K A N S A S
S TAT E vol. 126, issue 23 friday, feb. 12, 2020
kstatecollegian.com
KBOR TEMPORARY FINANCIAL EXIGENCY POLICY COULD HURT HIGHER EDUCATION, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR SAYS BAILEY BRITTON editor-in-chief
Philip Nel, university distinguished professor in English, said he thinks the temporary financial exigency policy adopted by the Kansas Board of Regents “undermines higher education.” The board adopted the new policy in January which allows state universities to develop and obtain approval for department and unit specific staffing changes related to budget constraints brought on by COVID-19. “State universities are facing significant financial pressure as a result of lost revenue and declining enrollment from the pandemic, along with proposed cuts in state funding,” Matt Keith, KBOR director of communications, said in an email. The board adopted the policy on Jan. 20 and it lasts through Dec. 31, 2022. “The policy gave state universities 45 days from the time of its adoption ... to submit their framework for using the policy to the Board for approval,” Keith said. On Feb. 2, a letter signed by 103 distinguished professors from Kansas State, the University of Kansas, Wichita State University and the University of Kansas Medical Center urged the “immediate rescinding of the KBOR’s new termination policy.” “I work in higher education in Kansas and I would like higher education in Kansas to thrive,” Nel said. “Indeed, that is the mission of the Kansas Board of Regents that they’re supposed to support.”
ACTION How #BlackAtKState initiated a push for institutional change
Page 06
Climate survey results show opportunities for improvement at K-State
Page 03 Photo Illustration by Dalton Wainscott | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
As a result of many factors, the university budget sits in a multimillion-dollar hole. So far, only KU implemented the new policy. Nel, however, believes that could change. “Just because current leaders have decided not to impose it doesn’t mean that it won’t be imposed,” Nel said. “It also doesn’t mean that the board won’t extend this beyond the two years they say it will last.” Jeff Morris, vice president of communications and marketing, said K-State has “no intention” of implementing the policy. “K-State has current policies in place that will enable it to address the current fiscal situation,” Morris said in an email. “We continue to have serious financial constraints and will meet these challenges through our shared gover-
nance model. Because the policy is optional, K-State could decide to use it in the future, however, we have no intention of doing so.” The board adopted the temporary policy to give state university leadership flexibility to address financial challenges, Keith said. Nel said he believes this could harm higher education in the future because faculty and staff won’t want to work at universities the policy could be implemented. “You want to attract the best people,” Nel said. “If you have a board of regents that is sabotaging the universities, you don’t attract the best people.” Nel said the policy “sabotages” universities because it removes the security of tenure. “A lot of people think,
‘Oh, well that’s a good thing right now. No one should have tenure,’” Nel said. “Tenure is actually really, really hard to get. The point of tenure is that it allows scholars to pursue the truth without fear of repercussions. It allows people to investigate where they need to go and not worry.” Overall, Nel said he believes the new policy is a threat to academic freedom. “Academic freedom may be an abstract concept to people who don’t work in academia ... but it is that right to pursue the truth wherever it may lead you and you don’t get it just by showing up,” Nel said. “You have to prove your scholarship.” During a Jan. 29 town hall, President Richard Myers said the university is
still unsure if there will be more furloughs. “We don’t know definitively,” Myers said. “We have to wait and see how our enrollment turns out this spring … I don’t want to be too optimistic here, we have serious issues with our financing both enrollment standpoint and state budget.” Also during the town hall, Myers said tenure is important to K-State. “We value tenure, and we always will,” Myers said. “Tenure is an important part of how we operate at Kansas State University, so we have no plans on advocating to go away with tenure.” So far, K-State lost an estimated $96 million from increased expenses and declining revenue.
Winter cold front brings concern for campus, student safety
Page 04 Film committee believes pandemic restraints will offer creative opportunities
Page 09 ‘We are figuring things out’: Men’s basketball begins to show promise
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02
NEWS
K-State’s enrollment rates see half-decade of decline CLAIBORN SCHMIDT staff writer
Enrollment rates are down at Kansas State — and it isn’t because of the pandemic. “Students are just choosing not to go to college at all,” vice provost for enrollment management Karen Goos said. In the last few years, K-State saw an average of a seven percent drop in overall credit hours. Goos believes the university will see a decline in overall enrollment during the next 2-3 years, regardless of the pandemic. “Unfortunately, what we are seeing is a lower college-going rate, particularly in Kansas. The number of students who are choosing to go to a college at all has actually declined over the last few years,” Goos said. “It is not that they are necessarily
choosing to go to a community college versus going to a four year — students are just choosing not to go to college at all.” Goos said her and her colleagues hope to turn enrollment rates around by emphasizing the benefits of higher education. Though COVID-19 isn’t necessarily affecting enrollment, it makes an impact on recruitment. Recruiters are having to adapt to the pandemic by coming up with ways to provide tours and visits to future students. “We have shifted our in-person business model, having 2 visits a day on various days, as well as online visits,” Goos said. Though recruiting new students is important, Goos said she understands that incoming students may be worried about what their life would look like and whether
they will get the full experience at K-State. “Students want that college experience, they want to go to the football games, basketball games, they want to be involved in student life and Greek life, as well as everything that goes along with being a student,” Goos said. To encourage students to enroll at K-State, Goos furnished a strategic enrollment plan that prioritizes digital programs such as digital marketing, communications and online media resources. “Our priority and focus is the student experience, it’s one of the things I absolutely love about K-State,” Goos said. “... the commitment to the student experience and student success and that is a fabric of the values across everyone at K-State. I would tell you that is a very special and unique quality that we have here.”
EDITORIAL BOARD Bailey Britton Editor-in-Chief
Lori Leiszler Asst. Culture Editor
Julie Freijat Managing Editor
Cameron Bradley Sports Editor
Sean Schaper News Editor
Marshall Sunner Asst. Sports Editor
Josie Whitaker Asst. News Editor
Nathan Enserro Asst. Sports Editor
Jared Shuff Culture Editor
Dalton Wainscott Multimedia Editor
Dylan Connell Deputy Multimedia Editor Gabby Farris Design Lead
friday, feb 12, 2021
University begins search for student ombudsperson ALEXIS LETTERMAN staff writer
As the first part of the 11-step Action Plan for a More Inclusive K-State, the university formed a committee to find a student ombudsperson. Kansas State has three ombudspersons: one for the Polytechnic campus and two at the Manhattan Campus. However, all three only serve faculty and unclassified professionals, including administrators. The new ombudsperson will, instead, serve the student body and provide resources, investigate complaints and listen to maladministration accusations. Tara Coleman, web services librarian and Hale Library associate professor, serves as one of the university’s ombudspeople. “I am there as an ear,
but we are not lawyers and don’t give legal advice,” Coleman said. Coleman said the student ombudsperson will listen to the problems posed and then present the student with the correct resources. The ombudsperson will address student concerns of equity, harassment and discrimination. The university hopes fill the position and have the student ombudsperson ready to address student concerns as soon as possible. “It could be later this semester or into the summer,” Bryan Samuel, chief diversity and inclusion officer, said. Samuel said filling the role largely depends on the speed of the hiring process. The committee will choose an ombudsperson from applications of people already working at K-State in a fac-
ulty, staff or other administrative role. To apply, interested persons can submit a letter of interest accompanied by a resume or CV to Stefan Yates, special assistant to the chief diversity and inclusion officer. Samuels said hopefully, the creation of this role will eliminate the confusion and lack of direction students with concerns face. The ombudsperson will give students knowledge of resources and direct them to the correct departments to address their issues in a timely manner. The ombudsperson is a confidential source unless they become aware of an issue that requires mandatory reporting. Mandatory reporting pertains to issues where it is required by law or policy that confidentiality be put aside.
ON THE COVER
Blake Hachen Designer Sarah Unruh Designer Rachel Seiffert Marketing
Illustration by Julie Freijat Collegian Media Group
The Mission of the Collegian Media Group is to use best practices of journalism to cover and document life at Kansas State University from a diverse set of voices to inform and engage the K-State community. The Collegian welcomes your letters. We reserve the right to edit submitted letters for length and style. A letter intended for publication should be no longer than 600 words and must be relevant to the student body of K-State. It must include the author’s first and last name, year in school and major. If you are a graduate of K-State, the letter should include your year(s) of graduation and must include the city and state where you live. For a letter to be considered, it must include a phone number where you can be contacted. The number will not be published. Letters can be sent to letters@kstatecollegian.com or submitted through an online form at kstatecollegian.com. Letters may be rejected if they contain abusive content, lack timeliness, contain vulgarity, profanity or falsehood, promote personal and commercial announcements, repeat comments of letters printed in other issues or contain attachments. The Collegian does not publish open letters, third-party letters or letters that have been sent to other publications or people.
CORRECTIONS
If you see something that should be corrected, call editorin-chief Bailey Britton at 785-370-6356 or email collegian@ kstatecollegian.com The Collegian, a student newspaper at Kansas State University, is published by Collegian Media Group. It is published Fridays during the school year and on Wednesdays during the summer. Periodical postage is paid at Manhattan, KS. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 828 Mid-Campus Drive South, Kedzie 103, Manhattan, KS 665067167. First copy free, additional copies 25 cents. [USPS 291 020] © Collegian Media Group, 2021
03
NEWS
friday, february 12, 2021
‘THIS IS YOUR HOME’ Students dedicate Morris Family Multicultural Student Center JULIE FREIJAT managing editor
The Kansas State community celebrated the Morris Family Multicultural Student Center opening with a student dedication late Wednesday night. A limited amount of people attended in-person while others watched a live stream. The Native American Student Body president Laura Baldwin and secretary Tessa Ervine opened the program by presenting the Indigenous Land Acknowledgment. The acknowledgment recognizes K-State as the first land grant university and that it sits on stolen land. Trumanue Lindsey, director of diversity and multicultural student life, began the presentations by acknowledging the meaning of the new center. “One of the things that continued to come up time and time again is our students communicated that they wanted this building to be a home away from home,” Lindsey said. “And so what you will see with some of these cultural practices, these are all things that traditionally you will see that individuals will do to dedicate a new home when they move into a new home. This is your home.” Those who attended the
in-person event received a lapel. The lapel, created as an identifying emblem for the center, consists of multiple shapes and colors symbolizing different things, Lindsey said. Lindsey said unity and diversity was the theme that he thought of when thinking of the building. The first thing you will notice with the emblem, Lindsey said, is that it runs in a circular motion. “One of the common cultural American practices is having a wedding ring, right? And that wedding ring is in a circular motion because it symbolizes your love and that it should never end — that it should be timeless,” Lindsey said. In addition to the shape, the lapel contained multiple colors. The blue represents inspiration, the red represents passion, the green represents growth and new beginnings, the yellow represents joy and the purple represents K-State. Various multicultural groups celebrated the dedication in different ways. The Native American Student Body dedicated a painting to the center. Victor Andrews, vice president of the Native American Student Body and graduate student in kinesiology, said the organization
hoped to have a smudging ceremony but was unable to do so because of the weather. The painting, made by Bunky Echo-Hawk, pictured a Native American man with a mask over his mouth and nose that had the words “Land back” written on it. “We had originally intended to host Bunky EchoHawk’s art exhibition in person but were unable to for the safety of others,” Andrews said. “We were successful in integrating the art exhibition in 2020’s KSUnite event. Bunky Echo-Hawk met with the Native American Student Body prior to the event to discuss current climate and issues faced by Native American students on campus. He then morphed our discussion into this beautiful painting we see today.” The Asian American Student Union presented a lucky bamboo, a money tree and a broom for the center. Annie Cortes, president of AASU, said an old broom in the house carries old and negative energy and burdens. “To prevent that, the new broom that is brought in symbolizes a fresh, new beginning,” Cortes said. She also said there are many different Asian cultures and while they weren’t able to represent all of them, one
Dylan Connell | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Adrian Rodriguez, associate vice president for student life of diversity and multicultural student affairs, leads a tour to the Kansas State Student Governing Association in the Morris Family Multicultural Student Center on Nov. 18, 2020. thing many of the cultures have in common is balance and appreciation for ordinary objects, such as a broom. The Black Student Union and the African Students Union presented together. They poured libations to celebrate the opening of the center. The pouring of libations is an African tradition that involves pouring water or other liquids. Brandon Clark, program coordinator for DMSA, gave the introduction for the presentation. “As we pour the water this evening, there will be prayers that will be said,” Clark said. “And we hope
that by saying these prayers out loud, that these prayers will be activated and become real and alive.” Two students then poured libations into snake plants, a plant native to parts of western Africa. The plants will remain in the center permanently. The Hispanic American Leadership Organization celebrated the dedication by bringing bread and salt into the center, a common practice in Hispanic culture, Lindsey said. “And just like everything else that we’ve talked about today, each of these items, though they seem simple, have
symbolism behind them,” Lindsey said. “The bread, as a symbol for food longevity. It is said that when you bring bread into the home that each individual that occupies that space shall never lack for food in the house. The salt that is presented here symbolizes love and flavor. It is said that when presented with the salt, the occupants will always have love and they will live a life that is flavorful.” Additionally, a poem was read in dedication to the center. Although a shared meal was not possible, attendees received cookies to celebrate the dedication ceremony.
Climate survey results show opportunities for improvement on K-State campus SEAN SCHAPER news editor
During the last spring semester, students, faculty, staff and administrators received the 2020 Kansas State University Climate Survey. A majority of respondents indicated they are “very comfortable or comfortable” with the campus climate. The survey asked a broad range of questions related to organizational
climate and overall comfort level in and around the K-State campus. Other areas the survey touched on included diversity training and recruitment, welcoming and respect, interaction, safety, belongingness and value and overall support. The survey reached over 26,000 members of the K-State community and had a 26 percent response rate. Among the 7,000 responses, nearly 4,000 students took part in complet-
ing the survey. “I was truly surprised at the high level of participation, particularly among employees, but also among students,” Bryan Samuel, chief diversity and inclusion officer, said. “Everyone had an opportunity to participate — faculty, staff, administrators were engaged.” The university designed the survey not only to help improve the experience of the university’s community, but also
the well-being of it by measuring how diversity and inclusion play a crucial role at the university. In addition to providing information about the positive aspects of the campus climate, participants also offered suggestions for change about the challenging aspects found around campus. The majority of the respondents said they were “very comfortable or comfortable” with the climate at
K-State. However, other areas of the survey showed the university’s capability of improving. The executive summary of the survey, by associate provost for institutional research Bin Ning, lays out those areas of improvement.
To read more, visit kstatecollegian.com
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NEWS
WEATHER
Winter cold front brings concern for campus, student safety SEAN SCHAPER news editor
Infographic by Sean Schaper | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Winter gripped its freezing claws around the city of Manhattan with temperature lows dropping into the negatives. Heavy precautions are being taken in and around the Kansas State campus to enhance the safety of students and Manhattanites. Casey Lauer, assistant vice president in engineering, utilities and maintenance, said it takes a team effort to make sure the streets, sidewalks and building steps are properly prepared for any cold weather front that may come to campus. “Generally speaking, the emergency manager for KSU issues an update in advance of winter weather outlining the
friday, feb 12, 2021
potential for snow and ice,” Lauer said. “Once the conditions warrant the need for removal, the campus police department contact Tim Brunner to respond with the intention of making streets passable.” Brunner, steam and chilled water management plant manager, coordinates with others in facilities to respond to clearing campus sidewalks, building entrances and steps. While Brunner is responsible for the campus heating plant and coordinates snow removal activities, Brett Robinson, landscape services superintendent, takes responsibility for snow removal on sidewalks, ramps and grounds. Among the team are other members who also contribute to keeping students safe during these conditions, including Linda Craghead, custodial director, and Diana Hutchison, planning, project and space management director. Craghead is responsible for snow removal from building entrances and Hutchison
is in charge of construction activity on campus. “We are never sad to see winter turn to spring, especially with late events occurring into March,” Lauer said. Depending on the winter weather, the team may treat areas with brine in advance, or they may respond to remove snow or ice and treat slick spots with salt. Similar to on-campus, the City of Manhattan pre-treats certain streets and sidewalks by priority levels. However, not all sidewalks and streets are maintained, leaving some students struggling to commute to their first week of in-person classes. “It’s dangerous for students to be walking in these conditions especially when we have Zoom options,” Makaila Astle, sophomore in nutrition and kinesiology, said.
To read more, visit kstatecollegian.com
05
NEWS
friday, february 12, 2021
‘WE DON’T HAVE TO HAVE ANIMOSITY’ EMMA WITTER staff writer
After a tumultuous election cycle and unrest in recent months, several panelists at Thursday's Community Action Talk said they're encouraged by the ongoing discussion of the nation's political climate, specifically among young people. Moderated by Sue Peterson, chief government relations officer, "Unpacking the Election," featured several Kansas State faculty members and Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab as panelists. Amid state and nationwide shutdowns because of the pandemic, Schwab said his biggest challenge during the 2020 election was finding a way to keep polling places open. Young voters made this possible, he said. For the first time in state history, Schwab said, many polling places throughout Kansas were overstaffed because young voters
turned out to help. Now in office, the new administration can begin working on campaign promises. President Joe Biden promised to create the most diverse cabinet in history during his campaign. Brianne Heidbreder, associate professor of political science, said Biden's trajectory on this front looks good so far with 11 women and 13 men appointed. "This is important because it puts our presidential cabinet in the same position as other nations who are leading the way in gender parity," Heidbreder said. She said the Biden administration will make history in a couple other ways as well, as diversity among other demographic characteristics has increased. This doesn't mean there isn't still work to be done, Heidbreder said, since the president's "inner cabinet" still consists of mostly white men. Expanding on the discussion of the Biden adminis-
tration's progress, Nathaniel Birkhead, associate professor of political science, predicted the democratic party will have its way with its COVID-19 response package, but "not much else." "I would not expect a lot of major legislation to go through, simply because they don't have the votes necessary for it," Birkhead said. Schwab and Timothy Shaffer, associate professor of communication studies, said they're happy about the way the 2020 election went in Kansas despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. As a traditionally red state, Schwab said Kansas didn't face much speculation on voter suppression or voter fraud as other states like Pennsylvania, even with a large increase in mail-in voting. "I love the way that this election cycle went," Shaffer said. "It was phenomenal to have the opportunities of access and ease.
Kansas makes it accessible, and appropriately fair and equal." While voting went smoothly for many throughout Kansas, Shaffer said he remains concerned about the state of the nation's unity. The insurrection of the U.S. Capitol in early January highlights the fragility of any self-governing democratic society, he said. "We're at a boiling point in many regards," Shaffer said. Despite incidents of unrest, Heidbreder said the government is becoming more representative of its voters. "We do have some evidence that there was a surge in voter turnout ... particularly in rural Black counties, diverse counties in metro-Atlanta ... and in certain areas of the country," Heidbreder said. "There is a desire to see a more diverse government. Race and gender, yes. Age, not so much. As an institution, it is probably not representative of the U.S.
CAT panelists break down the 2020 election
population in terms of age." Religion and sexual orientation are also seeing increased representation in the government, Heidbreder said. Shaffer said the traditional partisan mindset of American democracy creates a great challenge in reimagining the country's institutions. It's dangerous to begin viewing politics as a sport, he said, as many Americans side with their party rather than considering individual problems and policies. Shaffer called this the "gameification" of politics. Birkhead said associating one's identity with political affiliation contributes to this "gameification" and creates a loss of touch with what one's politics actually means. "It doesn't actually have much policy bearing whatsoever," Birkhead said. "It operates on a symbolic level. People ... will fight and hate each other. If you get them to not
think about that, and instead just discuss a reasonable way to address gun control ... not thinking in partisan terms, we actually do a pretty good job of coming together." When politics aren't about what "team" someone is on, it's easier to lose attachment to those ideological identities, Birkhead said. Then, voters are forced to address what the government is actually doing. "We don't have to have animosity," Birkhead said. In closing, Shaffer encouraged viewers of the Community Action Talk to consider politics not as something that occurs elsewhere and at the hands of other people, but as the daily act of listening to understand. A recording of today's and all past Community Action Talks is available on the K-State Diversity and Inclusion website.
‘It was a complete disaster’:
Couple shares bad local renting experiences BAILEY BRITTON editor-in-chief
Korrie Kennedy, senior in anthropology and medical laboratory science, attempted to rent from Frontier Property Management in August with her boyfriend, Brett Moss, former Kansas State student. However, on the day they tried to move in, they saw many unwelcome issues with the property. Kennedy is no stranger to bad renting experiences. “My most prevalent issues were when I attempted to rent from Frontier, which was supposed to be where I’m living now,” Kennedy said. “I was supposed to rent from them from August 2020 to July 2021.”
Kennedy and Moss planned to live at 200 S. Manhattan Ave. and expected to pay $850 a month in rent for the two-bedroom house. “We decided on that house about six months prior to when we were supposed to move-in,” Kennedy said. “A day before move-in, on July 31, I got a phone call from their property manager Bianca that the previous tenant had stayed past their lease and so they needed more time to get the house in order, and apparently it was a huge mess.” Kennedy told Frontier she would rather have the issues fixed before moving in and pushed back the move-in date. Frontier is a property management company, meaning the company doesn’t own
the house or apartments they manage — the company only provides management services to property owners. “Our team is responsible for working with each individual property owner and figuring it out,” Tyler Holloman, owner, said previously. “If they have certain vendors that they like to use. We have some owners that prefer to do most of their maintenance themselves to save on cost. We have some owners who have, you know, relationships with other vendors and so it’s really owner-specific. Each property kind of has a different protocol for how it’s handled.”
To read more, visit kstatecollegian.com
Bailey Britton | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Senior in anthropology Korrie Kennedy and her boyfriend and former K-State student Brett Moss tried to move into this property in August. However, they say the property had overgrown bushes, wet carpet that smelled like dog pee and other problems.
06
CULTURE
friday, feb 12, 2021
How #BlackAtKState initiated a push for institutional change KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN
staff writer
Cara Bruce didn’t expect #BlackAtKState to attract much attention when she first tweeted it from the Black Student Union account in June. If she saw 20 tweets, she said she would have been happy with that result. “My goal was to raise the awareness that students at K-State do face racial injustices,” Bruce, president of the BSU and junior in social sciences, said. But she didn’t see 20 tweets. Instead, Bruce said her phone blew up. Current and former Black students from Kansas State shared thousands of tweets using the hashtag in a matter of days. “I did not understand what was happening,” she said. “It was like a rush of adrenaline. I was like ‘What is going on right now — there are so many tweets.’ ... I was reading everybody’s tweets and I was like this is ridiculous.” Melina Alferoff, BSU vice president and junior in biological and agricultural engineering, said she was also “shocked” by the number of people who used the hashtag to share their stories of what it’s like to be Black at K-State. Alferoff shared her own experiences feeling silenced in spaces dominated by white males, like her engineering courses, using the hashtag. “I feel as if I’m always talked over or dismissed by other students,” she said. For Maia Lewis, senior in mass communications, sharing in the thread of tweets helped her feel seen, but it also
connected her to other Black students. “I was able to relate to a lot of the other #BlackAtKState comments that were made, and I was able to see their hurt,” Lewis said. “When we come together, we don’t really talk about all the things that happen to us day-to-day. ... I feel like a lot of our stories are really similar because they were all about us being just unaccepted or neglected.” That sharing is what made #BlackAtKState so powerful, Bruce said — it bypassed the instinct to “hold back” those experiences. Instead of keeping them to themselves, Black students could be honest about what they experienced in a public manner.
PUSH FOR PROGRESS
Afterward, Bruce said she felt the need to push for more progress and improvement in K-State’s handling of issues related to diversity and cultural competence. As a student leader, she said she needed to support Black students who dealt with racism, discrimination and microaggressions. In the months since #BlackAtKState trended, university administration announced a series of 11 checkpoints that make up the Action Plan for a More Inclusive K-State. Among them include plans to increase retention of students and faculty of color, adding a multicultural overlay requirement to all degree programs and implementing a “’truth, racial healing and transformation’ framework.” President Richard Myers said #BlackAtKState wasn’t the only catalyst for the action plan to take shape but was one in a series of events over the
summer that culminated in one major push for change. At this point, according to the tracking website, all goal points remain in the “planning” or “in-progress” phase and none have reached the formal “launched” phase yet. All 11 goals are prioritized equally in the scheme of things, Myers said, but some may see major progress sooner since they require less institutional changes. For instance, K-State is on track to meet its goal to hire a Student Ombudsperson to lead an office meant to help students handle discrimination and racism they encounter. Other goals, like the one to review all university policies and rules to weed out problems, is a large task — one slowed by a pandemic that limits in-person meetings and face-to-face conversation. “As you can imagine, this is a large university, it’s like a proverbial aircraft carrier trying to turn,” Myers said. “It took decades to write a lot of those policies, so they’re not going to be fixed overnight, but we’re in the process of doing that and we’re committed to doing that. Nobody can wave a wand and say ‘Make it this way’ — we have to work at it.” In the near future, Alferoff hopes to see K-State follow through on its goals to set aside more needbased scholarships to help attract students to campus who otherwise might be left out. “By K-State going through with scholarships that are targeted toward minorities, that will help more students feel like K-State actually wants us here
llustration by Julie Freijat | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
by giving us funds to actually be at K-State,” Alferoff said.
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE
These goals are good starting points Bruce says, but she hopes to see more in the future. She also hopes to see the same intensity for these changes linger after the heat of the moment has faded.
Myers says once these goals have been met, the journey to creating a more inclusive campus will not stop. “There is no endpoint. There is no checkered flag and you go across the finish line you say ‘Aha, we’ve made it,’” Myers said. “It’s something we’re gonna have to work on forever. As we get through these action steps, we’ll look at other opportunities.”
Ag Diversity Programs Office persists in mission in spite of COVID-19 ETHAN THIMMESCH staff writer
Like many organizations, the Kansas State College of Agriculture Diversity Programs Office had many of its normal activities uprooted by COVID-19. The DPO was established to promote leadership, understanding, and diverse opportunities among students and faculty in the College of Agriculture. Its main goals include recruiting, retaining, graduating and placing minority stu-
dents in the college. In a normal year, the DPO hosts many events in hopes of accomplishing these goals. Events include Cargill College for a Day, where potential students participate in hands-on activities, facility tours, interacting with current K-State agriculture students, the MLK Jr. Diversity Student Leader Reception, which teaches students about the civil rights movement and current diversity issues, as well as the Growing Our Mindset Forum, where industry leaders, stu-
dent panels and moderators challenge and engage student perceptions and preparedness for becoming leaders. For obvious reasons, these events did not happen as they normally would have. “We have had to move our events online,” Mckenzie Stevens, undergraduate assistant and sophomore in animal sciences and industry, said. “We were able to have the speaker and some attendees in person, but most of the attendees were online.” Though COVID-19
caused events to move online, Josephine Gianni, senior in feed science and a new member of the DPO, said it hasn’t been all bad. “It was really neat to see how many students were able to get on Zoom,” Gianni said. “Personally, I was nervous about the turnout, but seeing as many people as I did, I was excited.” When it comes to everyday operations, Summer Smades, junior in agricultural economics and undergraduate assistant for the organization,
said things have been difficult. In October, Smades said COVID-19 made things especially hard for the department when they couldn’t come in and work in person. “We have three undergraduate assistants that really come to the office ... all of us have had to go virtual for part of that time,” Smades said. Everything considered, the DPO worked to keep up in the constantly changing semester and taken precautions when necessary, whether remote or in person.
“I’m happy that even though we are restricted with COVID-19 regulations, we are able to have students in the office, the ones that are allowed to be of course, properly social distanced.” Zelia Wiley, assistant dean and director of diversity programs in the College of Agriculture, said. “It’s been really great that they still have the comfort to come to the office. We are proud to have created a safe space for people to safely be in the office in person.”
07
CULTURE
friday, february 12, 2021
Zucker and Cutler embrace isolation for new EP ‘brent ii’ JARED SHUFF culture editor
Isolation allows the mind to wander, searching for a truth the outside world can’t provide. Musicians Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler embraced the isolation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic with their latest EP “brent ii,” a culmination of intense self-reflection and criticism. Zucker and Cutler, both 24, are no strangers to introspective artistry. The two released “brent” in 2019, leaving the bustle of New York City for a remote cabin in upstate New York. After days of writing, exploring and conversing about life, the five-song EP was born. Both musicians knew this was the start of a continuing artistic relationship, but neither expected a sequel project
so soon. However, in a time where human connection proves difficult to find, “brent ii” brings a much-needed emotional warmth. Following the same format as the original, “brent ii” features three duets and two solo songs, one for both Zucker and Cutler. The opening song, “this is how you fall in love,” debuted on Jan. 15, a song about lovers finding solace in each other’s presence. On the day of its release, Cutler described the song as a slow dance and her favorite duet with Zucker. As the dance ends, it transitions into “parent song,” an ode to family and the relationship between a grown-up child and their parents. Despite moving away and starting their own lives, Zucker and Cutler acknowl-
edge the love they have for their parents, singing “there’s nowhere else I’d rather spend my day / I love you. I know sometimes I don’t say / ‘Cause I know everything will be okay, be okay.” While the first song teaches listeners how to fall in love, the third song, “emily,” shows what it’s like to fall out of it. After puppy-dog love fades, stubborn denial alone remains. With heartbreaking passion, Zucker sings, “I’ll lie to you screaming, ‘I’d die for you’ / Knowing how hard it’ll be to get back where we started.” Neither person can accept the relationship is over, even though they are killing each other emotionally. The final two songs on the record showcase their individual artistry, starting with Zucker’s “brooklyn boy.”
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A year’s worth of frustrations and emotions build up throughout the song, leading to a cathartic release that leaves the listener in pieces. Zucker sings, “No amount of tears / Will wash away all of my fears / And no amount of time / Will change the way I feel inside.” Culter closes out the EP wrestling with her fate in “the stars.” Searching for guidance after a particularly painful breakup, Cutler looks for answers from a higher place.
She sings “‘Maybe I want your love forever’, is that so bad to say? / Maybe we’re meant to be together if God had his way.” The song ends with Cutler explaining how the stars made her stay for so long, believing the lovers were meant for each other despite the pain. Soul-stirring lyricism mixed with soft, simplistic production makes “brent ii” more of an experience than just a record. This record is for anyone needing a cathar-
REVIEW
tic cry, an emotional detox for the mentally exhausting year we’ve had. Sometimes the best way to move on from pain is to embrace it, at least for a moment. Jared Shuff is the Collegian culture editor and a junior in secondary education. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
‘The Little Things’ rides the line between murder mystery, psychological thriller
JULIE FREIJAT
managing editor
In 1993, Steven Spielberg passed on directing the first draft of “The Little Things” because he felt the story was too dark for him. Well, I can see what he meant. The neo-noir murder mystery starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto reminded me slightly of “The Shining,” boasting a plot that only thickens as the protagonist’s mental state thins. Washington and Malek play detectives chasing Leto’s character, suspecting he is responsible for a series of murders plaguing the Los Angeles area. “The Little Things” does many things different from traditional crime films, and I think that is where people get disappointed. Don’t expect to yield any real satisfaction from the film. It rides the line between psychological thriller and murder mystery. Also, this film is a slow burn — like really slow, which isn’t for everyone. That said, I think there were a lot of things the film does well. There isn’t much of a score, which is usually what I listen for when thinking about a film. In this case, I think the absence of a defined score actually strengthens the film. Anything else on top of the already detailed film would just be distracting. Another strength? The acting. Jared Leto, who played the suspect named Albert, was absolutely phenomenal. He does a great job sliding into a character that isn’t easy to play. Malek, who played detective Baxter, surprised me. I’m not used to seeing him in this kind of role, but it really shows off his range. Washington, playing
another detective — Deke — was all-around solid. I was impressed by his range through the film as well, but I still wish we saw more from his character. The character development, on the other hand, was a weak point. As I said, I wish we got more from Deke, because there was a lot there to unpack. I was also confused by Baxter’s development because it seemed slightly rushed. Time that could’ve been used to unpack these characters and their emotions was used for shots or plot development — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I think the film could have benefitted from spending more time on character development. As far as the film as a whole goes — it is dark. It isn’t the kind of film that provides you any solace at the end. Rather, it does quite the opposite. It’s realistic. It’s graphic — not for the weak-stomached. It focuses more on the mental health of the detectives than it does on the actual casework. It is frustrating at times, but I think it’s a good film for what it is. If you want to watch a murder mystery, don’t watch it. If you’re in the mood for something a little darker, this might be up your alley. “The Little Things,” at the least, is making big waves in a quiet theater during the pandemic. “The Little Things,” at the least, is making big waves in a quiet theater during the pandemic. Julie Freijat is managing editor of the Collegian. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
CULTURE
OPINION LORI LEISZLER
assistant culture editor
I want to break up this Valentine’s Day. Is that heartless? I don’t mean break up with my boyfriend — gosh no, he’s a cutie. Rather, I want to break up with the day itself. Or, should I say, season. It has become very clingy, and I’m tired of seeing it everywhere I go. When did Valentine’s Day become a time for chocolate, flower and greeting-card companies to meet their annual quotas instead of a simple day for people to remember the parts of life that matter? The National Retail Federation website, which has compiled data on Valen-
tine’s Day spending for the last decade, says the average American is expected to spend over $160 this Valentine’s Day — a high number, but much less than the average $196 of last year. When did this holiday start seeping over two months, instead of one day? It’s important to show the ones you love that you care all year round, but I don’t see any oversized, red bow-tied teddy bears in September holding cursive hearts and demanding “BE MINE!” No one wants that. Except, of course, the previously mentioned big companies looking for a profit. But they do that with every big holiday anyway. It’s ludicrous to imagine a world where this gaudy
friday, feb 12, 2020
I want to break up this Valentine’s Day commercial Valentine’s Day is every day, but somehow we as a culture agree to celebrate it extravagantly every year from Jan. 2 until Feb. 14. We look forward to this holiday for a long time, but are we just using that feigned “hope” as escapism from the present struggles we face? It sure seems easier than facing our daily lives and overcoming our struggles to recognize the joy in them. It’s easy to say “I’ll be happy on the holidays,” knowing that a party or an adventure could distract us. But happiness is a decision, and we need to make it every day. Single or not. Instead of admitting that joy is a decision, we merely cushion this holiday season in sweets and soft things. We
proceed on Feb. 15 longing for the next season leading up to a day. But seeking mere things will only continue to disappoint. Don’t get me wrong — all these things are nice, but they are merely that: things. What people really want for Valentine’s Day — more than expensive gifts — is to be seen and accepted as the unique, amazing souls they are. If you’re finding it hard this year to know your selfworth, or you’re concerned for someone else, it’s never too late to make an appointment with Kansas State Counseling Services. After all, it’s important to love yourself too. With up to eight free therapy sessions a semester, students don’t have to break the bank either.
We as a society should quit pressuring broke college students to spend tons of money on things for their loved ones to show how much they care. When did gifts switch from being surprising to being expected? How pretentious of us. And society needs to quit pressuring stressed college singles into thinking a hook-up with someone else will make them happy. My dear readers, do not believe this. If you aren’t looking for someone, or you just haven’t found the right person yet, don’t feel pressured to. I hope you are satisfied and content with yourself before adding someone else’s problems to your own. Valentine’s Day has somehow shifted from a Catholic feast day celebrating the death of a saint to a season of feasting on sweets and ignoring the New Years’ resolutions made a month earlier. I know we could all use a
little self-care, this year especially. But we’re glorifying this season with commercialized traditions of buying things to represent how much couples love each other, pitying those who aren’t in a relationship. Maybe it’s because my love language isn’t gifts, or because this is my first year not being single, but I’d like to think love can’t be bought. Being single doesn’t mean you’re alone. I’d love to break up with this saccharine holiday that makes lovers broke and singles feel like they’re somehow doing things wrong. Lori Leiszler is the assistant culture editor of the Collegian and a junior in secondary education with an emphasis in English/journalism. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
By Dave Green
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2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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Film festival organizers believe pandemic restraints will offer creative opportunities JARED SHUFF culture editor
Archive photo by Melanie White COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Speaking to the crowd at the 48-Hour Film Challenge, assistant professor Tom Hallaq prepares to annouce the winners of the festival. The first place film was later announced to be Cigarette Sally, which was directed by Matthew Vohs and Zeb Willey.
Creative minds rarely stop imagining new ideas and concepts, even during a global pandemic. The Kansas State 48-Hour Film Challenge hopes to serve as an outlet for student creativity, hosting its first-ever virtual contest. After the cancellation of the 2020 festival, members of the festival committee said they are excited about student submissions. Rusty Earl, director and video producer for the College of Education, believes pandemic restrictions will push students to think outside the box. “[Students] can still get together as a team, whether that’s virtually or not,” Earl said. “[They] can still make something really good out of restraint.” Earl helped organize the festival back in 2016, serving as the committee chair before this year. Katherine Karlin, associate professor of English, will take on the position for this year’s festival. “I’m convening the committee, but it’s very much a collaborative work,”
Karlin said. “I have enjoyed these festivals so much. People come up with such ideas, and we’ve had a lot of genres.” Thrillers, comedies and horror films are just a few genres Karlin said she has seen entered in the festival. She loves the range of ideas and the student creativity this event gets to showcase. Of course, the 48-Hour Film Challenge will look immensely different this year. Past festivals offered workshops, brainstorming sessions and a spectacular ceremony at the Staley School of Leadership announcing the winners. “It was a big blowout,” Nick Homburg, journalism and mass communications instructor, said. “There was food, we gave away prizes, all kinds of stuff. It was like going to the Emmys.” The virtual aspect of this year’s festival leaves many things up in the air. Homburg hopes to maintain some of its glamor while adapting to COVID-19 restrictions. Earl brought up the possibility of a hybrid launch, with team captains attending in-person. “We really like to have [team captains] there in-person where they can
Small businesses support community, each other amid pandemic ANDREA DIZMANG staff writer
Small businesses took a huge blow this year because of economic factors accompanying the pandemic. As a result, they were forced to find new ways to appeal to the Manhattan community. On the north end of town near Cico Park, TheraPie is owned and operated by Tiffany Oppelt. The business’ roots trace back to Oppelt‘s childhood when her grandmother, Thera Fern, taught her to make pies. Now, TheraPie a licensed home bakery with a rotating menu of various pies. “The business was named not only for my grandma, Thera, but also for the therapy pies provide,” Oppelt said. “From making, to sharing it with yourself or your loved ones, to remembering your
favorite pie makers. Especially in 2020, we firmly believe that everyone needs a little TheraPie.” TheraPie started out as a side gig for Oppelt, but when the pandemic hit, she saw an opportunity to start making pies full-time. “Business was picking up, and I decided that if I really put my energy behind it, I could keep spreading pie love and help provide the income we needed for our family,” Oppelt said. Online and social media marketing, selling pies at a local restaurant and offering delivery during the initial lockdown all helped TheraPie grow in the trying early days of the pandemic. The most important ingredient in the business’ success, Oppelt said, was making pies that would make people happy.
“With more and more people looking online and wanting to support local, it actually helped our business to grow,” she said. Gina Scroggs, executive director for Downtown Manhattan, Inc., said shopping locally is vital to sustaining the local economy. “This year, the data is indicating that for every 100 dollars you spend locally, 68 of those 100 dollars stays right here in this community,” Scroggs said. “Small businesses make up 60 percent of all businesses in America and 65 percent of the workforce. I mean, it’s incredible the impact that small businesses have on America. We are the backbone, essentially.”
To read more, visit kstatecollegian.com
ask questions and really kind of flesh out ideas,” Earl said. “This is still very much a work in progress,” Karlin said. “Up until the end of last semester, we were thinking maybe — fingers crossed — we can go all live.” When it was announced the first two weeks of classes would be online only, Karlin decided planning a live event wasn’t feasible. Holding the festival over Zoom not only keeps people safe but allows friends and family from all over to attend. Judges for the event range from local filmmakers to Hollywood producers and editors. Part of Homburg’s role on the committee is finding those judges, reaching out to several interesting contacts. “I got turned down as much as I got yeses,” Homburg said. “We’ve had judges from other film festivals, you know, big ones like Sundance.” Committee members also designate specific elements students must incorporate in their films, like phrases, locations and props. Creators who can weave these elements into the story
stand a better chance of winning than those who just check them off the list. The teams of about four to six students have 48 hours after the initial launch to create and upload their films. Judges then view the films, leave critiques and cast their votes. All of the films are then showcased a week later, with audience members voting for their favorite. Karlin offered some technical advice for students interested in the festival. “Leave plenty of time for editing,” Karlin said. “That is the most time-consuming and in many ways the most creative part of the process.” She also urged students to use quality audio equipment. While phones can capture great visuals, they lack the audio equipment needed for a quality film. If necessary, students can sign out equipment from the media resource center. The 48-Hour Film Challenge is scheduled to kick off Mar. 25, with the final showcase and announcements on Apr. 8. For more information and to reserve a spot, visit the K-State 48 Film Fest website.
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‘We are figuring things out’: Men’s basketball begins to show promise MARSHALL SUNNER assistant sports editor
When looking at 11-straight losses strictly on paper, one may feel disgruntled. Going that long without a win would likely mean things are reaching the in-salvageable range. Fans would be unhappy and coaches’ seats may be hot. But that’s not the case for the Kansas State men’s basketball team. Fans, who have recently been unhappy with the team’s performance, gave the team a standing ovation after Tuesday’s 80-77 loss to No. 13 Texas. Why? Because for once this season the Wildcats (5-16) showed sustainable improvements. “Our effort was good,” head coach Bruce Weber said after the game. “We played against one of the best teams in
the country, and they played at a high level.” The Wildcats had a season to forget, rewriting the worst parts of the program’s record book and only beating one team ranked inside the top-200, according to KenPom. Now, K-State doesn’t believe in moral victories, but the close loss to the Longhorns proved to be another step in the right direction. “It’s good. As a basketball player, you want to be competitive and stay in games as a competitor,” senior guard Mike McGuirl said. “Those are the games you live for. Unfortunately, we were close but we didn’t get it done. It’s good to be in a game but now it’s going back and learning from it as we’ve done all year, we are just trying to improve to the next game. It’s good to be in a game, but now it’s time to improve some more.”
For the first time since Jan. 2 and Jan. 5, K-State has put together two consecutive games where the game was within reach. Freshman guard Nijel Pack (22 points on Tuesday) continues to blossom into a star, McGuirl hit big shots when he needed to and the duo of freshman Davion Bradford and sophomore Kaosi Ezeagu are doing enough in the post to keep things close. Freshman guard Selton Miguel is also finding his grove and evolving his game rather than focusing on being a spotup shooter — one of the few positives from sophomore DaJuan Gordon’s injury. Guys are improving and making the most of their minutes. Now it’s just time to take the next leap — which is winning. Looking back to Tuesday’s game, K-State needs to learn how to sustain an effort for a
full-40-minutes. As easy as that sounds, it’s not. The Wildcats continue to have one stretch in every game that proves to be detrimental. A 12-2 stretch by Texas early in the second half put the team into a hole that it wasn’t able to dig out of. “The one little stretch, I thought, at the start of the second half, our execution and poise weren’t very good,” Weber said. “That stretch put them back at 14 or 15-point lead ... You have those opportunities, and we just didn’t get them done.” Pack agreed that the run at the start of the half was the closer — but knows there are ways to eliminate that in the future. “That run we gave them at the start of the second half made the difference,” Pack said. “We have got to make more free throws. I know I missed the
front end of a one and one. If we could be better in that area that would be nice. But we can’t let teams to get big jumps on us. We needed to have fight from the beginning. If we had done that the game probably would have turned out differently.” Earlier this season, K-State may not have fought back as they did on Tuesday. That effort shows both growth and maturity — something fans have been begging for. Weber’s pleas are finally getting answered and he continues to stand by his guys — regardless of the final outcome. “I can’t say enough about our guys,” Weber said. “We just gotta focus on the positive. Our guys continue to make improvements. They’ve done that. Hopefully we can make one more step here and find some ways to get some wins down the stretch.”
Now, the stretch does not get much easier, but with the way K-State has been playing as of late, a win is not that far off track. Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State stands out as a possible step — as does the Feb. 17 game at home against Kansas and at TCU on Feb. 20. Regardless of what happens down the stretch, this K-State team is finally showing the promise that was expected earlier in the season. Players look much more comfortable and the groove is coming into focus. “We’ve been playing basketball the way it should be played,” McGuirl said. “It’s been fun playing with my guys like that. I love these dudes to death. We are figuring things out, but now we have got to get even better.”
Photo Courtesy of Scott Weaver
Freshman guard Selton Miguel saves the ball going out of bounds in Kansas State’s 80-77 loss to Texas at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan on Feb. 9, 2021.
Football announces 2021 schedule MARSHALL SUNNER assistant sports editor
The football team, along with the entire Big 12 Conference, released its full 2021 schedule for fall 2021 on Thursday afternoon. Kansas State will host five Big 12 games, which include notable match-ups against Oklahoma, Iowa State and West Virginia. The team will also host Baylor and TCU. The Wildcats open the season in Arlington, Texas, for the Allstate Kickoff Classic against Pac-12 foe Stanford on Sep. 4. The teams play in AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. K-State rounds out the
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non-conference schedule with home games against Southern Illinois on Sept. 11 and Nevada on Sep. 18. Big 12 play starts off on the road against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Sep. 25. It’s the 21st time the Wildcats will start the conference season on the road in the 26 years of Big 12 play. K-State will take its 12game winning streak against in-state foe Kansas on the road to Lawrence for the Sunflower Showdown. That 12-game mark is the longest winning-streak either team has had in the 118-year history of the rivalry. In the last two home games of the year, K-State
looks to break losing streaks to both West Virginia (fivestraight losses) and Baylor (three-straight losses). The team’s final game of the regular season is in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 27 — the latest a K-State team ever played a regular-season game at Texas. It’s the second-straight year the Wildcats and Longhorns will battle in the final game of the season. By the end of the season, K-State will only travel to two different states. After the regular season wraps up, the Big 12 Championship is scheduled for Dec. 4 at AT&T Stadium. All game dates are subject to change.
FULLSCHEDULE Sep. 4
vs. Stanford @ AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Sep. 11
vs. Southern Illinois @ Manhattan
Sep. 18
vs. Nevada @ Manhattan
Sep. 25
vs. Oklahoma State @ Stillwater, Oklahoma
Oct. 2
vs. Oklahoma @ Manhattan
Oct. 16
vs. Iowa State @ Manhattan
Oct. 23
vs. Texas Tech @ Lubbock, Texas
Oct. 30
vs. TCU @ Manhattan
Nov. 6
vs. Kansas @ Sunflower Showdown, Lawrence
Nov. 13
vs. West Virginia @ Manhattan
Nov. 20
vs. Baylor @ Manhattan
Nov. 27
vs. Texas @ Austin, Texas
‘IT’S ALL ABOUT CHARACTER’ Former punter Devin Anctil talks about his career at K-State COLIN SETTLE staff writer
Devin Anctil, former Second Team All-Big 12 punter for Kansas State, is one year removed from playing for the football team and graduating from K-State. Even after graduating, Anctil keeps up to date with everything going on in this doozy of a season. Over the course of his career, Anctil finished sixth in school history in total punts (83), fifth in school history in total yards per punt (3,718), and second in school history in average yards per punt (44.8). Anctil could be considered one of the better statistical punters in K-State history. “I think that’s pretty cool,” Anctil said. “I learned from Nick Walsh when I first got there so that was pretty cool that he took me under his wing. It’s also just really cool,
and an honor to be up there that high. I never thought I’d be up there that’s for sure.” Anctil hadn’t always planned to play for the Wildcats growing up. As a matter of fact, Anctil grew up rooting for K-State’s rival — the Kansas Jayhawks. Like many other current Wildcats, Anctil was under-looked in the recruitment process and ended up coming to K-State because of the university’s stellar recruitment team. “I think it starts with Taylor Braet,” Anctil said. “He actually likes to recruit Kansas kids over any other kid in a different part of the country. He grew up a Kansas kid and I think that’s just what some of the other programs across the country don’t see is that they just don’t recruit in-state.” Anctil was in a very interesting situation, playing
during the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one as former head coach Bill Snyder retired and was replaced by current head coach Chris Klieman prior to Anctil’s senior season. “Coach Snyder, he was a great coach,” Anctil said. “One of the greatest coaches of all time. One difference between Snyder and Klieman is that Bill kind of went by the book and said, ‘You are going to do this my way without a lot of freedom.’ Klieman came in then and said, ‘I want to give you more freedom than what you had in the past.’ He was definitely more of a players coach who could relate to you no matter what.”
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Religion Directory St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center Saturday Vigil Mass Saturday 5 p.m.
Sunday Mass
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Women’s basketball reschedules four postponed games from January NATHAN ENSERRO assistant sports editor
The women’s basketball team missed five straight Big 12 Conference games in January because of a COVID-19 outbreak among the players which put the program on a nearly month-long pause. The missed game against Oklahoma State was rescheduled and played on Jan. 25 and the Wildcats fell 69-55 — one loss in their 10-game losing streak up to this point. The other four games missed include a Jan. 2 matchup at Oklahoma, a Jan. 5 home game against West Virginia, a Jan. 10 showdown at Baylor and a Jan. 14 home contest with TCU. Now, the Wildcats finally know they still get an opportu-
nity to compete in those four games. Within eight days, the Wildcats will play four games. A Feb. 27 trip to Waco, Texas, starts off the eight-day span as K-State takes on No. 7 Baylor at 11 a.m on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. After the trip, the Wildcats will return home to host TCU on March 1 and West Virginia on March 3 with both games starting at 6:30 p.m. and airing on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. K-State then finishes off its regular season in Norman, Oklahoma, against the Oklahoma Sooners at 3 p.m. March 7. Viewers can watch the game on FOX Sports Oklahoma. K-State is currently 5-12 overall and 0-10 in Big 12 play. The rescheduling gives
the team a total of eight remaining regular-season games to complete the Big 12’s double-round robin schedule. Following those games, the Wildcats play in the Big 12 Tournament starting on March 11 and ending March 14 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Logan Wassall COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Then-freshman center Ayoka Lee looks for an open play during K-State’s women’s basketball team’s Play 4 Kay Pink Game to promote cancer awareness. K-State played against TCU in Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 19, 2020. The Horned Frogs defeated the Wildcats 54-52.
PREVIEW Women’s basketball looks to avoid 11th straight loss in Sunflower Showdown GLENN KINLEY staff writer
To say the women’s basketball team has it rough this year is an understatement. Entering 2021 with a 5-4 record, the Wildcats are beaten and battered in the new year. Kansas State still seeks its first win of 2021 and also looks for its first victory in Big 12 Conference play this season, sitting at 5-12 overall and 0-10 in the Big 12. The Wildcats may find it difficult to find many positive takeaways — but a win in the Sunflower Showdown certainly could lift the team’s spirits. A victory on Saturday is not unrealistic as Kansas comes into the matchup with a losing record as well. The Jayhawks are 7-10
overall and 3-8 in the conference — the Jayhawks also lost eight of the last ten games. Both teams are in desperate need for a win. KU comes off of a 69-61 loss to West Virginia, while K-State lost to TCU 78-67 on Wednesday. The most encouraging note for K-State going into Saturday’s matchup is the fact that the game is at at home. KU has yet to win on the road this year, sitting at 0-7 in road contests. Furthermore, K-State earned four out of its five wins inside Bramlage Coliseum. In the history of this matchup, K-State has a substantial lead. The Wildcats are 75-49 against the Jayhawks dating back to 1969. Perhaps more encouraging is that the Wildcats are 35-16 against KU when playing at home.
K-State primarily looks to shut down 5-foot-10 sophomore guard Holly Kersgieter, who averages 16.3 points per game for the Jayhawks. 6-foot-2 senior forward Tina Stephens also averages double-digits on the year for KU. When looking to find scoring as a team, you can expect the Wildcats to call on sophomore Ayoka Lee often. Lee averages 18.5 points per game and is also grabbing 8.1 rebounds per game for K-State. In the last five games, the 6-foot-6 center has averaged over 24 points per game. The 125th meeting between the two teams will tipoff at 1 p.m. Saturday inside Bramlage Coliseum and can be streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
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