The Volante February 7, 2024

The Volante

THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887

W E D N E S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 7 , 2 0 2 4

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Email Policy News: SDBOR Erases More Than a Signature

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Pole Vaulters Sports: USD Make National Rankings

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News:

USD Athletic Director & Vermillion Mayor Jon Cole Give Students a Chance to win $2,000 Upon Meeting See page 3 Attendance Goals

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News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE

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USD Athletic Director & Vermillion Mayor Push Attendance Goals Jacob Pierce

Jacob.Pierce@coyotes.usd.edu

In a bold move to drive up attendance at sporting events, USD Athletic Director Jon Schemmel has introduced a new incentive to increase student attendance at games.

At each basketball game, Schemmel will personally offer a cash reward when specific attendance goals are achieved.

The incentive began with the goal of seeing 200 students in attendance. If that goal was met, a randomly selected student would have the chance to take a halfcourt shot. Successful attempts would be met with a $1,000 cash prize from Schemmel himself.

For every half-court shot missed by a student at a game, the dis-

tance between the half court mark and the hoop will be shortened by one full step forward. Meaning that the more students who miss their shot, the easier it will be for students to win money at the next game.

The prize aimed not only to boost event attendance but also to inject an element of unpredictability and excitement into the school’s sports culture.

Schemmel isn’t alone in his cash prize offer to students: Vermillion Mayor Jon Cole has agreed to match Schemmel’s offer for each game if an additional 50 students are in attendance.

Cole hopes that others will see what he and Schemmel are doing to aid attendance numbers and will themselves aid in raising the prize money even more.

“I’ve been hoping that if I join, other key community members might jump in as well,” Cole said.

Cole believes this incentive has increased the number of students in attendance, however the goals have still not been met for every single game, which Cole says is the same as “leaving the money on the table.”

Both Cole and Schemmel will keep the prize money running until the last basketball regular season home game.

Cole hopes that his contribution

Skylar Evans | The Volante will have a lasting effect on the attendance of USD sporting events.

He thinks that a large student attendance can have positive impacts far beyond athletics.

“Students being at all the games helps not only the athletes, but it also makes the experience that more enjoyable for all. When the crowd is large and exciting, it drives attendance up,” Cole said.

Cole said game attendance helps the community and encourages growth.

“Who knows, maybe a new business owner will want to invest in Vermillion after attending an exciting game and seeing all the energy,” Cole said.

The men’s basketball team will play at the SCSC on Thursday, February 8 against the Denver Pioneers at 7 p.m.

Sydney kolln | The Volante

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE

Jacob Pierce

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Union of African American Students Celebrates Black History Month

Jacob.Pierce@coyotes.usd.edu

February is Black History Month for the United States, and the Union of African American Students (UAAS) has begun celebrating the month with various events.

UAAS is an organization on USD’s campus that focuses on creating a comfortable and educational environment for all members of USD’s campus.

“We’re here to be a safe space and a space for people to surround

themselves in a culture that they may not be familiar with,” said Bennett Clary, the president of UAAS. Some upcoming events being held in honor of Black History Month include, Black History trivia night, Black History Month honorary basketball game, as well as African Night which is being hosted by USD’s African Association.

UAAS has been working

diligently to plan events not only for Black History Month but also for the rest of the semester. With some events such as Beyond the Color already being underway for the month of March.

“Which is a presentation by two speakers about being people of color in South Dakota where people can come in and listen as well as ask questions,” Clary said.

Although UAAS has not determined who both speakers will be,

Clary hopes to have Dr. Shirley Mays, who is a professor of law at USD, as she feels like her position and experiences make her an important figure on this topic.

“We wanted to get her perspective as a woman of power at the only law school in South Dakota,” Clary said.

Clary wants students to know that everyone is welcome at UAAS meetings and events, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or back-

ground.

“You don’t have to be black or African American to join us, you just have to be willing to celebrate and educate yourself on black excellence,” Clary said.

UAAS meets every Thursday from 6-7 p.m. in MUC 219. For more information about the Union of African American Students visit usdinvolved.com.

NEW SDBOR EMAIL POLICY ERASES MORE THAN A SIGNATURE Carter Linke

Carter.Linke@coyotes.usd.edu

Winter Break brought sweeping changes to the communication policy for all public university’s faculty and staff. Under the new South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR) policy titled, “Communications and Branding,” the SDBOR limited official communication standards to name, location, and institution.

The policy includes that any further information, graphics, or links not previously listed are prohibited,and may lead to disciplinary action.

The new rule has implications for both faculty and students that would prohibit the use of personal pronouns and certain expressions in email signatures.

Holly Farris, General Counsel to SDBOR, said in an email that the policy change was part of an ongoing commitment to communication within the Board of Regents system.

University employees were instructed to standardize their email signatures in compliance with the policy. However, one

faculty member opposes these changes.

Sandy McKeown, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Constitutional Law Instructor, is concerned about her First Amendment rights.

“Although the state does have an interest in what public employees are saying on behalf of the state, that does not mean the state has the right to control all of the words that we say,” Mckeown said.

Employees that share their pronouns do so because they want to stand in solidarity with other students, faculty and staff, according to McKeown.

“When people choose to alert others of their pronouns, they are simply sharing part of their identity,” McKeown said.

There are concerns among faculty that they won’t be able to use their other titles in their signatures, according to McKeown.

“Sharing accomplishments, current research projects, books pending publication and important academic titles they hold outside of the BOR is a professional

norm for academics, which promotes USD’s interests, and this policy prohibits that,” McKeown said.

McKeown is concerned about disciplinary action taken against faculty and staff who don’t abide by the policy.

“It puts faculty in a position to decide if they will put their personal identity in their signature and face punishment, or not doing that and not being true to themselves and not standing in solidarity with others,” McKeown said.

Pronouns aren’t the only speech prohibited in the new policy. The policy standardizes email signatures, and in part, bans faculty from sharing tribal affiliation and land acknowledgement statements.

Land acknowledgement statements seek to recognize indigenous peoples and their ancestral lands.

Native American students like Jayda Knuppe care about the importance of land acknowledgement while communicating with faculty and staff.

“Land acknowledgement is important while recognizing our history. Since we do have nine tribal nations in South Dakota, I think we need to embrace the diversity that we have on campus, especially since a good portion of USD’s Native students are from the reservations,” Knuppe said.

There are 154 Native American students enrolled at USD. “Professors and faculty sharing their identity isn’t only reassuring, but we can also relate with them,” Knuppe said.

The Volante reached out to the Board of Regents for comment and did not receive a response.

The SDBOR will meet April 3 at USD, where discussion is expected about the new email policy. Per their website, a specific location for the meeting has not been announced, but the meeting will be open to the public.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE

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How Drag Affirms Gender Identity for USD Students

Carter Linke

Carter.Linke@coyotes.usd.edu

Finding your stride as a queer person in South Dakota can come with challenges, but for Pollie Esther, it happened by accident.

Since stumbling across RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2019, Pollie Esther has been developing herself and her identity in her parents’ basement.

“When I found [RuPaul’s] Drag Race, I got inspired and wanted to give it a try. I started in my room, exploring makeup and sewing clothes,” Esther said.

Fast forward, and now Pollie Esther is a junior at USD studying Art and Graphic Design. She credits her success’ as a student, and as a person to the drag community.

“To quote RuPaul, that

power that you have in drag is accessible all of the time,” Esther said.

The confidence Esther found within herself through drag was also shared with those around her. Since coming to USD, Esther has taken part in many drag shows both on and off campus.

“When I get to see peoples’ faces, I see the shy freshman who might not be so confident let go … drag shows are a place where people can let loose because they aren’t judged there,” Esther said.

Finding expression through drag reigns true for Senior Isabel Young too.

“Drag has always been really pivotal in understanding queer liberation, it’s magical to be around

people who support you, validate you, and are one thousand percent in your corner, in the audience, you feel like you’re part of something bigger,” Young said.

Esther feels that drag performances in South Dakota communities are pivotal, especially for those who have yet to see for themselves.

“Rural South Dakota offers a limiting lifestyle, but I was introduced to drag randomly, others come into these shows blind and leave excited to find another,” Esther said.

USD’s Spectrum intends to host a drag show in the Spring semester with details and information to come at a later date.

Submitted | The Volante Above: Pollie Esther performing at a Drag show

Carter Linke | The Volante Above: USD Spectrum members writing letters to state legislature regarding Drag on college campus’

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE 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.

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USD Wellness Center Expansion Faces Winter Weather Delay Stella Lewis

Stella.Lewis@coyotes.usd.edu

The highly anticipated Wellness Center Pool expansion project was met with challenges this past month. The $31.25 million project was struck with delays from severe weather events that had lasting effects on the construction site.

The first few weeks of January brought intense snow and extremely cold weather, which adversely affected construction.

The expansion includes a new competition pool, a wellness pool and other amenities like locker rooms and a ninja-cross course that will be available for students to use.

“It resulted in about an eight day delay,” said Brian Muehlbeier, Senior Construction Project Manager at USD. Due to the winter storm, there had been a large pile up of snow on the roof of the new expansion. For construction to continue, the snow had to be removed, either by scraping it off, or waiting for it to melt, both of which caused

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Mia Vodicka | The Volante

Workers continue construction on Wellness Center expansion after winter weather delays.

concerns for the safety of the workers on site of the project.

“We worry about the workers putting their lives at risk to get to the job.” Muehlbeier said.

“We would rather have the job come in a little later than have someone get hurt in a car accident trying to get to work.”

Weather was not the only thing to slow down construction on the new expansion. Late material deliveries also delayed the progress of the project.

According to Muehlbeier, workers have been putting in the extra hours to make up for the delays that took place throughout the month of January.

“They’re doing everything they can to regain the lost time,” said Muehlbeier.

With the extra time that the workers are putting in, Muehlbeier anticipates that construction is still expected to finish in the fall of 2024.

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SPORTS

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Pole Vaulters Vault into the National Rankings Trevan Rychlik

Trevan.Rychlik@coyotes.usd.edu

The Coyotes track and field teams are currently in the middle of their indoor season, yet some players have begun gaining major recognition.

The Coyotes have taken three of the last four “Player of the Week” awards in field events for both the men’s and women’s track as well as field teams.

Fifth-year senior Marshall Faurot won the Player of the Week award on January 23. Following him was junior teammate Eerik Haamer, alongside junior Cassidy Mononeyhan on January 30.

Mooneyhan and junior teammate Marleen Mülla both vaulted 4.32 meters, tieing for the leading spot within the Summit League. They accomplished this mark at the USD Alumni meet, also tieing for the 12 ranked national mark.

Faurot vaulted 5.46 meters in the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational which ties him for the 13 national spot with Washington Huskies senior Mathis Bresko.

The team has been making lots of noise nationally in the last few weeks but most of USD’s athletes aren’t necessarily looking to hit a certain mark.

“I’m not focusing on the rankings or anything,” Mülla said. “I just want to jump high and see how the season goes.”

Faurot also looks to get better not just by winning awards.

“It’s definitely cool to get those honors, but when I look at the team we aren’t striving for the Player of the Week award,” Faurot said. “I was grateful to get it, but what we are focused on right now is the little things you have to do to be successful, jumping every meet and trying to maximize our potential this season.”

The main focus for the team is being the best that they can be while possibly inspiring others on the team along with the next generation of vaulters.

“I think the future is really bright,” Mülla said. “Us leaving the mark is going to be really good in the future when it comes to recruiting high schoolers when we can show we are nationally ranked and this program is really good. We can put South Dakota on the map.”

Putting South Dakota on the map means other teams and programs have to recognize USD along with current high school athletes.

“It feels really good to be recognized. It’s good for USD athletics and it’s good for USD vault, and I know we always try to put that out there to get the next generation to come here,” Mooneyhan said. “Opens people’s minds to the fact that just because we are a smaller school we are all D1. We are in the same division as everyone in the SEC.” Both the mens and womens Coyote teams have many aspirations for the future, while still trying to keep the pressure to a minimum as they break through by not limiting themselves to a certain number.

Sydney Kolln | The Volante Junior Eerik Haamer finished runner-up at the Summit League Championships in the 2022-23 indoor season. Haamer also finished 11th overall in the NCAA Championships in the 2021-22 indoor season with his final height of 17-10 1/2 (5.45m).

Sydney Kolln | The Volante Junior Spencer Buley helps the Coyote pole vault team after he finished in 10th at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational with his height of 16-07.25.

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE

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Softball Teams Prepare for the 2024 Spring Season Addison Sporleder

Addison.Sporleder@coyotes.usd.edu

File | The Volante Junior pitcher Clara Edwards will be back on the mound for the Coyotes after being named to the First Team All-Summit League last season. She pitched in 33 games winning 15 of them with an ERA of 3.18.

The softball team is getting ready to kick off their 2024 spring season. With a team of 20, exactly half the roster is new, as the team took on five transfer players along with five freshmen.

Another new face to the program is assistant coach Shannon Privovar. Coming from The University of Sioux Falls (USF), Privovar helps out on the offensive side along spending time with the pitchers.

“She just brings a whole new dynamic to our staff, and we are excited to have her,” Head Coach Robert Wagner said.

In addition to Privovar, the coaching staff consists of assistant Jessica Rogers, graduate assistant Zoya Robbins and volunteer coach Caylyn Wagner.

A key player to look at this season is junior pitcher Clara Edwards. Edwards is a First Team All-Summit League pitcher and is in the top-10 list for career pitching victories. She has also been named to the Summit League’s All-Tournament team. Edwards threw a no-hitter last year against Western Illinois, the first no-hitter since 2009.

Another important player on the roster is senior outfielder Gabby Moser. Moser has been a four year starter for the Coyotes. She is a Second Team All-Summit League honoree and was voted to the Academic All-Summit League Team.

Along with Edwards, Moser was named to the Summit League’s All-Tournament Team.

The softball team has prepared for this spring season by spending lots of time on fundamentals. Since this is a fairly new team, an important part of preparing for the season was getting back into the basics and everyone knowing what USD softball is about.

Wagner stated that a major goal for this season is to keep getting better and better every step of the way. He wants to see the team grow throughout the season.

“We put in a lot of work. I am excited to get out there and play. That way we can see where we are and make adjustments,” Wagner said.

The Coyotes first game of the season is on Feb. 9 at the Red and Black Showcase in Athens, Georgia against Purdue, Georgia and Murray State.

Summit League’s 16 Annual Food Fight Challenge Trevan Rychlik

Trevan.Rychlik@coyotes.usd.edu

The Summit League is partnering with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC) for the 16 straight year to host the Summit League Food Fight Challenge.

The Food Fight is a friendly donation competition between universities in the Summit League that works to raise money for non-perishable food items. The Coyotes have set a goal of 10,000 Ibs at the end of the competition and all proceeds with go directly to the Vermillion Food Pantry or Charlie’s Cupboard.

SAAC Vice President Evelyn Diederich shared that she feels this competition is not just about athletics but also about the community.

“We can see the community back us up at our games but to have them to come together for something like this to give back to their community,” Diederich said.

The Coyotes have so far raised the most money on the donation page for the Food Fight as of Feb. 6 at over $300. Athletes are working to take home the Summit League Food Fight trophy for the first time. $5 equals up to 13 Ibs of food.

The winner of the Food Fight competition is determined by the highest amount of food measured in pounds.

Through 15 years of doing the Food Fight, the Summit League and its institutions have raised over 1.2 million pounds of food.

Diederich thinks that going against the other universities makes it easier to grow donation values.

“I think it really helps that we are competing against the other schools because that gives us an edge and makes it a little bit more competitive … so for us to be able to donate and give back to the community and people who are in need it’s really special to see our community all come together to donate and give those items is something really special,” Diederich said.

The Coyotes are taking donations from Jan. 25 through Feb. 7. Athletic Director Jon Schemmel, as well as USD staff members Jordan Bonstrom, Marcus Destin and Aimme Sorensen competed to raise $100 in their donation buckets by the February 3 women’s basketball against South Dakota State for the Cash for the Cupboard Pie Event.

Schemmel, Bonstrom and Destin all earned the $100 amount in their separate buckets so they received a pie to the face for the Cash for the Cupboard Pie Event during the first half of the game.

Diederich hopes that the Coyotes can win their first ever Summit League Food Fight title against conference rivals.

“Getting that title of winning the Summit League Food Fight would mean we care the most about our community and we care about helping people and it would be really nice to beat the people up north this year,” Diederich said.

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE

Golf Team Opens Season in Sunshine State Trevan Rychlik

Trevan.Rychlik@coyotes.usd.edu

The Coyote men’s and women’s golf teams are getting ready to start the spring season.

The men’s team has six competitions in the spring season and have been selected to finish seventh in the Summit League standings led by fifth-year Max Schmidtke an All Summit Preseason Watch List player.

The season will start in St. Augustine, Florida for the men’s golf team. They will play at the World Golf Village Collegiate from February 19-20 hosted by Eastern Kentucky University.

Then the team goes to Arizona to play at the Loyola Intercollegiate in Goodyear. The meet will be hosted by Loyola University Maryland from February 25-27.

The Coyotes next meet is against South Dakota State in Boulder City, Nevada to compete in the Jackrabbit Invitational from March 8-9.

The Coyotes then will have to wait almost a whole month before returning to compete in University Park, Washington. They will be competing in the SU Invite at Chambers Bay hosted by Seatle University from April 1-2.

The last regular season meet for the Coyotes will be in Champaign, Illinois for the Fighting Illini Spring Invitational hosted by the University of Illinois on April 20-21.

The final competition will be the Summit League Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska from April 28-30.

The women’s team has five competitions for the spring season and are selected to finish sixth in the Summit League standings led by USD sophomore Emma Henningson the All Summit Preseason Watch List player for the Coyotes.

The women’s team starts their competition season in Rio Verde, Arizona at the Rio Verde Invite hosted by Western Michigan University from Feb. 23-25.

The team then will go on to compete in Puerto Rico at the Puerto Rico Classic from March 5-7 hosted by Ball State University.

The Coyotes next meet is the Ozarks National Invitational in Branson, Missouri from March 25-27 hosted by Missouri State University.

South Dakota’s last competition will be against Summit League foe in the Omaha Mavericks in Omaha. The Coyotes play at the Stampede at the Creek from April 8-9.

The team finishes out the season with the Summit League Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska from April 21-23.

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OPINION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE

Plea From a Breakfast Lover

The caffeine intake of college students is astronomical (or perhaps this is just a personal account, in which case I’ll need to reevaluate), and Vermillion has kept multiple coffee shops in business.

There are currently six coffee shops in town if you include the on-campus Starbucks, and this number still neglects other businesses that offer other beverages like Casey’s, Café Brule, and McDonalds.

Ella Byers It is great to have a variety is a senior majoring in secondary of options for your morning pick-me-up, but the lack of new English education

Charles Streeter is a senior majoring in political science and psychology.

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restaurants is a downside for young adults looking for quick food options.

Fiyuca provided a slight remedy to this problem. It’s a new, hot spot that is both quick and affordable, but R-Pizza is now permanently closed, and Mexico Viejo is out of the picture temporarily as well.

Other fast-food restaurants close early in the evening, missing the prime time for USD students late study breaks or early morning outings. A 24-hour breakfast café would be a hit among USD’s students because it

would complement their unpredictable sleep schedules.

Mister Smith’s has been a great morning destination for a long time, and another option similar to it would likely gain immense popularity. It would be best if the restaurant opened on Cherry St. This would ensure its proximity to campus dorms and college housing and keep any late-night activity from disrupting residential areas. Cravings would be remedied, and the young students of USD could have a place to call their own (outside of their options in the MUC).

It’s easy to claim that a restaurant available all day and night would be a great investment, but

there would be a few challenges with the implementation of it.

Most college kids leave for the summer, leaving part-time jobs to full-time residents. Most of these jobs are occupied by high school students who cannot work past curfew. With this issue in mind, it’d be great to have something open during the school year and closed over the summer.

That way, college students could both work at and enjoy the new dining option. Coffee is a necessity for the sleep deprived, but so is nutrition. If the town of Vermillion starts to brainstorm for a new business again, I hope they consider something of this sort.

Lockdown Browser?

First, Lockdown Browser is not free. According to Respondus’ website, Lockdown Browser would cost the Board of Regents $6,895 annually. The annual license fluctuates based on students: there are a total of 34,000 students enrolled in a South Dakota public university as of 2022.

Second, there are many concerns that Lockdown Browser is invasive on one’s personal computer. In order to use Lockdown Browser, I must allow the program to access my Downloads folder.

This is a really dangerous precedent. It is unreasonable for a student to pay for a harmful computer program that violates their privacy on their own computer. I should not have to put spyware on my personal computer in order to get an education.

There are some solutions to prevent both cheating and a third-party having unreasonable access to my computer. #1. School-issued computers. If professors or administrators want us to use Lockdown Browser, they can provides us computers to use. #2. In-person exams.

I have taken many classes that use in-person exams. It is much more difficult to cheat with the

professor watching you live-time. #3. Create an exam students can’t cheat on. This is the big one, for me. Some of the most challenging online exams I have ever taken were open-book. The professors took the time to write unique questions, or had students write short-answer questions.

Ultimately, the last solution seems to be the best.

Invading my personal privacy on my laptop is not just an unreasonable solution, but it is a presumption of guilt on every student.

If you have concerns about Lockdown Browser, let your professors know. College is about learning skills that make you a successful person and standing up for yourself. This is a great way to become better at both.

Merits of Lockdown Browser Like most of you, every class I have taken at USD involves some online component. We are in the 21st century after all. This semester is unique for me: I am only enrolled in asynchronous online classes.

In some of those classes, professors have imposed the requirement for Lockdown Browser when taking quizzes and exams.

I understand why professors do this: to prevent academic misconduct. Preventing cheating is an admirable goal, but is Lockdown Browser really that effective? More importantly, what are the costs associated with using

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Verve

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE

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Comic by Thea Naatjes

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“I’m a weak little noodle boy.”

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Verve

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What Is Love?

Valentines Day Discussion on The Science of Love Tyler Want

Tyler.Want@coyotes.usd.edu

In his upcoming presentation on “The Science of Love,” Dr. Harry Freeman says he will teach students how to build their own Cupid’s arrow using science.

Freeman was recently asked by the Vermillion Rotary Club to give a talk on the scientific study and exploration of love, which he agreed to do. The topic of love has been his focus for much of his career in academia.

The “Science of Love,” presentation will be held on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, on USD’s campus. The time and location of the event are still to be determined.

The purpose of this talk, according to Freeman, is to demystify the process of love and help students gain a better understanding of it.

Throughout his career, Freeman has done extensive research on the topic of love and relationships.

“I study the nature of close relationships: close relationships with parents, and in particular how those patterns in relationships also relate to romantic and sexual relationships,” said Freeman. “I study how we form romantic relationships in particular, and the biological and social forces that lead to attraction, falling in love and long-term relationships, as well as the patterns that then predict quality of relationships.”

Freeman teaches a full course on the science of love at USD, and he plans to discuss some things he talks about in that course in his Valentine’s Day event.

“It’s a reader’s digest version of a course I teach called ‘The Science of Love,’ so it gives one little segment of that, focused on attraction, why we love, how we fall in love and the social and biological components of that,” Freeman said. “In the course, we focus on three

love types: infant-to-parent love, parentto-child love and romantic love. The part I’ll be focusing on here is romantic love.”

Freeman plans to discuss in his talk how understanding the ways in which love works can benefit individuals.

“In this talk, I’m going to be using science to help you build your own Cupid’s arrow, in a sense, by helping you understand how the process of love works,” Freeman said. What goes into attraction? How do we understand the process? Once we understand the process, could we possibly manipulate it in a way?”

Freeman will also talk about the flexibility of love in humans, as well as love in connection with Artificial Intelligence.

“We’ll talk about how we understand this process from both an evolutionary perspective, but also from the perspective of where we are today,” Freeman said. “The process of falling in love with another person in a romantic way is still prevalent, but this same process is implicated in selections we make with love of many types and forms, such as connections we can make to a pet, or an infant’s connection to a stuffed animal or even connections with AI.” Freeman hopes there will be time for open discussion during his presentation, and he ultimately hopes the audience will grasp his two main takeaways.

“I’m hoping that the talk is both educational in terms of understanding aspects of love that you didn’t know about, but also that the topics fit with your own experiences of love in your lives, so it’s relatable in that way,” Freeman said.

“We’ll See.”

Comic Submitted by Dani Devany

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 THE VOLANTE

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When and Wear: the Stanley Cup of Cups Nathan DeGreef

Nathan.DeGreef@coyotes.usd.edu

Whether one sees them everywhere, or hears the call of ice clashing against the metal cylinder, Stanley cups, and other variants of them, have recently become the water bottle of choice for the masses.

The metal cup has arguably become one of the most popular “accessories” in many college students’ daily attire; so in theory, the Stanley cup is more of a popular accessory for the everyday USD student, rather than just as a water bottle.

“I think they are very aesthetically pleasing,” said Mckayla Cagle. “I think all the different colors they have are super cute.”

While some enjoy the look of the cup, others, such as USD student Ashlyn Reynolds, feel that the bottle is bulky.

“I own one, but it’s not the big one, like the water cooler one that has a handle and looks like a whole fridge,” said Reynolds.

A common criticism about the product is

not its large size, but the price of the popular bottle, which ranges from $35 to $45.

“No (I don’t think they are worth the price),” said Reynolds. “If you want to spend $40 on a cup, you can do that, that’s the beauty of capitalism.”

Another common complaint is the impracticality of the product itself, not only in the size but also the leakage that the bottles tend to have.

“One thing that I don’t like about them is that when they tip, they spill everywhere,” said Annika Joice.

This is not the first time in recent years that a water bottle has become a cultural phenomenon. Hydro Flask was the “It” water bottle just a few years ago, becoming popular and well-associated with the “VSCO girl aesthetic.”

“It seems like there’s a new water bottle trend every couple of months,” said junior Max Mickelson. “It was the Hydro Flask and then Camelbaks before that, then the Stanleys and now it seems that they have

moved onto Owala.”

The distinct look of the Stanley water bottle has inspired dupes (products that imitate popular designs for a usually cheaper price) that have arguably become just as popular as the original.

“I like the dupes because I think they are a lot more reasonably priced,” said student Brooklyn Briscoe. “I feel like $60-$70 for a cup is kind of crazy even though it is reusable.”

Recently there has been some concern about the product containing lead in the vacuum insulation at the base of the cup. According to Stanley’s website, the product uses an “industry standard pellet” in the seal that “includes some lead.”

Stanley reassures people that “no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the con sumer nor the contents of the prod-

Nathan DeGreef | The Volante uct,” and that they do offer a lifetime warranty in the case that something does happen.

Whether one wants to follow the current trends, or simply choose to drink out of any alternative water bottle, the beauty of it is the decision is up to anyone.