WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896 MONDAY
Volume 125
www.thesunflower.com
Sept. 28, 2020
PRESIDENT RESIGNS
Issue 5
AUDREY KORTE/THE SUNFLOWER
WSU President Jay Golden answers questions during an interview with The Sunflower on March 12, 2020. Golden resigned Friday after nine months on the job.
After just nine months on the job, University President Jay Golden submits resignation to the Kansas Board of Regents BY LINDSAY SMITH news@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith
W
SU President Jay Golden resigned from his position just shy of nine months on the job. The Kansas Board of Regents announced the resignation Friday, which will be effective immediately. “Wichita State University President Jay Golden has submitted his resignation to the Kansas Board of Regents. The Board is thankful for his service,” the KBOR statement read. “We are appreciative of his hard work and dedication to the university and are grateful for his commitment to serving students. We wish him well in all his
FOLLOW US
/ The Sunflower
future endeavors.” After a closed search process following President John Bardo’s death in March 2019, KBOR named Golden as the 14th president in late October. In early June, donors threatened to pull funding from the university if the Board of Regents didn’t oust Golden after he changed Ivanka Trump’s graduation speech from keynote to optional. Students held a rally in support of Golden and after a four-hour meeting, KBOR took no public action and Golden remained president. Regent Jon Rolph told KMUW that Golden’s resignation is not related to the Ivanka Trump controversy.
@sunflowernews
@thesunflowernews
“I was just surprised. It was not something that was on my radar.” ALEKS STERNFELD-DUNN Faculty Senate President
“If the board was going to take action on that, it would have been in June,” Rolph told KMUW. The Sunflower reached out to the WSU Foundation who refused to comment. The Strategic Communications office didn’t directly comment and instead directed The Sunflower to KBOR Director of Communications Matt Keith, who has yet to respond.
Faculty Senate President Aleks Sternfeld-Dunn said the announcement came as a shock to many, including himself. “I was just surprised,” Sternfeld-Dunn said. “It was not something that was on my radar.” University Provost Rick Muma will take over as acting president until an interim president is selected. Sternfeld-Dunn said he believes past interim President Andy Thompkins would be a good choice to fill that position. “I don’t know who that will be, but I thought President Thompkins did a great job while he was here and then a national search will begin again.” SEE RESIGNATION PAGE 2
2 | MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2020
NEWS
New student organization aims to give hope to the disabled community BY HANNAH HOLLIDAY hannah.holliday04@gmail.com
Assistive Technology Solutions is a student organization that builds prosthetics and other assistive devices to help disabled people perform daily tasks that they weren’t able to before. They were officially granted Registered Student Organization Status from the Student Government Association on Sept. 16. Carlos Gatti, a junior biomedical engineering major and the organization’s president, waited for this moment for a long time. It all started in Paraguay, Gatti’s home country. Before moving to the United States, Gatti worked for an organization called PoParaguay where he gained experience in building prosthetics for people with disabilities. “The experience that I got from that kind of job just gave me the ideas [and] the motivation to continue that work here in the U.S,” Gatti said. Gatti quickly found his passion for helping people growing alongside his new organization. “You can change someone’s life. It’s just a fascinating thing for me, especially if you can do it for free. I just want to keep doing that and keep doing what I love to do,” Gatti said. To get Assistive Technology Solutions off the ground, Gatti had assistance from Nathan Smith, Gratti’s grant advisor, and
Samantha Corcoran, an assistant engineering educator that works with Go Baby Go, a WSU program that modifies store-bought ride-on toy cars for children with disabilities. “They really guided me a lot through the process as well as the people from the nonprofit organization PoParaguay, were amazing on allowing me to collaborate with them, work with the students here in the U.S. as well as students in Paraguay to develop different projects,” Gatti said. Many of the group’s projects have been for people Gatti has met through a paralympic athlete. “One of my friend’s dad, he doesn’t have an arm, he’s a paralympic athlete,” Gatti said. “[He] introduced me to a lot of people that need assistive devices to perform their daily life activities.” To create the assistive devices, Assistive Technology Solutions uses WSU’s Project Innovation Hub. There, they can create devices in any color or pattern for free. Being able to use the Project Innovation Hub helps the organization to open itself to more students. “I really want to provide that hands-on experience to students. I want students to get involved with people, hear their stories, learn from them. I had that experience with PoParaguay so I really want to transmit that to the students here
COURTESY OF CARLOS GATTI
Assistive Technologies Student organization meets Saturday, Sept. 26. The groups’ purpose is to create assistive technologies to help the disabled community.
at Wichita State,” said Gatti. To find members, Gatti found interested students in his classes. Because the organization only has about 15 members, they are looking for more students to join. “We are accepting any person from any career field. We are more than happy to have motivated people especially.” Gatti is looking for members from many walks of life because of the nature of their work. “Each project is different because we don’t want to just focus on a certain type of device we are creating, every person needs a different assistive device,” Gatti said. Just like every student
organization, Assistive Technology Solutions had to adapt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology allowed for a project for Gatti’s friend’s grandfather who doesn’t have an arm was able to be completed while staying socially distanced. “Instead of going to their place and taking measurements for their arm directly, we managed to get a cast from his arm and he sent that cast to me via mail. So we used his cast and we scanned it with a 3D scanner to get the measurements and designed our assistive device from that,” Gatti said. The organization hopes to send future projects by mail as well to
stay safe during the pandemic. Many of their meetings are over Zoom, but their first meeting as an RSO is taking place in person on Saturday, Sept. 25. Gatti hopes that the pandemic will not stop people from contacting the group for help. “We are open to any cases from any age of person so our goal is to help people. Don’t be afraid to contact us, we are going to work on it and we are going to do the best that we can,” said Gatti. Anyone interested in receiving assistance or joining the group can find more information on their Facebook page: @ATSWSU2020.
RESIGNATION FROM PAGE 1 Past Student Body President Kitrina Miller served on the search committee that chose Golden. She said hearing the news that Golden resigned was a shock. “[It’s] definitely not something that I would have expected, especially so soon,” Miller said. She said she believes that the student body deserves an explanation as to why Golden resigned. “I’m really curious how much administration really knows because I know if it was sent directly to the Kansas Board of Regents, then administration maybe doesn’t know the full story yet,” Miller said. “Definitely at the bare minimum [students should know] the reason Dr. Golden submitted his resignation.” Student Government Association Treasurer Zach James said that Golden leaving will sadden many students. “It’s saddening. Dr. Golden was very loved by students,” James said. “A few months ago, we all rallied around him. This is going to have a long term effect. The next president is going to have high standards already placed on them already. “Jay Golden was the students’ president.” Student Body Vice President MacKenzie Haas said that Golden will be missed by the university. “Jay Golden was collaborative, listened to students and wanted what was best for students. He will be missed,” Haas said. “We really want to thank him for all the work he did and for making our campus a better place in the short amount of time he was here.” Speaker of the House Olivia Babin said that she hopes Golden’s successor will echo his goals. “Jay Golden worked hard for students and showed us all what a university president should be,” Babin said. “I want to thank him for his service for students. I hope whoever his successor is will follow in his footsteps putting students first.”
TIMELINE MARCH 12, 2019 WSU’s 13th President John Bardo dies
MAY 16, 2019 KBOR appoints search committee members
OCT. 20-21, 2019 KBOR conducts in-person interviews with finalists
OCT. 31, 2019 Golden named WSU’s 14th president
DEC. 17, 2019 First day as president
JUNE 10, 2020
MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER
President Jay Golden answers questions during an interview with The Sunflower following the presidential announcement on Friday, Nov. 1, 2019.
Donors threaten to pull funding if KBOR doesn’t oust Golden, KBOR makes no public action
SEPT. 25, 2020 Golden resigns
The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters and twice over the summer. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.
MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learning experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published.
LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association. The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association. Copyright © 2020 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.
EDITOR IN CHIEF editor@thesunflower.com NEWS EDITOR Lindsay Smith news@thesunflower.com OPINION EDITOR Jeromiah Taylor opinion@thesunflower.com SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Karen Galindo arts@thesunfower.com COPY EDITOR Julia Nightengale copyeditor@thesunflower.com
VISUALS DIRECTOR Morgan Anderson visuals @thesunflower.com PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Kaylee Stout photos@thesunflower.com PODCAST DIRECTOR Audrey Korte podcast@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Noah Merrell admanager@thesunflower.com FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu
Contact Us 019 Elliott Hall 1845 N. Fairmount Ave. Campus Box 134 Wichita, KS 67260-0134 EDITORIAL
316-978-6905 editor@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING
Noah Merrell: 316-978-6906 admanager@thesunflower.com
Corrections
The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.
NEWS
MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2020 | 3
STAYING GROUNDED CAPS staff member discusses the power of mindfulness
BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com / @JuliaNighengale
It is no secret that college students are dealing with astronomical amounts of stress this semester due to COVID-19. Jessica Schindler, a doctoral intern at WSU CAPS said that practicing mindfulness for only 10 minutes a day can help keep students centered. “My definition of mindfulness is being present in the moment,” Schindler said. “Instead of worrying so much about the future or ruminating in the present, which is where a lot of stress comes from, you focus on staying in the moment with your breathing or whatever you are focusing on in that moment, and just kind of be present and aware with your senses and whatever is going on around and inside you.” Schindler said that research indicates that mindfulness can be helpful for minor stress, depression, and anxiety. Schindler said that mindfulness can also be helpful in today’s fast-paced culture. Mindfulness can be integrated into everyday activities, Schindler said. “It doesn’t have to be anything intense,” Schindler said. “A lot of people hear the word mindfulness and think about zen or meditation or these really intense practices.” Schindler said that she practices mindfulness for 10 minutes a day while doing her makeup, while some other people like to take 30 minutes to do a formal meditation practice. Schindler said that people should do whatever feels best for them. Schindler said that it is common for people to try practicing mindfulness and give up because they have racing thoughts or can’t focus on their breath.
“Honestly, at first I did have the same struggles and insecurities that a lot of people do when they start practicing,” Schindler said. “It is a skill that takes practice and knowing that fact helped me to stick with it. Also knowing that I don’t have to be good at it, and I don’t have to be an expert. I just have to practice everyday and by nature it will become more beneficial as I continue.” Schindler’s tips for those just starting out are to focus on their breath, which can anchor them to the present moment. She said they can also focus on the sensation of the air coming through their nose, the temperature, how their lungs feel, and how they feel in that moment to keep them grounded. “The thing about mindfulness is that it’s not necessarily something that you can be good or bat at, it’s just something that you can practice,” Schindler said. “If you are having a difficult time, just noting that you are having trouble is practicing mindfulness. When we have thought about being ‘good’ at mindfulness it can be a barrier to practicing.” Through CAPS social media, Jessica hosts a Facebook livestream on Wednesday’s called Keep Calm Breathe Online. She leads viewers through a brief mindfulness exercise, with themes such showing gratitude towards our bodies and living in the present. She encourages viewers to ask questions throughout the livestream. “As far as what I hope it does for students, I hope that it gives them a sense of relaxation and just some practice with mindfulness … having that time set aside for students or faculty or whoever is watching for their mindfulness practice and then they can just go about their day,” Schindler said.
KAYLEE STOUT/THE SUNFLOWER
Kelsey Shingler poses for a photo sitting in a meditation position.
‘Cyber attacks are constant:’ experts discuss the recent increase of computer dangers BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com / @JuliaNighengale
With the increase of computer usage through online learning and working from home during COVID-19, there are many dangers that people can face online that can put their information at risk. “Cyber attacks are constant and cyber criminals never stop,” Sergio Salinas Monroy, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at WSU said. “You can lose access to your online accounts, bank accounts, social media, or anything that requires a username and password. Information that is stored on your computer can be stolen, encrypted, and sold for ransom.” Monroy said that cyber attack complaints have increased by 400% during COVID-19, according to an FBI report. “It’s not that anything has changed over the pandemic, but people are working from home and using their own devices that may not be as locked down as computers at work,” Monroy said. John Jones, director of the Media Resources Center at WSU said that one of the most common scams through emails or texts sent by a scammer pretending to be a company that people recognize. Clicking on the link can put people’s information at risk, especially
if they provide login information. Jones said that if someone gets one of these scams, they should report it to spamreport@wichita. edu. “If an email doesn’t feel right, it’s good practice to go to that companies website and see if you can find the same information there. It’s a good habit to get into,” Jones said. Monroy said that if someone types in their username and password, they should immediately change all their logins. If they end up giving out their social security number, they should contact their bank and contact the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov to find their next steps. “When you are driving, you drive safely and reduce the risk of crashing by wearing a seatbelt. In cyberspace, people need to wear their seatbelts,” Monroy said. Monroy said that there are a few easy tips to follow to help keep information safe. Using a password manager will help to create a unique password for every login, so if hackers obtain login information for one website they don’t have it for others. He also recommends using two-factor authentication, which gives an additional string of numbers to use to login in. He warns against using SMS messages for two-factor authentication because
hackers can redirect the messages to their devices. Keeping up-to-date backups of the data is also an important step. If you get a virus, you can wipe everything off your computer and bring in the data from the backup and avoid paying ransom unnecessarily to hackers. “Being able to restore your computer is really important,” Jones said. “The Office 365 accounts come with a lot of storage for free through the university. Even if you can’t access your personal computer, you can go to the university library or a public computer and access them anywhere.” Monroy said that having devices automatically apply security updates is also vital. Not doing this gives hackers a window of opportunity between updates. Jones said that computer safety is a thing people need to pay attention to and invest some time learning about. WSU students have free access to LinkedIn learning, which is a repository of online learning. They have courses such as ‘Learning Computer Security and Internet Safety’ along with many others available. “That kind of training isn’t something that is usually offered as a course for people not majoring in computer science, so it’s a great way to get that kind of training,” Jones said. Even with all of these dangers,
Monroy said that technology is a valuable tool. If video conferencing wasn’t available, the world would be in worse shape than it is now in staying connected and learning safely. “As with any technology, there are risks and we need to learn how to mitigate those … The more that people are aware, the easier it is to catch when someone is trying to scam you. It’s very easy to stop it and all it takes it to be a little bit skeptical,” Monroy said.
PROFESSOR MONROY’S FIVE TIPS FOR COMPUTER SAFETY 1. Use a password manager 2. Two-factor authentication 3. Keep up-to-date backups of data 4. Have your devices automatically apply security updates 5. Be skeptical
NEWS
4 | MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2020
Sunflower Archives- Sept. 20, 1982: President Ahlberg resigns LORRAINE KEE
AVAILABLE: One used university president. Experienced. Still in good working condition. Clark Ahlberg, who announced Friday his resignation as president of Wichita State University effective July 1, is not retiring from life. “I’m not planning to quit doing things after I retire,” Ahlberg said Saturday, leaning on the armrest of a green and blue sofa in the den of the president’s home. “Maybe no one will want me, but I’m planning to go back to teaching. You need to do that. “Of course, I’ll have to make a transition to another lifestyle,” he said. “It’s going to be hard. There will be a lot of adjustments to make. Not being busy, busy, busy all the time. But I’m not tired. And for our ages, my wife and I are still pretty active.” Ahlberg, 64, has been president of WSU for 14 years. It was an appointment he didn’t seek. He said his first reaction when he offered the job at WSU was to decline. But he changed his mind, and says he has never regretted that decision. A native Wichitan, Ahlberg graduated from the University of Wichita in 1939. He attended Syracuse (N.Y.) University, where he earned master and doctorate degrees in political science. After holding several administrative jobs at Syracuse, he worked in New York state’s Budget Division. He returned to Syracuse in 1959 as vice president. His whole experience at WSU since 1968, Ahlberg said, has been pleasurable, stimulating and inspirational. “Never a drag,” he added. The president has seen enrollment at WSU jump from 11,548 to
more than 17,000. Academic programs expended during his tenure include continuing education, off-campus courses, cooperative education and television classes. New campus buildings have been constructed: Ulrich Museum of Art, Clinton, McKnight Art Center, Health Sciences Building, Liberal Arts and Sciences Building and Hubbard Hall. The Multipurpose Sports Complex should be open late this winter. One of the more memorable moments during his tenure was a tour in 1975 of the People’s Republic of China. Ahlberg was invited as a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities to see China. “There have been lots of highlights,” he said, “and very few lows. The plane crash in 1970 has to stand out as one of lows.” On Oct. 2, 1970, an airplane carrying WSU football players, fans and officials crashed in the Colorado Rockies, killing 30 people. Prayer services are held annually on campus in memory of the tragedy. It was a sad turn of events, Ahlberg said. He said he personally knew several of the people on the plane. But if any good came out of the tragedy, he said, it was that it drew the community and the university together. “It was enormously rewarding in that respect,” he said.”The university and the people of Wichita got together to do what they could for the survivors.” Fifteen years, Ahlberg said, is a long time to be president of a university. It is more important for administrations to change than faculty, he said. He said he will be leaving behind a group of able-bodied
deans, vice presidents and faculty who can carry on without his help. “It would be very immodest of me to accept all the credit for all the good things that have happened,” Ahlberg said. “They’ve happened because I’ve had a lot of excellent administrators and community support. “I’ve been criticized for running a loose administration,” he added. “But my only job is to find the resources so that these people can carry out their projects. The only thing that I can take credit for is that I hired them. If you try to control them, you turn off their spirit.” Ahlberg said it was a relief to announce his retirement. He had planned to do it last October but changed his mind. At that time, the university was embroiled in the midst of an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations by the WSU basketball team, he explained. The probe resulted in WSU being placed on probation for three years. “I wanted to see that through,” Ahlberg said. “I didn’t want to leave it for somebody else to deal with.” The next few months will be a time of readjustment for Ahlberg. But don’t be deceived; he has no intention of slowing down. One of the disadvantages of announcing his retirement of announcing his retirement early is that his authority may seemingly dwindle, he said. But that’s far from how he sees this remaining time as president. “There’s a lot left for me to do,” Ahlberg said. “There’s the budget cuts and the library. I have a feeling that I won’t behave like a lame duck.”
ARCHIVE PHOTO: DEVAN MEYERS/THE SUNFLOWER
Clark Ahlberg retired after 15 years as President of WSU.
Everything you need to know about WSU’s
Student Government Association BY CALEN MOORE cjmoore3@shockers.wichita.edu
Government participation has been highly encouraged within college campuses across the nation. Many WSU students have found homes serving in Wichita State’s Student Government Association. SGA is structured similar to the United States government. The legislative branch, which is composed of student senators, propose legislation to create policies. The executive branch, SGA president and cabinets, enforce these policies. The judiciary branch hears cases and decides on the constitutionality of the actions of the other two branches.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH The executive branch is made up of SGA president Rija Khan and Vice President MacKenzie Haas and their cabinet members. Their role is to connect the students to the administration. Khan sets goals for the executive branch and meets with students to better understand students’ concerns. “Something students should know about my role in SGA is that I’m here to represent the students and the problems they face,” Khan said. “Sometimes that is financial challenges or student safety or international students housing, I’m here to represent these to faculty and the community.” Khan explained most of the executive branch spends its time setting goals, conducting meetings with students, and meeting with administration to represent students and work with the other branches to balance the power SGA holds.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH The legislative branch is made up of 66 student senators and is responsible for creating policies based on student concerns and needs. “SGA oversees student organizations, management of student fees and ensures student rights are being valued,” Gabriel Fonseca, assistant director of student involvement said. “But SGA also deals with fulfilling needs on campus and influencing the students with their platform.” The legislative branch holds meetings to discuss the agendas controlled by Vice President Mackenzie Haas. Both the legislative and executive branch try to work together following goals set at the beginning of each year. Standing committees are a way to divide SGA into sections of interest. Some committees focus on safety, others focus on housing. These are another factor in the process of SGA.
JUDICIAL BRANCH The judicial branch is the Supreme Court, which is made up of four student justices, two faculty justices and a Chief Justice who is elected by a majority of justices. This court acts as check in power to the other aforementioned branches. The Supreme Court can appeal legislation that they believe does not adhere to the laws of SGA. They follow the Constitution of the Student Body, modeled after the Constitution of the United States. The Supreme Court makes rulings on cases and determines the constitutionality of cases that fall under their jurisdiction. The judicial branch’s role is to officially interpret and guide the legislative branch and executive branch and their requests and decisions they make.
MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2020 | 5
WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM
Arts & Entertainment
HAVE A STORY IDEA?
contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Karen Galindo arts@thesunflower.com
Clubs and organizations on campus you may not have heard of: KVersity BY KAREN GALINDO arts@thesunflower.com
K-pop has taken the world by storm. With BTS, BLACKPINK, and other famous K-pop groups collabing with western superstars such as Selena Gomez and Nicki Minaj, Korean pop music has become a prominent force in the western music industry. K-pop is at the heart of the Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu Wave which directly translates to “the flow of Korea”. The Hallyu Wave refers to how South Korean pop culture, including everything from music to Korean dramas to fashion, is perpetrating and altering the global culture. At Wichita State, we have our own student group that has been a cause of the Hallyu wave. KVersity is a student-run, K-pop and hip-hop dance group that is inspired by K-pop dance styles and music. President Jennifer Dang first
joined the group when a friend reached out to her and persuaded her to attend a practice. “I took the opportunity,” Dang said. “I went there and didn’t know anyone, but as I started learning new dances and learning everyone’s name and just being a part of the group, it really helped me grow as a person.” KVersity isnt just about dance and popular K-pop groups, Dang says. “We focus on trying to bring people in from different cultures, different backgrounds, and just to have fun since we all have a common interest which is dancing and music,” Dang said. Second year Tudsaley Vongsena says she joined KVersity as a freshman despite not having any prior dance experience. “We are just there for fun,” Vongsena said. “We are there to connect with the music. It’s just us, the music, and the people around us. It’s not so much about ‘Can you
dance, can you not?’.” Vongsena also believes that shared interests can bring a group of strangers together. “K-pop is a type of music that a lot of people listen to no matter their background,” Vongsena said. “We think that not only the dancing aspect, but the music aspect as well, brings people together.” This is KVersity’s first year as a registered student organization. If you’re interested in joining or learning more about KVersity, feel free to email them at kversitydance@gmail.com or join them at their weekly Saturday practices from noon to 2:00 p.m. at Room 141 at the Heskett Center. Dang hopes to bring out the best of her members, just how KVersity brought out the best in her. “People join a club for fun and we want to continue letting members be comfortable and bring the best out of them,” Dang said. “You are more capable of doing things that you don’t think you can do.”
KAYLEE STOUT/THE SUNFLOWER
Mai-Nhanh Dao, a sophomore majoring in international studies, dances to K-Pop during the KVersity club meeting on Saturday insde the Heskett Center.
Covid-Style Concert
LINDSAY SMITH/THE SUNFLOWER
The Fairmount String Trio performed a mini pop-up concert in betweeen Wiedemann Hall and Duerksen Fine Arts Center on Friday, Sept. 25.
College of Performing Arts discusses COVID-19 adaptations BY WYMAN WHEELER wjwheeler@shockers.wichita.edu
The Fairmount College of Liberal Arts hosted their ninth installment of their “Perspectives on the Pandemic Part II” series on Wednesday. This latest edition brought to attention the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performing arts and its audiences. Rodney Miller, the dean of the College of Fine Arts at Wichita State labeled the loss of the events industry as catastrophic. “They [the events industry] were the first to close down and they will be the last industry to fully open back up,” Miller said. “But what the general public doesn’t understand or appreciate is the magnitude of that closure
to the American economy. In Kansas alone, the arts constitute three percent of the state’s gross domestic product. Employing over fifty-thousand Kansans, that represents a 2.5 billion dollar amount in salaries alone.” In a time when people need the arts more than ever, members of the Fine Arts college are tasked with continuing to teach and mentor students in the arts. During the panel, four special panelists were given the opportunity to speak out: Danette Baker, Professor and Director of Theatre, David MacDonald, Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition, Matt Miller, Lighting Designer, and Marissa Santiago, Arts Administrator and Events Producer. Each panelist had their
own unique perspective regarding their work amidst a global epidemic. The Performing Arts are a key piece of Wichita State’s identity. Since the introduction of the Performing Arts, alumni from the Performing Arts college have won many significant awards including Oscars, Emmys, Pullitzers, etc. Since the pandemic forced individuals involved in the arts to cancel all of their events, artists have lost a majority of their potential work. Matt Miller’s experience with these unfortunate circumstances affected his work with “Ballet Idaho”. “We loaded in our show on a Monday. Many of the people involved in the production had only heard peripherally about this ‘Coronavirus thing’ that was
happening overseas, and by that Thursday afternoon we had to cancel our performances,” Miller said. Months of rehearsals and planning went down the drain for Miller and many others. Miller’s experience with the pandemic reflects the experience of many others throughout the industry. In Miller’s experience, “Ballet Idaho” performed their show with no audience present and filmed it so audiences could enjoy the show from the comfort and safety of their own home. Ballet Idaho’s new experiment went so well that they have an all-virtual season on the horizon for 2021. This may be a prime example of what the arts will look like within the next few months.
Eventually the virus will begin to recede but the precautions taken by the arts industry may continue to be incorporated, according to Danette Baker. “I think there’s going to have to be change,” Baker said. “We can’t rely on our old habits and ways of doing things and we have to be open to exploring new potentials and possibilities.” The overall consensus is that the form in which the arts will be consumed will look different for the time being, but the administration is working with what they have in order to best prepare their students for careers in the performing arts.
6 | MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2020
WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM
Opinion
HAVE AN OPINION?
contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Jeromiah Taylor opinion@thesunflower.com
Street A FEW HOURS AGO, THE KANSAS BOARD OF REGENTS PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING THAT DR. JAY GOLDEN HAD RESIGNED AS PRESIDENT OF WICHITA STATE.
HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
AUBRYANNA VAUGHN “I feel sad about it because I really liked him and I kind of wish that Koch didn’t push him out. I just think he should have stayed longer. He really cared for us students.”
DELANEY SAUNDERS “I feel angered because it seems like they just pushed him out. They’re pushing him out because they didn’t like who he was standing up for. I feel disappointed and I feel scared for who’s going to come next and if they will keep all of our students in mind.”
PRECIOUS OYETUNJI “I feel kind of saddened because he actually cared about students. Thank you Koch brothers.”
JOSHUA SYMENS “Honestly, a little worried because I feel like it has something to do with all the stuff that’s been happening since he started with COVID and then that whole Ivanka Trump meeting cancellation. I feel like it’s got something to do with that because other than that I can’t see him resigning for any reason and I personally thought he handled that situation in the correct way especially with the riots that were happening then plus COVID.”
ELIJAH MAPLES “It’s mostly confusion. I think the big question that everyone is wondering is ‘why?’ and it seems like we haven’t really gotten anything from the university yet. It’s mostly confusion and probably a little bit of shock.”
EDITORIAL CARTOON BY MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER
WE DESERVE AN EXPLANATION Trust is a key ingredient for any university that wants to move beyond mere functionality towards a higher plain — to a place where students, faculty and staff can thrive. But trust doesn’t come easily these days. The biggest decisions that impact the Wichita State University community are made behind closed doors and we’re asked to sit tight with no explanation, no justification, no reason or purpose for them. We’re asked to trust that everything is okay without being told the truth. That’s not going to fly. Currently, WSU is facing an unexpected situation and the mystery shrouding it hurts our trust in the institution we hold near and dear. On Friday, the Kansas Board of Regents announced that Wichita State University President Jay Golden resigned from his position after about nine months on the job. The reason for this sudden departure? Well, the public isn’t being offered a reason. Regent Chair Bill Feuerborn’s statement is just 96 words long and does not address why Golden resigned. Clearly, something went wrong. University presidents don’t just abandon their posts, and some students pointed out that Golden had posted on his official Twitter account only hours before the resignation. Everything seemed fine Friday morning. His abrupt leave leads us all to imagine the worst. In his short time as a university president, Golden earned the respect of the student body. It’s not clear what the university might have looked like in the long term with Golden in charge, but it’s commendable that he made an effort to establish meaningful relationships with students — especially during a pandemic. Now, the community is left wondering if they backed the wrong guy. Were we duped? Did Golden give up? Or was Golden pushed out,
STAFF
EDITORIAL and if so, by whom? We have been offered no explanation for Golden’s resignation. Surely we deserve one. The Kansas Board of Regents selected Jay Golden to be the 14th president of WSU on Oct. 31, 2019. Golden, then a vice-chancellor at East Carolina University, was selected after a closed search process — meaning the public was not allowed to know about or meet any of the candidates. Golden officially began his work in January. Less than three months later, WSU, like the rest of the country, was forced to make sweeping changes to dayto-day operations in an effort to address COVID-19. Throughout the chaotic months that followed, Golden remained positive. He remained visible and it seems like he was committed to keeping the community informed. It was a pleasant surprise to find that even the earliest pandemic planning team meetings were not being conducted in secret. That said, there is one place where the campus community has questioned Golden’s commitment to transparency -- the WSU COVID- 19 dashboard. The dashboard data only includes students who have been tested at Student Health Services since August 3, 2020. It does not include testing results from WSU staff, faculty, or students who may have been tested at a different site or with their own healthcare provider. This was a mark on Golden’s tenure. But Golden answered questions and responded to requests for information and interviews — this was a sharp and welcome change to the way the previous administration behaved. For many students, it was comforting as well. Golden wasn’t perfect. But he was a refreshing presence on the WSU campus. He listened. He let people
shape decisions before they were set in stone instead of trying to convince them after the fact that it’s what they wanted or needed. That’s how he built up a loyal following during one of the toughest years the university has faced in recent memory. At no time was the WSU community more fiercely protective of Golden than after the controversy that surrounded Ivanka Trump’s invitation and subsequent disinvitation to be a keynote speaker at WSU Tech’s virtual commencement ceremony in June. Recall that the nation had just begun to protest en masse over the police murder of George Floyd. Tensions were high. The debate over reopening the country was pitting neighbor against neighbor. After WSU Tech announced that Ivanka Trump would be the keynote speaker at WSU Tech’s graduation, the reaction from the community was swift. An open letter, written by a faculty member and signed by hundreds of students and other campus stakeholders, influenced the university’s decision to move Ivanka Trump’s speech from a keynote presentation to an optional message at the end of the ceremony. And when donors and local business owners called for Golden’s resignation over the scrapped speech, students quickly planned a rally outside of Koch Arena in support of the president. Students expressed their concerns using a new hashtag — #IStandWithGolden, with one group printing the phrase on stickers and T-shirts. The
Black Student Union also started an online petition supporting Golden that collected more than 10,000 signatures. It’s going to be hard to convince the student body to trust another president as they did with Golden. The sudden departure of a president who has by-and-large been an advocate for students sends the wrong message to our community and to prospective students and donors. We’re not wrong to demand transparency and shared governance from the administration. We deserve more than the bare-minimum of presidential leadership and excuses for a lack of transparency. That’s why the next presidential search must look vastly different from the last. KBOR and WSU should run an open search for the next university president. Regardless of the details surrounding Golden’s departure, it’s clear now more than ever that the WSU community-at-large should lead the process for selecting its next leader. But more importantly, the community should lead WSU’s decision-making as a whole and should not be kept in the dark about major developments. KBOR and Wichita State need to rebuild trust with community stakeholders and the only way to do that is to be completely transparent. That means decision-makers have to be open, vulnerable and willing to compromise. It also means we need to know why Jay Golden resigned without a word.
Opinion LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 400 words. Letters may be edited for accuracy, clarity and length. Please include your name, WSU affiliation and a phone number for verification purposes. To submit letters, email opinion@thesunflower.com or submit at www.thesunflower.com. The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or the university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.
OPINION
MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2020 | 7
We recommend Golden:
He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk.
MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER
President Jay Golden speaks to sophomore Drue Owen, a student studying history at WSU, after his public address on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019 inside the RSC.
To whom it may concern: We are writing this letter to recommend Dr. Jay Golden for your institution. When Golden was selected as president of Wichita State in October, he expressed a goal for the university to be student-focused. In June, Golden proved that those weren’t just words. When WSU Tech announced Ivanka Trump as keynote speaker for its virtual graduation ceremony, students expressed concerns to WSU. Golden listened to those concerns and changed Trump’s speech to optional. Some of WSU’s donors didn’t like that. Some threatened to pull funding if the Board of Regents didn’t call for Golden’s resignation. But still, Golden didn’t back down. He knew what the students wanted and refused to listen to donors over the student body. Jay Golden is exactly what a president should be: transparent, student-focused and liked by both students and faculty. He seemed to only ever want what’s best for the students and made sure they knew that he was always there for them. Even before Golden was hired, WSU said in its own way that he was perfect for the job. In the presidential profile sent out during the search for a new president, WSU laid out everything a president should be. It’s safe to say that Golden measured up to these expectations. “An astute listener who makes a priority to know the faculty, staff, students, and needs of the students and institution,” one of the bullet points read. Maybe it’s not that Golden wasn’t good enough for WSU, maybe it’s that Golden was too good for WSU. Golden disrupted the status quo of Wichita State. He brought
students, faculty and staff into the decision-making process. He didn’t tell people what they were getting after the fact. He asked them what they wanted on the front end and listened when they spoke. He understood the goal of a public university is to educate above all else. Students need to have a personable leader, and they need someone who values their input. If you want a president who camps out in his office and does whatever he’s told, Golden isn’t your guy. But if you’re looking for one who will lead the university into a student focused approach, he’s exactly what you’re looking for. When it comes to students’ needs, Golden will never back down. Just three months into the job, Golden had to lead the university in its COVID-19 response, which is most definitely not what he imagined when he signed up for the job. But through it all, he wanted what was best for students even when they weren’t physically on campus. It’s safe to say his time at Wichita State was never smooth-sailing. But he made an impression on our history, and for that we are all grateful. A few things you should take note: he doesn’t like being called Dr. Golden. Call him Jay. He walks his dog, Rudy, daily. If you see him out and about with his dog on campus, remember to say hi. If you’re a student journalist who gets the opportunity to interview him, save an extra five minutes for him to ask you questions. He wants to know about you, too. So, to whoever has him next: Take care of him. He’s one of a kind. Yours truly, The Sunflower
DEBATING CANCEL CULTURE It’s time to cancel cancel culture. Let’s talk about cancel culture.
Lindsay Smith News Editor news@thesunflower.com
For those who may not be familiar with the term, it’s the practice of “cancelling” someone (i.e., trying to end their career or reputation) for a mistake they have made. A lot of the time, it is a mistake that they have made in the past that is just brought to light. We’ve all seen it play out. Taylor Swift, Camila Cabello, Kevin Hart, and many other well known celebrities have been the victim of this trend. While many people think it’s all fun and games getting #EnterCelebrityNameHereIsCancelled trending on social media, it is actually an extremely toxic and counterproductive trend. Allow me to explain. Fun fact: we’re all human. We all make mistakes. But at the end of the day, mistakes are beautiful because we can learn how to be better and grow through them. When we “cancel” someone for a mistake they made in the past, we are taking away their right to learn and grow and become an all around better person. Before I continue, let me get something straight. I am no way defending any specific person who is consistently making the same mistakes over and over again without any sense of wrong. If
someone continuously makes the same mistakes and doesn’t apologize or grow from them, they are an entirely different story. Instead, I am advocating for second chances and forgiveness. A lot of the time, the reasons behind cancelling people is for mistakes that have happened years ago. A trend we’ve been seeing is offensive tweets that are being found out and brought to light years later. When it is something that was done years ago, that person most likely has grown and become a different individual. Instead of cancelling them, allow them to explain their past and apologize for those mistakes. Allow them to use their past as an example of how one can grow and learn. Other times, it is something that is recent. Someone says an offensive joke or does something completely wrong. While they should definitely have consequences and repercussions for those instances, they should not immediately be cancelled. Instead, we should practice giving second chances and educating them on why what they did wasn’t okay. Allow them to apologize instead of ripping away any chance of them being able to learn and grow from that experience. Let’s stop being hypocrites. We’ve all done something wrong in the past, and chances are, if we were in the public eye, we would also get “cancelled” one way or another. Let’s remember that celebrities are also human, and just as deserving of forgiveness and second chances. Let’s cancel cancel culture.
What cancel culture? Jeromiah Taylor Opinion Editor opinion@thesunflower.com
You wake up one morning and it has happened again. A hashtag is trending that spells the demise of some new celebrity offender - #soinsoiscancelled. As ubiquitous as this social media trend is, it’s no surprise that ink has been spilled on the pros and cons of what we’re calling “cancel culture.” Some people argue that high profile people who make mistakes, often the use of a slur, should be forgiven, particularly if the event happened in the distant past. Others argue that people, especially those with influence, should be held accountable for their actions. I would be more invested in one argument or another if I could think of a single example of someone who had been effectively “cancelled” who didn’t absolutely deserve it. During the Renaissance of social awareness that has developed over the past decade (think #MeToo) the only person I can think of whose career is absolutely and forever dead is Harvey Weinstein.
He is a convicted serial rapist. Cry me a river. Beyond that human detritus, every high profile canceling in recent memory - Kevin Hart, Gina Rodriguez, Taylor Swift, Jeffrey Star - has faded into the static of the news cycle and usually has little lasting impact on the celebrity’s career. Even R. Kelly has a stalwart base of defenders and fans. Don’t get me started on that cooing, hand-stand addicted, domestic abuser known as Chris Brown. If anything, the uproar over celebrity indiscretions are as performative and fleeting as the subsequent “apologies.” The cancel culture debate raises substantial questions though. Is boycotting an effective and ethical form of protest in the consumer realm of pop culture? Can we, and should we, separate art from the artists? As consumers our only power is often our spending power. Appreciating art made by an artist you don’t approve of is an inevitability. But when it comes to financial support, I think we have to make tough choices about what we buy and where. How can we cancel a cancel culture that doesn’t exist? Let’s start by actually canceling some folks.
WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM
MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2020 | 8
Sports
HAVE A STORY IDEA?
contact The Sunflower’s sports editor, Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com
‘WE’VE GOT TO WALK THE WALK’
Tennis program to host three ITA Fall Circuit events BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty
MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER
Head Coach Gregg Marshall responds to questions during the press conference after the game against Omaha on Nov. 6.
Shockers look to regain team chemistry as they return to the basketball court BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty
Following an unprecedented offseason for Wichita State basketball, Head Coach Gregg Marshall was left searching for answers. According to Marshall, last season’s team was the first time in his coaching career that the team chemistry was bad. As a result, the Shockers had six players transferring out of the program. With the seven newcomers that have been added to this year’s roster, Marshall has placed an importance on team chemistry and feels it has improved to this point. “I’ve had multiple players, newcomers and returners, tell me how different this is and how much better it is. I didn’t see any problems at this time last year,” Marshall said. “They can talk the talk, but we’ve got to walk the walk. We’ve got to support each other and pull for each other. There are 16 young men on this team, and they’ve all got to be pulling in the same
direction. Whether you start or come off the bench, whether you play 32 minutes or 12 minutes, it’s about Wichita State being the best that they can be.” On Sept. 16, the NCAA announced that the start date for the 2020-21 basketball season would get pushed back until Nov. 25. Marshall said that the conference had been considering doing a round-robin for conference play with each team playing each other twice. In terms of non-conference play, much is still up in the but the schedule will most likely look much different than in years past. “We’re losing our exhibition game, our private scrimmage and a few non-conference games where our seven newcomers would be learning our system and playing a game,” Marshall said. “There will be no ‘gimmees’ on our schedule. Every game will be a Quad I or Quad II game on our schedule. We’ll have to grow up very quickly.” As the season gets closer, the more the program will be
allowed to get out on the floor. As of Wednesday, the program will be able to partake in twelve hours a week which includes eight hours of basketball-related work and four hours of strength and conditioning. For Marshall, he feels that to this point they have been able to use these times productively especially in getting the newcomers up to speed. “All of these practice times, we’re using to the utmost,” Marshall said. “We’re training them up and they’re doing a great job of listening and coming by and talking to us. These are guys that want to be great players and they want to win. I’m looking forward to the expanded time we get as of tomorrow.” One of the big question marks that still remain for the upcoming season is whether or not fans will be allowed to attend games for this upcoming season. Overall, Marshall feels that not having fans at games would have a big impact for WSU. “For us, it’s going to be a big
difference,” Marshall said. “I hate it for our fans. I hate it for our players because there’s nothing like playing in Koch Arena. I don’t know how they’re going to do that and that’s something the athletic administration has to figure out. It can’t be easy. It’s not something we want to do, but we’re going to do the right thing for the health of our fans and our supporters as well as the health of our team.” Overall, Marshall had high praise for all six returners to the program and felt that they were able to take advantage of the extended time off as they prepare for the upcoming season. “We feel good about the work these guys have put in during the pandemic,” Marshall said. “Their bodies have improved. Their games have improved. They’ve taken strides with their development. It’s exciting. It’s a lot of fun working with these young men. We’re chomping at the bit ready to get going.”
Frank Thomas arrives at WSU after NCAA gives him another shot BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty
Just like many others throughout this summer, Wichita State men’s golfer Frank Thomas has had to adjust on the fly. This past season, Thomas was at Southern Illinois looking to graduate before the golf season and the world shut down this summer. Thomas remembers being on Beale Street for a tournament that was being hosted by LSU before they were ultimately forced to fly back with their season cut short. “It was eye-opening at first because we expected it but once we got there we thought we’re at least going to be able to play at this event and then deal with the COVID stuff after we get back. It hit us like a truck essentially so we had to come home immediately.” As a result of the golf season getting canceled this past spring, the NCAA decided to allow all spring sport seniors to gain another year of eligibility. For Thomas, graduate school became an option while also transferring and playing a fifth year elsewhere. Wichita State became an interesting option for Thomas due to his previous relationship with Head Coach Judd Easterling when Easterling was recruiting him during his time as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri. “That’s what made WSU very
attractive to me coming into it because I knew him and I knew one other kid on the team, Lake Leroux, who’s from Missouri,” Thomas said. “I at least knew someone and something without coming into it blind.” For Easterling, being able to land a player of Thomas’s caliber was an opportunity the program couldn’t pass up. “It’s pretty rare that you get a kid that’s a grad transfer who’s mature and he’s been through pretty much everything,” Easterling said in a phone interview with The Sunflower. “He’s an asset to the younger guys, he’s traveled and played in college golf tournaments. He’s been a real asset to Matt and I plus to his teammates.” Despite it only being Thomas’s first year at WSU, he feels that he can still have an impact leadership-wise given his experience over the past four years. “Obviously, this is my first year here so I’m not going to be very helpful around the courses here but bringing that leadership mentality,” Thomas said. “I think guys can look up to me knowing that I’ve been there before and guys can see it in me that I’m motivating and that we need to try our best at all times.” Easterling also feels that Thomas can be a person that the players can go and take advice
COURTESY OF MARCUS WRIGHT/ WSU ATHLETICS
from because of his experience. “To the younger guys, they can go to him, lean on him for some advice for when they may not feel comfortable coming to the coaching staff,” Easterling said. “He’s an older kid that has been through a lot, he’s just a real good resource for the younger guys. If there’s everyday situations, he’s most likely been through it and can kind of help them and lead the younger guys.” As he adjusts to a new school, Thomas has enjoyed how the coaching staff has run practices to this point with more freedom than he had at SIU. “I think back at SIU, we had things he wanted us to do at practice so we didn’t get our time to do what we wanted to do. I didn’t really like that because the
players know their games as much as anybody. I enjoy how Matt and Judd run practices. I enjoy how they do things from a day-to-day standpoint.” As for the future, Thomas is hoping to complete an MBA in the next two years after double-majoring in finance at marketing at SIU. So far, it has been a challenge for Thomas but he feels it will pay off in the end. “It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be right now but it’s obviously something I’m going to have to do and I’m going to have to push myself to do,” Thomas said. “It’s not something I would’ve done if I wouldn’t have gotten the extra year of eligibility but I’m glad that I did. It’s going to pay off in the end.”
The Wichita State men’s and women’s tennis programs announced that they will be hosting three ITA events through their Fall Circuit. The first of the three events took place this past weekend from Sept. 26-28, with 14 Shockers taking part in the event. Given the limited amount of opportunities for programs not playing tennis in the fall, the ITA formed this Fall Circuit to help give some chances for players in preparation of the spring season. “The ITA recognized that there were going to be limited competitive opportunities for a lot of schools, some schools are still playing,” WSU women’s tennis coach Colin Foster said. “They recognized that there were going to be a need for competitive opportunities.” As part of the Fall Circuit, there will be eight to ten events every week, with this upcoming weekend being the second weekend of the 10-week circuit. The event will allow WSU players to play unattached but they will also be allowed to play against other junior players, college players and even adults. “That allows our players and school in situations similar to ours that can’t play official competition, they can go play these competitions unattached. It’s a great opportunity for them to have tournaments to train for really. That’s how you get better, is you get out and compete,” Foster said. For Foster, he feels that being able to have the players in these events will be a great opportunity and put the things they have been practicing into action. “We were going to be missing those opportunities to continue developing and building confidence with wins and exposing some areas to get better with challenges, and competition does a great job to build those things,” Foster said. “They’re great to continue making progress in our development.” One of major things that Foster feels some of his players can take away from these events are how they can improve and put certain things that they may be practicing into action. “It just gives them an opportunity to build confidence and see that I’m getting better,” Foster said. “But it also kind of gives them that wake up call that I’ve got to get back to work and double-down how my practice is, attention to detail, effort, whatever it is that needs addressing. Competition and tournaments really expose some of those things and also reward the things they’re doing well.” The event this weekend will be open to the public, and necessary health regulations must be followed including the wearing of masks and following social distancing guidelines. The events will be hosted at the Coleman Tennis Club and the Heskett Center and will be free of charge. The second ITA event will be from Oct. 24-26 while the final one will take place from Nov. 7-9 with both events still open for registration.