Week of March 10, 2020 www.usustatesman.com (435) 797-1742 TSC Room 118 Free single copy NEWS | Coronavirus in Higher Ed
STUDENT LIFE | Study abroad at USU
SPORTS | Sam Money Merrill
Universities around the country are having to cancel classes and travel due to the Novel Coronavirus
Studying abroad has lots of benefits and gives students awesome opportunities.
Get to know the Mountain West MVP, Sam Merrill.
see PAGE 3
see PAGE 2
see PAGE 4
CHAMPIONS!
USU takes home the Mountain West title, earns NCAA tournament birth
PHOTO COURTESY Timothy R. Olsen USU men’s basketball head coach Craig Smith celebrates with his team after the Aggies knocked off 5th-ranked San Diego State to win the Mountain West tournament championship for the second consecutive season. Smith now has a 6-0 record in the tournament as the Aggies’ coach. By Dalton Renshaw SPORTS CONTENT MANAGER
Utah State needed arguably the greatest shot
of the Mountain West era to defeat the No.
5 San Diego State Aztecs and hoist its sec-
ond-straight tournament title. Luckily, they had
arguably one of the best players in the Moun-
tain West era to take it — and more importantly
— make it.
Senior guard Sam Merrill put on a spectacular
display in the tournament, with his crescendo
being a game-winner from five feet behind
the three-point line with 2.5 seconds left on
the clock. His shot sealed a 59-56 victory, as
Malachi Flynn’s half-court lob hit the rim and
bounced out as time expired. Merrill helped deliver Utah State back-to-back titles and became
the first player in Mountain West history to win back-to-back tournament MVP’s.
Last season, Utah State entered the conference
tournament as the two-seed — the same as this
in the final that wasn’t going to let anything past them easily.
In last year’s final, Merrill led both teams with
ed him to the most. And he did again this year.
Aggies, then proceeded to go 0-8 as a team.
However, he took over late when his team need“We could do a half-hour dissertation on this,
a New Mexico team that tied them at halftime
so much to him,” said USU head coach Craig
Next, USU faced a team that — on their best day — struck fear into their opponent from
three. Finally, they met a San Diego State team
To start the game, both teams looked anx-
ious and missed an uncharacteristic amount
but he’s just the ultimate winner and compet-
and held a double-digit lead in the second half.
sprint every time. Wins it every time.”
24 points, while shooting just 1-9 from deep.
year — and faced a similar path to the championship game. First, the Aggies had to get past
When we lose we run sprints and he wins that
itor, and he grew up an Aggie, and it means Smith. “Dude shows up every day. Doesn’t
matter, 45-minute workout, hour and a half
practice, three-hour practice. His team loses,
he’s so PO’d without taking it out on anyone.
of threes. Merrill made the first three for the Similarly, San Diego State started off 1-8 from the field and found its only bucket on a Yanni
Wetzell layup. Still, the score was 7-7 and both
teams had their feet planted in the game. That’s when San Diego State went on a 20-4 run over
10 minutes and had a comfortable lead heading into halftime. But if there’s anything the Aggies
see “Champions” PAGE 6
Logan City Council unveils plans to revitalize downtown By Karcin Harris NEWS STAFF WRITER
Three plans for revitalizing downtown were
discussed at the Logan Municipal Council meeting on Tuesday, including one presented by Mayor Holly Daines.
The plans were introduced after the council meeting adjourned and the Logan Redevelopment Agency meeting began.
Daines’ plan, which was presented last, centered on making downtown a more visually ap-
pealing and entertaining area for citizens and tourists to enjoy.
Daines said the plan included a plaza being built, which would feature an ice rink in the
winter and a stage and water attraction in the summer.
There would also be increased housing and
more walkways to make the area more pedestrian friendly. Daines said they will try to pre-
serve as much of the original structures and buildings as they can while making changes.
She said her plan did not include a parking ter-
race, saying it would cost too much and that “structured parking is the only way to make this work.”
She ended her presentation by saying the next
steps include finalizing the budget, having downtown owners vote and hold public hearings.
“My pledge as mayor is to revitalize downtown and make it a vibrant place to benefit our
citizens and economy with this investment,” Daines said. “Over the last two years, our team
has worked hard, focused on our goals, listened
to the public and now this outstanding project is ready to go and within our reach.”
Daines invited citizens to notify council mem-
bers of their thoughts, questions and concerns regarding the plans.
Eugene Needham III, who has worked down-
town for around 60 years, presented the first plan, which emphasized parking and small businesses.
“We have a lot of small businesses,” he said.
PHOTO BY Iain Laurence Logan City Council plans to add a plaza with an ice rink and stage, increased housing, more walkways
“We have this problem with not having an anchor store. There’s not a store big enough to draw people downtown.”
behind the stores. Needham said the Logan Li-
eficial and allow more parking for customers
creasing traffic downtown to help business.
should be created.
They also suggested demolishing a few build-
Eccles Theatre, retail stores with apartments
town business and building owners. They felt
Needham also said his plan centered on in-
brary should be renovated and an art museum
The plan included a parking terrace near Ellen
The second plan was presented by five down-
above them and a new parking design with lots
the building of a parking terrace would be ben-
and employees.
ings to create more parking lots. A point was
made to avoid excessive construction, as their see “Downtown“ PAGE 6
PAGE 2
WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020
NEWS
Schools wrestle with fairness of closures during outbreak By By Michelle R. Smith and Collin Binkley
Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — When the new coronavirus surfaced at Saint Raphael Academy after a school group returned from a trip to Italy, officials decided to close the Rhode Island Catholic high school for two weeks.
Instead of cancelling classes, the school in Pawtucket instituted
“virtual days” where students are expected to work from home, check for assignments through an online portal and occasionally chat with teachers.
A few miles away, a public charter school also closed after a
teacher who attended the same Italy trip awaited test results. But at Achievement First, the two days off were treated like
snow days — no special assignments and no expectation that kids keep up their schoolwork.
As more schools across the United States close their doors
because of the coronavirus, they are confronted with a dilemma in weighing whether to shut down and move classes online,
which could leave behind the many students who don’t have
computers, home internet access or parents with flexible work
schedules. As the closures accelerate, children at some schools,
like Saint Raphael, will be able to continue some form of learning, while children at schools with fewer technological or other resources, may simply miss out.
The deep technological and wealth gap that exists nationwide between poor and affluent students has made the coronavirus outbreak even more challenging for school officials, who are wrestling with not only health and safety decisions but also questions about the ethics of school closures.
These deliberations have been playing out in schools all around the country during the outbreak, from urban districts in New York, Seattle and Los Angeles to rural ones in Nebraska and Pennsylvania.
“If we shut down for a week or two weeks, and some of the
kids can do it but some can’t, what do you do?” said Edward
Albert, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools. “There are some places that don’t even have phone service.”
Although widespread closures are a new development in the United States, they are already a reality in nations that have been hit harder by the virus. The United Nations’ education
agency, UNESCO, says nearly 300 million children in 22 coun-
tries on three continents were being affected by school closures last week. In response, it has begun supporting online learning programs.
In hard-hit Washington, education officials recommended
against schools moving instruction online unless they can en-
sure equal access for all students, including those with disabilities or without internet access. The state’s education agency
advised schools that it would make more sense to cancel school and make up classes at the end of the year.
“We want to discourage practices that disproportionately im-
pact certain populations, especially those that are more at risk,” said Rhett Nelson, director of alternative learning at the state’s education department.
Schools also have to consider whether closures are actually
beneficial to public health. Very few cases have been found in
children and teenagers, and experts caution schools to consider factors such as harm to a children’s education and absenteeism among health care workers whose kids have to stay home. For
most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
In Los Angeles, teachers are raising concerns about an emergency plan to move classes online. So far, it’s unclear how
the district would reach students whose families can’t afford
PHOTO BY JESSICA HILL, ASSOCIATED PRESS In this Monday, March 2, 2020, file photo, microbiologist Xiugen Zhang runs a Polymerase Chain Reaction, or PCR, test at the Connecticut State Public Health Laboratory, in Rocky Hill, Conn. U.S. health officials say more and more public and private laboratories are now able to test for the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
laptops or internet service, said Alex Orozco, of the district’s
“E-Learning Days” for four years when bad weather arrives. All
New York City officials have said closures would be a last re-
if needed. But the practice is normally used only a day at a
teachers union.
sort, citing concerns that it would disrupt daily life for thou-
sands of families. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced a new statewide policy: Any school where a student tests positive for coronavirus will be closed for at least 24 hours for officials to assess whether more steps are needed.
A district in Oregon decided to stay open despite a student
testing positive and being at his middle school last week. “Our schools are not only places where learning can continue, but
students are given tablets, and they can get free Wi-Fi hotspots time, and Superintendent Nick Polyak questions whether it could be sustained for longer stretches.
“We could do something really high-quality for a week. If it’s
a month, I don’t know that we could,” Polyak said. “Not every student can just log on to a computer and participate.”
Similar concerns have led some schools to plan for outright
closures rather than virtual classes. An hour outside Lincoln,
Nebraska, officials at Johnson-Brock Public School say they ar-
where our students can be supported, supervised, and fed,
en’t considering online options because internet accessibility is
trict said.
students would plan to close and make up days later.
which is a necessity for many families,” Hillsboro School DisSome districts plan to distribute Wi-Fi hotspots to students without internet access, and others say they will provide
computers to every student. Public schools in Miami say they’re readying more than 200,000 laptops ready to go home in case classes move online.
In the Northshore School District near Seattle, which shifted its
classes online as of Monday, officials are loaning computers and hotspots to students who need them. They’re also providing to-
go meals to address concerns about children who get free lunch going hungry.
Dozens of U.S. schools have announced closures of one or two days to disinfect schools, and some are shutting down for lon-
ger. Public schools in Scarsdale, New York, are canceling classes through March 18 with no plans to move online after a school worker tested positive. The 64,000-student Elk Grove Unified School District near Sacramento, California, closed through Friday after a district family was placed on quarantine.
Colleges were also moving classes online, including the University of Washington, Stanford University, Princeton University and Columbia.
The closures have proved to be a boon for some online schools and tech companies that help schools teach online. Many say they’re seeing increased demand for services, while some are
offering to help schools for free. Among them is Google, which is giving schools free access to larger video conferences.
The Leyden High School District near Chicago has been offering
too spotty in their rural community. Instead, the district of 250 Some other schools are planning for low-tech options, like
packets of work that could be sent home every week. Even
schools equipped with technology are considering that option for younger students who don’t use online learning software.
At the charter school in Providence, Achievement First closed for cleaning while it awaited a teacher’s coronavirus test re-
sults. She ended up testing negative and the school reopened after just two days.
Soraida Morales’ three children attend the school. She still had to go to work at her pharmacy job, but was able to depend
on her parents for childcare while she worked. They are also
fortunate to have a laptop at home, a luxury that many families in the district don’t have. The school serves a large number of
English language learners, and the vast majority are considered economically disadvantaged.
Holly Taylor Coolman has two sophomores at the Pawtucket
Catholic school shut down for two weeks. She and her husband
are both college professors and have the flexibility to stay home with them and their 4th grader, a decision they made so they
would not put anyone else at risk. She jokes that her family is in “quaranteen” as she keeps her kids on a strict schedule to keep up with coursework online.
She also recognizes that her family is fortunate to have the
flexibility they do, and she wonders about what other families will do who don’t have the same kind of privilege.
USU Student Media nationally recognized USU Student Media won 15 awards in San Francisco at the annual CMBAM competition. First place winners:Best Self Promo Audio Ad, Best Self-Promotional Multimedia Ad Campaign,
Best Graphic Designer- Savannah Knapp
Utah State took seven students to show case their work. Natalie Lott, Office Manager for student
Best Special Section (highlander,) Best Guerrilla Marketing Strategy Program or Event, Best Col-
media spoke about her experience at CNBAM, “It was really fun traveling to San Francisco, I also
Second Place Winners:Best Digital Display Ad, Best Audio or Underwriting Spot, Best Video Ad or
you work in student media you don’t just do one thing, you do a bunch of things. It was really
lege Multi Media Program, Underwriting Spot,
Third Place Winners: Best Self Promo Audio ad Honorable Mentions:
learned so much. They had different breakout sessions there were all so beneficial,” she said. “If
helpful to go from different sectors inside student media. We have so many great ideas coming from CNBAM and it just brought us all closer together.”
Best Audience Engagement Strategy
USU Student Media was competing against 125 universities nationwide and took fourth in Best
Best Audio Ad or Underwriting Spot
since 2018.
Best Display Ad half page or larger
Best Public Relations or Marketing Manager- Ari Romo-Gonzalez
Student Media Company overall. Utah State University has been actively competing in CNBAM
0WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020
PAGE 3
STUDENT LIFE
The benefits of studying abroad A student’s insight into the process
@aggie_true I just love being an Aggie. Like, a lot.
@lewnitedstates People will spend $$$ on halloween costumes but won’t invest in skin care. PHOTO BY Lauren Bennett By Kristian Fors STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
I am writing this article over
al Taiwan University. These
is as close as one can get to
understand now, better than
USU to study at a partner
world. While it’s certainly
to go as a nation.
programs allow students at
5,000 miles away from Logan,
university while paying their
While I still have a few months
is a study abroad fee and
say wholeheartedly studying
Office of Global Engagement
best decisions I have ever
offer many scholarships that
sound. All students at Utah
While there are certainly many
er studying abroad because of
dollars to go abroad, it doesn’t
experience provides. It is my
abroad is reasonably priced if
true freedom in the modern safer than expeditions in the
Utah in St. Petersburg, Russia.
USU tuition rates. Sure, there
in Russia to go, I can already
travel costs, but both the
abroad has been one of the
and individual colleges at USU
made — as cliche as it might
help to alleviate this burden.
State University should consid-
people who pay thousands of
the numerous benefits such an
have to be this way. Studying
studying abroad has proven
hope this article helps students
you do it correctly.
Light cannot exist without its
embark on their own once-in-
ing abroad are self-evident.
understand why they should
Many of the benefits of study-
a-lifetime trip abroad.
At its heart, it’s an adventure.
studying abroad can actual-
to travel to foreign locations
affordable way. Nearly all
ies, in addition to any other
States have partner programs
pursue in their free time. It’s
of these direct partnerships,
For many individuals, studying
with schools among the best
rid themselves of everything
Waseda University and Nation-
unknown. Studying abroad
Contrary to common belief,
Students have the opportunity
ly be done in an incredibly
across the world for their stud-
universities in the United
travels they might want to
abroad. USU has over thirty
also a time of great freedom.
which include agreements
abroad is a rare opportunity to
in their respective nations, like
familiar and leap into the
ever before, how far we have I have had experiences and
Age of Exploration, students
met people here in Russia I am
feel they are a passenger on a
the rest of my life. My study
going abroad cannot help but
voyage to uncharted territory.
Once a student arrives in their respective country, they’ll be
left purely to their own devic-
es and begin to understand all that entails.
More than anything else,
to be a time of reflection.
antithesis, darkness. Likewise, it is only through exposure to
other cultures we can identify and learn about our own. I think more about America
while abroad than while at
home. Everything I encounter, whether it be differences in
positive will stay with me for
same person when I left, and I can already tell my time here has been worthwhile.
Not studying abroad is a
regret for many post-grad-
uates. Do not be one of the
people left wondering what
they would have experienced if they studied abroad and
just commit. As citizens of the United States of America, our
passport gives us the opportu-
nity to travel to many different nations. Do not forsake this privilege.
You too can have a poten-
tive analysis with the United
go into the Office of Global
sent my country abroad, and I have never been more proud
to be an American, but I also
nity. Take a leap of faith and Engagement to see what your options are; the world is your oyster.
—kfors@gmail.com
12 things to do in Cache Valley By Darcy Ritchie STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
1. Buy Marketplace french bread at
Walmart for $1 and eat the whole loaf in the abandoned Shopko parking lot.
2. Try on cowboy hats at C-A-L Ranch. 3. Sit in the Megaplex parking lot for
twenty minutes deciding if you actually have $11 to see a movie.
4. Stay in the Merrill-Cazier Library until
closing. Sometimes they play music!
5. Go to the Amazon outlet on the top
floor of the Book Table and buy Peppa Pig rings.
6. Check out a book at the library and
pretend to read it at a coffee shop. Pause
every so often to drink your latte and look into the distance as if contemplating the
literature. Look as mysterious as possible.
Someone WILL fall in love with you if you do this.
7. Look at fridges at Home Depot.
8. Take self-timer photos of you standing
on the A.
FILE PHOTO
9. Drive up the canyon until you get
around and come back because you
10. Try all the brands of cereal at the
but there’s actually nothing to do in
scared and turn around.
thought it would be fun and spontaneous,
Junction cereal bar.
Preston.
11. Drive to Preston and then turn
12. Go to the 24-hour McDonald’s at 1
its time to renovate old main
time if I came back as the
tially life-changing opportu-
States. I am proud to repre-
@griffdunk
abroad would be a waste of
culture or infrastructure, is
the foundation for compara-
You’re worried about the wrong witch, Hazel.
a.m. and see every person that you have ever met, ever.
—darcy.ritchie@aggiemail.usu.edu @darcyrrose
@DCon90 @USUbasketball
PAGE 4
WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020
SPORTS
Queta, Merrill, Bean make All-MW teams Full list of selections: First Team
Malachi Flynn, Jr., G, San Diego State Jalen Harris, Jr., G, Nevada
Sam Merrill, Sr., G, Utah State
Matt Mitchell, Jr., F, San Diego State Bryce Hamilton, So., F, UNLV Second Team
Yanni Wetzell, Sr., F, San Diego State Neemias Queta, So., C, Utah State
Nico Carvacho, Sr., C, Colorado State Justinian Jessup, Sr., G, Boise State Derrick Alston, Jr., F, Boise State Jazz Johnson, Sr., G, Nevada Third Team
Justin Bean, So., F, Utah State Lavell Scottie, Sr., F, Air Force
Seneca Knight, So., G, San José State Isaiah Stevens, Fr., G, Colorado State Amauri Hardy, Jr., G, UNLV
N h i
t s s F h
A y t o b a t i
a J f t
i w I
PHOTOS by Chantelle McCall This was the second year in a row that senior guard Sam Merrill (left) made the Mountain West first-team and sophomore Neemias Queta (center) made the second-team. For sophomore forward Justin Bean (right), it’s his first selection on any of the Mountain West teams. By Dalton Renshaw SPORTS CONTENT MANAGER
Tuesday morning the Mountain West honors
and all-conference teams as voted on by the coaches were released and three Aggies were selected on one of the three teams.
Senior guard Sam Merrill repeated as a first-
team selection, although he did not maintain his conference player of the year honors, which went to San Diego State’s Malachi Flynn. Sophomore center Neemias Queta also repeated on
the Mountain West’s second-team, but did not
get honored with back-to-back defensive play-
defensive player despite playing just 19 games.
named the media’s choice yesterday. Sophomore
Team, became the eighth Aggie — Dean Hunger
lections of his career by making the third-team
Franson (Big West 1995-96) Marcus Saxon (Big
er of the year selections, despite having been
forward Justin Bean garnered his first two se-
and all-defensive teams. Bean joined teammate
Queta on the all-defensive team, who was also a selection.
Yesterday, the Mountain West honors as voted
on by the media were released, and were a little
more favorable toward Utah State. Both Queta and Bean were named to the second-team and
Queta held onto his belt as the conference’s best
Merrill, with his selection to the All-MW First
(Big West 1979-80), Greg Grant (1985-86), Eric West 1997-98), Shawn Daniels (Big West 2000-
01), Nate Harris (Big West 2004-05), Jaycee Carroll (WAC 2007-08) and Tai Wesley (WAC 2010-11) — as players that were two-time First Team selections to their respective conferences.
Merrill, however, was the first to accomplish the feat in USU’s Mountain West era.
Softball finishes tournament with Saturday sweep By Scott Froehlich SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
Santa Clara- On March 7, the Utah State soft-
ball won its final two games of tournament play
in the Silicon Valley Classic II. The Aggies beat Saint Francis 3–2 and rounded out the weekend with a 12-5 victory over Santa Clara.
In game one, the Aggies fell behind in the third
inning against the Saint Francis Red Flash. After a lead-off triple by the Red Flash, USU’s pitcher surrendered a double, which scored the 1-0 run. At the bottom of the fourth, Aggie freshman
Makenzie Macfarlane got things started for the
team, hitting a single up the middle. Then, soph-
omore Lexi Orozco persevered through a ninepitch-at-bat, hitting a two-run home-run to put USU up 2-1.
Saint Francis came back in the top of the fifth
inning, scoring off a pair of singles to knot the game at two. However, this didn’t faze the Aggies, as the team regained the lead at the bottom
of the fifth after Stephanie Reed made it home,
The game opened up in the fifth inning, as
A quick sixth led to a dynamite seventh for
following a missed Saint Francis throw at third
both teams scored a combined nine runs. The
the Aggies, with the team tacking on five more
In the final two innings, sophomore Kapri
cluded Bri Lerma being hit by a pitch to score
ners and Orozco added a single to score Plogger.
base.
Toone retired the Red Flash batters and her
10th strikeout of the game, a new career best. Toone, who pitched the entire game, registered
her seventh win of the season. The Aggies, as a team, had seven hits, while giving up six to Saint
Aggies scored three consecutive runs, which in-
the third run. After the Broncos got the first out from a fielder’s choice, Reed responded with a single to score senior second base player Allanah Alvarado.
USU piled it on as senior outfielder Riley
runs. A single from Macfarlane scored two runFinally, a Bulldog error sent Macfarlane to the
plate, extending the lead to seven. Aside from a
couple of singles, Santa Clara failed to get back in the game and the final score stood at 12-5.
Next week, the Aggies participate in a home
Francis.
Plogger scored Lerma, which was followed by
and home series against the Utah Valley Wolver-
Clara Bulldogs flew through the first three in-
fielder Mazie Macfarlane. This onslaught chased
March 13 at 2 p.m. USU then returns home for
During game two, the Aggies and the Santa
nings. A solo blast from sophomore first base
player Gabriella Jimenez was the only scoring, as well as the only hit, by either team over that
a three-run homer off the bat of freshman out-
the Bulldog’s pitcher, with the score inflated to 7-2 in the middle of the inning.
At the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs man-
period of time.
aged to climb back into the game, scoring three
the bottom of the fourth. A pair of consecutive
double to left field scored two runners, followed
USU kept the Bulldogs off the scoresheet, until
doubles scored the tying run for Santa Clara and
a single resulting in an Aggie throwing error gave them the go-ahead 2-1 lead.
runs to cut the lead to 7-5. The runs came off a by a run scored as a result of an Aggie error. USU was able to fend off the rest of the lineup, head-
ines, with the first game taking place in Orem on
the conclusion of the series, which will be held on March 15 at 1 p.m. March 20-22 Mountain
West Conference play kicks off, as the Aggies will travel to Albuquerque to play the New Mexico Lobos.
— swfroehlich@gmail.com
ing into the sixth.
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0WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020
PAGE 5
Gymnastics finishes home meets 4-0 By Sydney Dahle SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Friday night the Utah State Gymnastics team closed out their home meets by beating No. 17 BYU 196.600-195.450 on Senior Night. This put the Aggies at a perfect 4-0 at home, the first time Utah State had done so in 41 years. The team snapped a nine-meet losing streak to the Cougars dating back to 2017 and scored the second highest score of the season just after the 196.800 they received in February. This ranks fourth in all-time school history and second all-time for a home meet. “I am honestly speechless,” said head coach Amy Smith. “They have done a great job all year long. We were making lineup changes all the way down to the very last second almost on every event tonight, but our team has been so good at being resilient and adaptable and rolling with what we’re doing, because they have been preparing so well and have invested so much this year.” The team honored seniors Brittany Jeppesen and Elle Golison for their accomplishments. Jeppesen tied with freshman Sofi Sullivan for first on bars with a career-high 9.900 helping the team reach 49.275. “Finally,” Jeppensen said, ““I’ve been waiting for that number for a long time. Tonight was the perfect time for me to hit that 9.900. It’s exciting to see my hard work pay off.” Junior Autumn DeHarde won beam with a
PHOTOS by Hailey Larson USU Gymnastics closed out its regular season home meets with a win against No. 17 BYU to finish 4-0 at home in 2020. The Aggies won six of their last seven meets and have beaten three ranked teams this season.
9.875 and floor with a career-high 9.95 and is now tied for second all time in school his-
tory. DeHarde now has 12 career beam titles, ranking first all-time in program history. Following DeHarde, Sullivan had a career-high 9.850 to tie for fourth and freshman Rebecca Wells matched her career best with a 9.850. “I love being a part of this team,” said Golison. “This team is going places; they are going to do a lot and break a lot of records. I have big expectations for them.” Utah State will close out the regular season against the University of Utah on Friday, March 13, at 7 p.m. at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. No. 17 BYU at No. 26 Utah State – Logan, Utah – Dee Glen Smith Spectrum – March 6, 2020 Team Results: 1. Utah State – 196.600 (vault: 49.100, bars: 49.275, beam: 49.000, floor: 49.225); 2. BYU – 196.450 (vault: 49.300, bars: 49.050, beam: 48.750, floor: 49.350). Vault: 1. Jordan Matthews – BYU, 9.900; 2. Abbey Miner – BYU, 9.875; T3. Mikaela Meyer- 9.850; T3. Avery Bennett – BYU, 9.850; T3. Sadie Miner – BYU, 9.850; T6. Grace Rojas – USU, 9.825; T6. Rebecca Wells – USU,
The Score
USU results for the week of March 2 - March 8 Results
Top Performers
Men’s Tennis L, 4-0 -- UC Santa Barbara L, 4-3 -- Drake
Felipe Acosta and Roko Savin singles wins
Gymnastics W, 196.600-196.450 -- vs BYU
Junior Autumn DeHarde captured a pair of titles, winning beam with a 9.875 and floor with a career-high 9.950
Softball W, 8-0 --- vs. Saint Francis W, 3-2 --- vs. Saint Mary’s L, 8-0 (6) -- vs. UC Santa Barbara W, 3-2 --- vs. Saint Francis W, 12-5 --- at Santa Clara
Women’s Tennis W, 4-0 -- UC Riverside Indoor Track & Field M: 4/7; W: 10/11 -- at Mountain West Champs., Albuquerque, N.M.
Three pitchers saw time in the circle for USU over the weekend, posting a combined ERA of 3.12. Sophomore Kapri Toone led the group, posting a 3-0 individual record.
Hannah Jones, Lucy Octave, Carolina Millan and Renata Lombera singles wins Chandler Obray men’s high jump title (2.06 meters/6-09.00)
Josh Barclay men’s shot put title (18.11 meters/59-05.00)
9.825; T9. Autumn DeHarde – USU, 9.800; T9. Leighton Varnadore – USU, 9.800; 11. Elle Golison – USU, 9.775.
Bars: T1. Brittany Jeppesen – USU, 9.900; T1. Sofi Sullivan – USU, 9.900; 3. Haley Pitou – BYU, 9.875; 4. Grace Rojas – USU, 9.850; T5. Maia Fishwick – USU, 9.825; T7. Leighton Varnadore – USU, 9.800; 11. Jessica Gutierrez – USU, 9.725.
Beam: 1. Autumn DeHarde – USU, 9.875; 2. Sofi Sullivan – USU, 9.850; 3. Abby Stainton – BYU, 9.825; T4. Rebecca Wells – USU, 9.800; 7. Taylor Dittmar – USU, 9.775; T8. Carley Bayles – USU, 9.700; T9. Leighton Varnadore – USU, 9.675. Floor: 1. Autumn DeHarde – USU, 9.950; T2. Sadie Miner – BYU, 9.900; T2. Abbey Miner – BYU, 9.900; T4. Rebecca Wells – USU, 9.850; T4. Sofi Sullivan – USU, 9.850; 10. Elle Golison – USU, 9.800; T11. Ariel Toomey – USU, 9.775; T11. Mikaela Meyer – USU, 9.775. —sydney.dahle@aggiemail.usu.edu
PAGE 6 “Champions” FROM PAGE 1 have shown over this tournament run, no lead is insurmountable.
Utah State went on a 10-2 run of its own and
closed to half with a Diogo Brito three to lock the score at 29-21. According to Smith, if it
wasn’t for that run, things would have felt a lot different at the break.
“The way we finished the first half was huge
because not a lot was going right on the
offensive end, and we kind of weathered the
storm,” Smith said. “That last play with 1 point whatever seconds it was, Abel Porter was our
inbounder and finds Brito wide open, kind of on
the other side of the top of the key, and he sticks that three, and we go in at halftime down eight,
but quite frankly it felt like we should have been down 18.”
The Aggies carried that momentum over into
the second half and opened on a 7-0 run led by Merrill, who by this point, looked as if he knew
it was time for him to take over. The thing about Merrrill is, however, even in the midst of a total takeover, he looks for the right play and doesn’t
rely on himself solely to score points. Still, Utah State had a lot of work left to do facing the No. 5 team in the nation and the conference player of the year, Malachi Flynn. He and KJ Feagin
kept the Aztecs fighting by trading off makes for the first 10 minutes of the second half. Feagin
was fouled on a three-point attempt with 9:56
left and sunk all three to put San Diego State up 42-38.
Enter Sam Merrill.
He gave Utah State its first lead since the
opening 10 minutes of the first half by burying
back-to-back threes. Two of his teammates were crucial in this late-game surge as well: sopho-
more center Neemias Queta and junior forward Alphonso Anderson. The latter made two free
throws to give Utah State a 48-47 lead, but also
WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020 came up with two huge threes minutes earlier
as the Aztecs were starting to pull ahead. Queta — who joined Merrill on the all-tournament
team — scored eight of Utah State’s 15 points in the final seven minutes.
Being a crucial part in the team’s success after
the season he’s was a big accomplishment for the Portuguese big man.
“This one is even sweeter than last year’s,” he
said. “We had a lot more ups and downs — a
lot more downs than last year, and we just stuck together and just found a way to overcome
everything that came at us. Coach Smith just always told us to like stay together and just
always try to think of the next play and keep
staying together. It was just great. I don’t have words to explain it.”
With 39 seconds left, Merrill uncharacteristi-
cally missed his first of two free throws — ac-
cording to him, it was the first time in his career he’d missed from the line in the final minute of a game. However, Flynn missed a three on the
other end of the court and Merrill picked up the rebound with enough time left for one more shot. The winning shot.
Utah State walked away with a handful of ac-
complishments after Saturday afternoon’s game. The first team in six years to repeat as tourna-
ment champions, the first back-to-back titles in either the Mountain West or WAC eras for the
program, among a few others. But perhaps most importantly, the team will be back in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. Not having the stress of a week and a half before knowing their fate is a win in itself.
“It’s been like this all year, and it’s definitely
relieving, there’s no doubt,” Smith said.
Utah State is the first Division One men’s team
to punch its ticket to “the big dance” and the
team’s seed and matchup will be revealed on selection Sunday, March. 15. @dren_sports
PHOTO COURTESY Timothy R. Olsen USU senior guard Sam Merrill celebrates being named tournament MVP after the Aggies won the Mountain West Tournament on Saturday.
“Downtown” FROM PAGE 1 businesses suffered during the Center Street
was passed unanimously with reluctance.
Councilmember Jess Bradfield gave a plan-
it’s something that was explained well to us in
construction.
ning commission update. He said two permits
were passed. He said a future land use permit amendment was also passed.
Bradfield and councilmember Mark Anderson discussed board and committee reports.
Bradfield gave props to the Cache Valley Center for the Arts, of which he is a board member,
for balancing their budget, putting on more shows, increasing revenue and being on target for value.
Anderson encouraged citizens to participate at the library more.
“If you’re not aware of some of the events go-
ing on at the library, recently they had a Nerf gun war inside the library, which I thought was very clever,” he said. “Believe it or not there’s
some really great things going on at the Logan Library, so try and keep track of that and participate as much as possible.”
Anderson added there is no pressing maintenance needed at the library.
Anderson said the Logan Downtown Alliance
met and discussed the Logan City Marathon, which they now own.
Vice chair Thomas Jensen asked the council if
they should rotate neighborhood assignments. Anderson took Woodruff, Bradfield took Wilson, councilmember Jeannie Simmonds took
Ellis and Bridger, Jensen took Adams and chair Amy Anderson took Hillcrest.
The budget adjustment for appropriating $69,605 from the state for alcohol enforcement passed unanimously.
A proposed ordinance to raise fees for water,
wastewater, parks, power and transportation
“It’s not my favorite,” Mark Anderson said. “But
the workshop. I understand the justification in
changing the cost. I’m not happy with it, but I understand it.”
Do Research. Get Paid.
“I’m not excited about it either,” Bradfield said.
“I think it’s something that must take place, but
I don’t think anybody’s excited about raising fees.”
The ordinance will go into effect in 90 days.
When the council discussed the proposed ordinance amending the city code regarding pub-
lic intoxication and drinking alcohol in public
places, audience member Gail Yost asked how often police make arrests for such misdemeanors.
“Unfortunately we deal with intoxication of al-
cohol on a daily basis,” Police chief Gary Jensen answered. “We issue citations and take people
to jail very frequently for alcohol intoxication.” Simmonds noted the $69,605 from the state
would help police deal with problems with public intoxication and drinking under the influence.
The proposed adoption of an annual action plan will be discussed March 31. The final public hearing for the adoption will be May 5.
Amy Anderson was physically absent from the meeting, but listened over the phone and commented and voted when needed.
The meeting adjourned at 6:01 p.m. and the
Logan Redevelopment Agency discussion ad-
journed at 7:11 p.m. The next Logan Municipal Council meeting is scheduled to be held March 3 at 5:30 p.m. at Logan City Hall. —karcinrsoe@gmail.com
Application deadline: April 1st, 2020 Open to Huntsman Business School Majors and Minors For more information, visit growthopportunity.org/student
0WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020
PAGE 7
PAGE 8
WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020
OPINION
PHOTO COURTESY Matt Halton
The new USU Testing Center opened October 3, 2016.
Multiple-choice testing falls short Are current testing standards preparing students for post-graduate life? There are certainly advan-
By Kristian Fors OPINION COLUMNIST
My professor once joked that
students have no excuse to
get multiple choice questions
wrong because the correct
answers are “right in front of
them.” While this expression
is clearly hyperbolic, it con-
tains a semblance of truth.
A current mainstay of Amer-
ican educational testing is the
multiple choice exam. From
K-12 to the university system,
students have been condi-
tioned into an educational
structure
centered
around
this particular style of test-
ing. While the multiple choice
exam is an incredibly effective
way to standardize an educa-
tional curriculum, the testing
method falls short because it
does a poor job of measuring
real ability and preparing stu-
dents for post-college life.
Students with high ability
tages to the standardized
may find it easier to do well
ier to grade, results are avail-
but this is not to say that
testing format. Tests are easable immediately, and there’s less subjectivity involved in grading. If convenience, however, takes precedence
ty academic experience, there is something funda-
mentally wrong with how we view education.
There seem to be two
about
If the purpose of education
students for the workforce
ment against multiple choice
as
on multiple choice exams,
pations that require a college
tional development, the argu-
these tests actually test or
grasps the foundational con-
tests is even stronger.
measure a student’s ability.
education that an employee
cepts and ideas of a subject
As mentioned earlier, multiple choice exams not
lenge
do
chal-
stu-
dents in an intellectually
rigorous
way.
Col-
lege should
There
be
are those that believe that
a
time
worldviews
and
to
expand
education is valuable so far
Correlation does not imply
well enough to apply them in
students’
career, and those that believe
a student’s ability to memo-
adviser would be absolutely
thinking and reasoning abil-
as it prepares a student for a education is important to fa-
cilitate critical thinking and engage students intellectual-
ly. Whatever side of the debate someone may fall, multiple choice tests do not fulfill either of these criteria.
causation. They primarily test rize and regurgitate narrow-
ly-selected information. This
can be done without actually gaining competency in a subject through strategic studying. These are not the types of skills that will prove valuable
fluid situations. An economic terrible at his job if he could
only regurgitate the textbook definitions of economic con-
cepts. The workplace expects
applied critical engagement, and
our
testing
should reflect that.
methods
We ought to be preparing
goes beyond mere occupa-
— Kristian Fors
philosophies
education.
It is necessary in most occu-
Teaching students that strict adherence to a standardized curriculum is the best approach to education completely undermines the framework of a liberal arts approach.
over delivering a quali-
competing
in the workforce.
to strengthen their critical
and helping them to grow individuals.
Developing
tests that require real criti-
cal thinking and engagement
will certainly help students in
both these areas. Conversely,
increasing the prevalence of
multiple choice exams robs
students of an opportunity
for real education. I hope that
we, as a university, can set an
example with our educational
standards and ensure that our
tests are actually preparing
our students for their future professional endeavors.
Kristian Fors is a student at
ities. Teaching students that
Utah State University major-
dardized curriculum is the
phy and is an opinion colum-
strict adherence to a stan-
best approach to education completely undermines the framework of a liberal arts approach.
ing in Economics and Philoso-
nist for the Utah Statesman.
He can be reached at krfors@ gmail.com.
Letter to the editor: Sexual misconduct at USU: The need for individual action in creating a safer, more respectful community By Kimberly Welsh GRADUATE STUDENT
In her message addressing
the DOJ Resolution on February 12, 2020, President Cock-
ett addressed university-wide
failures in preventing and
responding to incidents of sexual misconduct and personally apologized to those
affected. The message outlined the sweeping
changes and efforts that
USU has made and is currently making, including improv-
ing sexual
growing concern on college
al misconduct to linger and
will become an active part of
and ultimately, create a safe
dures, awareness and train-
of us likely knows at least
we treat addressing sexual
made at USU.
at Utah State University.
misconduct policies, proce-
ing. Her call to action asked that we, as members of the
USU community, help to cre-
ate a safer, more respectful
environment that does not tolerate sexual misconduct.
President Cockett’s call to
action makes me think about individual
accountability.
What is my part in the en-
deavor to build a safer, more respectful
community
at
USU? Sexual misconduct is a
campuses nation-wide. Each one person who has been impacted by these behaviors.
worsen in our community. If misconduct as just another
duct requires addressing this
will not see the changes that
tional, community, relation-
someone else’s problem, we
of sexual misconduct is not
create the type of community
enough! And simply having a
policy that prohibits these be-
that we want to be a part of.
To create a positive and in-
haviors is also not enough if
clusive culture at USU, we
to tolerate the behaviors or
accountability; we cannot
we, the community, continue
Preventing sexual miscon-
box to be checked or as
But, individually determin-
ing not to be a perpetrator
the sweeping changes being
issue at every level (organiza-
ship, and individual), and all of us can play a role. We can start by going to
sexualassualt.usu.edu
to
need individual action and
learn how to get involved,
support attitudes related to
rely on USU administrators to
sonal biases, set boundaries,
ance of conflict allows sexu-
needs to determine how we
them. Tolerance and avoid-
do all of the work. Each of us
build skills, understand pergain consent, support vic-
tims, become an “upstander,”
and respectful community USU’s efforts will not be
successful if we, the com-
munity, do not support and act upon them. Sincerely, Kimberly Welsh
Graduate Student
Utah State University 435-770-1045
Kimberly.welsh@aggiemail.
usu.edu
0WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020
PAGE 9
since 1902
STUDENT MEDIA
Student-run newspaper for Utah State University since 1902. Reporting online 24/7. Printed each Tuesday of the school year.
THE BOARD Alek Nelson managing editor
editor@usustatesman.com 435-797-1742
—————— Alison Berg news manager TO PLAY: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.
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—————— Dalton Renshaw sports manager
SOLUTION FOR : 02/25/2020
sports@usustatesman.com
—————— Sydney Dahle student life manager life@usustatesman.com
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WEEK OF MARCH 10, 2020
TRUTH IN TUITION MARCH 11 11:00 AM, TSC Ballroom
Join President Noelle Cockett and Student Body President Sami Ahmed for a discussion about potential tuition changes
Utah State University is proposing to increase student tuition rates. This would be an increase of 2.8%-4%, which is an increase of $49-$131 per semester, depending on the campus, for a full-time resident undergraduate student. All concerned students and citizens are invited to a public hearing on the proposed increase to be held in the TSC Ballroom on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 11 a.m. This will be broadcast to all campuses.
free entry. sign up now. win big later. submit by thursday march 19 #usubrackets