The Volante: Sept. 13, 2023

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Sydney Johnson | The Volante

Jozie Kumm

Next Saturday on Sept. 16, South Dakota Order of the Eastern Star members are hosting a benefit for Vermillion resident Deb McNary. Last year, McNary was on her way home from a parent-teacher conference when she was involved in a serious car accident. Since then, she has been in and out of the hospital in Madison, Wis., where she currently resides.

The Eastern Star is known throughout South Dakota for helping families of group members in need. According to Teagan McNary, Deb’s daughter and USD graduate student, her mother was an active member of the group.

“[The] Eastern Star build an environment for members and is an organization dedicated to charity, truth and loving kindness,” McNary said.

Elaine Peacock, a committee member of The Eastern Star and the main contact for the event, said she was excited to help the family.

“There’s been a lot of outpouring of support over this last year…across the state, from members. So there’s been a lot of help that way over the years,” Peacock said. “I just really wanted to help.”

Peacock has been an active member of The Eastern Star, where she’s helped in many fundraisers.

“I am a breast cancer survivor. A lot of my friends held fundraisers for me because they didn’t have insurance. So this is some way to be able to pay it forward to help out [the McNary

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family],” Peacock said.

The event will take place in the Vermillion Armory. There will be family friendly events, a community based live band, catering by Toby’s and a silent auction.

Peacock said there are lots of great prizes to win at the auction and no one needs to be present to win.

“We have so many donations for businesses from businesses and individuals…We’ve donated Minnesota Twins tickets in the sky box… We’ve had the winery donate during that stay and wine tasting… We’ve got golfing passes for the bluffs and two rivers in Dakota Dunes. We’ve got a beautiful queen size quilt that was donated,” Peacock said. “So many items to bid on, so everybody comes, and there’s something for everybody. We have lower expenses, inexpensive and expensive.”

Funds towards the auction will be sent to the McNary Family. McNary said the funds will be used for expenses and accommodations to her house.

“Looking forward to the future, we want [Deb McNary] to be able to come home eventually,” Teagan McNary said. “The sooner, the better. In order to do that, there has to be modifications on her home to make it adaptable and accessible for her.”

Peacock said volunteers are welcome to help with the event. To sign up for a shift, contact Elaine at (712)204-4151. Donations are also accepted at the CorTrust Bank.

Jozie.Kumm@coyotes.usd.edu

Student Counseling Services Moved to East Hall

Jozie Kumm Jozie.Kumm@coyotes.usd.edu

The Student Counseling Center (SCC) moved to East Hall just in time for the beginning of the 2023 school year. In past years, counseling services have been available at the Cook House.

Wesley Bruce, the assistant director of the SCC, said the center moved because USD has taken an interest in better providing for students’ mental health.

“The biggest reason [for the move] in the last couple years… the university as a whole has been investing more in student well-being and student mental health,” Bruce said.

Services had previously been offered to students at the Cook House for a decade. The Cook House held five offices that provided confidential counseling to students, limiting the spots available. However, the new destination offers more space for appointments and counselors.

“Once the dental hygiene program moved out of this building, a lot of the USD leadership identified

this as a good spot where we can provide quality therapy offices that have a sound barrier, and it also puts all of us in one place,” Bruce said.

Bruce said that in the past, students would have to travel around campus for counseling. If there were no available counselors in the Cook House, students would have to travel to where their counselors offices were across campus.

“70% of students would go to the Cook House, then 30% would be around campus. Now, we have all our staff under one roof, so it makes it a lot more convenient for students,” Bruce said.

Bruce went on to explain how staff have settled well in the new building.

“When medical professionals and mental health professionals are kind of by themselves on an island, sometimes you just create unneeded barriers that amplifies student or patient safety overall,” Bruce said. “I think so far, most of the staff have liked the move here. I think the biggest challenge is just letting students know where we are now.”

SCC’s student involvement has grown this year. There are 600 to a thousand students involved in the SCC. Services they offer to students are one-on-one’s, group therapy and, most recently, programs with other departments.

“I’ve been designing programs to help coordinate with other departments so students come in and we can help them get connected to the Opportunity Center, or to clubs within the student services, or to housing,” Bruce said.

This fall, the SCC has seen a spike just like previous years in the past.

“Every fall, including this one, is when we see the most appointment requests. So what we do is we try to strategize the best practices to be able to get students in to be able to assess what they might need and what either counseling center or USD resources are available, and then kind of help get them going in the right direction,” Bruce said.

To learn about the SCC or schedule appointments, contact SCC@usd.edu or visit their website.

New Dean of Students Amid Campus Restructure

Jordan Grothe Jordan.Grothe@coyotes.usd.edu

After more than 10 years of service, Kim Grieve has left her role as dean of students at USD. Kate Fitzgerald, former housing director, has taken over the position in addition to serving as assistant vice president for student support services.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Grieve began as vice president of student affairs and dean of students in March of 2014. Grieve updated her profile to reflect that she has left USD and is now the interim associate vice president for student services and enrollment management at South Dakota State University as of July 2023. This is consistent with South Dakota State University’s website, which also lists her as “special assistant to the vice president.”

While university officials declined to comment on the reasoning behind Grieve’s departure, she received a pay raise when switching universities. According to meeting minutes from a 2019 Board of Regents meeting, Grieve was making $165 thousand annually. She now makes over $185 thousand annually, according to the South Dakota Government’s pay-transparency website.

Scott Pohlson, vice president of enrollment, marketing, university relations and student services, said that Fitzgerald felt like a natural fit for the position, given her history in housing. According to Fitzgerald’s LinkedIn

profile, she began as USD’s housing director in June of 2019.

“Kate [Fitzgerald] has a long history on the student side of things, so when we were looking at the realignment, she was someone that I was very focused on,” Pohlson said. “I think Kate [Fitzgerald] brings an experience, frankly, of a Big Ten school and how housing works there and even some of the resources that come with that, which is great for us.”

Pohlson also explained that the university went through a realignment over the summer.

“[We] pulled together a model that a lot of other campuses are using, which is to pull together enrollment services, not so much marketing necessarily, and student services. We’re not so big that those three things couldn’t be pulled together,” Pohlson said. “Really, the whole goal of it was to coordinate how we communicate with students and how we lift up a lot of the student resources that, I think, at times get swept under.”

Pohlson said he hopes the changes will better suit the university than the old structure.

“The realignment was structured to help us think progressively about the future while also maintaining the traditional pieces like housing, mental health services, disability services, all the things that are critical to a student’s success,” Pohlson said.

Submitted Photo | The Volante Kate Firzgerald assumed a new role as the dean of studnets at USD in May of 2023. This move was made as former dean of students Kim Grieve left her role and moved to South Dakota State.

Greek Life Recruitment Adopts New Schedule

Jordan Grothe Jordan.Grothe@coyotes.usd.edu

In an effort to increase visibility and outreach, the University of South Dakota has shifted its traditional sorority recruitment schedule, pushing it two weekends back to Labor Day weekend. This shift has allowed for increased marketing and promotion for students and was driven by the desire to promote Greek Life to students who may not have been exposed to it otherwise.

“At its core, sorority recruitment is about building relationships and making lifelong connections. Moving the formal recruitment process allowed our active members more time to make those connections and promote their community positively to incoming and returning students,” Kelli Susemihl, the coordinator of sorority and fraternity life, explained. “It also allowed us to cut down on registration costs, since students did not need to pay extra to move into the residence halls early or to eat at campus dining before their meal plans started.”

While many factors go into recruitment, sororities across campus are already seeing the benefits. This year, 145 women received bids through the formal process, an increase from 110 last year. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, sororities handed out 161 bids in 2019.

Fraternities, on the other hand, are still down compared to last year’s total, with only 97 men receiving bids in comparison to the final 110 last year and 167 in 2019.

Unlike sororities, though, Susemihl said that fraternity recruitment is on-going, and the recruitment week serves more as an introduction.

“Fraternity recruitment works differently than sorority recruitment, in that their process is not as formalized. Where the formal sorority recruitment process involves invites back to chapters, scheduled rounds and a guided process. Fraternity recruitment is semi-formal,” Susemihl said. “Because of this policy difference, the fraternity recruitment week during the second week of school is treated more like a kick-off for recruitment for the rest of the semester.”

Susemihl said that while the numbers may be lower now, that does not indicate that there will be fewer bids throughout the remainder of the year.

Both sororities and fraternities are still recruiting for the 2023-24 school year, and students who would like to get involved are still able to. Students can reach out to greek@usd.edu to find out more information about recruitment events or to contact a chapter.

Submitted Photo | The Volante Alpha Phi host new members of their sorority following bid week which took place over the Labor Day weekend.

Submitted Photo | The Volante Kappa Alpha Theta celebrates the success of this years rush recruitment as sororities numbers went from 110 last year to this years 145.

100 Year Old Baseball Field Finishing Renovations

Tavin Carncross Tavin.Carncross@coyotes.usd.edu

In 1923, Charles E. Prentis donated 10 acres of land for the purpose of memorializing his late wife, featuring an apple orchard and a nursery.

On the 100 year anniversary, the Prentis Park baseball field underwent some renovations to the outfield. Jim Goblirsch, the Vermillion director of parks and recreation, said that the renovations were much needed to the outfield fence.

“The baseball field was getting tired, specifically the outfield and outfield fence,” Goblirsch said. “The majority of the outfield fence was wood posts, and in some areas, they were starting to rot.”

Goblirsch also said that some of the fencing in the outfield was about 35-to-40 years old by the time they started the outfield renovations.

This outfield makeover comes just five years after the infield was completely redone. This included installing a new drainage system, new sports field turf system and the clay around the backstops.

“[We] want to do the same thing to the outfield

to mirror [the infield],” Goblirsch said. “The outfield went with the new irrigation, freshly new sod, flip drain system, so the field drains quicker when we do get heavy rains. We put a true bullpen over on the home field side and then, we’re getting new outfield fences.”

With these new additions, Goblirsch hopes that they can host bigger and larger tournaments for not only the Vermillion Tanagers season but also legion tournaments as well.

“We hope these improvements will all lead to better playing experience for those kids that play here in town and the opportunity to bring in larger tournaments,” Goblirsch said.

Goblirsch also mentioned that they have improved the fencing by adding an 8 foot black vinyl that goes all the way around the new fence. This new fence is to help with player safety.

“The higher fence adds a little bit more for player safety,” Goblirsch said. “It gets real tight in the corners, at least in right field, where you can be chasing a foul ball, not paying attention as there was

no warning in that area. Now, there’s a warning track and an eight foot fence, so when you do chase a ball in and do a run into a fence, you’re going to run into a fence and not catapult over.”

As of now, there are no other renovations happening to the park. However, Goblirsch said that the biggest thing that the field needs now is more seating.

“We’re going to try and figure out how to get some seating in there. If that’s as simple as putting a raised set of bleaches,” Goblirsch said.

Goblirsch said that he wants people to use Prentis Park and everything it has to offer all season and not just during the summer.

“We want people to go out and use it and respect it. Walk the dog, pick it up and clean it up after themselves,” Goblirsch said. “It’s a great place, and it’s a neat thing for a community to have. Not all communities are as blessed as we have to have that nice kind of central location.”

Tavin Carncross | The Volante The Prentis Park baseball field’s new fencing is still in the process of being put up. The construction of the field also included new terf in the outfield and a new irrigation system.

SportS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 THE VOLANTE VOLANTEONLINE.COM/SPORTS

Volleyball Raises 2022 Banners in Home Opener

Addison Sporleder Addison.Sporleder@coyotes.usd.edu

The women’s volleyball team played a three-game series starting Thursday, Sept. 7 through Friday, Sept. 8 at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. For the first game, the Coyotes took on the Drake Bulldogs at 6 p.m on Thursday.

Drake outscored South Dakota 2517 in the first set, but the Coyotes bounced back to claim the second set 25-20. In the third set, Drake won 2514. South Dakota bounced back once again to win the fourth set 25-19. The fifth and final set was taken by the Bulldogs with a score of 15-9, resulting in Drake taking the win over South Dakota.

The Bulldogs were led by sophomore setter Addison Beagle, who had a season high 58 assists in the match. Sophomore outside hitter Macy Daufeldt recorded a double-double in the match with 16 kills and 14 digs. Senior libero Jada Wills led the Bulldogs with 26 digs as well.

Key players for South Dakota included junior outside hitter Kylen Sealock with 17 kills, two blocks and three aces. Senior middle blocker Madison Harms recorded 14 kills and 12 blocks on the night for her first double-double of the season. Another big contributor was freshman setter Avery Van Hook, as she recorded 41 assists in the match, one shy of her career high.

The second game of the classic took place at 11 a.m. the following day, when the Coyotes took on the IUPUI Jaguars. The Coyotes swept all three sets with scores of 25-12, 25-17 and 2518.

Leading the Jaguars was freshman setter Grace Purichia with 23 assists,

five kills and seven digs. Freshman outside hitter Ava Harris also added seven kills and four digs.

Sealock had eight kills along with two blocks to secure the win. Freshman middle blocker Amanda Loschen added six kills and three blocks. Van Hook finished with a double-double as she recorded 18 assists and 11 digs.

The final game for USD started at 7 p.m. as they hosted the South Florida Bulls. South Dakota won the first set 25-17. However, the Coyotes lost the second one 25-17. They bounced back to claim the third set 25-23. South Florida responded with winning the fourth set 25-20. The Coyotes sealed their victory in the last set by a close call of 16-14, but not without a quick scare, as they were down 9-2 to start the fifth set.

Leading the Bulls were two sophomore outside hitters Maria Clara Andrade, each with double-doubles of 16 kills and 19 digs, and Buse Hazan with 15 kills and 13 digs. Also leading the Bulls was junior setter Caroline Dykes with a season high of 33 assists.

Once again, Sealock led the Coyotes in kills with her new career high with 18. She also had one block and one ace. Harms stood out with her 14 kills and five blocks. Paumen finished the game with eight kills, seven blocks and one ace. Overall, the Coyotes went 2-1 during the classic.

The Coyotes will be back on the court on Thursday, Sept. 14 in Green Bay, Wis., as they take on their final nonconference games at the Green Bay Invite.

After the Green Bay Invite, the Coyotes will start Summit League play as they will head to Omaha to play the Omaha Mavericks on Sept. 23. This will be a rematch of the 2022 Summit

League match in which South Dakota won in three sets.

The Coyotes will then return home the following week to host the Kansas City Roos (Sept. 28) and the Denver Pioneers (Sept. 30).

South Dakota will head up north follwoing their home slate to face the North Dakota schools. Their first matchup will be against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Oct. 5 and they will follow that match against North Dakota State on Oct. 7.

Following the matches against the Bison and Fighting Hawks, the Coyotes will return home to face the St. Thomas Tommies on Oct. 12.

After the home game, South Dakota will head south to Kansas City for their second and final match against the Roos on Oct. 14.

South Dakota will then head back to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center to host in-state rival South Dakota State (Oct. 17) and against Omaha (Oct. 19).

The Coyotes will travel on the road for three straight away games against Oral Roberts (Oct. 26), Denver (Oct. 28) and St. Thomas (Nov. 2).

After the long road trip, the Coyotes will return home for a three game homestand of their own as they host North Dakota (Nov. 4), Oral Roberts (Nov. 9) and North Dakota State (Nov. 11). This matchup against the Bison will be South Dakota’s senior day.

South Dakota will end their regular season against in-state rival South Dakota State in Brookings on Nov. 14.

The Summit League Tournament will be held in Vermillion on Nov. 19 through the 21. South Dakota hosts the tournament this season because they won the 2022 Summit League regular season title last season.

Mia Vodicka | The Volante Freshman setter Avery Van Hook sereves in the Friday night match against South Florida where the Coyotes won in five sets.

New Hire Looks to Fight Mental Health Stigma

Jackson Struck Jackson.Struck@coyotes.usd.edu

In a survey conducted by the NCAA in March of this year, it was reported that only 66% of student-athletes know where to go on campus if they have mental health concerns. A mere 47% reported that they would feel comfortable seeking support from a mental health provider on campus.

Tanner Peterson, coordinator of student-athlete health services, hopes to change this as he enters his new position.

“I like to think of myself as the point of contact and care for student-athletes,” Peterson said. “While my official title is coordinator of student-athlete mental health, my role mainly focuses on providing one-on-one mental health care for student-athletes.”

In this new role for USD, Peterson wants student-athletes to understand what his role is and that he is going to be there for them.

“My personal goal is to become a figure that student-athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers recognize as the “goto” resource when the challenges of life get to be too much,” Peterson said. “By year’s end, I’d love to have each student-athlete understand the process of scheduling a session, understanding my role, and how I might be able to help them.”

Peterson also hopes to decrease the stigmatization surrounding mental health care.

“The term “stigma” is thrown around a lot, and while the stigma around mental health is decreasing, the stigma is still present. I think my role is just a piece of the puzzle in terms of chipping away at that stigma,” Peterson said. “By continually decreasing the stigma on USD’s campus and athletic department, I believe we can see even more student-athletes seek the benefits of mental health care.”

College is considered an at-risk stage for mental health illnesses. Within

college students ages 18-25, the prevalence was highest for depression (17%) and anxiety (22%). 8% of adults ages 18 and older have experienced a depressive episode, and 19% have had an anxiety attack in the past year.

“Across the board, we’re seeing the needs of young adults point towards mental health resources. Suicide is becoming the leading cause of death among young people and research shows us that student-athletes are even more at risk for mental health concerns compared to their traditional student colleagues,” Peterson said. “When we consider the workload student-athletes carry such as managing a busy schedule, travel, competition, NIL, transfer portal and to add to that, the general hardships of becoming a young adult, what our student-athletes manage is truly incredible.”

In a study conducted by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in July of 2022, it was found that nearly 90% of athletic directors believe that their institutions do not offer enough training or support programs to their student-athletes.

“The University of South Dakota and the Student Counseling Center have a great vision for what mental health care and well-being looks like in their student-athletes. I’ve been drawn to this vision and I’ve been met with some incredible people and coaches who care about the well-being of their student-athletes,” Peterson said. “I feel incredibly lucky to be at a place that has a small, close-knit feel, but at the same time has a big-time feel on gameday. The balance of these two dynamics, along with the vision of what this administration sees in mental health care for student-athletes is something that has me excited to be involved.”

Student-athletes looking for mental health services can reach out to Peterson at tanner.peterson@usd.edu.

Coyotes Bite Back in Home Opener Victory

Trevan Rychlik Trevan.Rychlik@coyotes.usd.edu

Football faced off against the St. Thomas Tommies on Sept. 9 in the DakotaDome for their first home game of the 2023 season.

The last time these two teams played was in 1979 where the Coyotes took the win 22-6.

South Dakota captured the win in this year’s game as well with a score of 24-0. This was the Coyotes’ first shutout since the 2019 Dakota Days game on Oct. 5 against Indiana State, when they won 38-0.

The Coyotes started in the first quarter when sophomore quarterback Aidan Bouman came off a play action set and found sophomore wide receiver Jack Martens in open space around the 10-yard line as he was able to barrel his way into the end zone to cap off the eighth play, 80-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown.

This touchdown would end the scoring for both teams in the first half, as the Coyotes lead 7-0 going into halftime.

The Coyotes would open up the lead in the second half, going 12 plays for 59-yards ending in a 3-yard touchdown on another play action

pass from Bouman. This time, it was to junior tight end JJ Galbreath as he came from the left side of the field to the right side of the field and caught Bouman’s pass in the corner of the endzone.

The next score for the Coyotes was after a turnover for the Tommies. Tommies freshman quarterback Tak Tateoka threw a backwards pass to sophomore wide receiver Bryce Boyd that landed incomplete and fumbled on the play. The Coyotes’ junior cornerback Myles Harden recovered for his first fumble recovery of the season.

This turnover led to a 6-play 48yard drive that ended in a 25-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Will Leyland. The score after the field goal was 17-0 in favor of South Dakota.

The Coyotes then forced another turnover as junior defensive lineman Nick Gaes was able to chase down Tateoka and force a fumble, which was then recovered by senior defensive lineman Micah Roane.

This led to just a 2-play 29-yard drive ending in a 25-yard touchdown rushing touchdown by redshirt sophomore running back Nate Thomas.

On the rush, Thomas broke four tackles on his way to the endzone for his first touchdown since 2021.

The Coyotes nearly doubled the Tommies in total offensive yards as they had 309 compared to the Tommies’ 166. Both teams had over 28 minutes in time of possession. The Coyotes, however, struggled with six penalties for 60-yards to the Tommies three for 25 yards.

The Coyotes defense only allowed 3-yards per play, and the Tommies allowed only 5-yards per play. South Dakota kept the Tommie offense out of the red zone as Tateoka was not able to lead the offense inside the 20-yard line.

The Coyotes next matchup will be against the Lamar Cardinals on Sept. 16. This will be South Dakota’s final nonconference matchup.

South Dakota will begin Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) play against the North Dakota State Bison in Fargo.

The Coyotes will return home for their Dakota Days on Oct. 7 against MVFC newcomer Murray State.

Following Dakota Days, the Coyotes will host the Penguins of Youngstown State as part of Manu-

facturing Appreciation Day.

South Dakota will head on the road to Terre Haute, Ind., to play the Indiana State Sycamores.

The Coyotes will return to the DakotaDome to play their in-state rival in South Dakota State. The last time these two teams met in Vermillion, South Dakota won the game on the final play as former USD quarterback Carson Camp threw a pass in the end zone that was caught by former wide receiver Jeremiah Webb.

Following their matchup against the Jackrabbits, the Coyotes will have a rematch of their Dakota Days games against Southern Illinois in Carbondale.

South Dakota will return home to face former Coyote Wesley Eliodor and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Eliodor in his South Dakota career had 52 receptions for 693 yards and eight total touchdowns. This game will also be military appreciation day & senior day.

For South Dakota’s final regular season game, they will head to Macomb, Ill. to play Western Illinois.

Mia Vodicka | The Volante St. Thomas and South zdakota clash in the DakotaDome for the first home game of the season. South Dakota defeated the Tommies 24-0.

OpiniOn

September 13, 2023

Within the first three weeks of classes, USD has issued three timely warnings about sexual assaults that occurred on or near campus property. Currently, we as a school are average one sexual assault per week. Based upon past crime data, that is not a good track record.

Thanks to the Clery Act, the University Police Department issues an Annual Fire Safety and Security Report at the end of each year. Last year’s report detailed crimes from 2019 to 2021. During those two years, University Police reported one dating violence offence, eight domestic violence offences, three fondling offenses and nine rape offenses.

In the past three weeks, two sexual assaults occurred at a residence hall on the north side of campus, and another incident occurred at a fraternity house. These events have stirred up public awareness and conversation about sexual assault on campus. What many people

don’t know is according to the Vermillion Police Department, the fraternity house sexual assault is not currently under an investigation. The Vermillion Police Department did confirm that the sexual assaults that occurred in the dorms are under current investigation. These are very delicate situations, and everyone should be reminded that a victim of any crime is not at fault for what happened. With that in mind, it’s important to stress the absolute importance that if a crime happens, the perpetrator can only be brought to justice if the crime is reported to law enforcement. UPD may hear about a crime and be

”

subject to send everyone a timely warning, but in many instances of assaults and other personal injuries, the police can’t investigate the crime if the victim chooses not to report the crime.

Part of attending university is about taking classes and passing them, but perhaps an even more important aspect of it all is learning to become the best version of yourself. Being the best version of who you are requires making good decisions. Ensuring friends know your location and who you’re with is a good first step to avoiding a bad situation. Every one of these sexual assaults reported this year happened between two people who

knew each other, not between strangers. There are countless examples of a time when one person stood up and spoke out about something wrong. Even if a crime report does not bring any charges, getting that statement on the record can be useful in the future. The preamble of the United States Constitution begins by saying, “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union…” Likewise, we have the power to make USD a more perfect university by choosing to be the best version of ourselves.

If you are the victim of a crime or witness a crime, you can report a crime or fill out a silent witness form at UPD’s website. Alternatively, their non-emergency phone number is (605)658-6199. Complaints can also be filed with USD’s Title IX office located at Slagle 205 or by emailing Jean Merkle at Jean.Merkle@ usd.edu.

OVERHEARDS

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

Tavin Carncross, editor-in-chief

Jordan Grothe, managing editor

Trevan Rychlik, sports editor

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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.

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“I am in concussion protocol now, but if it was you, you would’ve been thrown across the room.”

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The VolanTe

South Dakota Has No Place for CO2 Pipelines

Last Wednesday, the state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) denied a permit for a CO2 pipeline in five South Dakota counties.

Earlier this year, Navigator CO2 Ventures, a Texas-based carbon management company, announced plans to build a carbon dioxide pipeline from North Dakota to Illinois. The pipeline would carry carbon dioxide from around two dozen facilities in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois to a “sequestration site” in central Illinois where the CO2 would be pumped over a mile beneath earth’s surface.

Navigator’s main rival, Summit Carbon Solutions, also has a permit pending with the PUC to build a CO2 pipeline to North Dakota. Both projects have a price tag of around $3 billion.

This sounds like a noble idea, but noble ideas are not inherently practical, constitutional or effective. First, much of these costs are footed by you, the taxpayer. Last December, President Joe Biden signed an omnibus spending bill into law that allocated approximately $12 billion to carbon-capture projects.

Economically, this kind of project only exists when propped up by taxpayers. Unlike an oil pipeline that transports a valuable product that is necessary for modern civilization (and would be transported by train if not by pipeline), a CO2 pipeline is not an inherently profitable operation. There are private investors, no doubt. BlackRock, one of the nation’s largest investment companies, partnered with Navigator to fund their CO2 pipeline. These investors stand to gain substantial returns of their investments if the pipeline becomes operational.

What exactly do we, the people, get in return? According to Navigator’s website, their pipeline would sequester 16 million tons of CO2 every year. This seems like a significant amount of CO2 that would not be released into the atmosphere. However, this number is inconsequential compared to the 40 billion tons

of CO2 that are estimated to be emitted into the atmosphere every year. This pipeline would sequester less than 1/100 of 1% of yearly CO2 emissions.

The project does have tremendous environmental impact, though. Building thousands of miles of pipeline will have an impact on the immediate environment, and any CO2 leaks can sicken people, as they did in Mississippi in 2020 where over 40 people were injured from carbon dioxide poisoning.

This project also necessitates the vast use of eminent domain to seize land at market value for the pipelines. Many landowners have been vocally opposed. This summer, activists and landowners opposed to the pipelines held a rally at the South Dakota Capitol in Pierre.

Constitutionally, I argue eminent domain does not extend to a CO2 pipeline because its existence does not benefit the public. Roads and bridges certainly benefit the public, but it’s not evident a CO2 pipeline fits this definition. Allowing eminent domain to be used for purposes outside of “public use,” as defined by the fifth amendment, sets a dangerous precedent that would eviscerate property rights for the average citizen.

How much of your rights are willing to give up in exchange for absolutely no impact on the earth’s climate? How much of your rights are you willing to give up so that wealthiest people in society can make more money by grifting the government and stealing your tax money? Corporate welfare in the name of saving the environment is still corporate welfare.

While I am disappointed that most politicians in South Dakota have not condemned the pipelines, it’s promising to see that the PUC has the courage to stand up to these pipelines. Ultimately, I hope that the words of the constitution are interpreted in the words they were written in and that we preserve our fundamental rights rather than surrender them to those who do not have our interests at heart.

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

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 THE VOLANTE VOLANTEONLINE.COM/VERVE

National Coffee Day: A Local Affair

Nathan DeGreef Nathan.DeGreef@coyotes.usd.edu

Sept. 29 is National Coffee Day, a day where all caffeine lovers can come together and enjoy one of their favorite beverages. This day is a great excuse to support some local businesses and potentially find a new favorite.

The Bean is a local coffee shop in Vermillion. The business was started in 2016 by Martin Prendergast and Leslie Gerrish. They have made it their mission to supply Vermillion with a comforting and friendly space.

“It was very important to create a space that the community felt was theirs,” Prendergast said.

The Bean was started in Oct. 2016 by Gerrish as a small shop without an espresso machine.

“When we opened, there was only one coffee shop in town, and it had two or three tables inside,” Prendergast said.

They wanted a gathering space where students, professors and townsfolk could meet.

Since its opening, the people of Vermillion have been supportive of the coffee shop. Despite its ups and downs, specifically during COVID-19, The Bean continues to be a relaxing place for the community.

People tend to have a special relationship with coffee. Whether it’s the comforting feeling coffee provides or the little boost it gives to get through their day, people find solace in the beverage.

“I grew up in a family of six people and we started drinking coffee from the get-go,” Prendergast said. “I remember being a very young child and making coffee for the entire family. We started off with instant coffee. Some people had instant coffee with sugar, and some people had instant coffee with sugar and milk. There was always a coffee pot.”

Prendergast and Gerrish have also helped support many local businesses through their shop. They get their espresso from Coffea in Sioux Falls and purchase their milk from Hy-Vee. A variety of products made by local craftspeople available for purchase in the shop, as well as hosting craft days where people can come in and make things.

The atmosphere in the shop can only be attributed to Prendergast and Gerrish’s desire for a space where people can go.

“There’s no pressure. There’s no pressure to leave. It’s not like you’ve been here a half an hour, so you got to go now. No, stay the day,” Prendergast said. “All my jobs have been working with people, and that’s what I like. I enjoy people, they’re fun.”

Regardless of one’s opinion towards the beverage, National Coffee Day can be a fun excuse to treat oneself, as well as an opportunity to check out and support a local small business.

Oscar Howe Showcases Multiple Artists

to get a look at how art has evolved over time.

One of South Dakota’s greatest artists, Oscar Howe, is having his legacy remembered in USD’s fine arts building with “The Howe Legacy Across Four Generations Exhibition.” Howe was a Yanktonai Dakota artist and a professor at USD from 1957 until 1983

The exhibition features art from 16 different artists that were inspired by Howe from across several generations. Some of Howe’s original art pieces are up for viewing as well as a piece that was inspired by his work alongside it

The exhibition features a wide array of art, depicting abstract interpretations of the creation of the universe to realism pieces about the impacts of over harvesting the earth’s animals and resources.

Multiple mediums are used in this exhibition from paintings, installation, ledger drawings, sculptures in addition to video and music. The exhibition shows Native American art from several different individuals, tribes and time periods.

The exhibition will hold a public reception in the John

A. Day Gallery on Sept. 21 from 5-7 p.m. A panel will follow the reception in the Colton Recital Hall from 7-8 p.m. featuring the artists whose works are on display.

The exhibition has no entrance fee and is being held in the John A. Day Gallery from Aug. 28 through Oct. 13, Monday through Friday from 9-5 p.m.

To see similar artwork to this, check out USD’s Oscar Howe collection, the largest collection of Howe’s work in the nation, or check out Robert L. Penn Contemporary Native Art Collection, which features several artworks curated by Native students from USD.

Jordan Grothe | The Volante Owner of The Bean, Martin Prendergast serves customers at his shop downtown.

Jacob Peirce Jacob.Peirce@coyotes.usd.edu

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Hidden Gem of Vermillion: The Civic Council

Sydney Kolln Sydney.Kolln@coyotes.usd.edu

In the heart of downtown Vermillion lies the Civic Council. While people may only know it as a thrift store, the Council is more than just that. It is a nonprofit organization whose money goes right back into the community.

The Civic Council was founded back in 1920 and was originally called the Civic Improvement Society. It was organized by representatives of multiple women’s societies and clubs in Vermillion, including church organizations. Their main focus was civic improvements that later shifted to the interest of local welfare problems.

“We’re proud of the fact that we’ve been functioning for 103 years,” Civic Council Secretary Wess Pravecek said. “There was a need for milk for kids is where it all stemmed from. So they really kind of started as an organization that led up to social services. … They have functioned because of the goodness of other people giving stuff, and it goes on now with the store.”

The Civic Council is all about giving

back to the community. From raising money to pay for someone’s dental surgery to buying medical equipment for the hospital, they have done it all. The organization

Council paid for those letters [the USD letters on the hill] and that was their contribution. … That was going to be one more anchor to keep the university in town.”

“We couldn’t function without volunteers because we, [the volunteers], come in and do the stuff that frees up time for the staff to do what they need to do,” Pravecek said. “All you need to do is call the store and talk to the manager [if you want to volunteer]. There are simple things that we need done.”

Through all of the years and things that the Civic Council has been through, their main goal remains the same. Everything goes back into the community.

has even helped the University of South Dakota.

“There was talk that the university was going to get pulled to Sioux Falls in the early 1920s,” Pravecek said. “They thought one of the things that could happen is let’s make this community USD. The Civic

The majority of the work done at the Civic Council is done by the volunteers. With donations coming in frequently, volunteers are able to help out the workers with simple tasks. This includes cutting fabric, sorting cards and most importantly, sorting clothes.

“It was just out of the goodness of people’s hearts that this store got started, caring for the community,” Pravecek said. “We really appreciate everybody that comes in. I love the fact that people who shop in there regularly are not people necessarily just in need. … I always say you never know what you needed until you walk into the civ.”

To find more information about the Civic Council and all that they have to offer, visit their Facebook page.

Block Party Kicks Off New Athletic Season

vious editions, there was a DJ or a playlist,” Duffy said.

To kick off the 2023-2024 season, South Dakota athletics organized their fourth annual Coyote Block Party on Friday, Sept. 8. The free event was held on the tennis courts and contained food, music and games.

The Coyote Block Party started with a big rummage sale organized by the South Dakota athletic department. Prices varied from $5 to $30, and the sale included many different items, such as: sweatshirts, shorts, shoes, jackets and helmets. Even though the sun was bearing down on the tennis courts, the rummage sale was a great success, as most items were already sold less than an hour into the event.

“The purpose of this event is to bring the community together and to celebrate the start of a new season with all ‘Yote fans,” Jarren Duffy, one of the organizers of the event, said.

A first at the event this year was the petting zoo. Visitors could take pictures and pet the rabbits, goats and pigs. The small petting zoo was enjoyed by young and old alike.

“It’s also the first time we have a live performance. Pre-

The BS Band was in charge of the music and played throughout the entire event. Catering was provided by HyVee. Attendees could choose between a hot dog or a hamburger and various beverages.

For those who wanted a little more activity, different kinds of mini games were available to be played, with cornhole being the most popular. The inflatable obstacle course and jumping castle were enjoyed by the younger generation.

After the Block Party, many headed over to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center for the South Dakota vs. South Florida volleyball game apart of the 2023 South Dakota Classic.

Sydney Kolln | The Volante

The Civic Council is a thrift store in downtown Vermillion. People are able to shop at the store and donate items.

Sien Hermans Sien.Hermans@coyotes.usd.edu

Sien Hermans | The Volante (Above): Children of all ages had the chance to take photos and pet animals at the pettign zoo. These animals included rabbits, goats and pigs.

(Left): Coyote fans had the chance to buy athletic gear at the rummage sale. This included jerseys, shoes, helmets and more.