/The Sunflower WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896
THURSDAY, SEPT. 5, 2019
@sunflowernews
VOL. 124 • ISSUE 7
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@thesunflowernews THESUNFLOWER.COM
BEST ON THE AIR
VEGAN VARIETY
IDOL DREAMS
FRISBEE FRENZY
KMUW earned top station honors for the sixth year in a row.
WSU lacks cheap, healthy vegan options, A&E Editor Ella Dominguez writes.
WSU Students and alumni staked out early Wednesday for “American Idol” tryouts.
WSU will have an ultimate frisbee team for the first time in almost a decade.
SEE NEWS • PAGE 3
SEE OPINION • PAGE 4
SEE ARTS • PAGE 5
SEE SPORTS • PAGE 8
SGA recognizes pro-life student organization BY DANIEL CAUDILL
A new pro-life group was granted recognition Wednesday at the weekly Student Government Association meeting. “Shockers for Life aims to bring awareness and conversation about the topic of abortion in a peaceful and respectful way,” said Mariah Steuver, president of the organization. At last week’s senate meeting, Steuver said the group wants to table in the RSC and host events to raise money for pregnancy resource centers and pregnant students. During debate, some senators said they didn’t personally agree with the group’s politics, but they didn’t feel it was their place to vote against RSOs based on personal beliefs. “I think it’s important that it’s our job as senators not to vote with our own personal biases, but also to consider our constituents
whose beliefs don’t align with our own,” said Underserved Sen. Marie Flores. In 2017, SGA faced national backlash after it voted not to recognize a WSU chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, a nationwide libertarian group that advocates for free speech on college campuses. The organization has a controversial reputation, as some believe certain chapters have promoted hate speech. The WSU Student Supreme Court ultimately overruled SGA’s decision, granting the chapter RSO-status. Sen. Thao Nguyen expressed some of the same sentiments as Flores, sharing an experience from a Catholic university he previously attended. “For me, it was really difficult when an organization that was trying to become a [RSO] in support of LGBT was turned down,” said Nguyen, who identifies as a member of the LGBT community.
“Applying that experience to this, if we were not to approve this, I think it would be difficult to make an argument about why.” According to the resolution recognizing Shockers for Life, the group’s purpose is to “establish an active pro-life culture among the youth of our community by educating our peers on life and by actively promoting the right to life for all persons (pre-born and born).” Some senators expressed concerns that the organization’s mission could be exclusionary. “By allowing a certain group to advocate for any sort of restriction of rights or freedoms based on ideals not represented by the whole [student body] is inherently not inclusive,” said At-Large Sen. Mathew Tucker. Steuver said Shockers for Life would be open to discussing abortion with people who hold opposing views. Those people would also be allowed to join, she said.
EASTON THOMPSON/THE SUNFLOWER
Underserved Sen. Marie Flores speaks during debate over Shockers for Life at Student Government Association’s Wednesday meeting. Though Flores said she personally didn’t agree with the group’s mission, she voted in favor of its recognition.
“While I realize that not everyone will agree with what our group is advocating for, members will be expected to respect anyone who engages with our group,” Steuver
Walk-a-Mile in their shoes
said before the group was recognized. “And I am asking all of you for the same respect for Shockers for Life.” SEE SGA PAGE 2
Student Health Services raises visit prices, lowers lab costs BY KYLIE CAMERON
Walk-a-Mile raises awareness for on-campus sexual assault, gender-based violence AUSTIN SHAW/THE SUNFLOWER
Top, Cale Solomon, Carson Quillen, Kane Thimmesch and Garrett Chadd participate in the Walk-a-Mile event held on Tuesday evening. Left, Wichita State sophomore Devin Carter said he participated in the evernt to support all of the strong women in his life and what they have gone through. Walk-a-Mile was hosted by the Student Activities Council and the Interfraternity Council.
At the beginning of the school year, Student Health Services doubled their office visit fee from $15 to $30. Director of Student Health Services Camille Childers said they hadn’t raised their office visit fee for about five years, and that with rising healthcare costs, the department had to do it. “Sustaining a medical facility, we’re paying more for our medications, we’re paying more to support our program — things just cost more,” Childers said. “The cost of coffee has gone up.” While SHS doubled their fees, Childers said their rates are still competitive with regular doctor’s office prices. “Typically, an office visit with a provider for like an illness, say strep throat, runs anywhere from $60 to over $100,” Childers said. “So even at $30, that is still a very reasonable cost. Students are still saving money.” Childers also said SHS tried to offset the rise in cost by lowering lab fees and switching to a new lab service provider called Quest. The new provider made it possible for SHS to lower some of their lab costs. “For example, if you come in for an immunization, we don’t charge much more than what we’re paying to purchase [the] immunization,” Childers said. Childers cited the cost of TB testing going down from $20 to $11 as an example. The Student Health Services Financial policy states that a student will never be turned away due to the inability to pay. Health insurance is also not required. If a student cannot afford to pay at the end of their visit, they will be charged on their student accounts and can pay later. Childers said Student Health Services also provides financial help with bills, but that it’s mostly for visits over $200. SHS will also still provide free HIV and STD testing throughout the school year. Student Health Services is funded through student fees, which pay for mostly staff salaries. Money that comes from visits goes towards the operations of the department.