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THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887
W E D N E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 3 , 2 0 2 0
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‘THE EYES SAY A LOT’
VERVE (B1, B2)
Masks change communication between students, faculty
Coyote Crazies keep up the spirit during pandemic Although the Coyote Crazies can’t attend any sporting events this season, they are finding different ways to keep their spirit alive. Read more about their plans for this semester on page B1.
SPORTS (B3, B4)
International athletes find a home inside the DakotaDome USD is home to 400 student athletes and 27 of them are from countries all around the world. Read more about how international athletes adjusted to life at USD on page B3.
USD MED SCHOOL SEES NEW DEAN
Leah Dusterhoft | The Volante Tyler Boyle
Tyler.Boyle@coyotes.usd.edu
Submitted Photo | The Volante
Tim Ridgway began his new positions as dean of faculty affairs and vice president of health affairs at the beginning of this month.
With new procedures and precautions on USD’s campus, wearing a mask at all times in an indoor setting for professors and students has caused communication in the classroom to be different than previous years. Lori Costello, an assistant professor of Strategic Communication, said maskwearing, muffled voices and a lack of face recognition have been an obstacle during class. Costello said wearing a face shield instead of a cloth mask has benefited her ability to communicate while adhering to USD COVID-19 guidelines. “Recently I purchased a face shield and I’ve been wearing it instead of a mask,”
Costello said. “I think it’s better for the students who have an easier time understanding me when they can read my lips.” Communication differences because of maskwearing and social distancing have caused more technology use in the classroom, Kevin Reins, associate professor of Mathematics Education, said. Additional technology use can cause different problems, Reins said. “Technology in the classroom has had more of an impact on my ability to convey certain messages, or in my case, provide active learning experiences and class discussions in mathematics,” Reins said. “When a student in a face-to-face class shares, Zoom students are incapable of picking up their voices.”
Costello said, despite challenges like these, the precautions USD is taking, like wearing masks and communicating more with technology, is worth the challenge. “In times when I might get frustrated about the masks, all I have to do is go online and read about what’s happening with the virus, and then it doesn’t seem like such an inconvenience,” Costello said. “I don’t want to get sick, and I certainly don’t want my students to get sick either, so I think wearing the masks is the best protection we have in the classroom.” Costello said she believes positive changes in strategic communication have arisen due to the new guidelines. One of these aspects, Costello
said, has been able to learn to communicate and read students’ eyes more. “The eyes say a lot, and I can usually tell if a student is smiling even when I can’t see their lips because I can see it in their eyes,” Costello said. “I can usually tell if someone is confused, and if I pick up on that, then I might try to continue to explain a concept or provide an additional example.” As of publication, USD plans to continue the current COVID-19 guidelines until the end of the semester on Nov. 24. The university will then reassess its guidelines for teachers and students for the second semester starting on Jan. 11.
‘Something special’ planned for Dakota Days
Sara Cappiello
Sara.Cappiello@coyotes.usd.edu
The USD Sanford School of Medicine is seeing a new leader this semester. Tim Ridgway, former executive dean, is now the dean of faculty affairs for the medical school and the vice president of health affairs. Ridgway began his new position at the beginning of September, but he has worked at USD since 2006. In his previous position as executive dean, Ridgway would serve as the first lieutenant to the dean of the medical school, as well as oversee faculty affairs and campus activities on the Sioux Falls campus. But now, he oversees all activities of the Sanford School of Medicine, as well as all health science education in Vermillion. Ridgway said while he is still adjusting to his new positions, he has had a positive experience so far. “There’s a lot of things that come at you. There’s things you didn’t realize the dean did until you were in this position,” Ridgway said. “I know why I wanted this position. I have the opportunity to shape the way I think we should go in medical education.” From an early age, Ridgway said he was fascinated with medicine and health science, but he never saw himself becoming a dean of a medical school. Ridgway said growing up in a small town in rural South Dakota, he quickly realized going into medicine was right for him. Ridgway went to Augustana for his undergraduate, then the Sanford School of Medicine and completed his residency at Mayo Clinic. When a faculty position opened at USD, Ridgway took a chance and said he never looked back. “I knew early, it’s where I belong,” Ridgway said. “The University of South Dakota gave me the opportunity to be a physician. And in 2006, I had the chance to give back even more.” Jason Kemnitz, interim associate dean of academic and faculty affairs, has worked alongside Ridgway for the last 10 years. Kemnitz said he is looking forward to seeing what Ridgway accomplishes as dean of the Sanford School of Medicine. See DEAN, Page A3
File photo | The Volante
Instead of the annual D-Days parade, this year there will be a motorcade through Vermillion and the surrounding communities. Miles Amende
Miles.Amende@coyotes.usd.edu
With no sporting events and all the safety guidelines that come with the pandemic, Dakota Days week is shifting to alternative means to celebrate USD homecoming. Doug Wagner, advisor to the Dakota Days executive committee, said the biggest difference this year is that large events have moved from the
Muenster University Center to either Aalfs auditorium or outdoor settings in order to facilitate social distancing. “It’ll look a little bit different, it’ll function a little bit different, but largely, events are still happening, they’re just going to happen in a different space,” Wagner said. Carter Hoffer, president of the Dakota Days executive committee, said the committee
won’t hold an event if they can’t ensure social distancing at it, which means the street dance and parade are canceled. Despite these changes, Hoffer said there will still be many staples of D-Days, including the Yotes Got Talent event — which will be held outdoors — and D-Days royalty voting. “It’s going to be extremely different than we’ve seen in the past,” Hoffer said. “We’re
trying to keep everything safe, and we’re trying to keep as many events as possible outside to make it even safer.” During the week, students will be able to attend a screening of last year’s USD-SDSU game at the DakotaDome. Students will also be able to attend a virtual mind-reading show over Zoom with entertainer Mark See D-DAYS, Page A6