/The Sunflower WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896
MONDAY, AUG. 26, 2019
@sunflowernews
VOL. 124 • ISSUE 5
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@thesunflowernews THESUNFLOWER.COM
STUDENT STORIES
FOOD & IDENTITY
RENAISSANCE
LONG BALL
LAS advisor Nancy Krehbiel puts students on a path to success.
Derision of cultural cuisine runs deep, columnist Jeromiah Taylor writes.
From entrepreneur to drag queen, Brad Thomison does it all.
Mayor Jeff Longwell takes a swing at celebrity softball.
SEE NEWS • PAGE 3
SEE OPINION • PAGE 4
SEE ARTS • PAGE 5
WSU moving forward with several referendum projects
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SEE STUDY ROOM PAGE 3
4 student groups seeking recognition from SGA BY DANIEL CAUDILL
BY MATTHEW KELLY
Construction on Woolsey Hall, Wichita State’s $50 million business building, is slated to begin in summer 2020, but the university is also moving forward with several other projects included in last semester’s failed student-fee referendum. Projects include a joint clinical psychology and play therapy lab facility, a biology lab remodel in Hubbard Hall, and an expanded 24-hour study space in Ablah Library. Students narrowly rejected a proposal last semester that would have raised fees by $6 a credit hour to fund $20 million of Woolsey Hall and $18.6 million of other infrastructure priorities. After the referendum, university officials announced that WSU would start construction on the new business building by cutting and reallocating $1.5 million of university funds annually for a bond payment of at least 25 years. Executive Director of Facilities Planning Emily Patterson said WSU will use state rehabilitation and repair money and deferred maintenance funds to complete other select infrastructure priorities. Ablah Library’s 24-hour study space is currently one room without restroom access. The expanded space will take up the entire library lobby and include restrooms, Patterson said. She said the study room project was put out to bid last week and awarded to Van Asdale Construction on a $148,000 contract. Five other construction firms submitted bids, she said. The expansion was listed as a $75,000 project in the referendum proposal, but Patterson said the awarded contract was within budget. “The project was refined and expanded over what was originally described during the referendum,” Patterson said. “It was decided to enlarge the existing study room into the adjacent large library vestibule to provide more 24-hour study space. The scope change increased the project cost.” The joint clinical psychology and play therapy lab will take over space vacated in Ahlberg Hall when Student Health Services relocates to the new YMCA and wellness center early next year. In the lead-up to the referendum, concerns were raised that deficiencies in existing lab space could put program accreditation at risk. Patterson said ensuring the programs’ accreditation is a top priority. “There are going to be things programmatically that they’re going to have to come together and figure out,” she said. “We’re working through all that now. We’re in the planning phases of that project.” The Hubbard Hall project will convert two existing biology labs into three state-of-the-art lab spaces, Patterson said. She said the project will be completed next summer.
SEE SPORTS • PAGE 8
KHÁNH NGUYỄN/THE SUNFLOWER
Students from the College of Applied Studies storm Cessna Stadium for Clash of the Colleges Friday. The College of Applied Studies won this year’s event.
The College of Applied Studies reigned supreme at this year’s Clash of the Colleges
KHÁNH NGUYỄN/THE SUNFLOWER
Freshman Taylor Hanna joins in on the fanfare before the Clash of the Colleges.The College of Applied Studies brought powder in their school’s color and the Heights High marching band played their team onto the field.
Four student groups will be considered for recognition as official student organizations at this Wednesday’s Student Government Association meeting. The following groups made bids for recognition at last week’s SGA meeting: Shockappella, the Black Academic Honor Society, the Pre-Physician Assistant Student Organization, and the Sports Management Student Association. To be officially recognized as a student organization, a group has to have at least five members and a president, treasurer, and faculty adviser. There is also a step-bystep process outlined in the RSO handbook. Becoming an RSO allows a group to receive equipment, meeting space, and services. It also opens up the opportunity for a group to request organizational funding from SGA. Shockappella’s stated purpose is to “share the tradition of competitive collegiate a cappella music with the community and provide an open-minded environment for creativity and expression for students in all areas of study.” “Shockappella is a great ensemble for people who have a love for singing and cannot commit to choir class during the day,” said Kourtnee Cude, president of the group. A maximum number of 18 students will be allowed to participate in Shockappella’s competition team, which participates in the International Championship of Collegiate Acappella (ICCA). The group currently has five members and plans to host auditions in early September. “If enough people are interested, we will expand to have two ensembles: one for competing/ performances and one for just performances,” Cude said. The Black Honor Society’s stated purpose is to “acknowledge and represent academic discipline, cultural awareness, community service to all mankind, honorary excellence and refined interest.” Some of the group’s shortterm and long-term goals include creating a sense of community and unity among black students on campus, elevating the black profile on campus, and creating an “unapologetically black culture on campus in every sense of the word,” Billingsley said. Ultimately, the student group would like to attend the Big XII Black Leadership Conference later this year. The Pre-Physician Student Organization’s (PPSO) stated purpose is to “build a close-knit community of aspiring Physician Assistant students and develop our leadership, academic, and service skills needed to apply to any program.” Max Karst, president of the PPSO, said the organization was created in part to help prospective graduate students.
SEE SGA PAGE 2