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The Clocktower April 7, 2021 Issue 20, Volume 95

NAD releases statement following Atlanta shooting Adventist leaders support Asian-American community

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mericans were shocked at the recent horrible act of violence against the Asian community on March 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia that left eight innocent people dead. In the wake of the racial tension and violence that has continued to plague the country, this was another heartbreaking tragedy. In the aftermath of the shooting, President G. Alexander Bryant, along with other leaders of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists released a statement on March 18. In the following statement, they reached out in their support for the Asian community and encouraged church members to create safe spaces where all members can feel welcomed, accepted and loved.

“As leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, we denounce the recent acts of violence and hatred against our brothers and sisters in the Asian-American community.

God calls us to love all His children, no matter our differences. Our diversity makes us stronger as a people, and the

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variety of cultures making up our territory are a direct reflection of His creative power. We need to celebrate our differences and embrace the uniqueness of each and every person. We want all Asian-Americans to know we stand with them and beside them during this season where they are being unfairly targeted.

We call on all our members to stand up and support the Asian-American communities where they live. Be vocal in your appreciation of our brothers and sisters in their time of need.

Create a safe space for them by listening to their

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Sports

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Union News

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Politics

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Editor–in–Chief Juliet Bromme Assistant Editor Hannah Drewieck Distributor Marvin Velasquez Media Manager Francisco Campos Photography Editor Joseph Lee Layout Editor Chrisheline Kalawo

experiences and showing Christ-like compassion. There is no need for anyone to live in fear because of the color of their skin, or their race. The book of Proverbs commands us that, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17 NKJV).”

Together as a church, we can show Christ to a world that is currently filled with hate, prejudice, and fear. We have the opportunity every day to act with love and respect towards those around us. As we move forward, let us love at all times, stand up for those who are hurting, and be the voice that fights for change.

Hannah Olin is a sophomore history education major from Princeton, Ill.

Assistant Layout Editor Justin Anderson

NEWS Editor Olivia Jacobs Photographer Nathan Sweet Adventist News Hannah Olin Union News Jade Covel Lincoln News TJ Pittenger

ENTERTAINMENT Editor Annika Cambigue Photographer Andrew Schwartz Sports Jacob Roney Pop Culture Sierra Lastine Comedy Sammy Ortiz

LIFESTYLE Editor Maria Kercher Photographer Robert Umali Outlook Lacey Stecker Politics Alex Nesmith Love Advice Kaitlynn Toay

Hello Union Students!

Student Financial Services needs YOUR help.

Please take a few minutes sometime this week to complete your Financial Aid Questionnaire and FAFSA for the 2021-2022 school year, if you have not already done so.

To complete your Financial Aid Questionnaire, go to your portal and go to the My Financial Aid Page (represented by a piggy bank). "Financial Questionnaire" will be an option in the dropdown menu in the upper left hand corner of this page.

Should you need assistance, please stop by our office located on the 6th floor of the Dick Building. We look forward to receiving these so we can provide you a Financial Aid Plan for the upcoming school year as quickly as possible. We appreciate your help with this!

- Student Financial Services

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Slinga da’ ink

An update on Union athletics

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asketball season at Union is over, and this season has to rank as the strangest season Union has seen.

With the delayed beginning, not letting fans in and then randomly letting fans in, and then the even stranger ending, it was a wacky one. Both teams endured a lot of ridicule this season, but despite all the turmoil, both teams have a lot to be proud of. The girl’s team saw much improvement over their shortened season, and the guy’s team was easily one of the better teams that Union has had in recent history. Both teams were a lot of fun to watch, and their seasons were definitely not long enough, but I enjoyed going to the few games that I could.

Now that the weather is warmer, there are some other sports that are starting. The soccer team, the newest official addition to Warrior athletics, is starting to practice again. It is still to be determined if they will play games against other teams, but they are on that track. This year, the team is composed of 22 players and is coached by Cainan Ming and his team of assistant coaches. In recent years, the soccer team has held the distinguished honor of being the only team to win multiple regular-season games in the same year. If fans are allowed to watch the games, they are definitely worth going to.

Soccer is not the only sport that is starting up again. The Union College golf team is also starting to practice. The golf team is made up of seven guys and is coached by Nestor „Coco“ Osorio and Daniel Cress. They have five matches scheduled, including one on March 31 at York College.

The other sporting event that will happen this school year will be the gymnastics home show. The event will be open to the public and will take place on April 13 in the Thunderdome. Homeshow, described on the Union website as “the grand finale of the season,” is the only show that the team will put on this year due to COVID-19, but I know they will make it memorable.

The 2020-2021 school year has been

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a strange one for Union Athletics, and we have a lot to look forward to for next year.

With the probability of fans in the stands, Buell’s iconic announcing, Acrofest at Union, highschool tournaments back and the hope of a full season for all sports on campus, it’s hard not to be optimistic and excited about the future of athletics at Union. And who knows, we may even see the addition of a men‘s volleyball team.

Jacob Roney is a junior business administration major from Sturgeon, Mo.

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Nebraska governor rejects vaccine passport system

Biden administration meets hesitation from Pete Ricketts

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he state of Nebraska will not participate in a COVID-19 vaccine passport system under Governor Pete Ricketts.

Vaccine passports are similar to vaccine cards, used primarily by frequent international travelers. It stands as proof of vaccination against illnesses that really shouldn’t be spread around -- specifically, those that are deadly.

In January, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to find a way to link coronavirus vaccinations to the vaccine passports, because knowing whether or not a traveler is vaccinated against a global pandemic-causing virus is very important to international governments. Biden also pushed for creating a digital version of this form, because currently it’s a slip of paper.

The reasons that Governor Ricketts rejected the vaccine passports are simple. In a press release, he stated, “Nebraska will not participate in any vaccine passport program.

This concept violates two central tenets of the American system: freedom of movement and healthcare privacy. Nebraska will take any necessary action to protect the private health information of our citizens and the freedoms we cherish.”

Currently there have been several concerns raised as to whether or not the government has the right to handle this type of information. Senior Advisor to the White House coronavirus team Andy Slavitt stated, “It’s not the role of the government to create such a passport or hold that kind of data on its citizens.”

Luckily for Nebraska, the Midwest is not known for being a bustling focal point of international travel. This push for the COVID-19 vaccine passport by the Biden administration focuses on individuals who travel to places other than locations that don’t see a lot of international commerce.

While the concept of integrating

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COVID-19 protocol into the pre-existing vaccine passport model stands as a valid idea, there isn’t a reason to worry about this. The entire idea revolves around people who travel internationally, and it does not infringe on your right to bear arms or to free speech.

Alexander Nesmith is a junior communication major from Calhoun, Ga.

Lack of spring break wreaks havoc on many students Should spring break have been redistributed?

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f this were a normal year, we would have had spring break. Instead of cutting the semester short like fall semester, Union College administration made the decision to insert break days throughout the week (with minimal long weekends) so that the school year would end on time. This meant that there would not be a long break for students to leave campus and potentially contract COVID-19 and bring it back to campus.

On paper this looks like a great idea, but how has it actually turned out? From a small survey, it appears to have had a negative impact on students’ mental health. They have expressed feeling “overworked and like I never have time to just recharge or refresh.”

And one student, Shelby, put it, “I’m super burnt out, and my depression and anxiety have definitely gotten worse. My physical health has also been affected by the extra stress.”

A junior commented, “I have never cared less about my classes than any other semester.” A biomedical science major who has not formerly struggled with depression reported feeling “waves here and there [of depression] this semester and it really disturbs me.” I have heard more than one student and even one professor saying that it feels like there is never a day off, as the single days are used to catch up on studying or other work, and that does not leave a day to relax. Over half of students who responded reported skipping classes they would not have normally skipped, just to get a break.

While many students have been able to still perform at a consistent level in classes, the lack of a consecutive break has negatively affected the grades of some students and the way they are feeling about the work they are putting in. The goal was to reduce travel and thus prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Did cutting spring break accomplish that?

It is hard to say for sure, but watching my Instagram feed, students are still traveling,

so it has not eliminated that. If anything, it has prevented students from colleges and universities across the country massing in huge numbers as seen in Florida last year.

This may have been beneficial, but could have also been accomplished by staggering our break at a different time from other major schools. While I believe Union tried to make the best decision at the time, there have been unintended consequences in changing spring break that should be addressed.

Union has recently made a new mental health professional available for students.

If you are feeling negative mental health effects from this school year you can make an appointment with one of them at https:// ucpersonalcounseling.as.me/schedule.php.

©Nathan Sweet

Jade Covel is a senior religion major from Topeka, Kan.

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Jeans at church

Why do we dress up for church and should we?

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his article isn’t necessarily about popular culture, but it is about something that I’m more well-versed in: church culture. Individual church’s rituals, community and beliefs vary vastly even in the same denomination. One belief that varies is the topic of church clothes. In most of the churches I’ve been to, dressing up for the church service is deeply embedded into the culture. Recently I was sitting in a pew in College View Church and I found myself asking, why? Why do we dress up for church?

I’ve asked this question before, as I’m sure many people have. When I asked it, though, I was a kid. I used to bother my mother. Why exactly did I have to put on itchy tights and curl my hair? My brothers used to complain about the gel in their hair and their uncomfortable, shiny, black dress shoes. I thought they had it easier, though, because they got to wear dress pants.

Somewhere along the way, I simply stopped asking why and accepted that this is just the way church operates. But now, since the question occurred to me again, I took the time to do some research and came upon the book “Pagan Christianity.” This book addresses many pagan practices that have become incorporated into Christian churches. It discusses everything from church architecture to the order of worship services to church clothes. While I do not agree with everything in the book, it has a lot of interesting information, and it sparked several new questions and ideas for me.

In the section about dressing up for church, I discovered that the practice is actually fairly recent, becoming widespread in the midnineteenth century. Before this, dressing up was only for wealthy people because common people had very few clothes. Dress was and is a means of distinguishing social class, and for centuries, certain countries banned people from wearing the clothing of the upper classes. Things rapidly changed during the industrial revolution and the creation

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of the middle class. The advancements in manufacturing allowed the middle class to buy clothes to distinguish themselves from the lower class. Some Christians spoke against costly clothing, but the trend caught on. After that, preachers began writing on the positive aspects of dressing up. One minister in Connecticut, Horace Bushnell, argued that sophistication and refinement were characteristics of God and by dressing up, Christians were modeling that.

Authors Frank Viola and George Barna point out several issues with this practice. The first being that Christians give the impression of “hiding their real selves” and putting on an image. It makes church feel insincere, like a play. It doesn’t allow for real issues or authenticity to show. Viola and Barna also write that by dressing up, churchgoers have the illusion that they are good or winning God’s favor. God really does not care what people wear to church. I think that He is just happy when people take time to be with Him. Another potential issue is that dress can bring social hierarchy into the church and make some people feel unwelcome or like outsiders.

Do I think this is a salvational issue? No. However, I think it is important that people and churches do not follow tradition blindly.

The impression that the church gives to people matters. Non-Biblical practices should not turn people away from Christ.

Sierra Lastine is a sophomore English literature major from Grand Junction, Colo.

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Relationships are works in progress What is the definition of a “successful relationship?”

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uccessful relationships are works in progress. Ultimately, a successful relationship is one where both partners feel loved, supported and able to communicate their needs. The idea is to work toward these goals, improving as you go. While there are many variations of what makes a relationship successful, these are a few key aspects within a relationship that contribute to its overall success.

Commitment One of the major factors that contributes to the success of a relationship is commitment.

When entering a relationship, it is common to become exclusive. This means that looking outside of the relationship for other romantic relationships would be breaking the commitment you made to each other. This is not healthy for the relationship and can cause a loss of trust.

Communication Though communication can be difficult, learning to communicate in an effective way is an important aspect in a successful relationship.

Communication is often something that couples have to work at – it doesn’t often come naturally. Though it should not be expected that the ability to communicate well will be there from the beginning, it is important that you and your partner try to adapt to each other’s communication styles. The goal is to continue to grow.

Vulnerability Being vulnerable with each other is necessary in a relationship. This means letting down your walls and allowing your partner to see the parts of you that are hard to love.

Vulnerability is hard. These are not parts of ourselves we often share with others, but having vulnerable discussions with your partner can help you both feel closer to each other.

Trust Trust is a difficult yet essential factor in a successful relationship. Trusting your partner to help take care of the health of the relationship

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can be terrifying. The better you know your partner, the better you can discern if they are a trustworthy person. Trust encompasses all of the elements we discussed here. You must trust your partner to communicate their needs, to remain committed, and to be vulnerable with you.

There is not a single definition of a successful relationship, and what qualifies as “successful” may change based on the couple.

However, these four elements create a strong foundation for a relationship. As long as both parties are working on these four elements and are committed to growing together, the relationship stands a decent chance at success.

Kaitlynn Toay is a senior English major from Edgeley, N.D.

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UNL zooms back to being in-person

The president’s pledge falls changes are coming in this next school year

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niversity of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) has had an interesting school year. They had to attend classes online for most of last semester. They have rotated through an entirely online system to a hybrid of in-person and online. And now, they are going to be going in-person and at full capacity.

UNL had been completely online for a time. According to an inside source, it was incredibly difficult for all who were involved, including students and teachers. This is something that is no longer a worry. The stress of having to sit in on Zoom for the next semester is no longer a problem. UNL has been restored to its former glory.

All this is an overly dramatic way of saying that UNL will be going back to full capacity classes. This will be taking place in the fall of this year. So, the returning students and the freshmen will be able to start their school year free of a virtual format.

Chancellor Ronnie Green stated in a letter to the staff, “Our commitment to an inperson campus experience continues, and we are working to be as close to pre-pandemic activities as we can safely be by Fall. While there are many things still unknown, there are several important areas guiding our Fall plans that we can share.” Along with this, there are a large number of points mentioned in the same letter.

One of them is how their goal is to have as few Zoom meetings as possible.

Along with this, testing and mask mandate requirements will be determined closer to the start date. Facilities on campus such as the library, state museum and Sheldon Museum of Art will be lifting their restrictions. University sponsored trips will now be occurring as long as the county approves it.

This is something that is good for UNL that can hopefully reach us soon. As Union College reaches the end of this semester and the end of the school year, we can hope that there are going to be changes that bring us

from Zoom classes to absolute in-person classes. Hopefully this will bring some sense of normalcy.

TJ Pittenger is a junior theology major from Gilson, Ill.

Union through their eyes

Students from other SDA universities review Union College

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s most of you know, Union is currently undergoing a rebranding process. But what is Union’s current image? To find out, I decided to look for the most unbiased, objective group of people that could best answer that question … and so I turned to fellow students from other SDA universities. Here’s what they had to say.

Writer’s note: If you don’t dwell on the fact they’re talking about us, the responses are actually really funny.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Union”?

“When I hear ‘Union’, I think of cornfields, rednecks, people with no sense of adventure, and the dump school for all Adventist high schools from west of the Mississippi to Nevada.” – Anonymous, Walla Walla “I think tumbleweeds in a barren land. I think CCM music.” – Jurnee, Oakwood “Middle of nowhere.” – Lexie, Southern “Small.” – Kyle, SWAU Out of all the SDA schools, where would you rank Union and why?

“I’m not sure of a numerical value, but I’ve heard Union has great programs and offers cool degrees like the wilderness rescue or something like that.” – Lexie, Southern “No. 3; I’ve heard good things about the school next to SWAU and Andrews.” – Kyle, SWAU “I would rank them right below Southwestern.” – Anonymous, Oakwood “Out of all the SDA schools, I’d probably rank Union somewhere in the middle.” – Anonymous, Walla Walla What’s a good thing you’ve heard about Union?

“A good thing is probably that their men’s soccer is pretty decent. Academically, nothing.” – Maritza, SWAU “It doubles the population of Nebraska in the school year. Who knew broke college

students could actually stimulate the economy?” – Tyler, Southern “I’ve heard that the programs are really good and that a lot of people really enjoy the professors and classes. The professors are really nice and the classes are wellconstructed.” – Anonymous, Walla Walla “Their nursing program.” – Anonymous, Oakwood What would it take for you to transfer to Union?

“The school itself would have to move to another state.” – Jurnee, Oakwood “The world.” Anonymous, Walla Walla “Somebody to kill me as soon as I got there. Or maybe if global warming moved the coastline to Kansas.” – Tyler, Southern “I honestly don’t think that anything Union has to offer will make me transfer. I have such a good film program here at SWAU, I don’t think anything in the SDA world will change my mind.” – Maritza, SWAU Well, it looks like maybe rebranding isn’t such a bad idea after all!

Sammy Ortiz is a junior nursing major from Orlando, Fla.

Sammy’s Vine Throwback of the Week:

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How to understand taxes Making tax season simpler

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ax season is upon us. And as a 20-year-old trying to become independent, I chose to pick up my sister’s old tax textbook and figure out what all these terms mean. I fell asleep in about 30 seconds (that book was so boring!) but I did learn a lot. Thus, I give you a few tax terms I’ve learned.

Bad debt: This is any debt a person accumulates, unless it was accumulated to pay their way through college. Debt from a shopping addiction or car you couldn’t afford is bad. Debt from trying to pay for a college education is good.

Qualifying relative: These are the people in your extended family who are invited to your future wedding. Typically, these relatives give you the really fancy and expensive gifts. Not the millionth scrapbook you’ll never use.

Passive income: This is the income the people who work at the front desk of the dorms make. They don’t really do much, but they still get paid as much as those that do actual, physical work on campus. To the best of my understanding, this term is just used by accountants to be passive aggressive.

Boot: I have absolutely no idea why it matters, but apparently the government really cares about footwear. The number of boots you own is a weirdly specific thing for them to know, but if it matters to the government, it matters.

Have fun pulling your boots out of the back of your closet.

Tax research: This is what you pretend you’re doing when you finally give up on trying to understand taxes but are still too proud to ask your dad for help. You go to your business major friend, tell them you may be interested in switching to their major, and finally ask

them to give you a crash course in paying taxes. They, being so supportive of their major, agree and somehow manage to confuse you even more.

Let’s be real, it was a terrible plan for me to try to figure out taxes. Tax season is a great reason to call my dad. He’s been doing taxes for years. Surely, he knows what to do by now. And I’m really good at smiling and pretending to know what he’s talking about.

Good luck with taxes this year everyone! *Disclaimer: although all of these terms really did come from a tax textbook, none of these definitions are accurate. Please ask for help from someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.

Lacey Stecker is a sophomore communication major from Noblesville, Ind.

EDITORIAL

Sexual violence at Union College

What we can do

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nion College may be a small, Christian campus where everybody knows everybody, but that does not guarantee it is immune to all dangers.

Thirteen percent of students in the United States experience rape or sexual assault on their campus during their undergraduate years. Sexual violence is not only more common on campus grounds than any other crime, but it also impacts women and members of the LGBTQ community more than any other group. Because approximately 90% of non-consensual sexual encounters are committed by perpetrators that the survivor knows, sexual violence too often goes unreported. Furthermore, women of color are more likely than white women to be told they are lying when reporting these crimes to authorities, even though they are no more likely to lie and their reports are truthful over 96% of the time.

So, what can we do to prevent sexual violence here at Union College? First, it’s important to note that most perpetrators of sexual violence commit these actions because of power, not sex. Rape and sexual violence are actions that stem from feelings of inadequacy. Addressing harmful stigmas related to men seeking mental health care plays a huge role in reducing these types of incidents due to the fact that males are the primary perpetrators of sexual violence. This is not meant to say all men are bad in any way, but instead that we should encourage societal viewpoints regarding men using therapy to cope with emotions.

Second, let’s have an open conversation about sexual encounters. The fear, stigma and shame that surrounds survivors of sexual violence could be largely remedied by open conversation and the reversal of victim blaming. It is okay to speak up when someone makes a degrading sexual “joke” or praises

violent actions, even if you are considered the killjoy at the table by bringing it up. Those, along with intimidations, manipulations, paranoia, depression and refusal to accept responsibility for actions, are legitimate warning signs of progressions leading to sexual violence.

Sex, or any other form of physical touching, should be consensual and respectful.

Instead of shaming those who are sexually active, let’s prioritize their physical and mental wellbeing. Creating a safe atmosphere, one in which students feel comfortable coming forward with a traumatic experience and one in which students know they will be taken seriously, is a big step.

Lydia Gentry is a senior international rescue and relief and social work major from Hendersonville, N.C.

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https://www.puzzles.ca/sudoku/ The Clocktower encourages reader feedback and strives to maintain accuracy. If you have comments, please email juliet.bromme@ucollege.edu or hannah.drewieck@ ucollege.edu. ucollege.edu The Clocktower, established in 1927 and sponsored by the Student Association of Union College, is published 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, Student Association, Union College, or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.