, including a 1.25 mile walk along Perimeter Road while wearing backpacks and other military equipment.

INSIDE

HIGH ASPIRATIONS

STREAK SNAPPED?

B-BALL PREDICTIONS

Marvel mastermind left mark on industry.

Tommy Newport says he’s bigger in Cali than in Kansas.

Shocker volleyball could miss out on winning 20-plus games for first time in 15 years.

Sunflower staffers give predictions for first game of Charleston Classic.

OPINION • PAGE 2

CULTURE • PAGE 3

SPORTS • PAGE 4

RIP STAN LEE

OPINION

2 | THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018

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THE STAFF

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STAN LEE: THE PASSING OF A ‘REAL-LIFE’ SUPERHERO BY MARSHALL SUNNER

EDITORIAL

tan Lee passed away Monday morning at the age of 95. Regardless of if you read Lee’s comics, you probably know him from his role in creating the most popular and profitable movie franchise in history: the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He created the characters, after all. By creating practically every Avengers superhero as well as “The Fantastic Four,” “Daredevil,” and the “X-Men,” Lee gave the world an amount of joy and happiness that is nearly impossible to comprehend. Mr. Lee gave us 35 Marvel movie cameos over the years — a number that will climb to 37 when “Avengers 4” and “Captain Marvel” are released. His creation of these superheroes has given the world many memories. To me, the most memorable of these revolve around Spider-Man. Spider-Man is hands down my favorite Marvel superhero. Without the work Lee put in, I wouldn’t have gotten to witness a near-infinite amount of web-slinging action. It didn’t matter to me whether it was Tobey McGuire, Andrew Garfield, or Tom Holland swinging around the city, saving lives. The

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character of Spider-Man himself intrigued me from the beginning and helped draw me into the franchise. Making the everlasting characters of the Marvel Universe is nowhere near all Lee has done for the entertainment industry. In my opinion, his biggest accomplishment is the fandom he created. Millions worldwide have seen and loved his work. Lee’s creativity and imagination rubbed off on countless people. The inspiration he gave hundreds of thousands — even millions — of people around the world is insurmountable, and that’s what made him into the real-life superhero us Marvel fans saw him as. I, like many people, am grateful to Stan Lee for the exquisite material he produced. His work ultimately laid the blueprint for an everlasting franchise. Not a single person could sum up Lee’s life better than himself. In 2007’s “Spider-Man 3,” in one of his many cameos, Lee speaks with Tobey McGuire’s Spider-Man about the superhero being granted with the key to New York City. “You know, one person can make a difference,” Lee says. That’s right, Stan, one person can make a difference — and one of those people was you.

Thank you, Stan Lee. Thank you for helping create some of the best all-around entertainment this world could have ever asked for.

MEGAN STULL/THE SUNFLOWER

DEANS

FROM PAGE 1 One priority for the College of Fine Arts is modernizing classrooms, offices, and labs in Henrion Hall — something Miller said has been discussed on and off for 15 years. “Focusing on the last four or five years, we have had numerous (and diverse) meetings that have either been focused solely on students (i.e. - student town hall meeting, MFA student discussion group, etc.) all the way to architectural charrettes where student representatives were invited to participate,” Miller wrote in an email. Miller said the college’s other priorities — renovating performance space and updating classrooms, offices, and equipment in Wilner Auditorium — has had “less student involvement” so far. “We have not discussed specifics

with students because specifics in this area will depend upon the amount of money we have for the project,” Miller wrote of the equipment upgrades and acquisitions. Miller said all three priorities are “organic” in the sense that they are “in the area of ‘attention must be paid’ to dated, aging and/or crumbling facilities and equipment.” Bibb said she has taken an active role in discussing the proposed fee with students. “I talked to health professions senators, the Future Healthcare Professions president, and then I asked for the opportunity from the chairs again to go to as many classes as I could to talk to the students about this,” Bibb said. “And so I visited lots of different classes.” She said some students nearing graduation wonder why they should pay fees for projects they may not see completed.

“It’s possible that the fees could start before you graduate, and perhaps as a student, you won’t see the benefit, but you will as an alum,” Bibb said. “When I talked to the students about it, I talked about how they are enjoying things that other students may have contributed to or whatever else. For me, I just see that as part of being in a community — being in a community and being a citizen in the community.” Bibb said another question students have raised is why more than half of the money raised should go to the construction of the business school. “You can always have that perspective of what’s fair and not fair, and I don’t believe that you’re going to be able to do things — this is my personal opinion — across the board the same way all the time,” Bibb said. “There’s always going to

be give and take.” The university created a steering committee of 30 students to take the lead on informing students of and generating support for the project. Bibb said she is encouraging students to make their voices heard by speaking to their student representatives. “I cannot tell [students] what to do, but I said to them that they needed to absolutely make sure that their student representatives knew what they thought and where they were,” Bibb said. Business Dean Anand Desai, Interim Engineering Dean Steve Skinner, Applied Studies Dean Shirley Lefever, and Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Andrew Hippisley did not respond to The Sunflower’s request for comment on what methods they used to gather student input for the “student-driven” infrastructure plan.

Veterans’ benefits backlog WSU, national problem Dear Editor, I am writing to update veterans and the campus community about work underway to address the backlog in processing claims for veterans’ benefits. This is a WSU problem, but it’s also a national problem, with a Veterans Administration claims backlog running into the hundreds of thousands. All of us who support campus veterans are sincerely sorry this has happened. Eight of us have worked the last two weekends to examine every single case file and get

LETTER TO THE EDITOR them into the best possible shape to clear this backlog on our end. Here’s where things stand as of Tuesday, November 13, based on all applications received:

• 64 certifications have been completed (this includes firsttime certifications, adjustments and amendments.) • 36 need follow-ups from VA or students. (All documentation has been reviewed and additional answers are needed from students to process the paperwork. Emails have been sent to those students). • 55 completed applications were transmitted to VA for certification last weekend. My own background includes 20 years active duty in the U.S. Army, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Throughout my military career, and since then, I have supported active and retired military families to ensure their needs were met along with those of the broader community. I plan to continue doing that in the role I took on last month at WSU. Whether you’re a veteran or not, I’d be pleased to have you stop by the Military and Veteran Center in Grace Wilkie Hall 105.

- Larry Burks Sr. Director, Military and Veteran Services

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First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

If you are experiencing financial hardship this semester and need an emergency loan due to VA Benefits back log, please stop by the Military and Veteran Center in Grace Wilkie 105 and fill out a loan application.

point of contact:

CORRECTIONS

larry burks sr. LTC, US Army (R) Director, Military and Veteran Services Division of Diversity and Community Engagement Wichita State University Phone: (316) 978-3207 Email: larry.burks@wichita.edu

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CULTURE

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THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018

BY ANDREW LINNABARY

Tommy Newport T an outsider success story

KENZIE BORLAND/THE SUNFLOWER

Oliver Milmine, also known by his stage name Tommy Newport, plays in his studio.

ommy Newport sees himself as an outsider in the Wichita music scene. He’s been playing guitar and making music for four years. His debut album, “Just To Be Ironic,” dropped today. You might not know of Newport, or of his new album. Newport’s a nineteen-year-old from Andover; his birth name Oliver Milmine. He’s bigger, he said, in California than he is in Kansas. Maybe that’s because his music doesn’t really fit in here, he said. “It’s a niche thing,” Newport said about the Wichita scene. “I don’t know if I would say behind the times, but I feel like a lot of the stuff coming out of here, it’s been heard before, and it’s been heard a long time ago.” He respects that, he said. But not when his name gets trashed for trying to do something different. “I respect anybody that’s just trying to do what they love, so if that’s what they want to sound like, that’s beautiful, they should keep doing it,” Newport said. “But as soon as I start hearing people talking s*** on my music when I’m just minding my own business, doing my thing, I’m just kind of like . . . I try to keep my mouth shut, but.” Newport tends to let the music do the talking, he said. His music talks in a bluesy, guitar-driven way. He creates it all from scratch, he said — usually starting with guitar. Sometimes bass. “I have a little spot in my basement where my computer

and everything is set up — my guitar and all that,” Newport said. “And I usually start out with just the guitar, and I’ll write sort of like a progression or a melody, and then I kind of loop it in the software and throw other layers to it like bass, and maybe some drums. “If I enjoy it or if I feel like it could go somewhere, I start to really sit down and structure it better.” Newport said he tries to make something every day. “Because why not? If I don’t make something today, I could’ve missed something I really liked,” said Newport. Inspiration often strikes, he said, when listening to his favorite artists — the Arctic Monkeys, Dan Auerbach. Sometimes his influences slip in without him noticing. “When people tell you, ‘Oh, you kind of sound like this or that,’ I’m like, well, it would make sense because I listen to that. So it’s weird how it works. Because when you sit down and write, you don’t think about mimicking anyone, but subconsciously, sometimes you do,” Newport said. Newport said he tries not to overthink anything — whether that’s what other artists think of him, what his music sounds like, or where he’s headed in the future. His end goal? To have as many people hear his music and enjoy it as possible. “I feel like there’s definitely a lot of possibilities of it taking off in the next six months, but you know, you can’t really predict anything,” Newport said. “You have to keep doing what you do, and hopefully something happens.”

Sunflower Selections Ep. 4: The Snowflower Thanksgiving With Wichita’s first snow right behind us and Thanksgiving just around the corner, warm music is coming into season. The Sunflower has you covered. BY PAMELA DOMINGUEZ

With the brisk winter months rapidly approaching, it’s time to transition into a mellow mindset with music to match. The frosty season demands a warm counterpart to fill the void created by subzero temperatures and holiday stress. The calm, almost sleepy, characteristic of acoustic covers pairs so sweetly with the aesthetics of a chilly day. Featuring Angus & Julia Stone, Band of Horses, and The Lumineers, the bands I chose are all fronted by artists with toasty voices that are perfect for snowfall.

JONES

FROM PAGE 1 Quitting wasn’t really an option for Jones. He made a commitment when he enlisted, he said. “Most people won’t sign up for a two-year cellphone contract, but these are people that have given away four years, six years, even more of their life to a huge commitment,” Jones said. “Not just a job, but essentially a lifestyle, a culture, knowing that hey, you may get sent halfway across the world.”

RELPH

FROM PAGE 1

“[Relph] literally walked everywhere in our high school with drumsticks,” Emerson recounted with a mischievous smile. “He took a pair of drumsticks to every f****ing class and it really pissed me off. I was like ‘oh my god, who’s that? And why is he f****ing drumming on literally everything?’ It annoyed the s*** out of me.” Knowing his skill set, Emerson requested Relph to replace her as drummer in another band, The Schemes, so that she could be the bassist in another group. When it came time to compete at Battle of the Bands, Relph’s drumming led The Schemes to victory over Gemini. That’s when Emerson knew she had to play with Relph. The resulting band eventually became The Cavves. Now, the group is tighter than ever, and Relph tends to shower his bandmates in compliments during conversation. “Troy just has a really amazing understanding of music, I don’t know…” Relph said. “I have a little man-crush on Troy.” Relph adores bassist Troy Toon’s

Topped off with indie holiday classics like “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood and “The Last Snowstorm of The Year” by Hippo Campus, this playlist is best paired with a fuzzy sweater, a steaming beverage, and an evening spent bundled at home. The city might be frozen, but this collection of heartfelt odes will keep any sleepy soul warm throughout the winter months. BY JOHN DARR

It hurts like hell to walk through a winter storm, but at the same time, there’s hardly anything more majestic. The imposing silence of cold air and the spiritual gleam of fresh snow make for heavenly music-listening conditions. My selection kicks off with Arcade Fire’s heart-rending “Neighborhood ‘REAL CAMARADERIE AND BROTHERHOOD’

That lifestyle and culture — one defined by “dedication, motivation, and maturity” — is one he grew to love. Thankfully, Jones said, he was able to find that same culture here at Wichita State. “It took me a little bit to find [the Student Veteran Organization],” Jones said. “Once I did, I ended up gravitating toward it.” Jones spends his free time in the SVO. Veterans hangv out, share meals, tutor each other. It’s their multi-instrumentalism, Emerson’s keen knack for song structure, and guitarist Matt Bennett’s ability to shred solos throughout every track, he said. The Cavves’ music is meticulously crafted yet remarkably carefree. As Relph put it, the band’s music is “not about being perfect.” That’s one of Sophie’s goals in writing music: ‘F*** the world, have a good time.’” “But it’s not all sunshine and parties,” Relph said. “ ‘Beaches’ really hit that home.” “Beaches” is a surf rock jam masked in sunshine. Its lyrics show a poetic vigor that add a melancholic weight to the track. “We never went down to the coasts, stayed up in broken homes where you and I were all we had, but that’s okay because we learned to swim,” Relph reads off of the top of his mind. Relph doesn’t personally relate to the sentiment of coming from a broken home as Emerson’s lyrics read. His ability to connect and empathize with her words is a part of what makes Emerson refer to Relph as her little brother. Since their formation, The Cavves released one recorded

#1: Tunnels.” The song’s glittering piano and driving drums pair beautifully with its lyrical story of kids fighting to survive a snowpocalypse. From there, I’ve included the gorgeously atmospheric “Into the Well.” Mree’s lush fingerpicked guitar lines and soft vocals are the perfect accompaniment to a walk through snowy woods. For the sadboys out there, I’ve got Bladee’s “Romeo,” whose synth flurries come to life over a shifting foundation of 808 kick drums and panoramic hi-hat rolls. Vivid lyrics like “When I’m in your area the flowers start withering / Ice world, everything glittering” grant the track a sweeping cinematic feeling. Following “Romeo” is my blizzard pick, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma’s “Blue Nudes I-IV.” The track’s crushing

waves of melodic sound are the perfect match for weathering snowfall. No snow playlist is complete without Bon Iver. I’ve picked my winter favorite, “Michicant,” for this playlist. The call and response between Justin Vernon’s floating vocal melodies and twinkling guitar riffs, the soft gallop of percussion in the background, and the track’s swelling alt-country finale make for a perfect snow listen. As a transplant in Kansas from Michigan, music can be my connection to friends and family back home, but also a nostalgic pull to a place I loved living. This Thanksgiving will be my first without going home or having anyone visit. There is no doubt I

will be turning on “Michigan” by Milk Carton Kids and “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart to sink into the home sickness. The next two songs I added—“Good Friends, Bad Habits” by Owen and “Broadripple is Burning” by Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s—are tunes that give me visceral memories. They are both songs I’ve played on guitar and sang with my friends as well as played loudly in my car alone. My selection ends with “Ohio” by Damian Jurado, an obvious nostalgic song. But, in this case, my strongest memory when I listen to this song is seeing Damien Jurado last fall at Barleycorn’s. It will be interesting to see what songs will bring me back to Wichita when I’ve moved on after graduation.

home away from home. “There’s real camaraderie and brotherhood, which I know is sort of cliche, as much as it gets mentioned,” Jones said. “But [the SVO] really just creates a good community for everyone here.” He began volunteering as the SVO’s secretary after getting involved. Now he volunteers as the organization’s vice president.

was put on the college path by his dad, he said. His dad started the family at 18, and began working at Boeing. Fifteen years later, he went back to school. Then he got his masters in business. “He’s told me ever since then, ‘The choice is yours, but getting a four-year degree is the best — pretty much smartest thing you can do,” Jones said. “I believe him. I’ve seen the good things he’s done with his degree.” What good things will Jones do with his degree? He’s not yet sure. “I might hang it up on the wall,

be real proud of myself, and then go become a firefighter,” Jones said. “I could end up working for Koch or Cargill. I want to have options.” Wherever he ends up, he’ll take the skillset the military taught him with him. “You kind of pick strange things that scare you,” Jones said. “For me, that was speaking in front of a large group, whether that was peers or leadership. “[The military is] always working on making you become a better soldier, or airman, or sailor — to be the best you can be.”

that took time to recover. “It was awkward coming back to practice the next week,” Relph said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be the end of it. We knew we had to move past it but it was still kind of a fresh wound that was still bleeding.” Finding a drummer wasn’t too much of a hassle. Replacing Relph’s ever-present energy was the problem. “It was not the same,” Emerson said. “It was not the same without our little guy.” On The Cavves’ second, and Relph’s first, DIY tour of the year, the band made a quick recovery. Fall-break allowed Relph to reap the benefits of the music he helped create. Despite small hiccups, they rocked their nine-state tour all the way up to the WAVE grand opening — their homecoming show. Near the end of the WAVE set, Relph jumped ahead during the song “Beaches.” It was a minor blip in time that he easily recovered from, but his increased aggression made it very clear that he took it to heart. He continued to beat himself up over it, feeling as if he “let the hometown crowd down.” He

recalls his father’s reaffirmation for the night being, “‘dude, you’re your own worst critic ‘cause everyone out here loved it.’” On top of everyday college anxieties, completing homework, and going to symphonic band practice, transitioning to a recording artist briefly put Relph’s insecurities in the forefront. The time in the studio increased the pressure that Relph puts on himself musically. “Listeners get a lot of information about you just by how you play. They don’t have to see you, they just have to hear you. That’s intimidating,” Relph said. “I’m excited for people to see us evolving. We’re getting older and growing out of old habits.” Post-tour, Relph has many broken drumsticks to his name. For him, they carry lifelong memories. Despite occasional insecurities, Relph maintains a constant hyper-attentiveness to his musical growth. He looks towards his dreams of one day crafting a set to play on Audiotree or NPR and creating a post-grunge band to call his own. For now, he’s staying passionate about rocking on. He hopes to keep making his hometown proud.

‘BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE’

Jones didn’t know he’d ever find the SVO, let alone find himself finishing a college degree. But he project titled “Learn to Swim,” which led to the band’s first tour in January of this year. Relph was a senior in high school at the time, and the band had been planning the tour for months when the unthinkable happened. Relph found out that he couldn’t go on the band’s first tour just minutes before they were scheduled to leave. The hardest thing he had to do was to face his bandmates and tell them the bad news.

“I’M EXCITED FOR PEOPLE TO SEE US EVOLVING. WE’RE GETTING OLDER AND GROWING OUT OF OLD HABITS.” —JACKSON RELPH, CAVVES DRUMMER

“It was pretty sad,” Emerson remembered. “He was the most silent I’ve ever seen him like he did something really wrong.” Reality put a stop to Relph’s rock star dreams for the time. He was told that he wouldn’t be able to graduate high school in time if he missed a week of class for the tour. His absence created a rift in the band

BY MARIAH PERKINS

SPORTS

4 | THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018

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shockers topple sam houston 63-55

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Left, Wichita State improved to a 3-0 record after defeating Sam Houston State on Wednesday. The Shockers have not held a 3-0 record since 2002. Three-pointers from Carla Bremaud and Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage secured the victory in the game’s final minutes. Above, Wichita State’s Carla Bremaud goes for the basket at their game against Sam Houston State on November 14.

WICHITA STATE VS. DAVIDSON PREDICTIONS

JOSEPH BARRINGHAUS/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State’s Samajae Haynes-Jones makes a pass during their game against Catawba on Oct. 30.

Wichita State evened their record after holding off Providence last week. WSU lost at home to Louisiana Tech, ranked No. 116 by KenPom, before topping the Friars, who are No. 59 in KenPom. “I think you’re going to see the rocky-type Dow Jones Industrial Average graph for our team,” Head Coach Gregg Marshall said Monday. “The good, the bad, and the ugly — I think you’ve seen both of them in the first two games.” Thursday, WSU will face the Davidson Wildcats, who are ranked No. 86 in KenPom. Sunflower sports staffers shared their predictions for WSU’s first game of the Charleston Classic.

eyebrows. There’s no way the two seniors, Markis McDuffie and Samajae Haynes-Jones, don’t build off that win and lead WSU to another victory. In the first two contests, multiple newcomers showed out and picked up slack when needed, and they’ll do it again against the Wildcats. WSU 73, Davidson 64

MARSHALL SUNNER

JOSEPH BARRINGHAUS

The Providence win raised some

SEAN MARTY

Jamarius Burton will have another big game, score effectively, and keep Davidson’s Kellan Grady in check. Markis McDuffie and Samajae Haynes-Jones will deliver big shots down the stretch. WSU 82, Davidson 75 Wichita State will defeat

Davidson for two reasons: Markis McDuffie and Samajae HaynesJones. McDuffie had a hot game last week, and if he steps up again this week, there’s no question who will win this game. Haynes-Jones averages the most playing time on the team, and if he continues to assist players and get his shot to fall, it’ll be a different game. WSU 78, Davidson 70 EVAN PFLUGRADT

Davidson doesn’t turn the ball over; WSU does. The Shockers can pull off a win if they commit eight or fewer turnovers, and Markis McDuffie makes two of his first six shot attempts. Otherwise, this one might come down to the charity stripe. Davidson 70, WSU 69

Shockers on verge of ending 15-year streak BY EVAN PFLUGRADT

Wichita State volleyball has won 20 or more games for the last 15 seasons. WSU has four games remaining on its schedule, and a 12-14 record. The team has dropped three of their last four games — two of which were lost in three sets. Head Coach Chris Lamb referenced the Shockers’ 2008 season. That year, WSU went undefeated, before losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Lamb mentioned how although the team went undefeated, a majority of their matches that year were decided by three or four points. “I’ve always held on to how tight these matches are, and how it doesn’t take much to change a culture,” Lamb said on his weekly coach’s show. The Shockers scheduled one of

SGA

FROM PAGE 1 “If the students vote no, how do we know that the school won’t go through with it?” asked At-Large Senator Xan Mattek of the referendum scheduled for next March. “We don’t really know what will happen if this doesn’t pass,” Hall said. Mattek also asked about the process of taking out bonds to fund the initiative. “When we voted on the YMCA and the new health center, we were told that the university couldn’t take out any more bonds. What changed?” Mattek said. “How it was communicated was that we would not take out any bonds for non-academic facilities. These are academic facilities,” Muma said. At the time of the YMCA vote, senators were told that the university was in no financial position to bond money. Vice President for Finance and Administration Werner Golling told The Sunflower that the university’s financial standing has not changed markedly since the YMCA proposal last spring, but that the fee hike would provide enough money for WSU to bond money. TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS

Several senators raised concerns about the student fee increase needed to fund the infrastructure initiative. These concerns were presented in context of other issues, including where the money would

the most challenging schedules the program has had in Lamb’s tenure. WSU played five teams ranked in the AVCA poll, including Brigham Young and Stanford — No. 1 and No. 2, respectively at the time. “I don’t regret the schedule I offered up this team,” Lamb said. “We weren’t at full strength at a time we needed to be. “All of those losses were close. I think we were in a position to get everything we wanted.” WSU hasn’t finished with fewer than 19 wins since 2002, Lamb’s third year with the program. Should the team win out their remaining four games, they’ll finish with the third-lowest season win total in Lamb’s career with the Shockers. The team had eight wins in his first season with the program, and 11 wins the following season. “Having been more in tune with the NBA, I’ve heard Charles Barkley

say so many times through the years, it’s not about the coaches, it’s about the players,” Lamb said. “The players, it’s all on them. “As a college coach, I want to shoulder much more of that. At the end of the day, they need to meet you in the middle, and they need to meet you in the middle for four months.” The Shockers have dealt with injuries to much of their front line this season. Those injuries came at times WSU’s schedule was at its peak difficulty. “An injury can do it,” Lamb cited as a factor behind the team’s losing record. “A few weeks of practice where people aren’t improving and you become stagnant, someone will catch you. “If the schedule lines up in the wrong way, on a week where you’re not on point and the right team is in the gym, you’ll lose.”

be allocated, how student input would be gathered and received, and the university’s need to approve the initiative before information about costs and timing were finalized. “A lot of my constituents, and I personally, are concerned about the lack of transparency about the situation,” said Business Senator Ethan Balzar. “When we ask, we’re being told we’ll get more information later on. If we’re in such a preliminary stage now, where the information is sparse because we don’t really have it, why do we have to pass this referendum now?” Muma and Hall said they didn’t have all the answers yet. “We have that information and will provide it. We’re not trying to not provide it. I have it here. I can leave a copy here or I can send it,” Muma said. “Part of the reason we’re here, even, is out of respect,” Hall said. “This is something that is being launched on campus. It’s a major student initiative, and you are the Student Government Association. [We’re here] to make sure that you are included in this, to make sure you have as much information that you’ll see in the paper. We don’t have a lot of the answers yet. We don’t even have a date for the campaign yet. But the key was that we would get ahead of you, as it started, so that it would feel that you could see the transparency that we’re going for.”

student fees wouldn’t see any benefits from the projects they were funding. Business Sen. Ciaban Peterson suggested that students might be more supportive of the initiative if they could see tangible infrastructure improvements, such as the establishment of a 24 hour library or gym, during their time at the university. “If I understand correctly, you want to know if we could do some things immediately to get more buy-in,” Muma said. “The answer to that is yes. The toilet, or lack of toilet facilities, in the 24 hour library space. That’s something that we can do fairly quickly. That would be an example.” Honors Sen. Lucas Webb said his constituents, especially upperclassmen, were concerned about fee raises for two reasons — first, because they stacked on top of fee raises from previous years, and second, because they would most likely not see the infrastructural improvements their fees were paying for. The student steering committee replied that such increases to student fees were inevitable. “You’re never going to have to stop paying student fees. They’re always going to be going up,” Theisen said. “I’m a senior. Especially for upperclassmen, it’s important for us to do our part for the future students at Wichita State. Estes said upperclassmen are “always going to take the brunt of” such fees. “We may not see what’s actually going to happen,” Estes said. “It’s like

‘DO OUR PART’

Other senators were concerned that students who were paying

JOSEPH BARRINGHAUS/THE SUNFLOWER

Head Coach Chris Lamb yells to his players during their game against Houston on Nov. 9.

paying taxes. I pay taxes on roads I’m never going to drive on.” BENEFITS ACROSS DISCIPLINES

At-Large Sen. Jannet Balderrama raised concerns on behalf of non-business students who would not receive the brunt of the infrastructural initiative’s benefits. More than half of the money in the initiative will be allocated for a new business school building on Innovation Campus. “Just because it’s a business building doesn’t mean . . . you won’t have access to this building,” Muma said. “They [business students] are not in the building 24 hours, seven days a week. We’re planning on scheduling other kinds of classes in that building.” STUDENT INPUT

Senators were also concerned that the purported “student-driven” aspect of the project was lacking. “[The initiative] has not, in my opinion, been well publicized,” said Liberal Arts and Sciences Sen. Aaron Mounts. “I have asked quite a few people and their first question about this referendum is, ‘Wait, what is that?’ What steps are you taking in the next five months to make sure students know the in-depth details about what this entails, how much student fees are going to increase?” The student steering committee replied that open meetings would be held for students to attend. Publicity would also be increased through the establishment of Facebook and

Twitter pages where students could submit their input and ask questions about the initiative. “We’re going to make this a really big deal,” Foster said. “Part of the issue is the willingness [of students] to seek out the information,” Theisen said. Hall concluded the Committee’s presentation by asserting that the administration would provide information to the Student Government Association as the project developed. “I promise you we will come back,” Hall said. “When you walk into academic buildings this January, you’re going to trip over the kinds of information we have put out for this. We’ll have the whole timeline and have all the answers to all of your questions. “We came here out of respect to let you in on this as we’re getting started. That’s what we’re here for. And we heard your concerns and I promise you that we’ll be able to answer them.” At the end of the meeting, several senators remarked that, if the student steering committee, Hall, and Muma came to speak again, it would be helpful to have Hall and Muma speak at the front of the room with the speakers so that they could be heard clearly as well. Student Body Vice President Shelby Rowell said that initially, only the representatives from the student committee were going to speak. If the three came again, Rowell said, they’d arrange for seating so that all could be heard clearly.