PAGE 2 | OPINION
THE STAFF EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief Chance Swaim Managing Editor Jenna Farhat Culture Editor Marissa Campbell Sports Editor Matt Crow Opinion Editor Evan Pflugradt Copy Chief Matthew Kelly Design Editor Madeline Deabler Photo Editor Brian Hayes
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ADVISING / BUSINESS Faculty Adviser Amy DeVault Business Manager Linda Matney The Sunflower is published by student-employees on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. During the summer session, the paper is printed once a month, with exceptions for holidays and finals. The Sunflower (published for use by WSU students, faculty and staff) is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. One copy may be taken for free. Additional copies must be purchased for $1 each. The Sunflower is also partially funded by the Student Government Association at WSU. 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 university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.
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CONTACT THE SUNFLOWER: 019 Elliott Hall 1845 N. Fairmount Ave. Campus Box 134 Wichita, KS 67260-0134 ---------SUNFLOWER OFFICES Front Desk: 316-978-3640 Fax: 316-978-3778 ADVERTISING Christian Yost: 316-978-6906 admanager@thesunflower.com
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017
SHOCKERS Welcome back
What it means to be a Shocker For me, being a Shocker means surprising people. There are two ways to do that: You can either exceed expectations, or you can fail to live up to your potential. I’ve done both. If you’re like me, Wichita State wasn’t your first choice. I made the jump from high school to college with my eyes closed, hoping to land on my feet. I went to KU for two weeks freshman year before realizing I couldn’t afford it, that it was more façade than substance, and that, hell, there’s nothing wrong with Wichita State. I fell flat on my face. It took me a few months to get my bearings. When I started at Wichita State, we didn’t have wayfaring signs, Shocker Hall was the best parking lot on campus, and it wasn’t impossible to squeeze in 9 holes of golf between classes on the course that is now Innovation Campus. The Rhatigan Student Center had the only Chik-Fil-A in town. Hubbard Hall had a Blimpie. I failed classes. I dropped classes. I took classes on my lunch break. I got a little too involved in cannabis culture. I worked construction, full-time, as an insulator throughout my
People will underestimate you. Be a Shocker. That said, here are a few words of advice for this year: 1. Every time you hear the word “Innovation” or “Strategic” or “Engagement” or “Dialogue” (used as a verb) or “Student input” or “Students will have a voice,” grab a totem, something you can hold onto that keeps you grounded, because you’re about to be fed a huge spoon of bullshit.
CHANCE SWAIM SUNFLOWER EDITOR
undergraduate education. It was the dirtiest job I hope I ever have. I wrapped duct in the RSC. I insulated Wilner Auditorium. I remodeled Grace Wilkie Hall. The fiberglass in my lungs — from the insulation — made me wheeze every night when I laid down to sleep. Wichita State was my solution, my beacon of light, my breath of fresh air — my escape from shit work. I switched majors too many times to count. I was an engineer. I was a painter. I was a biologist. I was a pharmacist in training. And those were just my first two years. I didn’t know what I wanted to be, but I knew I wanted to learn. I maxed out my student loans. I paid out of pocket. It took me 6
2. Don’t bash Wichita or Wichita State. If you go to Wichita State and you say it’s garbage, you’re garbage. Swaim freshman year. years, but I finished. I finally found a major I loved. I found my way. Now, I’m in graduate school for creative writing. I found a job that allows me to learn for a living. I hope I can share what I learn with you all this year as editor of The Sunflower. I’ve been both kinds of Shocker — the pleasant surprise and the promising failure. I’ve struggled. I’ve triumphed. I’ve wheezed myself to sleep. Now, I write for a living. If you’re lost, as I was once lost, it’s okay. It’s all right. Breathe. Keep your head down. Push through.
3. Wichita State exists for students. Don’t let the facades on the new buildings you’ll probably never go in convince you otherwise. 4. There’s still value in a classic liberal arts education. 5. Applied learning should not equal free labor. Don’t allow yourself to be exploited. 6. Don’t buy a parking pass. That’s dumb. 7. Find something you love and fight for it tooth and nail. 8 – 10. Raise hell. Read books. Smile.
Student Body President greets Shocker Nation Welcome back to Shocker Nation! My hopes are that your summer treated you well and that you are ready for the fall semester. My name is Paige E. Hungate, and I serve as your Student Body President. Student Government Association is working tirelessly on many projects and initiatives to make your time here on campus the best it can be. I’m looking forward to sharing those with you. “Students Come First” has been the motto of Student Government for a long time. This year, we are also using the slogan of “Shockers Helping Shockers”. In all that we do, we are thinking of how it affects students and want to put the emphasis on ensuring that the
PAIGE HUNGATE SGA PRESIDENT
student’s life is better off. There are many things on campus that Shockers accomplish that help fellow Shockers in multiple ways; we want to show that off to the rest of campus. Over the summer, the Shocker Food Locker was moved into a larg-
er space. This move was incredibly beneficial, and we are excited to expand its mission in the future to include clothing and hygiene items. Housing has changed this year, and we advocated to the University that we must keep low-cost options in place. Students must not be disenfranchised and priced out of college. We have done research on fees, and we will be pushing out that information throughout the semester. We want students to understand where their money is going – whether that is a student, online, or program fee. We are working with campus on getting a bike share program similar to the one in downtown Wichita. We hope to bring a farmer’s market to campus and work with
Chartwells, WSU’s dining provider, on this. WSU Inspire and Legal Services will continue, and we are ironing out those details. We are relaunching the “It’s On Us” campaign that promotes sexual assault awareness. As part of this, we have created promotional videos and planned events to bring resources to campus. There is much more going on, and these are just some highlights. We will work throughout the year to see these projects through, and we hope you join us. We encourage you to become part of SGA – please see the open positions that are available here: http://bit.ly/1lUdyvy. I look forward to the upcoming year and am proud of all you do for Shocker Nation.
EDITORIAL Chance Swaim: 316-978-6905 editor@thesunflower.com ADVISER Amy DeVault: 316-978-6052 amy.devault@wichita.edu ---------ONLINE www.thesunflower.com FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/sunflowerwsu TWITTER @sunflowernews
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Last year, The Sunflower went through a series of less-than-perfect mastheads. We spent the summer creating one that would stand the test of time. Simple, clean, elegant — our new typography gives a nod to our history (The Sunflower started serving Wichita State students in 1896), and looks to the future. Here’s to another 121 years.
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Shocker
STREET SPEAK
We are all prone to get shot. I do not think it is a good rule to have guns inside the building. — FARSHAD MASHADI
Guns should be restricted, of course, because for safety of other students. — ALI FROTANPOUR
I think that our security is being somehow threatened by this now that we know that everybody can have guns inside the building. — ATOUSA NASR
I don’t really care about guns. — MING CHANG CHAY
I think ... it is better to be restricted. — SIMA ESTANDIARPOUR
The gun policy, I think it is not safe for everyone, maybe certain people but it is not fair for the non-gun holders. — YILIP CHAI
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017
PAGE 3 | NEWS
GUNS ON CAMPUS Concealed handguns are now allowed at Wichita State BY MARISSA CAMPBELL & JESSICA GREEN
As the campus spent the 2017 spring semester preparing for the new gun law, the tensions continued to run high for many students, faculty and staff. As of July 1, concealed carry has been allowed in all buildings on campus In 2013, Kansas legislation passed a new law allowing concealed carry guns on every college campus in the state. The new law allows concealed carry for handguns on college campuses to anyone 21 years of age or older. Campuses have had four years to prepare for the new law; however, students and faculty have seen a lack in preparation and awareness until the 2017 spring semester. While members of the University Police Department and the General Counsel put on gun forums, there was a lack of student presence in comparison to faculty and staff presence. BACKGROUND For WSU, many students, staff and faculty members did not hear of the new law until a recently, although it’s been in place since 2013. Once the law became a more prevalent and looming issue in 2015, Faculty Senate, led by former-president Peer Moore-Jansen, an anthropology professor, took to the Kansas Board of Regents to state the feelings and thoughts of WSU and its faculty members. “My motivation was two-fold,” Moore-Jansen said. “Learning about the Kansas legislature proposing this law and then as the president of the Faculty Senate, I felt a serious responsibility to do my best to represent the faculty on this campus. I felt not only obligated, but I was also very interested in trying to secure a policy that would serve this community the best.” As Moore-Jansen took on the president role in 2015, he attended meetings with the Faculty Senate,
Student Government Association, the administration and KBOR to learn more about the law and see what he could do to help the WSU community, he said. In an effort to learn how faculty and staff across Kansas campuses truly felt, Moore-Jansen and other faculty presidents created a survey. The survey was administered in Dec. 2015 and results were concluded in Jan. 2016. “One major concern that came from the survey is how can professors maintain control of the class,” Moore-Jansen said. “In a tornado, students want to go home, they want to leave, but the faculty can take control and tell them what needs to be done. But what happens when someone in the class feels empowered? Guns may or may not be the source of that, but it is still something that needs to be thought about.” The survey of WSU faculty and staff only, with about a 48 percent participation rate, concluded that about 78 percent of those surveyed did not want guns on campus. It also stated that faculty and staff did not have issues with guns themselves, but the concept of guns on campus and safety issues. This concern has also been brought forward by former student-body President Joseph Shepard and current student-body President Paige Hungate. “The education and training piece is not required and I think that’s the most important issue,” Shepard said. “I’m actually for guns, I think that people need them for protection… however, that education and training is so important, that mental health background is so important because one trigger and it’s a wrap.” “I don’t like them on college campuses, it makes it very difficult for UPD to know who is the person that is the attacker and who is not, but in general, outside of the university
realm, people should be allowed to carry.” WSU’S TRANSITION Hungate strained the importance of education for incoming students. During orientation, officers were present to go over the new gun policy and discuss the changes. With contributions from David Moses, general counsel; Sara Morris, chief of UPD; and Corey Herl, UPD captain, educational forums were held on April 13, 17, 25 and 27 — but student presence lacked. Meanwhile, Moses, Morris and Herl all agreed on a common theme for the forums — “We don’t train, we educate and now is not the time for panic, it’s the time for awareness.” Through the Students for Concealed Carry and interactions between students and administration, Hungate wants to use her position as a platform for students to be heard and addressed. “In reality, we are the stakeholders,” Hungate said. “I’m willing to sit down to have those tough conversations with President Bardo and the executive team about how students feel about these laws. Our students are half and half and I want to advocate for both sides so we can get to a census in a good, compromised way.” WSU BUILDINGS While the entire WSU main campus, the Metroplex, along with the west, south and downtown campuses are affected by the new concealed carry law, buildings on Innovation Campus can either follow suit or create their own policy. “Most buildings on Innovation Campus are not university property, therefore, are not required to follow the gun policies that are applicable to Kansas public universities,” Tracee Friess, director of communication research and technology transfer, said. The exception is the Experiential
Engineering Building/GoCreate — this building is university-owned, so campus policies are applicable. Koch arena and the athletic facilities are affected by the new concealed carry law as well. However, any athletic event projected to have 5,000 people or more in attendance, based off previous ticket sales and estimated attendance, will have “temporary, adequate security measures” — bag checks, metal detectors and officers present — to prohibit guns from being carried into large-scale events. The 5,000 attendees rule was something WSU agreed on after conversations with KU and K-State. Each Division I college in the state of Kansas would have the same standards. Brad Pittman, associate athletic director and facilities and operations manager, said he and his staff in the athletic department will work to communicate the new law with season ticket holders, along with updating the fan guides. “Will that reach everybody? No, history tells me that not everybody gets the information,” Pittman said. “But I don’t know that there’s a foolproof method to make sure that everybody, especially a casual fan buying a ticket, gets that information and we will practice and preach education, understanding and compliance.” While student påresence is low on campus during the summer, there has been one gun incident reported to UPD as a university employee found a .40-caliber handgun in a restroom on the second-floor of Jabara Hall, the Wichita Eagle reported. Herl stated that there has otherwise been no gun incidents on campus.
Vice Pres Hall on fall enrollment: Right now, we’re up a couple hundred students
BY MATTHEW KELLY As the fall enrollment period winds down, the jury is still out on whether Wichita State will break through the 15,000 student-mark it has hovered around in recent years. 14,474 students were enrolled at the fall 2016 census date—down from
15,003 just two years prior. Chief Data Officer Dr. David Wright confirmed that the Kansas Board of Regents will not allow the university to provide headcounts for enrollment until KBOR officially releases the data for Regents Schools after the September 18th census date.
According to Vice President for Student Affairs Teri Hall, current enrollment numbers show promising trends. “Right now, we’re up a couple of hundred students,” Hall said. “We’ll see if when school starts we still stay up that much but right
now enrollment is up for freshman students and then retention of some students has been improved from last year so it’s looking good for us.” In the past, University President John Bardo has stated that his longterm plan is to increase enrollment to at least 22,000.
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PAGE 4 | NEWS
www.thesunflower.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017
FORMER WICHITA STATE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR SEVERENCE PAYMENTS YOLONDA ADAMS
Operations and Finance Director at Ennovar 2015-2017
$27,731.54
ALAN SNYDER
Technical Marketing Director at Ennovar 2015-2017
$18,474.71
JODY ADAMS-BIRCH Women’s Basketball Coach 2008-2017
$273,748
ERIC MAKI
PAID TO LEAVE
Director of Campus Recreation 2012-2017
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MADELINE DEABLER
$49,679.04
Former Wichita State employees received at least $927,000 in severance payments over the last 9 months
CHRISTINE SCHNEIKART-LUEBBE Associate Vice President of Student Affairs 1994-2017
BY JENNA FARHAT
Twelve former Wichita State employees received more than $914,000 from separation agreements signed in the last nine months. Most of the agreements limit what the former employees can say about the university. By signing the documents, the former employees agreed to drop any lawsuits against the university. The terms of separation between the former WSU employees were obtained through Kansas Open Records requests. The documents state that the former employees “withdraw and agree to voluntarily dismiss … any and all charges, grievances, claims, complaints, and lawsuits” they may have filed against the university relating to their employment and departure from the university. The former employees signed the documents, which include non-disparagement clauses. The clauses state that the former employees will not make any statement or take any action that could “embarrass or humiliate” officers, employees, or students of the university or cause
$211,954
KENNETH CIBOSKI
Associate Professor of Political Science
$47,797.80 PHOTO BY BRIAN HAYES
NOT PICTURED
Former employees sign settlements limiting what they can say about Wichita State.
the institution to be “held in disrepute.” Additionally, the documents include non-disclosure agreements. “Any information relating to (Wichita State University’s) future plans and its methods of doing business, identities of (the university’s) business affiliates, and its policies and procedures” are also protected under the non-disclosure clause. The documents state that the agreements are not an admission of “liability or unlawful conduct of any kind” by the university or its employees.
The documents also state that in addition to legal consequences already in place for violation of non-disclosure agreements, the former employees would be required to return the money they received upon resignation if they violate the agreement. The university is also entitled to injunctive relief against a breach of non-disclosure, according to the agreement. The former employees agreed to “permanently, unequivocally, and unconditionally” waive all rights to resume employment with WSU in the future.
GLENDON MILLER
JAMES PULLIAM
$81,885.44
$7,407.08
Director of Environmental Health and Safety
CYNTHIA WEDEL
Administrative Assistant at College of Engineering 2015-2017
$7,407.08
Chief Information Officer 2014-2015
FRED PLUMMER
Environmental Scientist at Environmental Health and Safety
$47,325
VICKI HUNTOON
Administrative Assistant
$29,190 + $12,910 to her attorney
‘Lyston was a friend:’ Students, faculty commemorate Skerritt on his last day at WSU
BY JENNA FARHAT
Lyston Skerritt summed up his last day at Wichita State in three words. “Today is tough.” Moments earlier, a student left Skerritt’s office in tears. On his desk, students left gift bags, jars of candy, boxes of chocolate, and handwritten notes bidding Skerritt goodbye. He described his office that day as “a revolving door of tears” — students saying goodbye who had come to know Skerritt as a friend in his five years at the university working in Student Involvement. Last week, Skerritt announced his resignation, citing ethical reasons and a lack of transparency and focus on students at the university. Skerritt served as assistant director of fraternity and sorority life for two and a half years. This summer, he was assigned the role of co-advising Student Government Association. Skerritt explained the reasoning behind his resignation in an email
addressed to several students and faculty. “The last year has been interesting and difficult for me personally and professionally resulting in great reflection,” he said in the email. “The root of my decision lies in a need to preserve my morals and affirm my ethics amidst an influx of operational culture and decisions made within the department and division. “We must refocus on the students and be transparent about our intent,” Skerritt said. Danielle Johnson, advisor to Alpha Phi Alpha and program coordinator for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, said Skerritt’s statement regarding his resignation spoke for itself. “We’ve seen what we’ve seen on the campus and I think there are some changes that are happening that folks don’t necessarily agree with,” Johnson said. “Anybody and everybody on campus felt like Lyston was a friend,” Breck Towner, vice president of stu-
dent government and a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said. “It’s gonna be tough to replace him,” Towner said. Alicia Sanchez, advisor to Sigma Lamba Beta and director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, said Skerritt always had students’ best interests at heart. “I’m sad to see him leave WSU,” Sanchez said. “I know he is going to be missed.” Danielle Johnson said Skerritt was good at building relationships with students from all walks of life. “He has this ability to work with any and all students. And I think that is indicative of what a true student affairs professional should look like,” Johnson said. Johnson said Skerritt was a mentor and a friend to students, who also knew when to hold them accountable. “And that is what is imperative — to be able to check students when they need to be checked but be a great mentor at the same time,” Johnson said. “Students appreciate what you do
for them when it’s personal,” Skerritt said. “I just try to be personal and genuine.” Skerritt began his career at Wichita State in 2012 organizing community service projects for students. He said one of his fondest memories at Wichita State was a community service event where students volunteered to help paint a mural at the historic Dunbar Theatre. Built in 1941, the Dunbar Theatre was once the only movie theater in Wichita available to black community members. The theater has since fallen into disuse and sat abandoned for decades. In recent years, efforts have been made to restore the theater and the surrounding historic McAdams neighborhood. Skerritt said it was touching to see students and community members working side by side. “One of my favorite memories is this elderly lady from the neighborhood,” Skerritt said. “(The students) are sitting there painting and she’s telling them about how the neighborhood used to be and how awe-
some it is that the kids are getting back involved.” Skerritt said the work that students did left a lasting impact on the community. “This will be here, hopefully, in ten years when I come back and drive by,” Skerritt said about the mural. Skerritt took on the role of co-advisor to Student Government Association earlier this summer, along with Nancy Loosle, director of Student Involvement. “Technically, that is the job that I am stepping away from right now,” Skerritt said of his SGA advising role. Skerritt said he plans to continue a career in education, no matter at what level. “It’s unfortunate to continue to see our young professionals leave, whether that’s Wichita State or Wichita,” Danielle Johnson said. “We’re losing amazing talent in a community that needs it so bad — and voices that can make true change. We’re losing that.”
Cost of a degree at WSU continues to climb, tuition and fees increase BY CHANCE SWAIM Resident tuition and fees at Wichita State have more than tripled in the last 20 years — not including course- and program-specific fees for engineering, health professions, or fine arts students — and in June the Kansas Board of Regents approved another tuition and fees increase. A freshman taking two 15-credit-hour semesters in 1998 paid $2,475 in tuition and fees for the year. This year, a freshman taking the same course-load will pay $8,093 for the year. In June, the board of regents approved a 2.5-percent tuition increase and a 2.45-percent fees increase at Wichita State for the upcoming school year. “We really were trying to keep it as low as possible,” Wichita State President John Bardo said. “It will cause us to have to restructure some things.” He said state funding levels, increased costs, and enrollment were the primary reasons for raising the price. To make up the gap between state funding, tuition, and expenses,
Wichita State will reallocate 3.5 percent of its resources to “fund strategic priorities of the university.” According to the written proposal Wichita State submitted to the board of regents, the new tuition rate revenue of $2,157,248 will be used to fund fringe benefit changes ($991,129), student retention and enrollment growth ($859,989), facility operating costs ($149,250), and faculty promo-
tions in rank and tenure ($156,880). President Bardo, who attended Wichita State, said the price of a college degree is always on his administrative team’s mind. “At Wichita State, I don’t think any of us grew up with money,” Bardo said. “It’s not like we all came from wealthy families. ... And everybody at the table is the same way. None of us, to the best of my knowledge, none of
us grew up with a whole lot of bucks, so it was real. When we talk about these things, all of us are remembering these things. We really lived it.” But Wichita State’s current administration, including Bardo, completed their degrees during a very different time. Bardo said the only part of his education — which includes a doctorate — that he ended up with debt on was his dissertation.
“I worked part time to help pay my college,” Bardo said. “Although my mother and father both worked to help pay for it, I worked part time to help pay for it, too. It was, you know, what you did. It was how it worked.” “College affordability is something that, by the nature of our administrative group, is on our minds all the time,” Bardo said.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017
PAGE 5 | NEWS
Parking garage to offer yellow, green parking for fall BY KYLIE CAMERON & JENNA FARHAT
The new parking garage located just south of the Rhatigan Student Center will offer 272 new parking spots for anyone with a yellow or green parking pass — for the first semester. The parking garage, which was completed this month after construction began in January, was supposed to offer parking at $1.50 an hour —with a daily maximum of $15 — on the second and third floors. Associate Vice President for Administration & Financial Reporting, Analysis & Debt Management Troy Bruun said Tuesday that the License Plate Recognition, or LPR, equipment needed to implement pay-by-the hour parking was on backorder.
A green parking pass for students is $75 per semester. Anyone with a yellow or green parking pass will be able to park on the second and third floors of the new parking garage for the fall semester. The first floor will be a reserved parking lot, available to anyone with a red pass. Parking on the fourth floor will be available to anyone with a yellow pass. The four floors amount to a total of 444 parking spots. Bruun said that parking rules will be enforced in the garage during the fall semester just like a regular parking lot — parking services vehicles, which are equipped with LPR technology, will patrol the garage and issue electronic citations as needed. “So students, faculty, and staff, if
they have an e-permit, will be able to park on the second and third floors for the first semester,” Bruun said. “And then we will have all our equipment in and configured and starting next semester, we’ll switch.” Beginning next semester, the LPR cameras will be installed at the entrance and exits and hourly parking charges will be implemented on the second and third floors. “(LPR cameras) will identify the vehicle going into the garage and it will identify the vehicle going out of the garage,” Bruun said. “Anyone may utilize the hourly parking,” Bruun said Monday. “The kiosks will accept credit cards, cash, and coins. Please note the kiosks will not give change, but they will give a receipt for additional time that you can use on your next visit.”
PHOTO BY BRIAN HAYES
The new parking garage located just south of the Rhatigan Student Center will offer 272 new parking spots for anyone with a yellow or green parking pass — for the first semester.
YMCA partnership moves forward on ‘good faith’ without agreement BY MATTHEW KELLY
Although no formal agreement between Wichita State and the Y exists, on the first day of class Wichita State students can walk into a YMCA facility, show their Shocker IDs at the information desk, and proceed with their workouts as full-fledged Y members, according to Vice President for Student Affairs Teri Hall. The initiative aiming to bring a YMCA to Wichita State within the next few years along with an updated wellness center paid for by a new three-tiered student fee automatically makes WSU students Y members as they wait for the campus facility to open. The proposal of such a partnership sparked heated debate in the Student Government Association last school year and was rejected by the 59th Session before a similar proposal was approved by the incoming 60th Session. The fee, which was approved by
the Kansas Board of Regents in June, varies by credit hours taken. As a baseline, undergraduate students enrolled in fifteen credit hours can expect to pay $190 per semester towards the wellness center. Student Body President Paige Hungate said it is time to move past last semester’s arguing and embrace the addition to Innovation Campus. “The fee is there and it’s happening, so I’m excited to see people warm up to the idea and see that it’s going to be good for students at the end of the day,” Hungate said. Even without a formal agreement between WSU and the Y, Hall said she was confident about the partnership moving forward. “Now we’re just inking through what that deal’s going to look like,” Hall said. Though some students have voiced concerns about what happens if the Y backs out after student fees have already been allocated towards the wellness center, Hall said there is no
reason to question enthusiasm on the part of the Y. “When that question comes up, what I want to say is that if the Y wasn’t into this, there’s no reason why they would start having memberships for all of our students starting August 21st,” Hall said. “If they were worried about it, they’d say no, we’re not going to do this but instead they’re going into this with good faith knowing that we’re going to work this through.” Hall said that over the summer, WSU has been working with the Y towards a smooth transition into the new membership program. This has included contacting students with pre-existing memberships. “The Y has been communicating with students and if that happens, as I understand it, the membership services folks will refund if there’s a problem and we didn’t catch somebody ahead of time who already had a membership,” Hall said. Hall said summer developments have also included bigger-picture
planning. “We’ve started having conversations to talk about getting people together and going around to see some buildings this fall that combine health and wellness like in a way we hope to do when we build our wellness center,” Hall said. According to Hall, Hungate and Student Body Vice President Breck Towner have participated in meetings involving Y representatives and will be on the team of people investigating building designs. Hall said the facility, which will be located across Mike Oatman Drive from the Eck Stadium parking lot, will take some time to get up and running. “We’re thinking fall of ’19 probably,” Hall said. After using the fall to look at building designs, Hall said drawing up plans and getting student feedback could take up to nine months and construction would take between twelve and eighteen months. Whereas some students
have raised concerns that the administration is forcing their agenda upon students with the Y partnership, Hungate said that she, along with other students would play an integral role in the decision-making process. “It’s not just administration is putting through whatever they want in this wellness center,” Hungate said. “We are very much so part of the process and they are very much so wanting student input.” Hall said moving forward with the partnership, students can expect to have their voices heard in focus groups discussing issues such as what they want to see in the facility, reasonable prices for drop-in daycare, and how they hope to combine health and wellness aspects into fitness services. “We’re going to include students in this process all the way through.”
‘Brew unto others’ Catholic student center to open coffee shop BY JENNA FARHAT
The St. Paul University Parish Catholic Student Center on campus is preparing to open a coffee shop in its basement. Credo Coffee Shop will open Aug. 14. “’Brew unto others’ is our slogan,” Sean Wheeler, a sophomore majoring in exercise science who will manage the new coffee shop, said. Wheeler said the Latin term “Credo”, which translates to a statement of belief, was important to early Christians. Wheeler said many students spend time doing homework, playing pool, and eating lunch at the student center after classes. He estimated that between 30 and 50 students
came through the student center daily during the school year. The center, which was opened in 1970, also holds daily mass in the parish upstairs. Last week, the Lutheran student center across the opposite side of 17th street renovated their building and opened Fairmount Coffee Co. “Father (John Hay) has wanted to open a coffee shop here for a very long time because it’s such a good way to have people feel welcome here,” Wheeler said. Wheeler said Hay felt like there was no better time than now to open up a coffee shop. “We definitely didn’t open this to create competition or drama with (the Lutheran student center,)”
Wheeler said. “We’re not trying to put them out of business or anything like that. We’re just trying to provide for our students,” he said. Wheeler said that while the Catholic student center is a good place to meet people with similar beliefs, the center is open to students of all faith backgrounds. “Everyone’s welcome,” Wheeler said.
More than the daily grind Fairmount Coffee Co. uses community atmosphere to stand out
BY ALIYAH FUNSCHELLE
Reverie roasts Starbucks in coffee survey BY NICOLE BYRNE
In a Facebook survey of 516 participants, coffee connoisseurs have overwhelmingly declared their preference for local coffee retailer Reverie Coffee Roasters over Starbucks. 360 people voted for Reverie and just 156 voted for Starbucks. One voter voiced their support for the Wichita based coffee company, commenting with “Reverie is hands down the very best of the best coffee in town. An ICT treasure and true art form that is worth every penny.” Another chimed in with “Reverie’s
Rosemary Salted Caramel Latte, ‘nuff said.” Reverie Coffee will be available on campus at the Groundhouse, which previously served Starbucks products. The new Fairmount Coffee Co., located just off of campus at 3815 E. 17th St., will also serve Reverie Coffee products. Those who still need their Starbucks fix can get it at the Innovation Campus Starbucks and at Fast Break in the Rhatigan Student Center. Fast Break is scheduled to undergo renovations to become a full service Starbucks this winter.
College students and coffee go hand in hand, as evident by the plethora of places to get a coffee on campus. Between Fast Break, Reverie coffee at the Ground House, the new Starbucks on campus, and the newly opened Fairmount Coffee Co., students will not come up short on coffee options. The newly opened Fairmount Coffee Co. aimed to be more than just the “commercial coffee shop” according to founder and manager Paige Edgington. Fairmount Coffee Co. opened August 3rd, but will have an official opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug 26th after a week of promotional activities aimed at engaging students and the community. One of the key components to being distinctive is Fairmount Coffee Co.’s community involvement and unity. “We have the intention to bring in people from everywhere—WSU students, the neighborhood, all of Wichita,” barista Kellie Deutsch said. “We really want to welcome everyone here, give them a fun environment, and provide something new and fun to warm up the space.” Fairmount Coffee Co. also wants to serve as a new hangout spot for students and Wichitans on weekend nights. The coffee shop extends their hours until 12 a.m. on both Fridays and Saturdays. The coffee shop is going to be bringing in local musicians to play on the weekends as a way to offer more of a downtown vibe on campus.
“(Having live music) is one thing in particular that is going to stand out,” barista Ryan Siebuhr said. “That’s going to be good for students
that don’t necessarily want to go out. This will give them a different environment to hang out and meet new people and enjoy some music.”
FAIRMOUNT COFFEE CO. HOURS MON-THURS 7AM-11 PM FRI 7AM-MIDNIGHT SAT 8 AM-MIDNIGHT SUNDAY CLOSED
College life fall film recommendations BY JOSE INTRIAGO SUAREZ
and fighting with D. Cooper.
As the fall semester kicks off, new students arrive on campus for the first time and future graduates prepare for the final stretch here at WSU. Before the routine sets-in, take some time to relax and watch some college-life movies.
The Award Winner
The Classic Comedy
“Animal House” is the template for the modern college comedy. The story of a group of outsiders who take on the snotty establishment is quintessentially American. Though it has not aged well, there are more than a few examples of gross racism and sexism, the misadventures of the Delta fraternity under ‘doublesecret probation’ still gets laughs through a mix of great directing (Jon Landis) and acting (John Belushi in his breakout role as Bluto Blutarsky). Why should you watch it? This movie invented the college comedy as we know it, with tropes such as the naïve freshmen, the worldly senior, the outsiders vs. rich kids dynamic, and the tyrannical dean. Also, because of three words: Toga, party, and ‘Shout’.
The Underdog
“Starter for 10” is a British comedy starting a murders’ row of future talents including James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, Rebecca Hall, and Dominic Cooper. McAvoy stars as a genius freshman who must overcome elitist stigmas, be part of his school’s ‘University Challenge’ quiz show team, and win the affection of the girl of his dreams. It has a unique charm even when tackling darker issues, thanks especially to its talented cast. Why should you watch it? Quiz shows may be on the decline here, but not so in the UK, where this program has been on for almost 50 years. Between the quiz scenes and the excellent soundtrack, you have the story of a freshman who discovers who he is in college. Also, you need to see Benedict Cumberbatch at his most ‘preppy’
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“Good Will Hunting” is the story of a gifted student who overcomes abuse and psychological trauma on his college journey. Written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, the whole film stands on the relationship between Damon’s Will Hunting and the late Robin Williams’ Sean Maguire. It garnered critical acclaim on its way to nine Academy Award nominations. Why should you watch it? Robin Williams’ portrayal of Maguire is both intense and vulnerable, earning him an Oscar. The interactions between he and Damon display the difficulties faced by victims of abuse, all the while showing a different side of masculinity than the traditional Boston Southie. Also, “How do you like them apples?” was a thing.
Cutting Room Floor
Not every film can make the cut, but here is a short list of some that came close. Check them out if you have a chance. “P.C.U.” (A comedy about students vs. an overbearing dean and over-correctness) “Accepted” (Bartleby gets rejected by every college, creates his own) “Eurotrip” (“Scotty doesn’t Know”, enough said!) “Pitch Perfect” (Awesome music and one of the few female lead entries) “Real Genius” (classic comedy with Val Kilmer as a physics graduate student) “Wonder Boys” (dark comedy about an English teacher stuck in a rut) “Whiplash” (this tale of an abusive teacher won 2 Academy Awards) “Dead Man on Campus” (dark comedy with a grizzly premise that somehow works) “The Rules of Attraction” (a look at a depraved world of elite, entitled kids, based on a novel)
Summer Music Wrap-Up BY MARISSA CAMPBELL
Getting back into the groove of the fall semester will be a lot easier with some great music. As we wrap up the end of the summer, here is a recap of some of the best albums that came out of summer 2017. Not only did these artists both release fantastic albums, but they have something else in common. Each stepped out of their comfort zone on their latest album to create a new, unique sound.
“bloom” by Machine Gun Kelly Released: May 12 Genre: Rap Rating: 4/5 stars MGK has been releasing music since 2010, but didn’t start dabbling in the rock genre until more recently. His latest album, “bloom,” not only features his usual rapping, but also tries to add more singing and instrumentals into the mix. MGK has always had a more intense, rougher sound similar to Eminem, and “Gunner” immediately starts off the album with that rough attitude. He slows it down and goes into singing more on both “At My Best (ft. Hailee Steinfeld)” and “Bad Things (ft. Camila Cabello).” MGK’s third, full-length studio album has left many fans divided or on the fence. Some think he’s sold out and went with a pop sound just to get more on the market and into the ears of new listeners, but others are excited about his direction. From the perspective of a new listener, MGK has a reason for wanting this effect, and he deserves to strive for it. Nitty-gritty, raw lyrics formulated between both rapping and singing are especially evident in songs like “Kiss the Sky.” MGK is on a powerful, ever-building momentum that could eventually get him to the top of the rap ladder. With perseverance, there is potential for him to be the next Eminem.
“Lust for Life” by Lana Del Rey Released: July 21 Genre: Alternative Rating: 5/5 stars Spine-tingling, chill-inducing vocals are the key ingredient when it comes to Lana Del Rey’s music. Del Rey stands out amongst the crowd of female, alternative singers through her mixture of hip-hop, pop and alternative styles combined with her raspy, melodic vocals. This ability is rare, and memorable—especially when it comes to the greats like Amy Winehouse. On her latest album, “Lust for Life,” Del Rey not only builds on her own unique style, but explores new means and methods by adding four songs with features. This is seen regularly in the pop industry, especially recently when it feels like no artist can make a hit on their own (like Coldplay and the Chainsmokers, Diplo and Justin Bieber, etc.), but she has never featured anyone on her other four albums. By carefully curating her features, she’s created an eclectic grouping of individualsto make the album one, unified piece. These features include Stevie Nicks on “Beautiful People with Beautiful Problems”, Sean Ono Lennon on “Tomorrow Never Came,” and rapper A$AP Rocky and R&B, pop sensation, The Weeknd. While Del Rey’s album otherwise sounds like the rest of her music, these features have launched her into a new musical playing field.
Rundstrom relishes time at WSU, accepts position at Savannah College of Art and Design BY MATTHEW KELLY
According to Lisa Rundstrom, outgoing director of WSU Shift Space gallery and interdisciplinary art professor, her time at WSU has been about bridging gaps—both between creative disciplines and members of the community. Rundstrom said her experiences in Wichita have prepared her to instruct at the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia next school year. Rundstrom recently accepted a professorship in general studies with an emphasis on 4D— sculpture that interacts with time and motion. A WSU alum, Rundstrom returned in 2004 as a professor and has been the director of WSU Shift Space for seven years—seeing the gallery through a relocation and the adoption of a year-round schedule while greatly expanding its community outreach. “All of the community engagement work that I’ve done here has prepared me for this opportunity,” Rundstrom said. “The search to fill this position was immense and they were looking for someone to fill a very specific skill set and that matched a lot of the things that I’m doing here and without that I would not have been prepared for
this position.” Rundstrom said one of the defining moments of her time at WSU was when Shift Space teamed up with the Muslim Student Association to paint a large-scale mural in the gallery. “The Shift Space student group hosted it and we all just collaborated with the community and it became just a very moving event,” Rundstrom said. “There was just a mass of people coming together to celebrate diversity and similarities and differences.” In a sense, such cooperation and camaraderie can become the art itself. “There is this component to a creative work where you don’t know what will happen, and for me, that was always within our community,” Rundstrom said. Beyond their utility as creative outlets, Rundstrom said that such community projects at Shift Space provided a platform for opening dialogue on social issues. “I feel like people have that interest but they just don’t have a way in,” Rundstrom said. “They’re very interested, they’re supportive, but there’s not a platform for them to engage, and the gallery is that platform—a platform for engagement with the social issues
that affect us all.” From an artistic standpoint, Rundstrom said one of the strengths she has refined while at WSU is her ability to interweave design and studio components with conceptual art in her 4D work. Such 4D components can take on many forms in art—from sensors that respond to viewers to interactive microphones to the wearable art of Project Runaway. Rundstrom said here at WSU she finds herself bridging the gap between the disciplines of fine arts and graphic arts, and that she expects to challenge herself and her students with an elevated level of interdisciplinary work in Savannah.
In addition, some characters’ motivations and actions, especially those involving the part time security guard Melvin Dismukes played by John Boyega, are unclear and foggy. This is partially due to narrative considerations (screenwriter Mark Boal does have a lot of characters to juggle), but also because the events that happened that fateful night in July are legally unclear. (The film ends with a disclaimer that some of the events have been “recreated” for narrative considerations due to unknowability and legal disclaimers.) This also extends to the main villain of the film, an on-duty racist cop played to great effect by Will Poulter. Teetering on the edge of comically evil, the audience is never really introduced into any of the motivations behind why he keeps doing such terrible things. All the au-
dience knows is that he keeps doing them. While the film does provide a beginning and an end for the tragedy that occurred that night in July, some of the loose ends that come with the territory are still dangling. In the end Bigelow has crafted a harrowing and important film that doesn’t feel like a needless exploitation of a crucial event in America’s racial history. Instead, it is an important reminder that race relations in America still have a long way to go. Capping off her loose trilogy of films about American violence through the lens of masculinity and the men who necessitate these events (Zero Dark Thirty does deviate from this partially), Detroit is a stark, if not mostly successful, depiction of how little race relations have progressed in America.
“I’ll have the opportunity to engage with students doing industrial design, fashion design, other types of performance beyond performance art, and so I believe it will push me in bridging those areas for myself and my students.” Ultimately, Rundstrom said she will remember her time at WSU fondly and that her experiences— both as a professor and as a gallery director have prepared her for the next step in her career. “I feel very fortunate for getting to have the experiences I’ve had here.”
‘Detroit’ delivers in retelling of racial tragedy BY MATT GARNER
Released into circulation just a week after its 50th anniversary, “Detroit” is the latest film from Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) in her loose “trilogy” of American masculinity and morality series. Dramatizing the events of the Algiers Motel murders that took place within the context of the Detroit riots of 1967, “Detroit” offers a harrowing if ultimately simplistic re-telling of the tragedy that took place within the confines of that building. Shot in a loose and handheld style, the movie is no doubt meant to emulate both the pandemonium and chaos of the riots, but also the news footage capturing it. “Detroit” mostly succeeds in capturing this turbulent time in America’s history. With any dramatization for narrative purposes comes the tricky territory of adapting it in a way that provides a solid story structure while still highlighting the history that makes the event important. And, given that any considerable portion of an audience might be fully unaware of the historical event taking place on screen, some amount of necessary exposition is required in order to fully educate the viewer on what they’re about to witness. This “Detroit” all does splendidly, providing enough
historical and cultural context as well as a narrative “cushion” that allows Bigelow to capture the before and after of this horrific event. A lesser film just would have captured the event itself. Viewers are treated to both the lead-up and aftermath of the Algiers incident, being given a view into the characters’ lives before being thrown into a crucible of racial tension and violence. It is here where “Detroit” also excels, providing a pressure-cooker of agony for the viewer to sit through as consecutive horrible event are depicted on screen. It’s tough to watch, and the film doesn’t sugarcoat it or shy away from the violence. With situations like the one illustrated in “Detroit,” the director must walk the fine line between gratuitousness and necessary while still honoring the history of what happened, and Detroit succeeds here as well because every horrific act and every terrible event (sadly) has a reason for being on screen. And while the threshold for this kind of content will vary from viewer to viewer, for myself it never seemed unwarranted. But, given all of Bigelow’s skill for dramatizing these historical events into a tense and terrorizing film, the horrors displayed on screen are undercut to some extent due to Bigelow’s tendency to overexplain and assume that the viewer will be swept up in the racial injustice and
terror so as not to question some of the elements of the film that seem weaker in comparison to their stronger counterparts. To address the first complaint, it is with a great amount of certainty that I can (hopefully) assume that every audience member in the theater knows that what is happening on screen is wrong. Yet, Bigelow feels the need to hammer that point home despite its obviousness. “Detroit” depicts a dark and shameful time in American history, but Bigelow seems to be concerned that her audience members aren’t understanding that. During the second act, when the Algiers Motel murders are happening, a band of Michigan State Police arrive on the scene to assess the situation. After observing what the three uniformed cops were doing to the African-American guests they rounded up as “suspects” in the hotel, they report back to their captain the atrocities that are taking place inside the building. And what does the captain do? He turns to one of them and says, “well, that’s not right. They have their Civil Rights just as anybody else.” This fact-I would hope-is known. It could be argued that this character is providing historical context-indeed the Civil Rights Act was only passed three years prior—but— watching it in 2017, the whole scene feels needless and spoon-fed.
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TOUR DE WICHITA
Time between classes? Check out these museums and galleries. BY MARISSA CAMPBELL
Wichita State is home to many museums, but most students only know about the Ulrich. If you’re looking for a fun, free activity, or simply want to know more about your campus, check out one of these many options.
Ulrich Museum of Art As the largest museum on campus, the Ulrich Museum houses regular rotating shows. There is usually a new exhibition every fall and spring semester as well as a faculty biennial every two spring semesters. The Ulrich displays work from many well-known, contemporary artists and showcases historical works—owning one of the largest Gordon Parks collections in the world. Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection While simply strolling around campus from class to class, you can’t miss some of the 76 works that make up the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection. From the well-known “Millie” the millipede to some of the more abstract pieces, you can pick up a map at the Ulrich Museum and take your own self-guided tour of the works. Cadman Art Gallery Located in the heart of the RSC, the Cadman is a space where students can show off their work. This space is a quick stop as you head to lunch or if you just need to take a breather in between classes. Not only can art students feature their latest projects there, but so can any other WSU student. Shiftspace Shiftspace is the off-campus gallery for the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries. This gallery allows art students to display their work in a more public setting. Although this gallery is off campus, it’s not far and is still free to go to. Located on Commerce St. in the center of the Final Friday madness, students can check out their peers’ work while exploring downtown. Pizza Hut Who doesn’t love pizza? Currently located near the Engineering Building on the South side of campus, the original Pizza Hut building stands, although it will be getting moved to Innovation Campus soon. Holmes Museum of Anthropology The Holmes Museum of Anthropology showcases the work of various anthropologists and is currently showing six different exhibitions. If contemporary art isn’t your thing or you just want to check out something a little different, dive into the history of Turkey or immerse yourself into the life of an American Samoan at this museum.
GRAPHIC BY MADELINE DEABLER
Clayton Staples Gallery Located in the McKnight Art Center, the Clayton Staples Gallery not only showcases the work of local, regional and national contemporary artists, but also shows the work of undergraduate and graduate students. This small gallery is meant to be a central hub for the creative exploration of the ADCI students, but is open and free to the public as well.
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UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
Knights ● UCF and Houston led the conference in the 2017 baseball season both with a 15-9 conference record. ● 2017 baseball standings (15-9 AAC) 40-22 overall ● Men’s basketball 24-12 record (9-7 AAC) ● Women’s basketball 21-12 (9-7 AAC) ● Notable alum: Daniel Tosh, Cheryl Hines
EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
Pirates ● East Carolina University made it to the AAC Conference Championship in baseball but fell to Houston 0-6. ● Men’s 15-18 record (6-12 AAC) ● Women’s basketball 11-19 record (2-14 AAC) ● Notable alum: Sandra Bullock, Vince McMahon (WWE)
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
Knights • Men’s basketball 30-6 record (16-2 AAC) ranked 15th on AP Top 25 teams (week 18), 6th seeded NCAA tournament. • Notable alumni: Oscar Robertson, former President William Howard Taft
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Bulls ● UConn and USF tied for the second best baseball conference record both at 14-10. ● Men’s basketball 7-23 record (1-17 AAC) ● Women’s basketball 24-7 record (11-5 AAC) NCAA tournament for the fourth time in the past five seasons, and made it to the tournament for the third consecutive year. USF, seeded at 11, also fell in the first round of the tournament to 3 seed Florida State 87-66. ● Notable alum: Gallagher, Hulk Hogan
SMU
Cougars ● Houston was tied for the conference leader in the 2017 baseball season with a 15-9 conference record. ● Houston baseball was selected for the second time in the past three years to host a NCAA Division 1 regional which hosted Baylor, Texas A&M, and Iowa. ● Houston softball came in second for the AAC with a 12-6 in conference record. Houston, also the runner-up in the Conference Championship. ● Notable alum: Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Dennis Quaid, famed Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, broadcaster Jim Nantz
Mustangs • 31-5 men’s basketball record, 6th seeded NCAA tournament, 12th on AP Top 25 teams (week 18) • 2017 AAC Conference champions in Men’s basketball and Volleyball • Notable alum: Former first lady Laura Bush.
TULANE UNIVERSITY
Green Wave ● Men’s basketball 6-25 record (3-15 AAC) ● Women’s basketball 18-15 record (7-9 AAC) ● Notable alum: Jerry Springer, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
Huskies • Women’s basketball team 152-2 since joining the AAC, 991-135 overall record and 11 NCAA championships under coach Geno Auriemma. • Men’s basketball 113-61 record under head coach Kevin Ollie, 2014 NCAA Champions. • Notable alum: Meg Ryan, Ray Allen.
UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
Tigers ● Men’s basketball 19-13 (9-9 AAC) record for the 2016-2017 under Tubby Smith’s first year as head coach of Memphis. • Women’s basketball 14-16 (7-9 AAC) • Notable alum: Derek Rose
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
Owls ● Temple University earned the runner-up spot in women’s basketball with a 13-3 conference finish. ● Temple University women’s basketball made their ninth all time appearance in the Big Dance, with their most recent appearance prior to 2017 in 2012. ● Notable alum: Bob Saget, Bill Cosby, Hall & Oates.
UNIVERSITY OF TULSA
Golden Hurricane • Men’s basketball 15-17 record (8-10 AAC), 11th seeded in 2016 NCAA tournament. • Women’s basketball 10-21 (5-11 AAC) record for 2017, 16th seeded in 2016 NCAA tournament. • Notable alum: Dr Phil
The Big Move: Wrestlers of the AAC Hulk Hogan, University of South Florida
Jerry Lawler, University of Memphis
Jim “Hawksaw” Duggan, SMU
Caylee Turner, Univeristy of Central Florida
Steve Cox, Univeristy of Tulsa
Vince McMahon, East Carolina University
Paul “The Big Show” Wight, Wichita State University
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‘I am built for this.’
Is it worth it to be ‘All American?’
EVAN PFLUGRADT OPINION EDITOR
FILE PHOTO
Wichita State’s Landry Shamet enters the arena in Indianapolis before the NCAA Tournament game against Dayton. Shamet had foot surgery July 31 for a stress fracture and could be sidelined for up to 16 weeks.
Shamet starts recovery from foot injury BY ALIYAH FUNSCHELLE
Wichita State’s Landry Shamet and foot injuries are no strangers. The redshirt sophomore guard fractured his right foot in a summer league scrimmage on July 21st and opted for immediate surgery the following Monday. Shamet told CBS Sports he wanted to handle the injury in an aggressive manner to prevent the stress in his foot from building up. “It’s kind of setting myself up for a better future and not having to deal with any of these issues down the road,” Shamet said. An official statement regarding Shamet’s proAn official statement was released regarding Shamet’s procedure and recovery time: “Landry Shamet had surgery on July 31 to repair a stress fracture. Doctors placed a screw in the Fifth Metatarsal of his right foot.” Recovery times for such fractures vary, but the typical patient is cleared to resume conditioning activities 6-8 weeks after surgery with full play at 14-16 weeks. Shamet had an identical procedure on his left foot in November, 2015. Shamet’s first season at WSU resulted in his becoming a medical redshirt due to a stress fracture in his left foot sustained during a game against Emporia State in 2015.
In the 2016-2017 season, Shamet was named the MVC Freshman of the Year. He was the fourth freshman in Missouri Valley Conference history to earn 1st team all-conference and led the league in both three-point shots made(43) and percentage made (.518) in MVC play. Shamet ranked No. 10 in The Big Lead’s “50 Best Players in College Basketball for 2017-2018.” Jason McIntyre, author of the article, stated that “The Shockers are loaded, and Shamet is their most talented player. Made 44 percent of his 3-pointers as a freshman. Watch him vs Kentucky, it’s impressive.” In WSU’s Second Round loss to Kentucky, Shamet kept the Shockers in the game while leading the box scores with 20 points and shooting 50 percent on field goals. Shamet’s surgery went as planned and he is currently on the road to recovery. Following his operation on Monday, Shamet tweeted “Appreciating all the love and support from everyone, like I said… I AM GOOD AND I AM BUILT FOR THIS. Love you all and thank you.” Although the official men’s basketball schedule has not been released, Shamet is on track to be healthy for the first game anticipated to be at the beginning of November.
FILE PHOTO
Wichita State guard Landry Shamet jumps for a layup against Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Shamet was medically redshirted in his first year at WSU.
Adams-Birch gets back into coaching through relationships, hometown ties BY GRANT COHEN
Jody Adams-Birch received her first coaching offer since she and Wichita State mutually agreed to part ways on January 22. Adam-Birch’s agent informed her that China’s national basketball team offered her an assistant coaching job for the upcoming Summer Olympic games. With the job requiring her to go overseas, the former Tennessee guard turned it down in order to stay in Wichita to support her husband, Roy, who just opened up a gym for his personal training business. “That would’ve been really, really neat,” Adams-Birch said. “It’s just where my family is right now and the timing of it, it wasn’t a good option. It was best that I stay here and support my husband and his business and continue training kids, which I will continue to do now.” Waiting for an opportunity closer to Wichita, Adams-Birch kept in touch with Derby High School girls’ basketball coach Jodie Karsak. Karsak, a former WSU women’s basketball player, had several players who were being recruited by Adams-Birch during her tenure at WSU. When one of Karsak’s players, Tor’e Alford, lost her father last spring due to a heart attack, Adams-Birch reached out as support to the WSU recruit to see if she wanted to go to a restaurant or get a workout in at the gym. Adams-Birch had asked permission from Karsak prior to her encounter with Alford, in which the Derby coach happily agreed. “When I got [to WSU] 10 years ago, coach Karsak was one whose gym I visited quite often,” Adams-Birch said. “I watched from
afar what she was doing with her program and really what she was about as a coach. I said to [Karsak], ‘hey you’re more than welcome to stay and stick around with us.’ “We just started talking as I was working out Tor’e and started talking basketball and asking me questions because I’ve seen them play. She has a program that’s growing and one of those programs that’s very attractive in a lot of ways because who [Karsak] is.” Karsak invited Adams-Birch to assist with Derby’s summer camp in June. Karsak said that her team showed enthusiasm to Adam-Birch’s presence. During the camp, the 10-year collegiate head coach implemented new basketball drills and spoke to the campers about lessons she learned both on and off the court while encouraging every player present. “The first day of camp, some of the girls were a little star struck to have a high-profile coach who has had an incredible amount of success,” Karsak said. “Soon after camp got started, anytime coach Adams-Birch would talk, they were eating up every word, she said. From learning a new basketball drill to listening to her talk about how she believed in every single player present.” After Derby assistant coach Jayson Miller left to be the new director of basketball operations for WSU and assistant coach Marcus Myers followed to take over the top job at Wichita West High School, Karsak immediately asked Adams-Birch who would make quality assistant coaches. The question led to the hiring of former Adams-Birch product, Jessica Diamond. Four months after hiring the twotime all-Missouri Valley Conference
Wichita State, if you haven’t already heard, is a new member to the American Athletic Conference. And what a big deal it is. Superior athletics might not apply personally to you, but high school students pay close attention to the success of their athletic programs. Traditionally, when a school sees success in their basketball or football program, enrollment numbers surge. For instance, shortly after Wichita State advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament in 2013, campus visits climbed significantly. The happy little accident brought opened up our minds to believe Wichita State could topple President John Bardo’s quest for enrollments of 22,000 or more. But something didn’t change: headcount. Past the 20-day mark of classes, Wichita State’s retention numbers never seemed to carry to the administration’s expectations. Enrollment never surged like we thought it might. And here we are, the summer is over and national pundits are ranking the Shocker men’s basketball team at or near the top of their projections. Yet, with all the perks associated with a new conference, there’s also a large bill to be paid. Without any growth in enrollment, that financial burden could continue to grow. This year, Wichita State students will pay $340 for an athletics fee (for a full-time undergraduate taking 15 credit hours) — up $24.40 from the year prior. Bardo projected WSU to lose $1.9 million in the conference change, and said it could be five years before the university could see any financial benefit. Bardo told the Kansas Board of Regents that this benefits students, providing them with “the ambiance and the feeling of belonging on campus.” He claimed the move would benefit the branding of the university, by association to other AAC schools, would grow stronger. His claim was that “the branding of who we are … at the end of the day, will mean a lot to the student who graduates” regardless if they ever attend a sporting event. But in the last year, student attendance numbers at all WSU’s major sporting events dropped. Attendance to men’s basketball games sank so low that the players notably made comments and the athletic department started offering student tickets to the public. For some, Wichita State joining The American was a dream come true, and that $24 bump in their fees is likely brushed off without much, if any, fuss. Others, however, just won’t reap the benefits of a conference change — and that’s okay. If you’re about to be here a while, $24 extra is a bargain to see top-level competition — and hey, if Bardo’s right and a diploma with the name Wichita State University starts to carry a little more weight, this deal will have been a homerun.
Men’s bball fans rank 34th in country BY ALIYAH FUNSCHELLE PHOTO FROM ADAMS-BIRCH’S TWITTER
Jody Adams-Birch leads a girls’ basketball summer camp at Derby High School.
selection out of WSU, the Lady Panthers’ coach asked Adams-Birch to join her at Derby for the upcoming season. The two-time MVC Coach of the Year was honored to accept Karsak’s offer. “I’ve just really gotten to know (Karsak) over the past several months as far off the court,” Adams-Birch said. “We hadn’t really talked about [the assistant coach job]. I was invited to run one of her camps and she loved that. We’ve just been around because of her kids and her program. We’ve got to spend more time together and so with everything going on with our family, I decided to stay here in Wichita.” The Derby Lady Panthers ended the 2016-17 season with a two-point loss to Manhattan in the 6A state finals last season at Charles Koch Arena. Derby’s team features multiple players being recruited by Division 1 schools, highlighted by 6-foot-5-inch Kennedy Brown, who is rated as the 19th overall prospect for the class of
2019 according to ESPN. Karsak said that Derby’s state finals loss last season had no correlation to Adam-Birch’s hiring. The Lady Panthers, however, soaked up her advice and Karsak said that Adam-Birch’s college coaching experience will be of tremendous value in their quest for the state championship. “Having Jody as a part of our program will be incredible on many levels,” Karsak said. “Her experience is priceless in terms of what she will be able to share with us. What I believe we will benefit the most from though, is her heart to help each player to have success both on and off the court. “Jody is an incredible person with a servant’s heart. To have both the D-1 knowledge and experience to shape the basketball player plus believing that winning ultimately comes from developing the heart or inside. I would say I have truly won the lottery.”
Wichita State men’s basketball ranked 34th in the nation in attendance, according to the NCAA’s final 2016-2017 season report. The Shockers have topped 10,000 people a game for the 14th consecutive year. Their No. 34 ranking is the program’s best since the 1983-1984 season. Wichita State has finished in the top 40 for the past seven seasons. Wichita State finished 36th and 37th in the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons despite selling out of every home game. For the 2016-2017 season, home games averaged 10,738 fans and sold out of 13 of the 16 games. The Intrust Bank Arena game in downtown Wichita drew in 15,004, which is significantly more than the 10,506 in Charles Koch Arena. Dating back to December of 2004, the Shockers have played in front of at least 10,000 fans at 198-consecutive regular season games. Average season attendance at home games have topped 10,000 in all 14 seasons since the arena’s 2003 renovation and re-dedication.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017
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