8 March 2021

A student newspaper of the University of Tulsa

March 8, Issue 19 - volume 106

COVID-19 VACCINE EFFICACY p. 4 JOHNSON & JOHNSON Percentage of people it protected from getting infected in clinical studies: 66.1% Number of shots needed: One dose Storage: 36°F and 46°F

PFIZER: Percentage of people it protected from getting infected in clinical studies: 95% Number of shots needed: Two doses, 3 weeks apart Storage: -112ºF to -76ºF

cover by Emma Palmer

MODERNA: Percentage of people it protected from getting infected in clinical studies: 94.1% Number of shots needed: Two doses, 4 weeks apart Storage: 36° to 46°F

Sports

The Collegian: 2

8 March 2021

Tulsa finishes regular season, prepares for tournament Looking at the end of an unpredictable season, Tulsa sports writer Tommy Reid analyzes the momentum carrying the team into the postseason.

This past week, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane finished up their regular season basketball games. Two games were played, and Tulsa lost the first game in Orlando, Florida, against the University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights by a score of 73-69 and won the second game against the Northeastern State University (NSU) Riverhawks by a score of 107-74.

In the first game of the week, UCF led for all of the first half, and at the end of

the first half had Tulsa trailing by a score of 37-21. Despite being down by 16 points at the halftime break, Tulsa came storming back in the second half and went on a 12-3 run to begin the half. After continuing their comeback, they took their first lead of the game with just under 12 minutes left in the second half. Despite increasing their lead to seven points with just under six minutes left, they were unable to retain their lead as UCF outscored Tulsa 14-3 to end the game with

over.” He continued, “We executed better in the second half obviously, and defensively we were better in the second half.”

In the second game of the week, Tulsa led for most of the first half and was up by a score of 53-34 at the end of the first half.

During the second half, Tulsa continued to increase its lead and eventually led by as much as 36 points. For the second time this year, Tulsa passed the 100-point mark en route to a 107-74 win. Brandon Rachal led the scoring for Tulsa as he scored 18 points.

Following this were Austin Richie with 15 points, Keyshawn Embry-Simpson with 14 points, Darien Jackson and Emmanuel Ugboh with 11 points each and Rey Idowu with 10 points.

After the game, Frank Haith said, “It was good to see us come off a tough loss just two days ago and guys came out and competed, particularly on the offensive end. I think we’re playing better. We’re sharing the ball and doing some things on offense much better here in the last half of the season.”

The regular season is now over for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane as they finished with an 11-11 record for the season five games back of the league leading Wichita State. The Golden Hurricane will be playing in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) tournament on Thursday at 2 p.m. as the number seven seed. While they are not expected to win the tournament, it remains to be seen how things will finish out for Tulsa.

Even one win in a tournament game would make the ending of the difficult second-half of the season better for Tulsa.

courtesy Tulsa Basketball on Twitter a 73-69 win. Brandon Rachal led the scoring for Tulsa with 16 points, Darrien Jackson followed with 13 points and Keyshawn Embry-Simpson and Elijah Joiner scored 11 points each.

After the game was completed, Tulsa Coach Frank Haith spoke to the media and reacted to the close loss: “Obviously, it was a tough one. We just didn’t finish it. We dug ourselves a big hole in the first half.

We were real timid and we turned the ball

Has the Lakers’ run finally reached its end?

Analyzing a difficult stretch for the reigning champions, NBA writer Joseph Breedlove debates whether the Lakers will exit the limelight.

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the biggest powerhouses in the NBA, both historically and now.LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Dennis Schoder, and Montrezl Harrell are all excellent guys to have on the floor at any given moment. However, the Lakers are currently in a rough stretch, losing close games to the Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, and even the underwhelming Washington Wizards. Anthony Davis has not played since Feb. 6’s matchup against the Pistons, nursing a calf injury all the while, and he has actually recused himself of his All-Star position because of it.

The absence of Anthony Davis means someone needs to step up and fill the shoes; the one who has tried to do so is LeBron, who already carries much of the load for this team. Out of the games Davis has missed, LeBron has frequently led in most categories such as points, assists, and rebounds in.

One man can not do it all, and that is the pressure that LeBron presently has on his shoulders to win games. Another statistic in which LeBron is leading the team recently is in minutes played. Against the Brooklyn Nets, he played 37 of 48 minutes. Against the Miami Heat, he played 39, and. against the Washington Wizards, he played an incredible 47. Basketball, unfortunately for the superstar, is not a one man sport, and that is why someone needs to step up and be that number 2 option while Anthony Davis remains out. However, if that is what it takes to win, then LeBron may still very well do it. In the 2017 NBA finals, LeBron averaged

33.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, 10.0 assists per game. That came against a stacked, legendary Warriors team, so if he can replicate that success now, maybe they will get the wins they need.

Yet, the Lakers have players that can step up and fill that number 2 spot, if they will just do it. Kyle Kuzma has had somewhat of an impact for the team. He scored 16 against the Nets and 23 against the Heat, and Montrezl Harell was the next leading scorer behind LeBron in the Wizards game with 26. Players want to play and they are playing to win, but they just can not get it done. With Anthony Davis out, the rotation of the players is all out of whack, but this is time for players such as Alex Curuso, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Wesley Matthews to show Coach Vogel they can make plays when it counts.

Are the Lakers on a bit of a bad stretch?

Yes, but the Lakers end goal is to win the NBA Finals. To win the NBA finals, all it takes to make that first step is to make the Playoffs. And to do that, all it takes is finishing number 8 or higher in the conference.

The Lakers currently sit in third right now, which is 5 games in front of the 8th seed, so they have some cushion. This is the Western Conference, and anything can happen, but as of now the Lakers are just going through a rough patch trying to find their way without Anthony Davis. Once they figure it out, or maybe once Anthony Davis comes back, they will return to winning games. Whichever one comes first.

courtesy Los Angeles Lakers on Twitter

Mar. 8 - Mar. 14 Monday

Tuesday 2

1

W Basketball Wichita St. 1:30 p.m.

AAC Tournament

Wednesday

none

Thursday 4

3

none

Friday

none

Saturday 5

M Tennis UTSA 5 p.m.

Volleyball @ SMU 6 p.m.

Rowing 6 @ Louisville Inv. All Day W Tennis OSU 12 p.m.

Volleyball @ SMU 2 p.m.

W Soccer @ USF 6 p.m.

M Soccer Temple 7 p.m.

Sunday 7 M Tennis Wichita St TBA Rowing @ Louisville Inv. All Day W Golf @ Tulane All Day

8 March 2021

Sports

The Collegian: 3

All-Star special: top 5 players at home this weekend

In light of the break from the regular season, NBA writer Zach Short ranks his top five players who did not make it into the weekend’s big game. ers’ offense. The Western Conference giant would have a much bleaker outlook without this superstar.

2. Jimmy Butler The veteran and his Miami squad had just settled into a groove and escaped their losing record when the All-Star break hit.

Now, this selection may seem like a cheat, given that he turned down a selection since his teammate Bam Adebayo did not also receive selection. Regardless, it seems safe to say that more than anyone else, Butler could not care less about the vanity of the All-Star game. Right now, his focus rests on building a hot streak right out of the break so as to reach the much-attainable fourth spot in the East. If sitting at fifth results in a Finals appearance, the upward movement should incite fear of a repeat warpath through the postseason, if not a ring for the man that certainly deserves it. Oh, and did I mention that he has a top 10 PER right now with an impressive 25.48?

1. C.J. McCollum Hard choice having this guy as number one, given that he has not played but 13 games this season, but if Kevin Durant can captain in the All-Star game with only 19 appearances, then the Portland phenom, who conveniently is not a locker room cancer like the aforementioned, seems like a shoe-in. Assuming he returns soon, the

Blazers may appear unstoppable. Moreover, the league may suffer at the hands of a reinvigorated point guard should the snub of even a reserves list mention get to his head.

With the Lakers on a downhill spiral in the absence of Anthony Davis and the Clippers doing God knows what to lose their last three before the break, the return of McCollum could spell disaster in the West if he should push Portland to the third seat in the second half of the season.

Rising Star: LaMelo Ball In lieu of the regular hot seat option, this week’s list will include a rising star for future All-Star appearances, which can double count for The Collegian’s rookie of the year prediction. Statistically speaking, he simply has not performed at an All-Star level yet.

However, one simply must remember that Kemba Walker, presently competing for unofficial team captain in Boston with Jayson Tatum, could never get the Hornets into the postseason. LaMelo, conversely, has the team right in the thick of contention, presently a game-and-a-half away from both fourth and eleventh in the conference. If they can muster a .500 performance in the second half of the season, he will have done what Walker never could. Additionally, is he not just one of the most fun players in the league to watch right now?

courtesy Carmelo Anthony on Twitter 5. Trae Young One of only two players on this list to sit on a losing record, the infamous Ice Trae must endure relegation to viewership for this year’s All-Star game. Putting up an impressive 9.4 assists per game alongside 26.4 points per game, the slight only hurts worse when considering he was an All-Star just last year. What hurts him most (and what definitely contributes to his absence) lies in the Hawks’ poor record this season.

Whereas one could understand and ignore a disappointing Atlanta performance last season to grant him an All-Star spot, two years in a row becomes unforgivable. He has the stats, but he will have to put his team at least into postseason contention if he wants more respect, especially given the weaker competition in the Eastern Conference and the potential to reach the Playoffs with a losing record. If Allen Iverson can take a team of forgettables to the Finals, Young should reach .500 at least. He sits on the cusp, but he has a bit to climb before he can re-enter top tier considerations.

4. Clint Capela Right above Ice Trae sits Clint Capela, his teammate and only other person on the list with a losing record. Rocking a top 20 in the league Player Efficiency Rating (PER) with a 24.13, Capela makes an easy case for himself over his teammate. The Atlanta Center averages a career-high 14.2 rebounds per

game, building on a 5 per game offensive rebound stat. Like no other All-Star snub in the league, Capela consistently produces efficient double double performances. Once again, the only matter standing between the superstar and an All-Star appearance is team record. Part of the problem lies in lack of depth in Atlanta (really lack of a full starting five), but nonetheless history is written by its victors and Capela has thus far failed to produce what All-Stars like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid have (both of whom sit above on PER as well). The equation could not be simpler: winning record = All-Star selection for the big man.

3. Carmelo Anthony Consistency and clutch play define the renaissance of this future Hall-of-Famer. If nothing else, he stands a chance to enter the top 10 all-time scoring list for the NBA this year, sitting a mere 28 behind eleventh Hakeem Olajuwon and 395 behind tenth Elvin Hayes. Presently, he averages a smaller 13.9 points this year, but would only need to average 10.7 or higher in his team’s remaining 37 games to jump the needed two spots on the list. Not to mention, if he plays next season as well, only 96 points separate Hayes from eighth Moses Malone and roughly 1,200 from seventh Shaquille O’Neal (a 15+ ppg season’s work). However, what really separates Melo is his intensity on the defensive end and his irreplaceability in the Blaz-

courtesy CJ McCollum on Twitter

Tulsa women’s drops game to the Shockers

Analyzing last regular season play, Tulsa sports writer Joseph Breedlove gives insight to the women’s basketball team’s postseason prospects.

courtesy TU W Basketball on Twitter

Tulsa Women’s basketball faced off against Wichita St. Shockers on March 3rd at 6 p.m.. It was a great fought out effort for the Golden Hurricane, but eventually they fell short in an overtime loss 85-77. After this loss, Tulsa’s Women’s basketball team falls to 4-13 in the American Athletic Conference. The first quarter was a close one with Wichita St. being up 1, 21-20. Leading into the half, the score was 46-39 with Wichita St still leading. In the third quarter, the Golden Hurricane came out with a vengeance and brought the game within four,the score being 58-54 still in Wichita’s favor. Finally, in the fourth quarter, Tulsa made their comeback and tied it up at 69 to head into OT. It was anyone’s game at this point, score effectively 0-0 again, but in OT the Shockers ended up pulling it out.

Some notable players from the game are freshman Wyvette Mayberry from Tulsa, OK, andShe had a career high of 24 points, making four three-pointers, eight made field goals and four made free throws. She Played a total amount of 41 minutes out of the 45 possible, culminating in a great performance from the freshman phenom, Wyvette Mayberry.

Another notable player is her sister Maya Mayberry. Maya is a junior from Tulsa, OK, who transferred to the University of Tulsa after her Sophomore year. She ended up scoring 21 points, making three threepointers, eight made field goals and two made free throws, Playing a total amount of 37 minutes out of the 45 in the actual game.

This was a stellar game for Maya Mayberry.

Along with the sisters, freshman Olivia Clayton had her best game all year. Olivia is from Checotah, OK, and attended Checotah High school. Olivia ended up with two times more than her average points per game and scored 10 points in five made field goals, grabbing eight rebounds along with it — two rebounds away from a double double. She ended up playing 26 minutes, really showing her potential in this game.

Lastly, there was freshman starter Jessika Evans. Jessika Evans is from Norman, OkK and attended Norman North High School.

In her performance, she ended by recording six points on two made three-pointers. She had the hot hand early. She ended up playing 19 minutes, but within her minutes she played hard and played to win. Great performance again from Jessika Evans.

As the season came to an end, now Tulsa Women’s Basketball will be preparing for the American Athletic Conference.

This will start on Monday, March 8 at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. In their bracket play, they will have a second chance at Wichita St. again. The game will be at 1:30 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.

Let’s cheer on our Tulsa Women’s basketball team and wish them luck as they have safe travels down to Texas and put the foot down on those Lady Shockers. #ReignCane

News

The Collegian: 4

March 8 2021

TU maintains low COVID-19 positivity rates

The university plans to return to in-person classes next semester and is easing back restrictions for the campus housing guest policy.

Hana Saad Copy Editor The number of positive COVID-19 cases for students, faculty and staff on the University of Tulsa’s campus has been under five percent for the academic year so far, with the highest percentage of positive COVID-19 cases occurring mid-November, at 4.4 percent.

has implemented continuous testing, randomly picking students and faculty to be tested throughout both semesters in effort to prevent those who are asymptomatic from spreading the virus on campus. During the fall 2020 semester, TU provided free COVID-19 tests through IMMY labs.

This semester, TU switched to Certigen Labs, which only provides self-administered tests through a drive-thru. Although students and faculty must now provide federal government-issued ID and proof of insurance, TU promises to cover any costs associated with receiving a test.

As a reflection of the low positivity rates, students are now allowed to have guests

“... students can look forward to a more typical college experience ...”

TU has followed CDC guidelines in classrooms and on campus, which has played a part in helping control the spread of COVID-19. This includes social distancing of at least 6-feet and a mask mandate on campus and smaller class sizes, as most courses are completely virtual. Some courses are hybrid, which allows students to learn in the classroom in small groups.

On Feb. 5, TU announced that the current positivity rate has been 0.5 percent, a “astoundingly low number.” Through January and February 2021, the positivity rate has never been over one percent, according to the data that TU provides.

Since the start of the academic year, TU

over at their apartments or dormitories, as long as the guests wear masks and observe social distancing policies. They must also be a fellow student or the student’s family member or significant other.

TU has stated that students can look forward to a more typical college experience within the next academic year, although there will still be the flexibility of hybrid classes. TU still plans on “adhering to local and federal guidelines.”

Although the pandemic will most likely persist through the next academic year, the low positivity rate and the increasing number of people vaccinated means that life on

campus can start to look a little bit more like it did prior to COVID-19, with in-person classes and the usual events from student organizations and clubs on campus.

Other campuses, such as University of Oklahoma, have experienced spikes of positive COVID-19 cases (up to almost 20 percent at some points in January and February) on their campus, although they have had little to no positive cases in March as of this writing.

The University of Oklahoma has had slightly higher positivity rates; as of March 2, OSU-Stillwater, the main campus, had a 2.94 percent positivity rate, although the number of positive cases has been on a downward trend since mid-February.

However, the pandemic is not over, as states are still dealing with the spread of virus through the community. Social distanc-

ing, masks and frequent hand-washing are still going to be important for slowing the spread of the virus until more of the community receives COVID-19 vaccinations.

To schedule a COVID-19 test visit https:// utulsa.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/

.

@TUCollegian @TUCOLLEGIAN

tucollegian@tucollegian.com

tucollegian@tucollegian.org

editor-in-chief

editor in chief

Justin Guglielmetti

Emily Every

managing editor

managing Raven editor Fawcett

Sara Serrano news editor

Ethan Veenker news editor

Pipersports Prolago editor

Brennen Gray

sports editor

variety editor Zach Short

Emma Palmer

variety editor

commentary editor Myranda Emily New Every commentary editor satire editor

Justin Klopfer Madison Connell satire&editor photo graphics editor

Conner Maggio Anna Johns

business & advertising

photo & graphics editor manager

Emma BrianPalmer Kwiecinski

media & web businesssocial & advertising manager manager

Mary Emma Bergwell Palmer Sara Serrano

distribution social media & webmanagers manager

Lee Karalia Ha Jacob Huynh Alexander

Jesica Santino and Katelyn Baker copy editor

HanacopySaad editor

Bryant Loney

The Collegian is the student newspaper of the University of Tulsa. It is distributed Mondays during the fall and spring semesters, except during holidays and final exam weeks. The University of Tulsa does not discriminate on the basis of personal status or group characteristics including but not limited to the classes protected under federal and state law. Inquiries regarding implementation of this policy may be addressed to the Office of Human Resources, 800 South Tucker Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-9700, (918)631-2616. Requests for accomodation of disabilities may be addressed to the university’s 504 Coordinator, Dr. Tawny Rigsby, (918)631-3814. To ensure availability of an interpeter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accomodations.

Advertising Policy: Advertising appearing in this publication does not imply approval or endorsement by the University of Tulsa or the Collegian for the products or services advertised. For advertising information, email the Collegian at advertising@tucollegian.org. The deadline for advertising is noon on the Friday proir to publication.

Letter Policy: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words and can be sent to tucollegian@tucollegian.org. Under no circumstances will anonymous letters be published. The name of the person submitting the letter must be published with the letter. We reserve the right to edit or reject all letters. The deadline for letters is 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication.

Editing Policy: The Collegian reserves the right to edit all copy submitted by all writers. This editing may take place in many forms, including grammar corrections, changes in paragraph structure or even the addition or removal of sections of content.

Editorial Policy: Columnists are solely responsible for the content of their columns. Opinions expressed in columns may not represent the opions of the Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers.

courtesy University of Tulsa In the Feb. 22-28 reporting period, TU conducted 599 tests and found only 5 active cases.

FDA approves Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine As vaccines become more widely available, people across the country weigh the benefits of each manufacturer’s vaccine options.

Piper Prolago News Editor Saturday, Feb. 27, the FDA approved Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, making it the third manufacturer able to distribute vaccines in the United States.

Joining the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, Johnson & Johnson have planned a wide distribution with the intent to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19.

vaccine will lower the risk of a particular outcome. Zero percent efficacy would indicate that having the vaccine would make no difference, a hundred percent efficacy would mean that the risk of contracting the virus would be completely eliminated with the vaccine. When considering different outcomes, the efficacy rate is slightly different: Johnson & Johnson vaccines were 85 percent effective against severe cases that would result in hospitalization or death.

In addition to the convenience of the single shot dose of Johnson & Johnson, storage for these vaccines are significantly easier to manage than the other two manufacturers’ vaccines. These can be stored for about three months at regular

Pfizer-BioNTech, for example, could not have a second dose of Moderna), but most also do so within six weeks of their first dose. Particularly considering the issues with distribution throughout the country as individual states struggle to standardize and coordinate vaccine distribution, Johnson & Johnson’s simplicity is a valid benefit.

Although college students, part of phase 3 in the Oklahoma Health Department’s plan for vaccination, are still not eligible for state-distributed vaccinations, many students have been able to access vaccines through informal distribution when doses

are about to expire or when attending a vaccine appointment for family members.

In the upcoming months, vaccines are set to become more widely available; President Joe Biden has vowed that the United States will have secured enough vaccine supplies to vaccinate every American adult by the end of May. Fill out the questionnaire on the Oklahoma State Health Department’s website to check your eligibility and receive notification when you are eligible at https:// vaccinate.oklahoma.gov/covid-19%20 vaccine/. For information about how to find vaccines, check https://vaccinefinder.org.

“ In upcoming months, vaccines are set to become more widely available ...”

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is administered in a single dose, contrasting the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines which require two shots several weeks apart. The convenience of this system has led some to favor the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but the lower efficacy rate has led others to hesitate. While the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is 72 percent effective, Pfizer-BioNTech is about 95 percent effective after the second shot and Moderna about 94 percent effective after the second shot.

Measures of efficacy when considering which vaccine might be the best choice for each circumstance necessitate more consideration. A 72 percent efficacy does not mean that 72 percent of people who get the vaccine will contract COVID-19.

Rather, efficacy measures how much the

refrigeration temperatures, which the New York Times notes is ideal to be distributed at sites outside of hospital settings that would allow for wider distribution such as stadiums and convention centers.

Johnson & Johnson’s single dose system and the lower risk of side effects have meant that many people who were hesitant to get other vaccines have been more open to this option. State health officials have noted that the single dose also means that facilitating vaccinations is significantly easier, particularly for communities that might be harder to reach for a second dose such as those experiencing homelessness or those on the verge of release from prison.

For the Pfizer-BioNTech an Moderna vaccines, not only do individuals have to receive a second dose of the same vaccine (an individual who received a dose of

graphic by Emma Palmer Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have been available for several months, but the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine presents alternate options for individuals getting vaccinated.

Commentary

8 March 2021

The Collegian: 5

The Legislative Digest is your weekly look at the happenings of Oklahoma’s state legislature, upcoming bills and the terms to know.

Justin Klopfer Commentary Editor

HB1919: This House bill would guarantee “counseling and guidance services” to all public school students and create a minimum student-to-counselor ratio of 250-to-1. The bill is proposed

by Democrat Meloyde Blancett.

Counseling services are an essential part of any school. Students with these services score higher on standardized tests and are more likely to succeed later in life. Counselors also provide invaluable help to high school students through the college admissions process, a particularly complex ordeal.

To deprive children of adequate guidance services is to take away a key component of what public school aims to do in the first place. Children are less able to apply themselves and enter adult life without the guidance of a counselor. Unsurprisingly, private schools generally have more counselors per student than public schools. The advantage this brings to the private school students from wealthier families perpetuates wealth disparities. Giving children in public schools proper access to counseling services can help them climb the social ladder beyond their inherited position.

A 250-to-1 ratio is the precise ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association. The national average student-to-counselor ratio in 2019 was 430 students to one counselor. Almost every state in the nation is well above this recommended ratio. Hopefully, this bill can be a step towards national improvement in this sorely lacking sector of public education.

SB89: This bill would put health education into the required curriculum within public schools.

Health education as established in the bill includes “nutrition and exercise,” “mental health and wellness” and “coping skills for understanding and managing trauma.” These are all great topics, but there’s one glaring gap in the plan: sex education.

The status of sex education in Oklahoma is nothing short of abysmal. There is currently no legal requirement to teach any amount of sex education in schools. When sex ed is taught, abstienence from sexual activity is required to be stressed as the best route for maintaining health. This kind of sex ed has been proven to be ineffective and withholds essential life knowledge from young people.

The effects of abstinence-only education are easy to observe. In 2019, Oklahoma had the fourth highest teen birth rate in the nation. Two of the states that have higher rates, Arkansas and Louisiana, don’t require sex ed. The other, Mississippi, requires an abstinenceonly program. A lack of proper sex education causes greater teen pregnancy and STI rates.

Young people are going to be sexually active; you can’t shame them into abstinence. Health education’s role should be to instruct them in how to engage in sexual activity in a safe and healthy way.

This bill still presents a great benefit to students and deserves to be passed on its own right. However, if we want health classes to give students all the necessary knowledge for maintaining their wellbeing, a comprehensive unit of proper sex education must be added.

COVID-19 decline doesn’t merit full re-opening yet

Millions of American lives are still on the line, even in the final months of the pandemic.

Justin Klopfer Commentary Editor In the past few weeks, there has been a slew of great news regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Daily new cases have dropped to the levels they were at before the massive second wave in the fall and winter. Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine was approved, boosting the already growing vaccination mission. According to President Biden, vaccines will be available to all adults who want one by the end of May. Seemingly in response to this good news, many areas in the U.S. have eliminated or greatly reduced their efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Both Texas and Mississippi have ended their mask mandates

and stopped all business closures. Even states like New York that issued relatively strict lockdown policies are starting to reopen indoor dining.

These kinds of actions, regardless of how close we are to recovery, still threaten lives.

The CDC recently offered evidence to link both indoor dining and a lack of masks to an increase in case numbers. The recent reductions are only a return to the peak summer rates, and only about a sixth of Americans have received vaccines. The pandemic is still raging, despite however much people want to pretend it’s over.

them from supporting local businesses far more so than having to wear a mask. Even stimulus payments — as necessary as they are — generally lead to online goods buying from sites like Amazon, not local business support. COVID-19’s prime economic effect has been a massive transfer of wealth from smaller businesses to the largest international corporations. There is no solution within the confines of a free market that can eliminate the threat natural disasters like a pandemic bring.

Another common argument against lockdown measures claims that they are an in-

Widely available testing and diligent contact tracing have also given other nations great success in handling the virus.

America could certainly reach herd immunity within the next three to four months and justify significant easing of lockdowns.

However, easing restrictions before we reach this point will only delay us from being able to safely reopen. I would much rather wait a few months for a safe and vaccinated reopening than create a third wave of COVID-19 right before the virus is defeated.

“For businesses like cinemas and restaurants, the crisis is one of demand, not one of lockdowns.”

The most common argument against retaining lockdown measures decries supposed terrible economic impacts with regards to small business closures. This kind of claim doesn’t acknowledge the true causes of the economic decline during the pandemic; it’s far more complicated than a direct consequence of lockdowns. Even a state like Arizona, governed by a Republican and which took a relaxed approach to lockdowns, still experienced the fourth highest rate of business closure in the nation.

For businesses like cinemas and restaurants, the crisis is one of demand, not one of lockdowns. People’s fear of the virus and lack of disposable income prevents

fringement on individual liberty. This is, in part, hard to deny; they do strip individuals of their ability to go to restaurants and not wear a mask. However, individual rights should only be granted insofar as they don’t enable direct harm of others. Preventing thousands more from dying is more important than someone’s ability to go to a bar for the next two months.

I also don’t want to imply that lockdowns are the only component of a proper response to COVID-19. Congress has been too slow and in passing relief legislation through both administrations, and the relief that has been passed is sorely lacking in direct aid.

When people need to go to work to pay rent and buy food, they are going to go to work.

courtesy Wikimedia Commons Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) has recently ended nearly all COVID-19 restrictions in his state.

courtesy Center for Disease Control COVID-19 daily cases have gone down to the peak level of summer transmission.

Variety

The Collegian: 6

8 March 2021

Easy tips to help you fall asleep With midterms, the build up of stress can make it very difficult to fall asleep, but here are some easy tips to start counting sheep.

Joseph Breedlove Student Writer One of the greatest feelings in the world is getting a good night’s sleep, and waking up full of energy and life. Nothing beats this feeling, so this is why there are some helpful tips for you to get some great night rest.

A big one that will help going to sleep, and even going to sleep faster, is not using your phone or looking at a computer before going to bed. Looking at the blue light reflecting off your electronics before going to bed reduces the amount of melatonin your body creates, which is the hormone that makes people tired. There are ways people can still cope with looking at their electronic device, such as using blue light glasses. Blue light glasses prevent the blue light from reaching people’s eyes, which

Everyone gets tired throughout the day; it’s natural. This results in people taking naps.

There is nothing wrong with a nap, but the hardest part is not taking too long of a nap.

Taking too long of a nap will cause people to stay up later throughout the night. Staying up later throughout the night will make you just as tired the next day. This causes people’s sleep schedule to be out of whack.

Everyone’s different, but a nap should not be over 30 minutes, and shouldn’t occur too late in the day.

Another great way to get better sleep is having a routine and being consistent with this bedtime routine. The routine could be whatever suits the person best, as long as it’s relaxing. Something very relaxing is stretching. Stretching allows people to release some tension in the body and to loosen up their muscles. A decent stretching routine could consist of stretching the legs, the arms or maybe doing some child’s pose and downward dog. Find out whatever seems to fit you and do that consistently and around the same time before going to bed to help your body know it is time to sleep.

“Getting rid of blue light is key to getting a good night’s sleep ...” will keep their eyes relaxed before going to bed. The glasses are pretty stylish too, so it can be a fashion statement as well. There are also apps that get rid of the blue light from the electronic device. Along with that, there is a setting on phones that allow people to go into night mode, which takes away the blue light. Getting rid of blue light is key to getting a good night’s sleep and has an easy solution.

One last quick, easy tip for better sleeping is having a comfortable bed, pillow and temperature in the bedroom. Clearing the mind and taking deep breaths to slow down the heart rate is another easy thing to do.

Sleep is very important for us and is needed because this allows us to function throughout the day. With the lack of sleep, functioning the next day will be very difficult. These are some tips to get people started on some healthy habits to do to get better sleep, and I hope these work for you.

There are a variety of websites with good tips to help you fall asleep.

graphic by Emma Palmer

“WandaVision” sparks change for Marvel

Despite the finale falling flat, “WandaVision” was revolutionary, testing the waters for the future of cinematic television.

Madison Walters Student Writer

Starring Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, “WandaVision” follows Wanda Maximoff and Vision after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” (“Endgame” spoilers ahead, but none for “WandaVision”) The show follows the couple as they live in a domestic paradise, but things soon turn out to be far different than they seem.

One very unique aspect of “WandaVision” is that the show borrows tropes and settings from famous sitcoms. In fact, “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience,” the first episode of the show, borrows characteristics from both “I Love Lucy” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” If you’re a fan of famous sitcoms, then you’ll love watching “WandaVision” for its classic television references. Marvel simultaneously blends the tropes viewers have come to expect from both MCU films and mid-20th century television, creating a TV show like any other. Not to mention the fact that Marvel has now ushered in the age of “cinematic television.”

“WandaVision” is the happiest we’ve ever seen Wanda Maximoff. Since her intro-

duction to the MCU seven years ago, Wanda has faced a litany of trauma. In “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” viewers learn that Wanda’s parents were killed by a Stark Industries missile. By the end of the same film, Pietro, her twin brother, sacrifices his life to save a fellow Avenger, leaving Wanda alone in the world. Things change by the time we get to “Avengers: Infinity War” as Wanda and Vision have now become a couple. Following the same formula as before, but this time with an added dose of trauma, Wanda is forced to kill her lover as she tries to save half the universe from the mad titan, Thanos. If that wasn’t tragic enough, Thanos uses the time stone to resurrect Vision, only to kill him again in front of her. If only for a little while, “WandaVision” lets viewers finally see Wanda experience true happiness.

Elizabeth Olsen’s performance deserves an Emmy nomination. Citing Mary Tyler Moore and Lucille Ball as her inspiration for her character in the early episodes. Olsen’s performance is on par with the actresses who helped pioneer classic television as she simultaneously combines comedy antics and physical comedy, much like Lucille Ball.

Even though the first few episodes are silly and light-hearted, something darker lies beneath these antics. Never truly disappearing, Wanda’s grief follows her throughout the series. Giving a heartbreakingly beautiful performance, Olsen eloquently depicts the trauma and grief that threatens to consume her character.

Despite Olsen’s excellent performance, it can be assumed that she will be snubbed during next year’s awards season due to the common belief that “superhero” movies and TV shows are not deemed as something worth receiving achievements. Who knows?

Maybe Elizabeth Olsen will be among one of the first people in this genre to be nominated. If it’s going to happen to anyone, Olsen deserves it for her show stopping performance in “WandaVision.”

I would be remiss not to mention Paul Bettany’s performance as Vision. Throughout Bettany’s tenure in the MCU, first as J.A.R.V.I.S. and now Vision, his character has sort of remained dry, granted he is a synthezoid, a type of android. However, “WandaVision” has finally allowed Bettany to break the cycle. Throughout the series, especially the beginning, Bettany’s fun performance brings a lightness and humor to the show, even while keeping the character dry.

Olsen and Bettany’s performances are the best things about the show. That being said, “WandaVision” falls flat within the final episodes. It almost seems as if Marvel didn’t really know how to go about changing their media from the usual three-hour blockbuster to a 30-minute television show. This is especially apparent in the final episode of the show.

Lasting only 40 minutes in total, with nine minutes of credits, the finale tries to tie up all the loose ends and plotlines from the entire series, which essentially results in a very rushed finale. If the final episode

“WandaVision” has an incredible 91 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it spent every Friday trending on Tumblr.

had been an hour or more, then the show could’ve reached its full potential. Instead, viewers are left disappointed.

It’s the fact that Marvel tried to shove five different plotlines within a single episode that is supposed to provide a resolution to the entire series that really causes issues.

Yes, this series is supposed to directly carry over into “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”; however, “WandaVision’s” crucial supporting characters are left in the dust in the finale. One such character appears on the screen for literally five seconds and disappears, not to be seen again until who knows when, as the character is not currently attached to any upcoming Marvel releases. This is just one example of how the hurried ending negatively affects the show. I could go into much more detail; however, in doing so, I would effectively be spoiling the ending for viewers, so I won’t. “WandaVision” starts off very promisingly, but soon fizzles out as Marvel has not yet figured out how to effectively utilize the limited amount of time offered by the format of television.

That being said, “WandaVision” has changed the MCU forever, so watching the television show is almost a must to have an understanding of the events to come in Phase Four. If you’re going to watch this show, watch it for Elizabeth Olsen’s beautiful performance, not the plotlines. If you’re okay with that stipulation, all episodes of “WandaVision” are streaming on Disney+.

courtsey Disney+

ROMAN-Run

The State-Run Media

8 March 2021

the

University of Tulsa delenda est.

media

So Scary: TU has been besieged

by Ancient Rome!

TU finds itself in shambles in the midst of a frightful, perplexing battle.

Anna Johns Roman? I hardly know him!

The week was shaping up to be quiet for TU; midterms were on the mind, weather was in flux and the Caf continued to try its best. On Monday evening, everything changed with the arrival of a round structure that seemed to block the entrance to Chapman Hall. The mysterious object towered over everyone, but it was okay since we could all simply walk through it to get to class. For all intents and purposes, everyone assumed it was some weird postmodern art installation we were supposed to “get.”

Plus, honestly, college students are entirely unfazed, so who truly cares?

Eventually, people got used to the mysterious structure’s presence. It was like the asbestos in Chapman: students hear and can complain about it, but it’s not like that’s going to change anytime soon. However, Friday afternoon changed everything — and peace now exists as a fickle, idealized memory, something belonging to a better time.

The structure seemed to open. With Campus Security called to the scene, the faces of confused armor-adorned soldiers stared at the security guards.

The men, roused by fear or excitement, talked over one another in a flurry of foreign words. Then, the bulkiest of the men stood forward, barked something at the gathering troop and pointed to the spectators on our side of the structure. Something was clearly communicated, judging by the stern nods and the positioning of their silver swords.

In a feat no one truly understood, the structure sparkled and shined, allowing the general to break through the realms’ divide and walk onto the steps of Chapman

graphic by Anna Johns

Et tu, Goldie?

Hall with a furrowed brow. One by one, his men followed until it became a nonsensical stream of armored men — and security had to clear students. No one truly knew who these guys were, but the whispers on campus labeled them as Romans.

A professor who taught Latin was sent in by administration, but the conversation did not go well. “Well, they are Romans,” the professor said.

By the end of the day, hundreds of Romans gathered in the various corners of TU’s campus. The Old and New U were transformed into makeshift living spaces, tents erected and campfires aglow. The sound of sharpening swords and Latin barking men made it harder to sleep, the clinging

and cheering both echoing in the night.

The morning brought chaos. Collins Hall was engulfed in flames, the building’s structure toppling over to the brutish delight of the Romans. Then, they moved on to other buildings — Oliphant Hall, Helmerich Hall and Keplinger Hall fell in a fiery demise (although watching Keplinger Hall burn was more of a cathartic moment for students).

Stephenson Hall, in particular, seemed to act more as a source of ire for these invaders. Many Romans approached the building and gazed about, only to shrug and move on because none could fully understand the concept of engineering, and any engineering majors also did not know enough about the subject to explain to a translator.

Goods were forcefully taken from apartments and dorms. The sky was a smokey black. Fear ran amuck.

And, in the middle of a particularly viscous rampage, students noticed that general from earlier. He was not in charge anymore; instead, he looked to a particularly famous canine, nodding somberly to the barking orders of Goldie, TU’s canine ambassador.

Morale, as this article is written, is at an all-time low. We lost Goldie. She became a dictator of her troops. A symbol of TU was lost to the invaders. She’s a fucking legend on the battlefield, though.

When asked for an opinion on the siege, senior theater major Bethany Clarke said, “It’s better than True Commitment, I guess.”

Was this even a Roman good? Who knows! It’s all Greek to me! LOL

graphic by Anna Johns

photo by Anna Johns

photo by Anna Johns