WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896
Volume 131
Issue 6
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026
www.thesunflower.com
@thesunflowernews
@sunflowernews
The Sunflower
Asian Student Conference discuss how ‘fetishization is not a form of solidarity’ BY SARAH MATADI
sarahjmatadi@gmail.com
Faculty senators sit in a meeting in Woolsey Hall on Sept. 28. Photos by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower
UNITED, YET UNHEARD
Faculty seeks stronger role in mergers despite internal disagreements BY KAMI STEINLE & JOSH PFLEGER-BERNAT
news@thesunflower.com & jbernat13@gmail.com
A
midst the talks about departments merging at Wichita State, a proposed recommendation was passed through Faculty Senate that gives administration a framework to go by when consolidating departments. Susan Castro, a professor of philosophy, presented a resolution to the senate that would give an alternative to policy 2.10 that caused a lot of controversy amongst faculty members. “In our last Senate meeting, I made an informal statement about the difference between program consolidation and program discontinuation,” Castro said. “I posted a proposal for a faculty senate resolution outlining the process that should be used instead of 2.10 program discontinuance. “In that meeting, the senate voted that policy 2.10 was inapplicable to the restructuring initiative that began last year. Today, I’m formally proposing the resolution.” Many faculty members voiced their opinions and concerns about the resolution. According to Stephanie Newbold, director of the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs, all the departments under consideration for these mergers are strong departments by the Kansas Board of Regents standards and some bring in millions for the university each year in external funding. “We have leaders in this field,” Newbold said about WSU’s public administration program. “We are ranked number 17 in the nation — tied with Harvard University — for public budgeting and finance and not once has anyone ever come to us and said, ‘How can we help?’” Alexandra Middlewood, political science department chair, read a prewritten statement emphasizing the university has moved forward on these mergers despite faculty objections. “‘When faculty are informed rather than genuinely consulted, that is not shared governance,’” Middlewood said. “‘The consequence is not merely frustration. It’s a growing lack of trust. “‘Faculty are being asked to accept major structural changes while operating with incomplete information and limited opportunities to participate meaningfully in the process. That is not a sustainable way to govern an academic institution.’” Editors from The Sunflower approached Provost Monica Lounsbery
“
We have leaders in this field, we are ranked number 17 in the nation — tied with Harvard University — for public budgeting and finance and not once has anyone ever come to us and said, ‘How can we help?’” STEPHANIE NEWBOLD Social sciences senator
after the meeting and Lounsbery said “absolutely not” while wagging her finger. Jolynn Dowling, senior educator in the School of Nursing, said there was a lack of transparency for who brought this resolution forward. A resolution needs five senate members from three different divisions, which the proposed resolution did have. The School of Nursing is the only department in the College of Health Professions that will not be affected by the mergers. “I have a problem with the nontransparency of the senators who are bringing this forward, as well as the units they represent,” Dowling said. “And so for that reason I have voted no on every amendment and I will continue to vote no on moving this forward because of the format, the procedure.” Roy Myose, professor of aerospace engineering, said he would not be voting on the proposal because he did not feel he spoke with his constituents thoroughly enough beforehand to fully represent their views. Chase Billingham, professor of sociology, disagreed with this sentiment. “I would just like to state that we are elected by the faculty to represent our units, but we are not required to do poles of every single member of our unit before we take votes like this,” Billingham said. “Your responsibility as a senator is to vote on things that are presented to you. This item was presented and put on the agenda with ample notice, and we had the opportunity to consult with whatever faculty we wanted to, but it is your responsibility to vote in the way you believe.” The College of Fine Arts is not undergoing any mergers or restructuring, but Trevor Nelson, professor of Musicology, said he supported the resolution. “From all of my discussions with my colleagues in the School of Music and the broader College of Fine Arts,” Nelson said.
Senator Susan Castro raises her placard to vote yes on an amendment to a resolution regarding department merger policy at faculty senate on Sept. 28.
“We want to stand in solidarity with the departments that are being targeted for consolidation, and I’ve only heard from my constituents points of solidarity and that we will generally be supporting this resolution.” On the other hand, James Beck, associate professor of biology, said he shared the document with his constituents and only heard back from one. “If the amount of response I received is any measure, the biology department’s position is one of disinterest at best,” Beck said. Stephanie Nicks, professor in the School of Nursing, said she only heard back from one of her constituents as well, and seconded Beck’s sentiment. Beck was the only senator who voted against the resolution. From Geology Professor Andrew Swindle’s perspective, the mergers have the potential to affect any department in the future. “Our department was one department that was going to be merged, and then we weren’t going to be merged,” Swindle said. “So we’re very familiar with this; the thing I want to mention is that all these departments who are ambivalent about this proposal are strong departments; well, they’re strong for now. The geology department, if you go back two decades, was a strong department. It’s not anymore.” SEE FACULTY SENATE, PAGE 3
Aspects of asian fetishization have always been referenced within popular culture, and Wichita State’s Asian Student Conference gathered to inform students on this socially acceptable form of racism. On Wednesday, the Asian Student Conference gathered for their third general body meeting of the semester to discuss how Asian fetishization negatively impacts the Asian community and what they can do to spread awareness. The packed room filled with ASC members and newcomers quieted down as Malissa Oum, ASC’s culture coordinator, pressed play on a clip from “Rush Hour 2”. In the scene, Carter, a black man, goes to a massage parlor and is met with dozens of young Asian women to choose from for a masseuse. The character reacts with childlike glee and compares the experience to being at a buffet. Several students kicked off the discussion by pointing out that the scene fetishizes Asians by treating them as things, rather than people. Oum defined fetishization as having a sexual interest in an object or body part that is not a sexual organ, or a person as if they were an object. As an example, she cited the recent trend on X where non-Asians are going as far as pretending to be Asian in hopes of romantically connecting with an Asian person. Attendees chimed in with more examples that they’ve seen recently. Many students brought up how non-Asians tend to romanticize the food and aesthetics of the culture while remaining ignorant to Asian struggles and history. “Lots of people idealize K-pop and anime but they ignore war crimes that are being committed in Asian countries,” Oum said. “Fetishization is not a form of solidarity. In fact, it is a form of racism.” Following the discussion, the group played a game where they were asked whether a certain action was considered fetishization and students would move to the right side of the room for yes and the left side for no. Several of the answers were unanimous. One of them being that exclusively dating Asians was considered fetishization. However, some questions brought about more of a debate that encouraged students to challenge their preconceived notions of what fetishization truly was. Almost all of ASC’s general body meetings are centered around a discussion topic and accompanied by a game, but a serious topic is only covered one meeting per semester. Oum, who has recently entered her second year as ASC’s culture coordinator, spoke passionately about her desire to incorporate more serious topics into the meetings. “You know I was just talking about this the other day with my advisor about how it’s important for students to know how vast and special our culture is…people typically think about the food, clothes and the landmarks but it’s so much more than that,” Oum said. “I just really want to reach out to them because I fear that some of them don’t care.” Oum concluded the game by telling students how they can prevent Asian fetishization from becoming more normalized than it already is. Examples included bringing awareness to the topic and calling out people who perpetuate this harmful rhetoric. “It can be hard to call out your friends but allowing it to happen means you condone it,” Oum said. “With these meetings, I just want people to walk away thinking ‘yeah, this is something I want to pay more attention to’, especially because of how embedded these issues are into our culture,” Oum said.
EDITORIAL
2 | Sept. 29, 2026
FAST LANE TO
FASCISM
www.thesunflower.com
Protect the first amendment
Journalism is important, and not just because we’re journalists SUNFLOWER STAFF EDITORIAL
“Fake news”
Those are the two words our president is currently using to describe news channels like CNN, Politico and MS Now. And it’s not because it’s unfair or false content. It’s because it’s unfavorable coverage. On Sept. 18, President Donald Trump banned three national news outlets from the White House. Think about that, really think about it. The president, a person who has immense power over the people, is attempting to ban certain news outlets because he doesn’t agree with them. This isn’t just detrimental to these stations; it’s detrimental to the public. Trump openly tried to filter the information aired to the United States, and therefore limited the country’s ability to hold him and his government accountable. He is trying to single-handedly decide what information you are allowed to see, hear or read, and that should terrify everyone. Even Thomas Jefferson was assertive about his beliefs in the importance of the press. He stood for people’s opinions and acknowledged that the government was there to represent the people. “The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government,” Jefferson said. “I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers & be capable of reading them.” And you can’t say that Trump doesn’t like Jefferson. There is currently a statue of Jefferson in the rose gardens at the White House, which was added in July of this year. Jefferson and Trump both understand the value of the press in the democratic process, but unlike Jefferson, Trump views that value as detrimental to his political success. Jefferson and Trump both understand the value of the press in the democratic process, but unlike Jefferson, Trump views that value as detrimental to his political success. Trump’s animosity toward a free press has been a key characteristic of his political messaging. What was once largely public attacks on the media in his first term has escalated to major disruptions of journalists’ access, editorial independence and First Amendment rights. If newsrooms are barred from covering our president because he decides it’s unfavorable, when will the public lose their right to criticize Trump and any public figures? Once we go down this road, if there are no repercussions, it’s going to affect everyone. People aren’t going to get news, and one day, they will lose their right to freedom of speech. Trump banning these organizations is the same as if Wichita State’s president, Richard Muma, got rid of The Sunflower and didn’t allow us to cover campus news. If you only heard news from the university, it would only ever be favorable. The university has a job, and it’s to think of itself first. The Sunflower’s job, and other news organizations’, is to report on things in an unbiased manner, regardless of how that looks
for the university. When that work is hindered, or outright banned, the people who suffer the most are those with the least amount of power. Their only account of reality comes from those making the decisions that personally affect them. Not only did Trump ban three publications, but the White House is also promoting their new 24/7 YouTube channel, “Trump TV.” The White House described the livestream as sharing “top past moments, announcements, and the latest and greatest from the Administration all in one place.” Gavin Newsom and many other people on social media have described this channel as “state-run” media, and that’s not far from the truth. Banning news organizations and getting your own constant livestream in the same week hardly feels like a coincidence. It is simply the same authoritarian tactics seen throughout history, similar to the Nazis statements lügenpresse (lying press), repackaged for the modern age. Digital authoritarianism is the use of intimidation against the media and any targets of an authoritarian. It follows two steps in which the authoritarian targets its critics with a form of online abuse. Then, the authoritarian falsely accuses critics of online abuse and, in some cases, takes away their voice. In an online essay published through the University of Chicago Law Review, authors say, “Today’s would-be authoritarians are pursuing this two-step strategy to muzzle critics and undermine pro-democracy efforts.” And for some, it will be difficult to accept the phrasing “authoritarian tactics” and the concept that this administration is attempting (and in some ways succeeding) at creating an authoritarian regime. This is because we have been force-fed patriotism from the moment we became Americans. But we are far beyond negotiating the verbiage. The acts of threatening to, attempting to, and — God forbid — succeeding at controlling the press, by shutting it out or silencing it in its entirety, are just a single phase of what is called a destabilization strategy — a process that both authoritarian and dictator regimes alike have used over the centuries to control the masses, whether that be foreign or domestic. Reflect on your previous education. Focus on your history lessons that educated you about the past and English curriculum that warned you about what the future could hold. What was one of the constants when we studied or read about authoritarians and dictators? What made all of them successful? Control of mass media. Trump is gaslighting us. He is telling us that the news is fake because he doesn’t like them putting a spotlight on the truth. He wants us confused and controlled because that is most favorable for him. Pew Research Center found that 80% of Americans say we can’t even agree on basic facts. That is a dictator’s dream. Whether you voted for him or not, we the people elected Donald Trump. He is supposed to represent our beliefs, and he is supposed to maintain our constitutional rights, yet he is violating our right to hear important news from the press in our country. The public should be outraged and condemn his actions because they will not stop at just the press.
LAWSUITS
“FAKE NEWS”
Illustration by Emma Wilks / The Sunflower
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.
CONTACT US
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.
NEWS
HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the News editor, Kami Steinle news@thesunflower.com
Sept. 29, 2026 | 3 www.thesunflower.com
Senator Chase Billingham motions to adjust the schedule of the faculty senate meeting on Sept. 28. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower
FACULTY SENATE / FROM PAGE 1
How we got here Guy Schroeder at a Student Government meeting on April 1. File photo by Kass Lewis / The Sunflower
‘NO ONE BLEEDS MORE BLUE THAN GUY SCHROEDER’
Longtime campus police chief plans to retire at the end of semester BY NADIA GOODWIN
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goodwinnadia481@gmail.com
After working in law enforcement for 46 years, Guy Schroeder, Wichita State University police chief, is retiring at the end of the fall semester. “Policing has changed considerably since my start on Feb. 4, 1980,” Schroeder said. “Technology moves fast and helps considerably, but in the end it’s about taking care of people, being a part of making their lives better, getting them the resources they need, showing empathy in difficult circumstances.” Schroeder spent 34 years with the Wichita Police Department before coming to WSU. “I worked out of the WPD Patrol North Station for almost 15 years on all shifts, so I had a good understanding of the university operations,” Schroeder said. “I was a SWAT Team Commander for the largest agency in the state of Kansas, a narcotics and homicide detective, and a Motorcycle Traffic Supervisor, all positions for a number of years.” When Schroeder retired from the city in 2013, WSU asked him to join their campus team. He became support captain in August 2014, and later police chief in 2022. “Not what I had planned but could not have worked out better,” Schroeder said. “I believed the chief’s position was out of reach, it was never on my radar until I got approached about it in 2021.” “I had a lot of experience, but
I had a lot of experience, but my education background was lacking. The university took a once in a lifetime chance on me and I accepted the challenge.” GUY SCHROEDER Wichita State Police Chief
my education background was lacking. The university took a once in a lifetime chance on me and I accepted the challenge.” During his time leading the department, Schroeder helped bring modern tools to WSU, like updating firearms and radios, implementing body cameras and more... Along with modernizing the department, Schroeder also focused on helping officers get college degrees. “Two of the sergeants in the WSUPD went on to get their doctorate degrees ... Many others have finished their undergraduate and master’s degrees while working for the UPD,” Schroeder said. “That shows the UPD’s commitment to the education process.” Schroeder said those successes belonged to his entire team. “I believe we are all better for it,” Schroeder said. “But it does not go without saying there are UPD personnel that work behind the scenes every day who get little acknowledgment that make it happen, the chief simply coordinates the efforts.” Other officers, like Police Captain Kyle Garwood, praised Schroeder
for his care and dedication. “No one I’ve ever met cares more about his people than Guy Schroeder,” Garwood said. “There’s a big thin blue line, so to speak, which is a little bit, historically has been a little bit controversial, but it’s more about a family. And so, what I refer to, when I talk to cops, no one bleeds more blue than guy Schroeder. You’re never going to find someone that cares more.” Garwood said Schroeder was always available to share his knowledge. “He’s one that is always present, and that I can always go for advice because of his experience level,” Garwood said. “There’s not much that he’s never come across before.” Building strong campus relationships was another key goal for the WSUPD. “The most important thing that we can do in policing is building relationships,” Garwood said. “And that is the thing that he does the best. The technical things, he’s good at that, but he is best at building relationships beforehand ... before a crisis comes up.” Schroeder’s reputation isn’t exclusive to Wichita State. He is
known far beyond the reach of campus. “I have literally been at trainings all across this country,” Garwood said. “I was at one in New Mexico and I was asked, ‘Hey, do you know Guy Schroeder?’ I said, ‘He’s my boss, actually.’” Schroeder gave credit to university partners, including David Miller, WSU’s Chief Financial Officer. “Without the support of the Office of Finance Vice President David Miller none of this gets accomplished, it has been a pleasure to serve him and the university as a whole,” Schroeder said. As Schroeder steps into retirement, he has clear plans. “What’s my future hold?” Schroeder said. “I have fishing gear calling my name; I have a Harley Davidson Street Glide that wants some miles to put on it; I have grandchildren that I have games and activities to attend. My wife brought home a new puppy 12 weeks ago. Need I say what that entails.” Meanwhile, WSU Police officers are preparing for the future, with Garwood and Captain Corey Hurl planning to apply for the chief position. “Everything falls on leadership,” Garwood said. “It’s easy to steer the ship when the waters are calm. It’s when things are, we’re unsure of what the future looks like or what budgets look like ... So, someone that can maintain an even steadiness throughout that adversity, that’s going to be key.”
Departments and programs from multiple colleges were asked to create merger plans with other academic units. Throughout that process, some faculty were concerned about communication they received from the university. In response, Castro crafted the resolution, along with other faculty members, to address faculty worries about a lack of shared governance. Some faculty saw the university’s communication as disingenuous and created feelings of distrust. Faculty were rushed into moving forward without a plan, making the process chaotic, Castro said. “What we actually need to share governance are conversations between departments that might merge,” Castro said. “Detailed conversations about the actual work with things put in writing, things revised, and people thinking about this process.” Faculty disagreements with the university were increased when the university announced it was using policy 2.10 — a policy meant for discontinuing academic units — for these mergers. Academic affairs met with the university’s general counsel — who provides legal services for the university — to discuss using policy 2.10, before faculty were notified over the summer. Matthew Muether, associate vice provost for faculty affairs, presented during the Sept. 14 faculty senate meeting. He argued the university has been in communication with faculty along with a slide showing various town hall meetings to discuss mergers. Multiple faculty members who spoke with The Sunflower acknowledged these meetings occurring; however, they argued these meetings were more high-level with little faculty participation.
The VPSA funding pilot initiative presented to SGA BY DARREK BISHOP
darrekbishop07@gmail.com
On Wednesday, Jamarco Clark, Wichita State’s vice president for Student Affairs, asked SGA to fund a pilot initiative allowing projects benefiting students to be funded outside of the normal billing cycle. Clark said the VPSA Student Impact and Innovation Fund is meant to be a flexible funding resource to support initiatives that would have a positive impact on student needs whenever they are created outside of the annual budget cycle or do not have a clear funding source. “Student needs and opportunities don’t always align with our typical funding cycles,” Clark said. “That’s why this matters; it’s an opportunity for us to really engage and support ideas after the annual budget is set.” Clark has tested this funding model at two institutions — University of Iowa and the University of Illinois, Springfield. “During my time at the University of Iowa, I was appointed
by the vice president for student life to oversee this fund for them,” Clark said. “When I became the vice chancellor of Student Affairs at the University of Illinois Springfield, I implemented and created a similar fund and appointed one of my directors to oversee that for me.” Clark is now looking to implement that same type of fund at Wichita State. The fund would contain two ways to get funding, the first being an application based approach and the second being identified by the VPSA as a priority. The applications would need to be submitted to the VPSA committee by any of the departments and offices under the Student Affairs division for the committee to review and decide upon. Awards taken through this route have typically been limited to $2,500, with exceptions. A large portion of the fund will go towards applications. The VPSA-Priority approach would have certain needs and/ or initiatives be recognized as a priority
based on feedback heard from students and staff. The committee would be made up of the VPSA, the executive assistant to the VPSA, the Student Affairs director, a coordinatorlevel staff member and two SGA representatives (one being from SGA and one being any student). The Student Affairs director, coordinator-level staff member and one SGA representative would have voting power. The fund requested for the VPSA initiative was $80,000. Clark also has a plan of action to keep accountability for the funds through tracking funds, assessing them and reporting to SGA. “We will communicate on what is happening with the dollars,” said Clark. “I believe in transparency, I believe in assessment, and so we are going to assess every dollar.” This initiative will be referred to the Student Surveys Support Committee for its committee reading next week and will have its second read in October.
Vice President for Student Affairs Jamarco Clark introduces himself to Wichita State’s Student Senate. The 2026-27 academic year is Clark’s first year in his new role. Photo by Kass Lewis / The Sunflower
SPORTS
4 | Sept. 29, 2026 www.thesunflower.com
HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Sports editor, Evan Long sports@thesunflower.com
McKenzie Jones hits the ball over two blockers against Memphis. Jones had 13 kills, 13.5 kills and a .276 attacking percentage. Photo by Samantha Harader / The Sunflower
VOLLEYBALL SPLITS MATCHES TO BEGIN CONFERENCE PLAY BY EVAN LONG
sports@thesunflower.com
G
oing into the opening weekend of conference play, Shocker volleyball had lost five straight matches and eight of its last nine. The team hoped to use the start of American Conference play as a reset point. The results were mixed. Wichita State defeated Memphis 3-1 by scores of 25-20, 25-22, 21-25 and 25-21 on Friday night before falling to South Florida 3-1 (25-21, 18-25, 26-24, 25-23) on Sunday afternoon, with both games at Charles Koch Arena. The Shockers (4-10, 1-1 American) return to the court against Tulsa at 6 p.m. Friday at Charles Koch Arena. The Golden Hurricane is 10-3 overall and 2-0 in the conference, sweeping South Florida 3-0 and taking down Memphis 3-1 over the weekend at home. On Friday night, WSU outhit the Tigers (5-8, 0-2 American) .240 to .170, with both teams recording 54 kills and eight blocks. Entering the match against Memphis, the Shockers had a lower hitting percentage than their opponents in five straight matches, including four sub-.200 outings. “We had a higher hitting percentage because we were cleaner,” head coach Chris Lamb said. “We haven’t been the cleanest team recently, so that was a step in the right direction. We were the younger team, but we were the cleaner team, and that’s not always the case, and (I) was proud of them.” Sophomore outside hitter McKenzie Jones led Wichita State with 13 kills, hitting .276, while Olivia Cohee, also a sophomore outside, notched 11 kills and hit .231. “I think swinging high and if a shot wasn’t there, just trying to keep the ball in play,” Jones said about what was working well for her. “Today was a day where I was like, ‘No, I’m going to work on my errors, and if I think I have it, I’m going to take it, and if I don’t, just keep the ball in.’” Janaya Weitkemper, a sophomore middle blocker who has gained more playing time recently, finished with a
“ We haven’t been the cleanest team recently, so that was a step in the right direction. We were the younger team, but we were the cleaner team.” CHRIS LAMB Head volleyball coach
match-high .444 hitting percentage and tallied nine kills and four blocks. “I think I was just very calm in my mental head space,” Weitkemper said. “I was very much like slow to fast in my approach, and we worked on seeing where the blockers were up across from the net, so I think that helped me a lot this game.” Sophomore outside hitter Jenna Cubbage finished with nine kills and was tied for a team-high in digs with 15. Setters Addie Oeth (20) and Jordan Heatherly (19) combined for 39 assists, and fifth-year Gabi Maas also recorded 15 digs. Caitlyn Little, a senior outside for Memphis, notched a match-high 20 kills and added four blocks, seven digs and two service aces. However, the Shockers held Little, who leads the American in kills per set with 4.08, to a .109 hitting percentage. “She’s going to get her volume; we’ve just got to make sure that we can control her,” Lamb said. “I want to believe that those 14 errors had a little bit to do with where we were trying to put her.” Wichita State had less success against senior hitter Amanda Hardt, who registered 15 kills, three blocks, five digs, two service aces and hit .306. Sydney Marshall, a junior setter, finished with match highs in assists (41) and digs (17). The Shockers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the opening set before Memphis went on an 8-1 run to take an 8-4 lead. Wichita State put together a 5-1 run to cut the Tiger advantage to 12-11, and took its first lead at 18-16 after a 4-1 stretch. A 5-1 Shocker run extended the lead to 23-18 and put the game out of reach for Memphis. In the second set, WSU went on a 5-1 run to take an early 5-3 lead, and later put together a 4-0 stretch to retake the advantage at 12-10. Memphis cut Wichita State’s lead
to 19-18 after a 3-0 run, but the Shockers capped off the set with a 3-0 run of their own to win 25-22. Wichita State took a 2-0 lead in the match after a second set that featured eight ties and three lead changes. The Tigers went up 7-3 after a 5-0 run at the beginning of the third set. Cohee answered by delivering powerful kills to start and end a 3-0 run, which cut Memphis’ lead to 7-6. However, the Tigers pulled ahead after a 6-1 run that made the score 20-14 in their favor. WSU put together a 4-1 stretch, but it proved to be too little, too late as the Shockers were defeated 25-21. The fourth set was another close contest, with six ties and three lead changes. Wichita State carved out a 6-1 run to take a 12-8 advantage, and later in the set, Memphis put together a 3-0 stretch to cut the Shocker lead to 23-20. But WSU closed out the set 25-21 to take a match that included 22 ties and nine lead changes. The Shockers faced a South Florida team that entered Sunday’s match with a misleading 1-10 record. The Bulls faced five ranked teams in their non-conference schedule and on Sept. 3, took a set from No. 4 Stanford on the road. “It’s all about their brains,” Lamb said about how South Florida’s tough schedule has prepared them for conference play. “Hats off to them. If they kept their heads about them, good. If they hated each other and hated volleyball and all things that come with losing, it may take them a while.” Junior outside hitter Addy Brus recorded a match-high 20 kills, hitting .235 and adding eight digs and two service aces for South Florida. Paula Tomasa, a freshman outside, notched 18 kills, three blocks, eight digs and two service aces. Sophomore setter Nina
Jioshvili-Ravva finished with a match-high 40 assists and added 18 digs. Miya Thomas, a senior libero, registered a match-high 25 digs to go along with nine assists. Wichita State was led offensively by fifth-year middle blocker Maddie Wilson, who notched a team-high .476 hitting percentage and was tied for the team lead in kills (12) with Jones. Wilson also recorded a matchhigh seven blocks against the Bulls. “Lambo did a great job of scouting them,” Wilson said. “We had a great blocking plan and they were in scramble quite a bit, so that made it kind of easier to go and close and get their pins as well.” Heatherly and Oeth both finished with 22 assists, and Heatherly tacked on 11 digs for WSU. Maas led the Shocker with 23 digs and Weitkemper had another impressive showing, hitting .333, with 10 kills and four blocks. “There’s a lot of trust between middles and setters, so I think that helps us out a lot,” Weitkemper said. After a 5-0 run, South Florida led Wichita State 12-6 in the first set. The Shockers put together a late 6-1 stretch to close the gap to 23-19, but the Bulls prevailed in the opener. WSU went on an 8-2 run to take a 12-6 lead over South Florida in the second set. Later in the game, the Shockers put together a 5-1 stretch to extend their lead to 24-16 and ultimately take the set. Wichita State came out of the break with energy as Wilson put down consecutive quick sets from Oeth to take an early 2-0 lead. The set went back-and-forth, with the Shockers leading 23-22 late. However, the Bulls pulled ahead and took the third set 26-24. South Florida struck first in the fourth game, but WSU went on a 4-0 run that included a Cohee service ace to go up 4-1. The Bulls retook the lead at 10-7 after a 7-1 run, and the Shockers answered with a 7-1 stretch of their own to gain the advantage 14-11. Following a 5-1 South Florida run, Wichita State trailed 23-21 and ultimately fell 25-23 to lose the match 3-1. The final two sets saw 21 ties and nine lead changes.
Kenyon Giles currently able to play again at Wichita State BY NOAH DEVAULT
noahdevault1@gmail.com
Kenyon Giles is officially eligible to play a fifth year of college basketball with the Shockers as it stands now. After the high school class of 2022 won a nationwide court case allowing athletes to gain a fifth year of eligibility on Aug. 19, Wichita State officially announced that Giles was returning. Days later, a judge denied the eligibility injunction specifically for him. But Giles didn’t give up there.
On the first day of official practice, he awaited an injunction from a court in Indiana. Along with 96 others, including Kansas guard Tre White and former Shocker Karon Boyd, Giles was ruled eligible to play thanks to the eligibility injunction. “It’s just been really a weird summer,” head coach Paul Mills said in a press conference. “You’re talking to attorneys more than you’re talking to coaches.” Boyd has not yet announced his plans for the upcoming season. If
he decides to play college basketball again, he has one week to hit the transfer portal. He may also return to WSU, but has not made any official decisions. Boyd played the “bruiser” role and typically picked up teams’ best players on defense . He averaged 10.9 points per game, but more importantly, averaged 5.8 rebounds per game, second only to 7-foot-2 center Will Berg. With Giles’ return, the Shockers return 11 players from last year’s squad. If Boyd comes back, the
team returns 12. Giles led the team in scoring (19.1 ppg), steals per game (1.6), 3-pointers made (129) and minutes per game (36.6). “It’s not as if yesterday solved anything either,” Mills said, referring to the injunction. “You’re going to get appellate courts, you’re going to get supreme courts, so there’s just a lot going on, but we really do have a good group (of players).” Mills is impressed with how the new guys have been performing in practices. If it holds, Giles, who shot
37.8% from three-point range last season, will team up with transfer Jordan Frison, who shot 45.5% from behind the arc last year at Chattanooga. Giles set a program record for most 3-pointers made in a single season last year. Adding guards Jahari Long and Frison from the portal could help open up the floor for Giles even more than last season.
SPORTS
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Sept. 29, 2026 | 5
E-Sports hosts sponsored watch party for Rocket League World Championship
Wichita State sophomore Jayden Lusk preps to hit the pitch from the Nebraska pitcher. Lusk is in his first season at WSU. Photo by Bethany Hollis / The Sunflower Students gather in the Corbin Education Center for a Rocket League watch party on Sept. 20. The event was organized by the E-Sports team and gaming club. Photos by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower
Insider helps Wichita State baseball defeat formidable foe BY EVAN LONG
sports@thesunflower.com
Two students sit and watch the commentators predict the winner of the semi-final match of the Rocket League Championship Series World Championship on Sept. 20. The watch party began at 1 p.m.
Interim Program Director Brooks Valdez covers his face and laughs after watching Falcons beats Karmine Corp at a RLCS watch party on Sept. 20. The event was officially sponsored by Rocket League and Epic Games event.
Wichita State E-Sports jerseys and Rocket League merchandise on display in the Corbin Education Center on Sept 20. The event included giveaways of official Rocket League, shirts, hats, mugs and coolers.
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After Shocker baseball passed its biggest test of the fall season, third baseman AJ Velarde revealed that an inside source helped the Shockers knock off the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday afternoon. “Coming in, it’s very helpful having a player who played for them,” Velarde said. “We had a guy tell us that they’re going to try and compete and get us out early.” Velarde was referring to Shocker newcomer Max Buettenback, a senior outfielder who spent the previous three years with Nebraska, playing 72 games for the Cornhuskers over the past two seasons. Buettenback’s knowledge of his former team assisted the Shockers in a 13-7 victory over Nebraska, a Big Ten powerhouse, at Eck Stadium. Wichita State notched 15 hits, five doubles and six walks. “It was fun,” Buettenback said about playing his former team. “I love all those guys on that team, so it was nice to see them, but I definitely took that to my advantage and helped with a lot of scouting reports for everybody.” One of 27 newcomers to the Shockers, Buettenback finished the day with a hit, a walk and two runs scored. A junior transfer from Midland College in Texas, Velarde led WSU with three hits and added two RBIs, one walk and one run. “AJ’s done a tremendous job this fall — his whole game’s gotten better,” head coach Brian Green said. “His swing has gotten better; his ability to hit velocity. Defensively, he’s made big strides. He’s really made probably the biggest improvement as a whole player of anybody on our team positionally this year.”
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Shocker offense. “It felt really good. It was with two strikes, so I was just kind of trying to put it in play,” he said. “Just trying to start something for the guys and get something going. It felt really good to start the game off with a bang.” In the bottom of the third inning, Duncan singled up the middle and Buettenback walked to set up Velarde’s two-run double that gave WSU a 3-1 lead. Sophomore catcher Jayden Lusk hit an RBI single through the left side of the infield to extend Wichita State’s advantage to 4-1. Last season, Lusk hit .377 with eight home runs for Vernon College in Texas. “Fantastic,” Green said about Lusk’s game. “He’s so competitive. We have a lot of confidence in Jayden and his ability to compete. He’s always in the at bat, he’s always in counts.” With the game tied 7-7 in the bottom of the 11th inning, the Shockers scored the winning run when Matt MacDonald, who doubled, came home on a throwing error. The game was pre-determined to go 11 innings. Green, whose squad went 31-29 last season, was pleased with Wichita State’s overall performance against a Nebraska team that won 43 games a year ago. “Really good team defense, really for the whole game,” Green said. “I thought that offensively we were really aggressive and really competitive. Just did a really good job. I thought the energy was great.” The Shockers’ final exhibition game is against Kansas City Kansas Community College at 1 p.m. Saturday at Eck Stadium. “We’re still trying to figure out who we are, but there’s a lot of positive pieces that we see right now,” Green said.
Women’s tennis opens with two tournaments to start the season BY NOAH DEVAULT
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Senior newcomer Evan Saunders racked up two hits and two RBIs in four at bats as a designated hitter. Kaleb Duncan, the only returner in the Shocker outfield, hit leadoff and recorded two hits, two runs and a stolen base. “This is the best fall he’s had since he’s been with us,” Green said of Duncan, who’s entering his third year with the program. “He’s playing a good center field, he’s stealing bases better, but his bat’s better. He’s aggressive, but he’s putting it together right now.” The Shockers used 10 pitchers on Saturday, allowing 11 hits, four walks and six earned runs. Maddox Meyer, a junior righthander who played for Omaha last season, was extremely efficient in the third and fourth innings, sitting down all six batters he faced in just 18 pitches. Meyer was also effective in the Shockers’ fall opener, starting and throwing three scoreless innings in a 12-5 win over Cowley County Community College. “Three pitches for strikes, a bunch of strikes,” Green said about Meyer’s performance against the Cornhuskers. “He’s just tough to square up because he’ll throw any pitch, any count, any time. His command is so good, he’s a strike machine, so he’s been really consistent too. He’s been fantastic.” Three more newcomers also pitched well: Donovan Johnson, Ryan Higgins and Karter Chamberlain tossed scoreless innings. In the bottom of the first, Buettenback smacked a double off the top of the right-field wall, and Saunders followed with an RBI double to tie the game at 1-1. Buettenback, a native of Lincoln, Nebraska, said he was happy to start a spark for the
Most programs try to schedule tough non-conference games to better prepare the squad for later moments in the year. For the women’s tennis team, this was exactly the case. The Shockers sent seniors Giorgia Roselli and Xin Tong Wang, who is ranked 117th nationally in singles, to the ITA All-American Championships last week. The duo played singles and paired up for doubles, in which they are ranked 50th in the country. Roselli dropped her pre-qualifier to Nehir Dogan of Purdue. After winning the first set 7 games to 6, Roselli lost the next two, 6-4 and 6-1. She also fell in the consolation round to Kentucky’s Georgia Kulevich in both sets, 6-2 and 6-4. Wang reached the round of 32 after taking down Emma Tutoveauno from UC Santa Barbara in three sets. She got off to a hot start in the first set, winning six games and only dropping one. Tutoveauno bounced back, however, picking
up set two 7-5 to send the match into a deciding third set, which Wang took 6-4. “It’s great exposure for both of them to be competing with the best girls in college tennis,” Eddins said. “I think it just helps them prepare for their next tournaments throughout the fall, and that’s the level we want to be competing at nationally.” In the round of 32, Wang faced off against Florida’s Brooke Black, who is ranked 82nd in singles. Wang won the first set six games to three before losing 6-1 in set two. Black ended Wang’s day in the third set with a score of 7-5. The duo struggled in doubles as well, dropping their main-draw opener and consolation match. They opened against Victoria Osuigwe and Roisin Gilheany of NC State, who are ranked No. 2 nationally. Roselli and Wang grabbed the first set, winning seven of the 13 games. Set two went to the NC State duo 6-4, and they won the final set 1-0. Roselli and Wang fell in the consolation bracket as well, losing to North Carolina’s Ava Manning and Theodora Rabman in three sets. The duo was defeated
3-6, 6-0 and 1-0 to end the tournament. “We’d like to get a few more wins out of those events, but ultimately all of those matches are very, very competitive and could go either way on any given day,” Eddins said. The team also sent three freshmen up to Nebraska this past weekend to compete in their first collegiate-level matches at the Husker Invitational As a whole, they had difficulty, but Dinara De Silva thrived in her first two games as a Shocker. De Silva opened with a 6-3 set win over Kansas’ Polina Koneva, then she dropped the second set 7-5, before winning the deciding set 6-2. Her second match was against another Jayhawk, Simryn Jacob. De Silva dominated both sets, winning six games to two and six games to one. The only other Shocker win in singles at the Husker Invitational came from Alina Vysochenko. Vysochenko took set one against Denver’s Natali Jaiani 6-1, and Jaiani didn’t return, so Vysochenko earned a victory by retirement.
6 | Sept. 29, 2026 www.thesunflower.com
OPINION
HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Opinion editor, Jadin Kaltenbach opinion@thesunflower.com
Photo illustration by Kiona Brown and Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower
Displacing homeless Wichitans isn’t the solution to the larger problem Kiona Brown
arts@thesunflower.com
OPINION We were all taught to treat others as we would like to be treated, but that didn’t stick with everyone. The City of Wichita recently announced that dozens of people must leave the largest homeless encampment in Wichita by Oct. 12. The City of Wichita says 20-25 people live there, while the United Way says that about 100 people live there. Evicting our homeless neighbors without enough resources to help is irresponsible and unethical. They are already facing so much uncertainty about where their futures will be. But they can be certain of one thing: they can’t stay in Chapin Park, the place they call home. My perspective is this: homeless people deserve to be treated with respect. If you don’t have people in your life that you know you can rely on, you are only one catastrophe away from not having a home. Homelessness didn’t happen like this centuries ago; it happens this much now because we have built a society around selfishness, rather than helping our neighbors. I don’t live in Wichita, but I go to school and work here. I drive
past the Union Mission Rescue on Hillside almost every day. I see the men who rely on the Rescue for their meals having no choice but to wait on the ground because there are little to no benches in the area. I have had to call the police before because I wasn’t sure if a man was resting or if he had collapsed. I witness homelessness in Wichita nearly every day, and it is a huge problem. But instead of the city council helping the homeless, they are displacing them. Not only that, but they don’t seem to feel very empathetic about their situation; they just want them gone. Councilmembers — like many politicians — often refer to homeless people as “unhoused.” This term is preferred by some because it carries less stigma and some people say that people aren’t homeless because the city they live in is their home. The term unhoused is a way to make yourself feel better rather than understanding homeless people’s situations. The majority of homeless people don’t have a place where they feel truly safe, like a home. They are also unhoused, but if you’re using that term as a councilmember, I will assume that you feel bad about yourself and want to feel better about not doing more to help your citizens. Not only do I constantly witness
“ I hate seeing people Homelessness is an issue, and struggle. We need to do something, but evicting them from the place they call home was not the solution.” KIONA BROWN Arts and Culture Editor
homelessness in Wichita, but my mom has experienced homelessness herself. When my mom was a teenager, she was briefly homeless. My grandma did a good job of making the situation feel less harsh, so my mom didn’t realize until a few years ago that she had experienced homelessness. They had to leave their house because my grandma and her boyfriend broke up. My mom remembers sleeping in a tent by the river, cooking hot dogs over a fire and spending her days reading books that she bought for a few cents. To think that my mom, who has a master’s degree and is the supervisor at her job where she is a therapist, experienced homelessness shows that anyone is susceptible to being homeless at any time. Some people will argue that homeless people got themselves into the situations they’re in and they should have worked harder and accepted help when it was offered. In El Dorado, Kansas, where I
live, there is a decent-sized homeless population, yet there is no shelter. Instead, homeless people live behind grocery stores and in parks around town. For those lucky enough to afford a motel, rates may rise during turnarounds at the oil refinery, meaning homeless people end up back on the street. If they wanted to go to a shelter, they would have to leave town to go to Wichita. This means they would have to leave everything behind. Most of their belongings, friends and routines would be abandoned. For people with probation officers or family in El Dorado, the decision to move into a shelter is way more complicated than people make it out to be. It’s the same for people in Chapin Park. They have a community that they don’t want to leave. Some of them have dogs, and many of them have years worth of belongings that they don’t want to abandon. With such a short timeframe of having to leave, this could be detrimental to them and could
significantly set them back. I don’t think that the people living in the Chapin Park encampment should be there forever. It’s not safe for them. The police and firefighters are called out there often, and the park faces a risk of flooding. Despite that, I do not think the city should be forcing them to relocate. Some of them have housing vouchers, but those can only be used if a landlord is willing to accept them. There was not enough of a plan in place to displace 20-100 people, depending on who you choose to believe. Homelessness is an issue, and I hate seeing people struggle. We need to do something, but evicting them from the place they call home is not the solution. If you see someone struggling and you have the means, please give them $5, or whatever you can. My mom has said before that it’s better that someone receive money and use it to buy alcohol than it is for them to be suffering from withdrawals. People don’t choose homelessness, no matter what you might think. Mental illness, the circumstances of life and the lack of resources trigger a chain reaction that leads to an incredibly difficult situation to leave.
Why Macklemore was right to speak his mind and Ed Sheeran’s silence about genocide falls short Nadia Goodwin
goodwinnadia481@gmail.com
OPINION Music is more than just fun sounds and catchy songs. Throughout history, artists have used music to share important messages about the world. That is why rapper Macklemore was completely justified when he spoke up during a recent tour with singer Ed Sheeran. During a concert at MetLife
Stadium in New Jersey, Macklemore used his time on stage to share his views on the war in Gaza. He performed and spoke in support of a Free Palestine. He told the crowd that artists have a responsibility to use large concert stages to speak out against war and stand up for human rights. After the show, venue owners and tour promoters asked Macklemore to be removed from the tour. Ed Sheeran and his team said they wanted concerts to stay neutral and serve as a place where everyone can come
together without political debates. Macklemore was later dropped from the rest of the tour dates. Some people believe musicians should only focus on entertainment. They think pop stars and hip-hop artists should leave serious topics out of their shows. But asking artists to stay silent ignores the main purpose of art. Music without a message is just noise. At its core, art is supposed to make people think, question the world and feel strong emotions. Freedom of speech is one of the
most important rights people have. That right does not stop when an artist steps onto a concert stage. When a singer earns a massive platform, they should be allowed to use that microphone to speak about what matters to them. For decades, musicians have used their voices to talk about big issues like peace and fairness. When an artist reaches millions of people, staying silent during important moments feels like a wasted opportunity. When Macklemore shared his views, he was exercising his right
to speak freely and following in the footsteps of many legendary artists before him. Whether people agree or disagree with his message, his right to speak out should be protected. Music has always been a powerful tool to spark change and challenge how people think. Artists should never feel forced to stay quiet just to keep venue owners or promoters happy. Macklemore’s reaction was not only fair, but it was also a reminder of why freedom of speech in music matters so much.
HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Arts editor, Kiona Brown arts@thesunflower.com
ARTS & CULTURE
SHOCKER FIESTA ON THE PATIO
Sept. 29, 2026 | 7 www.thesunflower.com
Fartsy ....
ARTSY
Cooper Pack poses for a portrait in Duerksen on Sept. 25. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower
A conversation with Cooper Pack SENIOR / ENGLISH EDUCATION
Fatima Cervantes, a sophomore studying Spanish, goes through a Las Delicias taco bar at the Shocker Fiesta on Sept. 24. Cervantes tried Las Delicias for the first time and said she’ll be back again. Photo by Kass Lewis / The Sunflower
Student Activities Council celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month at Shocker Fiesta BY KASS LEWIS
“
managing@thesunflower.com
H
ispanic Heritage Month officially began Sept. 15, and the Student Activities Council celebrated with tacos, tabling and piñata-making at the Shocker Fiesta. “With a lot of division that has been going on, I think that it’s really, really important that these kind of things — like inclusion — is put in the university because we are minorities,” said Magdalena Pate, a pre-dental hygiene student with a minor in general arts. Pate and Spanish major Fatima Cervantes, who are both Mexican, said events like these give them an opportunity to meet other people within their culture. “I also like that you get to see more people that speak Spanish — or your language — and you get to know about their culture also,” Cervantes said. Merone Endeshaw, a sophomore studying respiratory therapy, told the other two about the event. “I’m African Ethiopian, but I enjoy their culture, and I enjoy their music and I definitely indulged in
With a lot of division that has been going on, I think that it’s really, really important that these kind of things put in the university because we are minorities.” MAGDALENA PATE Pre-dental hygiene student
the tacos,” said Endeshaw. All three had Las Delicias — the caterer for the event — for the first time and said they planned on getting more of the restaurant’s food. Abby Zapata, the arts and culture chair of SAC, said events like the Shocker Fiesta “help people feel seen, celebrated and they also educate other people who are excited to learn about things that are different.” Somaya Abushikha, and SAC member on the digital content committee, was running the piñatamaking table. “This is my first time doing something like this,” Abushikha said. “... It’s been great. I’ve met some pretty great people.” The table had small bags filled with Mexican candies, and attendees
could cut up and glue different colored pieces of paper to make their own piñata. Ashly Artiaga, who was there representing Corazon Latina, said she liked that the event gave her an opportunity to educate people about what Hispanic Heritage Month is all about. “I’ve had a couple of people come up here, and they’re like, ‘What is this? I had no idea this was happening,’” Artiaga said. “So it was good to be like, ‘Oh, this is for Hispanic Heritage Month, and it involves all of these organizations to represent culture in a different way.’” Shocker Fiesta also had tables from Alce Su Voz, WSU Pre-PA, Sigma Lambda Beta and the Hispanic American Leadership Organization.
Face paint, farm animals and fun rides at the Shocker State Fair
A guest of the Shocker State Fair tries his hand at the animatronic bull. There were several outdoor activities, such as inflatables, a petting zoo, a photo booth and a craft table. Photos by Peyton Eck / The Sunflower
Sasha Cail sails down an inflatable slide at the Shocker State Fair Friday. The Rhatigan Student Center was filled inside and outside with activities for guests.
Contestants of the butter sculpting contest at the Shocker State Fair carve out imitations of mascot WuShock. The panel hosted recognizable campus faces such as Student Government President Jayden Island and Student Affairs Vice President Jamarco Clark.
Q: What’s your favorite type of music to play? A: That’s tough. That’s so tough. For the longest time here in college, I played pep band music. There’s a sort of joy that always comes with that. But then, when I went into the concert band, the symphonic band, I’ve started to grow a love and appreciation for the slower, more emotional music because I feel like with every song that you play there’s a kind of journey that you have with it. Especially playing the flute because the flute always, I feel like, in those scores ends up having some of the more resonant pieces of the music that really pops out. Q: What career path do you hope to pursue after college? A: Right now I’m doing an internship for English education. So right now I’m trying to go into 6th grade, middle school English, ideally. Doesn’t mean that I still can’t have time for music and playing in ensembles and stuff. Q: What led you to picking up an instrument originally, and how’d you pick the flute? A: It’s really funny. Originally, I didn’t want to do band; I wanted to do orchestra going into middle school. I was in 6th grade orientation, and I was with my mom, and I saw band and orchestra, and I was like, “Mom, I want to go into orchestra” … Then the first day of school, I’m like, “What? Why is band on my schedule?” ... And then I didn’t speak up about it cause I was a little timid, so I was like, “OK, whatever,” and then I went in and we tried a bunch of different instruments and because I didn’t want to do band, I didn’t really have like an idea of what I wanted to play, but I was best at
INTERVIEW BY KIONA BROWN arts@thesunflower.com
‘No Choice But Action: The Kansas Postpunk Revolution,’ an in-depth retelling of a bygone era Taliyah Winn
podcast@thesunflower.com
REVIEW A newly released book written by two Wichita State English professors delves into an underexplored movement in Kansas history — punk (or rather, postpunk). “No Choice But Action: The Kansas Postpunk Revolution” is a 10-year-long project by Francis Connor and Darren DeFrain. And it shows in its quality. It’s a meticulously researched exploration into the elements that made Kansas ripe for postpunk music in the 70s and 80s, and the later commercialization that threatened it. As a Midwesterner, it is unsurprising that a state stereotyped by conservative and blue-collar workers is a breeding ground for rebellion and punk music. I’m not originally from Kansas, but I am
from Nebraska, which ranks similarly on the culture’s irrelevancy scale of the Midwest. There is such an obvious connection between the mundanity of Midwestern states and the uprising of punk movements. What “No Choice But Action” does, though, is trace the postpunk movement in the 80s and 90s, before the advent and widespread accessibility of the internet. I am someone with little to no stake in the current Wichita punk scene. My roommate is a punk, but I don’t attend many local shows. My favorite bar in town is Kirby’s Beer Store, which is also a popular venue for postpunk bands, but I only make it out a few nights a year. But I think this is a book that anyone can enjoy — punk or no punk. The book focuses on four cities in Kansas: Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka and Wichita, but does occasionally mention Kansas City as well. A central theme that bands struggled with is one that still rings
true in the Midwest today: should I stay or should I go? Almost every band, as they gained popularity, had to grapple with the tension between indie production and commercial success. The pull to stay in the community that supported you or the push to go forward to a bigger city and become a bigger fish. DeFrain and Connor do an amazing job tracing the chaotic and ever-evolving band compositions and the relationship influences therein. And it was because they were a part of the scenes. It recalls a bygone age where music discovery was mainly physical (outside of radio, which still requires something “physical” to get the medium). Now, as we all know, music is overwhelmingly algorithmically driven. But the authors focus on a positive side of the internet – the archives that allowed them to make their book. Though sometimes heavyhanded in its analysis of certain
albums, EPs or songs, the book transports you as someone in the crowd. It carefully curates the context that each of the bands sits in – most notably the Embarrassment (formed by Wichita State Students), Get Smart!, Freedy Johnston and the Bampots. Many bands had a bittersweet end, grappling with fame, members leaving and disappointing record deals. Though the authors are adept at describing styles and different approaches to postpunk music, hearing it is a different experience. For a fuller reading experience, I recommend people listen to the album before reading the book, or even going to the celebration show. The music will give you a bigger connection By the end of the book, postpunk is a bygone era, being taken over/transformed into modern rock. But punk still exists today in Wichita. We’ve got a homegrown zine, Oi Bones!, The Furnace and
The cover of “No Choice but Action” by Francis Connor and Darren DeFrain. Photo by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower
people like my roommate Jack who show up to shows around town – keeping the scene alive. I don’t know if I’ll ever be a punk. I don’t desire to mosh, loud music hurts my ears, and I don’t go out very much. But I think it’s pretty punk of Connor and DeFrain to archive a movement that most younger people can only imagine in movies and TV.
ARTS & CULTURE
8 | Sept. 29, 2026
www.thesunflower.com
UPCOMING EVENTS BUILD-A-FRIEND Tuesday, Sept. 29
11 a.m. Rhatigan Student Center Pick out, stuff and dress your own plush with a custom WSU T-shirt on the first floor of the Rhatigan Student Center.
CANSTRUCTION Tuesday, Sept. 29 3 - 5 p.m. Shocker Hall
Celebrate Shocktoberfest by teaming up and collecting cans to create a ‘CanStruction’ masterpiece to be judged on creativity and design.
WU’S BIRTHDAY BASH Friday, Oct. 2
5 - 7 p.m. Braeburn Square Celebrate mascot WuShock’s birthday and enjoy vendors, food trucks, face painting, games and music as part of Shocktoberfest.
SHAQ
Country Music Artist Cooper Alan leans into his first song after taking the stage for Somewhere Festival at the WhereElse stage on Sept. 26. Photos by Zachary Ruth / The Sunflower
DJ Diesel looks out to the crowd while running his turntable at Wave on Sept. 25. Aside from his DJ work, Diesel is also a sports commentator, commercial actor and retired NBA champion.
Country Music Artist Ian Munsick performs on the WhereElse stage during the first night of Somewhere Festival on Sept. 25.
IT UP Somewhere Festival brings big names and local artists to the stage
VOLLEYBALL VS. TULSA Friday, Oct. 2
6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
Watch Shocker Volleyball face conference rival Tulsa in Charles Koch Arena. Tickets are free with student ID.
MAGICIAN JACK KELLY Friday, Oct. 2 8 - 9 p.m. CAC Theater
Kick off family weekend with a night of illusions, comedy and magic from magician Jack Kelly. The event is free for students with student ID.
BASEBALL VS. KANSAS CITY CC Saturday, Oct. 3 1 p.m. Eck Stadium
Watch Shocker Baseball take on Kansas City Kansas Community College for an exhibition game. Tickets are free for students and $5 otherwise.
SOFTBALL VS. MCLENNAN CC Saturday, Oct. 3 1 p.m. Wilkins Stadium
Watch the Shocker Softball team compete in an exhibition game against McLennan Community College. The game is free for students.
SHOCKER MADNESS Saturday, Oct. 3
6:30 p.m. Charles Koch Arena
Attend Shocker Madness for the first chance to watch this years men’s and women’s basketball teams. The event is free and no ticket is required.
SOFTBALL VS. OKLAHOMA STATE Sunday, Oct. 4
1 p.m. Wilkins Stadium
Country Music Artist Ernest takes the stage at Somewhere Festival on Sept. 26. Ernest was the last to perform on the WhereElse stage.
Watch the Shocker Softball team compete in an exhibition game against Oklahoma State. The game is free for students.
JCPENNEY SUIT-UP EVENT Sunday, Oct. 4
3 - 6 p.m. JCPenney, Towne East Square
Take advantage of exclusive deals and discounts on professional clothing, shoes and accessories to get career fair and interview ready.
HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED? CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com Casey Fitzpatrick belts out a saxophone solo on stage at Wave during Two Friends’ headline set on Sept. 26. Fitzpatrick has toured with the duo since connecting with them in 2019.
Country Music Artist Bailey Zimmerman sings out to the crowd at the WhereElse Stage. WhereElse and Wave required paid admission while other stages were free.
CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com