es
Jason Reynolds
All American Boys
Toni Morrison
The Bluest Eye
Alex Gino
George
John Steinbeck
Of Mice and Men
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ic V ers d
nR ush
ma
an
Sat
Sal
Th e
Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird
Sherman Alexie
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Cover By: Amy Polovich
Laurie Halse Anderson
Speak
Angie Thomas
The Hate U Give
Ibram X. Kendi
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You A student newspaper of the University of Tulsa October 4, 2021 - Issue 4 - Volume 107
Celebrating banned books week, p. 10
Tulsa soccer wins with seconds to spare, p. 2
Rich history behind Tulsa State Fair, p. 5
Haiti refugees incite historical reflection, p. 7
Administration weighs in on mental health, p. 11
Sports
The Collegian: 2
October 4, 2021
Alex Meinhard comes to the rescue Meinhard wins last soccer game for Tulsa, writes sports writer Callie Hummel.
photo by Callie Hummel
There’s a saying thrown around prolifically in sports, “it’s not over until it’s over,” meaning anything can happen in those final minutes—or seconds—until the final buzzer officially goes off. On Sept. 29, Alex Meinhard proved it’s truly not over until it’s over, even if there’s only a few seconds left. Tulsa men’s soccer team faced off against SMU Wednesday night for their first home conference game. Both teams current-
ly being ranked in the top 10, Tulsa at #4 and SMU at #6. According to Top Drawer Soccer, it was squaring up to be the most competitive game of the season. Tulsa was also going into the game with an undefeated 6-0 record, and SMU went in with zero losses but two ties for a 5-0-2 record. In the 16th minute of the game, SMU scored a header to get ahead in the game. Tulsa seemed unfazed by the early goal,
ready to get onto the next play. They had the ball at midfield and were in their positions for the post-goal kick off before all of SMU’s players even got down the field to celebrate with the scorer. Just 20 minutes later in the first half, Ben Barkley got the ball at the top of the 18yard box and sent a leading touch to Rooks Hunter who slid to connect with the ball and crossed it into the middle of the field right before it could go out of bounds. Alex Meinhard, waiting in the center for the cross, jumped up against three defenders and the goalie, successfully heading it into the back of the net, past all four of the SMU players. When Meinhard scored the goal, the record breaking 1257 fans in the stadium let SMU know who had beat their defense by setting off blue smoke bombs, banging on their drums and chanting, “Alex Meinhard, he scores when he wants.” Minutes before the second half ended, SMU got a break away down the field with three players against Tulsa’s senior defender Henry Sach and goalie Alex Lopez. When Lopez attacked the ball, it was passed to the open SMU player in front of the goal. Just as he connected with the ball, Sach slid in front of the kick, the ball ricocheted off his body and successfully saved the goal. In an interview with Malik Henry-Scott, he commented that, “Henry’s a guy who’s really overlooked—he does the dirty work for the
team, he does the job that not everybody really wants but he does the job.” The second half brought dozens of offensive and defensive stand out plays to keep the score at a 1-1 tie for the whole 45 minutes. At the end of the 90 minute regular play the score was still stuck at 1-1, and after the teams played their first 10 minute half of overtime, the whistle blew with the teams still at a stalemate. If the second overtime ended 1-1, the game would end in a tie. During the second half of overtime Tulsa was shooting on the goal right in front of their lively and enthusiastic student section. However, nine minutes went by with shots, but no goals. Within the last minute, a Tulsa defender blasted the ball upfield to his attacking players. After a cross attempt by Will Edwards got punched out by the goalie to Henry-Scott, who passed the ball to Tom Protzek at the top of the box. Protzek ripped a shot out that bounced off the goalie’s chest, right onto the cleats of Meinhard, who rebounded the shot into the left corner of the goal with 7.4 seconds left. Playing until the final whistle, Tulsa has proved they have the winner’s mindset—the ability to step up, ignore the fatigue and call for the ball when the game comes down to the last decisive seconds, and it’s clear that this mental toughness has propelled the team to their 8-0 record.
Hurricane Football loses ground against Cougars
Sports writer Tommy Reid discusses TU’s hard loss on Friday. On Friday evening, Tulsa played their third home game of the season, and their opponent was the Houston Cougars. While it looked like Houston was off to a very strong start by scoring a touchdown on the opening kickoff, it was ultimately pulled back due to a penalty. Despite an opening drive down the field, the Cougars were only able to make two first downs and then were forced to punt the ball. Tulsa began their opening drive on their own 20-yard line, were unable to convert a single first down and ended up punting the ball back to Houston. The Cougars responded by driving 81 yards down the field and scoring the first points of the game with a one-yard touchdown run. While Tulsa was finally able to achieve a first down on their second possession, that was all they were able to achieve. Houston responded by scoring yet another touchdown bringing their lead to 14-0 over Tulsa. In the middle of Tulsa’s next run, the first quarter ended with the Cougars on top of the Golden Hurricane by fourteen points. Houston recovered a fumble from Tulsa to begin the second quarter and responded with a 27-yard touchdown run giving them a 21-0 lead. Tulsa was not able to make much advancement on their next drive as Houston intercepted a pass from Davis Brin to regain control of the ball on Tulsa’s 40-yard line. That drive ended with another touchdown
for the Cougars giving them a 28-0 lead over Tulsa. Tulsa’s next drive was a repeat of their previous drive as, once again, David Brin’s pass was intercepted, giving Houston the ball. The Golden Hurricane finally began to appear to switch the momentum of the game as Jaise Oliver intercepted a Houston pass in the endzone, giving Tulsa its first interception of the game. While they drove 65 yards down the field, they ended up only being able to convert a field goal bringing the score to 28-3. This is what it would be going into the halftime break. Coming out of the break, Houston scored yet another touchdown when they intercepted a pass from Davis Brin and ran it back 45 yards to give the Cougars the 35-3 advantage. The remainder of the third quarter was uneventful, as both teams punted on their next drive and Tulsa turned over on downs. To begin the fourth quarter, Houston scored a touchdown, increasing their lead to 42-3. On Houston’s next possession, they attempted the first field goal of the game, but missed it wide right. Tulsa responded by driving 72 yards down the field and scoring their first touchdown of the game when Brin had a 41 yard completion to Ezra Naylor II bringing the score to 42-10. The next drive, Houston advanced down the field but was held to a 48 yard field goal, giving them a 45-10 lead. Tulsa was forced to punt on their
next drive, as was Houston. This brought an end to the game with Houston winning by a score of 45-10. Tulsa will be back in action next Saturday evening for their homecoming game
against the SMU Mustangs. Kickoff is at 8:00 p.m. at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
photo by Callie Hummel
Oct. 4 - Oct. 10 Monday
Tuesday 4
Wednesday 5
Thursday
Friday 8
7
6
Saturday
Sunday 9
W Tennis
10
ITA All American
W Tennis ITA All American All Day W Tennis ITA All American All Day M Tennis ITA All American All Day
W Tennis ITA All American All Day M Tennis ITA All American All Day
W Tennis ITA All American All Day
W Tennis ITA All American All Day
Football Memphis TBA
All Day M Tennis ITA All American All Day W Soccer
M Tennis ITA All American All Day
M Tennis ITA All American All Day
M Tennis ITA All American All Day
M Tennis ITA All American All Day
@ UCF 12:00 p.m. Softball Louisiana Tech 12:30 p.m.
Softball OSU 5:00 p.m.
W Soccer Memphis 7:00 p.m.
Volleyball @ SMU 7:00 p.m.
W Tennis ITA All American All Day
Volleyball @ Memphis 1:00 p.m. Softball @ Arkansas 12:30 p.m. M Soccer @ UCF 5:00 p.m.
October 4, 2021
Sports
The Collegian: 3
NCAA policy changes may be trouble
Commentary editor Adam Walsh discusses how allowing collegelevel endorsements positively reinforces negative behavior.
courtesy TNS
In a striking reversal of philosophy, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has changed its player’s rights policy to allow the utilization of a student athlete’s name, image and likeness in promotional material. This translates to allowing students to get paid for things like autograph signings, brand deals and other endorsements. While this change will lead to greater name recognition for up and coming athletes in a variety of sports and limit the history of players getting into trouble for capitalizing on their fame, one has to wonder about the negative side effects that could emerge from giving college students access to potentially massive amounts of capital and influence. The first individual that comes to mind is good old Johnny Football himself, Johnny Manziel. A college football legend and cautionary tale, Manziel’s abilities to extend plays, employing his natural swiftness and desire to always make something out of nothing led to an extremely disproportionate estimation of his actual capabilities as a quarterback at Texas A&M. Using a more contemporary term, his brand and his desire to push his fame for all it was worth contributed to a series of poor decisions culminating in getting cut by the Cleve-
land Browns after the first two years of his rookie contract—hardly a great outcome for a first round pick. Part of Manziel’s rapid ascent and far more rapid downfall stemmed from the innate immaturity that affects all of those having just graduated from high school. While each person might reveal their characteristic idiosyncrasies in different ways, recognition from outside sources and the creation of a national reputation encourages an individual to maintain their way of life, incidentally stumping growth and hindering the developmental processes needed to emerge as a functional adult in human society. Johnny Manziel suffered from gaining too much acclaim too quickly, falling into habits of allegedly getting paid for autographs—which would be acceptable under the new NCAA guidelines—and a far more consistent relationship with drugs and alcohol than any interpersonal one. Giving him more wealth and acclaim through brand deals and sanctioned paid autograph signings would have accelerated and exacerbated his own personal issues. However, the NCAA’s changing guidelines do have some positive possibilities. Former University of Oklahoma tight end Grant Calcaterra retired from football in
2019 due to a series of concussions and other health factors. As a lightsout, bodybreaking player, Calcaterra could be seen as a college prototype of the tight end play that now dominates the National Football League; his style reminiscent of physical brutes paradoxically gifted with immense agility like George Kittle, Travis Kelce and Yo Soy Fiesta, alias Rob Gronkowski. It’s extremely unfortunate that a locally known and well-liked player had to retire due to an injury, and it’s even more difficult to realize that the physical play that made him such an asset to OU led to his inability to continue that passion to the next level. If the new NCAA strictures were in place when Calcaterra played at OU, there could have been a mitigating circumstance to his unfortunate decline. Instead of leaving OU with only a series of concussions and college credit, he could have utilized his temporary fame and capitalized on his name-recognition, which could have lightened the medical expenses, both present and future, as well as reduce the burden he suffered for putting his body on the line. There’s also the incidental consequence that every sport not named football will see much less gain than anything directly popular. The inherent market space
of a sport does not change and it follows that these guideline changes disproportionately affect sports that have a higher popularity, aka football for most of the Midwest, which is unfortunate because the University of Tulsa’s best sports team is soccer. These athletes that have earned their place as the eighth ranked team are left out to dry. Of course, one could say that these student athletes already receive more than their fair share of economic incentive. Most of the athletes that would see monumental gains under these new decrees are the types that don’t have to pay for their tuition, staying in school on athletic scholarships and requiring only the bare minimum to remain on the field. Some athletes do make the most of their education opportunities, but the individuals that would see the most change are generally the ones that have enough talent or acumen to make it to the next level. Although that money might not necessarily be wasted, it does seem like an occasion where the rich get richer while those that could properly utilize supplemental funding are relegated to the sidelines.
Golden Hurricane hold its own against Tulane
Volleyball analyst Callie Hummel discusses how the team kept the game close and exciting and what we can look forward to from our volleyball team.
courtesy @TulsaVolleyball on Twitter
On Sept. 16 Tulsa’s volleyball team traveled to New Orleans to play their second conference game against Tulane University. With Tulane being ranked fourth in the conference, Tulsa went into the game knowing it would be a demanding match. While the games stayed relatively close in points, Tulane pulled ahead to win the match and Tulsa’s record was brought to 6-5.
Although Tulsa lost in three games, the first two games were kept within range with 25-14 scores, indicating an even match up between the two teams. Tulane had the lead for the majority of these two games, but Tulsa was not far behind, keeping the entire match close and exciting. Tulsa started in a winning position at the beginning of the third game thanks to Han-
nah Overymyer, who first served an ace, and then continued to get her serves in while the rest of the team kept up the offensive attacks to put the team up 5-0. Although Tulsa took this early winning position, Tulane got possession of the ball and took control of the game. In the end, the final game of the match fell to Tulane with a 25-17 score. With this third win, the overall match score
came out to 0-3, changing Tulane’s overall record to 9-5. The standout junior outside hitter, Aysu Daloguallari, countered Tulane with a total of nine successful offensive kills. This high scoring game for Daloguallari brings her overall season kill record to 53 which ranks fifth highest out of her teammates. Bailey Rowe, a freshman outside hitter, also played in all three sets against Tulane with nine kills as well with the addition of one defensive block. With the Tulane game under her belt, Rowe still ranks second in overall team kills during her first year playing for TU with 85, right behind junior Kayley Cassaday who has led the team for the past two years. Freshman libero Marta Pecalli led the team defensively again with 14 total digs, combating Tulane’s strong offensive side. She continues to be the lone libero on the team, despite this being her first year playing at the collegiate level, and her speciality in defense shows through with her stats. Overymeyer, a senior outside hitter for Tulsa, proved herself proficient on the defensive side even though she’s primarily an offensive player. Overymeyer gained the second most number of digs after Pecalli while still pulling two offensive kills. This game also brought Tulsa’s ranking in the American Athletic Conference to 1-1. Their first conference game was an away game against Houston, which was one of the closest matches of their season. After losing the first game 13-25, Tulsa came back to win the third and fourth games at a close 25-22 and 25-23. Houston took the fourth game at 13-25 calling for a tiebreaking fifth match to determine a winner. With only a three point difference in the final game, Tulsa came out the winner with a 15-12 score. Volleyball plays their first home conference game on Oct. 1 at 1:30 p.m. against South Florida who is currently 0-2 in the conference and has a 6-7 overall record.
Sports
The Collegian: 4
October 4, 2021
Henry Sach American Conference Player of the Week
Sports writer Zach Sabel interviews Sach about his success this season. or it’s all for naught. It is not hard to see Sach and the rest of the defensive players’ contributions to the success of TU’s soccer team so far, having allowed only five goals in eight matches while helping keep shutouts in four of their matches so far. Sach does not see this as all the defense’s doing. When asked about what has made the difference this season for the soccer team, Sach said: “Last year, we depended heavily on Alex [Meinhard]. This year we’ve got loads of other guys scoring goals as well. The goalkeepers have been doing really well this year, especially considering he’s a freshman, probably one of the youngest players on the team. He’s stepped up and he’s doing what he’s doing, and he’s doing a great job. And then we’ve got a mix of experienced guys, whether that be Chase, Mariano, Mitchell, all these guys who’ve played here at Tulsa for four or five years. Some guys like myself, Mariano who are maybe older than these freshmen, but really anyone on the team, just being able to be defensively solid, knowing what we have to do which transfers into the midfield. We are very deep this year and it shows. It’s hard to have ten goalscorers seven games into the season, and we did that very well and hopefully that will continue. I mean, Malik’s been great, so has everybody else when they’ve needed to they stepped up. We are doing really well executing recently.”
some heartbreaking losses. When asked about how the team stays on track and focus in the midst of their success this season, Sach said: “At the end of the last game last year against UCF, it was a time we just all realized how difficult it was to lose and it wasn’t something we wanted to experience again… this year we just enjoy doing what we do, we don’t pay attention to the rankings. It’s nice to get recognized but we are just having a good time.UCF on Sunday is the biggest game of the season. We are just taking the season game by game. Last year, we put emphasis on games like UCF and Temple and then we lost, so I don’t think we should take our eyes off anybody else right now. To take down a top five team will be big for them and it should be big for us as well.” This emphasis appears to be serving the team well, and hopefully they can continue this winning streak all the way to the conference tournament and beyond. Sports are not the only thing important to Sach, having received academic all-conference honors. He says it can be a challenge balancing the training and study mix that a student athlete is expected to do, but that he utilizes tutors and makes time to study which has enabled him to succeed at TU. Many players have routines they stick to, and Sach told me that this is aided by the fact that the team practices very early in the morning, freeing up the whole day for individual workouts or getting the class-
“To them, it’s more important to win a championship for the team and the school ...” courtesy UTulsa Men’s Soccer
The University of Tulsa has always prided itself on its sporting prowess. Though it may not always be evident in the team sports results every year, we have always been somewhat strong in athletics. This year it’s the men’s soccer team’s turn to go above and beyond, playing with heart for the school. The Hurricane sits undefeated at 8-0-0 after an electric last second win against SMU in double overtime last Wednesday. A lot of this success could be attributed to players like Henry Sach. The senior has been one of the keys to the successful Tulsa defense this season as well as last season, having been tabbed for the American allconference second team last season. This season, his efforts have been no less noticeable. This past week he was awarded the American Conference defensive player of the week, being Tulsa’s second award in the category this season.
When asked about the award, Sach said: “Yeah, I mean it’s a nice gesture, it’s nice to be recognized. I know there’s a lot of good competition in this conference, obviously a lot of good players, especially on our team as well. We have a lot of good defenders, a lot of good midfielders and I feel like we have been very good defensively all year in every position really. To be recognized was special for me, but I mean, at the end of the day the main thing that I want to win and the team wants to win is conference and national championships, and awards like this are nice but there’s bigger things that we have ahead.” Sach gives the impression that the team as a whole cares less about individual awards, regardless of how they make them look. To them, it’s more important to win a championship for the team and the school,
This emphasis on acknowledging the achievements of the whole team and its sense of unity really shows how Sach and the rest of the TU soccer team exemplify the spirit of what it means to be a part of the Golden Hurricane. Sachs’ road here from playing soccer as a youth in the UK and Spain to representing Richland Community College to now is a great story that adds to the idea of this great determination this team holds. Sach identifies his vocal leadership and workrate as some of his strengths that help the team on the pitch. These attributes are easy to see from a fan’s point of view, with the willingness to track back and hunt down the ball with great tackling ability. He identified Declan Rice of West Ham as a player he likes and tries to pick pieces of his game to help himself improve. You can see this with his ability to track back towards the ball and stop a counter with very skillful tackling. Last season the team, while having a good season, ended up falling short in
work done. On game days, the team likes to eat together if it has time and go through a walkthrough on the pitch. He likes to arrive and be one of the first ones to the field on game days to help him get into the mindset and ready for the game. It also helps him display his maturity and leadership amongst his fellow teammates. Sach says that he hopes to continue playing soccer for as long as he can after TU, and with the performances he and the team put up week after week, It hardly seems to be something that would be difficult to do. The team has a real shot not to just win the AAC, but to go very deep in the NCAA national tournament for men’s soccer, helping boost the profile of our school along the way. The next game is against UCF away, but fans can catch Henry and the Golden Hurricane back at Hurricane stadium Oct. 16 at 7:00 p.m. as they look to take on Temple and keep on marching towards the conference tournament.
TU women’s soccer fights for win streak
Sports analyst Callie Hummel gives an update on the season so far for the Hurricane and what to look forward to going into the game against Memphis. Having played 14 games this season, Tulsa’s women’s soccer team continued to hold onto their winning record as they went into their game against Temple, despite having played games every three to five days since their first game on Aug. 8. Instead of going up against a college team for their first game, Tulsa was given the opportunity to play the Paraguay U20 team, which was in town for practice against the college teams in the area. At the home game, Tulsa fell only 0-1 to the national team.
game against Central Arkansas on Sept. 2, Runarsdottir’s goal with only eight minutes left in the game tied it up 3-3, bringing the game into overtime and allowing her teammate, Liliana Fernandez, to put the ball in the back of the net for a 4-3 overtime win. Runarsdottir also scored in the game against Oral Roberts, which ended with a 2-1 win proving that not only is she a lead scorer, but is also a clutch player. Although she is dominating on the offensive line for Tulsa, they have 29 total goals with a large vari-
“ Malsey has also recorded two shutouts this season ...” In their two most recent games, the team went up against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 19 and South Florida on Sept. 24. Against Pine Bluff, junior midfielder Isold Runarsdottir scored two goals while goalie and graduate student, Emma Malsey, took the shutout with a 2-0 final score. At home against South Florida, both teams held the score at 0-0 for the entire 90 minutes of regular play, requiring extra time. The game went into overtime, where whoever scored first won. The first 15-minute half of overtime still resulted in a 0-0 score; however, during the second half in the 109th minute, South Florida player Madeleine PenmanDerstine scored, making the final score 1-0. Runarsdottir currently leads the team in goals at six. In her sophomore season last year, she scored a total of six, meaning she has already matched her all-season scoring half-way through the 2021 season. In the
ety of players having scored each one. The team is fortunate to be full of scorers, since Runarsdottir is unable to play in the next game against Temple on Sept. 30 due to an injury. Goalkeepers Emma Malsy, a grad student, and Raegan Beeding, a sophomore, are splitting the playing time and playing in alternate games. Playing in five games so far, Beeding has emerged with a 0.839 save percentage. Against Missouri State, Malsy held the offense from scoring for two high intensity overtime periods at the mercy of the golden goal before the match ended in a stalemate. Malsy has also recorded two shutouts this season against Pine Bluff and Creighton. In the shut out home game against Creighton, sophomore forward Jadyn Chee got her first goal in her collegiate career after scoring the game winner from outside
courtesy @TulsaWSoccer on Twitter
the 18 yard box with less than five minutes left to make the final score 1-0. On Oct. 7 the team is back at home at the Hurricane soccer and track stadium at 7:00 p.m. with an inevitably challenging confer-
ence game against Memphis, who is currently holding an 8-1-1 record after playing against multiple Big 10 teams.
News
October 4, 2021
The Collegian: 5
Oklahoma to resume capital punishment
Seven execution dates have been set by Oklahoma for prisoners on the state’s death row. Maddie Walters Social Media & Web Manager
After a six-year hiatus, the state of Oklahoma has decided to resume its execution of death row inmates despite national concerns. The execution dates of seven death row inmates have now been set. The suspension of death by lethal injection was caused by a series of botched executions in the state of Oklahoma. In 2014, Clayton Lockett received an experimental drug cocktail consisting of midazolam (a sedative), rocuronium bromide (a paralytic) and potassium chloride (stops the heart). Lockett’s execution began at 6:23 p.m.. 10 minutes later, he was declared unconscious; however, at 6:36 p.m. Lockett woke up and started talking—completely conscious of what was going on around him. Minutes later, he began wildly thrashing around in pain. By 6:56 p.m., the execution was halted. Lockett died 10 minutes later of a heart attack induced by the botched execution. A subsequent investigation occurred and a report was published that claimed the IV was not properly inserted into Lockett’s vein, which “resulted in the blood vein collapsing and the drugs either absorbed into the tissue, leaked out or both.”
In 2015, death row inmate Charles Frederick Warner was supposed to have received the same drugs in his injection as Lockett; however, he received potassium acetate, rather than potassium chloride. During the execution, Warner was quoted as saying, “My body is on fire.” The controversy lies in the fact that he was given a paralytic injection, so he showed no signs of physical pain due to being paralyzed. There is no proof that the experimental drug cocktail is painless to those it is given to; in fact, it seems as if the opposite were true. Dr. Joel Zivot and Dr. Mark Edgar of Emory University Hospital claim that the autopsies of those executed by lethal injection show pulmonary edema, which induces the feeling of being suffocated or drowned. After these two botched execution attempts, former governor Mary Fallin put a hold on state executions for the time being until an investigation could be made. The investigation found that a series of missteps and mistakes had occurred. In 2020, the Department of Corrections director Scott Crow said that protocols are now in place; however, these protocols are the same protocols that were supposed to be used six years ago in the botched executions. One of these protocols includes checking to make sure the correct drug is being used. In February 2020, the state of Oklahoma announced that executions would resume, using the same three drugs in the failed executions of Charles Frederick Warner and Clayton Lockett.
Recently, the execution dates for seven death row inmates were announced. The first being John Marion Grant, who was supposed to be executed the same night as Warner, but was given an extension due to the incident. His execution is now set for Oct. 28. Julius Jones has also received his execution date, Nov. 18. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted to commute Jones’ execution to life in prison with the possibility of receiving parole down the line. The final decision was left to Governor Kevin Stitt. However, in a statement released ear-
lier this week, Sitt said, “I am not accepting the Pardon and Parole Board’s recommendation to commute the sentence of Julius Jones because a clemency hearing, not a commutation hearing, is the appropriate venue for our state to consider death row cases.” Jones’ clemency hearing is currently scheduled for Oct. 26. With a few weeks remaining until the execution of John Marion Grant, his clemency hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5. If the clemency meeting does not go in Grant’s favor, he will be the first individual to be executed in Oklahoma since 2015.
States and territories in green have banned the death penalty.
courtesy Wikimedia Commons
President Carson Tulsa State Fair has a rich history speaks to student body
A tradition lasting over one hundred years, the Tulsa State Fair is an eleven day family-friendly event for all to attend. Myranda New Student Writer
It’s time for the annual Tulsa State Fair! The Tulsa State Fair kicks off the fourth Thursday after Labor Day and maintains its stay for eleven days. With such an extended timeframe, a large number of attendees are able to make it. In the past, the fair has hosted over one million attendees at the grounds. Hosted Sept. 30 to Oct. 10 at the Expo Center on 21st St. between Harvard and Yale, this is “the city’s largest family event, providing educational experiences and entertainment,” as advertised on their website. The fair hosts a variety of rides, entertainment, agricultural and educational exhibits as well as competitions. The history of the Tulsa State Fair is a long and detailed one, spanning further than the 1900s. Beginning in the 1890s as a
The 1970s brought improvement and rebranding for the state fair. Construction was completed for more seats in the stadiums, air conditioners were installed and the fairgrounds were officially renamed the Expo Square. Even when the fair is not in town, the fairgrounds are used year round for anything from horse shows to trade shows. There have only been two instances where the state fair was forced to close, both during times of international turmoil. From 1917 to 1918, the fair was shut down as well as in 1942 to 1945. In 2020, amidst the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seemed like that trend would be repeated as many events throughout Tulsa were postponed or cancelled, but the state fair was still hosted. Instead, events, vendors and entertainment were extremely limited to minimize interaction. This year, the Tulsa State Fair is back to full capacity, and many citizens have reported the excitement they have for this massive event to return to its glory. Vendors have also told 8 Tulsa that they are eager for the business the state fair will bring, especially after the last year of low sales for local businesses.
“... many citizens have reported [their] excitement ... for this massive event to return to its glory.” simple street fair, the event was rebranded in 1903 as the Tulsa County Free Fair, hosted in the Western Association ballpark. In 1913, official land was purchased through the Oklahoma Free Fair act to host on, though in 1923, this location changed thanks to a generous donation. That was the first year the Tulsa County Free Fair took place on the ground we know of today as the fairgrounds. It was not until 1966 that the fairgrounds began to resemble today’s. This was when the River Spirit Exposition Center was constructed, the large building on the fairgrounds where a majority of the indoor events take place. This was also the year that the Driller Man was installed, a monument for Tulsa towering at 76 feet tall, according to the Expo Square website.
Masks are not required at the fairgrounds, but they are strongly recommended. Expo Square told Tulsa World that they have taken a few precautions, such as widening aisles and installing plexiglass, to mitigate COVID-19 spread. They are also hosting a free COVID-19 vaccination clinic in partnership with the Tulsa Health Department. One thing that has changed this year from the past is that there is no longer a free shuttle service to and from the fair. Instead, paid parking is available at the fairgrounds, or free parking around the area, if you are willing to walk. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for youth, military and seniors. Children under the age of five can get in for free. Be sure to attend before it’s gone!
The Tulsa State Fair has been a popular attraction for decades.
courtesy Flickr
business. He concluded by emphasizing that TU’s new president delivered his vision for the future of the university TU must step up and make the change for Tulsa to rise back to prominence. and fielded questions from students. After sharing his vision for TU, he took
Tommy Reid Student Writer During the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 1, TU President Brad Carson spoke with a group of TU students on the theme of “A Vision for TU.” He began by telling the story of a city that, while it had great wealth, was struggling to reinvent itself. While at one point there were many people who lived in this city, eventually people began to leave the city and move away in search of better opportunities.
some time to answer questions from students about this vision. When asked about the strategic areas in which TU can invest, he responded by sharing that he believes that cyberspace, electrical engineering, petroleum engineering and robotics are these key areas. A student asked about how TU can best reach incoming freshmen and encourage them to attend our school. President Carson’s response was that we need to focus on communicating the return on investment on a TU education. He emphasized that our goal should be that we are the best univer-
“ ... cyberspace, electrical engineering, petroleum engineering and robotics are ... key areas.” While this sounds like it might be the city Tulsa, in this example, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the city that experienced this. At this point in time when people were leaving, a university realized that change needed to be made before the city was completely forgotten. Carnegie Tech was this university and they decided to invest in software, artificial intelligence and robotics in the process of reinventing themselves. As a result of this, the city of Pittsburgh began to turn around and this was due to the success of Carnegie Mellon. After telling this story, President Carson began to relate this to where we are in Tulsa right now. As of now, people are leaving Tulsa and the city is beginning to be overlooked as people look toward Dallas, Houston and other cities. For Tulsa to come back to prominence, The University of Tulsa must look to what Carnegie Mellon did to Pittsburgh and follow in that path. This will bring the city of Tulsa back to what it once was, and it will once again be a world class city where people want to live and conduct
sity between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. Another student asked about how TU can continue to become more of a global institution. President Carson responded by remarking how TU needs to increase its international student enrollment. Over the past year, that number has dropped due to several global issues. To become more of a global institution, TU must increase this number. In addition to bringing in more international students, another goal of President Carson’s is that 80 percent of TU students would study abroad while in college. Finally, he emphasized that TU must rise in the rankings of US News and World Report to attract the interest of students around the world. By doing these three things, he is convinced that TU will rise to be more of a global institution. Overall, President Carson was confident that heading in this direction will be the right plan for the long-term future of the City of Tulsa and The University of Tulsa.
Brad Carson began his tenure as university president July 1, 2021.
photo by Tommy Reid
The Collegian: 6
Commentary
October 4, 2021
Campus Crime through 2020, is there hope?
As the ever-odd year of 2020 has passed, Campus Police published their annual campus crime report. Logan Guthrie Sports Editor College is a time in everyone’s life that is full of life changes. For many, it is also perhaps the first time in which they have left the safety of being at home with their parents, granting them a new, much wider perimeter of individualism and independence to make their own decisions. With this safety net gone and the college students being left to their own devices, it becomes the responsibility of them to protect themselves and not place themselves into a dangerous situation. However, it also is the job of the academic institution that they attend to maintain a safe environment for everyone of all walks of life to the best of their ability.
to do so no matter the rules, policies, and laws put in place. Sadly, this means that at the end of each year, there are always those who slip through the cracks in the university’s system. It should be a comfort to those who attend the University of Tulsa that over the span of 2018 to 2020, the overall trend in crime reports has decreased. We can all rest assured that over those three years, no murders of any variety, manslaughter or otherwise, were reported. No arson was reported on or off campus, as well. It is comforting to see that the students at TU have neither been killing each other nor setting things on fire, at least according to what has been reported. Unfortunately, we cannot say that this is also the case when it comes to harassment and assault; however, it is worth noting that these numbers have drastically decreased between 2018 and 2020. According to TU crime statistics, rape reports have decreased from 11 cases in 2018 to one in 2020. There was also only a total of five domestic violence, two dating violence, and two stalking reports. While it is easy to say that statistically this appears on paper to be fantastic news that these numbers are relatively low, there are many factors to consider. First and foremost, it must be remembered that these are more than numbers, these are victims of violence, human beings with life and dignity who were not treated as such, taken advantage of, abused and violated. The fact that there is even a single number above a zero in this area means that the University of Tulsa still has a lot of work to do. But
“It should be a comfort. . . that over the span of 2018 to 2020, the overall trend in crime reports has decreased.” The University of Tulsa is no exception to needing to place a high standard for student safety and put measures in place to uphold such standards. While there are many different measures put in place to protect Tulsa’s students from criminal activity, the sad reality is that if people intend to do wrong to another person, they are going to find a way
it is not simply the college’s job to protect these people. At the very basic level it is the student’s responsibility to look out for one another. These people matter as individuals, and so they should be treated as such. The same goes for other illegal activities that we see in the crime statistics. There were only three reported cases of aggravated
Waffles versus pancakes, one of the world’s largest and oldest debates, and yet, the one with the most straightforward of answers. Hours could be spent arguing the pointless battle of which breakfast item consisting of almost the same ingredients is better than the other, but when that batter can create something as heavenly as waffles, it is not even a debate. The waffle has evolved much over our timeline, growing from the simple breakfast dish served at the 2,100 Waffle Houses in the United States. Flattened down to be ice cream cones or stroopwafel, rolled or topped with ice cream to create a new dessert, the waffle is a blank canvas for bakers to experiment with. Belgian waffles, toaster waffles and American waffles are only a few of the numerous waffle interpretations that have
modernized over the last few centuries across a large number of countries. It is said waffles have their origins as far back as the medieval times, where printed metal plates were used to ingrain a texture into the cooking batter. This was especially used by the Greeks, proving that waffles are a recipe that can truly last lifetimes and make it over oceans. Part of what makes waffles so massively unique is that they can be sweet or savory. Ever heard of chicken and pancakes? No, it’s chicken and waffles. You could get your waffles covered in chocolate sauce or mixed berries for a sweet flavor, but on the opposite end of that, you could equally get it paired with a protein for a more savory taste. The taste of a waffle is special in itself. While pancakes can become mush in your mouth from their flat exterior and lack of
courtesy University of Tulsa As the title suggests, Campus Police publishes crime statistics, offering commentary on specific initiatives, but this information always seems to fall under the radar.
assault on campus in 2018 and none in the following two years, but there was still one report both in 2018 and 2019 on public property involving students outside of the campus. Burglary has increased while the other areas have decreased, with only two cases in 2018 but 15 in 2019 and 19 the following year in 2020, all on campus and two during those years off campus. Motor vehicle theft has gone up and down, with 7 in 2018, 10 in 2019, and 3 in 2020. Over the course of the three years, weapons violations, both referrals and arrests, have reached zero, although there are some famous cases of firearms in possession of students. But the highest numbers in violations are drug and liquor related, both of which have continually increased to 37 drug violations and 129 liquor violations in 2020. This is not surprising with the general trend in college life across the board, and anyone who tells you that university life is not a breeding ground for substance abuse, addiction and underage use of alcohol, drugs, etc. is fooling themselves. It is not unreasonable to associate sexual assault cases to substance abuse as well, because it is no secret that the two often go hand-in-hand, in particular when it comes to the stereotypes around organizations such as greek life and their parties which are not known for checking ID, particularly when it comes to female attendants. Of course, such problems expand past organizations such as these to other areas of campus life, and it is wrong to assume it is just fraternities and sororities alone,
especially when there are good people still involved in these groups. Complacency of any kind, whether on the part of the university itself or on the students, should not be tolerated, and there needs to be major shifts to prevent any criminal activity, especially violence and assault, to continue on TU’s campus. It is possible that the trend downwards in many crime report statistics are due to the pandemic, so 2021 will be a very telling year of whether or not the University of Tulsa is changing in its environment for the better. There are some immediate actions that can be taken to keep up this trend, however. First of all, the “mandatory” sexual assault substance abuse, etc. training needs to be made into some sort of required inperson course for all students, because it is currently too easy to simply turn on the training online and not pay attention without any sort of system of accountability on the part of the University of Tulsa. Secondly, we need to keep in mind that all these statistics are just those that are reported and that there may be many more crimes that are not being reported. Students need to feel comfortable getting help and having functioning resources available and easily-accessible in times of need, such as working blue emergency telephones all over campus. And finally, students need to step up for those around them. It starts with the bystanders, because if no one is bold enough to stand up for those who are being wronged, then nothing will ever change.
texture, a waffle is nearly incapable of that. Having crispy edges yet a soft center is a magnificent balance, having just enough texture to make the tongue content. The griddled surface adds to that texture. Each little hole in the waffle is able to save its own small cup of syrup or sauce. With pancakes, it runs off the food and onto the plate, making things too sticky. With waffles, the small cups of griddle pattern can store the toppings until the waffle is cut into, ready to enjoy. I’m not saying the pancake is not good. Pancakes, hotcakes and crepes are all delicious and can be enjoyed; it is simply that they have nothing on long-term enjoyment like the waffle. In a case of batter texture, topping ratio and variability in dishes, the waffle is elite.
Have just enough Bisquick to make one more meal? Here’s why it should be a batch of waffles. Myranda New Student Writer
Waffles: the superior breakfast cuisine
Relax with some good ol’ fashioned pancakes
In contrast to the highbrow waffle supporters, pancakes speak to the true American spirit. Zach Short Managing Editor What force compels us to thirst for structure so strongly? Does the longing for understanding in a cruel and unpredictable world bear us this curse, or has capitalist
society finally broken us into believing that everything must have rigid definitions? Herein lies the question at the heart of the pancakes and waffles debate. Teachers instilled in us from day one to follow rules and cross our t’s and dot our i’s, but an art form such as food need not suffer such restrictions. A delicious batter needs to press to the end of its own boundaries of viscosity, to set at its own thickness, and to determine its own fate. Conversely, a waffle iron kills such notions of liberty before they ever have the chance to sprout. This autocratic technology forces all batters to conform to the same size and shape and leaves no room for varying ratios of crunch ends to fluffy centers; all is standardized crunch in waffle world. Moreover, this stiff, bastardized rehashing of the flawless pancake comes from just another one of corporate America’s dastardly schemes. Pancakes, so simple to make, requiring just a skillet, a mixing bowl and spatula, limited the profits of our capitalist
overlords too greatly, it seems. Instead, assuming most consumers already possessed a skillet, this insidious plan attempted to convince millions of people that they have to have a new, singularly specialized kitchen appliance to make waffles instead of the simple pancake. Now, far too many people wake up in the morning to enjoy this inferior good as white men in suits sit in their corner offices and rake in the dough. To make matters even worse, waffles kill one of America’s greatest traditions: the griddle breakfast. Consider the following. Joe Schmoe, a hard-working man just trying to feed his family and save for a place in a nice retirement village, works a corner diner right here in the Midwest, the heart of the nation. He wakes before the cock crows and fires up the griddle, throwing on some bacon and frying eggs in the grease, some sausage to make some gravy, and some toast to go with the preserves his wife made from the strawberries she grew in the summer. Then his two kids, a twelve year-old boy with red
hair and freckles and a nine year-old girl in pigtails missing one of her two front teeth, enter into the kitchen and ask if they can have something to eat. He says sure and makes them some pancake batter to throw on his griddle. Trick is, they don’t want pancakes anymore. All the kids at school eat waffles now and their teacher tells them that Twitter has canceled pancakes. What happens now? His kids despise him, his wife leaves him, and the Belgian Waffle House steals all of his business. He’s now a workless man with no family to feed and no hopes of that little place at Del Boca Vista. Waffles don’t just epitomize the influence of art-hating, structure-loving, money-grubbing evil capitalists, they hurt the backbone of the economy and contribute to the moral decline of the greatest country ever. If you love art, the blue-collar man, or America, then you love pancakes. Don’t let the liberals ever tell you otherwise.
Commentary
October 4, 2021
The Collegian: 7
Haitian border controversy historically precedented With disaster after disaster, individuals living in Haiti are looking for hope; has the United States ever offered that hope? Gary Ervin Student Writer
In a scene reminiscent of the era of chattel slavery, United States Border Patrol officers were seen on horseback rounding up Haitian refugees. In videos of the incident, the officers can be heard echoing the Trumpian sentiment that Haiti is a “shithole” country. Biden’s perspective is not all too different; in 1994, he said that “if Haiti just quietly sank into the Caribbean or rose up 300 feet, it wouldn’t matter a whole lot in terms of our interests.” That this comes under the auspices of the Biden administration is no surprise, as his immigration and foreign policy towards the island and its inhabitants is simply a continuation of the policies of past administrations. Completely misunderstanding the issue at hand, the Biden administration suspended the use of horses by the US Border Patrol, as if the horses were the issue, and not the inhumane treatment of those seeking asylum. In a video interview of a recently deported Haitian refugee, he commented on the horrific treatment, stating that “they chained us like animals. They chained our hands, feet, and waist. Once we arrived they made us stay inside the plane until they unchained us so the journalists don’t see what they did . . . I don’t even think they see us as humans.” Such treatment is standard as far as US immigration policy goes, only varying in the rapidity with which they deport them. While under the Biden administration deportations in general, and of Haitian refugees in particular, have increased due to the use and abuse of the Trump-era policy, Title 42; this is not the first time this has happened. In the early 1980s, the Immigration and Naturalization Service under the Reagan administration established a policy towards Haitian refugees of accelerated deportation: detention in prison-like facilities and interdiction at sea. This blatant disrespect of the legal rights of refugees has recently prompted the United Nations to warn Washington that these deportations may be a violation of international law, which it is, but that has never stopped the US in the past and is unlikely to alter its trajectory for the foreseeable future. US Special Envoy for Haiti, Ambassador Daniel Foote, denounced the Biden administration’s policies in his resignation letter on Sept. 22. Tired of his suggestions being ignored, he offered one last recommendation, stating, “what our Haitian friends real-
ly want, and need, is the opportunity to chart their own course, without international puppeteering and favored candidates but with genuine support for that course. I do not believe that Haiti can enjoy stability until her citizens have the dignity of choosing their own leaders fairly and acceptably.” History endorses Foote’s suggestion, as the last time in recent history that the outflow of refugees slowed was during the period following the democratic election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1991. This would be short-lived, however, as just seven months later he was deposed in a coup led by Raoul Cédras and his organization, the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti (FRAPH), funded by the Interna-
‘property’ in tow, became the first Haitians in the United States. The enslaved Africans were oftentimes shipped back to Hispaniola because the Americans feared the spread of Black Jacobinism on the mainland. While white slave owners found sanctuary in the United States, their darker-complexioned class counterparts, along with free Africans, were met with hostility, and measures were adopted over the years that sought to expel both, as racial ideology on the mainland made little to no distinction between the two. Ever since Haiti gained its independence in 1804, the United States has sought to reenslave the whole island. The abolitionist Frederick Douglass wrote in “The North Star” in 1848 that “nothing is more annoying to American pride or to American cupidity than the existence on our very borders of this noble Republic of colored men,” saying further that “the slaveholders of this country have a design to subvert this truly brave Republic.” That Haiti drew the ire of the slaveholders’ republic was no surprise, for the triumph of their revolution had sent
“The origins of US-Haiti relations and thus US intervention on the island are found in slavery and commerce. . .” tional Republican Institute in Washington D.C., with the aid of the Tonton Macoute, a death squad funded and trained by the United States during the administrations of the US-backed dictators Francois Duvalier (“Papa Doc”) and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier (“Baby Doc”) in 1957 and 1971 respectively. The number of refugees soared following the coup, as well as during the dictatorial regimes of Papa and Baby Doc. The US denied responsibility for the coup, as it always does, and thus rejected the demand to accommodate these refugees, instead choosing to house many of them in the now infamous Guantanamo Bay military prison. In usual fashion, under the guise of restoring democracy, the US bore the white man’s burden, sending its military to occupy the island in 1994 in order to return Aristide to Haiti, only to remove him from power once again in a 2004 coup. Astute observers might recognize a connection between targets of US intervention and the countries of origin of asylum-seekers at the US border. The origins of US-Haiti relations and thus US intervention on the island are found in slavery and commerce: the immensely profitable trafficking of both enslaved Africans and the commodities they produced. When insurrection broke out on the island of Hispaniola in 1791, the first president of the young republic, George Washington, called the rebellion of slaves “lamentable,” quickly rushing to aid the French planters by advancing a hefty sum of money. White and gens de couleur (people of color) slave owners, fleeing for their lives, some with their
the entire slave system into a veritable death spiral, eventually resulting in its complete destruction. There were numerous plots to undermine Haitian independence throughout the 1800s, including the arming of secessionist Dominican rebels in the 1830s by then US Secretary of State John C. Calhoun, as well as the flooding of Haitian markets with counterfeit currency and an attempted annexation by the Grant administration in the 1870s. The long-held dreams of slaveholders past would be realized when the United States sent marines to occupy Haiti in 1915. Following a sham election, the puppet regime ceded complete control over
courtesy OpenClipart The United States Border Patrol has been under scrutiny since being founded in the early 2000s.
the Haitian government and banks to the United States. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, the attitudes and policies of the US government today towards Haiti and its citizens, while experiencing the expected situational variations under specific historical circumstances, have not changed all that much in the past two centuries. The policies which perpetually recreate this catastrophe continue, irrespective of administration, Democrat or Republican. Fortunately, the spirit of Black Jacobinism lives on, and the struggle of the Haitian people against foreign domination and their agents on the island continues into the present. To those well-intentioned citizens of the United States who were outraged at this most recent incident and wish to see their government change its course, what must be done is therefore more complicated and challenging than simply electing a different president every four years. I nevertheless implore you not only to act, but also to organize yourselves, for it is through organized action that we might be able to effect change.
courtesy United States National Archive Haitian immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers have utilized a myriad of approaches to make it to United States soil, believing that the US will offer an escape from their often shattered homes.
The Gathering Place v. Gathering Place
A seemingly selfless charitable project headed by the Tulsa elite attacks a hometown coffee shop Ji Aldada Copy Editor What’s the difference between a $465 million dollar park and a small-town coffee shop? Well, not a whole lot apparently. Tulsa’s riverfront park, widely known as Gathering Place, has decided to sue a small coffee shop in Shawnee over name rights. The coffee shop, called The Gathering Place, has been transparent on social me-
dia, claiming they had good intentions in naming their company and never meant to cause monetary damages to the non-profit park. The coffee shop opened their business to the Shawnee community in 2016, and is owned by two families, the Hiltons and the Ingrams. Their mission statement includes serving good coffee and building relationships in their community. The park opened around this time in 2018, and have published their motive to bring together and serve the Tulsa community. The Hiltons and Ingrams find it hard to believe they could’ve caused any significant damage to a million-dollar park’s reputation since there is more than an hour and 30 minute distance between them. The park is not only asking the coffee shop to change its name, but they are also asking for money in return for the damages. The amount will be decided in a trial if it comes to that. I mean, the companies have just one-word differentiating them, but there’s a big difference between a coffee shop and a park, and they also have a wide distance separating them even more (or so you would think). The
Photo Adam Walsh Down on Riverside, the Gathering Place illustrates the potential natural beauty of Oklahoma, as well as building a canvas for perfect sunsets.
Gathering Place claimed to be confident in their legal team to resolve this issue, but have yet to comment on the accusations rising in their company’s name. For now, the coffee shop has 21 days to respond to these demands. The only statements in the public are from last week, where the coffee shop owners say they could potentially lose it all. The saddest part is reading the Google reviews and realizing how loved this company is by those residents visiting nearby shops or just stopping by for a baked good on their way to work. “What they’ve asked for us to repay to them for using the Gathering Place name is everything we could have,” Ingram said. “You know they would take everything from us if they won this lawsuit.” Gathering Place is one of Tulsa’s free and public parks, but what separates it from the hundreds of parks in Tulsa is that Gathering Place ranges over 100 acres of land alongside Riverside Drive. It opened in September of 2018 and is still sitting at the largest private donation to a public park in US history. The George Kaiser Family Foundation, and also other foundations and businesses, contributed to the $465 million dollar price tag to give back to the community. Gathering Place’s designers include Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the landscape architects responsible for Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City, Maggie Daley Park in Chicago and other well-known urban public spaces. Knowing the history of the Kaiser family, it’s not hard to assume they can afford the losses of what is probably small to their wallets compared to the amount in legal fees and court fines that the coffee shop owners simply cannot cough up so easily. I mean, if you are familiar with Tulsa and its culture, you might recognize the family
courtesy OpenClipart Opening the same year as the multi-million dollar Tulsa park, The Gathering Place is under attack.
name for being a major shareholder of St. John Medical Center on 21st and Utica. The George Kaiser Family Foundation owns both the Kaiser Medical building, and also the Kaiser Rehabilitation Center. Going off of just this information, it feels as if the park is trying to one-up where they can, because let’s be real: the company is doing just fine despite the fact that there’s a small business with the same-ish name. Also, if this is such an issue, why did they only just now decide to sue? Both companies have been around for 3 years, so honestly this is just ridiculously unnecessary. When doing a quick Google search of The Gathering Place, the coffee shop, it shows two and a half pages of articles and links to the park before the coffee shop is even brought up, and that’s probably because of all the media attention from the past week. There is no real conflict, and truly no harm done, except for the spiteful attack on a personal, private business.
Variety
The Collegian: 8
October 4, 2021
TU’s Fall Film Festival showcases student work Celebrating students and their work as directors, producers and composers, this film festival displays their creative talents. Piper Prolago Editor-in-Chief TU’s film department hosted its annual student film festival on Sept. 29, bringing together current and past students to celebrate their accomplishments. After being moved from its original location on Harwell Field due to the rain, the festival took place inside of LPC where visitors could watch several student films and ask filmmakers questions about their work. Each year, the film department pulls standout films from years past to screen alongside films made by current students. “We’d like all our students to have a sense of the tradition they are joining as they develop their own voices,” explained Wellspring Associate Professor of Film, Jeff Van Hanken.
Sam Modde, a senior studying film studies and media studies, who worked with Sam Gottsch and Karsh Jin on a film for Professor Michaela O’Brien’s Introduction to Filmmaking course. The group created “Howdy, Jin,” following the life of a college freshman from China as she prepares for her first day of class in the United States. With its charming storyline, “Howdy Jin” was filled with compelling characters that immediately had me emotionally invested. Kyleigh Taylor, a junior music composition major with an emphasis in film scoring, also worked on one of the films featured in this year’s festival. Cross-department collaboration brought student filmmakers and composers together on several pieces. Taylor worked with Madison Phelan to create “Taking Care,” a thoughtful and intimate meditation on family and intergenerational relationships. “As a composer, my job is to create a musical atmosphere that is able to carry the narrative of a film along,” Taylor explained. Because Taylor received Phelan’s film without any sound, she was given the freedom to create an accompanying score that really brought the scenes to life.
“... a hint at the potential [students] have to create in the future.” This year, the festival included films ranging from a comedic retelling of online dating to a post-apocalyptic thriller. This included films made by current students like
Another student director whose work was featured was Julia Grantham, a film studies and economics senior who worked in the
Each year TU Film Department puts on film festivals of standout past and present student work.
courtesy Pixabay
TU offers classes in film studies, film scoring, music and media studies.
art department on a production made by local company Red Clay Studios. Grantham filmed her piece, “Welcome Back,” last semester for Van Hanken’s narrative film production class in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions. “It was imperative that we adhered to CDC guidelines, so I filmed primarily in my sister’s apartment. I was the lone crew member and my cast was comprised of my mom and sister.” Senior Aubrey Allen, a film studies and music double major, worked with Grantham to create a score for her film. Grantham praised Allen’s creativity, explaining she created a “beautiful score that really encapsulated the heart of ‘Welcome Back.’” Allen went on to think back on her experiences at TU. “I never thought that I would have any interest in composing before I started at TU,” Allen described. Attesting to the excellence of TU’s faculty and departmental collaboration, Allen praised film and music professor Dr. Rivers for his encouragement and expertise. “It’s an absolute honor and pleasure to study underneath Dr. Rivers, who is an overall amazing person, and alongside my wonderful and talented peers.” Film Studies graduate Drew Allen attended this year’s festival to answer questions about his short film, “The Musical,” which has been a favorite of the department for years. A catchy and upbeat film following Charlie (played by Drew Allen) as he works up the courage to ask out his longtime crush on the last day of school, “The Musical” was filmed on TU’s campus. After writing and directing “The Musical” with his brother Alex Allen, the film was named a Regional Semi-Finalist in the 2008 Stu-
courtesy Flickr
dent Academy Awards. This prestigious commendation made “The Musical” among the top 15 films chosen in one of the three regions in the country. Another recent graduate, film studies and economics student Richie Davis, was also in attendance at the event. Recognized as a finalist both at the 2020 Oregon Short Film Festival and 2020 Austin Under the Stars Festival for scripts written in TU courses, Davis’ accomplishments attest to the success of the department and its students. The film department at TU has created a space for students to not just learn the intricacies of the art form, but also to learn practical skills. “While storytelling, and visual storytelling in particular, are first and foremost what we teach in the TU Film Department, learning how to manage resources is also a critical feature of what we do,” described Van Hanken. “The most brilliant script will likely fall apart if the preproduction is sloppy or lacking. Those skills prepare a student for almost any industry.” Tulsa is an excellent space to get more involved in film. Off campus, Circle Cinema hosts events and screens movies with discounts for students at $2 Tuesdays. The reinvigorated film club on campus brings students together to casually watch movies outside the classroom and talk about their experiences. In the spring, the film department will host another festival of student work juried by alumni in the film industry around the country. The fall film festival was truly a testament to the diversity of accomplishments students have made and a hint at the potential they have to create in the future.
“War with the Silverfish” a quarantine EP In her EP “War with the Silverfish,” Laura Jane Grace delivers songs that encapsulate the emotions of living under a worldwide pandemic. Maddie Walters Social Media & Web Manager
courtesy Dena Flows Grace released her debut album in 2020.
For the second year in a row, Laura Jane Grace has shocked her fans with a surprise music release. Her newest EP, “War With the Silverfish,” takes its name from the silverfish plaguing her Chicago apartment; her and the silverfish have been waging a war for the prize of her record collection. With logistical difficulties due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Grace’s band Against Me! has unfortunately had difficulties meeting to record their new record, so she took matters into her own hands to release new music, creating this EP in both her apartment and a studio in St. Louis. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Grace said that the inspiration for this album comes from a shared experience with her neighbors. During the Chicago snow storm earlier this year, she was completely
iced-in to her apartment. A few days into the storm, her and her neighbors ventured outdoors to quite literally break the ice; she used a crowbar to smash the ice and scoop it down the alley. After being isolated for so long, this experience created a connectedness that Grace hadn’t been able to feel for some time. “At War With the Silverfish” is a beautifully present EP that shows you that even the most mundane and monotonous activities can inspire something wonderful. I’m sure this is something everyone can relate to after the past year, sitting alone in your home, in the middle of a pandemic, things around you begin to take on different, particularly deeper meanings. This EP captures a moment in time, depicting how a moment of connectedness with another human being can be relied on in times of strife. The EP starts out with “Three of Hearts.” The song consists of only Grace and her acoustic guitar, perhaps symbolizing how this EP was mostly created alone in her apartment. It’s a brutally honest song about love and all its shortcomings. Following up next is “Lola 13” 一 a beautiful love song about a love that never was. The song itself is about a “girl in the city that I dreamed of.” Grace melancholy sings about falling in love with a woman in her dream and the task of searching for her daily until she meets her again. The next song is “Long Dark Night,” which seems to be largely inspired by the bonding experience with her neighbors. With the narrative in the song, it feels as if Grace is talking about her journey of living in Chicago. Following is “Electro-Static Sweep,” my personal favorite from the EP. The song opens with a jaunty lilting melody that is sure to become an earworm. Oddly enough, it sounds reminiscent of the band Mountain Goats with its lyrics of past youth and joy in friendship. Up next is “Day Old Coffee,” a 90 second song perfectly capturing the moment in time of the pandemic. Kind of funny in a dark way, Grace sings about how sick she is of making coffee as a part of her morning routine. Perhaps the best titled song of the
album comes next with “Smug Fuckface,” which is about being unable to remember all the “lasts” in a relationship, like the last kiss or the last smile. The most telling part of the song is in the last eight seconds, in which
all speak volumes through their fragments. Perhaps the stream of consciousness-like songs are indicative of the unprecedented times that we are living in一where it’s easier to shut your mind off and live in the nos-
“... [her] songs are indicative of the unprecendented times ...” there is complete silence before the final song begins. In “Yesterday Pt. II,” Grace fondly recalls a last kiss that she does remember. The juxtaposition of the forgotten romance and the remembered romance is an interesting artistic choice. Overall, the EP centers on the remembrance of the loss of love. Though none of the songs are completely coherent, they
Grace released this album on Sept. 22, 2021.
talgia of how things once were. While this isn’t my favorite Laura Jane Grace release, I think it’s the album that fans need to hear at this point in time. “At War With the Silverfish” can now be streamed on all major streaming services, including Bandcamp.
courtesy TIny Quiet Studio
October 4, 2021
Variety
The Collegian: 9
Freeform begins 31 Nights of Halloween Screening films for every night of October, Freeform kicked off 2021’s 31 Nights of Halloween with popular films. Myranda New Student Writer October is my favorite month of the year: my heart always being drawn to the autumn aesthetic and all that it includes, leaves changing colors on the trees, going from a welcoming green hue to the vibrant reds and oranges of the season. When they fall to the sidewalk, being crunched by pedestrians, you know it’s because a brisk breeze blew through the area. You can practically taste autumn on the air, as you switch from shorts and tank tops to sweaters, jeans and boots, parading around pumpkin patches and prepping your Halloween costume. One integral thing to the autumn season, something we have all known since childhood, is Freeform’s (previously ABC Family) 31 Nights of Halloween. All month long through October, Freeform will be airing a variety of spooky films every night. Some of the films may be scary, while others are fun, child-friendly films that more so meet the October aesthetic. The schedule for 2021 includes many of the classics, those being “Hocus Pocus,” “Casper,” “The Addam’s Family,” “Ghostbusters” and multiple of Tim Burton’s masterpieces. In fact, it was through tuning into the 31 Nights of Halloween that I watched “The Addam’s Family” for the very first time a few years ago. Some films that I am very excited to see on the full schedule this year are “The Craft,” “The Goonies,” “Hook,” “Maleficent,” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” These films may not instantly strike you as creepy for the season, but to me, are a great fit nonetheless, though I still have not been able to finish “The Craft.” They aren’t as well known as “Hocus Pocus” and “Casper,” films that are pinnacle to the season, but in my eyes are just as monumental for setting the Halloween mood. It is exciting to see that many films on the schedule will be airing on Freeform for
the first time, such as the sequel to “Maleficent” and the “Miss Peregrine’s” movie. This is really encouraging to see as it opens the doors for these films to be played more often now on cable, or however you access Freeform. With many films, viewers may have missed the theatre release time or they aren’t streaming on paid services; this gives the film more opportunities to be easily accessible. I know back when I had cable, I always got excited to see recent theatre releases moved to accessible channels. Though, I must say there are some films whose presence on the schedule I don’t overly understand. “Matilda” is on the schedule for multiple days this month, which never really struck me as a Halloween movie, but I guess it’s because of the magic powers Matilda possesses. The same goes for the “Shrek” series; is it because of the magical, fairytale aspect? Is Shrek a scary character in pop culture? There’s even the “Men in Black” series and “X-Men: First Class” listed on the full schedule, which more so strike me as action movies than anywhere close to being Halloween movies. Besides a small number of films that don’t overly fit the theme, there are also films that I think are played too many times. Yes, I’m glad “Hocus Pocus” can be included because it is a classic, but back when I had cable, it was played so often during the month, I thought I saw it every day. I understand the tradition of playing these films repeatedly and the joy that many have for these classics to constantly be on, but what if instead of playing “Casper” five times or running the entire “Shrek” series on three different days, that airtime was given to different films? Local movie theater Circle Cinema is known for playing the smaller, more indie films around Tulsa, giving light to local directors, but also to older movies that deserve to be in the light again. They just released their schedule for Halloween, covering titles such as “Tales of the Macabre II: The Encounter,” “Nosferatu,” “The People Under the Stairs” and “Lamb.” Though, I understand why a number of these films are played at Circle Cinema as opposed to on cable—the R rating. You wouldn’t want to put such graphic films on cable where anyone of any age could be scrolling through and find it.
Freeform (formerly ABC Family) has aired their special Halloween programming since 1998.
With only a one night airing, I wish “Halloweentown” was aired more throughout the month, being one of the integral Halloween movies that Disney Channel has to offer. As opposed to playing “X-Men: First Class,” “The New Mutants” could be aired as it was actually marketed as a horror film of the “XMen” series. Playing the “Scooby Doo” live action films or animated movies is a total missed opportunity for 31 Nights of Halloween to take. What is more spooky than local teens catching crooks? “Monster House” is another classic animated Halloween movie meant for kids, and I must say it is glaringly
courtesy Freeform
obvious that “Coraline” and “Gremlins” are missing from the list. “Zombieland,” “IT” and “Pan’s Labyrinth” would also have been excellent additions for an older crowd. Even though I haven’t had cable for a few years, I still look forward to the 31 Nights of Halloween each year. There is just something so welcoming in knowing all across the country, viewers everywhere are watching these films together, celebrating the Autumn season. While there will always be those who may disagree with the schedule, it is still a month full of fun watches for the whole family to enjoy.
The Zane Lowe Interview Series perfect for music lovers Interviewing artists on their lives and creative processes, this podcast consists of genuine conversations and therapeutic moments. Hana Saad Student Writer The Zane Lowe Interview Series is a must listen for lovers of popular music. This podcast, which is from Apple Music, features new episodes weekly where Lowe interviews a variety of some of the world’s biggest musical artists, ranging from Brandi Carlile to Lil Nas X, from Taylor Swift to The Who. The interviews, which last anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour, span a variety of topics. Often, artists join Lowe whenever they have a new album to promote. Over the course of the interview, musicians discuss
The Collegian team views and reviews a movie while getting uproariously drunk. Piper Prolago Editor-in-Chief Zach Short Managing Editor Justin Klopfer News Editor Note: All participants in the production of this article are either of legal drinking age or did not consume alcohol during the review process. Disparity in coherent prose should make as much evident. Piper: I did not watch this movie but i think that adam sandler needs to retire he
their creative process, how they produced their newest albums, and their opinions on some of life‘s biggest questions. As a New York Times article put it, Lowe has taken on the role of a therapist for both the artists as well as the listeners. Sometimes, the reviews can be lighter in nature, but the conversation is always genuine. I love listening to episodes that feature my favorite artists. These candid conversations go deeper than a radio or TV interview, allowing fans to better understand an artist’s intention and inspiration behind an album. An interview with Lady Gaga about her most recent album, “Chromatica,” comes to mind. Through her conversation with Lowe, I found myself more appreciative of this next stage in her career after hearing about how she overcame struggles with addiction and mental health over the last few years. Sometimes, I also discover artists that I never listened to before prior to hearing
their interview. The interview becomes a jumping point for me to dive into their music. It is an interesting way of discovering an artist in a world where we hear so many songs, but often don’t take the time to dive deeper into the behind-the-scenes aspects of a single or album. The episode that featured Jon Batiste was an instance in which I hadn’t really listened to his music before but I loved everything that he covered over the course of his interview. It makes the music so much better. Some of my personal favorite episodes as of late include the most recent interview Lowe has done with Halsey. It was so interesting to hear them talk about their experience of womanhood and what it means to be a mother. I am a big fan of Taylor Swift, so I love listening to her describe her writing process for her most recent album, “evermore.”
This podcast might also be especially valuable for those who are aspiring singersongwriters or even just creators in general. I find it helpful to listen to creative people talk about their work and how their projects change with each of the different stages of producing albums. Besides getting to hear some of my favorite artists talk about their work, I’ve grown to appreciate Lowe as an interviewer. He is incredibly genuine and you can tell that he loves and truly appreciates music. He treats every artist, regardless of status, with the utmost respect for their work. All of these factors come together to make this podcast one of my favorites. I love how the interviews move beyond simply talking about the albums. The artists aren’t afraid to get vulnerable. It makes for such an insightful and enjoyable podcast. This podcast is available on all streaming platforms.
is not funny and i honestly dont think he ever was i dont understand what is happening why does he have a thermos and why are there so many kids? I dont know . kids are so loud and i think that I have reviewed it now Justin: I think adam sandler is funny! It is a fun family-style movie that should not go unappreciated in 2021, Kyle: The cinematography focusing on the facial hair really really showcases the filmmaking ability of Adam Sandler. I think he was involved in that. Idk. I am mainly watching for Steve Buscemi. I think he is immortal or some shit. I am not paying attention. Zach: Why are we rating this movie? There is a good half hour left and Piper wrote her review with at least an hour left in the movie. Ergo, these people have not actually seen the movie that they discuss. “More like shitizenship” --Zach in reference to canadian citizenship, unrelated to the movie.
Piper: This movie has lasted my whole lief. When i was born hubie was drinking soup. While i drink my juice hubie is drinking soup. Someday i will die. And hubie will still have his soup. And i think thats beautiful’’ Justin: I take it back, the movie is bad. I love Adam Sandler, but the movie is not that funny. They can’t all be hits. I don’t know how it got made, to be honest. Even Kevin James couldn’t save this film. It’s still good when you’re having fun with your friends. :) Zach: Guys, it’s okay. Hubie saved the day. Even though all the other citizens call him Pubie, he saved their life anyway. The mother who was about to burn all of his enemies at the stake just like witches lost, and yet all of his enemies still don’t quite understand. Hubie is so genuine, yet all the other losers don’t understand. Adam Sandler writes fantastical fiction in that he always writes movies where he is a total loser and yet everyone has to realize that he is super cool and then marries some
beautiful woman way out of his league. For “The Wedding Singer” and “Fifty First Dates,” that woman is Drew Barrymore. For the “Grown Ups” films, that woman is Salma Hayek. And for this movie, I do not know her name but the pattern continues. This movie does not make any sense and I would not watch it again. If you look to this regular columns for suggestions, then please do not watch this movie. This movie is so terrible. Like, I am so inebriated, and this movie still isn’t enjoyable. “Why can’t we just have HOT bean dip?” - Zachary Wyatt Short, calling upon the thermos motif from Sandler’s film. Tensions flared in the writing room but quickly subsided with Zach’s falsetto rendition of “Style” as the credits veered by. Hubie Halloween failed to capture the audience’s attention—as opposed to Editor Short’s deeeeeeeep preference for Taylor Swift over Rihanna.
The Collegian
The Collegian: 10
October 4, 2021
Celebrating banned books week
Celebrating Banned Books Week, the Collegian staff write about their favorite banned books. Maddie Walters Social Media & Web Manager
This past week was the highly popular Banned Books Week. The theme from this year’s celebration was “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” Banned Book
Week exists as a celebration to highlight books that have otherwise been banned or challenged for their content. The most prevalent topics that typically cause books to be banned are “sexually explicit content,” “racist content,” “LGBTQIA+ content” and “political viewpoints.” This year, the most common theme on the list is “anti-police message.” For the past two years, “George” by Alex Gino has reigned as the most challenged book; however, it has held its place on the list for the last five years. “George” tells
the story of a young girl as she struggles to be herself to the rest of the world. This children’s novel is banned for “explicit LGBTQ+ content.” The complete list for the most challenged books of 2020 is as follows “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds, “All American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson, “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, “Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story
About Racial Injustice” by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison and “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas. As a part of the Banned Books Week celebration, the Collegian staff has decided to write a bit about their favorite banned/challenged book.
Social Media & Web Manager Maddie Walters writes about Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye.”
ways possible. The novel hauntingly depicts the fear and loneliness of a young girl who just wants to be loved. “The Bluest Eye” was Toni Morrison’s first novel. This novel hasn’t made the top ten list in over three years. It’s interesting to see that the novel made the list the year she passed away. The novel is banned for “explicit sexual content.” “The Bluest Eye” is an important book in American literature because it depicts the damaging effects beauty standards can have
on children, specifically how internalized white beauty standards can warp the perceptions of black women and girls. Toni Morrison famously says it best when she says, “I wrote a book I wanted to read.” Published in 1970, “The Bluest Eye” was groundbreaking for African-American representation as the protagonist of the story is a young Black girl.
The book I’ve chosen to talk about is “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison. This novel tells the story of a young girl named Pecola Breedlove who nightly prays for God to turn her eyes blue, so she’ll look like Shirley Temple. In the autumn of 1941, Pecola’s life drastically changes in the worst
courtesy Holt, Rhinehart and Wineston This novel was published in 1970.
Commentary Editor Adam Walsh writes about Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” While Harper Lee’s 1960 novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” exists in my mind as the culmination of a frankly boring and unpleasant sophomore English course, the idea of
banning it emerging from perceived cultural dangers instead of roasting the way it was taught seems deeply hypocritical. Although Lee utilizes slurs and harmful characterization, specifically through how characters react to people of color, the tone of the work indicates these literary choices were made with period accuracy in mind. Considering the text was published shortly after nine African-American students were blocked from entering a high school in Little Rock and drew on the kangaroo court cases such as the Scottsboro Boys, the calls to remove it from libraries and class reading for it being too out there reveals an inherent misunderstanding of the work’s purpose. One criticism I hadn’t seen before was the portrayal of Atticus Finch as fulfilling the trope of a white savior. However, the key component of a white savior is the proposed savior using a minority for their own
Editor-in-Chief Piper Prolago writes about Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses.”
courtesy Viking Penguin “Satanic Verses” was published in 1988.
Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses” is one of the most famously banned books in the world, having stoked controversy almost immediately after its 1988 publication. The novel is filled with enchanting prose and magical realism, but has prompted criticism for its apparently blasphemous treatment of the story of the Prophet. For example, a character whose life parallels Muhammad’s, Mahound, recieves a vision that ends up being from the devil; prostitutes in a brothel also take on the name of Muhammad’s wives. The Indian-born British author wrote
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advantage. In TKaM, there’s very little to indicate Atticus is gaining anything other than his own peace of mind. He’s already carved a niche into their southern society as a respected attorney and man’s man, but something inside of him disagrees with how Tom was treated. The sad part of TKaM, and why most of my classmates dislike it, was how nothing really changes. There’s no triumphant verdict or appeal process or daring prison break; an African-American who did nothing wrong was deemed guilty by a racist jury and shot in an apparent escape attempt. If anything, the book should be taught more, especially as challenges emerge due to the sheer unbelievable but extraordinarily accurate nature of the text. It encourages honest and open discussion without any inflammatory designs, and that’s an indication of a book worth studying.
“The Satanic Verses” following the critical acclaim of “Midnight’s Children” in 1981, which was awarded the Booker Prize. The same year “The Satanic Verses” was published, the Indian government banned the book without any judicial process; instead, it was banned by the finance minis-
courtesy J. B. Lippincott & Co. This book was published in 1960.
A fatwa is a formal ruling in Islamic law. The Ayatollah’s fatwa encouraged Muslims to kill Rushdie, prompting the author to go into hiding for several years. During this time, the book was banned and prompted sometimes violent demonstrations around the world.
“... this novel is filled with enchanting prose and magical realism ...” try, which prevented it from being imported. Rushdie’s controversial use of satire to retell the life of the Prophet prompted Iran’s Ayatollah Kheomeini to issue a fatwa against the author the year following its publication.
Managing Editor Zach Short writes about Ernest Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms.”
tucollegian@tucollegian.com editor in chief
Piper Prolago managing editor
Zach Short news editor
Justin Klopfer sports editor
Logan Guthrie variety editor
Julianne Tran commentary editor
Adam Walsh satire editor
Anna Johns photo & graphics editor
Amy Polovich
business & advertising manager
Madeleine Goodman social media & web manager
Maddie Walters copy editor
Ji Aldada
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For my banned selection, I would implore everyone to read “A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway. Written at the intersection of autobiography and daydreaming, the novel gives an apt glimpse into the minds of many of those writing as part of the Lost Generation. Hemingway describes his protagonist as an ambulance driver in World War I who receives an injury in his efforts, all of which the author himself genuinely endured. After that, the story veers more into fiction as the protagonist begins to court one of the nurses attending him and the plot becomes increasingly focused on creating an idealized escape from the horrors of war. The end, however, corrects this in providing a sadder dose of reality. Famously banned in the city of Boston for “pornographic content,” the novel provides insight into the realities faced in the supposed war to end all wars. The plot comes through in three distinct parts: the description of life on the front, the main story of the courting in recuperation and the final attempt by the two lovers at an escape from
courtesy Simon & Schuster This novel was published in 1929.
all the horrors of the conflict. Importantly, the alleged risqué nature of the text that prompted its banning appears extremely mild through a modern lens, forcing readers today into understanding the great paradox of censorship and how our standards change over time. The simplistic prose of the piece makes it to this day the rawest emotional experience I have ever felt from a book and ensures its place in my own heart. If there were ever an underrated banned book today, I would argue this is the one.
Editing Policy: The Collegian reserves the right to edit all copy submitted by all writers. This editing my 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 opinions of the Collegian staff, the administrative policies of the University of Tulsa, the views of the student body or our advertisers.
Banned Books Week began in 1982 following a surge of censorship in schools and libraries.
courtesy Flickr
The State-Run Media
October 4, 2021
You’re still struggling? Jesus fucking Christ ... TU administration assures students for getting you prompt and competent assis- members. Why this mindset is not shared by tance. At this point it is entirely your fault. the rest of the student body is beyond me. their mental health is definitely “What is it going to take to get you to take The TU Office of the Assistant Provost of totally 100% a priority for someone. responsibility and figure your shit out?” said Student and Faculty Cognitive Maintenance Kyle Garrison Mental Health Skeptic The question of how student mental health affects academic performance has many components and varied opinions. This discussion often overlooks the obvious question. Why the fuck are you still struggling, we have be at this for six whole weeks? Just be happy, asshole!
a representative of the Student Center for Mental Health and Support (SCMHS). They explained how much they do to insure that the students have the support system they need. For example during National Mental Health Awareness Week, they put chalk on the sidewalk, telling students to “get your shit together!” “JUST DO IT” and “Smile, you look better when you smile you worthless fuck!” What else do you expect them to do to help you when they clearly already do so much.
“God damn it, let yourself be helped!” What are you doing with your life? We are a whole month and a half into school and you still have not figured out how to function as a student. Jesus Christ, not only have we had a whole mental health week, but we have a student success center that definitely does something important and helpful, whatever that is. This school works so hard to help you. If you are struggling just go to the counseling center which is well-known
We reached out to the Panhellenic organization and they were quoted saying “Γιατί οι άνθρωποι μας ρωτούν πάντα για την εικόνα του σώματος και την πολιτιστική ιδιοποίηση; Προσπαθούμε απλώς να μιλήσουμε με συναδέλφους Έλληνες μετανάστες.” Their focus on mental health in their mandatory and aggressively positive instagram posts are always uplifting to their
Vis-a-vis Design Thinking and Entrepreneurial Behavior (TUOAPSFCMVDTEB)’s secretary commented that “I am sure someone is working day and night to ensure that this student body has all the tools they need. I am currently unsure if that is me, I don’t even know why I am here. That being said, students need to toughen the fuck up.” Once again this is a branch of the administration that works tirelessly to complete some kind of tasks to help you. God damn it, let yourself be helped! In our final interview, a local provost explained that their “job has nothing to do with student safety or mental health. I don’t know why you are asking the Title IX office about this” when asked for comment on the laziness of the students. They explained that their primary goal consists of organizing the campus climate survey and then disposing of all traces of the results in order to prevent legal liability. “I don’t even know what area of the campus is not well lit and that question is in the survey every fucking year, never read one single response myself” joked the briefcase wielding provost chuckling to himself. They too work tirelessly to promote the welfare of their board of truste… I mean students. Show some goddamn appreciation.
‘Phantom feces’ case remains unsolved Most fecal matter in doggie doo station on campus are from a single, unlocated northern white rhino. Zach Short Following his nose On Sept. 18, for the first time since its installation, the pet waste station located on the north side of Dietler Commons filled to its limit. Typically, the receptacle has its bowels emptied on a weekly basis, so this kind of occurrence will not happen. Officials did not question the event too much at the time, as this deliverance from filth usually occurs on Mondays and a week had passed in which area pet owners could have hypothetically contributed enough to make such a sizable quantity. However, when the freshly emptied bin exceeded its limits the following Wednesday, Sept. 22, reports show that President Carson himself paid a surprise visit to the spectacle and formed a secret task force of faculty and staff to investigate the issue.
The Collegian’s anonymous informant at the aptly-named John appeared in-person at the scene and discovered early some interesting facts about the case. In the 400 page dossier given to The Collegian and eventually subpoenaed by the university president for his task force, the informant writes that he “instantly knew something was wrong. I’ve seen some big dogs in my life, many of the largest during my time at TU, but I don’t know of any dog that could produce that amount of excrement in a fortnight, much less in a stroll or two about campus.” He went on to conclude that such a mass must have come from either seven scores of dogs releasing three days of backlogged work or a land mammal the size of a tank. After the subpoena of his report, the editorial staff at The Collegian collectively witnessed an attempt at a covert testing of the collected material. On Sunday, Sept. 26, two masked men carted a covered wheelbarrow by the door of The Collegian’s office and slowly fought to move it up the stairs. The foul stench and abandoned crumbs confirmed suspicions as to the content of the concealed materials. Five hours later, our Editor-in-Chief saw the two leaving with
an empty wheelbarrow, with one of the two remarking to the other that “I see no way in hell that someone could have a male northern white rhino on this campus, but the data seem conclusive.” He then threw away a pile of papers (importantly, he did not recycle them), which The Collegian staff then scrutinized to corroborate these overheard claims. For those in the dark on the issue, the northern white rhino, a white rhino subspecies, is extinct in the wild, with the last two living members, both female, living under strong protection. The presence of one on campus seems fantastical at best, but the idea that a male one, a potential savior to his species, resides within a short vicinity of Dietler Commons grants hope to animal activists everywhere. Students are encouraged to report any evidence they encounter that may assist in locating the northern white rhino, such as large and unused cafeteria spaces that could be used to house the animal, massive bug populations in campus housing that would indicate the potential nearby presence of such a large creature, or a smell in a dormitory not dissimilar to a gas leak that could accompany the mammal.
Aries — As a masochist, you will be very aroused this week. Take that as you will. Taurus — This week will suck for you because everyone will find out that your fraternity’s spiritual founder is Robert E. Lee. It’s KA. I am talking about Kappa Alpha. The big one that’s not Pike or Kappa Sigma. Now defend yourself, you spineless cowards! Gemini — Try to speak up more in class this week. Everyone appreciates your contributions. Unless they are bad, in which case I suggest you never speak in class again. Whatever you want to do. Jesus, this is a horoscope not a therapy session. I think you are expecting a little bit too much from me here. Cancer — Who am I kidding, you are a neurotypical, upperclass, cishet, white man. You just can’t fucking lose. Leo — I have been trying to reach you concerning your car’s extended warranty, for real though, it will actually expire on October third. Haha, this is kinda fun. Virgo — You will have the best week of your entire life with the addition of a surprise ending! This is my sign, what am I going to do, give myself a bad horoscope? I think the fuck not. I love surprises and it’s my horoscope baby, what are you gonna do? Libra — TU knows you smoked weed last week and campo is en route to your location. If your dad is not a lawyer or big time donor, I suggest you leave the country as soon as possible. Scorpio — You will need to go sole searching this week. No, that is not a typo. Someone will steal the bottoms of all your shoes and a Scooby Doo-esque mystery will ensue, culminating in a comical chase scene through the stacks in the library basement, all while a librarian—who has had a rough enough day already—will chase you because of your lack of adequate footwear. Sagittarius — You will win the lottery and by reading this, you are contractually required to give me half. It’s the least you could do. I’m doing you a favor here. Capricorn — You are going to trip on a branch this week exactly four times. Hahaha, my power is unlimited. You are but a pawn in my game. I am God! Aquarius — You do not even get a horoscope. You know what you did. Be weary lest you find yourself under the purview of my limitless wrath. Writhe in the agony that is the uncertainty of life. Chaos surrounds you. I am infinite, only limited by the confines of my creativity. You will be stuck not knowing even the slightest hint towards your future. I do not grant you the privilege of foresight.
I would’ve attached that video of the man singing the trololol song, but who am I to say?
photo taken by Anna Johns. Yes, really.
Pisces — You will be convicted of murder this week. Wow, this is fantastic, I’m invincible. Wait... No, not me, please… aaugh! you’ve stabbed me! Oh, my hubris was my downfall. This is why God is scared of his creation. Like Steve Buscemi in Spy Kids 2 sai... horoscopes by Kyle Garrison graphics by Naomi Dunn