95.10 by The Clocktower

The Clocktower September 30, 2020 Issue 10, Volume 95

Joe Biden is elected to become the 46th president of the United States After several days of tallying votes, the country now has an answer

n Saturday morning, Joe Biden became presidentelect after winning Pennsylvania. That win brought him up to 284 electoral votes, compared to President Trump’s 214. Shortly after, Biden won Nevada, giving him six more votes. With Biden claiming victory as president-elect, Kamala Harris claimed vice president-elect. And with this, she made history – in three ways. Harris is the first female vice president-elect, the first Black vice president-elect and the first South Asian vice president-elect. On the night of Saturday, Nov. 7, Biden and Harris delivered victory speeches in Wilmington, Del.

@NBC

Harris, 56, took the stage first, smiling and waving at the crowd as she entered. “We, the people, have the power to build a better future,” she said, thanking voters for giving her the opportunity to create change. Harris thanked the women – both personal and historical - who have paved the way for

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NEWS Editor Olivia Jacobs Photographer Max Lassel Adventist News Hannah Olin Union News Jade Covel Lincoln News TJ Pittenger

ENTERTAINMENT Editor Hannah Drewieck Photographer Andrew Schwartz Sports Joel Shetler

her to be where she is right now. “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” Harris said. “Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.” “The road ahead will not be easy, but America is ready. And so are Joe and I,” Harris said, wrapping up her speech. After Harris introduced him as the president-elect of the United States of America, Joe Biden came jogging onto stage. “I am humbled by the trust and confidence you’ve placed in me,” Biden said near the beginning of his speech. “I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify; who doesn’t see red states and blue states, only sees the United States.” “It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again,” Biden said, calling for unity. “To make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies; they are Americans.” Biden continued to promote unity when he said, “Let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end here and now.” Throughout his speech, Biden spoke optimistically about the future. “We can do it. I know we can,” the 46th presidentelect said.

Pop Culture Drew Hickman Comedy Sam Ortiz

LIFESTYLE Editor Maria Kercher Photographer Annabelle Harper Outlook Lacey Stecker Politics Alex Nesmith Love Kaitlynn Toay

@Hoefler&Co

Hannah Drewieck is a junior Business Administration and Communication major from Stroughton, Wisconson

Looking into Campus Safety

Exploring the concerns of students

s your student voice on campus, the Clocktower is working on your behalf. Recently a student expressed concern regarding the Campus Safety Office. Our team then took the initiative to research the concerns and speak with the people involved The first of these was the response to a student who emailed Campus safety about a cyber stalking incident. Dustin Sauder, Director of Campus Safety, responded over a week later, apologizing deeply for the delay and requesting to meet the student to follow up, an investigation into the stalking was then opened. When this delay was brought up to Director Sauder, he said that he has improved his email responses so that he can better prioritize and manage his incoming emails so this does not happen again. Another concern was that of the fire drills in the dorms. Issues were found, as some people found it hard to hear the alarms, and there were some fire doors that needed to be shut, however, that is why Union has fire drills. They are conducted with the goal of finding problems such as these and correcting them. An additional concern towards Campus Safety was that Director Sauder seemed to be patrolling campus rather than doing his administrative duties. To better understand we went to Kim Canine to find out what exactly are the roles of the Director of Campus Safety. This was her response, “Campus Safety oversees the Clery Act, campus safety protocols,

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parking enforcement, card access to buildings, assists in behavioral discipline matters, Title IX cases, campus crisis planning, threat planning, as well as day to day service for needs on campus. While there is only one employee, the Director, he/she still supervises all of the student officers, nightly Securitas team, and does administrative work behind the scenes that may not be a parent to everyone. It is true that we rely on our student staff here at Union. We have been blessed with responsible student officers and contract with Sercuitas for evening shifts to assist in operating the office and safety needs of the campus.” In the interview with Director Sauder he said, “I am honored to be able to work in Campus Safety, while this semester has presented many challenges, I am confident in our continued growth. I am blessed to have such an amazing team to work with and look forward to the continued success on campus.” As concerns such as these are brought to the attention of the leadership of Union College, they can be appropriately addressed as these were and improvements can be made accordingly. Best said by Director Sauder, “They genuinely appreciate feedback.” The Clocktower

News flash: Climate Disruption is Real

Continued apathy explains why this is still, a news flash

he climate is changing, drastically. Within the last year, Alaska has recorded its warmest documented year (Rosen) and in Africa, where agricultural productivity is in decline because of droughts and cyclones, the food scarcity tipping point is looming (Brown). These are only two out of a myriad of examples showcasing how the climate is disrupting ecosystems and the individual. Until there is less apathy and ignorance concerning climate change and global warming, these effects on the planet cannot be reversed. While the United Nations, nongovernmental organizations and climate councils strive to find macro-scale solutions to combat climate disruption, there are actions the individual can take to be kinder to the environment. Eat less meat-based meals. Preferably a lot less. If you want to become an all-out vegetarian or vegan, I support that. However, simply cutting down on the amount of meat in your diet would reduce the methane emissions produced by animal digestion processes. In case you didn’t know, methane is horrible for the environment. Don’t pollute. Stick that chip bag or candy wrapper in your pocket until you find a trash can. It’s not difficult. Also, if you want to switch to a hybrid vehicle, that works too – I would’ve led with that, but I’m trying to be cognitive of fellow college students on a budget. Use less water. And, while you’re at it, cut down on the plastic water bottles. Buy a metal one and fill it with water. When it is empty, fill it again. Recycle and reduce.

@Waste360

Milk cartons, newspapers, plastic food containers, glass, fruit peels and metal cans are all items that can be recycled. Reducing waste not only prevents the overflow of landfills, but saves energy and reduces pollution (in case you missed it, see step two). Maximize paper use. Many grocery stores offer the option of plastic or paper bags. Do the environment a favor and pick paper. Also, if you journal, take notes or just like to doodle, use up the whole sheet before moving on to the next. The trees being stripped of their fibers will thank you. Plant trees. Forest deforestation is one of the leading causes of climate disruption. Since plants and trees soak up carbon dioxide (which is the major greenhouse gas), when they are cut down, they release this stored energy into the air. And then, the atmosphere gets warmer and warmer and warmer … Similarly, when there aren’t trees to take in the carbon dioxide that humans exhale, it also adds to the greenhouse gasses. And then, the atmosphere gets warmer and warmer … They’re basically nature’s vacuum made specially for carbon dioxide. And when you stop vacuuming, things get trashy. This is not a partisan issue. This is not an issue ushering political polarization. This is not Greta Thunberg’s brainchild conceived to attract attention. One doesn’t need to travel to Greenland to admit it’s melting; climate disruption doesn’t disappear when it’s swept under the rug. Do your part.

Juliet Bromme is a junior Communication major from Longwood, Florida

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Winter sports are coming to town With winter fast approaching, what will you do outside?

kay, so winter sports may not actually be coming to town like Santa Claus, but what sport activities can you do during the winter season? Even though it is always so cold and miserable, you can use that to your advantage. Although Nebraska is occasionally home to pretty good snowfall, there are no true mountains for snowboarding or skiing. However, Pioneers Park has a hill dedicated to winter sledding. Grab some sleds and some friends, and hit that slope when the snow comes. If you are looking for a little more thrill with your ride, you might want to consider the dam over at Holmes lake. You can pick up quite a bit of speed if you sled down the side of the dam, so please take this as a warning and be careful (Clocktower writers and editors are not responsible for any accidents that might occur from taking advice from this article). You can even make it a game if the conditions are right. When it gets cold enough, the lake freezes over, and you can race your friends down the side of the dam to see who can skid out on the lake the farthest.

Suppose you are a little more hardcore; maybe sledding is too elementary for you. If you are looking for legit snowboarding and skiing slopes, head to Colorado for the weekend. The Rockies have several fantastic mountains covered in fresh powder nearly all winter. It’ll be a pretty penny, but it’ll be pretty awesome too. Ski Cooper, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge -- the list of options in Colorado goes on. Although technically flatter than Nebraska, Minnesota also has a few skiing and snowboarding places to visit. Whatever you find to do, make the best out of it. Enjoy life and enjoy the beauty of the snow. You could even sit on the couch and watch snow sports -- not quite as interactive, but still very interesting. Don’t forget about the snowball fights you can have with your friends, too! Above all, have fun this winter. Joel Shetler is a jnior Science Education major from Ruckersville, Virginia.

Meeting your significant other’s family Home for the holidays

ou just got to know your partner and finally feel secure in your relationship. But before you know it, another major relationship hurdle appears: meeting the parents. You want to make a good impression and show them why your partner chose to be with you, but how? Your own family gatherings are awkward enough. How can you make a good impression on your partner’s family? Be a polite guest. Whether you’re just visiting for a Thanksgiving meal or staying for a few days, make sure you are a respectful and polite guest. Offer to help prepare and set the table, as well as clean up after. Showing that you are willing to offer a hand goes a long way. Get to know the entire family. Has your partner been talking non-stop about that video game they love to play with their brother? Or do they compare every meal they eat to their mom’s home cooking? Invest in getting to know your partner’s entire family. Talk to their siblings as well as their parents. Invest your time into bonding with these individuals, as these relationships could be important as your relationship progresses. Remember, if this relationship is serious, these could be your future family members. Getting to know them and forming a bond could make a future marriage smoother. Ask your partner questions before you arrive. Every family has its little inside jokes as well as their sensitive

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topics. Talk to your partner about what some of their family’s favorite and most controversial topics are. That way, you will feel more included when the family is joking about seemingly mundane things. You will also know what topics to avoid so you can avoid awkward conversation. Thank them before you leave. Regardless of how your time with your partner’s family goes, make sure to give them heartfelt thanks at the end of your stay. They shared their family with you and, hopefully, welcomed you in. Thanking them will solidify their good impression of you. Meeting the parents is arguably one of the most difficult and terrifying parts of a dating relationship. Though there is no correct way to get your foot in the door, following the suggestions above can make a favorable impression on your potential in-laws. Like always, the number one rule is to relax and have fun. The best impression you can make is the one that is the most realistically you. Kaitlynn Toay is a senior English major from Edgeley, North Dakota

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The political anxiety-inducing phenomenon of swing states

evada is the final piece of the puzzle of the 2020 U.S. election, and it looks like it’s taking it time to complete. Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Nevada are the five states that determined this year’s election. Georgia, Texas, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are historically red leaning states. This is the first election that Texas and Georgia have been swing states since the 1970 election. The most fear inspiring state in the 2020 election is Nevada. This year’s make or break state is not one of the traditional swing states – Ohio, Illinois or

Florida. The reason this induced fear is that Nevada took a stupidly long time to process votes. Why? Because Nevada just be like that. Honestly. Voting officials gave no reason for the delay. This year’s election has received the highest turnout of voters in U.S. history, with a projected record breaking 159.8 million voters turning out. Since Biden won Nevada, he was able to claim the presidency. Watching the polls and the data is more than stressful. If you aren’t heavily invested in this election, then you were probably doing yourself a favor by not refreshing the page every hour and just waiting to see the final results come in. Alexander Nesmith is a junior Communication Major from Calhoun, Georgia.

Lincoln provides many activities to help celebrate the holidays When the turkey is eaten and the presents are open...

s the semester ends, remember Lincoln has a lot going on during the holidays. There are things that happen here in Lincoln that make this city feel like the house you visit when you want to celebrate those holidays. Maybe you have a family member who loves each and every holiday and celebrates them like crazy. That is kind of what Lincoln is like. For Thanksgiving, Omaha is putting on a 5k Turkey Trot. This is a good way to burn off the feast people might have just eaten. In both Lincoln and Omaha there are plenty of pumpkin patches to visit with corn mazes. Be sure to be careful on Black Friday. Even our own College View Church has something coming up to bring in the holidays. Throughout the month of November, they are throwing a Holiday Harvest Farmers Market. They sell the freshest foods possible. There are plenty of venders that provide an abundance of fresh produce, good food and warm smiles when they are here. To celebrate Christmas, Lincoln has a full lighting of the tree with Santa. It is kind of like the last scene of “Polar Express.” Scheels decks out with some trees and lights and it is always fun to spend some time admiring those. The Lincoln Zoo also has a big light display to wander through. Museums are doing a lot for Christmas too. They are showcasing Gingerbread House Design Days, Design a Wreath Day and Christmas concerts. These are

just a few things for families to do. All of us have traditions that we do on holidays. It’s what makes them special. Maybe you can be with family but maybe you can’t. If you are staying in Lincoln for break, these are some options that can make the holidays special. This semester has been one filled with stress, tests and mess. I did make that rhyme on purpose. But in a semester like this one when we can have a time to relax and enjoy being with people, we find it is important to treasure those moments. It is important to savor the seconds we have when we don’t have tests to study for. So, from my family to yours, happy holidays.

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TJ Pittinger is a sophomore Theology major from Gilson, Illinois.

Epic Major Battles of Union

Final round: Communication versus IRR

am once again asking myself, how? Somehow IRR was able to pull up and beat business majors with an outcome of 57% to 43%. You had a good run, business, but the numbers just didn’t add up in your favor. This brings us down to our two ultimate contestants. To recap, the communication majors were able to speak some charms and outshine nursing in a classic PR move, placing them in the finale. And as we’ve just said, IRR was able to pull some strings, tie some knots and come up in front of business. This leaves us with communication versus IRR, battling to see who will be the winner of the Union College Major Battle, at least for this semester. Question 1: What are ___ majors best known for? “Wait. There’s Comm majors here? Where?” Anonymous, IRR “Talking.” Anonymous, IRR “Not taking showers, being nursing program dropouts, wearing shorts when it snows and thinking it’s cool and makes them tough.” Anonymous, Communication Question 2: Fill in the blank: It’s the ___ for me. “It’s the ‘I’m only just learning to communicate in college’ for me.” Anonymous, IRR “It’s the ‘ropes’ for me.” Alexander Nesmith, Communication

Dad Joke of the Week: Why can’t you take music majors seriously? They play too much.

Question 3: Where do ___ majors shop? “They don’t; they’re unemployed.” Anonymous, IRR “IRR majors shop at WALLgreens.” Shiloh Baillou, Communication Question 4: ___ majors are most likely to be in jail for … “Becoming physical in an argument because they forgot how to use their words.” Anonymous, IRR “For putting an air bubble in someone’s vein because they suck at giving IVs” Anonymous, Communication There you have it! Make sure to go vote on the Clocktower’s Instagram page to select the winning major of the 2020 Union College Battle of the Majors! Samuel Ortiz is a sophomore Nursing major from Orlando, Florida.

2020: A year of growth and guidance for the Adventist Church

o say this year has been a crazy one would be an understatement. A worldwide pandemic, fires, hurricanes, elections, economic recession â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you name it, 2020 has thrown it at us! And all of this has affected the Adventist Church in countless ways. However, instead of focusing on the challenges that this year has thrown at us as a church, I want to look at how 2020 has changed and grown the Adventist Church for the better. This year, churches had to get creative. Most churches entered the brave, new, virtual world. While many churches had been offering online services before, this year forced many church leaders to take the plunge to be able to reach all of their members. This change has allowed churches to touch other people as well, far beyond their own congregations. Sabbath School teachers found fun ways to interact and connect with their students. Pastors worked hard to keep members connected with each other through prayer meetings and virtual get togethers.

ON THE RADAR SAT. 11/14/20 Barn Party

WED 11/18/20 Dead days begin

FRI 11/20/20

First Day of finals

SAT 11/21/20

Nurses Dedication Ceremony

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Through this experience, we learned the value of the church community and had the determination to keep that community alive. 2020 also gave us ample opportunities to reach out and help those around us. While people have suffered and gone through so much, the Adventist Church has stepped up. Church members around the world worked together to stay connected and reach out to the people around them when they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meet in person. They collected and distributed food to those who were struggling. Amid wildfires and hurricanes, they lent a helping hand to their neighbors who were in need. Through societal tension, violence and hate, members reached out the hand of peace and friendship. The church truly showed itself as the hands and feet of God. While 2020 has been quite the year, it has been one of immense growth in the Adventist Church. It has been a year where we can see God leading His people to be a light to the world. As we move into 2021, we can look forward in hope, knowing that there will be more opportunities for growth and, more importantly, that God will continue to lead us as a church.

Hannah is a sophomore History Education Major from Princeton, Illinois.

COVID-19 spikes as final weeks of school approach

Numbers of students in isolation and quarantine soar

e are almost to the end of the semester! In just a few weeks we will get the well-deserved break that we have been waiting for all semester. Some professors are even giving their final test online, or providing students with the option of completing it early so they are able to go home even sooner. However, to make it to this point, we all need to work together. As of the writing of this article (Nov. 5), there has been a spike in COVID-19 at Union. There are over 10 people with active COVID-19 cases who are in isolation, which is very concerning as Union only has 20 isolation rooms available. Some of these individuals may be able to isolate in their own homes. Despite this, having this many active cases is concerning, and as the email from Vinita Sauder said, it is up to students to slow cases so that Union can continue to remain open. To this end, the cafeteria and student center seating will be changing to allow only one person per table or booth, starting Nov. 8. All sports games will be postponed starting Nov. 9, and all practices, including Gymnaires will be halted two weeks before finals. Other changes include adding that students must not only complete 14 days of quarantine, but also test negative for COVID-19 within the last five days of their quarantine period.

ÂŠMax Lassel

There are also behaviors we as students are responsible for. Things such as wearing our mask anytime we are around other people, meeting exclusively over Zoom for things such as tutoring, meeting for group projects or studying together. Eating together must also be done outside at least six feet apart, or via Zoom. Even in places where you may think it is okay to take off a mask, such as study rooms, you are required to still wear one, as the aerosol can stay in the air for a significant amount of time and potentially infect the next person that uses the room. If we work together, we can ensure that we stay on campus for these final weeks and successfully put the first COVID-19 semester in the history books. Jade Covel is a senior Religion major from Topeka, Kansas.

How to use Thanksgiving to save on Christmas Right off my Christmas list

t’s Thanksgiving Day, and your grandmother has invited everyone over. As she lifts the first slice of pie out of the pan, she invites everyone back for Christmas. You begin to panic as you look around the room. Between your aunts, uncles and cousins, you now have to buy 30 Christmas gifts … and that doesn’t even include Dad’s side of the family! You’re in college. You can’t afford that. You need a way to guarantee you won’t have to buy gifts for everyone, and you need it now. Fear not, broke college student! I have created a short list of ways to get out of gift buying for nearly everyone in your family. Follow these guidelines on Thanksgiving, and you’ll never need to worry about gift giving again. Bring up “the incident”: Every family has that one story you’re never supposed to talk about. Well, now’s your chance to bring it up, or more accurately, get someone else to bring it up. Anyone who defends that story is now permissibly off your shopping list. Start a fight: You need to be careful with this one. You can’t start a fight with your grandparents, that’s just disrespectful, but you can start one with an uncle or aunt. Find a topic you know they’ll disagree with (politics will usually do the trick). Whoever disagrees with your position no longer gets a gift from you. Plan everyone’s funeral to their face: Although death is inevitable, no one likes to talk about it, especially during a global pandemic. Make sure you’re never

invited to family gatherings again by planning everyone’s funeral. Bonus points if you plan out all of Aunt Carol’s exhusbands’ and predicted future husbands’ funerals, too. Set fire to the food: This one is only to be used as a last resort. Start a small fire at the house. Don’t burn anything important, but maybe setting the roasting chestnuts on fire would work. Once you burn something, guess who’s no longer invited to family Christmas? That’s right … you! You can’t give gifts to people if you aren’t there. As a poor, broke college student, you can’t afford to buy your entire extended family Christmas gifts. All your money gets sucked into tuition. Save yourself some money. Make at least half of your family hate you. Sure, they won’t give you anything, but if it wasn’t going to be a gift card to Starbucks, did you really want it anyway?

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Lacey Stecker is a sophomore Communication major from Noblesville, Indiana

“Pikmin 3 Deluxe” This plucky adventure in the post-apocalypse world deserves more hype

osh, I’ve been waiting for this. Nintendo’s “Pikmin” series is one of my favorite media franchises of all time. It’s very hard to recommend, as most of the gameplay isn’t about actually doing things yourself. It’s about getting your army of plant-people to do stuff for you, which is the opposite of how most games work. But, with its emphasis on efficiency and multitasking in a serene post-human earth teeming with weird creature designs, it is a very zen experience for me to dive into and get lost in. The third entry is finally out on the Switch, and although I’m not the biggest fan of its progression structure, I still consider this a very satisfying mustplay. The new types of Pikmin (Rock and Winged) add a lot of depth to the strategy, and new tasks, such as building bridges, make the gameplay even more engaging than in previous releases. There is a new “mission mode,” which has tinier stages that you can master to get a perfect

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ranking. That, combined with a new friendship-testing “bingo battle” mode, gives you the best Pikmin package yet. It’s the best looking one too! Every stage felt like a real lush corner of nature. My only complaint is the emphasis on story this time. This game’s narrative dictates a lot of where you get to explore this time around, and since you progress so quickly by defeating bosses, it felt like it ended sooner than I wanted. Despite that, it still has so much to enjoy, and with all the side content, my time with this game is far from over! If it sounds like something interesting to you, please check it out. This game and the series as a whole are seriously underrated. This semester has been a weird one. Everyone has been unsure about how to go about even the most basic everyday tasks. Social tensions have never been higher and classloads have never felt heavier. But, we made it, and we’re all safe. Regardless of what entertainment you consume over the break, I hope it helps relieve some of the stress we’ve all been stuffing down. That’s what it’s made for, after all. Drew Hickman is a junior Communication major from Shawnee, Kansas.

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The Clocktower, established in 1927 and sponsored by the Associated Student Body of Union College, is published semi-weekly during the fall and spring semesters. The opinions expressed are the opinions of the writers and are not to be construed as the opinion of the editors, Associated Student Body, Union College, or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.