/ The Sunflower
THURSDAY Nov. 4, 2021 Volume 126 Issue 13
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PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER
Amy Ross holds a sign in support of Professor Karen Countryman-Roswurm. A protest was held outside of the Metroplex to call for accountability from WSU administrators on Oct. 29, 2021.
Protesters call for accountability from WSU administration following professor’s lawsuit BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com /@JuliaNightengale
Roughly a dozen community members gathered across the street from the presidential inauguration ceremony to call for accountability following social work professor Karen Countryman-Roswurm’s lawsuit against the university that cited “years of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.” “We need to hold WSU responsible for causing harm,” Gianna Williams, a lifelong friend of Countryman-Roswurm and the protest organizer, said. “We need to ask those leaders to do better. The lawsuit is an attempt to hold them accountable and I hope the community will push them to find a safer space for staff and students.”’ Williams said she decided to hold the protest because she wants to see change from the university. “It’s important because a lot of the community are not aware of the harm that can be caused by what they consider to be simple locker room talk,” Williams said. “She has complained and followed the chain of command for years and has not been able to get satisfaction so I just wanted to come out here when there was a lot of attention on WSU to say, ‘I don’t think this is OK.’ They can do better.” The protesters spread out around the complex across the road. The majority of protesters were holding up signs. Many of the protesters were friends and old coworkers from the Center for Combatting Human Trafficking, as well as social work students at WSU. Linda Gregory, who did photography work for the CCHT, said that she was at the protest because she wanted to stand up against the culture of sexual discrimination. “I am supporting Karen CountrymanRoswurm in her lawsuit that she has tried to avoid having for years,” Gregory said.
“The lawsuit is an attempt to hold [WSU’s leaders] accountable and I hope the community will push them to find a safer space for staff and students.” GIANNA WILLIAMS Protest organizer
“No one will do anything about it, they tell her just don’t report it, take it easy, it will go away. It does not go away. It becomes worse. No one should take that kind of mental and verbal abuse that she has taken.” In terms of what she wants to see happen from the university, Gregory said that she wants them to be aware of the community support for the lawsuit and be made aware of the situation so they can begin to change the community so it is no longer an issue. Kristen Powell, a criminal justice graduate from WSU who worked at CCHT said she was there to stand with her mentor. Powell said she would like to see some changes with Title IX. “I don’t think that having in-house reporting is something that is good on campus, in jail systems, or any system,” Powell said. “How do you know it’s ever going to escalate within the university? So I think that would be something that would be helpful for both students and staff members because the person who you are making the report to is someone who might be working in the same office or building.” ShaiLyn Malsky, a graduate student in social work, said that she attended the protest to hold those in power accountable. “Honestly, I think that leadership needs to be held accountable,” Malsky said. SEE PROTEST PAGE 2
PHOTO BY MIA HENNEN / THE SUNFLOWER
President Rick Muma takes his oath of office delivered by magistrate judge Gwynne Birzer. The presidential inauguration was held at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex on Oct. 29.
Rick Muma inaugurated as 15th president of WSU BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith
Rick Muma was inaugurated as the 15th president of Wichita State University Friday, roughly six months after the Kansas Board of Regents hired him. “Every day for the past 25 years, I’ve considered myself lucky to be a part of Shocker nation — as a person, as an educator and a leader — because of the people and opportunities that I’ve found here,” Muma said in his remarks. “I promise to work hard every day to be deserving of this honor.” The inauguration ceremony was held at the WSU Metroplex located on East 29th street. Guests included former WSU President Donald Beggs, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, former presidential search committee chair Dan Peare, KBOR President Blake Flanders, among others.
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly shared the inaugural remarks. “We have the unique privilege of not just celebrating the new president, but we are recognizing the meaningful contributions he’s already made in this position,” Kelly said. “I know that President Muma is dead set on creating even more opportunities like the ones available at the innovation campus for students at Wichita State.” Amy Drassen-Ham from the college of health professions gave the inaugural speech. Drassen-Ham has known Muma for over a decade, and said that she was honored he chose her to give the speech instead of someone who held a higher office in the university. “I concluded that asking me to speak is a direct representation of who President Muma is,” Drassen-Ham said. “He finds value through the everyday SEE INAUGURATION PAGE 2
SGA Senate tables bill that would transfer authority to recognize student organizations to Student Involvement BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com / @JuliaNightengale
A student senate bill regarding the transfer of authority to recognize student organizations to Student Involvement was tabled due to a high number of questions and debates from senators. This bill follows a controversial decision by the student senate last month that rejected the conservative organization Turning Point USA registered student organization status. The decision was deemed unconstitutional by the Student Supreme Court and was overturned the following week.
The bill was introduced to the senate last week by Senator Ella Perkins. “Whether the senate has true authority over recognition of RSOs has long been a question, and it has become increasingly clear through conversations that have been had over the last month, the denial of any student group RSO status will always have the potential to put the association in legal jeopardy,” Perkins said. Perkins said that this forces senators to make false choices because voting no will always be questioned as a violation of the first amendment, and may force them
to support a student organization that they don’t think represents their constituents. Perkins said that both Gabriel Fonseca, Interim Director of Student Involvement and President Muma are in favor of this legislation. The senate would still be able to reverse any decision made by the student involvement office by a two-thirds vote. If a senator was concerned about a specific RSO, they would be able to make inquiries to Student Involvement. Abby Whistler, coordinator of student organizations in Student Involvement, would be in charge of
processing student organizations. “I think the way we would maneuver this responsibility would be through and in conjunction with the Ways and Means Committee, that provides oversight to student organizations,” Fonseca said. “We’re also not opposed at all to notifying senate leadership that an organization had been approved and for them to have that information.” During the voting period on Nov. 3, many senators voiced concerns over the bill, including Senator Tayton Majors who chairs the Ways and Means Committee — the committee that oversees
RSOs. He said this bill would take away student organization;s platforms to share about their vision to SGA and give senators a chance to ask questions. “This bill isn’t fully removing SGA’s involvement … Even if our current situation is legally questionable, this would not change with this legislation,” Majors said. He also noted that there is nothing in this bill that guarantees immediate notice to senators about groups being denied or accepted. Senator Emily Warden spoke in affirmation of the bill, and said SEE SGA PAGE 2