Issuu

WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896

Volume 131

Issue 2

Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026

www.thesunflower.com

@thesunflowernews

@sunflowernews

The Sunflower

College of Engineering brought its ‘maximum velocity’ at Clash BY JAGGER JACOBS jbjacobs1@shockers.wichita.edu

The College of Engineering finished first at Wichita State’s 12th annual Clash of the Colleges. The College of Fine Arts placed second, and the College of Health Professions took third, with the College of Education taking home the 2026 Spirit Award. At the start of each fall semester at Wichita State for the past 12 years, students from the different colleges have competed in various events to earn points for their college. This year, students were able to return to the Crossland Stadium, formerly known as Cessna Stadium, as the renovations last year meant the Clash of the Colleges was held at the Tyler Field at Eck Stadium. Each college held a pre-party before the main Clash events.

The students at the College of Engineering listened to speeches from school leaders, applied body paint and created an atmosphere of overwhelming excitement at their party. “I think it’s meeting other engineering students that maybe they don’t know,’ Monica Bergkamp, first-year adviser, said. “I think Clash is a great way for them to end their first week of college.” When asked about whether the College of Engineering was going to win at the pre-party, Bergkamp simply said, “Is the Pope Catholic?” Each of the colleges began Clash by converging right outside of Crossland Stadium, where Shocker Sound Machine, WSU’s pep band, was playing. Each of the colleges had their own unique way to get themselves hyped for the event, from plastic horns and cowbells to colored smoke.

“It’s great, it’s loud, it’s awesome, spirits are definitely spiriting,” Ashlyn Belasquez, a sophomore studying pre-med with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said. Jeremiah Serugo, a transition mentor from the College of Engineering, said with it being his second year, he was ready. “This year, in my second year knowing what I know now, I am more than ready, and willing, and able, and mentally prepared to bring that trophy home today,” Serugo said. The events began with intense competition, including Water Wars, Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors and Tug-of-War. Last year’s reigning champs, LAS, were disqualified from the Tug-of-War as a participant was found wearing cleats. After the events, the colleges formed a large group to dance to

The College of Engineering celebrate being named the winners of Clash of the Colleges 2026. This is the colleges fifth win out of 12 Clash of the Colleges. Photo by Ellery Prothro / The Sunflower

pass the time as the scores were being tallied up. Three members of the victorious School of Engineering, Camy Sybert, a freshman in biomedical engineering, Matilda Olinek, a freshman in aerospace engineering

and Taylor Rowe, a freshman in industrial engineering, said Serugo was the reason they fought to win. After the winners were announced, The Sunflower tried to speak with Serugo. A staff member told Serugo not to comment.

‘It raises privacy concerns’

Photo illustration by Mikah Herzberg / The Sunflower

Campus spent $118,175 on controversial Flock cameras BY MYA SCOTT editor@thesunflower.com

ichita State University’s agreement with Flock Safety is meant to make campus life safer, but students’ concerns over privacy echo a growing national trend.

What is Flock?

Flock cameras are automated license plate readers that use AI-powered cameras to capture and analyze images of passing vehicles, then store data about the location, date, and time. Police departments say they can help to detect violations of law, recover stolen property, apprehend fugitives and assist in investigations. According to the Wichita KS Police Department Transparency Portal, the system only detects license plates and vehicles, and does not detect faces, people, race or gender. The data is retained for 30 days for law enforcement purposes only. Using Flock for immigration enforcement, traffic enforcement, harassment and personal use are prohibited, according to the Transparency Portal. All data is owned by the police department and can’t be sold to third parties, but organizations that have granted access are a part of the sharing data network. This includes police departments in El Dorado, Kansas; University City, Missouri; Waukee, Iowa; Fort Worth, Texas and more.

Campus cameras

One hundred and ninety-one Flock cameras are registered in the Wichita area. Wichita State bought 19 on March 28, 2024. According to the agreement between WSU and Flock Safety, which was acquired through an open records request, the university paid for three years for the technology, with the first two years being part of the initial term and a renewal of one year after that. At the time of signing, WSU paid $61,175. Adding on the $57,000 annual recurring subtotal, the collective amount paid for the additional two years, brings the contract total to $118,175. The Sunflower reached out to WSUPD Police Chief Guy Schroeder and Director of Strategic Communication Lainie MazzuloHart to discuss the Flock cameras around campus. Mazzulo-Hart told The Sunflower no one was available during the summer for an interview. Mazzulo-Hart gave The Sunflower a statement via email instead. “The WSU Police Department utilizes Flock Safety license plate reader cameras as one of several tools to support campus safety,” the statement said. “The system only captures vehicle and license plate information and is not a facial recognition system. Access to information collected through the system is restricted to authorized law enforcement personnel for legitimate public safety and law enforcement purposes.” The Sunflower reached out again for an interview to hear from any police officer

who directly deals with the system, offering to wait until the school year started, but Mazzulo-Hart said again that no one was available.

Privacy concerns

Despite the assurances from websites like the Transparency Portal, Flock is facing controversies across the US, including the Wichita area. Examples of law enforcement misusing Flock cameras has increased the severity of public backlash. In 2022, former Kechi Lieutenant Victor Heiar was arrested for using Flock cameras to stalk his estranged wife. In 2023, Heiar was put on probation for 18 months and had his officer certification revoked after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanors in computer crime and stalking. Following criticism and abuse of the technology, Flock announced policy changes on Aug. 13 that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2027. Under the new policy, the data retention recommendation and default will change to seven days instead of 30. Flock cameras will only be permitted for usage in connection with an active case. Flock is also requiring all law enforcement customers to adopt Audit Assistance, which detects abnormal activity and flags it for administrative review. Additionally, Flock will be instituting a proactive lockout which will automatically suspend access when activity is deemed abnormal.

Views of WSU students

Most criticism of Flock is focused on city and county law enforcement, however, some WSU students say that Flock being on campus makes them concerned, rather than relieved, as there are already safety measures in place like the blue lights, which give anyone on campus the ability to hit a button for almost immediate help and are located across campus. “I feel like it gives more concerns about privacy than anything,” said Reese Willbanks, a social work major. “Because we already have the (blue lights) that call police if you are in danger, so I don’t feel like there’s any reason we need Flock cameras on campus. “I trust the university, but I don’t know if I trust police officers.” When asked whether Flock helped students feel safe, WSU student Ruby Godsey said, “absolutely not.” “I do think it raises privacy concerns,” Godsey said. “Similarily, I’m not confident that it’s something the university is entirely transparent — or as transparent as it maybe should be with students and faculty and the Wichita State community — about the implementation of that type of technology and surveillance. And especially given a lot of the pushback to Flock cameras around the country. It’s something that I think more students should be aware about and the university should be more conscious about.” - Contributing: Josh Pfleger-Bernat, In-depth Editor

NEWS

2 | Aug. 25, 2026

www.thesunflower.com

SGA ALMOST REVOKES FUNDING FOR BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING SOCIETY BY KAMI STEINLE

news@thesunflower.com

Questions around accountability of the finance commission were raised during the Student Government Association’s appropriations hearings, after a registered student organization signed up for two different presentation times. Last weekend, SGA’s finance commission heard from all RSOs seeking funding through the appropriations process. It then created a suggested budget that will be either passed, altered then passed, or rejected by the Student Senate. The Biomedical Engineering Society accidentally signed up to present to SGA’s finance commission on both Saturday and Sunday, according to emails between BMES President Abigail Rea and Student Body Treasurer Grace Naylor. BMES Treasurer Jordan Smith originally signed them up on Saturday at 1:40 p.m. and Rea signed them up for the second time on Sunday at 11:20 a.m. Rea told Smith to delete the original time slot, and Smith took full blame for failing to do so in the email chain. Rea said in response to Naylor’s initial email asking why the group was signed up for two slots, “I was unable to delete his time and requested he delete it himself. I apologize and I should’ve followed up with him and you about this.” The error was caught by SGA’s Adviser Gabriel Fonseca and was

presented to the commission by Naylor after Saturday’s presentations ended at 9 p.m. Initially, the commission voted five to three in favor and denied the group from being able to present on Sunday. Before the hearings began on Sunday, the topic was brought to the table again by Naylor. Rea emailed Naylor again, claiming the mistake did not create an unfair advantage for the group, and it shouldn’t result in an inability to present. “I think it’s about holding each organization to the same level of accountability in regards to this,” Business Commissioner Jamie Winslow said. “No other organization signed up for two slots, no other organization had this same thing happen to them, so I just don’t think we should create an exception for them.” Student Body Vice President and Vice Chair Anoushka Raju argued that not letting the group present reflected a lack of accountability on the finance commission. “I think we also carry some of the responsibility of that missight because we didn’t check,” Raju said. “So, I think in this situation that we carry some of the responsibility and they should be allowed to present … they may have signed up for two slots, but we should’ve had the oversight to see, they’re signed up twice.” Naylor advised the group to consider that even if the group

presented, it did not guarantee them funding. “In my opinion, nothing has changed from yesterday, and I don’t think we need another vote,” Honors Commissioner Andrew Beam said. The matter was dismissed with no further action, and the commission went on a 55-minute recess. Student Body President Jayden Island, Raju and Fonseca were not present for the first hearing on Sunday — The Cosplay Club at 9:20 a.m. Between the hearings for The Cosplay Club and Omega Delta Phi, a motion was entertained by Raju to let the BMES present, seconded by Island. “I would like to think about the situation where they presented yesterday, and then we saw that they didn’t present today … since it’s really no different than the current situation that they still missed one of their presentations,” Raju said. “Additionally, I’m a little disappointed by the remarks that were made about their integrity as an organization. “I would like to assume that all of our students have integrity, so I don’t understand why we aren’t allowing them to present … we expect that students have grace with us in certain moments, so I expect that we also have grace with students in those certain moments. They really didn’t do anything wrong.”

Student Body Treasurer Grace Naylor gives a presentation on Wichita State’s Student Government Association’s yearly budget. SGA is funded through a student fees process that takes place during the spring semester. File photo by Kass Lewis / The Sunflower

Engineering Commissioner Tyler Beatty said not allowing the group to present was like “throwing stones in a glass house as we also are partly to blame.” Beam said the group still shouldn’t be allowed because the situation reflected internal communication issues within BMES. “I think we’re losing the plot of what we’re talking about,” Fonseca said before the official vote was taken. “... For us to expect that an organization who is trying to maneuver a process that is already complicated enough, where are we taking accountability, just as we

have asked them to take accountability? I’m slightly disappointed that we’re not acknowledging that question for ourselves either.” Minor debate was held due to time constraints, but ultimately the commission voted seven to one, letting the group present. Winslow was the only one who voted against the motion. The commission suggested allocating $5,385 to BMES. The Student Senate still has the ability to alter suggestions made by the finance commission before passing final allocations.

Students can now run in SGA midterm election BY KAMI STEINLE

OPEN SEATS

news@thesunflower.com

Many opportunities for Wichita State students to be a part of the Student Government Association will open in the upcoming SGA midterm election on Sept. 14. Senate seats from various represented bodies recognized by SGA are open, and students can declare candidacy between Aug. 20 and Sept. 4. To qualify for a senator seat, students must be currently enrolled in their respective colleges and have and maintain a cumulative 2.5 grade point average. Graduate students must have and maintain good standing in the graduate school. Incoming students who don’t have GPA’s yet must be admitted to WSU in good standing. Students interested in running can attend an intent-to-run sessions held by SGA on Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. or Aug. 26 at 4:30 p.m. in the RSC 216. These sessions are not required. Candidates must attend one of three rules and regulations sessions, held Aug. 27, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. in RSC 216.

n Out of state senator (1) n Adult learner senator (1) n At large senator (4) n Business senator (4) n Education senator (5) n Engineering senator (2) n Fine arts senator (2) n Freshman senator (2) n Graduate senator (3) n Health professions senator (3) n International senator (4) n Liberal arts and sciences senator (3) n Military and veterans senator (1)

The menstrual product machine in McKinley Hall first floor women’s restroom. If the machine is empty, students can fill out an online form requesting a refill. Photo by Kami Steinle / The Sunflower

These buildings on campus have free menstrual products BY JOSH PFLEGER-BERNAT

WHERE TO FIND MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS

jbernat13@gmail.com

Speaker of the Student Senate Matthew Phan’s plaque, dawning the Student Government Association’s logo. Photo by Kass Lewis / The Sunflower

Correction In the Aug. 18 issue of The Sunflower, a story incorrectly stated that the Kansas Board of Regents approved funding for a $750,000 feasibility study on a new dental school located near the downtown Wichita Biomedical Campus. KBOR, which is the governing board for higher-education insitutions in Kansas, denied funding the study. Following the denial, Wichita State’s Board of Trustees approved the study to be funded by WSU. The Sunflower is dedicated to providing accurate information to its readers.

Free menstrual products are available for Wichita State students at 14 different buildings around campus. If a machine is empty, students can fill out an online form listing the date, location and products needed. The Menstrual Product Project was a collaboration of the former Feminist on Campus Uniting Students group with university leaders. The project was presented as a bill to the Student Government Association in Dec. 2022, and passed with a vote of 36-5. In 2023, SGA passed legislation to permanently fund the project.

Ablah Library: 1st Floor Women’s

Lindquist Hall: 1st Floor Women’s

Restroom

Restroom Restroom

Women’s Restroom McKinley Hall: 1st Floor Women’s Restroom

Floor North Women’s Restroom Corbin Education Center: 1st Floor South Women’s Restroom Duerksen Fine Arts: 1st Floor Women’s Restroom Engineering Building: 1st Floor Women’s Restroom Hubbard Hall: 2nd Floor Women’s Restroom Jabara Hall: 1st Floor Women’s Restroom John Bardo Center: 1st Floor East Women’s Restroom

Basement Women’s Restroom Shocker Success Center: 1st Floor Women’s Restroom Shocker Success Center: 2nd Floor Women’s Restroom Shocker Success Center: 3rd Floor Women’s Restroom Shocker Success Center: 4th Floor Women’s Restroom Wiedemann Hall: 1st Floor Women’s Restroom Woolsey Hall: 1st Floor Family Restroom

Ahlberg Hall: 1st Floor Women’s Ahlberg Hall: 2nd Floor Women’s Corbin Education Center: 1st

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 opportunity for students, who will have the final authority on what is published. The Sunflower is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association and the Wichita Journalism Collaborative.

LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be obtained from 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 advertisement sales and allocations by the Student Government Association. Copyright @ 2026 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design, photos and all contents are copyrighted.

McKnight Arts Center: 1st Floor

Shocker Success Center:

The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run news publication covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Tuesday during the fall and spring semester. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mya Scott editor@thesunflower.com

NEWS EDITOR Kami Steinle news@thesunflower.com

PODCAST EDITOR Taliyah Winn podcast@thesunflower.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Addie Clayton admanager@thesunflower.com

IN-DEPTH EDITOR Josh Pfleger-Bernat jbernat13@gmail.com

PHOTO EDITOR Ellery Prothro photo@thesunflower.com

MANAGING EDITOR Kass Lewis managing@thesunflower.com

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Kiona Brown arts@thesunflower.com

DESIGN EDITOR Mikah Herzberg mdhzbg@gmail.com

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Zachary Ruth zachruthphoto@gmail.com

SPORTS EDITOR Evan Long sports@thesunflower.com

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Lizzie Rush elizabethrush1105@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR Emma Wilks emmawilks78@gmail.com

OPINION EDITOR Jadin Kaltenbach opinion@thesunflower.com

For a complete staff list, go to www.thesunflower.com

019 Elliott Hall 1845 N. Fairmount Ave. Campus Box 134 Wichita, KS 67260-0134 EDITORIAL Mya Scott: 316-978-6906 editor@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING Addie Clayton: 316-978-6905 admanager@thesunflower.com FACULTY ADVISER Amy DeVault: 316-978-6052 amy.devault@wichita.edu

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.

SPORTS

HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Sports editor, Evan Long sports@thesunflower.com

Aug. 25, 2026 | 3 www.thesunflower.com

2026 AMERICAN CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL 1. Rice (12) 2. Tulsa (1) 3. South Florida 4. Wichita State 5. Florida Atlantic 6. North Texas 7. UTSA 8. East Carolina 9. Charlotte 10. Memphis 11. Temple 12. Tulane 13. UAB

Wichita State Volleyball graduate middle blocker Maddie Wilson (14) jumps to block the ball on Aug. 22. in Koch Arena. Photo by Ellery Prothro / The Sunflower

Shocker blocker Maddie Wilson believes she still has a point to prove BY EVAN LONG

will begin pursuing those goals this weekend when the Shockers open the regular season by hosting the Shocker Volleyball Classic at Charles Koch Arena. WSU plays Stephen F. Austin at 6 p.m on Friday in its first match of the round-robin tournament. Wilson, a native of Colorado, also excels from behind the serving line as she notched 22 service aces last year, good for third-most on the team. “(She’s) sneaky good,” coach Chris Lamb said of Wilson’s serving ability. “She can hit it flat, and she can drop it in.” Wilson noted that it’s extremely fulfilling when she can help her teammates find success by keeping the opposing side wary of her own presence. In addition to her blocking skills, Wilson contributed 202 kills — the most of any returning player on the team who’s currently active. “It’s really rewarding when you pull the block for your teammates,” Wilson said. “In the Omaha match (last Saturday), I feel like I opened up so many opportunities for Jenna

sports@thesunflower.com

During her redshirt sophomore year at Wichita State, Maddie Wilson said she had a chip on her shoulder coming from the University of Idaho, a smaller Division 1 volleyball program. “It’s a big deal for me, since I transferred from a lower-D1 school, for me to come here and prove a point,” Wilson said. When Wilson, now a fifth-year middle blocker, was asked prior to the current season if she thought she had proved that point, her answer was simple. “Not yet.” Last season, she led the Shockers in total blocks (119) and blocks per set (1.07) and also hit a team-best .318 in American Conference play. Despite these impressive numbers, Wilson still isn’t satisfied. Her goals? “Just being better than last year,” Wilson said. “Crushing goals and breaking records.” Standing at 6-foot-1, Wilson

(Cubbage) to get some great kills, Elinor (Engel) to get some great kills. It’s just really rewarding when a dominant presence is known in the middle and you help your teammates score.” A teammate who assists Wilson more than anyone on the roster is senior setter Jordan Heatherly. In her first year at Wichita State, Heatherly finished third in the American Conference with 1,020 assists. Heatherly said she and Wilson have greatly improved how they communicate with each other. “I think our off-court relationship has flourished in the last year,” Heatherly said. In the spring season, we really worked on our communication and what we need from each other, and I think that has totally helped me to love setting her.” Wilson, who is entering year four at Wichita State, isn’t the most vocal player on the court, but she leads by example. “I feel like I’ve grown into the silent leader role,” Wilson said. “They (my teammates) know I can score,

they know I might have something to say if something doesn’t go the right way. I’ve definitely taken a silent leadership type role: show by doing, not by saying.” While Wilson has developed into a threat to score, her calling card is definitely her blocking ability, as she placed fourth in the conference in total blocks. Wilson said it took her “forever” to become such a defensive presence at the net. “Blocking is really difficult, especially as a middle because you’re trying to read literally everything, and with a good setter (on the other team) that makes it 10 times more difficult,” she said. Wilson is clearly enthusiastic about her role as a blocker. She recalled with excitement a block she had against Omaha in the team’s first exhibition. “I had a stuff block on their middle, and I felt like the energy heightens, and you just feel great,” she said. “I feel like it brings so much energy to everyone on the court. It’s electrifying.”

SHOCKER VOLLEYBALL ROSTER 1 JANAYA WEITKEMPER 13 SOPHIA GILBERT (Sophmore / Middle blocker)

Played in six matches and 12 sets in her freshman year last season. Recorded four kills at Tulsa on Oct. 5 and four kills again at home vs Charlotte on Nov. 9.

2 NIYA LEWIS

(Junior / Outside hitter)

Entering first season at Wichita State after transferring from Ole Miss. In the SEC tournament last season against No. 3 Texas, she tallied two kills and a dig.

OLIVIA COHEE (Sophmore / Outside hitter)

Appeared in six matches and 13 sets as a freshman last year. In collegiate debut, notched three kills and two blocks against Kennesaw State on Aug. 29.

4 ADDIE OETH

(Freshman / Setter)

Four-year starter and four-year letterwinner at Edgewood High School in Wisconsin. Named first team all-conference in the 2025 season.

6 KATE MOBLEY

(Freshman / Outside hitter)

Four-year letterwinner and started in all four seasons at Salpointe Catholic High School. In 2024, was named 4A first team all-region in Arizona.

JENNA CUBBAGE (Sophmore / Outside hitter)

As a freshman last season, played in eight matches and 15 sets. Notched a season-high 12 kills at Tulsa on Oct. 5.

8 EVA KRAKOWSKI

(Junior / Middle blocker)

Transferred to WSU after two seasons at Southern Illinois, where she competed in a total of 56 matches and 207 sets. Racked up 89 blocks in 2025, good for second on the team.

9 ELINOR ENGEL

(Senior / Middle blocker)

Spent two years at Central Missouri before playing her junior season at WSU. Against KU last season on Sep. 16, recorded a season-high three blocks.

DANIELLE MOORE (Sophmore / Opposite)

Redshirted her freshman season at WSU. At Francis Howell High School, she was ranked the #10 player in Missouri by PrepDig and notched 1,351 career kills, a school record.

11 SYDNEY DUNNING

(Senior / Outside hitter)

Earned Second Team All-Conference honors in 2025 at WSU. Finished last season with 420 kills, which was first on the team and fourth in the conference.

12 GRACE HETT

(Sophmore / Defensive specialist/Libero)

Entering third season at Wichita State out of Marion High School. Recorded 2.91 digs per set in conference play last year, good for second on the team.

(Freshman / Middle blocker)

Four-year letterwinner and four-year starter at Horizon High School in Arizona. Won three consecutive 5A state championships in her first three seasons at Horizon HS.

14 MADDIE WILSON

(5th year / Middle blocker)

Started all 30 matches for WSU last season and led the team in total blocks with 119. Hit .318 in American Conference contests, which was first on the team.

TRINITY LUCKETT (Senior / Middle blocker)

Played two years at Saint Louis before transferring to Missouri prior to the 2025 season. Finished her time at SLU with a .271 hitting percentage and 236 blocks.

16 JORDAN HEATHERLY

(Senior / Setter)

Beginning year two at WSU after spending her first two seasons at Memphis. Last season, she racked up 1,020 assists, which was third in the conference, and notched 33 service aces.

18 OLIVIA STEIN

(Freshman / Outside hitter)

Four-year starter and four-year letterwinner at Ingalls High School. In 2025, she was named first team all-state and first team all-league.

19 21

ALEX WATTS (Junior / Middle blocker)

Entering her first year with the Shockers after two seasons at Bakersfield College, where she played in 171 sets. Watts was also a two-time Second Team All-Conference selection.

ALIAH SNIDER (Junior / Setter)

Playing for her third team in three years. Last season, at Ohio Christian, she averaged 5.03 assists, 2.31 digs and 1.48 kills in 102 sets.

22 BREA MARTIN

(Freshman / Defensive specialist/Libero)

Four-year letterwinner and started in all four seasons at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. In her senior year, she tallied 335 digs and earned first team all-city league honors.

GABI MAAS (5th year / Defensive specialist/Libero)

Beginning her fourth season at WSU after playing for TCU during her freshman year. Led Wichita State in total digs with 393 and recorded 4.42 digs per set, which was third in the American.

24 MCKENZIE JONES

(Sophmore / Outside hitter)

Competed in 16 matches and 39 sets as a freshman last season. She finished with 67 kills, 21 digs and 16 blocks.

ALLIE PAULSEN (Senior / Middle blocker) Entering year four with WSU after graduating from Andover Central High School. Last season, she appeared in 89 sets and notched 88 total blocks, good for third on the team.

144 120 117 111 106 78 73 71 64 45 36 26 23

Volleyball rolls past Kansas City in home exhibition BY EVAN LONG

sports@thesunflower.com

The Shocker volleyball team took four of five games from Kansas City in its last exhibition match of the season on Saturday at Charles Koch Arena. WSU won by scores of 25-20, 25-9, 25-10 and 25-17 in the first four sets before falling 15-12. Wichita State went up big in the first set, leading the Roos 14-6, but Kansas City closed the gap to 14-13 after a 7-0 run. The Shockers were able to recover, however, taking the first game 25-20. “There were six errors in that run,” head coach Chris Lamb said. “I wasn’t going to call timeout. I just wanted them to deal with stress and figure it out.” Sophomore outside hitter Olivia Cohee recorded seven digs and three kills in the first game for Wichita State. Fifthyear defensive specialist Gabi Maas dug two balls during match point before fifth-year middle blocker Maddie Wilson tipped the ball down to give the Shockers the set win. The second set was all Wichita State as the Shockers took down the Roos 25-9. WSU got off to a hot start in the second game, leading Kansas City by scores of 9-2 and 13-4. Wilson notched seven kills and four blocks in the first two sets, while senior setter Jordan Heatherly recorded 13 assists during the first two sets. About halfway through the second set, Cohee had posted 10 digs and four kills. “Our serve and pass game was great, so my passers were putting me in really great positions,” Heatherly said. “Maddie was getting up super quick in transition, which led me to have a lot of openings for my pins and even her. So I just think it all started with a pass, and then my hitters were able to execute in those situations.” The Shockers dominated the third set as well, winning 25-10. Cohee recorded seven kills, 14 digs and three blocks in the first three sets, while Heatherly had 20 assists. “I think I’ve changed my mentality to ‘just see ball, get ball,’ and I think our block did a good job of setting up so I can work around the seams they leave,” Cohee said. A fourth and fifth set were played in the home exhibition, but most of the Shocker starters were pulled from the court prior to the fourth game. The substitutes maintained WSU’s momentum, as the Shockers defeated the Roos 25-17 in set four. Kansas City took the fifth set 15-12. “I am very happy that we got to play a lot of people and feel good about it,” Lamb said. WSU opens the regular season by hosting the Shocker Volleyball Classic next weekend at Koch Arena. Wichita State faces Stephen F. Austin at 6 p.m. on Friday, Idaho State at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and Missouri State at noon on Sunday in a roundrobin tournament.

HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Arts editor, Kiona Brown arts@thesunflower.com

ARTS & CULTURE

Jack Anderson from Petals sings into his microphone while performing as the opening act at Kirby’s Beer Store for Wichita Forever Fest. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower

Aug. 25, 2026 | 4 www.thesunflower.com

Jamarco Clark, vice president for student affairs, pulls pieces of grilled chicken off the grill at his cookout on Aug. 19. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower

Wichita Forever Fest makes Dr. J grilling up hot dogs, space for artists big and small cooking up connections KIONA BROWN

TALIYAH WINN

podcast@thesunflower.com

Hundreds of music artists, volunteers and attendees spread throughout Wichita for the city’s latest music festival – Wichita Forever Fest. Wichita State alum Patrick Heath and Keo Fletcher founded the volunteer-led free festival, accumulating in a daylong festival where more than 100 artists and bands spread across 10 venues in Wichita. “There’s kind of a joy in kind of doing something on your own and getting together with your friends,” Heath said. “And figuring out how to do it and not because of any funding or any purpose but because we want to reinvest in the community.” From noon to the early hours of the morning, artists and attendees traveled between shows, and with shows performing side by side, each could leave with a different experience. The organizers developed a tool on their websites where people could plan their days depending on the shows they wanted to see. Harrison Steele, a folk rock musician and 2012 WSU alum, was one of two opening acts for the festival, performing at Central Brewing Company. “You don’t know if people are always going to show up that early when the festival goes all day,” Harrison said. “But surprisingly, the whole room filled out here at CSB.”

arts@thesunflower.com

By artists, for artists

The logistics were daunting, but Heath said he worked on making a music festival that he and his friends would enjoy, and hoped others would say the same. “(Fletcher and I) had like a three hour chat, just talking about the music scene,” Heath said. From that, Forever Fest was born. Paying artists was always a non-negotiable, Heath said. “A big priority to us was making sure that all the artists got paid, because we want to make sure that we are not setting any bad precedents,” Heath said.

A stage for new artists

Heath said one of the main tenants was making a show accessible to a variety of artists old and new. Members of Tyka, an indie-pop band made up of WSU students, said that having the opportunity to perform at a festival like this early in their career was impactful. The band started performing together in November. Hudson Garcia, the 18-year-old drummer, is a freshman at WSU Tech. A self taught musician, he said that getting to play a show at the festival level was “an honor.” “I figured music would be something that would come later on in life when I had the time to,” Garcia said. “But these guys that I work with and girls, they’re amazing, and they make it very easy.” Tyler Vu, founder and lead

singer, said he appreciated the variety the festival allowed because it exposes more people to different kinds of art. “I just think people bringing their different art for other people to interpret in different ways is just really beautiful,” Vu said.

A farewell to The Petals

For The Petals, formerly known as Zuzu Petals, Forever Fest was their last show. Lead singer and co-founder Jack Anderson announced that he would be moving the next day. Anderson, a WSU English MFA graduate, started the band with his friend and office mate, Kyle Hall, together in grad school. They connected with Emilee Hurla and together learned how to play instruments and perform music. Hall has since moved away, and now Anderson is ready to take the next step — pursuing a PhD in creative writing and poetry at Kalamazoo. He said that preparing to move has been “insane,” but he wouldn’t have it any other way. “This place will forever be in my heart,” Anderson said.

What’s next?

As of now, the future of Forever Fest is still in flux. Many of the volunteers have been working 40 hours a week on the festival on top of other commitments, Heath said, and they need some time to decompress.

Jamarco Clark takes to the grill to kick off his first year as vice president for student affairs. On Aug. 19, Clark was seen on the patio north of the Rhatigan Student Center behind a grill with several catering staff members running around and keeping things moving. There were a lot of students at the event in both the lengthy buffet line and eating at the additional tables. Student Ledavion Hollingsworth said he felt welcomed to campus this fall, but Clark’s grilling wasn’t quite to his standards. “Not to my standard, but it’s not a bad hot dog, but it could be darker,” said Hollingsworth, “I like them darker. Everything’s good darker.” Other students, like Ricky Martin, thought that Clark did a good job cooking and had good interactions with him. “I think he was really chill and good at grilling,” said Martin. Clark, who could be seen wearing a chef’s hat and apron embroidered with “Dr. J,” said it was his idea to host a cookout because it has worked at his past schools as a way to get students together. “Jamarco said he wants to do a cookout,” said Clark. Clark was previously the vice chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Illinois Springfield and has experience with what works when trying to

connect with students. “There’s some stuff that worked at my other schools that may or may not work here,” Clark said. “This will work everywhere.” In his new role, Clark’s goal is to connect with students and work to find common ground with them. “My goal is to connect with students at every level,” Clark said. “So, there’ll be some of this, there’ll be some instances where we’re going to cook, or we won’t cook, or we’ll have nice plated meals together.” Gabriel Fonseca, the executive director for student engagement and belonging, works closely with Clark and has been able to see his process in working with WSU students. “So it’s been really cool to have someone, a permanent VP, come in to say, ‘Let’s start this, let’s do this’ and kind of relate to this moving forward,” said Fonseca. “So I think that’s kind of been the big transition of having a leader who’s like, ‘Alright, now we’re ready to go.’ and the pause is kind of over, so that’s been really exciting.” Clark’s efforts with students seems to be paying off. Student Carmen Hutson attended the event and briefly met Clark. “He seems very chill. He’s very outgoing and I like that,” Hutson said.

Students celebrate the first week of class with karaoke at all day event

Victor Shi and Mayra Cibils duet party favorite “Dancing Queen” at the RSC Day Shocker Night on Thursday. The all day event hosted many activities. Photos by Peyton Eck / The Sunflower

The crowd moves with the music during karaoke held for the RSC Day Shocker Night Thursday. The all day event consisted of 24 activities in and out of the building.

Chloe Arriaga croons along to Radiohead’s “Creep” during Thursday’s Kaffeine Karaoke. The event was one of many RSC Day Shocker Night activities.

HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Opinion editor, Jadin Kaltenbach opinion@thesunflower.com

OPINION

Aug. 25, 2026 | 5 www.thesunflower.com

Illustration by Emma Wilks / The Sunflower

Stop ‘Flock’ing lying to us University doesn’t care about student safety Kiona Brown

arts@thesunflower.com

OPINION I’m sure people are aware of the prevalence of Flock cameras in use around the country, including Wichita, but did you know there are Flock cameras at nearly every vehicle entrance on The Wichita State campus? WSU doesn’t work to protect us until it comes to partnering with, and paying, an outside company to monitor us. WSU claims that by adding Flock cameras to campus, they’re supporting campus safety, but that feels out of place given my experience regarding security cameras on this campus. Over the summer, I started to notice the egregious amount of Flock cameras on campus — some being more discreet than others — but once I started noticing them, it was hard to stop. And some of you might be thinking: “Flock cameras are there for our safety and to keep the campus safe in general.”

But I disagree. I have firsthand experience learning how “important” our safety is to WSU and our police department. Last spring, I went to the parking lot south of Elliott Hall and noticed a chunk of my car on the ground. Then, I saw that someone had left a note with a $100 bill under my windshield wiper saying that she was the one who hit my car. I called the Wichita State University Police Department to make a report because I wanted to go through the police so that her insurance would cover repairs. WSUPD said its officers were busy and seemingly tried to advise me not to make a report. I spoke with an officer at the university police station who also tried to get me to not file a report and then, overall, struggled to do his job. The officer and I discussed what happened and we met each other at my car after he couldn’t find “the lot south of Elliott Hall.” He took my information and said he would call the girl who hit my car, get her information, give her my information and get back to

me. He called me a day or two later and let me know I could come pick up her information. When I made it to the police station, he told me he was no longer going to give me her information because she told him she wasn’t sure if she was the person who hit my car even though she left a note. I asked if he had given her my information. He had. He told me later that day he was going to go to her house and check to see if any of my car’s paint came off on her car because when a car is hit, it usually leaves paint behind. I said, “Yeah, usually, but not always.” He didn’t have a response for that. He told me there are no security cameras in that parking lot for him to check, so the paint was the deciding factor. I was shocked that there are no security cameras in a parking lot on campus. A parking lot that people walk alone to, where cars get hit and where people could be easily harassed or hurt. No security cameras, but there are 19 Flock cameras on campus that the university pays over $100,000 for.

The officer told me that in his years at WSUPD, this was one of his most difficult cases. My case, where someone hit my car and confessed to it on a note, was difficult. The police officer was relying on paint, which can be easily buffed off, when the university could’ve easily had a security camera in place to solve the issue. The university doesn’t care about our safety despite saying it’s “critically important.” If they cared about our safety, they would install a security system to protect us, not just install privately owned cameras to monitor us. Flock cameras aren’t there for our safety; they’re there to watch us. WSUPD isn’t an impressive bunch and they have a pretty cushy job for their field, yet they, and other police departments, have access to the license plates of cars entering our campus. On a more positive note, Flock is making a change to how departments’ access to data works, but I sincerely believe it isn’t enough. Starting Jan. 1, Flock will only allow officers to view data related to an active case number, and they

will only hold onto records for seven days after it is gathered. I don’t think that’s the solution to Flock-related stalking, a prevalent issue and what I assume is the reason they are making changes to their policies. I doubt they’re changing their policies because of stalking; I think they’re doing it because of the recent news coverage regarding officers using Flock data to stalk people, usually women. Why do police officers have access to surveillance information with no warrant? An officer can’t gain access to your personal technology, your house, your car or anything else unless you give them consent or they acquire a signed warrant from a judge. We are being surveilled without our consent, and it is simply illogical when you compare it to anything else. If the university prioritized keeping us safe, they would work harder and ensure that students were protected. Instead, they pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to surveil our license plates, the least important thing to be watching.

Michigan’s all or nothing program slaps a band-aid on bigger issues Jadin Kaltenbach opinion@thesunflower.com

OPINION The University of Michigan recently announced that starting fall of 2027, the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) will begin a first-semester grade covering pilot program. Essentially, this means that students enrolled in this specific college at the university will receive a pass (P) or no credit (NC) in courses rather than a final letter grade in the class and on their transcripts for the first semester. The program aims to “establish early momentum” for first-year students as they “acclimate to the demands of college and allow intrinsic motivations to guide personally meaningful academic journeys — core elements of a liberal arts and sciences education.” The only college at the university that is participating in this program is LSA.

While the college presents they are providing students the opportunity to transition seamlessly into collegiate academics, that isn’t realistic for most. And it appears they are just delaying what is inevitable for some: failure. One of the major elements of college, and also life in general, is learning how to find balance for yourself while meeting certain expectations that are set by others. Prioritizing academics is essential to success. For some it is effortless; for others it is extremely difficult. But it is a part of the process. LSA also stated that they “believe that covering grades will help students start strong and curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals.” And while the sentiment could be seen as admirable, it is also worrisome. If there is an assumption that letter grades and GPAs are heavily responsible for what is creating the mental health crisis in college, couldn’t removing them from the equation for the first semester just postpone it? That isn’t to say that this process

won’t help certain students. I do believe that this will be beneficial to a lot of individuals enrolled, and from that perspective, I get it. But I also understand that one of the current issues we face culturally in our education system is this fear of failure, so much so that we are removing personal responsibility from it. I don’t think I have met a single person in my life who came to college because they “knew it was going to be easy.” It’s hard. The transition, the expectations, the management of it all is different for everyone. It’s supposed to challenge you in ways you may have never been challenged. The mental health crisis that is currently plaguing students should be a priority at colleges and universities. There should be extra funding for programs and assistance mandated. We should be able to talk about it and work towards constantly improving it in the collegiate environment. But assumig that you can “establish early momentum” for students by taking away grades that they

should be solely responsible for eliminates the pressure and motivation that comes with figuring it out, not only as a college student, but as a person coming into adulthood. There are alternatives. Making your first-year class curriculum transitional in nature is possible. Get to know your students early on, and adapt. But for the students who are doing rigorous collegiate level work with nothing to show for it other than a (P) at semester, what keeps them motivated? And on the flip side, for the students who understand that even if they don’t necessarily apply themselves fully, they will “probably still pass,” or will get a (NC) with no immediate consequences, what is going to suddenly motivate them in the spring semester? Making college “easier” on paper for a semester isn’t proactive. Making this decision at the highest level academically shows there is a lack of faith in our current education system, not only by those who got into college and realized we weren’t mentally or academically

prepared, but also those who spent their lives dedicated to teaching others. I don’t fault the university and college for thinking this could help, but the issue is much deeper. This problem we face is rooted in the K-8 curriculum and the lack of preparation in high schools. It is a direct result of the literacy crisis, online learning during COVID-19 and the lack of trust in this generation figuring it out. I also think it’s problematic that LSA is the only college at the University of Michigan that will be participating in this program. It could perpetuate the stereotype that liberal arts and sciences aren’t taken as seriously. I understand there is a lot of nuance talking about this topic, and overall, it might read as if I am just generalizing. But the decision to do this is completely reactive. Not addressing the roots of the issue, the education system as a whole as well as the lack of knowledge or actual mental health support on campus, is just putting a band-aid on it.

6 | Aug. 25, 2026

ARTS & CULTURE

www.thesunflower.com

Students from the College of Engineering cheer and run for the trophy while celebrating their win at the 12th annual Clash of the Colleges. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower

WHO RULES THE SCHOOL? College of Engineering takes fifth win at annual Clash of the Colleges

The College of Education shows their spirit to intimidate other colleges before the 12th annual Clash of the Colleges. The competition took place at the partially renovated Crossland Stadium. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower

Freshman Biomedical Engineering Student Camy Sybert looks for her next hold halfway up a climbing wall at Clash of the Colleges on Aug. 21. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower

Shocker Sound Machine Baton Twirler Emily Streeter performs to kick off the 12th annual Clash of the Colleges on Aug. 21. The event spanned three hours and ended with a win from the College of Engineering. Photo by Ellery Prothro / The Sunflower

Junior Filmaking Student Julio Albert raises his arms in celebration after winning a round of extreme rock-paper-scissors at Clash of the Colleges. Fine Arts went on to place second overall at the event and won the spirit award. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower

Students from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provide energy to the 12th annual Clash of the Colleges on Aug. 21. LAS entered the competition as the reigning champions, but failed to place on the podium this year. Photo by Ellery Prothro / The Sunflower

Freshman Adeline Lank competes for the Barton School of Business in Jenga mini-game. Other mini-games included human bowling, rock wall climbing and Connect Four. Photo by Bethany Hollis / The Sunflower