The Volante
THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887 SPORTS (B1, B2)
W E D N E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 0 , 2 0 2 1
Coyote women’s soccer sweeps the weekend
The Coyote women’s soccer team competed against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks and the North Dakota State Bison. The Coyotes went into the weekend with a 7-3-2 record on the season and a record of 3-2 in Summit League play.
“[title of show]” involves audience, breaks the fourth wall
VOLANTEONLINE.COM VERVE (B3, B4)
“[title of show]” is the Department of Theatre’s second show of the year. The The musical tells the story of two men writing a musical about two men writing a musical while also creatively including the audience in the show. “[title of show]” will be hosted inside the Arena Theatre.
Bailey Zubke | The Volante
President Shelia Gestring spoke at the Senate Bill 55 community outreach session Thursday night in the MUC Ballroom. Gestring also fielded questions about the Opportunity Center and the future of the Center for Diversity and Community.
SB 55 TASK FORCE MEETS, GETS QUESTIONED ON OPPORTUNITY CENTER INITIATIVE Bennett Clary
Bennett.Clary@coyotes.usd.edu
Miles Amende
Miles.Amende@coyotes.usd.edu
The South Dakota Board of Regents’ (SDBOR) Senate Bill 55 (SB 55) Task Force came to USD Oct. 14 to present the BOR’s strategies for addressing the bill’s charges to students and faculty. SB 55 is “An Act to require the B oard of Regents to assemble a task force to study the operations and functions of the institutions of higher education under the board’s authority,” according to the language in the bill. The bill charges the task force to examine nine areas of university operation. The bill can be found at www.sdbor.edu/ SB55TaskForce/Documents/ Senate-Bill-55.pdf. President Sheila Gestring presented gave a short presentation before the SB 55 Task Force presented. Executive Director of the SDBOR Brian Maher and a panel of other Regents presented the task force’s findings. Maher discussed each area that SB 55 focuses on and how it will impact USD’s campus in the future. After both presentations, students and faculty were able to ask questions about SB 55. Participants were concerned with Title IX, green building standards and the reassessment of the minimum number of
students for course enrollment, among other topics. After the first round of questions, the Task Force opened the discussion to general questions about SDBOR activities. Students and faculty used this opportunity to discuss the “Opportunity for All” statement, the planned Opportunity Centers and the fate of USD’s Center for Diversity and Community (CDC). Maher clarified that SB 55 is separate and distinct from the Opportunity Centers, and said that the only overlap between the two was timing. He said the “Opportunity for All” statement came out of a national conversation that was held in the spring. “Really, the conversation came up in the spring. As a nation, we were having this conversation—a large conversation—about diversity, equity and inclusion nationally, and what does it mean, and from there, really, we put together a group, we said, ‘what does it mean on our campuses,’” Maher said. When questioned about the national conversation that happened in the spring, Maher was unable to provide specifics. “All I would say is the conversations that I talked about earlier where we had members of the board, as well as presidents of our institutions, and we had a think tank on how should we address this topic,” Maher said.
Gestring responded to concerns that the CDC director position hasn’t been filled yet. She said the position was being withheld as the university continues to work through the establishment of the Opportunity Center. “We’re not taking the position away, it’s still budgeted, it’s just not filled. We want to make sure we get through this process and we have a plan and we’ve talked with all of the stakeholders here on campus,” Gestring said. “I’m holding that position until we’re through the Opportunity Center because that position could be a part of the Opportunity Center.” Gestring said there’s a misunderstanding about something being taken away once the Opportunity Center is implemented. “There isn’t anything that says the Opportunity Center replaces anything. The Opportunity Center broadens and builds upon what we’re doing,” Gestring said. USD’s final plans for the Opportunity Center will be presented to the SDBOR at the Dec. 8-9 meeting, and the Opportunity Center itself will be implemented Jan. 1, 2022. There will be emails about stakeholder meetings sent to students and faculty before the December. meeting where students can voice their concerns.
Bailey Zubke| The Volante
The South Dakota Board of Regents Senate Bill 55 task force hosted a community outreach session for the bill. Students came and voiced their concerns about plans to implement Opportunity Centers across South Dakota campuses.
Bailey Zubke | The Volante
Students representing Spectrum, Tiospaye and the Student Government Association asked questions and listened to the Senate Bill 55 Task Force session in the MUC Ballroom Thursday night.
USD Professor to present to Doctors Without Borders chapter Bailey Zubke
Bailey.Zubke@coyotes.usd.edu
Richard Ekstrom, a professor of physical therapy at USD, is giving a presentation to the USD chapter of Doctors without Borders Nov. 1.
Ekstrom is presenting on his experiences in Dominican Republic and Haiti, where he traveled for Medical Mission Trips. The presentation is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Room 133 of the Beacom School of Business.
Ekstrom has a degree in physical therapy from the University of North Dakota, a masters in physical therapy from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Health Sciences in Provo, Utah.
Ekstrom became an instructor at USD in 1997 and was inducted into the South Dakota Physical Therapy Association’s Hall of Fame in 2015. He was the 25th member of the Association’s Hall of Fame. Ekstrom also spent 20 years teaching
and practicing physical therapy in Duluth, Minnesota before coming to USD. All students are welcome to attend the presentation to hear more about Ekstrom’s time in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.