The Sunflower v. 128 i. 26 (April 4, 2024)

STUCK IN LIMBO

FAFSA submissions have decreased across USD 259 amid a new online interface and deadline for the college financial aid program.

FAFSA delays, glitches cause frustration for Wichita State students and financial aid staff

BY JACOB UNRUH assistantsports@thesunflower.com

College and high school students across the country are playing a waiting game as an update to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid has been plagued by delays and glitches. This year, the new system has stalled award offers and left applicants and administrators confused and anxious.

“Every month, there’s been news of an additional delay,” Sheelu Surender, the executive director of financial aid and scholarships at Wichita State, said. “Then we also consistently are getting information with errors … that are preventing us from moving forward.”

The FAFSA Simplification Act, passed in 2020, attempted to expedite the FAFSA completion process by cutting its more than 100 questions to 30, expanding the number of students eligible for Pell Grants and introducing a new formula for calculating aid, the Student Aid Index (SAI).

However, the rollout of the new system this year has been delayed by a wide variety of errors. In previous years, applications opened in October, while this year, they began in January.

Miscalculations from the United States Department of Education, including a failure to incorporate inflation into SAI estimates, have further stalled applications from reaching financial aid administrators.

Surender said that after a FAFSA application is completed and processed by the Department of Education, it is sent to Wichita State, where the financial aid office sends corrections back to students and determines the award offer.

In the past, the office would receive the first FAFSA applications in November and send out award letters the next month, but this year, they have just started to receive applications, according to Surender.

“The issue is that they had to completely overhaul the system,” Surender said. “And that’s where the delays were caused because they were not ready … So it’s like you’re building the ship as you’re trying to run it.“

‘THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING IN THE WORLD’

Wichita State student Allison Waldt received a full-ride scholarship during her freshman year of high school through the Give Back program, which

gives aid to students who have had “adverse childhood experiences.” The scholarship requires a full Pell Grant and FAFSA completion by April 1.

Now a junior at Wichita State, Waldt attempted to apply for the FAFSA the first week it opened in January; however, she said the documentation that proves she is a provisionally independent student was erased from the FAFSA file.

The online financial aid website said additional documentation was required to prove her status. Waldt said when she called the financial aid office asking what information she needed to provide, they told her to wait until mid-March, when they would contact her with more information.

That information still hasn’t arrived.

“I’m in this weird limbo of the financial aid department at WSU emailing me, telling me that I’m going to lose my scholarship if I don’t fill out my FAFSA, but I did fill out my FAFSA,” Waldt said. “I’m waiting for the university to contact me with the kinds of documentation that they need for me to file the FAFSA.”

Waldt’s mother is under conservatorship, and her father is homeless. She said she has affidavits and court documents explaining why she is unable to procure their tax information for the application, but the website has prevented her from uploading those documents.

“I asked (WSU financial aid), I was like, ‘Hey, what happens if they don’t get back with me,’ and the only thing that people have been telling me is to wait, which is the most frustrating thing in the world when I’m being faced with my ability to go to college being taken away,” Waldt said.

Waldt said without a scholarship for her senior year, she would be forced to drop out of college.

“I’m working currently part-time,” Waldt said. “I’m not going to be able to afford my tuition and my books and everything else that I’d need, which would be really disappointing because I’m, like, 80% done.”

HIGH SCHOOL UNCERTAINTY

The process has been just as frustrating for high school students attempting to apply for first-year financial aid at Wichita State.

Kayla Russell, a Wichita North High School senior, has been waiting three months to complete her FAFSA application because a glitch on the signature page has locked her out from finishing

RESOURCES FOR COMPLETING THE FAFSA

• Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible.

The priority date was extended to May 1, but students can also receive aid until the end of the academic year on June 30. Pell Grants are first come, first serve.

• Schedule an appointment with the financial aid office.

• Visit the frequently asked questions page on the wichita.edu/fafsa website.

• Watch out for Wichita State’s financial aid events.

• If there are errors or delays, don’t fill out a paper application. Wait for corrections to your FAFSA from the Department of Education and Financial Aid office so you don’t have conflicting information.

the process.

“I have absolutely no idea how much financial aid I’m going to get to go to college,” Russell said. “So I can’t really decide where I’m going yet … It’s been like this since January.”

Kayla’s mother, Sara Russell, said her daughter has been in tears over the uncertainty of her future college decisions.

“I would be pretty scared, not knowing what you’re jumping into, how much in debt you’re going to be,” Sara Russell said. “Because here she’s sitting at almost a 4.0 (grade point average) … I never thought that we would be here where she wouldn’t know by now, the end of March, what offers or where she could go.”

Across Unified School District 259, FAFSA completion rates are just over half of what they were at this time last year, with 651 completed compared to 1,252.

Rachel Schmeidler, the college and career coordinator at Wichita North, said many students who cannot afford college, especially first-generation students, are currently “uncomfortable with enrolling” in higher education.

“This is probably going to be the first year since the FAFSA has been digitized that seniors are not going to have an idea of what they can afford by the time they graduate high school, which, in the broad picture, is going to affect enrollment,” Schmeidler said.

SEE

Wichita State provost and vice president of finance and administration set to retire

BY MIA HENNEN news@thesunflower.com

Wichita State’s Shirley Lefever and Werner Golling will both retire this year. Lefever, who serves as provost and executive vice president, will retire at the end of the calendar year, while Golling, vice president of finance and administration, will retire in July. Both retirements were announced in a Strategic Communications press release on Wednesday morning.

In the release, President Richard Muma made it clear that while both administrators plan to leave at the same time, “the timing is coincidental.”

Search committees are currently being formed to conduct a national search for replacements. Lainie Mazzullo-Hart, the director of communication for Strategic Communications, said that Shelly Coleman-Martins will chair the search for a new provost, while Zach Gearhart will chair the finance and administration search committee.

“The search chairs are currently reaching out to individuals and asking for their voluntary participation,” Mazzullo-Hart wrote in an email. “Those names are not public yet because that process just started today following the announcement. They will include a variety of stakeholders.”

Public forums will be held after finalists are selected for each position. The new provost is expected to start immediately after the 2024-2025 winter break; the vice president of finance and administration will start immediately after Golling retires in July.

Mazzullo-Hart said Lefever and Golling “have indicated that they are willing to extend their time in their respective roles if necessary to ensure a complete and smooth transfer.”

Lefever has been at the university since 2005 when she began as a department chair in the College of Applied Studies. She eventually became associate dean in 2008 and then dean of the college in 2014.

After Lefever became interim executive vice president and provost of the university in 2020, the role became permanent in 2022.

Golling’s time at the university is significantly shorter than Lefever’s; he entered his role in 2017 and has remained in it since. Golling oversees various financial and administrative operations at the university, such as public safety, human resources, information technology, and university facilities.

Hower, Phan elected student body president, VP for 67th session

BY COURTNEY BROWN newsprojects@thesunflower.com

Kylee Hower and Matthew Phan will be the next student body president and vice president, according to the uncertified election results that were announced on Wednesday evening.

Hower, the Student Government Association’s current speaker of the Student Senate, and Phan, an engineering senator, won over half of the student vote, with 59.95% of the votes, or 482 student votes.

Aiden Powell and Diana Grajeda, the opposing candidates, secured 35.19% of the votes, or 283 student votes.

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Infographic by Thy Vo / The Sunflower

Schmeidler and Cammie Kennedy, the Wichita East High School college career center coordinator, said students come into their offices every day panicked and in tears over not receiving aid.

“We feel our students’ pain and stress,” Kennedy said. “And it is daily … and we take it home with us … Will they just hang in there and just wait for that award letter, or are we going to have to have another conversation with that student just to keep them motivated?

Many students will likely receive their award offers after the school year closes, which could prevent them from making informed decisions about where to attend college.

FAFSA ASSISTANCE GOING

FORWARD Schmeidler said she had been told some customer service representatives in financial aid offices have received death threats over the delays. She said many financial aid employees have quit over the stress of the changes.

Surender said that Wichita State’s financial aid office was “prepared from the beginning” for the new system, including a project management and customer support team to process and communicate changes.

“There’s so many intricate pieces of this that we have to have ready,” Surender said. “Both in terms of communication out to students and having that accurate, also forms that have to be ready for when we start receiving the FAFSA and we need students to complete verification or something else that’s required.”

Given the previous miscalculations from the Department of Education, it’s impossible to know when aid estimates will be fully accurate. Given no more errors, Surender said she expects returning students to receive their award offers by the regular date in June, while new students will have to wait until mid-April.

Until then, the financial aid office has been focused on communicating changes through a survey for returning students, outreach to parents and trips to Wichita high schools to help seniors.

“My worry is it’s not getting to the students who might need it the most, which is our first-gen students who don’t have any type of model that they’re following in terms of how to do this,”

Surender said.

The errors on the FAFSA page vary and are oftentimes not immediately fixable by advisers; however, Surender advised all Wichita State applicants, from high schoolers to returning students, to schedule an appointment with the financial aid office.

Surender, Kennedy and Schmeidler all encouraged college and high school students to keep working to complete the FAFSA as soon as they can and not give up.

“It’s keeping them positive and letting them know that they’re not the only one in this position,” Schmeidler said. “Whether they want to be a teacher, a nurse, go into welding … that dream is still achievable. We just have to be patient.”

To access the FAFSA, go to studentaid.gov. For more information and the latest updates from the Wichita State financial aid office, visit their page at wichita.edu.

SGA approves allocation of $10.5 million in student fees for 36 programs

BY ALLISON CAMPBELL news@thesunflower.com

The Student Government Association (SGA) approved and outlined how student fees will be used toward educational opportunity and student operations funding during the Student Senate meeting on Wednesday night.

In a “roll call” vote where each member was required to state their vote out loud, SGA members approved the allocation of $10,565,546 — or 1% of the total university budget — in student fees to fund the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) and student operations.

The EOF includes $254,430 for student financial aid initiatives, such as scholarships, need-based grants and student employee salaries. The remainder — $10,311,116 — goes toward student-oriented services, such as funding for the Rhatigan Student Center, campus recreation, SGA, Student Health Services and The Sunflower, according to the presentation assembled by Adviser Gabriel Fonseca and SGA Treasurer Jia Wen Wang. These funds are referred to as a Student Support Services Fee and are divided into tiers dependent on a student’s enrolled credit hours and whether they are enrolled in the summer or fall/spring. Tier 3 programs include up to 5.75 credit hours, Tier 2 programs include between 6 to 8.75 credit hours, and Tier 1 includes 9 or more credit hours per semester.

HOWER, PHAN

FROM PAGE 1

4.85% of voters, or 39 students, voted for write-in candidates, with 17 students giving write-in votes to Scott Recheck and Brett Eilts.

Hower and Phan campaigned with four goals: engagement, outreach, retention and sustainability.

The team expressed gratitude for those who participated in the election and those who have shown them support during their campaign.

“We want the students to know that we are dedicated to this position,” Hower said. “And we are really, really on fire for student government and student body. We’re really, really excited for this upcoming session and the work that we’re going to do.”

Phan said he is “almost back to 100%” after missing the second presidential debate due to a car

The approved bill will authorize the treasurer of SGA to allocate no more than the specified requested amounts every semester to EOF programs. The following amounts are taken from each student’s EOF contributions when they pay student fees.

• Cultural Ambassador Program: 39 cents

• Debate: 97 cents

• Disability Support Services: 31 cents

• HALA Scholarship Award for Community Service: 58 cents

• Historically Underrepresented Student Grant: $2.72

• Non-Traditional Student Scholarship: $1.16

• International Scholarship Fund — Study Abroad: 39 cents

• Multicultural Student Mentoring Program: $1.36

• Ulrich Museum of Art: 33 cents

• Child Development Center: $10.71

• Office of Student Accommodations and Testing: 39 cents

• Rhatigan Student Center: $108.46

• Office of Diversity and Inclusion: $12.76

• State Employee Compensation Increases: $4.25

• Market-based Pay from FY24 — RSC only: $4.07

• Student Organization Appropriations Funding: $3.69 Additionally, the treasurer will

accident. The vice presidential elect is “pumped” and eager to continue talking with students and organizations.

“We will be here to advocate for the students, and we are really looking forward to the upcoming session,” Phan said. Hower said she also looks forward to connecting with students as president.

“I feel like student body president is a very influential position,” Hower said. “And I look forward to using that influence to advocate for the student body and do what I can to build those bridges between students, between faculty and between university administration and really do what I can to express my passion for this university.”

During the first few weeks of office, Hower and Phan plan to build a “strong leadership team” and release executive cabinet applications as soon as possible so they can start building their

Staff Senate president looks to continue culture of advocacy

Earlier this semester, Kennedy Rogers, then-president elect for Staff Senate, received a message from Jason Bosch, then-Staff Senate president. He delivered the news that she would be stepping into the presidential role a little earlier than expected because he was leaving.

Rogers said it was “good luck” that she was already preparing to become Staff Senate president when Bosch announced his departure.

When Bosch told Rogers he was leaving, she said that he was “very intentional” about the transition of power so senators and constituents were not left in the dark.

“hold flat” the following Student Service Fee program portions. The following amounts are taken from each student’s student operations contributions in student fees.

• Graduate Student Scholarship Program: 39 cents

• McNair Graduate Student Scholarship: 31 cents

• Association Scholarships: $1.35

• Student of the Year Scholarship: 10 cents

• Varsity eSports Scholarship: 99 cents

• Ulrich Museum Fellowship: 20 cents

• Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership: $41.76

• Student Health Services: $41.08

• Counseling and Psychological Services: $14.35

• Health, Outreach and Prevention Education Services: $1.10

• Campus Recreation: $42.97

• SGA Special Projects and Capital Fund: $82.74

• Student Affairs Assessment and Retention: $3.48

• Student Government Association: $25.34

• The Sunflower: $5.74

• The Sunflower Equipment Reserve: 20 cents

• College of Fine Arts Programming: $1.94

• Varsity Esports: $1.94

• Graduate Student Programming: 47 cents The act was approved with all present 18 senators voting in affirmation.

“(Bosch) was trying to make sure that I had everything I needed so that when he had his last day on campus and he was fully transitioning into his new role, we were trying to minimize as much of the shift as possible,” Rogers said.

Because of how Bosch prepared for his departure, Rogers said that “it was a good transition” to her first meeting as president in February.

Krissy Archambeau, vice president of Staff Senate and director of operations and processing in Admissions, said Rogers handled the transition with “so much grace.”

“She did a great job of covering things and trying to get herself caught up,” Archambeau said. “She really put some work in to try and not cause any disruption.”

As Staff Senate president, Rogers has standing meetings with different campus groups and administrators like President Richard Muma and Provost Shirley Lefever.

“There are just different spaces and places that we’re all advocating or talking with staff members and trying to know what’s going on in the world of higher ed,” Rogers said.

Jacob Mendez, interim assistant dean for student success in the College of Engineering and Staff Senate secretary, first met Rogers when she ran a leadership conference in 2018 and asked him to be one of the speakers.

Read the rest at thesunflower. com

Back-and-forth game against the University of Kansas ends with walk-off win for baseball

As the fireworks show began after the baseball game Wednesday night in Eck Stadium, Wichita State’s players were still celebrating a walk-off win over the University of Kansas, 7-6.

Wichita State improved to 19-10 this season, while the Jayhawks dropped to 15-11.

Kansas scored a run in the first inning and the Shockers failed to respond in the second when freshman Camden Johnson grounded out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

With two outs at the top of the third, senior right fielder Seth Stroh appeared to save a run with a leaping catch at the warning track, but after review, the ball was

trapped between the wall and his glove, allowing a runner to score from first and give the Jayhawks a 2-0 lead.

This time, Wichita State responded by manufacturing a run in the bottom of the third, although a Stroh strikeout with the bases loaded prevented any further damage.

The Shockers took the lead, 4-2, in the fifth despite not registering a single hard-hit ball. Senior Dayvin Johnson led off the inning with an infield single, while redshirt junior Jordan Rogers blooped a single into right and a misfired pickoff attempt by the pitcher allowed Johnson to score. After a walk and RBI groundout, Wichita State scored its final run of the inning on a slapped single to center by Stroh.

Head coach Brian Green said the team takes pride in being able

to manufacture runs and stay in games when they’re not hitting well.

“We’re going to be in a lot of games like that,” Green said. “To win on a Friday night, you’re going to have to be able to get a bunt out.”

The Jayhawks came right back to tie the game in the sixth and took a two-run lead in the eighth as Wichita State made four pitching changes during the two-inning span.

Stroh woke up the Wichita State fans and dugout with a line drive that curled around the right-field foul pole to bring the Shockers within one run, 6-5.

With two outs, Camden Johnson tied the game with his first collegiate home run, sprinting around the bases and jumping up and down as he reached home. Johnson said he “blacked out” when he was

running to home plate.

“I just love this game,” Johnson said. “I show a lot of passion ... when I crossed home, those guys were screaming for me. It just shows we all have each other’s back, and we’re all rooting for each other.”

In the top of the ninth, senior Nate Adler struck out the side.

In the bottom of the frame, the Shockers faced Kansas closer Hunter Cranton, who hadn’t allowed a run in 11 innings pitched this season. Rogers led off the team with a single, was moved over by a bunt and brought home to score the winning run with a line-drive single from junior Mauricio Millan.

Millan said as soon as the ball left the bat, he knew he had walked the game off.

“I had a feeling he was going

to start off with the slider,” Millan said. “I got it up in the zone and just tried to put a short swing on it and drive it up the middle.”

Camden Johnson and Millan both ended the game with two hits, and Rogers was another standout offensively, going 3-for-4 with a walk.

Camden Johnson said the win will give the team confidence but not cockiness going forward into the season.

“We’re going to know we still have to work; we still have to put in all the hours outside of practice time and on our own and keep grinding,” Johnson said.

Wichita State baseball will travel to take on the University of South Florida in a three-game road series from Friday, April 5, to Sunday, April 7. First pitch is scheduled for Friday at 5:30 p.m.

Shocker Sports Roundup: What you missed over the weekend Baseball coach Brian Green energizes team in first season with the Shockers

BY JACOB UNRUH assistantsports@thesunflower.com

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Ranked No. 58 in the nation at the beginning of the week, Wichita State lost road matchups over the weekend against The University of Alabama at Birmingham and No. 46 Memphis.

On Saturday, the Shockers dropped the match against UAB, 4-2. Despite sweeping the doubles point, Wichita State quickly fell behind in singles as freshman Theodora Chantava picked up the only win on the third court.

The following day, Wichita State lost by the same score. Once again, the Shockers took the doubles point, but this time it was freshman Giorgia Roselli who nabbed Wichita State’s lone singles win in the game.

Riding a three-game losing streak and a 10-7 record, women’s tennis will hope to pick themselves up at home on Monday, April 8, in a doubleheader against Tulsa and Kansas City at the Coleman Tennis Complex. The first match is set to start at 1 p.m.

MEN’S TENNIS

Wichita State ended an eightgame losing skid on Thursday against The University of Texas at Arlington, picking up a 4-1 win. The Shockers won in doubles and swept on courts two, three and four to pick up the victory.

On Monday, Wichita State failed to capitalize on its momentum, losing to the University of Tulsa, 4-0. Senior Misha Kvantaliani was the closest to capturing a win on the first court, losing his tie-breaker set, 6-5.

The Shockers haven’t beaten an AAC opponent this season and sit at 4-17 on the year. Senior day approaches for men’s tennis as it takes on South Florida on Friday, April 5, at 1 p.m.

ROWING

Wichita State rowing kicked off its spring season at the Oklahoma City invitational on Saturday. The women’s varsity team claimed victory in the coxed four event, while the men placed second to Oklahoma City University (OCU).

In the eight rowers events, the men’s and women’s teams both placed second to OCU.

Rowing will continue its season at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship from April 20-21 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

TRACK AND FIELD

The outdoor season for track and field got its start on Friday and Saturday with the Shocker Spring Invitational in Cessna Stadium. Wichita State claimed seven individual event titles and both 4x100-meter relays crowns. Individual event winners were junior Zander Cobb in the 3,000-meter race,

BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com

Wichita State baseball head coach Brian Green’s dream is to make it to a college world series as an ode to his work and his wife, Becky.

“I’ve been married for 26 years, (and) we have one career life ambition,” Green said.

When he started coaching, Green did not make enough money to sustain his family and himself. He said going to the college world series would be the payoff to years of work and sacrifice.

Wichita State’s Athletics Department named Green as its fifth modern baseball head coach on June 7. Green replaced interim head coach Loren Hibbs.

“When the Shockers called, I was ecstatic because if you’re a baseball guy, this is one of the storied programs in college baseball,” Green said.

When he took over, Green had only three players on the roster. He convinced eight players to return and recruited 34 new players.

Green said it was hard to get returning players to return because he had to establish trust. He convinced new players to join the team by reminding them about the history of Wichita State baseball.

Returning sophomore Jaden Gustafson said the team has changed a lot since going through different coaches. He said previous coaches were focused on an oldschool style, while Green gives the team an old-school mentality and combines it with newer technology.

“I think he just does a good job of keeping us focused, keeping us

energized, and making sure that we’re a tough team,” Gustafson said.

Sophomore newcomer Caleb Anderson said Green has kept the team young and energized.

“You wouldn’t think that this team hasn’t done much in the postseason the last 10 years; you would think that we come out every day,” Anderson said.

Green said the philosophy he tries to instill into the team is to take it one pitch at a time, with the energy staying constant even in the dugout.

Before taking his position with the Shockers, Green had nine seasons as a Division l head coach under his belt at New Mexico State and Washington State, accumulating a 249-201-1 record and leading seven teams to an NCAA Regional as head coach or assistant head coach.

Green said he has figured out what works for him and what enables his teams to be successful in all facets of the game, which was

made possible by learning from different coaches such as Dennis Rogers, Pat Casey and John Savage.

“Having an opportunity to work for great coaches and knowing that they were great at the time, I really grabbed things that they did that I didn’t do,” Green said.

On Feb. 16, Wichita State played its first baseball game of the season, annihilating Little Rock, 18-5.

“I was really nervous before the game, and our guys went out and played like we had been together for 15 years,” Green said.

He said after the post-game speech, senior Seth Stroh gave him the game ball and spoke up, congratulating Green on his first win as a Shocker.

As the season progresses, Green said he is excited about where the team is headed.

“I know it’s early,” Green said, “but I just feel like the direction of the program is in a really good position right now.”

Freshman Camden Johnson hugs junior Mauricio Millan after winning the game on April 3 against the University of Kansas, 7-6.

BY JACOB UNRUH

assistantsports@thesunflower.com

ARTS & CULTURE

GENERATIONAL DRAMA

Directors Trevor Andreasen and Jessica Hudson present “Smokefall,” a play where magical realism meets family drama.

‘A reflection of how we see the world’: Art managers

BY SALSABILA ATTARIA arts@thesunflower.com

For students hoping to develop a career in public art, breaking into the field can seem daunting.

Jana Erwin, City of Wichita public art manager, and Kate Van Steenhuyse, assistant director for the Kansas Creative Art Industries Commission, shared resources and strategies for fine arts students during a panel on April 2. “I think people get overwhelmed,” Van Steenhuyse said. “And that’s understandable. But the more you just familiarize yourself, then that demystifies a lot of it.”

During the panel, Erwin

defined public art with a quote from the Association of Public Art.

“Public art is a reflection of how we see the world,” Erwin said.

The discussion described the usual processes public artists go through to have their work displayed in the community. This includes differentiating between requests for qualification (RFQ) and requests for proposal (RFP). While the former usually entails sending one’s resume and portfolio, the latter requires a higher level of budgeting and planning.

Erwin emphasized the traits of a strong applicant sending their information as an

RFQ, specifically in the oftenrequested letter of intent from the artist.

“It should show that you’ve done some research on the location, the community and aims,” Erwin said. “It should illustrate that you are capable of fulfilling the needs of this project in a professional manner, on time and on budget.”

Van Steenhuyse recognized that budgeting for a public art piece, often a requirement when submitting an RFP, is another obstacle students may struggle with. She urged students to be transparent with the financial needs of their work — and to remember to “pay themselves.”

“A lot of times what I see is

share public art tips

that organizations initiating projects … they don’t know what it’s like from the artist’s side,” Van Steenhuyse said. “So it is within your power — and it is a really great thing — to just ask some questions and respectfully advocate for yourself.”

The pair recommended Wage for Work, a website that provides examples of the wages paid to artists for specific projects and gives a starting point for someone making a budget for the first time. Another tip Van Steenhuyse highlighted was working backward in finding organizations that fund public art by researching who public artists did specific projects for.

The panelists emphasized

certain skills growing artists could focus on while completing their degree and before entering the workforce. Van Steenhuyse said that a general knowledge of the workings of local governments is a starting point for understanding where to find public art opportunities.

“Any kind of facilitation training that you can do,” Van Steenhuyse said. “If you can become comfortable leading groups of people through thought processes and helping people generate ideas, become comfortable speaking in front of people, all of those things are really important.” Steenhuyse said.

Due to trending TikTok and Instagram videos, I have noticed an increase in international visitors confused by the tipping culture in America. With this, jokes about the dreaded “question” when you get to a spin-around iPad: “It’s going to ask you a question.” The question being, “Do you want to tip 15%, 20% or 25%?”

With tipping, the U.S. has forced people to work as hard as they can for as long as they can to afford living. In the 1960s, the U.S. Congress passed The Tip Credit Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which allows companies and businesses to pay their employees under minimum wage if they earn tips.

The set up forces us to either rely on under minimum wage and the courtesy of others or make tipping feel mandatory.

Although tipping sucks, it is counterproductive to protest this system by not tipping the people who depend on that money for

bills and loved ones. Tipping has spread from restaurant servers to the people at your car wash who just wave you in. It has welcomed its way into your coffee shops. Delivery drivers hope for change, and dog groomers have a jar available next to the register.

When does it end? Where should you tip, and when should you not?

One of my easiest answers is that you should tip servers. If you go to a restaurant and sit down at a table or at the bar, those taking your order and making your drinks deserve a tip. Not only do they typically get around $2 in their hourly rate, but their entire earnings for the night depend on whether or not you are feeling generous or you can afford to help them with their bills.

These employees take your order, serve you, and sometimes even make your drinks and wash your dishes. They refill your drinks, give you food, and listen to your needs. At the very least, 20% is a good tip. $2 for every $10 spent is also a good rule for those who do not have the screen in front of them to do the math.

If I personally serve your table and you have drinks on drinks and multiple rounds of food, even if it is an appetizer and the main meal, I should be getting a decent tip. If the food is messed up, I understand it is frustrating, but it could have been the cook who made a mistake while making the food. There could have been a switch-up. It sucks, but do not avoid a tip altogether.

This being said, in typical casual restaurants, servers are paid the most in the establishments through their collected tips, not through hourly. If there is an opportunity to tip the cooks of the establishment, take the chance to show them your gratitude.

When interviewing for a restaurant position, it is common for the person in charge of hiring to mention the low hourly wage, but fluff up how much you can make in tips to make the job seem more desirable, unlike mainstream coffee shops.

A tip is not required every time you purchase a coffee. I know it is difficult when they are smiling at you and waiting for you to choose an amount, but you do not need to do that for them every day. When

you are a regular customer, it is acceptable to tip every few visits. The baristas at your local coffee shops are generally paid a decent hourly amount, and tips are their reward if you feel they have offered exceptional service. A manager of any kind does not need a tip. In fact, do not tip the managers. They have a higher hourly rate that they are usually able to live off of. They have more benefits than their employees do. They do not need that type of reward.

Anyone at a retail store does not need a tip. As someone who used to be a cashier, I was paid a low hourly rate, maybe not the best, but enough for a 16-year-old. I do not need a tip for scanning your items and putting them in your bag. On the East Coast, I have seen people who bag groceries as their job. They do not get a high rate, and tipping them is generous.

Tipping is a kind gesture to show appreciation for people who serve you for their job and for a period of time. Generally, you do not have to cough up a tip at coffee shops every time you treat yourself or when visiting a typical retail store.

Rodrigo’s ‘GUTS (spilled)’ is Pop Rocks ear candy

Six months after the release of her critically acclaimed album, “GUTS” and in the middle of her GUTS World Tour, Olivia Rodrigo jumps back into the pool with five new songs in her new “GUTS (spilled),” the deluxe album for “GUTS.”

“obsessed” is the 13th track for the album, and it is considered to be the biggest and best song out of the new songs. It starts with Rodrigo harmonizing with an undertoning bassline. As she gets to the first verse, the drums and guitar slowly come in, building more and more momentum with each passing second. Finally, as Rodrigo reaches the chorus, the buildup vanishes as if it never existed. Rodrigo sings the chorus in an airy and whispery cadence similar to Billie Eilish, but once again, it builds up. As soon as the momentum is gone, it is picked up and it is an explosion of Pop Rocks ear candy.

As the title explains, this song is about an obsession Rodrigo has. But the difference is that this obsession is over an ex-girlfriend of her boyfriend. The song is written in such a way, it makes me wonder if Rodrigo has developed a longing limerence over the ex or is obsessed in the regard that she wants to be just like her. There are many lines to go with this theory, like when Rodrigo describes her as the life of the party, being good with kids, and speaking kindly to others. Rodrigo even asks her boyfriend if “she is easygoing? Never controlling? / Well-traveled? Well-read? Oh God, she makes me so upset.” With this in mind, it makes me wonder if Rodrigo sees the ex as the “perfect girlfriend” and wants to be like her irresistibly so.

I do agree with “obsessed” being the biggest song of the new five; it is punchy and is the most bombastic; however, I don’t think it is the best song of these new releases. For me, that goes to the following song, “girl i’ve always been.” According to the Olivia Rodrigo fandom, it is a song about how Rodrigo has always been the same person and will always be that person no matter who betrays her. It is in the style of a country ballad with a strum-along chord progression and a country twang to her voice. Even one of Rodrigo’s opening lines is “Baby doll” to contribute to this aesthetic.

BY KAITLYNN PERES kaitlynn.p899@gmail.com

After Hozier’s most recent album “Unreal Unearth” was released on Aug. 18, 2023, fans expected interviews, new merch, and maybe even a U.S. tour.

On March 14, Hozier announced that he would be doing one better by dropping four new tracks that were initially composed for “Unreal Unearth,” an album inspired by the circles of hell depicted in Dante Alighieri’s “Inferno.” Fittingly, the “Unheard” EP offers listeners a bite-sized version of “Unreal Unearth,” and its songs carry the themes of that album every bit as ably. Within 24 hours of its release, “Too Sweet” was a viral hit. Written from the perspective of an unapologetic hedonist breaking up with their clean-living partner, this is a quintessential Hozier song, breaking the news of a hard truth while making room to acknowledge beauty within that truth. There are hundreds of versions of “It’s not you; it’s me” songs in existence, but Hozier’s funk-groove version is

suitably complex — sugar-coated compliments come loaded with the bitter aftertaste of condescension.

The opening measures of “Wildflower and Barley,” filled with peaceful chirping birds and soft acoustic guitar, might evoke the image of a carefree picnic love song; but the further we get from its “Springtime in the country” opening line, the more the heavy bassline carries the song as bliss gives way to a quiet struggle between death and rebirth. Allison Russell and Hozier’s first duet together lingers in the circle of limbo as Hozier contemplates quarantine isolation and COVID19 deaths via overgrown fallow and the river Styx. The dark blues sound in “Empire Now,” accentuated by heavy, foreboding drums and Hozier’s haunting falsetto, is a plaintive call to battle, with references to Ireland’s struggle for independence from British rule and those executed in the aftermath of the 1916 Easter Rising. Hozier asserts that we should continue the

What I love about this song is that it sounds unlike any other song she has ever made. It takes the reins of the country genre and rides it well. In fact, the chord progression is one of the most ear-catching and soothing melodies Rodrigo has ever made. It is a textbook definition of why simplicity is impactful if done well. The way I see it, “obsessed” is another song which belongs in a collector’s case next to “brutal,” “bad idea right?” and “get him back!” as being comfortable, head-rattling pop rock.

The final three songs, “scared of my guitar,” “stranger” and “so american” are more forgettable songs, but are nice listens regardless. “scared of my guitar” has an ironic placement on the album since it is placed next to “girl i’ve always been,” with one of Rodrigo’s most elegant and beautiful guitar songs in her discography. “scared of my guitar” does have one of Rodrigo’s best vocal lines in her career so far, with the line “I pretend that it’s love.”

Read the rest at thesunflower.com

BUST A MOVE

Amy Pollard Yarberry’s hip-hop students got into the groove during their Tuesday afternoon class in the Heskett Center.

Liberty Joy, a dance major, follows the choreography in hip-hop class. The dance class took place in the Heskett Center. | Photos by Garima Thapa / The Sunflower

Gracie Vopat smiles while on the floor during a hip-hop class at the Heskett Center. Solas, a music theatre major, encourages people considering a dance class to take it.

Dance instructor Amy Pollard Yarberry warms up with students to get ready for their dance routine. Kayci Hockman participates in dance routine in a hip-hop class in the Heskett Center. Hockman is a psychology major.

Musical theatre major Jyavon Hill stretches in the dance studio in the Heskett Center. Despite the course being required for Hill, the musical theatre major looked forward to taking the class.

Dance instructor Amy Pollard Yarberry talks to class before practicing a dance routine. Pollard Yarberry currently is finishing her fourteenth year at Wichita State University and has traveled internationally with Wichita Contemporary Dance.

Sophie Pickett dances during a hip-hop dance class at Heskett Center. Pickett is a music theater major.

Allison Larkin follows dance routine taught by Amy Pollard Yarberry. Larkin is a vocal music education major at WSU and loves to dance. Mikayla, an elementary education major with a minor in dance, stretching during the warm-up. Mikayla loves to dance and has been doing so for 15 years.

Bailey Buchanan, a dance major at Wichita State University, follows a dance routine with the rest of her hip-hop class.