The Sunflower v. 129 i. 17 (Jan. 30, 2025)

Knights ride in: New fraternity joins Wichita State’s Greek life

BY AINSLEY SMYTH news@thesunflower.com

Wichita State is adding a new multicultural fraternity to its ranks of Greek life organizations. A chapter of the Omega Delta Phi fraternity is starting this spring.

Omega Delta Phi joins WSU’s Cultural Greek Council (CGC), made up of six other culturallybased organizations. The organization will start recruiting this semester.

Erika Mendoza, the president of the CGC, said that welcoming a new organization is “like a new beginning for all of us.”

“We are on the smaller scale between all (of WSU’s Greek life) councils. So adding another fraternity … is going to be really exciting,” Mendoza said.

Founded at Texas Tech University, Omega Delta Phi is a national organization with chapters across the country. It was founded as a fraternity primarily for Hispanic men, but according to the organization’s website, it welcomes members of all ethnicities.

Gabriel Fonseca is the executive director of WSU’s Student Engagement and Belonging (SEB) office. He said the fraternity addition gives more options to students, especially for WSU’s Hispanic students.

Fonseca said SEB started the process of bringing in the new organization by thinking about the needs of students involved in Greek life. The percentage of Hispanic students at WSU has been on the rise in recent years, as Wichita State approaches designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution.

“We ran enrollment data for underrepresented men and Hispanic men on campus,” Fonseca said. “One of the things that we look at is a trend of membership in the (Cultural Greek) Council itself … where we have seen maybe an uptick or where there may be an opportunity to consider another organization.”

Fonseca said that while WSU has two Hispanic-oriented sororities, there was only one such fraternity, meaning there was a gap that Omega Delta Phi could fill. SEB then put out a call for organizations interested in expanding to Wichita State and the Cultural Greek Council helped pick the fraternity.

Lateef Ipaye is Omega Delta Phi Inc.’s vice president of program, quality and impact. He said the growing Hispanic population was something that drew them to WSU as well.

“Looking at Wichita State University as a growing Hispanic community … moving towards becoming a Hispanic Serving Institute, that was something that attracted us as an organization that has several members within that community,” Ipaye said. “And then also the fact that we are in an important time in our country where community building is important. Community civic engagement is important as well.”

Students wanting to learn more about Omega Delta Phi can speak to national representatives and members from nearby chapters at the Involvement Fair on Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Rhatigan Student Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Omega Delta Phi will be

holding several events next week for interested students, according to Malaree Hood, the assistant director of SEB.

“Anyone who’s interested in joining their organization can go and attend those different events, and then they’ll have them do an application to join their organization, and then there’ll be a semester-long education process,” Hood said. “Then at the end of the semester, just like the rest of the CGC organizations and (National Panhellenic Council), they’ll do a reveal of their new members.”

Students can also reach out to the office of Student Engagement and Belonging, or visit the WSU fraternity’s Instagram page, @ wsu_knights, to learn more or get involved.

SEVEN FACTS ABOUT OMEGA DELTA PHI

1. Founded by seven students at Texas Tech University in 1987.

2. Also referred to by the nickname “ODPhi.”

3. Eighty-two collegiate chapters, according to the organization’s website.

4. Omega Delta Phi’s motto is “One Culture, Any Race.”

5. According to the organization, members contribute more than 80,000 service hours each year.

6. Its four pillars are unity, integrity, honesty and leadership.

7. The fraternity’s members call themselves “knights” after its mascot.

New business center director brings broad experience

BY RILEY SIPES rsipes03@icloud.com

The Center for Management Development and Executive Education’s (CDM) new director, Denise Sherman, has played many different roles. She obtained her undergraduate degree in business administration from Wichita State University, then spent the next three decades testing the waters in a variety of different industries, picking up a few extra degrees along the way.

“I kind of stumbled into higher learning back in the ‘90s with a series of jobs in tech education, professional development training, human resource work and being adjunct faculty,” Sherman said. “The common thread between everything has always been an opportunity to learn more.” Sherman has worked in everything from pharmaceutical sales to radio broadcasting.

One of Sherman’s most recent stand-out career endeavors was her role in the transformation of The Kansas African American Museum (TKAAM).

“My perspective coming in was to help the organization become sustainable for the future,” Sherman said. “There were opportunities for the

museum to reposition itself in the community.”

Throughout the six years that Sherman served as the director of TKAAM, she led staff through the pandemic and guided them through the process of moving to a better-suited facility.

On a more personal level, Sherman says she left with a greater understanding of how a humanities-focused organization operates and plans to take that experience into her role at the center.

“It was very much a learning opportunity for me … I learned so much about the efforts of others to make a better society; no different than in a business culture; no different than in a manufacturing culture,” Sherman said.

But Sherman said she always knew she’d find herself back in higher education.

“That was really one of my career goals, even though I did take several detours,” Sherman said.

Earlier this month, Sherman was named the new director of CDM under Wichita State’s Barton School of Business, replacing Christopher Garnier.

The center focuses on supporting established companies and individuals

MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learning experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published. The Sunflower is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association and the Wichita Journalism Collaborative. LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be

through the process of upgrading their approach to business management. They offer a variety of highly customizable training and seminar opportunities to local, regional and national corporations who seek their help.

“The courses that we offer, whether it’s in project management (or) … in soft skills or in skills that help you in your leadership and managerial supervision, are all well needed in the community,” Sherman said.

However, according to Duane Nagel, the senior associate dean of the Barton School of Business, the training approach CMD employs

could be reformed.

“CMD has been operating for about 50 years much the very same way,” Nagel said. Nagel said he hopes Sherman’s all-encompassing career experience will provide CMD with the expertise and networking skills to upgrade its curriculum and reach beyond the local business community.

“Under her leadership, (CMD) is going to achieve levels that we didn’t necessarily think were possible a few years ago,” Nagel said. “This is probably one of the best additions we’ve had to the Barton School.”

EMPLOYEE FROM PAGE 1

The following day, that’s what Greene did.

She also sent an email to her supervisor at OneStop, Aaron Hamilton. From there, the email chain, including a video taken by Greene of the spot where she fell, was forwarded to several OneStop employees, facilities, and administrative staff until it landed in the inbox of Michael Basgall, the director of licensed trade operations. Basgall’s reply: “I have notified the city about this multiple times. I’m not sure what else to do.“

Eventually, Miller relayed that he would have a conversation with Executive Director of Facilities Services Eason Bryer. Greene said there were traffic cones surrounding the spot on Dec. 12. But she said the cones were a small consolation compared to the unsympathetic response she said she got from some of the faculty and staff involved, especially those who knew of the hazard prior to her encounter with it.

“The sad part about all this situation is even after all of this, and then knowing about it, was the dismissiveness of it all,” Greene said.

UNIVERSITY RESPONSE

Over the next few days, Greene said she experienced back and wrist pain. When she visited her doctor, Greene said her physician “believes that it’s (her wrist) just fractured,” and was issued a medical bill for more than $500.

Greene requested a claim through Kansas Workers Compensation the day after the incident. But on Dec. 17, Greene was notified by the state and the university that she would not qualify for compensation.

Greene said the denial hurt worse than the physical pain of her wrist injury.

“For them to be like, ‘We’re not responsible, even though we knew about the area,’” Greene said, trailing off. “We hear all the time from the top … ‘We’re happy to have you all (faculty and staff) here. You know, you all do such an awesome job. We wouldn’t be WSU without the employees and without you, you know, putting in the work that you do,’ and all of that. But then when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of all of this, this is how we get treated?”

Greene said she did get her other shoe back after requesting it “for evidence” to build her own legal case. But she said the university had “cleaned (it) off” before returning it to her.

Now, Greene and her lawyer, Brian Pistotnik of Brian & Brian Pistotnik Law, have filed a request for an E-1, which would grant them a hearing to rediscuss Greene’s workers’ compensation case.

Greene said she doesn’t want to go through with legal action, but she feels she doesn’t have many other choices.

In the meantime, Greene said she harbors no hard feelings toward her colleagues at OneStop and those involved who offered their sympathy.

“This is all the red tape stuff that goes on, you know, behind the scenes,” Greene said. “I mean, they could have been just as much as a victim as me.”

Men’s tennis wins regular season home debuts

BY EVAN TONG evantong3@gmail.com

Wichita State men’s tennis played its first home matches of the year at Genesis Health Clubs on Rock Road on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.

The Shockers won decisively in both matches, notching their first wins of the season. Wichita State is off to a 2-2 start.

Wichita State earned its first win in regular season play against the University of Nebraska Omaha on Saturday, the first of a back-to-back.

“Exciting to take care of businss, (we) played a good weekend,” WSU head coach Darragh Glavin said. “So excited to get some wins under our belt and get that confidence.”

The Shockers went 2-0 in their doubles against Omaha, leaving sophomore Vanja Hodzic and freshman Ilias Worthington’s match unfinished. Juniors Alejandro Jacome and Kristof Minarik won on court one, 6-3, and freshmen Zaid Al Mashni and Luca Mindrut won 6-3 on court three.

In singles, Al Mashni was the only Shocker to lose a match, denying them the complete sweep.

The Shockers took their doubles matches against Drake University. Hodzic and Worthington finished first on a 6-2 scoreline.

Al Mashni and Mindrut finished second, but lost 6-3. This left the decider to Jacome and Minarik, who won, 6-3.

Al Mashni was the first to finish his singles match, a win that included a 6-0 domination in his first set. He took the first win with a 6-2 score in the second.

“I started off well,” Al Mashni said. “Played with confidence. These guys are not easy. No match is easy in college.”

Hodzic took his first set against Drake’s Ben Johnson, 6-3. Despite Johnson’s screaming and loud celebration, Hodzic remained calm and collected throughout the game.

“It was annoying,” Hodzic said. “I was pissed, but I just (took) deep breaths. Think about the next point.”

While Hodzic played his first set without much drama, he fell down 4-3 as one of two remaining Shockers playing singles.

“He (Johnson) was serving good,” Hodzic said. “It was tough to break him, but I think I did a good job with returns and playing more alleys.”

Tranquility prevailed as Hodzic took his win in the hard-fought second set.

Worthington took three sets to win his match while the rest of the Shockers won their matches in two sets, sweeping the entire singles bracket. Combined with the doubles win, Wichita State swept Drake 7-0, as Al Mashni avenged his loss from the previous day.

“(Al Mashni) had chances yesterday in his match, but couldn’t close it out,” Glavin said. “But today, I came back and did well, and we’re able to get that seven out today.”

Wichita State will play the University of Arkansas in Arkansas on Sunday, Feb. 2. The first serve is scheduled for 11 a.m.

SPORTS

Slug fest: Men’s basketball downed by late UNT push

BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com

Late into the second half of its Wednesday night matchup against the University of North Texas (UNT), Wichita State men’s basketball saw a four-point lead turn into a four-point deficit.

The Shockers couldn’t come back, shooting 1-10 in the final nine minutes and eventually losing at home, 58-54.

Wichita State fell to 1-7 in the American Athletic Conference, while North Texas maintained its share of the conference lead at 7-1.

Despite the loss, senior guard Xavier Bell said that taking a conference leader to the wire says a lot about the team.

“It shows us we’re able to compete with the best teams in this league,” Bell said. “It shows we’re a really good team as well, but it also shows us what it takes to compete in this league — night in and night out.”

After a run of Shocker opponents went ballistic from deep, the Mean Green broke the trend by shooting just 3-12. They recovered more offensive rebounds than the Shockers, 13-8, however.

“We cannot give up 13 (offensive) boards and give ourselves a chance (to win),” WSU head coach Paul Mills said.

Wichita State shot just 36% from the field, the team’s second-worst mark this year and worst since November.

Wichita State was held to a 2-12 start from the field and missed its first three shots from beyond the arc, including a scoring drought of nearly five minutes. During that time, UNT went on a 7-0 run to up its cushion to 12 points, 18-6.

The Shockers found life on offense late in the half, cutting the lead to six points, 28-22, after riding a 10-4 run. Fifthyear guards Justin Hill and AJ McGinnis combined for all of Wichita State’s points.

Even though the Shockers trailed, 30-24, going into the break, they held UNT scoreless for the final three minutes of the opening period.

Wichita State raced to a 38-35 lead following a 9-0 run in the first minutes of the second period, their first advantage of the night.

Mills said the team has looked “lethargic” at times coming out of the break. On Wednesday, he tried to keep the players more aggressive.

“Really (I) just tried to emphasize we need to play a little bit faster and get downhill way more in transition,” Mills said. “And we were able to do it.”

The game became a backand-forth between the teams as UNT later retook the lead, 47-45, piggybacking off a 6-0 run.

After a pair of free throws by junior forward Corey Washington, Wichita State fell flat for 4:34 of game time, not scoring a point while the Mean Green opened up

a four-point lead with under five to play.

Ballard threw down a slam that nearly snapped the rim, 56-54. Those were the last points the Shockers scored, as the Mean Green made a layup and recovered a Bell 3-point miss to win. McGinnis said down the stretch, the team needs to pay better attention to the smaller, finer details.

“When it comes down to the small details and the things at the end of the game,” McGinnis said. “We just (have) to find a way to, you know, get the win.”

Wichita State will get nearly a week of rest before its next game on Tuesday, Feb. 4, when it travels to play the University of North Carolina at Charlotte — the lone team the Shockers have defeated in conference play. Tipoff against the 49ers is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Halton Arena and can be streamed on ESPNU.

Women’s basketball loses two close games against UAB, East Carolina

BY JACOB UNRUH sports@thesunflower.com

Wichita State women’s basketball remained competitive in two consecutive games, but lost both during this week.

The Shockers dropped to 1-8 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) with the losses, maintaining their position in the conference basment.

VS. UAB

For the second straight year, fans at Wichita State women’s basketball’s annual pink out game for cancer awareness were treated to a thrilling overtime matchup — and for the second straight year, the Shockers came up short.

WSU dropped its Saturday afternoon game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), 76-73.

Despite the loss, Wichita State head coach Terry Nooner said he was proud of the “toughness and resilience” the Shockers showed.

“I know we lost and we’re sad,” Nooner said. “And it’s tough for us because we felt like we could have (won) it, but at the end of the day, I’m happy just to see that we showed some fight and showed some resilience.”

The Blazers avenged a home loss to the Shockers on Jan. 4, Wichita State’s lone win at this point in conference play.

Wichita State made more baskets from the field than UAB — but unfortunately for the Shockers, three is worth more than two.

The Blazers came into the game ranked 22nd in the country in 3-point attempts putting up 26 per game. They shot 35 against the Shockers, knocking down 14. Wichita State, meanwhile,

scored only three 3-pointers on 19 attempts.

The Shockers took an early 10-5 lead in the first quarter, but UAB came back to level the score at 14 by the end of the frame.

Thirteen of UAB’s 18 field goal attempts in the first period came from 3-point range, although the Blazers only managed two makes.

UAB kept up its frequency of deep attempts in the second period, but caught fire, knocking down five of six attempts. Two of the makes contributed to a 9-0 Blazer run to open the quarter, opening up a lead that UAB would carry into the break, 33-27.

The Shockers began playing more out of control on the offensive end in the fourth quarter, going on a five-minute scoring drought as UAB took a firmer grasp of the game, 62-51.

When things looked bleak, the Shockers fought back. Applying defensive pressure, flying around the court and visibly frustrating the UAB players, Wichita State went on an 11-0 run, tying the game at 62 with 1:37 left.

Junior forward Jayla Murray missed a wild left-handed shot with less than 30 seconds left, giving the Blazers a chance to win the game in regulation. But the buzzer-beating UAB post-shot was too strong, and the teams went into overtime.

The Shockers were a step behind UAB for the entirety of the extra period, however.

Mirroring regulation, a Murray layup rimmed out, and UAB cashed both its free throws to open a two-possession lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

“I’m glad my coach had trust in me to take those shots today,” Murray said. “They just weren’t falling. But I’m trying to continue to go back to practice, (to) practice

on them, going off two feet, making the layup, and we’re going to get it next time.”

@ EAST CAROLINA

After leading for a majority of the game, Wichita State women’s basketball suffered another frustrating loss on Wednesday evening.

The Shockers struggled to score in the second half in a 72-62 road loss to East Carolina University (ECU).

The Shockers will rue missed free throws, turnovers and rebounds. WSU shot just 67%, 16-24 from the free-throw line, turned the ball over 20 times — tied for its third most in a game this season — and lost the offensive rebounding battle, 17-8, the most offensive rebounds allowed by WSU this year..

“We didn’t do a good job of taking care of the basketball,” WSU head coach Terry Nooner said on the postgame radio show.

“We had 20 turnovers and then the rebounding, we (were) minus nine. So we’ve got to figure out how to coach that better.”

Wichita State led for more than 25 minutes of game time. East

Carolina has won five consecutive games against the Shockers. WSU took the lead just over three minutes into the game and held the advantage throughout the second quarter.

The Shockers lost the lead late in the third quarter after going nearly five minutes without a score.

Junior guard Princess Anderson gave the Shockers the lead, 54-52, with the team’s second 3-pointer at the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter — but ECU immediately scored an and-one on the other end to retake the advantage.

The Pirates extended their lead, 62-56, with a swish from the 3-point line with 2:03 left. That shot turned out to be the dagger, as ECU ran away with the win. Anderson scored 17 points, while junior forward Jayla Murray led the game with 19 points. WSU was once again without graduate student guard Taylor Jameson, who remains out with a concussion.

Wichita State will attempt to return to the win column on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the

of Tulsa. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 2 p.m.

ARTS & CULTURE

SHOCKAPPELLA GOES TO OUTER SPACE

‘Looking at art in a ritualistic sense’ Ulrich unveils four exhibits in 50-year celebration

BY KAMI STEINLE steinlekami@gmail.com

Creating a place where everyone can feel represented is difficult, but for half a century, the Ulrich Museum of Art has aimed to connect the Wichita community to the rest of the world through art that touches numerous cultures and backgrounds.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, four exhibits were unveiled, including “Devan Shimoyama: Rituals,” “Jim Riswold’s American Death Part 1,” “Listening Devices: The Photographer and New Perspectives,” and “The Ulrich Co-Lab: Homegrown.”

Vivian Zavataro, executive and creative director, and Jo Reinert, curator of modern and contemporary art, said they chose these exhibits to showcase the diverse ways art can connect people and to represent what the next 50 years of the Ulrich could look like.

“We wanted to do an immersive experience too … (the) concept is about looking at art in a ritualistic sense,” Zavatarvo said about “Devan Shimoyama: Rituals.”

“Devan Shimoyama: Rituals” deals with ideas of religion and spirituality, using imagery from tarot cards, altarpieces from the Baroque era and Renaissance chapels. Shimoyama’s pieces

also convey his experience as a Black and queer American, important aspects of his identity. The pieces include bright neon colors and many different textiles to fully encapsulate the human experience.

“When you’re here, you’re supposed to be in a meditative space,” Zavataro said. “It’s all intentional as a place for meditation, a place for you to look into art and to look into different perspectives and challenge the way you see life and society.”

Several community members and WSU students attended the opening and were welcome to engage with both the art and artists alike. There were opportunities to create your own art, photo stations and performances by local artists.

“(I attend Ulrich events) when I hear about them. This was something new, so I thought why not take a look,” junior Audrey Reida said.

On Dec. 7, 1974, the Ulrich was founded and has since been used to support the education of Wichita State University’s students.

“The Ulrich Museum is central to the university’s mission and provides a cultural outlet for students and faculty,” University President Richard Muma said. “It really just makes a difference and is very meaningful to campus.”

Here are some cuter than cupid Galentine’s and Valentine’s Day events

BY MALEAH EVANS arts@thesunflower.com

The season of love and friendship is rapidly approaching, and the ads and decorations for Valentine’s Day are already popping up.

Retailers are also advertising Galentine’s Day — a once fictional but now real holiday for many — started by writers of the TV show “Parks and Recreation.”

Galentine’s is celebrated a day before Valentine’s Day on Feb. 13. The day usually features all-female events of mutual empowerment.

GALENTINE’S-SPECIFIC

EVENTS

Events all around the Wichita area are catered towards Galentine’s, from pottery nights to pop-up art markets. Here are some enticing ones: Yahya Aura and The Good Witch Bakery are partnering for a pop-up party. They will offer complementary alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, sweet treats and shopping areas.

It is a day full of celebrating women, and, as the organizers write, “ovaries before brovaries, uteruses before duderuses, and empanadas before literally everything.” The event will be on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 2 to 9 p.m.

Wichita’s Paint the Towne will hold a Galentine’s Pottery Night with a selection of Valentine’s-themed pottery. People will get to pick their pottery — priced from $10 to $60 — to paint. The event is for ages 15 and up. It will be on Thursday, Feb. 13, from 6 to 9 p.m.

The Selfie Spot and Tenfold Tattoos will give people access to selfie booths and allow for walk-in tattoos, piercings and tooth gems. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9.

Bocote Showroom is hosting a Girls’ Night Galentine’s Party with bouquet making, appetizers and cocktails. The event will be Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m.

GROW Plant Bar is hosting its Not Dead Yet Social Galentine’s Edition. The event is free to attend, with the opportunity to purchase tickets for DIY goodies and drinks. A local DJ will also perform. The event is Saturday, Feb. 8, from 5 to 11 p.m.

VALENTINE’S DAY EVENTS

There are also several Valentine’s Day events, with many catered toward couples. Restaurants around Wichita will offer “dinner for two” packages with three to four-course meals. Siena Tuscan Steakhouse, Wyldewood Winery and Candle Club will also offer couples deals.

Still, there are plenty of general events for single people to attend. Wichita State will have an event right on its campus. The Share the Love event at the Rhatigan Student Center will offer Valentine’s Day-themed goodies. The event is on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 11 a.m.

Wichita Brewing Company will host a Valentine’s Disco Ball, filled with a night of dancing to classic disco hits and modern songs. The event will also have custom cocktails and photo opportunities. It’s on Friday, Feb. 14, from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

People can attend a cookie decorating class with River City Sweet Shop and Cameo Cakes. The $40 event will let attendees leave with six decorated cookies and enjoy snacks while decorating. Sandwiches, face painting, mermaid photos and more will be offered at Valentine’s Teatime at the Enchanted Mermaid. Tickets range from $25 to $45. The event

RESTRICTING PRESS ACCESS IS A STEP AWAY FROM TRANSPARENCY

The rule against the media hurts journalists and the public

The Kansas House of Representatives’ new media rules, implemented with the start of the 2025 legislative session, represent more than just a logistical adjustment — they are a troubling step backward for government transparency and accountability. Previously, reporters had access to the House floor, allowing them to closely observe proceedings and ask questions in real time. It is ideal for journalists to get as much information as possible, and to hear the whispers on stage that often aren’t captured by House

microphones and recordings.

Now restricted to the gallery or designated side area, journalists are at a disadvantage in fulfilling their watchdog role.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins is behind the change in media access; he said he wanted to provide staff with better seats. Before the adjustments, staff’s designated seats were in front of the press box on a bench.

Limiting reporters’ access compromises the public’s ability to understand what happens in Topeka — a move that should concern Kansans everywhere.

The assertion that journalists can still hear everything on the sidelines misses the point. Reporting from the gallery isn’t the same as being immersed in the

“

Any distance between the proceedings and the reporter dilutes the details and, by extension, weakens the public’s understanding of their government’s decisions.”

action on the floor. The nuances of a legislative session — whispered exchanges, spur-of-the-moment remarks and the immediate ability to question people discussing and handling law and politics — are best captured from the House floor.

Any distance between the proceedings and the reporter dilutes

The Crown Uptown deserves better than petty ultimatums

The Crown Uptown Theatre has stood as a cultural landmark in Wichita history for nearly a century.

On Dec. 3, 2024, the Wichita City Council reviewed the Crown Uptown Theater’s proposal to expand its capacity from 850 to 2,066 seats. The Council voted unanimously (7-0) to send the case back to the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (MAPC) for further evaluation.

Key issues to be addressed include balancing attendance between full and partial-capacity events, securing written parking agreements, and considering the implications of the unfinished College Hill Neighborhood Plan and Zoning Overlay.

The current owner, Mike Brown, has threatened to demolish this piece of Wichita’s identity unless he gets approval to more than double its capacity. This ultimatum feels less like negotiation and more like a child stomping their feet when they don’t get their way.

If Brown can’t manage the theater responsibly or doesn’t have the resources to renovate it appropriately without relying on revenue from a larger-capacity building, then he should sell it to someone who does.

Wichita deserves an owner who sees the Crown Uptown not just as

an investment, but as a piece of the city’s cultural fabric — someone committed to preserving its history and making it a beacon for the theater community.

The concerns of College Hill residents about parking, noise and traffic are also valid. Adding over 1000 more seats without a clear infrastructure plan is reckless. The building, originally capped at a 850 people capacity, does not have the space around it dedicated for customers to park safely without flooding into College Hill.

Even the Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department has said the maximum capacity should be capped at 1,537 without significant fire safety upgrades.

The building needs an infrastructure update to support such a crowd and more fire suppression systems — starting with another sprinkler system.

The theater’s proposed

2,066-seat expansion seems not only impractical but dangerous, prioritizing profit over public safety.

This isn’t just about zoning or logistics, it’s about respecting Wichita’s past.

At nearly 100 years old, Crown Uptown should be on the city’s historic register. Its interior can be modernized for safety while keeping its historical charms intact.

The threat to demolish the Crown Uptown deserves direction and administration, not ultimatums. If Brown cannot provide that, it’s time for him to step aside and let someone who values the theater’s legacy and potential take over.

Preserving the Crown Uptown isn’t just about saving a building — it’s about honoring Wichita’s past and creating a space that future generations can cherish.

the details and, by extension, weakens the public’s understanding of their government’s decisions.

The press serves as the public’s eyes and ears, not just passive spectators. This shift could pave the way for further erosion of transparency, where “distractions” become a convenient excuse for silencing the press from upholding their constitutional responsibility.

The Kansas House should reconsider these rules. Restoring full access to the House floor would demonstrate a commitment to open and transparent government and the democratic values Kansans deserve and need.

In an era when misinformation and distrust in institutions run rampant, the press is the foundation of transparency. Limiting our

access only raises more questions about what lawmakers might want to keep hidden. Anything less risks not just the press’s ability to do our job, but also the public’s right to know.

THE BILL

The bill for journalists to be removed from their original area of work to the sidelines and gallery has been put in effect at the start of 2025 by the Kansas House of Representatives. Session rules were suggested to change based on the observation that there is “simply limited space” and the House is expanding the seating to the staff and moving the media.

WICHITA REVOLUTIONS IN

More than 180 athletes traveled to Wichita for the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

CLAYTON STAPLES VISITING ARTIST

EXHIBITION: THIS IS CAPTURED PAPER

MONDAY - FRIDAY TILL MARCH 14

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

McKnight Art Center, Clayton Staples Gallery, room 205 A collection of works from Jason Reblando, “This Is Captured Paper” contains photocollages from the American colonial era in the Philippines. A Filipino-American photographer, Reblando combines archival elements with modern photography to create a glance at the complex relationship between the Philippines and the United States with his own personal identity.

LAST REFUND DAY

MONDAY, FEB. 3

Last day to drop a full-semester class and not have it appear on your record, change your enrollment in a full-semester class from “credit” to “audit,” and drop and receive a 100% tuition refund for fullsemester classes. No additional partial refunds provided. See refund policies and more information at wichita.edu/refund.

FAIRMOUNT COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES HALL OF FAME

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

2 - 3 p.m.

Weidemann Hall

The highest recognition for alumni impacting the region, nation and world, this year the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is inducting 1970 and 1971 grad William “Bill” Simon, founder of Sun Nuclear Corporation, and 1970 grad Mark Wentling, international development and humanitarian assistance specialist.

QT REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5

11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Rhatigan Student Center, room 233

Join Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies for a workshop focused on developing your own LGBTQ+, or QT, Registered Student Organization (RSO). Other ideas are welcome. Spectrum will guide students through the entire process, beginning with creation and approval to running a successful RSO. Free snacks will be available. Contact Genesis Merriett at gtmerriett@shockers.wichita.edu for more information.

FAIRMOUNT COLLEGE CAREER FAIR

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Rhatigan Student Center, first floor

Connect with employers from fields ranging from communication and political science to history and psychology. Visit shorturl.at/fjGOF for registration and more information.

MAJOR FOR A DAY WITH THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS

FRIDAY, FEB. 7

Noon - 1 p.m.

Rhatigan Student Center

Experience the life of a WSU student in the School of Performing Arts with an informational session, a meet and greet with faculty and staff in the school, lunch, a class of your choosing, a campus tour and a free ticket to one School of Performing Arts production. The classes range from Dance, Musical Theatre, Theatre Performance and Design & Technical Theatre. Email performingarts@wichita.edu to RSVP. Tickets are $20.