Issuu

NEWS | 2

SPORTS | 3

OPINION | 6

PARKING

MENTAL HEALTH

BAD LUCK

Students raise frustration over WSU’s parking policy amidst the pandemic.

Alterique Gilbert opens up about overcoming his mental health struggles.

Arts and Entertainment Editor Tabitha Barr shares her bad start to the new year.

WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896 www.thesunflower.com

TUESDAY

Feb. 16, 2021

Volume 125 Issue 14

Frozen February

PHOTOS BY KHANH NGUYEN AND CALEN MOORE / THE SUNFLOWER

Faculty, students and staff have braved the snow and ice this week as Kansas has been hit by a cold front. Dangerous wind chills and forecasted snow caused the university to close campuses Monday, Feb. 15. All classes, including online, are cancelled and students and employees are asked to not come to campus. The end of next week is projected to be a little warmer, turn to page two for next week’s weather week in brief.

Performing arts professor focuses on changing the world one class at a time BY TABITHA BARR arts@thesunflower.com / @Tabbiejanelle

Change is inevitable. It always has been and will be. Most people resist change, but some embrace it. Ed Baker, Wichita State University’s Associate Professor and Technical Director of School of Performing Arts, understands that things in the world happen, most of the time without our control. It is how we react and the following actions we take afterwards. Baker started his career in the acting business and made a living for himself in New York. But after being in the industry for a while, he decided to come back home to family. “It was a high stress industry and it required more spoons than I owned,” Baker explained. His next passion is carpentry, which he pursued a job in and became high up in the chain within the first month. He soon realized that while working

/ The Sunflower

“Why didn’t anyone ever tell me I could be a teacher? ‘Cause this is what I’m meant to do.” ED BAKER Performing Arts Professor

with wood was intriguing, he wanted something else. It didn’t strike him until he was talking to his mentor, Dick Welsbacher that being a teacher is right up his alley. “Why didn’t anyone ever tell me I could be a teacher? ‘Cause this is what I’m meant to do.” Baker found this position at WSU and said he enjoys every minute of it. Baker works in two different areas of life, the entertainment industry, and the education industry. While those may seem like very different areas of expertise, he says that they are quite similar, good and bad. Both are growing and expanding, but are stuck in the past. @sunflowernews

PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER

Professor Ed Baker teaches a class in Wilner Auditorium at Wichita State.

“They have lots of different moving parts, and they are not easy to change. . . . Yes, there are always changes, but they are usually very small.” In these industries people

@thesunflowernews

are expected to focus on work 100%, instead of their own lives. SEE PROFESSOR PAGE 2

2 | TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 2021

NEWS

Pee for Pizza event provides free STI testing and sexual education for students BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com / @ JuliaNightengale

SCREENSHOT

Student Government Association Chief of Staff Kathlynn Short shared an update on higher education day 2021.

SGA chief of staff gives update on higher education day 2021 BY LINDSAY SMITH

“[Funding] allows schools to keep tuition low ... which makes schools accessible and affordable ... I know that is important.”

editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

Students will lobby together virtually during higher education day 2021, Student Government Association Chief of Staff Kathlynn Short said during the senate meeting Wednesday. Higher education day is a chance for students to lobby the Kansas Legislature and ask for funding for their universities. “It’s a chance for schools to send students to say ‘Hey, this is why higher education deserves funding’,” Short said. “Every year we do it and this year we are requesting the same baseline funding that we received last year.” Due to budget cuts presented by Governor Laura Kelly, Short said the main focus of this year’s higher education day is to advocate to receive no cuts. Last year, KBOR universities received 643.6 million dollars. Kelly’s plan gives universities a roughly 42 million cut. “[The cut] will not benefit us,” Short said. “So what we’re doing this year is asking that we do not receive that cut.” “[Funding] allows schools to keep tuition low … which makes schools accessible and affordable and as an out of state student myself, I know that that is important.”

KATHLYNN SHORT SGA Chief of Staff

Short said that funding is also important because of ‘the brain drain’— when students go to a Kansas university, graduate, then pursue jobs elsewhere and leave the state. “To grow our great state we need to keep our great graduates,” Short said. “The better funded schools are, the more likely we are to actually keep those students in the state after they graduate.” Short said this year, another goal is to advocate for better funded mental health services. “It makes for safer campuses, and it makes for safer students and that should be a focus of all of us,” she said. Short is advocating for students to participate because of not only the benefits of all the universities in Kansas, but because it will grow students’ knowledge about lobbying.

The first Wednesday of every month, Student Health Services holds their Pee for Pizza event, where students can call for an appointment and receive free testing for five different STIs, along with free sexual health supplies and information regarding different diseases. Heather Stafford, Associate Director of Student Health Services, says that they have been holding this event for six years. With their partnership with Positive Directions and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, they are able to provide free testing for syphilis, hepatitis C, gonorrhea, chlamydia and HIV. “Before, we were paying for those out of pocket … With the partnership with Positive Directions, it’s less of a financial burden to us and more access to services for students that are free, so that’s the main thing we wanted,” Stafford says. During COVID-19, Stafford says that the partnership they have developed with Positive Directions over the years helped them to keep the event going by helping to obtain resources when they were low. Stafford says that sexual health is important for everyone, especially when first engaging in sexual activities. It’s good to get checked when you have new partners, when you notice any symptoms, and to get checked annually if you’re sexually active. “In the LGBTQ+ population, there are different health risk assessments that should be done, and that’s

This week’s weather in brief It’s been a chilly week in Wichita, but there is some hope of warmer days in this week’s weather forecast.

ILLUSTRATION BY THY VO

The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday during the fall and spring semesters. 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 © 2021 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

COURTESY OF STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES

for everybody, but with the LGBTQ+ population some of those diseases might be more prevalent, so we encourage them to do their testing on a more regular basis based on their regular practices,” Stafford says. Stafford says that people may be scared to get tested because they may have to reach out to ex-partners and are nervous about the treatment. The sexual health students received in high school can also be a contributing factor. During a normal school year, Student Health services would have a lot of outreach events to promote health education. On their Youtube channel, they started doing Tuesday Talks to inform students on different STIs, what they look like, treatment, prevention, and how to get tested through Pee for Pizza. “The Tuesday Talks is something that we are proud of just because there is a lot of health education you can watch when you have time … it’s more digital and easy to access,” Stafford says. Due to COVID-19 limiting

appointment spaces, it’s hard to track the growth of the event; but exponentially, over the past four years, every single clinic rose higher each time. Before COVID-19, they were testing 100-120 students at a time with a 10% positivity rate. “I would say that if anything Pee for Pizza has a name that students recognize, maybe it’s brought more attention to the testing that we are doing … We have a lot of students who are brand new to student wellness in general and brand new to testing, so it is a good awareness project,” Stafford says. To make an appointment, students can call Student Health Services at 316-9784792. If there is not a spot open, they will have students come in the next month or set up an appointment outside of Pee for Pizza with a small cost attached. The next event is on March 3rd from 10-4. “People are still interested and want to take advantage of it, and I am encouraged by that, that even during COVID19 people are paying attention to their sexual health,” Stafford says.

STUDENTS RAISE CONCERN SURROUNDING WSU’S PARKING POLICY DURING THE PANDEMIC BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

Heading into the third week of the semester, students are finally transitioned into their semester routine. But along with class fees, textbooks, and tuition to pay for, students also have to remember an important detail: parking passes. While some students don’t go to campus because of completely online school schedules, the students who do attend in-person classes still have to pay the full $70 price for a parking ticket— unless they choose to pay hourly for the parking garage. Many students have raised questions and concerns about having to pay for parking amidst the pandemic. Nate Bell, a Barton School graduate student, got a ticket on the first day of the semester after forgetting that his pass was only valid for one semester Bell said he wishes that the university would provide a one week grace period to remind students that they need to buy a parking pass. “I think the first step would be a one week warning, or a one week pass … kind of like, ‘Hey, you need a parking pass to park here,’” Bell said. “I was expecting a one week grace

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Smith news@thesunflower.com

COPY EDITOR Julia Nightengale copyeditor@thesunflower.com

OPINION EDITOR Audrey Korte opinion@thesunflower.com

DIGITAL PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com

SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com

PRINT PHOTO EDITOR Kaylee Stout photos@thesunflower.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Tabitha Barr arts@thesunfower.com

PODCAST DIRECTOR Blake Kenneson podcast@thesunflower.com

FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGER Noah Merrell admanager@thesunflower.com

period and I didn’t get that. I just used all my student loan money on classes, textbooks, I had to download softwares for online courses, and then I got a citation and now have to buy a parking pass.” Aerospace engineering sophomore Jace Francis got a parking ticket during the first week of the semester when he drove to campus for work. Francis is attending all online classes, so he only drives to campus when he is scheduled to work. “Honestly, I forgot that I needed a permit that morning,” Francis said. “Pretty much all of my classes are online, so I didn’t even think about it.” Even though Francis is on campus frequently because of work, he said he believes students who only go to campus every now and then for few in person classes should not have to pay for a full parking pass. “I do think parking should be cheaper because there are not as many people on campus anymore, a lot of the time during the day I’ll see completely empty parking lots,” Francis said. “For students working on campus, I don’t think it’s fair to ask them to pay.” Read the rest at thesunflower.com

Lindsay Smith: 316-978-6905 editor@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING

Noah Merrell: 316-978-6906 admanager@thesunflower.com

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.

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TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 2021 | 3

Sports

HAVE A STORY IDEA?

contact The Sunflower’s sports editor, Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com

‘Just have faith’ Gilbert overcomes mental health struggles

BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com

ver a year ago, Wichita State senior point guard Alterique Gilbert hit his low point. Gilbert, then at the University of Connecticut, sat out of the Huskies’ game against Temple due to personal reasons.

PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN/ THE SUNFLOWER

“I was really starting to get worried about the future. I just had to put my faith in God and believe in myself and just have faith.” ALTERIQUE GILBERT Senior

Gilbert had missed games before but this one was different. In the months that followed, Gilbert opened up about the mental health problems he’s faced throughout his collegiate career. He’s found ways to cope with it as he returned to the sport that he’s played since he was eight-years-old. “My biggest thing on mental health is a thing that everybody deals with,” Gilbert said. “Different people have different ways of handling that and some of the ways I’ve handled that is self-care. Just continue to build your mind, slow your mind down and love yourself and really just enjoy your life. Just try to keep all those things in perspective and try to live your life.” Coming out of high school, Gilbert was a five-star recruit and was the No. 32 player in the country, according to 247Sports. Gilbert, an Atlanta native, chose to continue his basketball career at Connecticut. But Gilbert’s Husky career was filled with adversity from the start. In his third game as a freshman, Gilbert tore his labrum diving for a loose ball, causing season-ending shoulder surgery. Gilbert was held to six games the following year after suffering a hard blow to his left shoulder and once again underwent shoulder surgery. His redshirt sophomore season was his most healthy one yet, even though he missed five games with a shoulder injury and a concussion. “It was tough mentally because it was new to me,” Gilbert said. “I was never hurt before for a long period of time. Everything just slowed down for me and I had to put a lot of things in perspective and really reinvent myself multiple times. I’ve basically been through that process three times and it’s made me who I am today.” Gilbert said he used

basketball as an escape but the injuries took that away. “It was tough at times because I wasn’t able to play basketball because of my injuries,” he said. “That’s why I came to a static, stagnant mindset and I didn’t really know what to do with my time. I was really starting to get worried about the future. I just had to put my faith in God and believe in myself and just have faith.” Athletes have been more open in talking about their mental health struggles in recent years. Gilbert said that student-athletes shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when it comes to mental health struggles. “I think student-athletes should know that and then it’s a thing that should be talked more about,” he said. “I know a lot of kids grow up and have different life experiences, different traumas. As we get older, we learn how to adjust to them and become better people from those experiences.” For long stretches of his Husky career, Gilbert felt alone. The coach he had once committed to had been fired and was unsure what his future held. After taking his one-game absence in late January 2020, Gilbert returned to the Huskies but this time featured a new role. Gilbert came off the bench for 10 of the remaining 11 games of the season after starting the first 19 games. Gilbert felt that he was turning a corner but once again adversity hit. Hours before the Huskies’ first-round AAC Tournament game, COVID-19 was brought to the national stage. Gilbert was isolated again but this time saw it as an opportunity to better himself. “I think a lot of people didn’t even know what to do with their time in quarantine because it was new to everyone,” Gilbert said. “But as it went on I just took time out for myself. It allowed me to move at my own pace and do things that I wanted to do and also gave me time to work on the things that I wanted to improve on and off the court.” During quarantine, Gilbert graduated from UConn majoring in urban and community

studies. Gilbert opted to utilize his graduate transfer and ended up at Wichita State. Once again hardships followed Gilbert’s basketball career. The coach he committed to for his senior season, resigned and the team faced postponements due to COVID19. Even with this adversity, Gilbert has emerged as one of the stars for WSU and is averaging 10.2 points per game. “I think all in all we’ve got a great relationship,” Gilbert said. “All the guys get along off the court, everybody’s really upbeat, a lot of energy on and off the court. We hang out and there’s just a great team vibe. This team came together really well. It was pretty cool to see and be a part of.” Gilbert has found to cope with his struggles. Whether it’s podcasts, meditation, yoga, or puzzles he’s found ways to adapt. These outlets have allowed Gilbert to stay focused and in a better mindset than before. “I like to do it early in the morning. It gives me a different feeling for my day, puts me in a better mood going forward. I think a lot of people like to see what works for them. These are some of the things that work for me. Anything that slows my mind down and keeps me in today’s moment.” Gilbert said his family’s support throughout this process has been crucial. “I feel like I have the biggest support system,” Gilbert said. “Without them, I would have lost it. I have people who check up on me each and every day. It’s just those things like those people letting you know, they love you and you have that support. My family’s been there every time. The calls never stop and the messages never stop. ” Gilbert said he is unsure what his future holds. Winter sport athletes have been given an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA due to COVID-19 but Gilbert is just trying to take things day-by-day. “When I was younger, I used to worry about the future a lot. It gave me a type of anxiety that I didn’t like. So I always try to think in the moment. When that time comes then I’ll make that decision.”

Where are last year’s transfers now? BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty

This past offseason, the Wichita State men’s basketball roster endured its fair share of roster turnover, with six scholarship players transferring out of the program. Here’s an update on those six players — where they are and how they’re doing:

JAMARIUS BURTON, TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY After playing 57 games with the Shockers across two seasons, Burton transferred out of the Shocker program. In those two seasons with WSU, Burton averaged 9.3 points per game and started 52 games. Burton announced his commitment to Texas Tech in April over schools such as Marquette, Xavier and Seton Hall. Burton received a waiver to be immediately eligible and is averaging 4.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. The Red Raiders are currently the No. 7 team in the country.

NOAH FERNANDES, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS In his lone season as a Shocker, Fernandes dealt with foot injuries that limited him to play in only 21 games. Fernandes averaged 1.4 points, 1.1 assists, and 0.8 rebounds as a freshman but opted to return home for his sophomore season. Fernandes has thrived since returning home and is currently averaging 11.9 points, 5.2 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game.

DEANTONI GORDON, NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE After playing limited minutes last season with the Shockers, Gordon opted to enter his name into the transfer portal and went the junior college route. In 20 games played with the Shockers a year ago, Gordon averaged 0.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. Gordon, now a sophomore, is currently enrolled at Northwest Mississippi Community College and is averaging 12.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Since

arriving there, Gordon has received offers from Kent State, UAB and Jacksonville State.

ASBJØRN MIDTGAARD, GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY Of the six transfers, Midtgaard had the most experience of the group but still opted to transfer prior to his senior season. In his junior season, he averaged 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 24 games played with WSU. Midtgaard opted to transfer to Grand Canyon where he was ruled immediately eligible. Midtgaard is averaging a career-high 14.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game with the Antelopes.

GRANT SHERFIELD, UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA After arriving at WSU as a highly touted recruit a year ago, Sherfield lasted one season as a Shocker. During the 2019-20 season, Sherfield averaged 8.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Sherfield committed to UCLA and Steve Alford out of high

FILE PHOTO BY MARSHALL SUNNER/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State sophomore Erik Stevenson shushes the Oklahoma State crowd after making a three-pointer during the second half of the game against the Cowboys on Dec. 8, 2019 inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

school but after Alford’s firing, he reopened his recruitment and opted to play for the Shockers. The two have since been reunited at Nevada this year and Sherfield has found success, as a result. In 21 games with the Wolfpack, Sherfield is averaging 18.9 points and 6.2 assists per game.

ERIK STEVENSON, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON Stevenson excelled in the early part of the 2019-20 season for WSU, which included a

career-high 29 point performance against Ole Miss. He ended the year averaging 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game and entered the transfer portal after the season. Stevenson opted to return to his home state of Washington to play for the Huskies but struggled earlier this season. In the first nine games, Stevenson was averaging 3.8 points per game while shooting 25% from the field and 17.4% from deep. Stevenson is now averaging 8.9 points per game and is shooting 34.4% from the field.

SPORTS

4 | TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 2021

Volleyball sweeps Tulsa in AAC conference opener BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/ @TheSeanMarty

The Wichita State volleyball team opened up conference play earlier this week and picked up a pair of victories. WSU hasn’t lost a match this season, winning seven straight. The Shockers’ seven-game winning streak is the best since 2017. Last season featured a daunting non-conference slate with four matches against ranked teams including No. 1 Nebraska. This year’s team has reached the seven-win mark in 15 fewer games. Last season it took WSU eight games to reach two wins in conference play. Head Coach Chris Lamb said that he feels the team is headed in the right direction. “I feel like we’re heading in the right direction now, we felt that way in August, had a great run of practice in the spring,” Lamb said. “These young women have been fantastic, they’re really coming together as a group. They’re enjoying each other and the effort in the gym on a regular basis has been back where we need it to be.” On Friday, WSU swept Tulsa in three sets as the Shockers picked up a victory in its conference opener. The set scores were 25-19, 25-19 and 25-23. Nicole Anderson led WSU offense with a team-high nine kills along with nine digs. Redshirt sophomore Brylee Kelly made her season debut in the victory and tallied 11 kills on a .455

hitting percentage in the victory. From a defensive standpoint, Sina Uluave received the start at libero and collected 11 digs and five assists in the win. Kayce Litzau matched Uluave’s 11 digs and collected 18 assists for her second double-double of the season. The Shockers followed up Friday’s sweep of the Golden Hurricane with another victory against Tulsa, this time coming in four sets. The Shockers won by scores of 25-23, 25-14 and 25-18. WSU’s lone loss to Tulsa came in the second set by a score of 30-28. Anderson posted another great performance with a match-high 15 kills to go with 10 digs. Anderson collected her third double-double of the season along with a .308 hitting percentage. Senior setter McKayla Wuensch posted a season-best 29 assists in the victory and finished two digs shy of a double-double. Uluave followed Friday’s performance with a career-best 29 digs in the win. After starting her career as an outside hitter, Uluave has made the transition to the libero position this year. The Shockers outhit Tulsa on Saturday, .199 to .112, and collected advantages in kills (60-44), assists (56-42), digs (79-74) and service aces (9-4). Wichita State is slated to host AAC West Division Preseason Favorite South Methodist on Friday and Saturday as they return home to Charles Koch Arena for their home conference opener.

What you need to know about student tickets BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/ @TheSeanMarty

PHOTOS BY KAYLEE STOUT AND LENA ALHALLAQ/ THE SUNFLOWER

Top: Wichita State sophomore, Lily Liekweg serves the ball during a game at Charles Koch Arena on Feb 5. Bottom: The Wichita State players celebrate during the game against North Texas at Charles Koch Arena on Feb. 4.

With the school year now in full swing, the same can be said for sporting events. All tuition-paying students are allowed to attend sporting events free of charge through student fees. For men’s basketball games student tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis until they are sold out. All students need when picking up tickets is a valid Wichita State student ID. Students also have the opportunity to purchase two guest tickets for $30 each. The ticket office will no longer accept multiple IDs from one student. The remaining tickets that aren’t obtained 48 hours in advance are released to the general public. Tickets are more than they have been in recent years, due to the pandemic. The total allotment changes on a game-by-game basis in conjunction with the Sedgwick County guidelines. The maximum allotment for the student section will be 30%. The schedule only has three men’s basketball home games scheduled for the remainder of the season. The game against Memphis on Feb. 18 can be picked up starting on Feb. 11 and students can pick up tickets for the games against Houston (Feb. 25) and Southern Methodist (Feb. 28) on Feb. 18. All tickets can be picked up at the Charles Koch Arena Ticket Office. Women’s basketball and volleyball can also be picked up at Charles Koch Arena but will need to be picked up on the day of the event. Baseball tickets can be picked up at the Eck Stadium and softball tickets at Wilkins Stadium at their respective ticket offices. Similar to men’s basketball, all tickets are free of charge with a valid WSU student ID.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES THURSDAY, FEB. 18

MBB: WSU vs Memphis 6 p.m. Pickup: Feb. 11 Charles Koch Arena ARCHIVE PHOTO/ THE SUNFLOWER

Prince McJunkins prepares to pass during a game against Tulsa on Oct. 24, 1981.

Remembering Shocker football legend Prince McJunkins BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty

Former Wichita State football legend Prince McJunkins died in a Tulsa hospital on Tuesday after contracting COVID-19. McJunkins was 60 years old. The news of McJunkins came as a surprise to those who knew him best, including former teammate Jay Hull. “We only knew for a half-day that it was going to happen,” Hull said. “Sunday and Monday he was talking to one of his good friends and former teammates Curtis Winton about playing golf. He suddenly got blood clots on his lungs and that changed everything. It was shocking, the guy was in great shape, really lean and fit and boy he loved his golf, that’s for sure.” Willie Jeffries, who was the head coach during McJunkins’ career said he was in shock after hearing the news. “I just couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I had to go sit in a chair for the next 30 minutes and just gather myself. It was a hard blow.” When WSU was recruiting McJunkins out of high school, Jeffries recalled getting a phone call from a couple assistant coaches during a recruiting trip in Oklahoma. The coaches said ‘I think we found our quarterback’. “He was just a pure athlete,”

Jeffries said. “We were looking for a guy who could take a hit from the defense if he had to and also jump right back up. He had all the attributes of an option quarterback. He could’ve been a running back, that’s how you find your option quarterbacks.” McJunkins helped bring WSU its last winning season in 1982, leading them to an 8-3 record. McJunkins also became the first NCAA player to throw for more than 4,000 yards and rush for more than 2,000 yards in a college career. During McJunkins’ senior season in 1982, he threw for 1,220 yards and ran for 599 yards while combining for 21 touchdowns. WSU’s ‘freeze offense’ played a large part of McJunkins’ success throughout his career. “We could hand it off to the fullback or Prince could take it around the end and carry it himself, or kind of like the wishbone, he could pitch it to his tailback,” Hull said. “That’s also where we passed from. Even when we passed it looked like the same play and what it became known as was the ‘freeze offense’ because it froze linebackers. Tom Shine, the director of news and public relations at KMUW covered the final years of the program for the Wichita Eagle and remembers a renewed excitement around the program with McJunkins at quarterback.

“I just couldn’t believe it. I had to go sit in a chair for the next 30 minutes and just gather myself. It was a hard blow.” WILLIIE JEFFRIES WSU Football Coach (1979-1983)

“You thought every time he had the ball in his hands, he was going to score,” Shine said. “Obviously, he didn’t but you felt he had the ability to score every time he had the ball. There was just certain energy in the stadium that hadn’t been there for some time. It was a little more of hope that they might actually be pretty good.” With the success under McJunkins, it brought hope to the WSU fanbase that football would be able to stick around. “I think a lot of people thought they would turn the corner a little bit,” Shine said. “They had beaten both of the state schools in that timeframe. They were considered to maybe turn the corner, maybe they’d be good, maybe the program could get back on its feet again. It didn’t obviously pan out but there were some moments where they were really good, competitive.” In recent years, football has

started to embrace the style of play from dual-threat quarterbacks similar to McJunkins. Quarterbacks such as the Baltimore Ravens Lamar Jackson, Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray and the Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson have all utilized their athleticism to become effective in the NFL. Jeffries said that he thinks that McJunkins’ style of play was better suited for the present day. “He was before his time because if you notice in the NFL, those are the type quarterbacks they are recruiting,” Jeffries said. “They’re getting away from the pure drop back quarterback because when the receivers are covered, they take a sack. They’re going more to the guys like Prince McJunkins. He was 30 years too early because now, he would be signing a high round contract.” Jeffries said that despite McJunkins’ success on the field, he hopes that Prince will be remembered for what type of person he was. “I always told him ability is a gift and character is a choice,” he said. “He had made the choice to have character. He’ll be remembered first of all for the type of person he is. He was just a great individual, high morals, he never did the things a lot of athletes do now. He was a pure athlete and I think that will be his legacy.”

FRIDAY, FEB. 19

Volleyball: WSU vs SMU 7 p.m. Charles Koch Arena

SATURDAY, FEB. 20

Volleyball: WSU vs SMU 2 p.m. Charles Koch Arena

SUNDAY, FEB. 21

BSB: WSU vs Nortern Colorado 1 p.m. Eck Stadium

WBB: WSU vs Houston 6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena

THURSDAY, FEB. 25

MBB: WSU vs Houston Pickup: Feb. 18 2 p.m. Charles Koch Arena

FRIDAY, FEB. 26

BSB: WSU vs SIU-Edwardsville 3 p.m. Eck Stadium

SATURDAY, FEB. 27 SB: WSU vs Creighton 1 p.m. Wilkins Stadium

SB: WSU vs Creighton 3:30 p.m. Wilkins Stadium

SUNDAY, FEB. 28

SB: WSU vs Creighton 12 p.m. Wilkins Stadium

MBB: WSU vs SMU 7 p.m. Pickup: Feb. 18 Charles Koch Arena

TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 2020 | 5

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Arts & Entertainment

HAVE A STORY IDEA?

contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Tabitha Barr arts@thesunflower.com

Aruna D’Souza’s art history talk expands on racism in the industry BY TABITHA BARR arts@thesunflower.com / @Tabbyjanelle

COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT

Taylor Swift’s nostalgic rerecorded ‘Love Story’ shows maturity and growth Lindsay Smith Editor-in-Chief editor@thesunflower.com

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Taylor Swift. I remember twelve-year-old me dancing in my kitchen to “Love Story”, dreaming about the day that prince charming would break all barriers and sweep me off my feet. And now, nineteen-year-old me gets to relive those emotions and dance in her kitchen once again. Swift has been through a lot over the past couple of years. After her deal with Big Machine Records expired, Swift signed a new deal with a separate record label— one who would allow her to have ownership of all of her master’s recordings. But shortly after, her old record label was sold to Scooter Braun, someone who she claimed bullied her all throughout her career. So now that her record label was sold to him, all her master’s recordings were as well. But by re-recording her hits, Swift claims her power back. I’m going to be honest, I was a little worried about her re-recordings. Her old albums hold a special

place in my heart, and I was scared that the re-recordings would lose the nostalgia that is connected to all of them. But I was wrong. Taylor Swift’s new “Love Story”— which was released Friday— brought back the same emotions that the old one did. While it’s very similar and some regular listeners (those who aren’t die-hard Swifties) might not tell the difference, anyone who has followed Swift for a long time can hear the difference in her voice. Her once child-like soft voice has grown into a bolder mature voice, but the feelings we get from hearing it remain the same. Even though it’s not a new song and I’ve listened to the old one countless amounts of times— I still have this one on repeat as if it’s a brand new song and I’m trying to learn it word for word. So, to sum it all up, Swift may have had a hard couple of years, but this song showed everyone that she is not backing down. She has worked hard to get where she is, and she’s not going to let anyone take that away. The full re-recorded version of the album “Fearless” will be released April 9, and until then, you bet I’ll be dancing in my kitchen jamming out to “Love Story” waiting until I can re-live the entire album in a new and exciting way.

FROM PROFESSOR PAGE 1

Newer generations are understanding life isn’t just working their lives away, but about doing things that make them happy. Baker acknowledges and wants to teach more people that life shouldn’t be wasted, but fully experienced. 2020 brought many changes as everyone knows. However, it did teach people that “we had to face that change.” Baker is very adamant about being respectful to his students, co-workers, and everyone in general. He said he believes words can be used as a weapon, but can also be a blessing.

PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN / THE SUNFLOWER

Professor Ed Baker teaches a class in Wilner Auditorium at Wichita State.

BY TABITHA BARR arts@thesunflower.com / @Tabbiejanelle

COURTESY OF THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES COUNCIL

Wichita State’s Student Activities Council is holding a bingo night every third tuesday. Students can register online to have a chance of winning prizes.

COURTESY OF THE ULRICH MUSEUM OF ART

wall “so the people entering the museum wouldn’t feel confronted with the work. And put up a sign that said, ‘Contains content that might be difficult for some viewers.’” “Instead of actually dealing with the problem the Black community was raising about his work, literally chose to build a wall around the work and put the problem in terms of individual viewers’ sensitivities, rather than the problem being the institution’s decision making. . . . And never really asking why.” she explained. This is where the term white-walling came from. The next important event D’Souza talked about took place in 2018, at the same museum. Dana Schutz, a middle-aged white woman, painted art called “Open Casket”. It depicts a scene from the 1960’s where 14 year old, Emmett Till, who was beaten and murder for being Black. His mother decided to have an open casket at the funeral to show the public what happened to her son. This is what Schutz based her painting off of. Controversy sparked when an art critic posted a picture of the painting with the caption,

Ranking Super Bowl 2021 commercials BY RACHEL LYONS ralyons@shockers.wichita.edu

While 2020, was a year like no other and 2021 is shaping up to be another similar year- one thing is for certain: Superbowl Commercials will forever and always be an integral part of the viewing experience. The jury is still out as to whether the commercials this year were different than in years past, but here are some of the highlights from 2021’s Superbowl 55 commercials:

“DRAKE FROM STATE FARM” STATE FARM COMMERCIAL

Bingo was his name-o: Student Activities council holds monthly bingo nights

Every third Thursday, the student activities council holds a bingo night. Needing a break from the homework and the snow? Well, SAC wants to bring a fun night to everyone. Join other students in a competitive yet fun way of spending the night away. Prizes are even better as they are giving away “some awesome tech gear” and college essentials. Students can register through the student activities council event listing web page.

The Ulrich Museum of Art held a virtual talk with Aruna D’Souza, a writer who publishes about contemporary art, intersectional feminism and other forms of politics. D’Souza began her talk centered around the Whitney Museum of American Art and the protests that arose from their art exhibit in 2017. This exhibition is supposed to showcase art all around the United States, and what’s influenced the nation in the past couple of years. The exhibition in 2017 was a response to the following years for leaving out people of color. “How can you talk about a country that is now 40% people of color, by showing work that is 80% white?” D’Souza said. To change their ways, the Whitney Museum found two curators that were people of color. This led to it being a very open and diverse space for artists. However, despite the efforts to help be more accepting, an artist’s work slipped through. Kelley Walker, a middle aged white man was showing off work that seemed to place civil rights movements under bad light; placing unique substances and soiling the original picture. This sparked the biggest art museum protest up to that point in time. The Black community and those who supported them asked for the artwork to be taken down. D’Souza said the museum responded by building a white

“beautiful”. D’Souza points out how, “that was enough to trigger a tsunami of pain and outrage on social media where people were asking, what does it mean to call a painting of a disfigured 14-yearold Black child, beautiful? What does it mean for the violence that image shows to be called beautiful?” Protests emerged and social media erupted in uproar. An open letter was written to the artist and the museum explaining how they should take the painting down and destroy it so no profit is made from Black pain. Schutz put out a statement saying that the painting will stay in her possession, and never be sold. D’Souza brings up the fact that the decisions made can be seen as “it’s okay to re-traumatize our Black viewers, if it’s in the service of educating our white viewers.” The final story that D’Souza spoke about an exhibition that took place at the Artist’s place in New York in 1979. Donald Newman, a white male, was featuring some art in the exhibition. Those certain pieces were charcoal paintings in which he used a very offensive term towards the Black community in the title for his artwork. Triggering outrage, this led to organized protesting among many groups. It was a a blanket statement from the institution saying to the Black community, “you’re not welcome here,” D’Souza said. “I hope that for people who are interested in the topic but aren’t fully comfortable with it, . . . will take the risk.”

While the original Jake from State Farm commercial did not air during a Super Bowl, this refresh on the 10-year-old commercial features Rapper Drake as Jake’s stand-in, alongside Patrick Mahomes, Original Jake, Arron Rodger, and Paul Rudd. This ad feels like a much-needed hug from our 2011 selves.

“5 TO 9 BY DOLLY PARTON” SQUARESPACE COMMERCIAL Here’s a nod to all of WSU’s aspiring Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurship Majors or Minors. In this commercial, Dolly Parton; singer of the famous song ‘9 to 5’ wants Entrepreneurs to know that it’s okay to work on their passion projects and dreams from after the close of one workday until the start of the next- and it’s okay to make your ‘side gig’ a full-time job.

“CAN A BURRITO CHANGE THE WORLD?” CHIPOTLE COMMERCIAL

This commercial is potentially the most thought provoking of this year’s Superbowl commercials, reminding us that popular restaurant Chipotle is focused on Sustainability and empowering farmers local to each restaurant location to feed future generations. With a single question proposed by a boy to his big sister, we see farmers making changes to create a more sustainable food chain, and a heartwarming commercial.

“HORSES” SAMUEL ADAMS COMMERCIAL This commercial is one of the lighter hearted commercials in this year’s bunch. With one simple action the Budweiser Clydesdales wreak havoc on Boston after being released from their harnesses and cart! A true moment of ‘whoops, I didn’t know that one small action had such an impact.” The strong Boston accents add an additional level of authenticity to this one.

“FINISH STRONG” FORD COMMERCIAL This year Detroit, Michigan based Ford Motor Company puts cars on the back burner to focus on uniting America to #FinishStrong in the fight against COVID-19. The commercial features past footage of important moments and moments of togetherness amidst the pandemic. To learn more about Ford’s initiatives, they feature the

website www.fordfund.org at the end of the commercial. Although this last addition throws off the “five most memorable vibe” of this article, one more commercial needs to be mentioned.

THE (INFAMOUS) OATLEY COMMERCIAL This advertisement is either a big hit, or a big miss. The off key singing in the middle of a field with an electric piano is a personal taste, but it gives off “filmed in the middle of a pandemic” vibes, suggesting that it may have only been a camera operator and Tony Petersson, CEO of Oatly trying to get an advertisement out in the middle of a pandemic. Props to them for focusing on safety over profit margins. 2021 might also be the year of “most notable exceptions” to the commercial line up. Most of the companies choosing to opt-out this year: Budweiser, Coke, Pepsi, Hyundai, etc. claimed COIVD-19 or other pandemic related reasons for opting out of advertising this year. Although Anheuser-Busch created its first ever corporate level commercial, Budweiser’s iconic Clydesdales were notably missing from the screen this year. Some of the companies opting out of Superbowl advertising have instead turned the money that would have been spent on those advertisements to make change and support others during the ongoing pandemic.

6 | TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 2021

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Opinion

HAVE AN OPINION?

contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Audrey Korte opinion@thesunflower.com

When Valentine’s season isn’t a happy time Valentine’s Day. Meant to be a fun day of love, romance, flowers, and chocolate. At least as we are led to believe by Hallmark and Madison Avenue. Maybe you are going out to a nice dinner with your significant other. Perhaps, because of the pandemic, you plan an evening in, relaxing on the couch having pizza or take-out. Or maybe your plans are to go out hoping to safely meet someone new. But what if Valentine’s Day isn’t a happy time for you? What if the day, and the days around it, suck? What if you are a survivor of rape, sexual assault, or abuse from a past Valentine’s Day or if the holiday brings up things you’d rather forget. No matter how marketing strategies are used to make brands more inclusive of relationships and orientations, Valentine’s Day still feels like a holiday for couples. It brings with it an expectation of love and romance. I have had the privilege of working as an advocate for the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center (WASAC) since 2016. Prior to this time, I was an advocate for the US Navy while working as an International Training Instructor in Newport, RI. In my time at WASAC, I have responded to hundreds of hotline calls or hospital calls to advocate for sexual assault survivors. I have found there is no stereotypical survivor. I’ve worked with survivors of all races, sexes, genders, and ages. However, what survivors had in common were that 1) the assault was NOT their fault and 2) they did NOT do anything wrong to cause the assault. This has been true for every single person I have helped as an advocate. Holidays that revolve around love can be particularly painful because aggressors often cite affection as a reason for abusing their partners, says Christine Selby in an Allure magazine article from February 2019. “Regardless of whether or not this is how the violence is justified, the fact that the violence occurs between people who are

LETTER TO THE EDITOR romantically linked means that any ‘holiday’ or event that revolves around love and expressions of love can be upsetting/triggering to the abused person,” Shelby explains. The gift-giving encouraged around Valentine’s Day can also be tricky for survivors because flowers, chocolate, or jewelry are often offered to the person who has been abused as a way of ‘apologizing’ for the abuse. Regardless of if Valentine’s Day is happy or painful for you, WASAC is here, day or night. What is Advocacy? On our WASAC website, it says: “Victim advocates are professionals trained to support sexual assault survivors through the aftermath of a sexual assault. Whether the assault happened an hour ago or 25 years ago, advocates can offer victims information, emotional support, and help finding resources. At the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center, we provide a wide range of advocacy services. We believe that as a survivor of sexual violence, you deserve advocates who will listen to you with compassion. We will listen, and we will believe you. With your permission, your guidance, we will offer all appropriate support. Please remember. You control all of our advocacy services. You’re in charge. Completely. Always.” All advocates and employees of WASAC are bound by strict confidentiality standards as well. Advocates are crucial for our community

ILLUSTRATION BY KAYLEE STOUT / THE SUNFLOWER

and our world. It’s why I do what I do. Men are underrepresented in this line of work. But it’s an opportunity for me to make a difference and to use my skills and abilities from decades of military service and years of civilian work teaching. I’m good in a crisis like many of our active duty and veteran service members. How can we help you? According to 1in6.org, 1 in 6 males have experienced sexual assault or abuse. This statistic is probably too low because of the stigma associated with male victims. 1 in 3 females will experience sexual violence involving physical contact during her lifetime, according to a 2018 CDC report. One program that was recently restarted is a Men’s Support Group. Because of the pandemic, it is currently held online through a secure Zoom meeting site. The group is open to male survivors of sexual assault who are 18 or older, no matter when

The luck of 2020 followed me into 2021 Tabitha Barr

Arts and entertainment editor

arts@thesunflower.com

Imagine it. New Years, all happy and excited for the new year, a new start, new hopes. And then your life gets thrown in the dumpster because it went to trash. Wanna know how bad my year started out? Well hold on cause here we go! The date is Jan. 6, 2021. I start my day out thinking I’m gonna have a great day because I am finally getting a couch in my apartment. My family was bringing it up around noon. Well I needed to go run an errand, so I walked outside to my truck. But that’s the problem. I couldn’t find my truck anywhere. It’s not where I usually park. It’s not to my left or my right. I didn’t park it anywhere else. Is what I’m thinking really happening right now? Yes, my truck was gone. Stolen and nowhere to be seen. So I do the most independent thing a college student can do and call my father. He tells me to call the police and report it, so that’s exactly what I do. Not only was my truck stolen that day, but it was the day the Capital was raided by terrorists. So I was just having a really bad day. I get a call at work the next

day saying they found my truck and it’s actually still together. I really thought it was going to be scrapped for pieces because it’s a 1996 Chevrolet. It might be old, but it belonged to my late grandfather so it’s worth everything to me. They tell me unless I’m able to come pick it up as soon as possible, they have to impound it. Later that night, my father drives down and helps me pick up my

“Imagine it. New Years, all happy and excited for the new year, a new start, new hopes. Ane then your life gets thrown in the dumpster.” TABITHA BARR Arts and Entertainment Editor

truck. I cried seeing it for the first time. Everything was gone, the truck trashed, everything ruined. They took a screwdriver to the ignition and hot wired it from there to steal it. I don’t know who stole my truck, but I hope they step on infinite legos. So not only did I have to worry about the impoundment money situation, but to pay to have my truck fixed. Plus I’m out all of the stuff that was in my truck. The thing is, they can’t charge anyone yet because they don’t know for certain who the driver

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.

was, and they don’t charge passengers in these sort of crimes. My truck takes weeks to get fixed, but in the meantime, something else decides to happen to me. One early morning at 2 a.m. I was asleep on my couch. I awoke to a sound that I thought was my faucet I left on. I go to the bathroom to turn it off and step in water. I look up and water is pouring out of my air vent. It’s also seeping from the doorframe, the ceiling, the fire alarm, and the electrical fixtures. I’m freaking out grabbing every towel and bowl I have in sight to help stop the water from ruining more items. After 40 minutes, 24 hour maintenance shows up and helps figure out how to stop it and make things safer. I did not sleep that night if you were wondering. To give another reason why my 2021 has sucked, being a college student is expensive. Not only do you have tuition, books, etc., but you have course fees on top of everything else. I have one class I’m taking that is $1,000 in course fees. What class requires that much money? I truly don’t understand why college sends us into unbelievable debt, but no one seems to want to fix it. This all happened in January of 2021. My beginning of the year started out horrible, but I’m hoping the rest of it will go better. Come on universe, let me vibe.

the assault happened. If you are interested in participating in this group or want additional information about any WASAC services, email advocate@wasacsac.com. Other resources available at WASAC for those who have been sexually assaulted include a 24-hour hotline where you can talk with a trained advocate. The crisis line number is (316) 263-3002. Visit wichitasac. com for more information about WASAC’s services and programs, all of which are free of charge. So for this Valentine’s Day, do what’s best for you. Pizza in front of the TV with your family? Go for it. A romantic dinner with a partner? Go for it. Curled up with a book by yourself? Go for it. There is no need to do anything except be safe. Timothy Korte, Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center Advocate & US Army Major (Retired)

This pandemic has changed me. Julia Nightengale Copy Editor copyeditor@thesunflower. com

Everyone in the world had something change in their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic; for some, it was working from home and not being able to see loved ones, while others lost their jobs or lost someone they were close to from COVID-19. Terrible things continue to happen every day to people, and I continue to be grateful for my circumstances. No matter what I am struggling with mentally, I know that I am lucky that things haven’t changed for the worse in my life. At the same time, COVID-19 has still harmed my life. I’ve become so accustomed to taking classes and working from home I now find myself struggling to get ready and drive to class and sit in a room of people. It’s almost like those years of training myself as a child to wake up for school on time have entirely disappeared. Being in a classroom of students or a grocery store doesn’t feel quite right anymore. I find myself having a hard time making small talk and feeling self-conscious for no reason at all. I find myself either too eager or too withdrawn and can’t find a middle ground. Whenever an interaction goes well, I get a rush of serotonin; before the pandemic,

I never would have given it a second thought. As a shy child who blossomed out of her shell after high school, it’s been hard not to revert back to old ways. While this feeling isn’t going to last forever, it sucks that I feel like I am taking a step backward instead of forward. I find myself being overwhelmed by minimal responsibilities. A year ago, I was doing twice as much on less sleep. My motivation has all but disappeared, and I really do miss that feeling of accomplishment after a long day. At the age of 20, it feels like someone pressed pause on my life but forgot to do the same thing with time. Time continues to go forward while I continue to stay still, not growing or experiencing being the college student I have been for the past two years. All of these things haven’t made me very impressed with myself in the past few months. Some profound changes in my mentality will need to happen, and they aren’t going to happen by themselves. Growth is never easy or comfortable, but I am ready for that journey whenever it happens. As a person who is always looking towards the future, not having anything to look forward to except uncertainty has made me stagnant. I understand that my problems are minimal, but I can’t wait for the day that I start feeling like myself again. This pandemic has changed me, but I know that I’ll come out of it more excited to live life than ever before.

SUNFLOWER HOT TAKES The Sunflower editorial board gives their one-sentence opinions.

Lindsay Smith: I miss crop tops. Sean Marty: Soup hits different in the cold. Julia Nightengale: It’s 2021, it’s time to invent a automatic wild shield scraper. Kaylee Stout: It’s extremely disappointing turning 21 during a pandemic and not being able to go on the Las Vegas trip you’ve been planning for years.