The Volante 10.01.14

PARADISE FEARS TAKES THE STAGE Vermillion-based band talks with The Volante on the home stretch of their first headlining tour.

The Volante

PAGE B1

.

volanteonline com THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887

OC TOBER 1, 2014

Healthcare shift causes monitoring of CAs’ hours

BECOMING BIKE FRIENDLY

Malachi Petersen

Malachi.Petersen@coyotes.usd.edu

Effects from a federal law requiring employers to provide healthcare to its employees are trickling down among student workers at the University of South Dakota.

Starting this semester, USD community advisers, along with other university workers such as teaching assistants, will be monitoring the number of hours they work every week to stay in compliance with the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. For CAs, the implementation of the ACA means they cannot work more than 30 hours a week.

Otherwise, they would be considered full-time employees and the university would need to pay for their healthcare.

The act, which was signed into law by President Obama, will require employers to provide their full-time workers with affordable healthcare starting in June 2015.

Emery Wasley, the associate director of human resources at USD, said the university is in a “look back phase” in regards to the ACA, meaning they will be preparing reports on worker hours for the South Dakota Board of Regents to see who will get fulltime benefits starting in June.

“We’re monitoring things differently so we can show to the federal government if they came in to do an audit how many hours somebody has been working,” Wasley said.

Jessica Preister, the director of internal audit for USD, said all six SDBOR universities are monitoring hours.

SEE INSURANCE, PAGE A7

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Kathy Autenried of Vermillion rides her bicycle along Cherry Street Monday afternoon.

Megan Street

Megan.Street@coyotes.usd.edu

City officials are continuing efforts to make walkways and bike paths around town more safe and convenient for public use.

Vermillion’s Sidewalk Inspection Program, which began in 2010, divides Vermillion into four quadrants. Each year, the city selects one quadrant and evaluates its footpaths and notifies the property owner about needed repairs.

This year, the city will restart the cycle and inspect paths in the first quadrant, said Pete Jahn, Vermillion street superintendent.

During the four years the program has been active, about 1,000 properties in Vermillion have

been cited for walkway hazards, said City Engineer Jose Dominguez. These hazards, called trippers, are created by cracks or other imperfections, such as tree roots. Ninety percent of these issues have been addressed, Dominguez said.

“We could always use more [funds],” Jahn said. “We do what we can with what we’ve got. It’d be nice to have more, but we do have to understand that there are other aspects of the city that require funding also.”

Ultimately, Dominguez said, maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner, and it is also their responsibility to pay for repairs. If the path is on SEE BIKING, PAGE A7

MEGAN STREET I THE VOLANTE

The bike path in Vermillion along the Missouri River has become impassable due to erosion.

South Dakota chess organizers USD students using disability attempt to resurrect USD club services more, officials say Emily Niebrugge

Megan Card

Emily.K.Niebrugge@coyotes.usd.edu

Megan.Card@coyotes.usd.edu

Jackson Geerts looks almost cherubic behind a chess board with his brown doe eyes and baby-fat cheeks. But when the 11-year-old smirks, his competitors know the Sioux Falls fifthgrader is one step closer to the kill — or rather, checkmate.

“Defense, then offense. I want to attack usually, but in tournaments, I can’t get away with it,” Geerts said.

He is one of the seven members in Robert Frost Elementary’s chess club, but over the weekend, the young boy left his primary school roots behind to compete against some of the state’s top players at the South Dakota Chess Championship in Vermillion.

Sixteen participants arrived SEE CHESS, PAGE A8

MEGAN CARD I THE VOLANTE

Jackson Geerts, 11, demonstrates a “five-move checkmate” after the fourth round of the South Dakota Chess Championship Sept. 28 in Vermillion.

When Beau Brady suffered a traumatic brain injury while obtaining his undergraduate degree around 2010, his rehab therapists in Omaha, Neb., made a point to drive him to Disability Services at the University of South Dakota.

Brady now takes advantage of the services, utilizing note-takers in his classes and the chance to take tests at the Service Center for an extended time period.

“They don’t study for me — I still do all the work,” said Brady, who is obtaining his graduate degree in interdisciplinary studies. “But I feel independent using the accommodations.”

That independence is the exact goal Disability Services strives for, said Ernetta Fox, director for Disability Services.

“There is no discrimination,” she said. “The goal is to give the

students with all types of disabilities full and equal access to the resources they need, and if they need assistance with that we help them.”

Those disabilities are wide-ranging and throughout the last three years, Fox said there FOX has been an increase in services for those with chronic impairments of the immune system, such as cancer.

Disability Services also provides resources for temporary disabilities such as knee crutches and wheelchairs when students have visiting families coming to campus. Sign language interpreters are also available.

“There are more cases of disSEE DISABILITY, PAGE A6

.

volanteonline com

‘Next to Normal’ empowers audience Verve, B1

All the daily updates about the news you need to know.

Please Recycle

Bringing loads of Coyotes spirit Sports, B4

A2

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

CAMPUS & CITYDigest SGA initiates new first-year committee Ally Krupinsky

1920

Ally.Krupinsky@coyotes.usd.edu

Of the 12 students who applied for the two first-year senator positions on Student Government Association, the 10 applicants not chosen will still have the chance to get involved in the organization through a new committee focused on increasing outside participation.

The First-Year Student Advisory Committee, new to SGA this year, was started to help initiates stay involved and become familiar with SGA, which will make for an easier transition if they are elected as senators in the future, Vice-President Dustin Santjer said. Two students who were invited to join the committee weren’t interested in participating.

“We have outlined the foundation of the group in the sense that the committee will serve as a sounding board for SGA to bounce ideas off of, and yet be able to give the committee the freedom to produce their own ideas, concepts and projects,” said SGA President Tyler Tordsen.

Because the committee hasn’t had a meeting yet, much of what the committee will do is still up in the air, which Santjer and Senator Lyndsay Claussen — the committee’s co-chairs — are OK with for now.

“We’re leaving the direction up to them so they’re actually passionate about what they’re working on,” Santjer said.

Santjer rejected The Volante’s attempts to receive comments from students on the committee, which he defended by saying the committee has not had any meetings yet.

SGA started a first-year committee a few years ago, but wasn’t successful.

Tordsen said it didn’t take off because people without experience were chairing the committee.

“We are bringing it back and switching it up a little bit,” Tordsen said.

The committee will meet every two weeks. Santjer said each member will get his or her turn to speak about what the committee is doing at SGA meetings. The members of the committee will help with SGA projects, but Santejer said they are also expected to

Myrtle Abell was the first woman enrolled in the engineering college at the University of South Dakota. The dean showed his enthusiasm for Miss Abell by helping her create her Freshmen Engineering schedule.

What's trending on our website?

A new program called PoetsOut-Loud brought different poet professionals to the university.

Throughout the year, some of the poets conducted workshops in classes and the community during their visit.

CAMPUS ALLY KRUPINKSY I THE VOLANTE

First-years Catie Dougherty, left, and Jordan Hanson, right, are sworn in as first-year senators Sept. 23 in the Muenster University Center.

pursue what interests them.

“We want their ideas to be their own,” he said.

The 12 students who applied for the first-year senator positions had to submit an application, resume, their class schedule. They had to attend an interview and a mock SGA meeting that included Tordsen, Santjer and the internal review committee.

Junior Emily VanLaecken, chair of SGA’s internal review committee, said the committee was looking for applicants with new ideas and who could speak up in a meeting setting.

“It was a really good process,” VanLaecken said. “The first-year opinion is very important because they kind of have that new outlook on campus, and they’re all seeing it for the first time so they kind of have a fresh perspective.”

First-years Catie Dougherty and Jordan Hanson were sworn in as the first-year senators Sept. 23.

Dougherty said the application process was nerve-wracking, but a good indicator of commitment.

“I think it shows who’s going to

Garrison Keillor

Bob Schieffer

Katie Couric

2014 al Neuharth award fOr excelleNce iN the Media hONOriNg peter prichard Join us for an evening with Peter Prichard, a founding editor of USA ToDAy, as he receives the 2014 Al neuharth Award for excellence in the Media.

Peter Prichard Prichard worked under the late John Seigenthaler on USA ToDAy’s editorial pages and was the newspaper’s top editor from 1988 until 1995. During his tenure, USA ToDAy won several national journalism awards and its circulation increased from 1.4 million to 2.3 million, passing The Wall Street Journal to become the largest-circulation newspaper in the nation. Prichard served as the president of the newseum and Freedom Forum until January 2009, and currently serves as chair of the newseum Board of Trustees.

Al neuharth

volanteonline.com

1975

make an effort,” Dougherty said. “It makes you push yourself because you want to stand out from the other applicants.”

Dougherty joined SGA because she plans to be involved with politics after she graduates. Once she arrived on campus, she started asking around and talking with current senators and thought the experience would be good for her.

“I knew this is where I wanted to be,” Dougherty said.

Hanson said she wanted to be a part of SGA as soon as she got to campus because politics have always been important to her.

Both Dougherty and Hanson planned to join the First-Year Student Advisory Committee if they weren’t selected as senators.

“I wanted to be involved, and so getting a position or not really didn’t matter to me,” Hanson said. “If I wouldn’t have become a senator, it would’ve been important for me to be involved.”

Follow reporter Ally Krupinsky on Twitter @AllyKrupinsky

past al Neuharth award wiNNers

Tim Russert

This week in Coyote History

The award, recognizing lifetime achievement, is named for USA ToDAy and Freedom Forum founder Al neuharth, a South Dakota native and 1950 USD journalism graduate.

Brian Lamb

Professor recognized for piano concerto Paul Lombardi, Ph.D., assistant professor of music at the University of South Dakota, placed third in the orchestral division of the American Prize in Composition 2014 with his piano concerto. He composed the concerto between 2003 and 2004 with a grant from the University of New Mexico.

The American Prize was founded in 2009 and provides recognition and reward to America’s finest artists and composers. Lombardi teaches of music theory and composition at USD. His music has been performed in more than 20 states across the United States.

1. Editor’s column:

Kroeger ‘took the world by storm’

2. Friends, students

mourn the loss of USD student killed in car crash

3. VPD charges former

student for rape and dorm shower videotaping

4. Editorial:

Remembering Rebecca

5. USD graduate on City Council

USD Dental Hygiene chair elected to ADEA Chairperson and professor Ann Brunick, MS, Dental Hygiene, was elected to the Administrative Board of the American Dental Education Association’s (ADEA) Council of Allied Dental Program Directors.

The ADEA, composed of people from dental schools in the United States and Canada, represents more than 19,000 students, faculty, staff and administrators.

The Council of Allied Dental Program Directors represent 278 dental assisting programs, 335 dental hygiene programs and 19 dental laboratory technology programs.

Coyote Media Update LIVE AT FIVE A look at the W.H. Over Museum and the premiere of a new series, What it Means to be a Coyote.

TUNE IN AT NOON A live interview with Steve Ward about academic advising and how students can prepare.

Marilyn Hagerty

thursday Oct. 9, 2014 5:30 p.m.

Doors open for general seating 6 to 7 p.m.

Award presentation and remarks by Peter Prichard Al Neuharth Media Center University of South Dakota 555 Dakota St. Vermillion, SD 57069 This event is free and open to the public, but to guarantee a seat, RSVP to (605) 677-5477 PReSenTeD By

If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate, please contact Disability Services at 605-677-6389 as soon as possible, but at least 48 hours before the event.

• Make extra money while doing design work.

• Create connections with community businesses.

• Gain valuable experience.

• Build your portfolio.

contact

Tobaria Ruffin Advertising Manager

Tobaria.Ruffin@coyotes.usd.edu

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

A3

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

NEWSBriefly STATE

DRESSING FOR SUCCESS

SD infant mortality rate drops in ‘13, SIDS increases South Dakota’s infant mortality rate dropped last year, according to Keloland News, but there were more deaths attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The data showed SIDS deaths increased from six in 2012 in South Dakota to nine in 2013.

The South Dakota State Health Department found a rate of 6.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013. This was down from the 2012 rate of 8.6 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The Health Department recommends safe sleep guidelines, increases in early prenatal care and decreasing smoking by pregnant women to lower the infant mortality rate.

Murder suspect in need of evaluation, attorney said

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Law students gathered in the Al Neuharth Media Center for the second annual Women in Law Project Runaway Jury Fashion Show, on Monday evening. Leah Piersol, director of career services at the law school, lectured students on the dos and don’ts of interview wardrobe.

Law students, such as Anthony Sutton and Trinetter LaFleur (above), modeled what not to wear while other law students, such as Dylan Wheeler (left), modeled the appropriate way to dress for success.

Eric Whitcher, the public defender of 18-year-old Michael Hand of Rapid City accused of killing another man in July, said his client might be suffering from mental health problems, reported Keloland News. Hand is accused in the death of 47-year-old Myron Rock.

Rock’s body was found in an alley. He is believed to have died from blunt force trauma and strangulation. Hand has plead not guilty by reason of insanity to second-degree murder.

Whitcher said he plans to schedule a forensic psychiatric evaluation for the man, who claims to have fetal alcohol syndrome as well as other cognitive impairments.

Unconscious man found at dam’s emergency spillway Zachary Young, a 19-year-old Pierre man, was found unconscious at the Oahe Dam emergency spillway, according to the Argus Leader. A group of construction workers found him on the downstream side of the spillway.

Stanley County Chief Deputy Sheriff Greg Swanson said it is unclear what happened to Young at the site because there is no sign of foul play. He said the investigation is ongoing.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been doing construction work at the spillway where the gates are 40 to 50 feet off the ground.

NATION North Carolina student shot after arguing with classmate One student at a North Carolina high school was shot in the leg and another was taken into

custody following a shooting Sept. 30, according to Los Angeles Times.

Police said the two male students had been arguing. After the three shots had been fired, the suspect set his gun down and waited for police to arrive.

Police did not release the suspect’s age or grade. The school remained in lockdown throughout the investigation. School authorities asked parents to pick up their children at a nearby church.

The victim’s condition had not been released as of Tuesday.

Boston Marathon bombing suspects’ sister arrested Aliana Tsarnaev, 24, sister of the accused Boston Marthon bombers’, was seen driving past the home of a woman she threatened to bomb in August, the New York Daily News reported. Tsarnaev was arrested after threatening the new girlfriend of her ex.

Susan Marcus, Tsarnaev’s lawyer, claims Tsarnaev’s family has “absolutely no means” in lieu of the bombing case and pleaded to have the woman released without bail.

Tsarnaev is charged with two counts of aggravated harassment for allegedly calling her husband’s ex, with whom he shares children, and making threats and an “apparent reference” to the 2013 marathon bombing, prosecutors said.

WORLD U.S., Afghanistan sign long-delayed security pact The United States and Afghanistan signed The Bilateral Security Agreement Sept. 30, according to the Washington Post. The agreement allows for 9,800 U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan to help train and advise Afghan police and military forces.

New Afghan president Ashraf Ghani signed the agreement one day after being sworn in. His predecessor, Hamid Karzai, had refused to sign it, which damaged relations in Washington.

The agreement prevents U.S. military personnel from being prosecuted under Afghan laws for any crimes they may commit.

Instead, the U.S. has jurisdiction over any criminal proceedings or disciplinary action involving its troops inside the country.

Volcanic eruption in Japan killed at least 36 people The eruption of Japan’s Mount Ontake volcano caught hikers by surprise this past weekend, Fox News reported.

The death toll climbed to 36 Sept. 29.

The Volante Volume 139, Number 4 October 1, 2014 The Volante Al Neuharth Media Center 555 Dakota St. University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD 57069 HOW TO REACH US Editor-in-chief 677-5494 Advertising manager 677-4253 Business manager 677-5493 News 677-6894 Opinion 677-6891 Verve / A&E 677-6890 Sports 677-5511 FAX 677-5105 Adviser Chuck Baldwin

SANFORD PENTAGON

2210 W PENTAGON PLACE, SIOUX FALLS, SD 57107 18 & OVER SHOW / DOORS OPEN AT 7 PM / WITH SHOW STARTING AT 8 PM HOSTED BY V THE NOBLE ONE Supporting acts include, nikko mcfadden + Philly Fate, Denham, DGT & BAsh wise Tickets available at ticketmaster.com, Last Stop CD Shop and the pentagon

For Tickets go to Ticketmaster.com Tickets start at $40 / $75 for VIP

Mission statement The Volante covers issues relevant and interesting to USD students. Faculty, staff and community members are welcome readers, but the newspaper is written and presented for a diverse community of students from the students’ point of view. The paper should provide a variety of information, entertainment and educational opportunities for the readers. The Volante encourages everyone to write letters to the editor.

The Volante wishes to be viewed by students as respectable, objective, accurate, fair and trustworthy. If you have comments, concerns or questions, please contact The Volante at 677-5494.

The Volante is distributed Wednesdays during the academic year free of charge locally with the cost of $1 for each additional copy. One year subscription rates are $40, which solely covers the mailing costs.

The Volante does not endorse, promote or encourage the purchase or sale of any production service advertised in this paper. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser.

The Volante disclaims all liability for any damage suffered as the result of any advertisement in this newspaper. The Volante reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

STUDENT STAFF Emily Niebrugge editor-in-chief Trent Opstedahl managing editor Tobaria Ruffin advertising manager Cristina Drey news editor Austin Ashlock news designer

Josie Flatgard verve editor Katia Duszenko verve designer Nathan Ellenbecker sports editor Malachi Petersen photo editor Megan Card senior reporter

OPINION VOLANTEONLINE.COM/OPINION | @VOLANTEOPINION

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

VOLANTE EDITORIAL

5K provides positive interaction with law enforcement

OVERHEARDS Here you’ll find the weirdest, funniest and stupidest things we’ve heard during the week. Context is for suckers.

“I wish I could be a gorilla so I could be its mommy.”

— Al Neuharth Media Center

“Shut up. I’ve had wrinkles since I was 12.”

— Cherry Street

“I would love to set you loose in Paris.

That could be a movie.

— Main Street

“LOL cholesterol!”

— Dakota Street

“The Black Hills is a really like a black hole — it’s super difficult to get out of there.”

EMILY NIEBRUGGE I THE VOLANTE

University of South Dakota students and Vermillion community members run in the second annual I Ran from the Cops 5K Oct. 28 in Prentis Park.

Law enforcement doesn’t always receive the most thoughtful opinions. Whether labeled as crooked offenders of the law or as fun-sucking predators, public opinion has its fair share of views about the men and women sworn to protect our communities.

Our daily Internet feeds rarely exemplify the just actions of our law enforcement, preferring to instead point out the moments of shameful officer action.

Being pulled over for going five mph over the speed limit leaves a police department ridiculed. Meanwhile, an officer responding to a domestic violence case at 2 a.m. goes

unnoticed.

Maybe it’s not fair, but users of social media often speak first instead of thinking about what they’re saying, and we forget the human element of those men and women who serve us.

Law enforcement officers return to their families — sometimes after not seeing them for long periods of time.

Sundays can be spent on-call, not on the couch watching football.

That’s why it’s nice to see the Vermillion community’s participation in projects such as the I Ran from the Cops 5K. Local law enforcements can take off the shades, the vests and

the carrying items to interact with citizens personally. It’s not citizen vs. cop. It’s fun.

The run had 40 average citizens try their luck against the cops. It might have lacked the “running from the cops speed” adrenaline, but in the process, a statement was made.

The statement: The cops aren’t just trying to pick pockets with parking tickets — they live in the same community as we do.

It’s healthy to have a community looking to build relationships and ignore stereotypes, even if for just one morning run.

This event comes at the dawn

of the 100 anniversary of Dakota Days, a notorious time for haste between students and cops.

The relationship isn’t going to be perfect in a college town, but the opportunity to put personal bashing aside is welcoming to Vermillion. It’s also welcoming to our men and women in uniform.

ON PAGE A7 Read the news story

In light of the recent sexual assault reports on campus, more should be done to protect our students. Sexual assault on college campuses has reached national awareness, but it seems little has been done about it, as it is still common to hear about. One rape

is one too many, and should not be tolerated on any campus.

The University of South Dakota did a good job by informing students of signs of this kind of behavior followed by statistics to raise awareness in the new online Haven program each student was to complete by the beginning of the school year. However, there is a difference in knowing the facts and knowing what to do in that sort of situation — the latter seems to be lacking on this campus.

Last year, with rumored assaults on campus, I went and bought pepper spray. This year, with concrete evidence of an assault I felt the need to learn how

The Volante THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887

EDITORIAL BOARD Emily Niebrugge, Editor-in-Chief

Nathan Ellenbecker Sports Content Editor

Trent Opstedahl, Managing Editor

Josie Flatgard, Verve Content Editor

CONTACT US The Volante welcomes letters to the editor in regards to campus, local, state and national issues. Letters will be edited for clarity and length and will be printed as space allows. Please limit letters to 300 words or fewer.

The Volante reserves the right to hold letters for publication in a later issue.

Submissions must include the author’s name, address, telephone number, year in school and major or job title. Letters must be exclusively for The Volante.

We will not publish anonymous letters.

Send letters to: Letters, The Volante Al Neuharth Media Center 555 Dakota St. Vermillion, S.D. 57069 Fax to: 605.677.5105 E-mail to: Volante@coyotes.usd.edu Via our Web site: VolanteOnline.com The deadline for letters is 5 p.m. the Friday prior to publication.

Letters must be typed and fewer than 300 words.

to protect myself by taking a selfdefense class, but was disappointed to find out there are no classes offered on campus.

In a phone interview with Wendy Johnson, assistant director of Fitness and Aquatics at the Wellness Center, I was informed that at least once a year a police officer or someone with selfdefense training is brought in to teach a class. When I asked why it isn’t a regular class, Johnson said it is considered a specialty class rather than a group fitness class.

USD administration and the Wellness Center staff should work together to make this a class offered more frequently to students as a safety initiative.

“We totally want dirty.”

— Main Street

“Julian Hall is a cancer prison.”

— The Volante newsroom

“Winter is coming. You have to have flu sex at least once.”

— Muenster University Center

about the I Ran from the Cops 5K Saturday in Prentis Park.

volante online. com

Need for self-defense classes more prominent KATIE MCGUIRE is a junior majoring in media and journalism.

— Pine Street

Now, I am not saying this campus is filled with a bunch of predators and we should ninja kick just anyone, but an assault can happen anywhere, and it obviously can on this campus. The next step in protecting the student population is to teach them how to protect themselves.

As students, if we have learned anything from the recent sexual assault on campus, it’s that although we may be in little Vermillion where nothing exciting ever happens, this can happen anywhere and to anyone. I propose the university steps up sexual assault prevention by taking action and implementing more ways to protect the student body.

In The Know & In The Dark IN THE KNOW: USD’s Student Government Association has established a new first-year committee comprised of ten people.

IN THE DARK: We don’t know who they are because Dustin Santjer won’t let us talk to them.

IN THE KNOW: Two-hundred and twelve USD students studied abroad over the course of the 2013-2014 school year.

IN THE DARK: About 10,235 students were enrolled at USD as of fall 2013. You do the math.

IN THE KNOW: Vermillion native Sam Miller performed in Minneapolis Saturday evening with fellow Paradise Fears band members.

IN THE DARK: Tyler’s mother can still be found in Vermillion.

In fact, she’s a teacher on campus at the communications department.

IN THE KNOW: The university is making an effort to make USD a more bike-friendly campus.

IN THE DARK: Students will continue to drive their cars to Burger King and McDonalds instead of biking or walking that excruciating block.

SUBMIT OVERHEARDS AND IN-THE-KNOWS AND IN-THEDARKS ON TWITTER @VolanteOpinion and at volanteonline.com. overheard-submission

Do you have interesting perspectives to share with the USD community?

Contact editor in chief Emily Niebrugge to become a weekly opinion columnist at Emily.Niebrugge@gmail. com.

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

A5

Commentary YOUR SAY Letter to the Editor Last year during the Dakota Days parade, my son and I experienced racial slurs by a USD organization while dressed in our Native American traditional regalia. The negative actions of this organization still to this day have affected my son negatively. Since last year, my son does not want to put on his regalia, wanted to cut his long hair and claimed that he “doesn’t want to be Indian anymore.”

In the events following the D-Days incident, I have been mistreated by many students, including persecution on social media sites and in person for my efforts to create a safe environment for all students.

Cultural sensitivity and inclusiveness is still in dire need at USD.

Although there was much attention to the D-Days incident, I have yet to hear from administration on ways they are going to deal with issues of cultural biases and racism on campus.

In an interview with the Argus Leader following the incident the dean of students claimed, “We want to make sure that it’s a student organization policy that ... they could lose their organization membership. They could also lose funding.” “... there is going to be a zero tolerance policy, and it will be a much stricter policy.”

I am still waiting for the “stricter policy” to be put in place. Last year as a Senator with Student Government Association, a draft of a policy was presented from the President’s Council on Diversity & Inclusiveness on

cultural sensitivity and racism. However, nothing more has been done in these efforts.

Is cultural sensitivity and inclusiveness not in the forefront of USD’s efforts to create a safe environment for all students, especially for those who come from diverse backgrounds? What are the consequences for racial biases and racist acts toward students, other than just a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again?

What about the long term effects of what my son and I experience because of these acts? Where is the justice?

—Alexis Oskolkoff, former SGA Senator for Arts and Sciences 2013-2014

Avoid homesickness by getting involved ASHLEY BAIER is The Volante’s advice columnist.

We’ve all dealt with it, and we all will feel it at some point during our college career. Even if you think you won’t ever be overcome by it, nobody is immune to even the mildest case of homesickness. With that, there is absolutely no reason to feel ashamed if you are missing the comfort of living with your parents or guardians.

Luckily, there are many ways to overcome this feeling. Here are some tips for any of you dealing with homesickness: Join a club or two. Most clubs here at USD meet at 7

p.m. or later, so they do not interfere with daytime classes.

Some night classes may interfere, however, but many of the clubs are flexible and will sometimes work around such conflicts. Clubs are also great places to meet new friends and to broaden your horizon. There is literally a club here for everyone. Lastly, they are perfect for getting away from stress caused by homework, classes and other outside problems.

Do not go home every weekend unless you absolutely have to. Instead, get together with some friends and plan a movie or game night, have a study party and order some pizza or even hit the town. The more comfortable you feel with your surroundings the more you will feel at home.

Do not be a shut-in. By this I mean do not sit in your dorm, apartment or house all day all by yourself. If you live in a dorm, don’t be afraid to leave your door open when you are

Biking in Vermillion a pleasant experience JACKIE HENDRY is a senior majoring in Native studies and media and journalism.

This week, for the first time in maybe a year, I put some air in my bike tires and hopped on for a ride.

I didn’t go too far beyond campus, but almost as soon as I swung my leg over the seat I felt a rush of happy, bike-riding memories — both alone while finding beautiful places around town and with my dad back when I was younger.

Biking is a healthy and relaxing hobby I’m trying to develop, and if you ask me, Vermillion is a pretty great place to take it up. For the most part, traffic is so tame that basic watchfulness — both on the part of cyclists and motorists — is typically enough to keep you safe.

Sure, bike lanes would be nice, but I hardly expect such a project to be undertaken when most sidewalks and roads are safe enough on their own.

Of course, with all that being said, there are areas of town I tend to avoid when I’m on two wheels, Main Street being the big one. Bikes are not allowed on the sidewalks, which is understandable considering the store fronts, but cycling on the road is risky when a parked car could begin backing out at any second.

I know when I’m the one in the car trying to back out of Silk Road on a busy day I struggle just to see if there’s any on-coming cars, much

less a lone cyclist coming down the road. Beyond avoiding that stretch altogether, I don’t have much of a solution for biking downtown.

Perhaps the biggest safety note I have for bicyclists relates to rides around campus. I’d almost guarantee anyone walking to class during a passing period has been surprised by a bike squeezing past them on the sidewalk. I’ve been that unwitting pedestrian, and I’ll admit I’ve also been that harried cyclist just trying to get where I need to be.

Sometimes it’s just luck of the draw — traffic happens, and groups of friends like to walk side by side no matter how much of the rest of the path they block. Other times, just a simple little “On your left!” or “Excuse me” gets the job done. In four years, I can think of a cyclist doing this once, and I appreciated it much more than being surprised.

As someone new to the fitness scene, I feel pretty fortunate that, for the most part, Vermillion is such a bike-friendly town. It all comes down to basic awareness of your surroundings on the road and a bit of common courtesy when you’re late to class on campus.

ON PAGE A1 Read the news story about how Vermillion officials are working to accommodate bikers by focusing on sidewalk condition.

volante online. com

chilling in your room. Leaving your door open is a way of saying, “Welcome! Come on in!” This is a great way to get to know the people on your floor and make new friends.

Also, don’t be afraid to get together with your floormates and plan social get-togethers.

For example, I live in a dorm and my floor is like one great big family because our doors are almost always open and we are always planning floor socials, such as gaming nights, movie nights, making dinner for each other and going out to eat as a dorm. And if you haven’t already, get to know your CAs. They are there to help you and to be your friend, and if you talk to them about getting everyone on your floor together for one of the socials said above, he or she or both will be more than happy to do so.

By following these easy-to-do tips, you will for sure be feeling right at home here in Coyote country.

Current dress codes affirm gender bias CHEYENNE ALEXIS is a first-year majoring in English and media and journalism.

Dress codes have always been a constant topic of discussion which seem to spark tension among people, especially teenagers. The biggest issue with dress codes in schools is the sexist behavior they portray.

Gender-neutral dress codes are how everyone should think nowadays, because it is common to see males and females not abiding by the supposed “gender standards.”

Yet these dress codes are outdated.

It seems only females get punished for wearing something “a little too revealing” or “a little too distracting.” This is wrong, because the excuse for sending students home is usually centered on the fact that their appearance is a distraction to boys. It would be a different story if both genders were treated equally in schools.

It seems the goal of some dress codes is to prevent males from raping females. While it is imperative to have females learn to protect themselves, what they wear is not the issue. They should be free to wear what they want — it is the perpetrator who should be the one punished for raping or sexually harassing someone, because rape is rape and should not be taken lightly — regardless of fashion style.

Why not teach people not to rape or assault people? It makes no sense to spend time talking about what to wear and what not to when people are going to wear what they want regardless. A good example of this is the Everfi Haven lessons mandatory for every USD student to watch.

This is getting the message out that sexual assault and rape is wrong.

What is also important about these videos is the fact that they are gender-neutral and give students insight through both genders, which indicate these things can happen to anyone.

It is also foolish to assume

males always know how to defend themselves, because they can be victims of rape as well. The mindset that what females wear is only a distraction to males is extremely generalized, because not all males get distracted by what a girl is wearing. Similarly, what a boy is wearing could easily cause a girl to become distracted.

Dress codes are condoning a sexist system.

People can wear what they want, and they should not get blamed for getting raped if they did not abide by societal dress norms. The victim may not have even been wearing revealing clothing. No one deserves to get raped or sexually assaulted, and assuming boys are protected and girls have to be covered from head to toe does not convey a good message.

Lessons such as Everfi Haven’s can help people realize that teaching people about wearing certain clothes does not condone rape, and that regardless of what anyone does or whatever anyone is wearing, raping is wrong. If an education system wants to protect students, they need to better communicate to its students that raping is wrong, keeping in mind both females and males can be victims and no one can assume one thing about one gender and another about the other.

Truthfully, education systems cannot always help a student in situations such as rape by making them go home to change their clothing. Everfi Haven helps students think about different situations they could encounter, whether they are the victim or not.

Adding this as an imperative aspect to teaching can help so much more than enforcing an unnecessary dress code students rarely follow anyway.

If USD students, who are nearing adulthood, are now being taught about rape culture and the importance of it, there is clearly a problem with the way grades below are taught, or lack thereof. Learning about this at a younger age and disregarding the assumption that clothes can trigger rape can really influence stronger knowledge of the importance of preventing and the severity of rape.

A6

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

Business, law deans envision a USD study abroad bright future for their schools enrollment trumps

regental numbers Kenzie Wagner

Kenzie.Wagner@coyotes.usd.edu

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Venky Venkatachalam, the dean of the Beacom School of Business, recently moved from a teaching job in New Hampshire to become the dean at the school.

Braley Dodson

Braley.Dodson@coyotes.usd.edu

With new deans taking charge in several schools across campus, programs at the University of South Dakota may see changes in the near future.

Whether it’s new programs or continuing pre-existing ones, two of the newest deans at the university, Thomas Gue in the School of Law and Venky Venkatachalam at the Beacom School of Business, are looking to provide the best experience for their students.

Angela Swanson, a junior studying business, would like to see classes that address different aspects of business, like how health services and business are connected, along with seeing certain programs removed.

“I feel like with accounting and finances they say you’ll hire someone to do it anyway, so it’s a waste of time,” Swanson said.

The Volante sat down with the two deans to discuss their plans for the future of their departments, along with their visions for the schools.

Thomas Gue, dean of the School of Law Gue erases the number 47 from the blackboard in his office and writes 46 in its place. It represents the months remaining until he needs to wrap up the School of Law’s planned $15 million contribution to the University Foundation’s Onward Campaign, one of a handful of projects he’s taken on in the 14 months he’s been the permanent dean.

“We’ve been very busy,” Gue said. “I’ve been going around, mostly in South Dakota, to try to line up major gifts. I look forward to getting back out and rattling the tin cup for the law school.”

Prior to being named the permanent dean, Gue was the interim dean for two years. So he isn’t unfamiliar with the law school — it’s his 26th year as a member of the faculty.

“It’s been an easy transition,” he said. “I know most of the folks on the faculty pretty well, and I know the students reasonably well.”

Since 2009, law schools around the nation have experienced a

>> INSURANCE CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

“Depending on the employee type, we have a banner system which is our time card system, so we have the hours worked through that system, as well,” Preister said.

Todd Tucker, the director of USD housing, said in previous years CAs never needed to track their hours because they were given room and board instead of an hourly rate. Due to the new act, the CAs will need to track every hour they work through an online program.

“It’s not that we don’t want to pay them health insurance, but CAs already have health insurance through their parents or whatever means because students need health insurance to go to school,” Tucker said.

Tucker said the 61 CAs employed by USD will now work around 20 hours a week, which includes training sessions and meetings.

“What we tried to do was our best guess-timate of how much time we thought CAs would interact with residents and kind of set some guidelines to that regard,” he said.

As a result of the changes,

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Thomas Geu, the dean of the University of South Dakota law school, has been a part of the faculty at USD for the last 26 years.

decline in enrollment, a decline which Gue said the University of South Dakota was able to escape for a few years. Gue said a combination of factors has led to the nationwide decreases.

“What appeared to be an absence of jobs in Big Law and student debt, law school is expensive, and the acknowledgement that being a lawyer is hard work…all those things kind of made prospective applicants give things a second look,” he said.

Gue said the school aims to have around 75 students entering each year. This year, there are 74 firstyear law students, but the second and third year classes are smaller.

Part of the focus includes training students on how to better use and understand technology, including using office management apps and find ways to give students more experience.

For now, he’s enjoying the school year being young.

“I’m still excited about the beginning of school — I’m always excited about the beginning of school,” Gue said. “It is remarkable how quickly first-year law students assimilate the basic information and a few skills. It’s exceedingly fun to watch that.”

Venky Venkatachalam, dean of the Beacom School of Business As one of the newest deans at USD, Venkatachalam’s office is relatively bare. That is, it will be until he unloads the 16 boxes from his home.

Prior to being named dean, Ven-

questions about what constitutes as work have been brought up by CAs. Tucker said university administrators had to define the role of a CA at the beginning of the year.

“What we had to really define was intentional and unintentional interactions,” Tucker said.

Tucker said intentional interactions are when CAs set up and run events for their residents or have their residents come to them with problems. Unintentional interactions are when CAs and residents casually interact with each other on campus.

Now when CAs interact with students, they will have to log and describe their interactions.

Tucker said these logs now help adminitrators to see how CAs spend their hours.

The line between intentional and unintentional interactions is sometimes blurry, though.

“The negative standpoint is that yes, now as a CA I’m walking around and I have to decide if I need to get some more hours,” Tucker said. “It creates kind of a problem for them and makes it more difficult for them to do their jobs sometimes.”

Nicholas Steilen, a CA who works in Coyote Village, said it sometimes proves difficult to distinguish what counts as

katachalam was an associate dean and professor at the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire.

With a background in both business and mechanical engineering, he places a focus on collaboration, one of his “three c’s of student success” – connect, communicate and collaborate.

“You are not going to be alone sitting in a cubicle in an office,” Venkatachalam said. “Interpersonal skills are critically important.”

When it comes to his plans as dean, Venkatachalam looks beyond the university.

“I want to make a positive impact in the economical development in the state, in the region, working closely with the employers and working closely with other agencies to see how our students can succeed,” he said. “That’s my responsibility and I am very, very passionate about that.”

Even though he’s been at the university for less than two months, he said he looks forward to what’s next for USD. “The future is very bright for our students, for our business school, for USD and for the entire state,” Venkatachalam said. “South Dakota is going to become the go-to place for innovation, entrepreneurship and for economic development. The ecosystem is all coming together, and that is an exciting thing to see.”

Follow reporter Braley Dodson on Twitter @BraleyDodson

During the 2013 fall semester, Rachel Mihulka got a first-hand history lesson focused on Italy by learning about its history in the place where it actually happened “Instead of being in a classroom, my Rome Through the Ages lectures were in the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon,”Mihulka said.

Mihulka, a senior majoring in Contemporary Media & Journalism, went to Roma soccer games, tasted wine in the hills of Tuscany and took cooking classes while in Italy. Studying abroad allowed her unique experiences like these to become a reality.

Mihulka said she was amazed at how well she adapted to living in a different county.

“To me, there was something really exciting about being thrown into one of the most famous cities in the world, not knowing how to speak the language and thriving,” she said.

The University of South Dakota’s study abroad program is looking to expand the amount of students who travel abroad, while also broadening students’ knowledge of the experiences they can gain from it.

Anthony Mandela, a Global Learning adviser, said the number of students who study abroad is expected to increase this year from the 212 students during the 2013-14 school year.

“We’re seeing quite a few more applications coming in,” Mandela said. “I anticipate higher numbers for this year.”

But the department is looking for an even larger amount.

“A long-term goal of ours is to double study abroad numbers,” Mandela said.

Other state schools report numbers less than USD’s.

According to the South Dakota Board of Regents’ International Activities annual report, Northern State University had 70 students study abroad during the 20132014 year. Dakota State University reported 25 out of 3,129 students who traveled abroad between 2012 and 2013. At South Dakota State University, roughly 1.5 percent of its students study abroad each year.

“Over the past 10 years, SDSU’s average of students who go abroad each year is around 200,” said Briana Litz, SDSU’s study abroad adviser.

Although USD tops the other schools’ numbers, Mandela said the department’s plans to increase figures include a revamped marketing effort.

“We have rebranded all of our social media pages so that we can better connect with students,” he said.

Students have the opportunity to learn more about the university’s study abroad program by attending various campus events.

“We hold multiple information sessions every week. They answer frequently asked questions that

all students have about studying abroad,” Mandela said. “There are a number of workshops on campus as well.”

Ian Williams, a senior economics major who studied finances and the Japanese language while in Japan, was surprised at the societal differences between the two countries.

“It was kind of crazy just to see the cultural differences in general,” Williams said. “Before I went I had an image of Japan as sort of technologically advanced and very ‘21st century,’ but then I got there, and socially, Japan is very 1950s where everyone is smoking and most women work at home.”

Scholarships are available to offset some of the expenses of foreign studies. Williams received the Jasso Scholarship, a government scholarship awarded to international students studying at a Japanese university for a period of no longer than a year.

“I received $800 dollars that was sent to my bank account every month,” Williams said.

For Mihulka, having experiences abroad look good on a resumé, so it was an easy decision to make.

“Why not get the experiences every employer looks for, while also having the experience of a lifetime?” Mihulka said.

Aside from the books and jobs, living in another country exposes people to situations they would not have gotten at home.

While in Ireland, Kate Turner, a senior media and journalism major, came across a ‘gentleman’s club’ that videotaped fish getting caught in nets the men had laid out.

“They could set up their nets early in the morning and then sit inside and watch them get caught,” said Turner, who was the advertising manager for The Volante last semester. “That’s it.

That was the entire club,” she said.

Turner and her friends met a 90-year-old Irishman who was part of the club.

“He told us about his life, and how he is too old to get in the water, but he watches and stands with a single fishing pole and greets people as they walk by,” she said.

At the club, Turner not only made an unexpected friend but also gained some perspective, she said.

“He told me ‘Don’t stop living like a young kid,’” Turner said.

Through her experiences, Turner gained knowledge about herself and what she is capable of.

“I’ve come back a stronger person because of my experience, and I now have the mind set that I could take on any challenge.”

Turner said. “When you study abroad, you tend to find yourself.

You rely solely on yourself, and that for most, is something that is foreign.”

Follow reporter Kenzie Wagner on Twitter @kdubz_13

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Senior Community Adviser Lindsi Frahm mans the front desk at Coyote Village Monday afternoon while senior Jordan Kramer works on homework.

work when he’s walking around campus and interacting with the students on his floor.

Steilen said he hasn’t been the only one to have difficulty

with the new change in the CA job.

“A lot of people had questions on what counted and what didn’t count,” Steilen said. “It’s a

new thing, and it’s going to be a new thing dealing with things as they come up.”

Follow reporter Malachi Petersen on Twitter @Malachi111493

THE VOLANTE

>> BIKING

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

city property, the local government pays for it.

Together, the total spent by property owners and the city on repairs comes to about $500,000.

The University of South Dakota will sometimes contact the city with requests for certain intersections or walkways to be fixed, Dominguez said. He added USD has also made it a point to fix public sidewalks on its property.

Dominguez said complaints about trippers have decreased in the last three years.

“We do get, sometimes, requests from cyclists regarding having actual routes and so forth,” he said. “But that’s something that we’re also addressing slowly with our transportation plan.”

There are several newer bike paths in Vermillion, which still possess a few issues. One such bike path stretches along the Vermillion River and is now blocked off because it has become too dangerous to use.

“There’s some pieces that have fallen into the river just due to erosion, and we’re working to fix those pieces, but once all of those pieces are fixed you can practically ride a bike all the way from the west end of town along the river to University Street along the river,” Dominguez said.

Jennifer Dill, professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University, gave a presentation Sept. 24 in the Al DILL Neuharth Media Center discussing the importance of cycling and how different communities are promoting it.

Even though her research is largely based in large cities, Dill said cities of all sizes can follow the example outlined by her studies.

Dill identified new innovations which allow bicyclists and pedestrians to travel safely, especially those in Portland. These include protected bike lanes, which separate cyclists from the road traffic, and neighborhood greenways, which are quiet residential roads with reduced speed limits that can be safely traveled by bike, foot and other minor modes of transportation.

Dill also mentioned during her presentation that five days a year, Portland reserves a few miles of residential streets for cyclists and walkers. Vendors sell goods and events are arranged, similar to a block party.

The point is to introduce people to the idea of cycling without worrying about traffic, Dill said.

“It’s something that can be done in any size of city, it’s just you’re not gonna have tens of thousands of people showing up,” Dill said. “It starts to get people to change their attitudes.”

Dill met with city officials, including Dominguez, before the presentation to discuss introducing some of these ideas to Vermillion.

Dill mentioned several things not included in her lecture, such as bike corrals, which are built over unused car parking spots and provide a place for cyclists to park their bikes, and road diets, which decrease the width of roads to make room for bike paths and other facilities for pedestrians and bikers.

Many of the ideas Dill discussed could be implemented in Vermillion, Dominguez said, but cost and citizens’ thoughts will be big factors.

“Some of the items... I think could be implemented pretty easily into Vermillion,” Dominguez said.

“It’s always gonna be the cost...

Another thing that’s going to be tricky is going to be just the perception that we might have to fight, as far as is the money being spent wisely... We just have to try and present these in a way that people will like it.”

Kevin Brady, a cycling instructor at the Wellness Center, said the city is handling these improvements well.

“I do see a lot of (footpaths) that have been ground down or have been replaced,” Brady said. “I think that’s becoming a bigger issue, and I think it’s being handled rather well.”

Brady said cyclists should be riding in the road.

“Three out of the last four deaths in Sioux Falls have been cyclists on the sidewalk, not on the street,” Brady said. “We are vehicles, we should act like vehicles.”

On the other hand, junior Hayley Naasz, a cyclist who participates in Brady’s cycling class, has seen an improvement with the pavement on campus, but said the walkways and bike paths in town could still use some work.

Follow reporter Megan Street on Twitter @MeganStreet2014

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

A7

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

Vermillion runners “chased” by law enforcement in second annual 5K Cristina Drey

Christina.Drey@coyotes.usd.edu

Alice DeCook was sweating by the time she was taken to jail Saturday morning. Her crime: loss of flag, with a $5 bail bond.

DeCook, along with about 40 other citizens, ran around Vermillion with law enforcement at their heels. It was the second annual I Ran from the Cops 5K benefit run.

DeCook, a junior at the University of South Dakota, had a lighthearted view of the event compared to other citizens who have been chased by the authorities.

“It’s pretty funny, cops chasing you down,” she said.

Citizens such as DeCook wore orange shirts and were equipped with a flag. Law enforcement officers, who wore blue, gave the citizens a short head start and “chased” them down. If a cop pulled an orange-shirter’s flag before reaching the finish line, the civilian was taken to a jail cell set up in Prentis Park.

In a real-life situation, DeCook may not have faired so well. She lost her flag not long after the start.

“She was really athletic, OK?” DeCook joked of a law enforcement runner who snatched her flag during the race.

The event was put on by the Vermillion Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), a non-profit organization composed of area law enforcement officers, said Deputy Sheriff David Kyte.

Money raised by the FOP stays local with the donation going to area causes, but Kyte said they have also donated to the National Law Enforcement Memorial, which commemorates officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Over the past year, Kyte said the organization has raised roughly $2,000.

EMILY NIEBRUGGE I THE VOLANTE

Police Officer Jon Cole (right) takes Deputy States Attorney Phil Terwilliger (left) to “jail,” after his flag was taken during the second annual I Ran from the Cops 5K, which started in Prentis Park at 9 a.m.

Aside from dollar signs, the run doesn’t only focus on raising funds.

“We do this to help the community, but it also shows the citizens and the community that we’re not just cops, we’re also human,” Kyte said.

Deanna Goeman, a trooper with the South Dakota Highway Patrol, ran as a blue-shirter. In all fun and games, she snatched six or seven flags, DeCook’s included.

Events like this give civilians a chance to step back and look at the bigger picture, Goeman said.

“It puts a good perspective on law enforcement opposed to the perspective everyone has, especially with the Ferguson incident

and other things that have happened recently,” Goeman said.

“It shows the better side of law enforcement that most people don’t see or choose not to see.”

Kyte said the run presents a chance for citizens to see officials out of their uniform and in a fun environment.

“We’re always the bad guys. A lot of the time we deal with people, something bad happened to them or they did something wrong,” Kyte said. “This gives us an opportunity for them to see us in a different light.”

As some would say is true cop fashion, runners of both colors enjoyed donuts and snacks together after the run, connecting

the community on a more personal level.

Follow reporter Cristina Drey on Twitter @CristinaDrey

CHECK OUT Photo gallery

on the run and participants who were “taken to jail” after having their flag stolen.

Video of the event with an added interview with Deputy Sheriff David Kyte, secretary of the FOP.

volante online. com

AMBER BOCK I THE VOLANTE

Ernetta Fox, the director of disability services at the university of South Dakota, works on a computer with an extra large screen designed for visually impaired students.

>> DISABILITY CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

abilities across the nation, too, and that’s being reflected here,” she said.

But the law draws the line between personal services and vocational rehab services. Fox and her staff do not tutor students who come to them, but they can point them in the right direction to get those services.

The majority of students who use Disability Services are in the age group of 17-25 years old.

One hundred and twenty-five are female this semester, and 82 are male, for a total of 214 people at least talking with someone at Disability Services. There are 126 active accommodations — students who took advantage of the services available to them.

In the fall of 2012 there were 126 active accommodations, with 131 in the spring of 2013. One hundred and thirty-nine students utilized the services in fall 2013.

The largest category of disability the USD program treats is learning disabilities, such as dyscalculia — problems with math — and dysgraphia — having a harder time with writing, with 75 students. ADD and ADHD have the second highest number in disability type with 70 students.

Ninety-three of the 126 students take their exams separate from class for minimal distractions, while 68 people use extended time for exams.

Junior Leah Saiz also uses

the services for test anxiety and memory retention. She uses a special pen in class to record her lectures. She also takes tests at the Services Center.

Saiz opted out of every service her first semester of college except for those she could use in math, but said that caught up with her second semester.

“I decided to go through Native Student Services, and they pointed me to Disability Services,” she said. “I was embarrassed because of the stigma of disabilities, but they were very welcoming. Now I feel more connected with my professors, and I’ve seen a change in my confidence.”

Fox said sometimes students coming from high school think of disability services like the resource room, which can cause apprehension to use the services.

“No one wants to sit in a resource room all day,” she said.

“Here, we’re focused on the individual and we work on their terms. We make sure they are aware of all available services.”

USD also provides distanteducation services for non-traditional students in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Rapid City, Seattle, Minneapolis, Panama and some cities on the east coast.

First-year Brandi Vissers also uses the services because she is visually impaired. The Services Center has a designated room for her to take her tests, with equipment such as a double monitor and technology called Zoom Text, which magnifies the text as much as needed.

BY THE NUMBERS USD Disability Services

Learning Disability 2012-13: 77 students 2013-14: 75 students ADD/ADHD 2012-13: 76 students 2013-14: 70 students Mental Health 2012-13: 71 students 2013-14: 68 students Chronic Health Impairment 2012-13: 31 students 2013-14: 46 students Physical Disability 2012-13: 11 students 2013-14: 11 students Learning Disability 2012-13: 77 students 2013-14: 75 students “I wouldn’t be able to be in school if it wasn’t for the services,” said Vissers, an accounting major. “When we have to do a test with a scan tron, I can’t even differentiate the bubbles, so I go in to the center and circle the right answer and they transfer it for me.”

Vissers said her professors informed her of Disability Services during the first week of classes, making it easily accessible to anyone who needs it.

“They’re really easy to get a

Hearing Impairment 2012-13: 16 students 2013-14: 12 students Visual Impairment 2012-13: 10 students 2013-14: 7 students Neurological 2012-13: 9 students 2013-14: 14 students Speech 2012-13: 4 students 2013-14: 3 students Traumatic Brain injury 2012-13: 4 students 2013-14: 12 students Other Disability 2012-13: 1 student 2013-14: 3 students Total 2012-13: 310 students 2013-14: 321 students hold of, they always call you back if they miss your call and I’ve never had any frustrations with them,” she said.

For Brady, the services have particularly helped with stress.

“They’ve done a lot for me,” he said. “School is hard enough without a disability, and I struggle to write every little thing down in class. They don’t study for me, but now I’m very comfortable being able to use the services.”

Follow reporter Emily Niebrugge on Twitter @ENiebrugge

A8

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

Sioux Falls charity eyes Vermillion expansion Feeding South Dakota resides at second place for Walmart hunger campaign Braley Dodson

Braley.Dodson@coyotes.usd.edu

A Sioux Falls charity may expand to the Vermillion area if it gains enough votes in a Walmart campaign.

Junior Josh Hayes co-founded the Faith Temple Food Giveaway in Sioux Falls, which feeds 1,000 people each week. The giveaway has teamed up with Feeding South Dakota for Walmart’s Fight Hunger Spark Change campaign.

“It’s been exciting, even from the start,” Hayes said.

Feeding South Dakota has consistently resided at second place on the list, at around 100 votes below the top contender. As long as the organization remains in the top 50, Feeding South Dakota will receive $60,000, with $3,500 going toward the Faith Temple Food Giveaway.

The money would allow the Faith Temple Food Giveaway to expand to Clay County and the Vermillion area, a need Hayes said is crucial because one in three people in Clay County struggle with hunger. He said he would work with the university organization Cru to bring his group to the region, but would welcome assistance from other groups.

“The more people we have trying to fight hunger, that’d be the best thing,” Hayes said.

The Faith Temple Food Giveaway started in 2009 after Hayes began noticing a need in his community in wake of the recession.

“For me, it taught me how to work for what I believe in — that someone successful can be laid off,” Hayes said. “Having that humbleness, being able to pull through, it’s taught me to keep on fighting.”

At the first food line giveaway, the organization gave food to 69 people. He expected the program to only fill a need for a few months or up to a year. Now, Hayes works with the government to make sure the organization follows food regulations, and is even licensed as a

>> CHESS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

for the two-day event, which was hosted by the South Dakota Chess Association at the Holiday Inn Express. Geerts, who is ranked 50th in the state, lost all four of his matches and took a bye for the last round, but held his own for 61 moves against an older opponent ranked 15th.

The fifth-grader participates in football, basketball and baseball. He even plays the bass for his school’s orchestra. But it is the strategy and tactical thinking required to play chess that Brian Geerts, his father, said his son applies to everyday activities.

“When he plays football, he sees the quarterback as the king and the linemen as the pawns,” Brian Geerts said.

More chess clubs and summer programs are being offered to young players in the state, said Mark Derby, an officer for the SDCA and organizer of the Vermillion tournament. The state association is attempting to rekindle interest in the sport on college campuses though, which is why Vermillion played host to this year’s state tournament, Derby said.

The University of South Dakota’s chess club is no longer listed on the student portal, and its membership has dwindled to about five members. Mark Hansen, a former USD student, still shows up to occasional games on Sundays at 6 p.m. in the Muenster University Center, but said he was disappointed no USD students competed in the weekend tournament.

This was not the case when Derby started working at the university in the 1990s. Chess

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Senior Tiffany Ortman makes her way through a line of CRU members in order to fill bags of food for the Feeding South Dakota program Monday night.

food inspector.

“It’s cool to see how there actually is a need in South Dakota,” Hayes said.

Junior Sara Bruce began volunteering at the Faith Temple Food Giveaway in January after hearing about the organization from Hayes. Now, she drives up to volunteer as often as she can, performing tasks such as directing people in the food line to refilling food bins.

“I like knowing I am making a difference in someone’s life,” Bruce said.

Bruce has been voting for Feeding South Dakota as often as she can and has been reminding her friends to vote for the organization to receive the funds.

“If we win, we really want to expand, so vote for it,” Bruce said.

club attendance fluctuated, he said, but tournaments such as the now-defunct Coyote Classic drew top players to USD. “When USD’s chess club was active, we had international masters — some of the best players out there — coming to campus,” Derby said. “I’m hopeful there are students who play online and just don’t realize there are other students they can play against.”

A 1997 article from The Volante captured a Friday night event held by the club that included former state champion and non-traditional USD student Steve Norquist simultaneously taking on eight people in chess.

Norquist was rated 2,036 and ended the night by winning six games, losing one and drawing another.

Any chess player with a rating over 2,000 is considered an expert, or “grandmaster.” This rating is based on a mathematical formula, which measures the wins and draws against opponents at tournaments. The highest ranked player: American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer at 2,785.

The history of chess spans over 1,500 years, but Jill Likens, 54, cares most about what the game did for her more than three decades ago. Likens went to her first chess tournament as a student at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with her then-boyfriend. It was this tournament where she met her husband, Terry Likens, 62, who she said was “chatting her up in the hallway” while he played in the tournament.

Likens and her husband have been married for 35 years and primarily live in Watertown, S.D. Both competed in the state tournament in Vermillion, but Likens said it is her husband,

Join The Volante staff!

She said she’s looking forward to the organization expanding to Vermillion, and perhaps even Brookings.

“We’ll make food more accessible for those who need it,” Bruce said. “It’s something you don’t even think about. You never truly know what’s going on with someone financially.”

For now, Hayes is trying to spread the word.

“It only takes a couple of seconds to vote,” he said. “Even just

by Facebook, it’s being widely spread. For me, it taught me how to work for what I believe in. It’s taught me to keep on fighting.”

Follow reporter Braley Dodson on Twitter @BraleyDodson

ALLY KRUPINSKY I THE VOLANTE

Senior Aaron Loudenslager, right, and junior David Kobal, left, pack bags of food Monday night. More than 200 bags were filled with canned goods.

MEGAN CARD I THE VOLANTE

Student Government Association senators meet in the Muenster University Center Monday night to discuss sustainability.

who happens to be one of the main tournament directors in the state, who is a real student of the game.

“I’m an engineer, so I use chess as a way to relax and de-stress,” she said. “But Terry — he has like 500 books about chess in our house.”

Lyle Hanson, 55, knows exactly the kind of chess Terry Likens likes to play. Hanson traveled from Rapid City to compete in the tournament and won a four-hour match against Likens in the fourth round. Hanson would go on to become this year’s tournament champion.

Hanson began to play chess as a 10-year-old in Minot, N.D., and started to compete in tournaments at about 14. He still

gets shaky at the prospect of a good move and carries around a tissue in his pocket to wipe away beads of sweat from his brow when the competition gets fierce.

Chess has also led to unlikely friendships for the electronics technician, who is now a fourtime state champion. SDSMT student Heath Milton, 26, met Hanson at a bar where the two realized their mutual affinity for the game. They meet about once a week to play chess and drove up together to compete in the state tournament.

“The way I play depends if I’m white or black on the board. But Lyle’s taught me to be patient and to look for that good sacrifice piece to win,” Milton said.

The state’s competitive chess community is a close one, but there is not one particular personality type at a tournament, Hanson said. Veterans tend to scope out the competition like they would reconnoiter an enemy’s position before battle.

College professors theorize the implications of their next 15 moves, while high schoolers might impetuously rush their opening. But Hanson said no player is the same.

“There’s guys in three-piece suits. There’s guys wearing tiedyes that look like they haven’t changed in three months,” he said.

Follow reporter Megan Card on Twitter @meg_card

The Volante has something for everyone. Come find us in the Al Neuharth Building tonight at 7 p.m.!

VERVE

VOLANTEVERVE@USD.EDU | @VOLANTEVERVE

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

PARADISE FEARS WRAPS UP 14TH TOUR, PREPARES NEW ALBUM

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE Paradise Fears members Jordan Merrigan, left, Sam Miller, front, Joey Russ, back, and Marcus Sand, right, perform at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis, Minn. Sept. 27.

Josie Flatgard and Trent Opstedahl

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE Paradise Fears fans capture moments of the show.

The smell of sweat, perfume and a hint of alcohol fill the air inside the compact yet comfortable concert venue. A crowd of about 200 begins to erupt with song and cheer as the house lights dim and the stage lights begin flashing in chaotic patterns.

A few more seconds of delayed action to heighten anticipation and finally band members of Paradise Fears infiltrate the stage and welcome their fans to the last show of their Live Forever Tour.

“I spend 23 hours of the day being a human being and then one hour being on stage,” said Sam Miller, lead vocalist. “If you let it take that kind of importance, it’s impossible to view any show as not exciting.”

Miller and the other five members of the band have been on tour for the past two months, making 32 stops across the U.S. in that time. The Vermillionbased band completed its tour Saturday in Minneapolis — a bittersweet moment for band members as the Live Forever Tour was Paradise Fears’ first

full-band headlining tour.

“Headlining this many times consecutively gives you really a different perspective and clearest look at what your audience is,” Miller said. “It’s cool to see amazing turnout where we didn’t think we’d get any audience; less cool to see smaller turnouts, but all in all getting to play this many shows is the coolest.”

Saturday’s performance at Mill City Nights was Paradise Fears’ largest show of the tour, Miller said. Touring with opening acts Hollywood Ending, Against the Current, Nick Thomas and William Beckett, band members said switching roles from being an opening act in the past to being the headlining performer was an enlightening experience, but not in the way they were expecting.

“It’s all about doing what’s best for the show instead of what’s best for the camp,” acoustic guitarist Cole Andre said. “We’ve gotten really tight with them.”

Traveling cross-country in a 10-person van, Miller and Andre said the tour brought the band closer together in many ways,

ultimately strengthening their dynamic. Despite the recent departure of former drummer Lucas Zimmerman, who announced this summer he would pursue opportunities to provide support to third world countries, the addition of live drummer Joey Russ proved to be a positive change for the band.

“It’s definitely different. Joey has been great, he’s a really talented drummer, hard-working,” Andre said. “The dynamic is different among all of us.”

SEE BAND, PAGE B2

ONLINE ONLY Full Interview Volante reporters sit down with the members of Paradise Fears.

Photo Gallery See an extended photo gallery of the Vermillion-based band only at

volante online. com

Theatre Department works to break disorder stigma in “Next to Normal” Josie Flatgard

Josie.Flatgard@coyotes.usd.edu

Diana shoves her husband away in anguish, defending her son. She doesn’t realize her mind is deceiving her — that her son has been gone for 16 years.

Diana and her husband lost their child when he was 18 months old, an event that causes her to hallucinate her son. Over the next 16 years, she has seen him grow, while still having to live with her teenage daughter and husband.

The University of South Dakota Theatre Department performed this act in their production of Next to Normal last weekend and will perform one more five-show run this week. The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical works to break the negative stigma of mental illness.

“Mental illness is a very controversial topic and it can be so (stigmatizing). I just hope that this show breaks the mold and people see that it’s not something to blame,” said

sophomore Christa Gesicki, who plays Natalie, the teenage daughter, in the show.

Senior Steve Schaffer, who plays Dan, the father, said the show parallels what it is like for people dealing with the disorder the mother has.

“I think it’s kind of a nice little metaphor for mental illness,” Schaffer said. “It’s the same situation, it’s the same story, just different people, and so different people are affected in different ways. It’s just seeing two different perspectives.”

Though the story seems very serious and depressing, director Matt Nesmith said the audience can see it in an “uplifting, inspiring, hopeful” way.

“It shows, in a very realistic way… all the different types of treatments somebody with mental illness goes through, from medical treatment — prescriptions — to talk therapy, all the way to electroconvulsive therapy — shock therapy,” Nesmith said. “At SEE NEXT, PAGE B3

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Sophomore Christa Gesicki, left, senior Christine Pietz, back, junior Nick Manthe, front, and fist-year Nick Akins, right, sing during rehearsal. They are part of one of two casts performing the same show on alternating nights.

THE VOLANTE

B2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

MediaSketch OCT. 1

CampusEvents 8 p.m.

International Film Series: “Ride with Larry” Location: Farber Hall

8 p.m.

OCT. 2

Open Mic Night (Paw Points) Location: Muenster University Center, Pit Lounge 141

All Day DVLP Sponsors Donation Drive for Community Location: School of Law

12 p.m.

OCT. 3

Global Learning 101 Location: I.D. Weeks Library, Room 132C

3 p.m.

USD Women’s Soccer vs. Omaha Location: DakotaDome Soccer Field

8 p.m.

OCT. 4

Movies at the MUC (Paw Points) Location: Muenster University Center

All Day Coyote Invitational Tennis Location: USD Tennis Courts

8 p.m.

OCT. 5

Movies at the MUC (Paw Points) Location: Muenster University Center

1 p.m.

Women’s Soccer vs. Fort Wayne Location: DakotaDome Soccer Field

>> BAND

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

Although the tour has wrapped up and things will start slowing down for the band, Miller said the next three months are going to be busy preparing for the release of their sixth album in early 2015.

He said the first single off the album, “You to Believe In,” provides some insight on what fans can expect from their new releases and said the album focuses largely on the band’s happier moments in life.

“It is a very difficult time to be a human being. It is an incredibly difficult time to be a 22-year-old trying to find your way in the world and it’s really an easy time to be pessimistic or angry at the world,” Miller said. “There’s no reason to be pessimistic, because if you’ve got this person to believe in, then you’re fine.”

Since the jumpstart of their career in 2011, Miller said the band’s path has always been fairly undecided.

“I am 100 percent certain that when I turn around and look back on this when I’m older, I will be able to say ‘We made it,’” he said.

Choosing to forego a degree at the University of South Dakota, Miller and Andre said while they wonder what would have happened if they had gone to college, they don’t look back.

“We’ve gotten so many cool opportunities besides just being in the band now because of the band,” Andre said. “It’s almost like the band was college.”

Jill Tyler, Miller’s mother, considered the possibility of realized religious transformations and sexual orientation, but the thought that one of her children would decide not to go to college after graduating high school never came to her mind.

“It’s a perspective I’ve never had, one I never expected to have

“I am 100 percent certain that when I turn around and look back when I’m older, I will be able to say, ‘We made it.’”

-Sam Miller, lead singer that perspective on a band,” said Tyler, associate professor of communication studies.

Though it took some time to get used to the idea, Tyler and the other members’ moms knew they were going about it the smart way, even with some naivety of being young.

Tyler said she knew the band members wouldn’t have the type of real-life business experience had they been in college, but knew the relationships the members had with one another made the transition easier.

“One of the things that’s impressed me the most is their friendship,” Tyler said. “Their friendship started, some of them in middle school, some of them in preschool.”

When they began their journey, Paradise Fears knew it would take time to get where they are now, but their friendship was important and doing it together, Tyler said, has helped them remain levelheaded throughout the years.

Tyler was able to attend their performance in Omaha this tour and said she was again blown away by the number of fans who have been affected by the music of Paradise Fears.

“I hope they keep doing this

for as long as they love doing this,” Tyler said.

While admitting his envy for those who chose to attend college, Miller said the various projects everyone is involved in outside the band are similar to those a 22-year-old graduating college might be involved with.

“When I think back on it, if I had gone to college at the time I was supposed to… I’m afraid I would have kind of ended up doing something I didn’t really want to do,” he said.

Miller said ultimately a person just knows what is right for them.

“You’re only a human being for a certain amount of time so you should probably go do it,” he said. “If you can love what you’re creating (through your passion) then go do it.”

Reflecting on the band’s career thus far — which includes 13 tours prior to the Live Forever Tour — Andre said if he was to give one piece of advice to USD students considering taking an unconventional risk, it would be to remain passionate.

“If you work hard and have the right idea about it, I think you can pretty much do it,” he said.

“Live it up. Tomorrow could be completely different.”

9 p.m.

OCT. 6

DakotaDays MUC Bingo (Paw Points) Location: Muenster University Center

12 p.m.

International Forum: “When Will the Last U.S. Corp. Move Its Headquarters Abroad?”

Location: Farber Hall

8 p.m.

OCT. 7

Chloe Hilliard: Comedian (Paw Points) Location: Aalfs Auditorium

12 p.m.

West Coast Cool and Street Art Location: College of Fine Arts, Room 127

3 p.m.

‘Yotes Got Talent and Royalty Reveal (Paw Points) Location: Aalfs Auditorium

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Paradise Fears lead singer Sam Miller performs at Mills City Nights. The show was the final stop on the band’s first U.S. headlining tour, Live Forever Tour.

Improv Club offers outlet to creativity Maddi Ekhoff

Maddi.Ekhoff@coyotes.usd.edu

ANNA GLENSKI I THE VOLANTE

Sophomore Jasmine Blue “slaps” fellow sophomore Troy Berg during an improv club meeting Monday.

Troy Berg sits behind fellow sophomore Xiola KoilePaxton and Scott Stallamann and acts as the playwright.

Koile-Paxton and Stallamann stand and face the audience, ready to portray the characters and scenes of Berg’s choice The two are ready for anything the playwright’s mind can come up with — ranging from outer space adventures to fairytale dramas. It’s all part of improvisational acting.

Although the Improv Club just planted its roots at the University of South Dakota last semester, its seven members said it is on its way to thriving.

At a glance, the club is a group of students who come together with a common goal: to channel their creative energies into improvisational acting.

Berg, Improv Club president, has a history of acting in high school shows and said he wanted to continue that in

college.

“The best part of improv for me is that my usual childish and goofy nature is somewhat normal in this setting, and also that I get to see others bring out their own goofy behavior and feel uplifted by it and inspired,” he said.

Berg said the club is important because it lets him get away from all the stresses of college life and allows him to express himself in a way that is less formal and more for the general entertainment of the public.

Improv Club is a place to create and generate new ideas for on-the-spot, noscript entertainment, with the opportunity to bounce them around from member to member and see where things go.

For Stallamann, improv has always been a hobby he enjoys. He said joining the club was a way for him to express himself in a different way.

“It’s really fun to get together with people and just hang out and informally create

all of this stuff,” Stallamann said. “It’s really cool.”

Club members hope to bring in more members and eventually put on large-scale shows for the public.

But for now they have weekly meetings each Monday in the Muenster University Center at 5 p.m. where they practice their improvisational skills through various large group exercises which help them channel their creative energies in new and fun ways, Berg said.

Koile-Paxton, who is also one of the club’s leaders, said improv is a type of stress reliever for her.

“It allows me to be so open, and that’s not something you often get during the school week, or at any time,” she said.

She encouraged anyone who is or is not a theater major to give the club a try.

“As I am a music major I don’t have time to participate in the theater as much as I used to, and that’s why Improv Club is such a good alternative,” she said.

B3

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

Students flock Tenenbaums debuts to Bible studies new sound downtown Braley Dodson

Braley.Dodson@coyotes.usd.edu

On a Tuesday night in the St. Thomas More Newman Center, three students sit in a circle made of couches with Bibles on their laps, reading from the light of a standing lamp.

That night, sophomore John Fanta, first-year Brennan Vote and junior Jonah Beacom read from the second and third chapters of John, including John 3:16, which Fanta joked was “the most used verse in the NFL.” The students are three of more than 275 students involved in 47 Bible studies hosted by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.

In the last month alone, FOCUS added 17 Bible study groups, with five to seven students per group, composed strictly of students new to Bible study. Last year, there were 215 students involved in the FOCUS Bible studies at the University of South Dakota.

Tony Menke, a full-time missionary and team director with FOCUS, leads Fanta, Vote and Beacom’s Bible study group. Since the rise in interest, Menke and the other missionaries have rushed to find students to lead the groups.

“The response that we had was something that shocked us,” Menke said.

Menke said other universities in the region, such as South Dakota State University, have also seen a

boost in Bible study interest and attendance.

“We feel blessed in how big we are and how fast we’ve grown,” Menke said.

For the three students, the group is a chance to discuss ideas in an intimate setting.

“You get to hear what everyone thinks as opposed to the loudest person,” Vote said.

For Fanta, it’s more than simple scripture reading.

“It’s a good place where you can talk to other guys about what they’re doing in their life and know you’re not alone in the things you’re struggling with,” Fanta said. “It’s a good way to know the Bible better.”

Fanta, Vote and Beacom’s group normally has around seven males who attend the group. For them, they said each has their own reason for showing interest in Bible studies — from students who want to revisit their Catholic faith to those wishing to connect with their peers.

“I was a transfer student, so I was trying to meet new people,” Beacom said.

Menke said while the studies are connected to the Catholic church, the studies are open to students of all faith.

For the boys’ group, it’s something they plan on continuing to attend and would recommend to anyone interested “Being in a Bible study is a good idea for anyone who wants to grow in their Christian faith,” Vote said.

AMBER BOCK I THE VOLANTE

University of South Dakota student athletes come together Monday evening at the St. Thomas More Newman Center for a Bible study.

Local band sees big turnout for first show

BRALEY DODSON I THE VOLANTE

Tenenbaums bassist Brandon Phrommany plays his bass guitar during a performance at The Varsity in downtown Vermillion Sept. 27.

Braley Dodson

Braley.Dodson@coyotes.usd.edu

As balloons whizzed above a crowd of University of South Dakota students and other locals from the area in the basement of The Varsity on Saturday night, Mike Helland was surprised to see the amount of enthusiasm the crowd radiated as they pressed against the stage he and fellow band members Drew Hellend and Brandon Phrommany were performing on.

“I was expecting a little rowdiness, but not as much as what was shown,” Mike said.

The performance marked the launch of Tenenbaums’ first selftitled EP, something the band members said has been a long time in the works.

“It’s really DIY,” Drew said.

“Nothing fancy, but it sounds great.”

Tenenbaums is comprised of USD juniors Drew on drums, and Phrommany, who is the guitarist and vocalist, along with Bethany

ing their instruments along with the CD. For the launch party, Mike — Drew’s twin brother — drove to Vermillion.

Looking to the future, the band might release a LP, a fulllength album, and is considering creating a music video.

“We do have enough for a full album, but with school we’re kind of grounded right now,” Drew, who has written music reviews for The Volante, said.

“We’re up for it, though.”

But where the band is happiest isn’t recording songs, but up on stage.

“You’ll see me smiling a lot because crowd interaction is the best,” Drew said. “We’re just trying to have fun.”

Although the members of Tenenbaums have a long wish list of bands they’d love to tour with such as The National and Surfer Blood, they all want to continue performing live.

“One main part of the band is live music,” Mike said. “I would love a live tour.”

Colors for CASA benefits children

>> NEXT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

the same time, there’s a lot of humor in the show as well, because like in real life, sometimes we laugh to stop crying, or we laugh because it’s all we can do to break that tension.”

Members of the cast had sessions with the USD counseling community, the psychology department and the South Dakota National Association of Mental Illness to help them prepare to delve into their characters. Nesmith provided them with journals to pull from their own experience.

Junior Kristian Asfeldt, who plays Gabe, the son, found it eye opening to hear stories from and talk to people who have dealt with or experienced mental illness.

“We’ve been fortunate enough that the campus here and the community as a whole has been really open and willing to help us prepare for something so psychologically and emotionally demanding as this,” Asfeldt said.

Schaeffer said the disorder does not define them but makes the people human beings.

“It’s not about mental illness, it’s about this struggle that this family has and the difficulties are stemmed in mental illness,” Schaeffer said.

“It’s not something to blame on, by any means. It’s just sort of there.”

With so many talented students Nesmith said they wanted to provide more opportunities to perform, resulting in two separate casts of six people each alternating show nights.

“It’s the same show, yet it’s totally different because you have six people who have different takes, different voices, different perceptions of who these characters are, and so it’s been fascinating to watch as a director every night,” Nesmith said.

Sophomore Ebrin Stanley, the other Dan, said the two casts were with each other throughout the rehearsal process and found it tough finding a middle ground.

“We would block scenes together, we would run it, the other cast would watch, then the other cast go up and the other cast ran it,” Stan-

Lutheran College student Mike on bass. Both Drew and Phrommany are pursuing media and journalism degrees, while Mike is studying communications.

The group formed last summer, during which time the songs on the EP were recorded. The majority of the short album was recorded in one day, and everything, including the artwork, was created by the band.

The indie rock band defines their music as dreamy.

Phromanny’s favorite song on the EP is “45 Minutes,” a song he wrote based off a dream.

“I had a really weird dream where I was on the beach and there was a girl in the ocean and a whole bunch of plane parts and boat parts were coming out of the ocean and into the sun,” Phrommany said. “I thought that was the coolest dream I’ve ever had, so I decided to write about it.”

Because Mike attends school in Mankato, Minn., the members of the band often practice play-

Natalie Keller

Natalie.Keller@coyotes.usd.edu

AMBER BOCK I THE VOLANTE

Senior Ceci Quintero acts alongside sophomore Ebrin Stanley in a Sept. 25 rehearsal.

ley said. “We played a fine line with giving advice.”

Stanley said the cast played into their own unique elements for the innovative and contemporary show, ensuring experiences were different each time.

“I think everybody has done a really cool job with making sure they stay true to how they saw the character and forming their own,” Stanley said. “It’s two completely different shows, though it’s the same story.”

Immediately following the Oct. 1 and Oct. 4 shows, audiences are encouraged to stick around for a talk back session involving a Q&A. Invited health professionals, those dealing with mental illness and members of the cast will be on stage to discuss issues the show encountered.

The talk back sessions are meant to serve as a platform for social change and awareness and how it connects with the theatrical process.

The Theatre Department is offering tickets at discounted prices for audiences who have seen one cast and wish to see the other.

USD students are able to take in both shows for the price of one on their special “date nights” Oct. 2-3.

Performances are scheduled for Oct. 1-4 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. in the Wayne S. Knutson Theatre. Those interested in the show can stop by the box office in the Warren M. Lee Center for Fine Arts for tickets or call 605-677-5400.

MEET THE CASTS Oct. 1, 3, 5 Diana .............................. Ceci Quintero

Junior Kailee Olson’s aunt was a foster parent. She would meet many children, but would never see them again once they moved on — always a bittersweet moment for her.

As a way to help kids like the ones her aunt helped, Olson decided to participate in the annual Colors for CASA 5K Run/Walk Saturday, which drew more than 130 University of South Dakota students and community members to the event held at St. Agnes Catholic School in Vermillion. All funds raised were donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates.

For Olson, running in the race was her way of giving back to the community and acknowledging that child abuse and neglect is a problem in society.

“It’s a cause a lot of people don’t even consider,” Olson said. “Everyone knows about diseases and things like that, but this is something that goes unnoticed.”

A non-profit organization, CASA focuses on helping abused and neglected children make their way through the court system by ensuring they have necessities such as food, shelter and clothing.

Recognizing exercise can be mundane, but USD’s Kappa Alpha

Theta found a way to make exercise fun while raising money for a good cause by adding some splashes of color to the usual marathon running gear.

Junior Kathleen Serie headed the planning of the color run for her sorority.

“It’s taking exercise and bumping it up a notch,” Serie said.

Participants ran or walked through the streets of Vermillion and had various colors of powder thrown at them as they raced toward the finish line.

“It’s prompting a healthy lifestyle, and at the same time they get the color, so it’s fun and they get to support the kids so it’s a good cause,” Serie said.

Sophomore Ashlyn Pudenz assisted Serie in organizing and preparing for the event.

“I really like philanthropy and volunteering in general,” Pudenz said. “I just wanted to help a sister.”

Serie said many children are affected by child abuse and neglect and are constantly moving between foster homes.

“It’s a way bigger problem than a lot of people think it is, and CASA is there to advocate for them and make sure they have a voice and aren’t falling through the cracks,” Serie said. “I am just so humbled we get to be a part of it.”

Dan .................................. Ebrin Stanley Natalie ............................ Christa Gesicki Gabe ............................... Nick Akins Henry .............................. Nick Manthe Dr. Fine/Madden ........ Christine Pietz

Oct. 2, 4 Diana .............................. Lindsay Qualls Dan .................................. Steve Schaeffer Natalie ............................ Brianna Bernard Gabe ............................... Kristian Asfeldt Henry .............................. Lukas Ptacek Dr. Fine/Madden ........ Kelsey Mitteness

ANNA GLENSKI I THE VOLANTE

Participants in the Colors for CASA event get a running start Saturday morning.

SPORTS

INSIDE: Tyler Starr, B6

VOLANTEONLINE.COM/SPORTS | @VOLANTESPORTS

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

Seats create new student section rules Phillip Mark Millar

Phillip.Millar@coyotes.usd.edu

one works as hard as she does,” Rudeen said.

Wieseler may work behind the scenes of USD athletics, but her coworkers said she plays a big role in USD’s Division I professionalism.

“She’s that person you know you can count on for anything regardless of what time you call,” USD softball coach Amy Klyse said. “She’s kind of like our rock behind the scenes. We count

Coyote Crazies and other University of South Dakota fans have more rules to follow with the installation of new student section bleachers in the DakotaDome.

One of the major rule changes is designed to keep students from blocking the LED advertisement boards above the student section.

“Right now, we don’t want you standing in front of the board,” USD Athletic Director David Herbster said. “Really, you shouldn’t just be standing back beyond there for more than a few minutes.”

Herbster said the athletic department is trying to prevent two kinds of obstruction. The first type of obstruction comes when students stand on the top row of bleacher seats in front of the LED boards. The second type is when students loiter directly in front of the LED boards.

Lt. Jef Rice of the University Police Department has been involved with the enforcement of the rule change.

“There have been times that people have been asked to move,” Rice said.

The athletic department, UPD, Student Services and Lions Club are in charge of preventing students from obstructing the advertising.

There is no punishments for either obstruction, but students are asked to return to their seats.

“The big thing you’re looking for is for people to comply,” Herbster said. “With sponsors that pay money to be on those boards, they want people to see their boards.”

Ben Flora is the account executive for Coyote Sports Properties, which is in charge of marketing for USD sports. He said 40-45 different businesses advertise on that particular board, with the

SEE LAUNDRY, PAGE B6

SEE RULES, PAGE B6

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

Sara Wieseler, equipment manager for Coyote athletics, shares her office space with shelves of sport team equipment for University of South Dakota athletes.

THE QUEEN AND HER COURT Katie McGuire

Katrinia.McGuire@coyotes.usd.edu

Downstairs in the DakotaDome, between administrative offices and locker rooms, sits Sara Wieseler, surrounded by shelves of athletic equipment near her office desk.

Wieseler is the head athletic equipment manager at the University of South Dakota and works as part of the staff behind the scenes of Coyote athletics.

Her role isn’t the most glamorous.

Her job includes ordering sports apparel, washing athlete jerseys and gear, checking out equipment and transporting

Wieseler airs “dirty laundry” as equipment manager

equipment. Wieseler does this for all 17 athletic teams at USD. She even travels with the football team.

On average, she will complete about 10 loads of laundry for all the sports every day — on top of all her other duties.

Wieseler said her duties keep her busy. She said the job starts as early as July and August, ordering new apparel for the teams. Her busiest job is doing the laundry, especially during football season when the team completes two

practices a day.

Luckily, Wieseler has help from undergraduates and graduate students to get the job done.

“I do have students working for me during work study to help with the laundry, inventory and equipment,” Wieseler said.

As one of Wieseler’s graduate assistants, Alexa Rudeen said Wieseler is the best person for the head athletic equipment manager position.

“She is a great boss. I’ve been here for seven years and no

USD’s Climb Fest grapples new challenges Alanna Schmeichel

Alanna.Schmeichel@coyotes.usd.edu

ANNA GLENSKI I THE VOLANTE

Junior Josh Johnson climbs the University of South Dakota Wellness Center’s rock wall Sept. 25.

The 38-foot-high rock climbing wall in the Wellness Center will transform Oct. 8 into a competitive landscape for the fourth-straight year of Climb Fest at the University of South Dakota.

USD Climbing Club president Brad Zwart said the event is the beginning of fall competitions for the group and is a good start to draw attention to rock climbing in Vermillion. Swart estimates between 40 to 70 competitors will participate.

USD Climbing Club currently has 80 members, but only a team of 12 practice together. USD climbers compete against schools like South Dakota State, Minnesota, Minnesota State-Mankato and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In addition to getting ready for those competitions, Climb Fest also serves to raise money for the club. The club will use the money to go to competitions and climbing trips, but most of the money will go toward the spring break trip.

“The atmosphere is wonderful with a friendly competition,” Zwart said. “It’s a great way for people to meet up and help the club earn some cash.”

Junior Matt Schlimgen is the head of recruitment for USD Climbing Club. He said Climb Fest has benefits that go beyond the competition.

“It is a great workout, and I have met some of my best friends through rock wall climbing,” Schlimgen said.

Climb Fest is also a way for people to experience new routes, he said. The Wellness Center does put up new routes on a weekly basis, but new routes and set paths for climbers will be made during the event.

“It’s like burning a new candle,”

“It’s like burning a new candle. After a while, it gets a little boring climbing the same thing.”

- Brad Zwart, USD Climbing Club president

Zwart said. “After a while, it gets a little boring climbing the same thing.”

This year’s Climb Fest will include prizes for winners, but the introduction of costumes is also being encouraged by organizers.

The best costumes will receive prizes, and there will be a raffle after the event.

First-year Deanna Bradshaw said she plans to participate in the competitive climbing event.

She said the costumes will be interesting, but she’s competing for a different reason.

“It is a new way to work out, and it works every muscle,” Bradshaw

said. “I like to climb, because it is Follow reporter Alanna Schmeichel on Twitter @AlannaMae13

Climb Fest When: Oct. 8 at 1 p.m.

Where: USD’s Wellness Center How to register: Pre-register for beginner, intermediate or advanced for $20 or $25 at the door on Oct. 8. Donate two cans of food to the Vermillion Food Pantry for $5 off registration.

ANNA GLENSKI I THE VOLANTE

Sophomore Baylee Knippling begins to scale USD’s rock wall.

B5

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

COYOTEDigest CoyoteRecap

CLEARING THE NET

Men’s Golf Recap: Third-round blues caught up with the University of South Dakota men’s golf team Tuesday at the South Dakota Coyote Classic. In their only home competition of the fall season, the Coyotes posted a 912 total in three rounds to finish third behind the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s 908 and North Dakota State’s 910. The Coyotes left some shots on the course, however, while struggling to a high of 317 in the final round. The Coyotes did post the lowest overall round score in the second round of 292. The team was led by a tight pack of golfers who finished tied for 11. Sam Matthew, Cole Peterson and Jordan Rykal all finished at 227 in Dakota Dunes for the two-day competition.

Up Next: Old Dominion Intercollegiate in Powells Point, N.C., Oct. 19.

Women’s Golf Recap: The Coyote women’s golf team saw a couple young players go above and beyond to contribute to the team’s best overall performance of the fall season. Sophomore Brenna Lervick claimed the gold in the South Dakota Coyote Classic tournament Tuesday, finishing with a three-round 227 and +11. Lervick’s performance came in an effort that led the Coyotes to a third place overall finish in the tournament with 964, trailing only North Dakota State’s 926 and Drake’s 959 finishes. On top of Lervick’s finish was first-year Abby Dufrane, with a 233 and +17 final card. The first-year finished sixth overall. The finish was close to the team’s last finish where Lervick and Dufrane led the way with the team’s top performances.

Up Next: Seattle Pat Lesser Harbottle Invite in Seattle, Wash., Oct. 13.

Soccer Recap: USD’s soccer took both of last week’s Summit League Players of the Week for offense and defense. Sophomore forward Corey Strang won the offensive award after scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Drake.

ANNA GLENSKI I THE VOLANTE

Senior Melissa Firtko goes for a kill during the University of South Dakota-North Dakota State volleyball match-up Friday night at the DakotaDome. The ‘Yotes came out with the win, 3-1.

Tennis

Cross Country

Recap: USD women’s tennis team saw impressive doubles performances over the weekend as one team picked up a flight win and another fiinished second at the UNI Invitational. Senior Nina Barudzic and first-year Sanjana Bidarkal teamed up for a win in the Panther Double Flight.

Sophomore Dragana Brankovic and senior Rymma Maslova finished second in the Gold Doubles Flight. Barudzic and Yamini Reddy both finished third in singles.

Recap: Both cross country teams picked up ranking boosts after strong finishes at Minnesota’s Roy Griak Invitational Saturday. Each team finished 17 and were powered by juniors. Mubarik Musa finished 19 overall for the men, and Amber Eickhorn finished 27 overall. The women are now ranked ninth and the men 12th in the latest Midwest region ranking released Monday. Musa was also named the Summit League’s Men’s Cross Country Athletes of the Week.

Up Next: USD Coyote Invitational, Vermillion, S.D., Oct. 4-6.

Up Next: SDSU Classic in Brookings, Oct. 4

Athlete spotlight: Ryan Saeger

MALACHI PETERSEN I THE VOLANTE

University of South Dakota quarterback Ryan Saeger steps back to throw against Northern Arizona Sept. 20 in the DakotaDome.

Nathan Ellenbecker

Nathan.Ellenbecker@coyotes.usd.edu

This week’s athlete spotlight focuses on sophomore Ryan Saeger, who started at quarterback for the Coyotes the past three games after beginning the year as the backup.

Your student

health provider At Sanford Health Vermillion Clinic we believe quality care should be delivered close to home. Our team provides you with health and healing where it’s convenient for you, by providers with a connection to your community.

Mary Jo Olson, MD

Stephen Njagi, MD

Clinic Hours: Monday—Friday 7:30 a.m.—8 p.m.

Saturday 8:30—11:30 a.m.

For more information or to make an appointment, call (605) 624-9111.

Anastasia Searcy, DO

sanfordvermillion.org

610-12400-0451 Rev 1/13

Melissa Shefl, PA-C

Anthony Burbach, PA-C

Nathan Ellenbecker: Was the Coyote News YouTube video when people finally started to recognize you around campus?

Ryan Saeger: People definitely recognize me more after that video. It got a lot of retweets and favorites. I’ve been kind of promoting it too. I showed my family and everything. It shows that we need more people in the stands.

N.E.: Who is Ryan Saeger?

R.S.: I try to be the funny guy.

I love cracking jokes. Our friend group has a lot of shots fired. We love picking on each other. I just try to be the guy to make everybody laugh. I try to have fun going out. I try to be the fun guy. You can’t be serious in life all the time.

N.E.: You live with Trevor Bouma, Keyen Lage and a few other leaders on the team. How’s that?

R.S.: We know our limits and what’s expected of us, but we still like to have fun. I think a lot of people around campus know that.

N.E.: Kevin Earl gets injured and you have to start. Were you ready?

R.S.: I felt ready. I told everyone this — I was excited to play because it had been three years since I had taken a snap in a real game. I felt my off-season was huge for me. I stayed here all May, June and July working out and working on my throwing mechanics.

N.E.: What kind of music do you listen to?

R.S.: I’ve kind of got a variety of stuff on my iPod. To be honest, I’m not really a big country guy. I like Coyote radio because they’ve got a variety of stuff. I grew up listening to classic rock with my dad. I’m big into Led Zeppelin, The Who and them.

N.E.: Why should people come watch you play?

R.S.: People shouldn’t come watch me play. They should come watch the team play because people don’t realize how much of an advantage it is to have a home field advantage. In the Northern Arizona game, everyone was there in the stands, and we came out hot. We run out on the field in the second half — I’m not blaming this on the fans — but we see a dwindled crowd. They score 14 points immediately, and we didn’t have fans to feed off. We go to these other places. They have packed houses, and you can just feel it. It would be a big advantage for us, and if we’re winning games, it’s a fun night for everyone.

THE VOLANTE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

Former Coyote linebacker ‘battling’ to stay in NFL

VOLANTEONLINE.COM

>> RULES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4

size of these businesses varying. “(The LED board behind the student section) is one of our more popular pieces of inventory,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a local restaurant, and sometimes it’s a major insurance company.”

Travis Lee, general manager at Coyote Sports Properties, said there are two reasons for not wanting students to block the LED boards.

“We don’t want anyone to get their fingers caught or potentially hit their head on the metal framing,” he said. “We certainly want to protect our clients to make sure their ads are being viewed during all the events at the DakotaDome.”

Rice said in addition to keeping the LED boards visible, the walkway needs to be clear. Before the new student bleachers were put into place, the athletic department made it a priority to have more accessible entrances and exits for students.

“It makes it easier for people to get to and from seating if the area is

B6 clear,” Rice said.

Graduate student Franklin Epperson was standing in front of the top row of bleachers during the first half of USD’s victory against Northern Arizona, and he said no one prohibited him from doing so.

Herbster said the athletic department said they did not notice the problem until the new bleachers were completed.

“When we built the new bleachers, one of the things we didn’t plan for on the upfront side until they were actually completed is the walkway that’s back by the LED boards,” he said.

However, the decision to not allow students to stand in the walkways or on the seats of the top row bleachers was made before the first football game this year.

“I might be a little more cautious than necessary,” Herbster said. “But I’d rather be cautious upfront and deal with any issues that come from me being cautious versus having anything unintentional happen.”

Follow reporter Phillip Millar on Twitter @PhilMill15

FILE PHOTO I THE VOLANTE

Former University of South Dakota defensive lineman Tyler Starr attempts a tackle during the USD against South Dakota State on Sept. 16, 2013, in the DakotaDome.

Grant Bosiacki

Grant.Bosiacki@coyotes.usd.edu

It’s been nearly five months since former South Dakota linebacker Tyler Starr was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the 255th pick of the seventh round.

“It’s been enjoyable so far, but I’ve got to keep battling everyday,” said Starr after his Falcons lost 41-28 Sunday vs. the Minnesota Vikings.

Starr gained some national attention after being featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks with his family, which followed the Falcons during training camp this summer.

That was a little different kind of attention than Starr received in South Dakota.

“That was a fun experience, but I couldn’t get too worked up about it because this is my job,” Starr said.

The former Coyote, who was the second to last player drafted, defied odds by making the Falcons’ 53-man roster. The Falcons drafted nine players in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Only six players stuck on the 53-man roster. Three players on the defensive side of the ball drafted before Starr were cut.

The Little Rock, Iowa native had many accolades during his Coyote football career. He was the first player in school history to win Missouri Valley Football Conference Player of the Year and his 27 career sacks are tied for the school record.

Starr’s play never ceased to amaze USD head coach Joe Glenn during their two years together.

Glenn said Starr’s biggest impact couldn’t be found on a stat sheet: intimidation.

“Every quarterback knew where he was at all times,” Glenn said. “He was a force every practice and it carried over to the games.”

But Glenn said there are zero

guarantees when it comes to playing at the next level. “(The Falcons) have a lot of veterans who have proved themselves, which makes it even more impressive,” Glenn said. “I’ve coached players that have made it to the NFL, and I can say it is just so hard to get on a roster like that.

With his long blonde hair, Starr is hard to miss on the sidelines.

Unfortunately, that can’t quite yet be said on the field thus far. Each week, every team in the NFL has to list seven players inactive.

Starr has fallen victim to the inactive list, being on it each of his team’s four games.

“I just have to wait for my time to get on the field,” Starr said. “I’m working hard every practice until my number is called on game day.”

Fellow draft class teammates Dezmen Southward, a third round pick and safety from the University of Wisconsin, and Prince Shembo, a fourth round pick and linebacker from Notre Dame, agree that despite coming from a small school, Starr has what it takes to produce in the NFL. “He looks good in practice. He works hard,” Southward said. “I’ve been impressed with him.”

Shembo, whose locker was next to Starr’s at TCF Bank Stadium in Minnesota, gets the chance to see Starr up-close on a daily basis during linebacker drills in practice.

Shembo said Starr’s game — paired with his long hair — made it pretty easy to recognize him early on.

“I’ve been impressed with him for awhile now,” Shembo said. “I always say he’s like Clay Matthews not just because he looks like him, but he plays like him too. He’s got a real bright future.”

Starr gained the attention of his peers, but what’s important

Tyler Starr NFL “Tyler Starr will be the most impactful defensive player from the Falcons’ 2014 draft class ... He’s got the best combination of size, speed, power and motor of all of the passrushing edge players on the roster.”

-Bleacher Report’s Scott Carasik Next game: New York Giants, Oct. 5, 1 p.m.

FILE PHOTO I THE VOLANTE

Students can no longer stand on the top row of the student section in the DakotaDome because an advertisement LED board must be visible at all times.

for him right now is to continue working hard and stay patient, said Falcons starting defensive end Kroy Biermann.

Biermann, like Starr, was a late round pick from a small college who specializes in sacking the quarterback. Biermann was drafted in the fifth round in 2008 out of the University of Montana.

“I was raised on hard work and dedication. That’s what got me here,” Biermann said. “I think he knows that’s what he’s got to keep doing, because that’s what will make him see the field when we need him.”

Starr says he is making sure to stay patient and take each day one at a time but is sure of his pride to be one of the few NFL players to represent the University of South Dakota.

“I have a lot of pride in being a Coyote, and I’m very proud to represent them in the NFL,” Starr said. “We’ll see where my hard work takes me.”

Starr and the Falcons travel to East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday to take on the New York Giants.

Follow reporter Grant Bosiacki on Twitter @GBos2

>> LAUNDRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4

on her for the everyday things you’d count on an equipment manager for, but she goes beyond that duty to help with field maintenance, turf rolling and jumping cars.”

Wieseler said although she has a lot of work transferring equipment, seeing the games from the sidelines is worth it.

“Game day is a unique experience because you are on the sidelines and see so many other things that the average person wouldn’t see in the stands,” she said.

Wieseler said she enjoys picking out apparel “because it is shopping,” and getting to see the athletes’ faces when they are given the items is priceless.

One of Wiesler’s favorite things about her job is being involved with all of the athletes every day — even if it’s just to check out equipment. “(I like the) interaction with

all the athletes and being around sports,” Wieseler said. “I love traveling with the football team.”

Originally from St. Helena, Neb., with a degree in Sport Management from Wayne State, Wieseler’s first experience with USD sports began in 2007 when she interned with Gary Madsen, the athletic department’s operations manager.

Weisler worked with him from August through December, and in January of 2008, he hired her as a full-time facility worker, Wieseler said.

She said she has enjoyed her job and being around sports ever since, which is leaving an impression on her favorites sports teams — USD Coyotes.

“She is capable and willing to do anything you bring to her attention,” Klyse said. “Our program runs with a lot more ease because of the time she gives to it.”

Follow reporter Katie McGuire on Twitter @KatieMGee

Pick-up soccer matches get a boost with 22 teams Nathan Ellenbecker

Nathan.Ellenbecker@coyotes.usd.edu

On the final court in the University of South Dakota Wellness Center, nightly games of pick-up soccer host 10-20 people looking to play a sport that is not typically a popular American pastime.

With a mix of inexperienced students to former players, the games look similar to any pickup sport hosted at the Wellness Center. Like other pick-up games there’s a sense of chaos, a few dominant players along with a mixture of competition on the court.

“For some people at USD, soccer is a great way to take a break from studying and participate in a physical activity,” said sophomore Alexander Savage. “I’ve found soccer to be a great way to meet new people.”

Savage has been playing soccer for 15 years. He said he participates once or twice a week in the pickup games at the Wellness Center.

“I feel soccer is pretty laid back here at USD,” he said. “I do expect soccer to be a growing sport here.”

At the intramural level, the Wellness Center has seen rapid growth in just two years. In 2012, intramural soccer had 160 competitors. This year, 210 have

already competed, and the season is not over.

Shawn Clark is the assistant director for activities at the Wellness Center. He said the growth in intramural interest is surprising considering most soccer in South Dakota is at the club level, not sanctioned in high school.

“Even though it is not a sport that’s popular for high school kids in the state of South Dakota, it can still be relevant here at USD,” Clark said.

He said the Wellness Center reinvented its soccer to 7-on-7 from the standard 11-on-11 and now the growth in teams has jumped from 10 to 22 since 2012.

He said the growth comes from effective advertising and making it easier to field teams.

While the sport may be picking up at USD, it has also gained national attention after this summer’s World Cup. During this summer’s World Cup, the United States’ 2-2 draw with Portugal scored a record 24.7 million views on ESPN and Univision across the country.

And FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, said Americans bought more than 200,000 tickets to the summer’s World Cup – the second-most by any country, behind only host nation Brazil.

To keep the numbers coming,

soccer is growing among younger people around the country, especially the college-aged demographics.

Pew Research Centers reports 40 percent of Americans aged 20-29 were excited for the World Cup before it began, compared to 13 percent of those aged 50 and older.

Sophomore Dillon Jemmott has been a soccer fan since elementary school. Growing up overseas on a naval base in Japan, Jemmott isn’t just about playing pick-up and intramural soccer. He follows professional soccer and sits with viewing parties in the Muenster University Center often.

“Typically I find myself playing with many international students and watching games with them as well,” Jemmott said. “I really didn’t expect to find as many people enjoying soccer here at USD.” Clark said soccer’s national fan base is helping soccer’s growth at USD. “I definitely think the World Cup and soccer in general across America are becoming more popular,” he said. “I think the participants who play (intramurals) have a strong knowledge of U.S. soccer at the professional level.”

Follow reporter Nathan Ellenbecker on Twitter @NJE13

ANNA GLENSKI I THE VOLANTE

Sophomore Ahmad Al Zuabi plays soccer inside the University of South Dakota’s Wellness Center on Sept. 25.