Issuu

SPORTS | 2

OPINION | 6

JAY’S SELFIES

HISPANIC HERITAGE

WSU SCRIMMAGE

The Sunflower’s Visuals Director critiques President Golden’s selfie abilties.x

The Sunflower’s A&E Editor provides an overview of Hispanic Heritage month.

WSU’s volleyball team hosted the Black and Yellow Scrimage on Saturday.

WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896 MONDAY Sept. 14, 2020XX

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Volume 125

DO NOT TELL

Issue 3

WSU instructors prohibited from informing students of possible class COVID-19 exposure BY LINDSAY SMITH news@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

ichita State has prohibited professors from notifying their students if a classmate has tested positive for COVID-19 and may have unwittingly exposed fellow students. The university is currently not informing instructors if one of their students tests positive, and according to an email sent to faculty on Aug. 19, even if a student tells their instructor that they have tested positive, the instructor is not allowed to alert the class.

“Contact tracing has a very specific meaning. It means doing the detective work and tracking down and notifying the people in the patient’s network. Notifying people that they may have been exposed does not meet the definition of contact tracing.” FRANK LOMONTE

Director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida “Faculty and staff should not: (1) ask the student any questions about where the student has been or who the student has been around, or (2) report the positive case to the class members,” states the email, which was obtained by The Sunflower. University officials have said the decision not to inform students is in response to a 2016 Kansas House bill that states only local health officials can authorize and conduct contact tracing. “The public health laws that are in place don’t allow us to follow up on that. The Health Department does that, so that’s why that decision was made,” Muma said. “It wasn’t something we decided on. We were just following the laws and regulations regarding communicable diseases.” Frank LoMonte, director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida, said the ban on individuals contact tracing is not a valid excuse to prevent instructors from notifying students of possible exposure. “Contact tracing has a very specific meaning. It means doing the detective work and tracking down and notifying the people in the patient’s network,” LoMonte said. “Notifying people that they may have been exposed does not meet the definition of contact tracing.” When asked if instructors are allowed to request that students who have tested positive for COVID not attend class, Director of Student Health Services Camille Childers didn’t respond directly. She said the

university is providing “leniency” for students who are ill. “Instructors have been asked to provide leniency for students who report that they have COVID or they have been exposed to COVID, because of no fault of their own, they have to miss in-person classes,” Childers said. She said one reason classes were set up using a hybrid model was so that instructors could provide flexibility for students. “That model may not fit all academic environments and that’s where the program and the instructor need to be creative to make sure students are not falling behind in their academic requirements,” she said. Muma said that even if a student tests positive, as long as everyone is following social distancing and face covering guidelines, they likely haven’t come “in contact” with classmates. “You’re not considered a true contact unless you’re around someone without face coverings on for more than ten minutes and less than six feet,” Muma said. While that is the current definition of a close contact, health experts are constantly reevaluating safety measures, taking into consideration other factors such as ventilation and exposure time.

‘PRIVACY CONCERNS’ When it comes to informing students of possible COVID exposure in the classroom, Childers said privacy is another main concern. “That falls under privacy more than anything,” she said. “We do the same with any other disease. If one of your classmates has measles, or lumps, or chickenpox, we don’t make a class announcement about that.” But freedom of information expert Frank LoMonte said he doesn’t believe privacy is a valid argument in this case. “The department of education has specifically said that if you think it’s necessary to protect public health and safety, you absolutely have to notify, so there’s no privacy law against [it],” LoMonte said. “In fact, the department has even said you can give out the names if you think it’s necessary.” This is not the first time the university has cited privacy in their COVID response. WSU was late to reveal COVID-19 case numbers on campus. The university began releasing case numbers Sept. 2, more than two weeks after the start of the fall semester and well after other state universities had begun releasing case numbers. A university release stated that WSU is releasing numbers because it understands the SEE EXPOSURE PAGE 4 GRAPHIC BY MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER

/ The Sunflower

@sunflowernews

@thesunflowernews

2 | MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020

NEWS

‘Everything has changed’

GRAPHIC BY MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER

WSU CAPS Wellness Director discusses COVID-19 effects on mental health BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com / @julianightengale

With COVID-19 still raging in our society, the Counseling and Prevention services at WSU have seen a rise in students who need help due to the pandemic. According to Jessica Provines, Wellness Director for CAPS, over 50% of students who have used CAPS reported that one of the reasons they were coming in was due to the pandemic. Emerging research is also starting to indicate that death by overdose and suicide has increased during the pandemic. “With COVID-19, everything has changed; the way we study, the way we learn, the way we go to school, and the way we interact with peers,” she said. “Students have to deal with all of this on top of all their other stresses.” To help manage these stresses,

Provines said that it’s important for students to find ways to relax, find balance, prioritize sticking to a routine, and make healthy lifestyle choices. “Students also need to find ways to connect with others, to get support from their classmates, to study together, to reach out to friends,” Provines said. Provines said that it is important to avoid a sedentary lifestyle and not getting enough activity. Not having these basic health needs met can exacerbate existing mental health problems as well as cause new mental health problems. Province said that it is important to focus on mental wellness. Students need to be able to function well to learn. When we are experiencing challenges with mental health, it impacts our cognition. We have trouble retaining things

SGA passes resolution suspending travel funding due to COVID-19 BY LINDSAY SMITH news@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

The Student Senate passed a resolution suspending travel funding at Wednesday’s meeting. The resolution was written after conversations about if providing funding for travelling was good for the community during a pandemic. In the past, the association has helped cover students’ travelling expenses. “People come to us asking if they can get money to help support them for registration fees, air plane tickets, food and those kinds of things,” Senator Maggie Hole, the chair of the Budget and Finance committee, said. But due to the pandemic, members decided that it wouldn’t be wise to continue to use student dollars to fund these trips since they might result in more COVID cases.

“Unfortunately with COVID and everything we don’t feel like it’s within the best interest of our students … or in the best interest of the community as a whole,” Hole said. “Those people do come back here and we need to be responsible to the community of using student dollars to fund travel.” The suspension will be reviewed monthly to see if it will need to be continued, depending on how the pandemic continues. “I think that the committee along with the treasurer are adequate to address whatever COVID concerns there may be,” Senator Tayton Majors said. “Given the conditions of the pandemic, I think it’s necessary.” The resolution passed with 39 in favor, 5 against and one abstention.

The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters and twice over the summer. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.

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.

LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association. The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association. Copyright © 2020 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

EDITOR IN CHIEF editor@thesunflower.com NEWS EDITOR Lindsay Smith news@thesunflower.com OPINION EDITOR Jeromiah Taylor opinion@thesunflower.com SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Karen Galindo arts@thesunfower.com COPY EDITOR Julia Nightengale copyeditor@thesunflower.com

that we read, remembering things that we heard, and have more difficulty concentrating and focusing. “Our mental health impacts our brain functioning, and if we are not taking care of that then our ability to be academically successful is significantly jeopardized,” Province said. CAPS transitioned their resources to an online format at the beginning of the pandemic so that students could have access to mental health services amid isolation. Mental health services are available to all enrolled students. To set up an appointment, students can call 978-4792 or through the WSU website. Appointments are conducted via Zoom or phone call. Students can also follow @ shockerscaps on social media for weekly live streams and free tips to help manage mental

health. CAPS recently launched their #WeSupportYou mental health awareness campaign and preventional suicide training on a national level at their website, suspendersforhope.com Students can access the preventional suicide training for free with a valid WSU ID through the WSU website and purchase a t-shirt to support National Suicide Prevention month in September. “As a two time suicide loss survivor myself, mental health awareness and suicide prevention is one of the most important things,” Provines said. “I have committed to myself that we support you through the Suspenders for Hope mental health campaign, making sure it is widely known by students and those in our community that it is ok to not be ok and asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.”

WSU offering buyouts for faculty 62 and older BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com / @julianightengale

Wichita State is offering buyouts for faculty 62 and older to retire, the university announced Friday in an email sent to faculty members. The Voluntary Separation Incentive Program for Retirement (VSIP) is for eligible WSU employees who can voluntarily elect and be approved to separate employment from WSU on December 26, 2020. The plan was announced “to manage the ongoing fiscal health” of the university and to cut costs in the future. WSU employees who are approved and selected will receive a retirement benefit equal to their 2021 budgeted annual base salary, minus required payroll deductions. Faculty and staff must be active

VISUALS DIRECTOR Morgan Anderson visuals @thesunflower.com PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Kaylee Stout photos@thesunflower.com PODCAST DIRECTOR Audrey Korte podcast@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Noah Merrell admanager@thesunflower.com FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu

participants in the KBOR Mandatory Retirement Plan, the KPERS Retirement Plan, or the KP&F Retirement Plan. They must also be 62 years of age or older at the Retirement date and have completed at least 10 years of service in a benefits-eligible position at WSU or a State of Kansas agency. Some employees are not eligible to apply, including but not limited to those who have already announced intention to retire or separate employment, are on approved long-term disability, or have an active phased retirement agreement or are scheduled to begin one in the future. For more information on the program including a complete list of eligibility conditions and application timeline and procedure, faculty can visit www.wichita. edu/VSIP2020.

316-978-6905 editor@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING

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Corrections

The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.

MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020 | 3

TAKE THE DESIGNATED DRIVER PLEDGE I pledge that when my friends are drinking, I am the designated sober driver.

Full name: ______________ e-mail: Signature: __________________________________

*Redeem for free 16 oz Coke or CocaCola product at Shocker softball. baseball. and other designated Shocker Athletics Events. Win New Market Square and Rhatigan Student Center Gift Cards and Vouchers. Earn bonus Shocker Maniac Points.

IN KANSAS, YOU DRINK. YOU DRIVE. YOU LOSE. www.ktsro.com/impaired-driving

4 | MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020

NEWS

PHOTOS BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER

Left: President Jay Golden speaks at the press conference hosted by WSU Foundation. The press conference was held at Marcus Welcome Center on August 31, 2020. Right: Yolanda Camarena speaks at the news conference hosted by WSU Foundation. Gene and Yolanda Camarena donanted $1 Million with the mission of helping students of color succeed at WSU.

WSU receives $1 million gift for students of color scholarships BY LINDSAY SMITH news@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

A donation of $520,000 from Gene and Yolanda Camarena will be matched in full by Wichita State and will be put towards providing scholarships to 20 Hispanic and Black students yearly for the upcoming four years. The donation was announced at a news conference behind the Marcus Welcome Center Monday, Aug. 31. The scholarship program is called the Shocker Adelante Scholars. “Adelante” is Spanish for “to move forward” or “to get ahead”. Along with the scholarship program, the gift will also provide funding for mentoring and tutoring for scholarship recipients, support recipients who’ve an entrepreneurial interest by underwriting their participation in WSU’s Microenterprises Program, create a visiting professor program, and hire a full-time diversity recruiter. “We are excited to start what we hope is a long term partnership

EXPOSURE FROM PAGE 1 sharing data,” after weeks of it insisting that sharing any case information was a breach of privacy. That privacy, others say, puts a wider population of students and faculty at risk. “Your privacy right ends at the point where other people’s health and safety are at risk,” LoMonte said.

WHAT STUDENT LEADERS ARE SAYING Political science junior Zachary James, who currently serves as the Student Government Association’s treasurer, said that while he believes the university should protect the identity of individual students, not informing possible contacts could lead to more serious dangers. “I understand protecting the student who tested positive — protecting their identity and their safety,” James said. “But I think it’s putting others in danger because there are people who are also in the classroom that could live off campus, and there are people who go to work. “That leads to more

with Wichita State University, focused on the university’s diversity and inclusion initiatives,” Yolanda Camarena said. “As Latino college students ourselves one time, we know firsthand about the financial and cultural barriers that students of color can encounter during the educational process. We also understood the lifelong positive impact that a college education can have on each student.” Wichita State student Tony Ibarra said that the Camarenas have supported him through his education and believes that the donation reflects their hearts. “As a Kansas Hispanic Education Development Foundation scholar, I have witnessed the awesome authenticity in Gene and Yolanda,” Ibarra said. “Always at the forefront, ready to help students succeed in every way possible. A mission rooted and unmatched in nature, passion, and empathy. [They] both understand my situation as a Dreamer, yet [They] continue to support [and are] animate on providing

problems.” Jordy Mosqueda, a freshman general business major who is serving as an at-large senator in SGA, said that while there are pros and cons to WSU’s policy of secrecy, he believes that the cons outweigh the pros. “In my opinion, it’s a good policy, but at the same time, it’s not,” Mosqueda said. “I see why they would want the privacy side of it, but at the same time . . . I think that’s just a risk you shouldn’t be taking because we don’t know if there are students actually on campus or off campus, [or if ] they have vulnerable family members or people around them that are at high risk.” John Kirk, SGA fine arts senator, said that as someone who is at a high risk of contracting COVID, the policy puts him in danger. “For me specifically, I have diabetes and cancer,” Kirk said. “My doctor has said that I can go to class as long as I have a mask on and I am comfortable with it . . . However, still, my immune system is lower than your average college student. If someone in my class tested positive, I need to freaking know about it, and I know I’m not the only person who feels that way. “I think it’s unacceptable and just wrong.”

resources to [ensure] my success in college and life. “These are just some examples among many others that show how Gene and Yolanda are always ready to make a difference in young people’s lives.” Yolanda Camarena is a Wichita State graduate and furthered her education at Harvard University where she completed a Master’s in Public Policy and Education. Gene Camarena graduated from the University of Kansas and earned a Master’s in Business Administration at the Harvard University School of Business. “We hope our gift will inspire others to give, to make a difference, [and] will have a lasting impact on our students and the university for generations to come,” Yolanda Camarena said. WSU Provost Rick Muma said that the gift will allow WSU to dig deeper in Latinx studies. “This gift will help us to enhance our focus on Latinx studies … through our visiting

professor program,” Provost Rick Muma said. “Latinx students are the fastest growing demographic among our students here at the university and these professors will help develop and teach the Latinx focused curriculum, mentor students, and deepen our relationship in the Latinx community.” WSU President Jay Golden said that the couple’s gift will be able to help further the university’s vision. “[Our vision] is to provide an affordable, an accessible, [and] impactful education. If we can do that we are one of the greatest universities in the country and that is the path we are on,” WSU President Golden said. “The gift today … lays the foundation for us to succeed. Their commitment to to only take this first step but to continue with us on this pathway and to provide the mentorship, the advice to the president, [and] the partnership to an institution is critical. And that’s why we’re so excited today.”

Sunflower Archives - Friday, Sept. 14, 1979

Bullet alters student’s life BY RICK GARRIOT

Nearly three months ago, WSU student and liquor store employee David Donohoo was shot in the face and temporarily blinded during a holdup at Galloup Liquor Store, 3920 E. 13th. Today, although barely able to read, Donohoo has returned to school at Wichita state University. After the June 21 shooting, Donohoo was admitted in serious condition to Wesley Medical Center, where he spent two weeks recuperating. It was not until 1 ½ weeks later that he began to perceive light. Since the holdup, Donohoo has undergone surgery twice and has had one eye removed. “It’s hard to believe it ever happened,” Donohoo said as he recalled the 10 p.m. shooting that Monday night. “I heard the door open and this guy walked up to the counter with a Halloween

mask on,” he said. Sonohoo said he knew what was happening from the moment the door flew open and he saw the barrel of a .22 caliber pistol pointed at him. The gunman told Donohoo he wanted all the money— and he wanted it quick. “I looked in the drawer to see if I had missed any money, and he shot me right in the middle of the face,” Donohoo told reporters the day after the shooting. The assailant was never caught. A friend, Mark Leibst, was in the liquor store at the time of the robbery. He was shot in the shoulder but recovered, Donohoo said. Leibst, who was knocked out of his chair by the shot, was able to help Donohoo find the holdup alarm button and signal police. The robber fled with less than $100. Donohoo had worked at the liquor store for about a year

and a half and said he never thought this would happen to him. “I liked working there,” he said. “It was a good job to have and go to school, and i could study at night.” Donohoo said the doctors wouldn’t say much about his progress at this point, but he’s still been doing a lot of thinking about his after-school plans. “I’ve been waiting to see what’s going to happen, whether they can correct my vision more.” Donohoo cannot drive, wears thick glasses and has trouble reading. “I have to stick my face right in the book,” he said. Donohoo is enrolled in nine hours of classes this semester and has been at WSU for four years. Math was his major, but now, he said, he cannot pursue that field because of the close-up eye work it involves.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020 | 5

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Opinion

HAVE AN OPINION?

contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Jeromiah Taylor opinion@thesunflower.com

WSU should worry more about the spread of COVID-19 than the spread of information A lack of transparency has marked Wichita State University’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instructors are not allowed to inform students if one of their classmates has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an email obtained by The Sunflower. University officials have also said that one of the reasons behind this decision is “privacy concerns.” The university should be more concerned about the spread of the virus than the spread of information. Not notifying students of possible exposure deprives them of their right to make informed personal health decisions. University officials have attempted to use Kansas laws regarding public health and privacy to justify this university policy, citing a bill that authorizes only health officials to conduct contact tracing. Frank LeMonte, director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, told The Sunflower that the university’s claim that state law prohibits them from informing students doesn’t hold up. “Contact tracing has a very specific

STAFF

EDITORIAL meaning – it means doing the detective work and tracking down and notifying the people in the patient’s network,” LeMonte said. “Notifying people that they might have been exposed does not meet the definition of contact tracing.” With no legal basis to forbid faculty from informing students about positive cases in their classroom, it would seem the university’s motive in doing so is merely reputation management. If sick students are invisible, then the university appears to be doing a good job at containing the virus, and is thus able to justify the fiscally-driven decision to keep campus open. The catch? More students get sick. Not to mention the public has no way of knowing if faculty and staff are sick or healthy. The university has been opaque in regards to COVID-19 case numbers on campus as well. WSU didn’t start publishing their COVID-19 test results until

well after Kansas State University and The University of Kansas. However, unlike the University of Kansas and Kansas State University, WSU is only publishing student statistics who were tested at the Student Health Center. Both K-State and KU are publishing data breaking down the number of students in housing who are in isolation and quarantine. WSU has not provided details about the status of on-campus residents and COVID-19 infection. Since early August, K-State has conducted over 4,000 tests while KU has conducted over 25,000. Of course, when student body sizes are accounted for, one expects the larger universities to have conducted more tests. That being said, the percentage of the student body tested is higher at K-State and KU. In the same period of time WSU has only conducted 1,594 tests as of Sept. 4. In addition to being significantly smaller than the test numbers at other state universities, this number does not equate to the university’s claim that they have tested all on-campus residents and athletes. According to a 2019 WSU strategic

communications report on campus residents totaled approximately 1,500 students. Collegefactual.com reports that WSU has over 400 student athletes. This would mean the university should have, at minimum, tested approximately 2000 students. A lack of transparency allows the university to make policy decisions with minimal accountability to public opinion. While that may be politically expedient for university administration, it is catastrophic in terms of public health on campus, not to mention highly unethical for a publicly funded institution. It is time that university administrators remember that they are not the university. They are temporary servants of the university and its mission to educate. Short-sighted politics are not in the best interests of the community which the university is designed to serve and which it depends on for revenue and human resources. WSU must do its due diligence by encouraging faculty to inform students about positive cases in their classes.

Find your voice INTO THE ZEITGEIST Jeromiah Taylor Opinion Editor opinion@thesunflower.com

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER

Jay, please learn how to take a selfie Morgan Anderson Visuals Director visuals@thesunflower.com

“Oh no, not again,” I thought to myself while scrolling through Twitter late one afternoon. “Another selfie…” Each one different from the last — a different setting, different outfit, and above all, a different version of what I think is a smile. Despite these differences, there is a common denominator among all of them — it’s President Jay Golden. Ever since Golden took over as the president of Wichita State in 2019, I have been keeping tabs on him. I am a student who wants change, and I believe Golden is the man for the job. But I’m not here to discuss Golden’s involvement in student life or his accomplishments — I’m here to discuss his inability to take a decent selfie. On Dec. 5, 2019, the first account of Golden’s unusual selfies emerged. Scrolling through my twitter feed that day intently watching for live updates of the

Shocker basketball game against Central Arkansas, I stumbled upon Golden’s tweet, posing with the Director of the School of Music, Aleks Sternfeld-Dunn, and the pep band, Shocker Sound. Lo and behold, the first selfie. His face sat in the lower left corner, unveiling a half-cringed smile that brought me to tears of laughter. I wasn’t surprised. It’s a typical boomer selfie. Then again, maybe he was distracted by the crowd and forgot to use his face. Happens to everyone. So I ignored his questionable facial expression and went on with my day. And then it happened again. On December 17, I saw a familiar face on my twitter feed. But this time, it was different. Golden wasn’t surrounded by a large group of people. Instead he was alone, snapping yet another selfie of him and his new office. No distractions and his smile was a worse attempt than the last. Since December, his streak of selfies has now reached a grand total of 17 and counting. I assumed he would’ve gotten better, or at least tried. Nonetheless, they’re still bad. Well you’re in luck Mr. Golden. Coming from a photographer with

Opinion LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 400 words. Letters may be edited for accuracy, clarity and length. Please include your name, WSU affiliation and a phone number for verification purposes. To submit letters, email opinion@thesunflower.com or submit at www.thesunflower.com. The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or the university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

nine years of experience, I have some helpful tips to make your selfie game immaculate. Landscape mode is always an option Upon review of the pictures you’ve taken, most, if not all of them, are vertical. This method makes it difficult to fit everything within the frame of your phone. Simply turning your phone 90 degrees to the left or right gives you more room to fit you and your subject(s) in the photo. No more scrunched bodies! During a pandemic, this tip makes it easier for people to social distance and make it in your selfie. Not to mention, it looks better on Twitter! 2. For the love of God, lower your phone Jay, there is no reason for your phone to be that high. Instead, put it at eye level to improve your pictures. This also prevents your arms from getting tired and then you can use both hands if you need to stabilize your phone. 3.Finally, don’t forget your face I know you have a good smile. But for some reason, the minute you have to take the picture while also being in it, you forget that you look slightly ill. Don’t worry, there is an easy fix to this. Before you snap that almost perfect selfie, look at yourself before you hit the button. This will ensure that your face is how you want it, and I don’t have to guess if you’re actually happy. Don’t take this as a request to stop taking selfies. Your tweets are some of the simple joys I get throughout the day. But if you want to be like the cool kids, improve your game, Jay.

In the documentary “Becoming,” about Michelle Obama’s tour promoting her book of the same name, there is a scene where the former first lady is meeting with a group of female high school students. The students have been carefully selected for this special opportunity to meet personally with one of the most inspiring women of the 21st century. One young woman expresses that she is unsure of why she was selected. According to her, her peers are all very involved with clubs and extracurricular activities. She only has time for one club. Michelle asks why. Because she has to pick up her younger siblings from school, take the city bus home, clean, cook, tutor her siblings and finally attend to her own academic obligations. There is simply no time for anything else. “And she wonders why she’s here,” Michelle says in awe. “That is why you’re here. That is your story. Your power. Everything that is ordinary to you is not.” When I first saw this scene I was reminded of my younger self. Someone who thought he had nothing to say, no story to tell, who was stuck in the seeming banality of all he had ever known. I remember being very young, maybe 6 or 7, and desperately wanting to write. I would write my name over and over again. I would read every street sign and label I came across. I would use my lita’s white board and dry erase markers and pretend to teach. These games while fun always left me feeling frustrated. I had nothing to write about, nothing to teach. It would take me years to find my voice. And then more years to figure out what I should use it to say. In a time of voicelessness, when virtually every member of society has something they would like to change about the world and yet find themselves unable to rise above the white noise of presidential tweets and Kardashian scandals, we all need to find our voices more than ever. Doing so is not only an indispensable part of our individual development but also a moral imperative.

Using our voices to tell our stories has untold power. People who come after us and follow in our footsteps need to see and hear themselves in our stories. As James Baldwin wrote “You read something which you thought only happened to you, and you discovered it happened 100 years ago to Dostoevsky. This is a very great liberation for the suffering, struggling person, who always thinks that they are alone.” That is the power of your voice. Despite his brilliance, Dostoevsky could not experience the complete breadth of human life. Every story is unique, as unique as every person is. You are needed. Your voice is needed to diversify the canon – to inspire yourself and those around you. Never doubt the power of words. Yes, actions are powerful – protest, policy, advocacy – these things are necessary. But if you are literate you have a power that can never be taken from you. And a responsibility to use that power. Let me repeat, never doubt the power of words. Language is in my opinion the single greatest invention in all of history. It is the foundation, the prerequisite and the matter of every subsequent human development. Toni Morrison in the documentary “The Pieces I Am” recalls when she first realized the power of language. Before she could read, her sister and her would copy words they saw with a stick on the sidewalk. One day they saw a word they did not recognize. They began to write it on the sidewalk. They got as far as f-u-c before Morrison’s mother ran out of the house screaming with a mop bucket and ordered them to remove the writing. Young Morrison did not know what the word meant. But she understood that if a single word could cause her mother to lose her composure, the language must be powerful. As an adult in full possession of her formidable literary powers, Morrison was informed by a state penitentiary that her book “Song of Solomon” had been banned as authorities thought it would incite a riot if read by the prisoners. Words have power. Read the rest at thesunflower.com

6 | MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020

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Arts & Entertainment

HAVE A STORY IDEA?

contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Karen Galindo arts@thesunflower.com

Everything you need to know about Hispanic Heritage Month and more BY KAREN GALINDO arts@thesunflower.com

What is Hispanic Heritage Month? National Hispanic Heritage Month is a month of celebration for American citizens who are of Hispanic descent. Every year, festivals and events are held across the nation to honor Hispanic culture and its impact on American lifestyle. This month-long celebration starts on September 15 and ends on October 15. It first began under President Lyndon Johnson as a week-long celebration, but was later expanded to cover an entire month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. It covers the independence days of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Belize and Chile.

A brief look at Hispanic American History

Influencial Figures WILLIE VELASQUEZ

1776 - While the colonies in the East celebrate their independence from Great Britain, the Spanish commemorate the founding of San Francisco in the West.

Velasquez is a voting rights activist and one of the five founders of the Mexican-American Youth Organization. He also worked as the boycott coordinator for United Farm Workers in the late 1960s and founded the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project in 1974. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton in 1995. He died in 1988.

1846 - The U.S declares war on Mexico over a territorial dispute regarding

Texas, thus starting the Mexican-American war.

1848 - The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican-American War.

The treaty expands U.S. territory to include present-day Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Texas. In return, the U.S agreed to pay Mexico $15 million and it established the Rio Grande as America’s southern border.

DOLORES HUERTA

1901 -

The Platt Amendment is signed, giving the United States the right to build naval bases in Cuba. It also forces Cuba to get U.S. permission before signing treaties or borrowing money from other countries.

Huerta helped start the Stockton chapter of the Community Services Organization, but later left the organization when they refused to expand their efforts to help farm workers. In 1962 she co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, now known as the United Farm Workers, an organization that calls for improved working conditions for farm workers. Huerta has received multiple awards and has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

1917 -

The United States joins WWI, leading the U.S. government to encourage temporary Mexican workers to find work on U.S. soil, but with the condition that they must register for the draft.

1925 - The “Border Control” is created by Congress. 1940s - As WWII begins, many Hispanic Americans enlist in the military,

making them the largest ethnic group serving in the war.

CESAR CHAVEZ

1943 -

Similar to World War I, WWII causes a labor shortage leading the U.S. government to come to an agreement with the Mexican government to import temporary Mexican workers to work in the U.S. agriculture fields. The agreement continued even after the war, officially ending in 1964.

Chavez is a key figure in the fight for farm workers rights in the U.S. He worked closely with Dolores Huerta to end discrimination against farm workers and oragnized many protests and hunger strikes. He co-founded the National Farm Workers Association alongside Huerta and Gilbert Padilla. Chavez died in 1933. His wife accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on his behalf in 1994.

1954 TO 1958 - A government initivative to locate and deport

undocumented workers called “Operation Wetback” begins.

1962 -

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta form the National Farm Workers Association.

SONIA SOTOMAYOR

1963 -

President John F. Kennedy is assassinated, leaving Lyndon B. Johnson as his successor. President Johnson then appoints the most Mexican Americans to government positions seen in U.S history.

Sotomayor became the first Latina Supreme Court Justice. Sotomayor graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1976 and continued her studies at Yale Law School where she became the editor for the Yale Law Journal. Nominated by President Obama in 2009, Sotomayor became the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history. She was part of the majority ruling for the following two landmark Supreme Court cases: King v. Burwell and Obergefell v. Hodges.

1994 - NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, begins. Its purpose is to eliminate all tariffs between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. 2005 -

In April, the Minutemen, a group of American volunteers, began patrolling the U.S-Mexico border. They willingly report unauthorized border crossings to Border Patrol, adding to the already-growing anti-immigrant sentiments across the nation.

MARCARIO GARCIA

2012 -

DACA, also known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is put into effect. The program allows individuals who came to the U.S. as children and who meet several other criteria to request a two-year, renewable membership that permits them to work in the U.S. and which grants them temporary protection from deportation.

Garcia became the first Mexican national to receive the Medal of Honor. At age 22, he enlisted in the U.S army and was deployed to fight in WWII. In 1944, Garcia was acting squad leader when his unit was assigned to clear two German gun nests. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman in 1945. Once back home in Texas and already known as a Medal of Honor recipient, Garcia was refused service at a cafe due to his ethnicity. This led to a fight where the cafe owner beat Garcia with a baseball bat. He died in 1972.

2020 - In June, the Supreme Court blocks President Trump’s order to end DACA in a 5-4 ruling.

Recommended movies and tv shows COCO

UNDER THE SAME MOON/ LA MISMA LUNA

MONEY HEIST/LA CASA DE PAPEL

HOUSE OF FLOWERS/LA CASA DE LAS FLORES

Independence days Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua:

September 15

Mexico: September 16 Chile: September 18 Belize: September 21

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020 | 7

‘You are more than enough’: WSU student hopes to normalize mental health conversations through photography exhibit BY KAREN GALINDO arts@thesunflower.com

Devin Carter, a junior majoring in studio art with an emphasis in photo media, grew up in rural northwest Kansas where the closest Walmart was 45 minutes away. One day, out of mere boredom and a bit of curiosity, 13 year old Carter picked up his first camera. In 8th grade, he won his first photography competition and met National Geographic photographer, Jim Richardson. Ever since then and with the support of his biggest fan, his mother, Carter has had a passion for photography. “I really like creating something that people can connect with on a bigger level than just ‘Oh, that looks really neat,’” Carter said. “I like creating things that speak to people or tell a story.” Carter’s exhibit titled “Don’t Weight” will be featured at the Cadman Art Gallery in the Rhatigan Student Center until September 11. His exhibit’s goal is to raise awareness of mental health and to normalize the conversations surrounding mental health, said Carter. “The reason I wanted to have this space to talk about it is because even though it’s 2020 and we’re getting better at taking care of ourselves mentally and opening up the discussion, it’s still more taboo than it should be,” Carter said. Carter himself has been

diagnosed with depression and ADD, or attention deficit disorder. At age 11, his dad died of suicide. “I think, obviously, you never know exactly why things like that happen, but I think a big part of what could’ve helped with that was if it wasn’t so taboo to talk about mental health and to get help. Especially in men and especially in military personnel,” Carter said. On the back of his showcards reads in large print, “You are more than enough.” “I just want to remind them that as well, that you are more than enough. You don’t have to try to be someone that you’re not for other people,” Carter said. “The people that you’re gonna connect with the most are going to come to you as you are.” In January, Carter started his business, Photos by Carter. “I really like taking photos of people and showing them, no matter who they are, just how beautiful they are as a human being,” Carter said. He has a wide range of services, including headshots, family photos, branding and marketing, and more. “Being able to take photos of people and being able to see their reactions on just how great they look as a person, is always refreshing to me,” Carter said. “I like being able to help people with that... I like to make people smile.” Visit his business website at www.photos-by-carter.com.

PHOTOS BY KHANH NGUYEN/THE SUNFLOWER

Top: Junior Devin Carter talks to a guest during the reception of his photography exhibit “Don’t Weight”. The event was held in the RSC on Sept 4. Right: “Weighted Down” by Devin Carter. Modeled: Sydney Wyatt.

WSU alumna displays her views and voice in new single BY WYMAN WHEELER wjwheeler@shockers.wichita.edu

KHANH NGUYEN/THE SUNFLOWER

Top: Junior Samatha Gales earned first place with her piece “A Tribute to the Nascent Nine” Above: Gales displays “Based on a true story.” by Christpopher Canary (left) and “Fields of Golds” by Angel Dao (right)

ShiftSpace hosts ‘Roll With It’ event BY KAREN GALINDO arts@thesunflower.com

WSU Shiftspace hosted the “Roll With It” exhibit on Friday. The competition was open to Wichita State students, alumni, and community artists. Participants were provided with a skate deck to design or transform. Graduate student and event organizer, Lydia Humphreys, hoped to bring the WSU and Wichita community together with this event. “Part of my purpose for the show is to build community and create events where people engage with each other, interact, and have

more of a relationship building between the university and the community,” Humphreys said. The show featured 25 uniquely designed skate decks. Junior Samatha Gales earned first place with her piece, “A Tribute to the Nascent Nine”. Meghan Miller, a second year graduate student, took second place with her piece titled “Lighter”, and Sara Alsaied earned third place with her deck “Untitled”. The winners were determined by audience votes. The event was supported by The Art and Design Advocates and the Kerosene Skate Shop.

There’s a new sound being heard here in Wichita and it’s coming from Kylie Jo Smith, professionally known as Kylie Jo. Jo has delivered a new single that has reached the charts of Apple Music. Her new single “Save Me” features her core values and beliefs. She is a musician who pours out her heart in her music. Jo was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. She attended Wichita State and majored in Musical Theater. Jo was taught not just to entertain; she was taught to spread a message with her performances. At WSU, Jo met her husband, Nick Smith, who is a pastor in Wichita. They are parents to two children. Jo learned a lot about herself as a performer and a musician at college, but it wasn’t until after graduating when she discovered that being a musician was her calling. When Jo graduated college, she and Smith moved to Pennsylvania to work with Sight & Sound Theaters, a company that focuses on creating musicals based on Bible stories with awe-inspiring spectacle. Jo was a performer and her husband was working with the lighting crew. It was during their stint with Sight & Sound that she and Smith started to grow their family and soon after, they moved back to Wichita. During that chapter of her life, Jo thought her performing days were over. “I had kind of resolved that I wouldn’t be able to perform anymore because it didn’t make sense to me [being a mom and a wife while performing],” Jo said. When she and Smith moved back home to Wichita, she was asked to sing at her church. It was then she discovered that her true calling was to be a musician and that she had a voice to share with the world. “It was in that season that I realized I can use my gift for something bigger than me,” Jo said. Jo has since released two singles, “I Will Stand”, which was released in 2016 and “Save Me” which was released on August 30. “Save Me” debuted #41 on the Apple Music Christian and Gospel Music charts. Jo has been humbled by the responses to “Save Me” and is incredibly grateful. “Save Me” was made and

COURTESY

Screenshot of Kylie Jo’s single, “Save Me” on Apple Music. You can listen to Kylie Jo on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and other streaming platforms.

released during the pandemic. In a time when artists have been hindered by closed studios, Jo was able to release her single to the masses, to her own surprise. “In this time, I’ve been able to write more and surprisingly [the single] did so much better than I was expecting it to do even though we weren’t doing live shows. I didn’t spend a penny on any advertising and yet it still had the response that it did,” Jo said. During these hard times, gospel music can help the mental state of thousands of people, Jo said. She believes it is helpful to confide in music that spreads encouraging positive messages. “The big reason is I ultimately want people to know Jesus. That’s the Sunday school answer. For me personally, the way I want to do that relationally is to let people know that I struggle the same way you struggle,” Jo said. “I’ve been through it; we’ve been through it together. We can come to the common understanding of suffering and pain and struggle. Depression, anxiety, whatever it is we can all relate to it. I truly believe that through music, we are able to connect on a deeper level.” Jo says that she is not trying to push Christianity upon her listeners. Her objective is to let the listener understand her relationship with God and how it helps her live her life in a positive manner. She believes her music

can help people achieve a greater purpose; a purpose that she believes has led to the blessed life she leads today, she said. “My hope is, by listening to something, even though I’m not trying to be preachy, my hope is that the message is this person knows what it’s like to struggle but there is something about their struggle that’s different,” Jo said. “There’s some way that they’re handling this that I need to know why that’s different for them. And I can say here’s the reason why” One day Jo plans on releasing a full-length album, including her previous singles and several new songs. One new song that she’s working on is titled “I Can’t Breathe” and was written during the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. You can listen to Kylie Jo on Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and other streaming platforms.

LOOKING FOR SUBLEASER Oct. - Feb. near WSU campus, $300/month + utilities

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8 | MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020

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Sports

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BLACK AND YELLOW SCRIMMAGE

MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER

KAYLEE STOUT/THE SUNFLOWER

Left: Wichita State senior McKayla Wuensch sets the ball to her teammate during a scrimmage on Sept 12 inside Charles Koch Arena. Top: Wichita State’s Morgan Weber goes up for a spike while her teammate senior Brooke Smith blocks at the net during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Saturday. Above: Senior McKayla Wuensch celebrates with her team after scoring against the yellow team during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Saturday inside Charles Koch Arena.

MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER

Volleyball to host Black and Yellow Scrimmage BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

The Wichita State volleyball team hosted a Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Sept. 12. This was the first sporting event hosted on campus so far this school year after the American Athletic Conference delayed both volleyball and cross country this semester. For the event, up to 2,000 fans were allowed to attend and for no cost of attendance. Face masks were required for fans who attended while all the players and coaching staff were also sporting masks during the game. In the scrimmage, an

experienced Team Black was able to pick the win in five sets. Brylee Kelly, Emma Wright and Sophia Rohling led the way offensively for Team Black, tallying 36 of the team’s 62 kills. For Team Yellow, they featured ten total newcomers along with returners Kayce Litzau and Sina Uluave but played a close match with the more experienced Team Black. Uluave was able to lead the team offensively with a game-high 16 kills. Both McKayla Wuensch and Kayce Litzau were productive in the setting department with the pair combining for 74 assists

amongst the two teams. Libero Lily Liekweg was also able to pick up a game-high 27 digs. In an interview with The Sunflower on Aug. 26, Head Coach Chris Lamb remained hopeful for some non-conference matches to take place. “I’m hopeful if we do this in the spring they may involve regional non-conference matches which allow us to play in some of the more regional Big-12 schools,” Lamb said in an interview with The Sunflower on August 20. “So, it may be a better schedule in store for us this spring. I might say that if that happens it was a win.”

KAYLEE STOUT/THE SUNFLOWER

Top Left: Wichita State sophomore Sophia Rholing spikes the ball while freshman blockers Marriah Buss and Morgan Stout go up for a block during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Saturday, Sept. 12 inside Charles Koch Arena. Top Right: Assistant Coach Sean Carter elbow bumps freshman Natalie Foster during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Saturday. Above: Wichita State Sophomore Sinalauli’i Uluave tips the ball over to the opponents team during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Sept. 12 at Charles Koch Arena.

SPORTS

MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020 | 9

Cross Country season gets postponed while questions still remain BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

Just six days after the American Athletic Conference announced that the volleyball season would be delayed, the same was announced for cross country on Sept. 1. For Wichita State, this means no fall sports will take place on campus. From the perspective of Cross Country Head Coach Kirk Hunter, he was very confused as to whether the season was canceled or delayed but it was a major disappointment for the program as a whole. “I was disappointed that the student-athletes weren’t getting the opportunity to compete, especially when I know half of the country is competing,” Hunter said in a phone interview with The Sunflower. “I was mainly just disappointed for the students to have to miss another season after missing outdoor.” Hunter echoed the same sentiment as Shocker Volleyball Head Coach Chris Lamb in that

the AAC’s decision did not come as a shock. “We’ve been hearing things all year about program’s saying they weren’t going to compete this fall and different things,” Hunter said. “With the way things happened last spring and the uncertainties this fall, we knew this definitely could happen.” Similarly to volleyball, the conference decided to postpone the season closer to the fall sport championships which were also delayed until the spring. As Hunter talked with his team, his message consisted of hope and that they must stay focused and moving forward with the possibility of a season taking place in the spring. “The message to my group was the same as it was before,” Hunter said. “I don’t believe in giving up, I believe in moving forward and trying to be the best that we can be for when things do open up for them to compete and everything we’re doing at this time right now

is leading that direction.” Although there won’t be any cross country meets taking place, the program is still training and according to Hunter some student-athletes have even set some personal records in the process. In total, there are currently 13 seniors on the cross country roster and for Hunter, he feels for those seniors who’ve had another season taken away from them. “They’ve had their last year ripped away from them and even those that aren’t seniors know they won’t be here for their fifth year or something like that,” Hunter said. “They’ve lost a season not from an injury, not from their choice but it was just taken away from them. So, there was a lot of disappointment.” Unlike some fall sports, the cross country program will still have the chance to look forward to both the indoor and outdoor track and field in the spring. So, being ready for the season and staying in shape is essential for the program as a whole.

INTRAMURAL SPORTS RETURN WITH NEW PROTOCOLS BY WYMAN WHEELER wjwheler@shockers.wichita.edu

Alongside the restart of classes, Wichita State students also have opportunities to see and do new things on campus, while maintaining the recommended guidelines. Intramural sports offer numerous activities to students that are looking to stay active and have fun during the semester. Austin Sanderson has been the Coordinator of Sports Programs for the past three years and heads up all of the intramural activities and sports clubs. Sanderson knew that the pandemic was going to affect the program significantly, but it was a challenge he was willing to take. “We’re not doing any indoor sports first semester…All outdoor activities,” Sanderson said. Frustrating but necessary precautions have been put in place to allow sports to continue at WSU. The program has also delayed larger sports that require officiating, such as futsal and flag football. “We use the state’s guideline,” Sanderson said. “In Phase Three, they allow modified sports and there’s a lot less restrictions so once we get into Phase Three, we can have our larger sports. So hopefully Monday or Tuesday that

expires and we’re good to go.” The precautions do not stop there. This year, fans will not be permitted to watch. The team rosters have also been shrunk in an effort to combat a suspected decline in participants and to prevent a potential spike in cases. Officiators will be provided with electronic whistles and the game times have been extended. Typically, events run about 45 minutes so the time limit has been extended to an hour, in order to give the staff time to sanitize the equipment. Masks will also be required when a participant is not actively participating. The program has also expanded its virtual offerings. Students can run a virtual marathon on their own time. Currently, the program is holding a fishing derby -- awards will be given to students who catch the most fish, the biggest fish, and the longest fish. In October, recreational e-sports will be offered. As far as what attendance will look like this year, Sanderson is still unsure if fans will be allowed at events. “We won’t know that until registration closes. I’m sure it will be affected and that’s one of the reasons we shrunk the rosters knowing that it might be a challenge for teams to get seven or eight individuals

minimum.” They also opted to eliminate co-rec sports and made it so there will be no gender rules for filling out the roster. Now, it is just “highly recommended” for multiple genders to be out on the field at one time. While many sports have been cut or delayed, including flag football, the IS program is still offering many outdoor sports: pickleball, volleyball, tennis, golf as well as other events will be available to all willing participants. Student staff member, Trent Kaylor has been heavily involved in intramural sports since his freshman year. He does a mixture of officiating, being an Intramural Lead and assisting Sanderson in the office. Trent does a lot of work behind the scenes, and even that aspect has been affected by the virus. “We have to take a lot more precautions in our planning, how we schedule events, our timing, disinfecting everything, making sure all our officials and participants feel safe and healthy when they work and play,” Kaylor said. “It takes a lot more planning and cautiousness so we just have to make sure that we’re doing everything that we can to prevent any outbreaks.” Registration for Intramural Sports is open until Sept. 14.

PHOTOS BY KEVIN BENAVIDES / THE SUNFLOWER

Top: Wichita State junior Alex Moen charges forward with other Wichita State cross country members on Sept. 7 at 4 Mile Creek Resort. Bottom: Wichita State women’s cross country team prepares for the JK Gold Classic on Sept. 7 at 4 Mile Creek Resort.

A Sports Editor with no sports MARTY ON THE BENCH Sean Marty Sports Editor sports@thesunflower.com

Despite a hopeful offseason that sports would return to WSU’s campus this fall, both fall sports have already been postponed just four weeks into the school year. Earlier this week both cross country and volleyball announced that their seasons would be delayed until the spring semester.Although this may come as a surprise to many, as The Sunflower’s Sports Editor, this does not surprise me one bit. This summer at times, the NCAA seemed to be playing a waiting game more than anything in making decisions which has resulted in many different decisions from different conferences. Personally, I feel that the NCAA would’ve been better to make a unified decision on how sports would be conducted in the fall this year. In the case of college football, despite it being played by numerous schools across the country there are still some conferences opting not to play the sport this fall such as the Pac-12 and the Big-Ten. I feel that if there was a unified decision from the NCAA it would be easier to introduce protocols nationwide and a safer return to sports as a whole. On the WSU side of things, although there might be any sports happening on campus, I’m

still determined in finding stories even if there are no sporting events taking place on campus, by continuing to find these stories of how the postponement of sports and uncertainty are affecting many different people in the sporting landscape at WSU. Even with the amount of uncertainty that remains with the upcoming sports seasons, I remain optimistic that some type of sports will take place on WSU’s campus in the winter or spring. Both volleyball and baseball have announced that intrasquad scrimmages would take place. Obviously there’s so many question marks that still remain but with the success that professional sports have had thus far, it gives me some hope for what college sports can become. Whether that means having fans in Charles Koch Arena for games or there being some sort of “bubble” like the NBA, it is still very much in the air. But as long as there is some sort of Shocker athletics on campus with or without fans in the stands, there will be some sort of hope and that progress is being shown nationwide. Overall, I feel pretty hopeful that some sort of collegiate sports will take place but until certain things such as a vaccine get sorted out there won’t be many answers for the immediate future. But as the Sports Editor, no matter if there are sports or not, I will continue to tell the stories of these athletes and how much of an impact sports have on them while keeping the audience updated on anything big within the sporting spectrum at WSU.

10 | MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2020

SPORTS

Volleyball utilizes Black and Yellow Scrimmage as they stay prepared for spring season BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

This weekend, the Wichita State volleyball program was supposed to be in Nacoghodes, Texas playing Stephen F. Austin. Instead, they played their first game of the season in the form of a Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Saturday. For WSU, they were able to host a scrimmage at Charles Koch Arena while also allowing 2,000 fans to attend. In their first action of the year, Head Coach Chris Lamb felt they weren’t ready in terms of lineups because of the greater focus on training to this point. “We’ve just been using the time to train a lot of really talented

young people and try to get them up to speed,” Lamb said. “We haven’t really focused on who next to who, what may be the best 6-7 playing together in terms of turning in a lineup because we haven’t had to.” With the American Athletic Conference postponing the season until the spring and the possibility of the program having to shut down during this semester, Lamb said he might try to focus more on lineups now if they stay in those 20-hour segments. On this year’s roster, WSU features ten total newcomers with nine of those being freshmen. Unlike most fall sports, volleyball doesn’t do any training in summer which has been good for the

newcomers in terms of training. “If this thing had to happen any of the 20 years I’ve been here, this really is the year I would’ve picked,” Lamb said. “Because of things from a recruiting standpoint, having a lot of really young players because if anything they have talent on their side so they have more time to develop skill and experience.” For Lamb, he feels that this scrimmage can have a great impact on the team as they are graded on things and can allow the coaching staff to work with the players on things they can work on in practice. “If you train, the most valid thing you can do is play because that’s the test,” Lamb said. “We’re

not being graded on how well we do a particular skill or drill, we have to get out there and function as a group. There’s just chaotic things that happen in our sport that you need to have reps and chances to see it, evaluate it, teach it, train it, coach them up.” Lamb also feels that this experience can be priceless for the team as a whole. Although they can train as much as possible, it’s a different atmosphere playing in front of a live crowd. “It really is priceless and on one hand I can say, I know we’re getting that same type of activity in a practice but I think it’s different in the brain when several hundred people are watching you and the lights are on and you’ve got to get

comfortable with that too,” Lamb said. “You can’t let that be any type of a distraction. I’ll take as many of these as we can roll out.” Lamb said that he is hopeful that they will be able to have some more scrimmages in the future. Overall, he felt that the energy was at times flat especially since the PA was out due to being in quarantine. But Lamb feels if they’re able to host another scrimmage, they can make it better as time goes on. “I’m going to push for it on Saturday and we’ll talk it over as a staff,” Lamb said. “If Wichita State wants to allow us to keep doing it, I think it’s good for us and we’ll just get better at it as we move forward.”

Emma Wright honored in senior night ceremony but leaves the door open for possible return BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

Just like many people within the Wichita State volleyball program, redshirt senior Emma Wright has had to adjust on the fly. Going into her final year of eligibility she was planning to play out the regular season and graduate from WSU in December but the AAC’s decision to delay the volleyball season until the spring has thrown a wrench in those plans. Originally, Wright’s plan was to move back to her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona in preparation of graduate school in May. “After we found out that the season was pushed back to spring, we’ve kind of been talking about the option of me staying for the spring for my last season,” Wright said. “It kind of depends on a couple of things, just figuring out when the season’s going to end and I still want to start grad school in May.” With the uncertainty remaining for Wright’s career, the program honored her with a senior night ceremony prior to Saturday’s Black and Yellow Scrimmage. For WSU volleyball coach Chris Lamb, he felt that honoring Wright prior to the scrimmage given the amount of uncertainty about the upcoming season was the best decision for the program. “It’s really the best that we can do for her but there are some question marks moving forward in regards to what Emma wants to do,” Lamb said. “Of course there’s grad school looming.” Overall, Wright was very appreciative of her four years at WSU and all the memories she had made over the course of her Shocker career. In her four years, which started with a redshirt year back in 2016, Wright has compiled a total of 342 kills with a hitting percentage of .271. “I really hope it’s not my last time but I’ve had so much fun here the last four years and it was awesome that we had the chance to do it tonight just in case it was,” Wright said. “Tonight was awesome.” Earlier this offseason, the NCAA also announced that they would be giving fall sport athletes another year of eligibility even if they end up playing a spring season. But the decision for Wright will be if she wants to come back and jumpstart the graduate school process. “The NCAA is going to give them a year of eligibility back, but is that what Emma wants for Emma Wright?” Lamb said. “Maybe she was just planning on just playing this semester and moving on.” MORGAN ANDERSON/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State senior Emma Wright waves to the crowd alongside Head Coach Chris Lamb during her senior recognition on Saturday during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage inside Charles Koch Arena.

WSU Athletic Department forms Diversity and Inclusion Council in hopes of continuing the conversation BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

The Wichita State Athletic Department formed a new Diversity and Inclusion Council this summer in DENNIS response to the social unrest across the country. The council’s main purpose is to advance Shocker Athletics’ commitment toward MCINTRYE diversity, inclusion and gender equity. Reginald McIntyre, who serves as the chair for the council, said he chose to be a member in hopes to

make a difference. “I wanted to make change,” McIntyre said in an interview with The Sunflower. “Our goal, our purpose is to advance Shocker Athletics’ commitment towards diversity and inclusion. For me, that’s something that I believe in. I want to make sure that everyone has the same experience at Wichita State.” McIntyre said that another focus is education. “We want to make sure that everyone’s educated on the resources that we have here at the university,” McIntyre said. “We just want people to know what’s happening around us and for anybody to use those types of resources. Wichita State has done a great job of investing in diversity and I believe in Dr. Golden’s mission.”

McIntyre also feels that being able to listen to what the student-athletes have to say will be a major key down the road. “Student-athletes need to have a voice, they want to have a voice,” McIntyre said. “Sometimes you have to sit back and listen to the athletes because they are going to tell us what’s needed and they’re going to tell us what’s wanted. We have a smart group here in Shocker Athletics. Our staff has done a great job of pushing for and making sure they’re voices are heard. In order to make change, everybody has to have a seat at the table.” One of the student-athletes McIntyre has had an impact on is men’s basketball player Dexter Dennis. For Dennis, he felt it was a great opportunity given everything

going on in the world. “I think there’s a lot of things going on in the world, dealing with race, diversity issues,” Dennis said. “[McIntyre] was just saying how much it would mean for me to actually be in the group and be a part of it. After just thinking about it, I actually thought it was a good opportunity, just trying to be a good example for everybody and make sure your voice is heard.” Dennis also feels that the formation of the council will have an impact on other student-athletes and could encourage them to speak up more. “It will kind of show them to speak up more because honestly at first I wasn’t really thinking my voice would even make a difference, but after talking to Reggie he explained to me that my voice

would actually be heard and would actually make a difference,” Dennis said. “I hope that it would inspire (student-athletes) to join or even say something.” One of the main initiatives that the council is focusing on is to get more people out to vote. On Aug. 19, the American Athletic Conference announced no competition or athletic activities would take place on Nov. 3 to better allow the student-athletes to vote. McIntyre feels that getting the student-athletes out to vote is a necessary step in allowing their voice to be heard. “I believe that every voice matters, we have to sit back and listen,” McIntyre said. “One way to make sure your voice is heard is to vote.”