K A N S A S
S TAT E vol. 126, issue 02
friday, aug. 21, 2020
kstatecollegian.com
BACK TO BUSINESS PLAYING IT SAFE Auntie Mae’s errs on the side of caution in pandemic response
Page 9 Survey data shows 55 percent of students ‘definitely will’ participate in contact tracing
Page 4 K-State Athletics announces ticket mini-plans for home football games
Page 6 Artists create home for birds, learning opportunity for Manhattan community
Page 9 Sororities, fraternities forced to get creative as recruitment moves online
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ON THE COVER
FALL EDITORIAL BOARD
Dalton Wainscott | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Students return to campus for the beginning of the new semester wearing masks and social distancing. Precautions have been taken in every aspect of campus in order to keep students and staff.
CORRECTIONS
If you see something that should be corrected, call editor-in-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 Mondays, Wednesdays, and 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 66506-7167. First copy free, additional copies 25 cents. [USPS 291 020] Š Collegian Media Group, 2020
Anna Schmidt Community Editor
Kaylie McLaughlin Managing Editor
Gabby Farris Design Chief
Julie Freijat Deputy Managing Editor Copy Chief
Cameron Bradley Sports Editor Nathan Enserro Assistant Sports Editor
Emma Witter News Editor
Dalton Wainscott Multimedia Editor
Sean Schaper Assistant News Editor
Dylan Connell Deputy Multimedia Editor
Rebecca Vrbas Culture Editor Madison Daniel Assistant Culture Editor
By Dave Green
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2020 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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.
Bailey Britton Editor-in-Chief
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Cats’ Cupboard re-opens with new hours, extra safety precautions SEAN SCHAPER assistant news editor
After serving the Kansas State community through online transactions for the summer, Cats' Cupboard re-opened their doors to students and faculty on Monday. With drop-in visits available again, Cats' Cupboard implemented new safety procedures and hours of operation to follow K-State's policies on social distancing and mask-wearing. "We have a temp-check scanner at the door like the ones that are in operation at Lafene [Health Center], and we have those social distancing markers down," Sarah Hoyt, Cats’ Cupboard operations lead, said. Cats’ Cupboard's now only uses the interior hallway door to 009 Fairchild as an entrance. The back door serves as an exit to allow
for unidirectional traffic flow and social distancing. The only exception is given to those with mobility challenges who may need different entrances for accessibility. Along with these new policies, Cats' Cupboard changed their drop-in hours: • Monday from noon to 6 p.m. • Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The pantry is closed on Saturday and Sunday. On a first visit, students seeking aid from Cats' Cupboard must fill out a new intake form. The pantry's website encourages students who plan on visiting to allow time for this process. Only four visitors are allowed in the pantry at a time.
RESOURCES Hoyt joined Cats' Cupboard in September 2019 to take on expanded fundraising efforts, student support and administrative duties. She said the transition to the online order system at the beginning of the COVID-19 regulations was no step back for Cats’ Cupboard. "The key to getting us through those first few weeks was massive generosity from a close circle of friends, advisory board members and K-State professors," Hoyt said. Though an average of 70-90 orders were made weekly through the online order system, Cats' Cupboard will only be taking in-person orders now that normal operations have resumed. Hoyt said the constant demand on the food pantry during online operations put a strain on workers. "We filled almost 1,600
LE T TER
Archive photo by Rowan Jones
Students can enter Cats Cupboard through Fairchild Hall 009, or through the staircase to the South. Cats Cupboard was opened in 2017 and helps to combat food insecurity on the K-State campus. been rearranged to help facilitate the people walking through," Moser said. "There are definitely more people aware of this benefit, and we have expanded to help the faculty." With more students, faculty and staff back on campus, Hoyt said she's
hoping to start collecting more food through donations. "I hope, now that people are back on campus, we can do some creative food-raising, spend less at the grocery store and get back to the usual status quo," Hoyt said.
Collegian acts as watchdog, mirror and forum for K-State community
BAILEY BRITTON
editor-in-chief
Photo by Dalton Wainscott
online orders between March and last Thursday [Aug. 13],” Hoyt said. “That was incredibly labor-intensive, and we didn’t have our usual team of undergraduate employees and volunteers." With K-State's current population, Hoyt said the organization would not be able to operate the online order system because of the labor and supplies required. Cats’ Cupboard workers Maggie Malmberg, senior in biology, and Alexis Moser, senior in accounting, said their roles at the pantry changed due to COVID-19. "All the extra day-today things we are doing to make sure students are safe is taking extra time and conscious awareness," Malmberg said. As a volunteer, Moser said her role grows with Cats' Cupboard. "The Cupboard has
Wildcats, My name is Bailey Britton. I’m the new editor-in-chief for the Collegian, Kansas State’s student-run newspaper. I began working at the Collegian as a freshman and have fallen in love with the smell of newsprint, the camaraderie of the newsroom and the thrill of writing on deadlines. This may make me sound crazy, but everyone has a passion, and mine happens to be the Collegian. Going forward, the Collegian remains dedicated
to covering K-State and the Manhattan community fairly, accurately and competently. During this trying time, local news coverage matters. This semester will be trying on students, faculty and staff. COVID-19 very well may send us to different areas of the world once again. If that happens, the Collegian will continue to report on K-State’s response to the pandemic and keep students, their families and the rest of the community informed. In addition, there is unrest revolving around race and political views among students. Our coverage of Black Lives Matter protests began this summer and we continue
to push forward with sharing their voices, as well as others in our community. We are a newspaper by students, for students, and we want to tell the stories of the student body. Right now, those stories are changing. Everyone has different experiences and it is our job to share them. I learned in my first journalism class at K-State that newspapers are the watchdogs of government, a mirror for society and a forum to create dialogue in the community. Let the Collegian be that watchdog, that mirror and that forum. To submit a news tip to the Collegian, contact our news editor Emma Witter by
emailing news@kstatecollegian.com. If you wish to write a letter to the editor or a guest column, email our opinions editor Anna Schmidt at opinions@kstatecollegian.com. You can also subscribe to our newsletter at kstatecollegian.com/newsletter. Newsletters will be delivered to your email every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In addition, we have print copies of the Collegian available every Monday and Friday, as well as a digital version. While this may be a troubling and confusing time, I believe we can get through this by working as a team. Stay safe, stay healthy, Bailey Britton
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INFORMATION Survey data shows 55 percent of students ‘definitely will’ participate in contact tracing KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN managing editor
BAILEY BRITTON
editor-in-chief
About 55 percent of students say they “definitely will” participate in contact tracing as needed. An additional 30 percent indicated that they “probably will,” according to data released on Thursday. Before the semester started, the Office of Student Life sent a survey to Kansas State students that focused on their willingness to participate in COVID-19 prevention procedures and curb behaviors known to spread the virus in on and off-campus situations. In all, 1,366 students participated in the survey, about 98 percent of whom attend classes at the Manhattan
campus. Additionally, nearly 70 percent were students who reported living off-campus. A full list of that data can be found on the campus COVID-19 dashboard. Thomas Lane, vice president for student life and dean of students, said via email the survey and its data shows the university where there is more work to be done. “Our plans to reopen our campuses were built on our belief that K-Staters share a unique concern for each other. This means we must all do what it takes to protect our fellow Wildcats. If 90% of us follow the rules and 10% do not, we will not be successful in our efforts,” K-State’s administrators wrote in a letter to the student body on Tuesday. Jeff Morris, vice president for communications
and marketing, said K-State anticipated some of the responses it received in the survey, including responses from students that suggested they “definitely will” or “possibly will” attend parties off-campus in apartments, houses or fraternities. “It’s not just in class, it’s not just on campus, you’ve really got to pay attention to what you’re doing, and it’s hard,” Morris said. “They want to do what they’ve [always] done. They want to go out and be together. That’s human nature, we totally understand that, but we also have to understand that this is a unique time in our history, and if we don’t change how we interact with each other, at least in the short term, it can really affect us in the long term.” see page
5, “SURVEY”
Infographic by Kaylie McLaughlin | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
When responding to a survey sent out as part of the Every Wildcat a Wellcat campaign, nearly 14 percent said they “definitely will” go to parties at apartments, houses or fraternities and 23.67 percent said they “possibly will.” Close to 28 percent said they “probably will not” and 34.32 percent said they “definitely will not.”
restaurants
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SURVEY continued from page
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Earlier this week, 14 members of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity tested positive for COVID-19 in an outbreak. Following a shift in student organization policies at K-State finalized in 2017, the university doesn’t have direct authority over independent student organizations like Greek organizations. That doesn’t mean K-State isn’t working with sororities
and fraternities to instill prevention behaviors in their organizations, Morris said. “We’re continuing to work with our folks at [the Interfraternity Council] and [the Panhellenic Council], and we’re going to meet with those groups and their leadership,’” Morris said. “The behaviors can affect a lot of other people, so we’ve really got to get people to sort of buy into that and hope that they would. We also need peer pressure. We need the other students to step up and help us and say, ‘Hey, you know what, this experience is important to
me, and I want to continue it.’” One thing Lane said is important for students to know is that their behavior off-campus is just as important in reducing the spread of COVID-19. “Wearing a face covering while on campus is a requirement, and it is also a requirement in the City of Manhattan, so I am hopeful all campus community members and visitors will continue to abide by this requirement,” Lane said. Morris also said the university learned about dealing with outbreaks when K-State Athletics became the source
of a cluster just a few days into voluntary football practices in June. “I think it was a very good lesson in how contagious it is and how you really have to pay attention because it can just very quickly spread within a group of people that are close together,” Morris said. “This stuff can really just sneak in on all of us.” On a national scale, universities across the United States are reverting to distance learning just days into the semester following local case surges and unsustainable increases in pos-
itivity rates. That could happen here, Morris said, if students and the community don’t make the right choices. “We need to continue to educate students in understanding the high-risk choices they make, like attending large gatherings, can impact not only themselves, but the people they care about,” Lane said. Based on data from the previous week, Riley County’s positivity rate is about 3.5 percent, and local health officer Julie Gibbs said she hopes it can stay low, even as students return to the Manhattan area for
classes. New cases did go up almost immediately after classes started, something Morris said was expected. “We all have to look out for each other,” Morris said. “It doesn’t take very many people for this thing to get out of control, and then it can affect the entire community. We’re hopeful this isn’t going to happen here.” Lane said the university plans to continue to educate the student body through the Every Wildcat A Wellcat campaign and Lafene health promotions.
Infographic by Kaylie McLaughlin | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
When responding to a survey sent out as part of the Every Wildcat a Wellcat campaign, more than 68 percent of students said they “definitely will” participate in isolation and quarantine as necessary and 24.12 percent said they “possible will.” About four percent said they “probably will not” and about three percent they “definitely will not” participate in self-isolation or quarantine if they are exposed.
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RETURN TO THE FIELD
Riley County Commissioners approved 25 percent seating capacity for Bill Snyder Family Stadium CODY FRIESEN staff writer
Riley County Commission approved a 25 percent fan capacity for Bill Snyder Family Stadium for the upcoming college football season, Kansas State Athletics announced. “Our plan is very detailed in how we intend to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spread at a football game,” K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said. “We are implementing several new policies and will be strict in our enforcement in our best efforts to accomplish playing football games safely.” To remain consistent with the mask requirement in Manhattan and the university policy, fans are required to wear a mask to enter and must continue to wear them over their mouth and nose when social distancing cannot happen. Tailgating at games won’t be allowed to ensure that there are no large gatherings. The parking lot will be open two hours before kickoff, and fans are encouraged to enter the stadium immediately after arrival. Fans will not be allowed to re-enter Bill Snyder Family Stadium to limit large gatherings at the gate exits. For the first time ever, alcohol sales will be available for the general seating sections with multiple locations around the stadium. This had been previously limited to select sections such as the beer
garden and other designated areas. Additional protocols such as hand sanitizing stations and signs encouraging social distancing will be implemented. “While there is no reasonable way to guarantee that no fan could contract the virus, we will take every measure that we can to help,” Taylor said. “We all know our fans play a tremendous role in making our gameday environment one of the best in the Big 12, but ultimately each fan needs to make their own individual decision to attend games or not.” While there may not be as many fans filling Bill Snyder Family Stadium this fall, assistant football head coach Van Malone says that his players understand the changes. “Our players appreciate our fanbase and they appreciate the excitement that they have on gameday’s and they all understand that this is a moment of adjustments,” Malone said. Senior running back Harry Trotter said he is excited for the opportunity to still play in front fans. “I’m excited, it’s better than nothing,” Trotter said. “Some stadiums and some teams aren’t having fans at all.” Athletics will announce new ticket options this week. The press release didn’t specify if students can attend football games. The Wildcats have five home
games this season, which include Big 12 games against Texas Tech, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Tex-
as. The first home game is scheduled for September 12 against Arkansas State, which will be the
first meeting with the Red Wolves since 1980. K-State is 2-0 all-time over Arkansas State.
Logan Wassall | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
K-State’s football team plays against Nicholls State in Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Aug. 31, 2019. The Wildcats took the Colonels 49-14.
K-State Athletics announces ticket mini-plans for home football games ADAM MEYER staff writer
The Kansas State Athletic Department announced two revised mini-plans for football season ticket holders. The announcement comes after the seating capacity for Bill Snyder Family
Stadium was set at 12,000 people, which is approximately 25 percent of the full capacity. There are two miniplans: Three-game mini-plan - attendance for Arkansas State on Sept 12, Texas Tech on Oct 3 and Oklahoma State on Nov 7. Two-game mini-plan
- attendance for Kansas on Oct 24 and Texas on Dec 5. Each plan is priced at $360 for midfield, $300 for red zone, $225 for end zone and $150 for upper deck seating options. Fans can add a $50 parking pass to either plan. The pass covers all games in the package. Only digital tickets are
available and remain on sale until Aug. 26. Student tickets remain a season-long pass. As long as a K-State student purchased their ticket before July 31, they are good for all five home games. There are new rules for the stadium to mitigate the spread of COVID-19: Fans must bring a face
covering to cover their face and their nose. It must be worn the entire game. Parking lots will open along with stadium gates two hours prior to kickoff for fans to park, but no tailgating will be allowed. Fans are unable to reenter the stadium. This takes away the option for fans to return to their vehi-
cle to tailgate at halftime if they plan on watching the second half in the stadium. K-State will also expand in-stadium alcohol sales. Hand sanitization stations will be available throughout the stadium for fan usage. The Wildcats begin the season Sept. 12 against Arkansas State at home.
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ANALYSIS
K-State’s running backs core to offensive line ADAM MEYER staff writer
This year’s Kansas State offense has the chance to be very successful — the Wildcats are loaded with leadership and young talent: a fifth-year senior quarterback in Skylar Thompson and senior center Noah Johnson who has been praised by head coach Chris Klieman and his teammates. The core to the offense though? The running game. “Our entire offense is based around the ability to run the football,” offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham said in a recent zoom meeting. While Thompson does have the arm to make the passing game a threat, the Wildcats want to make sure that the running game gets established first. “It is not that we want to run the ball every snap,” Messingham said. “But forcing [the defense] to stop the run is always going to be a huge key for us.” K-State has multiple running backs on the roster this season. Senior Harry Trotter, redshirt freshman Jacardia Wright, redshirt freshman Joe Ervin and senior Tyler Burns. “It’s a very deep pool of running backs,” running backs coach Brian Anderson said. Under all the circumstances surrounding college
football this season, depth is vital. “You never know what the situation is going to be,” Anderson said. “If four guys get out or get the virus and can’t play, you got to prepare yourself every day. I am coaching [all the running backs] like they are going to play. I want them all to be prepared to play.” After a successful junior year campaign, Trotter is the top dog of the running backs this season. Capable of having a breakout year, Trotter will most likely get most of the snaps at the beginning of the season because of his experience. Despite Trotter’s experience, all of the running backs will be thrown into the mix of playing time throughout the season. According to Anderson, Wright and Ervin have both shown potential in the early stages of fall camp. “They both bring a different element to the table,” Anderson said. Anderson said when Ervin sees a hole, he can get through it and has the speed necessary. Burns has also grown and worked himself into position to get some reps in, Anderson said. Burns primarily received playing time on special teams for most of his Wildcat career. “[Burns] has turned his body,” Anderson said. “He has a better body now to play a little bit more running
back for us, and he knows the playbook inside and out. Look for big things from him also.” Along with the group of running backs, the offensive line will also be a prominent part of the running game. “The bottom line is those [running backs] as well as the offensive line and tight ends really have got to make sure they are on the same page,” Messingham said. “A great running back helps the offensive line, and obviously a great offensive line makes it much easier for a great tail back.” Although inexperienced, they have the talent and the work ethic to make up for it. They also have solid leadership in their senior center. “We feel really good about the young men we have in our program,” Messingham said. “We feel like they have the ability to be great drive blockers in the run blocking game. We feel good about the offensive line that we have. We have a number of young men that are 300-plus pounds that we feel like we can move around well. We feel good about them. We think they are dedicated. Their desire to learn our offense has been tremendous.” Time will only tell if this group will be able to get the job done on the field; their first opportunity will come on Sept. 12 when the Wildcats host Arkansas State.
Grab your copy of at McDonalds West
Logan Wassall | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Junior running back Harry Trotter runs in a touchdown during K-State’s football game against KU in David Booth Memorial Stadium on Nov. 2, 2019. The Wildcats defeated the Jayhawks in this year’s sunflower showdown with a final score of 38-10.
G N O R T S E K-STAT Times are tough, but advertising doesn’t have to be.
Local Businesses,
You’ll get 25% off on print advertising in the Collegian through the end of September. Because we want you to stay STRONG.
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OPINION: What you need to stay safe and healthy in your apartment BAILEY BRITTON editor-in-chief
At a time when a majority of your time is spent at home, being properly prepared is essential. During college, it's hard to know what you need and when because odds are, your parents seemed to have everything you ever needed. I know I always think of something I need and then realize I don't have it. I've gotten accustomed to my parents just magically having paper towels, toilet paper, food and more always around. During a pandemic, what you need can change. You have to plan for a couple of weeks rather than a few days. It's imperative to be prepared. Here are some things I always need and items that have become essential during the pandemic.
1. CLEANING SUPPLIES
These may be hard to come by right now, but they are essential at any time, not just a pandemic. Some basics you will need are paper towels, sponges, a multipurpose cleaner, a vacuum and a broom. These can be used to clean your kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom. If you can't find a multipurpose cleaner, you can make your own. Most DIY cleaners include vinegar,
water, soap and essential oils. Mix the ingredients together based on your recipe in a spray bottle, and you can clean nearly anything.
2. MASKS
Masks aren't necessary inside your apartment, but they are for when you leave. Manhattan currently requires masks in all businesses and areas where social distancing can't be maintained. Kansas State's campus also requires masks or face coverings in all areas. I keep my masks on a hook on my bedroom door. I can grab one as I leave my house easily. It also helps to keep one in your backpack or purse, if you have one, that way you are always prepared.
3. TOILETRIES (TOILET PAPER, FEMININE HYGIENE, ETC)
No one wants to run out of toilet paper. I'm not condoning hoarding toilet paper, but try to have more than a couple of rolls in your apartment at one time. If you live with several roommates, that toilet paper can be used quickly. For those who menstruate, it also helps to have lots of tampons and pads around so you aren't caught off guard. This is especially important if you have to quarantine for any reason and can't go to the store. If you have reusable menstrual cups, cotton pads or tampons or other items, make
sure you have enough available as well. Other items like soap, toothpaste and skincare items don't need to be kept in bulk, but sometimes it's nice to have one or two extras around. You may unexpectedly use the last bit of toothpaste and not plan on going to the store for several days.
4. DRY FOODS (RICE, BEANS, PASTA) Non-perishable food items can be a lifesaver. When the pandemic began, people went in droves to grocery stores to stock up on rice, pasta and beans. These are staples of many meals and can be used in numerous ways. If you find yourself needing to quarantine, these may be a staple in your diet. A cup of dry rice becomes 3 cups of cooked rice, which can easily feed you for several meals when paired with some meat, veggies or beans. You can make your own burrito bowls and not even leave your house. Not to mention that rice is pretty cheap, too. By buying non-perishable items, you can save yourself from going to the store too often and save time when you do go by only needing a few items.
you put some by the front door, you can easily suggest its use to guests in your house. Since this is a hit-andmiss item at the grocery store, you may just need to wash your hands when you arrive home. If you can't find liquid hand soap, you can make your own out of castile soap, water, essential oils and coconut or almond oil.
6. BOOKS, MOVIES, BOARD GAMES
Being at home also may mean you have some more time on your hands. To pass time, I've been playing with my dog and reading or watching TV when I can. If you don't have any books at home, you can borrow them from the Manhattan Public Library digitally on the Hoopla app. All you need is
a library card. You can also borrow albums and movies through the app. However, most people use Netf lix, Hulu or other streaming services. For free TV, Peacock by NBC is an option. A large number of shows like "Psych" and "Parks and Rec" are available for free, as well as some big-name movies. There's always board games, too. I enjoy board games when there's a large group of people to play with, but that's not common lately. A good alternative is JackBox games, which can be played over Zoom with friends.
7. COMFORT ITEMS (BLANKETS, KNICKKNACKS, PHOTOS, KEEPSAKES)
Finally, since this is a
troubling time, it always helps to be comfortable wherever you live. If you feel comfortable where you live, you will be happier. I like to have multiple blankets in my room and photos of friends and family around. Other people enjoy keeping knick-knacks on their desk so it feels less dreary. Find a method or item you enjoy so you stay comfortable and happy at home. You never know when you might get stuck there. Bailey Britton is the editor-in-chief of the Collegian and a junior in journalism and English. 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.
losing track of time?
5. HAND SANITIZER AND HAND SOAP
This item isn't easy to come by lately, but is great for a quick disinfectant when you arrive home. If
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RESPONSIBILITY
‘It’s best to play everything safe’: Auntie Mae’s errs on the side of caution in pandemic response REBECCA VRBAS culture editor
While other businesses have opened, closed and reopened in the wake of the pandemic, this bar has been quietly waiting it out. “It’s not easy, we’re going day by day, reevaluating things every single day, and trying to do what we think is best, not only for us, but for the community,” Jeff Denney, owner of Auntie Mae’s Parlour, said. As some businesses have pushed for restrictions to be lifted, Auntie Mae’s has spoken out against some being lifted. When the most recent local health order changed screening of employees symptoms and temperatures from being required to being “strongly recommended,” Auntie Mae’s tweeted its dissent. “We’re looking at trying to
slowly reopen, but we’re a little worried with school starting, and a lot of people coming back into town,” Denney said. “We didn’t want to get opened up and then have the numbers shoot up, and then the health department says we have to close down again.” In addition to the current caseload, Denney said concerns about the long term health consequences of the pandemic have also informed the decision to hold off on reopening. “I’m no medical expert, but there’s the obvious impact on people’s health. They still don’t know even if you have this virus and get over it, there could be effects that hit you years later … so I just figured it’s best to play everything safe,” Denney said. In June, Auntie Mae’s did have plans for a tentative reopening, but it was cut short due to the spike of cases in
Riley County. “It put a little fear into us, and the last thing I want to do is have one of my employees infected, spread it to others and spread it to their families,” Denney said. “I don’t want to be responsible for that.” In the meantime, Auntie Mae’s has been offering mixed drinks to go. Since May, the bar has promoted an ever-changing assortment of cocktails two days a week, mixing drinks such as their strawberry balsamic margarita to cucumber honey gin fizz. More recently, the bar has tried a different approach by offering private tastings with a limited number of people and social distancing precautions. However, curbside drinks and private tastings have not been nearly enough to curb the economic effects, Denny said. “We’ve applied for emergency loans through the small business association, we are
living off those funds and our savings,” he said. “Selling a few cocktails out the window twice a week and having a tasting, it’s nowhere near the amount of income we need to stay afloat.” While much of the feedback via social media has been supportive, Denney said that one unexpected side effect of the pandemic was the loss of some close friends. “I’ve had some conversations, mostly through social media, but yeah I’ve lost many close friends,” Denney said. “People who think this whole thing is a hoax, a lot of people are saying that once the election happens and Trump is out of office then this thing will just miraculously disappear.” Denney voiced support for mask-wearing as a means of containing the spread of the virus and reopening safely. “If everybody could just
File Photo by Brooke Barrettl | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
As some businesses have pushed for restrictions to be lifted, Auntie Mae’s has spoken out against some being lifted. Auntie Mae’s is located in Aggieville at 616 N. 12th Street. wear their masks and get over this thing, we could go back
to business,” he said.
Artists create home for birds, learning opportunity for Manhattan community ANNA SCHMIDT community editor
Coloradan artists Aaron Treher and Delaney Gardner-Sweeney are spending this August in the flatlands of Kansas. The two artists, who have specializations in environmental studies, join Kelly Yarbrough, director of community programming at Prairiewood Tallgrass Preserve and RetreatHouse, to build a home for barn swallows in the area. Prairiewood is a nature preserve located in Manhattan that contains around 500 acres of prairie used for lodging, event spacing, outdoor learning, nature trails and
more. The preserve earned a visiting artist grant from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission which is funding Treher and Gardner-Sweeney’s project. Treher’s structure will become a home for barn swallows to enhance a portion of Prairiewood called Walnut Pond. “The Walnut Pond area has been this unplugged, casual gathering space for guests, but we haven’t really done any formal programming down here before,” Yarbrough said. “This project that Aaron and Delaney are working on has kind of been the first galvanizing point for some gathering.” Treher is attaching a structure carefully and specif-
ically designed to house barn swallows in a pavilion next to Walnut Pond. Treher and Yarbrough hope the attachment creates a space that can provide learning experiences for community members who use the pavilion. “A lot of my work deals with the overlap of people and animals,” Treher said. “So I primarily focus on different kinds of infrastructure that serve as niche habitats for animals and animal communities. Barn swallows nest in human structures, so the idea is to bring that to Prairiewood and Walnut Pond as a way to get people thinking about the relationship between people and nature.” Gardner-Sweeney assists
Treher wherever necessary. The artist and environmental studies graduate previously worked on projects with Treher.
Yarbrough said she’s excited to provide learning opportunities through this new structure.
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friday, august 21, 2020
CHANGES EMMA WITTER news editor
This time last year, sorority lawns were packed full of new members celebrating invitations to join their preferred houses. This fall, incoming members of Greek organizations will receive their bids on a Zoom screen due to COVID-19 regulations. While the changes haven’t stopped potential new members from rushing, those involved say it’s been a big adjustment. Samuel Keener, president of the Interfraternity Council and senior in marketing, said the relatively laid-back model of fraternity recruitment has worked well during the
pandemic. “Recruitment chairs were not in an easy position,” Keener said. “When I was a chair, I hosted these large events, guys showed up and I met them all at once.” This year, introductions to potential new members are occurring over Zoom, socially distanced meetings and even video games. “I think the most creative thing I’ve seen is guys meeting freshmen over video games,” Keener said. “It’s a way guys in the houses stayed connected anyway, so bringing [potential new members] into that was cool.” Keener said he’s been impressed with the initiative from both active frater-
Sororities, fraternities forced to get creative as recruitment moves online
nity members and potential new members. “If I was coming in this year, I’d be a little hesitant,” Keener said, “But the incoming freshmen have still wanted to be a part of it even with these restrictions.” Beyond recruitment, Keener said it will be a struggle to create strong relationships via Zoom and while social distancing. The housing board currently dissuades out-ofhouse fraternity members from spending time inhouse, Keener said, which can create a social gap between new and active members. “Seniors love meeting those new guys and getting to help them out, but realistically it’s just not as pos-
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sible this year,” Keener said. “We also don’t want to be the reason freshmen have to move out and ruin that experience.” Despite the challenges, Keener said it’s important to maintain strong boundaries for everyone’s health. “The more we mess up, the longer we’re in this, so we need to be doing stuff right,” he said. As is typical, Keener said fraternity recruitment has been drastically different than sorority recruitment. “As fraternities, we’ve established a 365/24/7 recruitment period. If a guy comes over to hang out for an hour, he can receive a bid,” Keener said. “The amount of planning and changing sororities have had to do is insane.” Since COVID-19 first became a concern at K-State, Brooke Montgomery, president of the Panhellenic Council and senior in accounting and entrepreneurship, has been discussing changes to recruitment. “We’ve been working for months to figure out the best way to go about this,” Montgomery said. The council intended recruitment to take place half online and half in-person, but the final two rounds were moved online on Monday. The Panhellenic Council hoped sisterhood activities and the preference round could be in-person, Montgomery said, but the National Panhellenic Council issued a recommendation to move the remainder of recruitment to a virtual format. The first round of getting to know about each chapter was facilitated through informational videos. Round two, which is normally an open house,
Archive Photo by George Walker | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
An incoming freshman celebrates her bid in Bosco Plaza. The final round of sorority recruitment, normally held in person, will be held via Zoom this fall. will be held via Zoom this weekend. “I’m actually glad round two is online,” Lacy Mathes, freshman in biological systems engineering, said. “I don’t have to worry as much about what I wear, which made me really nervous for some reason.” Mathes decided to rush when all of her classes were moved online. “I’m coming to K-State without a ton of friends, so I think recruitment is kind of my only avenue for that right now,” Mathes said. As changes to recruitment have been ongoing, Montgomery said everyone involved has worked hard to form relationships and stay connected. “It’s brought our larger community a lot closer since all chapters are struggling with the same thing,” Montgomery said. In addition to watching each chapter’s videos, Mathes said other online means helped her get a feel
for her prospective sororities. She especially liked the social media aspect of recruitment. “I think the Instagrams told me a little bit more because you can see who’s in each sorority, what activities they do and what they associate with as a whole,” Mathes said. Though it wasn’t the originial plan to host recruitment fully online, Mathes said the format changes won’t affect her overall experience. “I feel like whether I met everyone in-person or online, I’d still be nervous,” Mathes said, “But I know that where I end up is what’s going to be best. I don’t think whether it’s online or in-person really affects it.” Montgomery said she and the rest of the Panhellenic Council are optimistically looking forward. “We’re looking really good to have a lot of great new pledge classes,” Montgomery said.
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friday, august 21, 2020
COVID-19 UPDATES
New health order lifts gathering size restrictions, eases other restrictions EMMA WITTER news editor
The Riley County Commissioners lifted the restriction on gatherings of over 2,000 people in a 3-0 vote while sitting as the Board of Health. The lessened restriction is part of Local Health Order No. 18, which also allows bars and restaurants to serve patrons seated at bars, provided that
patrons maintain six feet from others. The order takes effect Aug. 18. “I hoped to leave the large venue restriction in place long enough to see the impact that in-person classes will have on the community,” local health officer Julie Gibbs said. “The BOH decided to remove the restriction immediately. We will continue to work to ensure the safety of all individuals, and plan to
have very close communication with people who manage large venues.” Managers of venues with more than 2,000 person capacity are expected to obtain event permits from the Riley County Health Department and submit to monitoring by the health department to ensure safety guidelines are followed. Gibbs said if contact tracing shows an increase in
COVID-19 positivity rate is down, health officer hopes it stays that way KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN managing editor
On Wednesday, the Riley County Health Department reported 32 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the local total to 532. At this time, 374 have recovered, leaving 153 active cases. Five people have died from COVID-19 in Riley County. Last week, the positivity rate in the county was about 3.5 percent. That means only 3.5 people per 100 tested are returning positive tests. "We've seen a significant decrease in percent of positivity here in the county," local health officer Julie Gibbs said. "We're hoping that doesn't change after this week." Earlier this week, on-campus classes resumed at Kansas State. The next day, the health department reported an outbreak associated with the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. So far, 14 positive tests have been reported from that outbreak. The first positive was counted over the weekend. Most of the newer
cases have been mild and were only tested because they were a close contact of another positive, not necessarily because they had symptoms, Andrew Adams, public health emergency preparedness coordinator, said. "We must remember to stay the course and do our part to keep our community safe and healthy," Gibbs said. "We're all ready to get back to normal, but it might be a slow process so please have patience. We'll get there. We have to get there safely." Students at K-State will be counted through the Riley County Health Department as Riley County residents, not individually as K-State students. On Thursday, the Vineyard Community Church, located at 2400 Casement Road in the Northview Neighborhood, will have free testing available to the community from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. If you are getting a test, you don't need an appointment, but are expected to wear a mask.
You do not need to be symptomatic to get a test. This testing could offer "a better picture" of what is happening with the virus in the community, Gibbs said. These results should take about two to four days to come back. Adams said the current average testing return time is three days. "We're getting there, we're getting better," Adams said. "Hopefully we can keep that turnaround time pretty short." Businesses with questions about best practices should call the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce at 785-776-8829 or email info@manhattan.org. Additional resources for reopening local businesses are available at regionreimagined.org. Individuals with symptoms are encouraged to call the screening line at 785-323-6400. The screening line is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. People with non-emergent questions about COVID-19 in Riley County should send an email to rileycountycovid19@gmail.com.
COVID-19 cases resulting from mass gatherings, rules for large events may change again. “We will continue to work to ensure the safety of all individuals, and plan to have very close communication with people who manage large venues,” Gibbs said. More information and updates on CCOVID-19 in Riley County can be found at the Riley County Coronavirus web page.
Abilgail Compton | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
K-State conducts symptomatic, surveillance COVID-19 tests in lieu of full student body testing ABBY LACY staff writer
Kansas State conducted mandatory COVID-19 tests as students returned to campus this week, Dr. Kyle Goerl, medical director of Lafene Health Center, said. “The truth is there’s really no one way to do this,” Dr. Goerl said. “There is no blueprint out there right now. You see a number of testing strategies being deployed across the United States on different campuses. There are some general themes, but there does not appear to be a clear, one size fits all testing strategy for college and institutes of higher education.” Dr. Goerl said the university has met with epidemiologists and statisticians to come up with the current testing strategy. “The [Center for Disease Control and Prevention] and [the Kansas Department of Health and
Environment] have been very clear that, at least as it relates to mandatory testing upon arrival to campus, there’s not really good data to support that,” he said. “It doesn’t seem to do much good to test an entire group of individuals once with no plan to do further surveillance testing.” In addition to the CDC and KDHE guidance, Dr. Goerl said there are other reasons why the university didn’t opt to test the whole student body. “You really can’t test your way out of pandemic,” he said. “It is a critical part of the overall response, but it is not the solution to everything. The simple things are still the most critical and those three things are really masks and hygiene and physical distancing. That’s the best way to mitigate the spread. Yes we need testing, yes it needs to be robust, but we still need to do those three things
extremely well in order to give us a good chance of having a successful fall semester.” K-State does still plan to do symptomatic and surveillance testing on campus. Dr. Goerl said he considers the testing procedures paired with plans for contact tracing “robust.” “We are getting tests back still routinely within a day to a day and a half,” he said. “That is critical for our ability to contact trace adequately, and that’s the best way to try and mitigate the spread of the virus.” Even though this is the current testing strategy, Dr. Goerl said it could change at any point. “Testing is evolving,” he said. “It is an evolving entity, it is changing by the day. What a testing strategy may look like right now, could very well be different, tomorrow. And that is based largely on availability of supplies.”
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friday, august 21, 2020
A DJ U S T M E N T S NATHAN ENSERRO assistant sports editor
Recruiting changed at the fundamental level for Kansas State football because of COVID-19. Now, they participate in Zoom calls, FaceTime calls and more to keep recruits interested in K-State. K-State football canceled Junior Day activities this past spring. The events are usually an opportunity to get recruits on-campus, show them the facilities and let them attend a practice. The pandemic also caused the cancellation of other recruiting activities, including the official visits and in-person meetings. “My job has changed in the way of how I communicate with young men,” Taylor Braet, director of football recruiting, said. “It has become a lot of Zoom, FaceTime, Snapchat, Twitter, more than it has in the past. It’s kind of harder to build a relationship with them when you can’t see them.” The Wildcat coaches, like the rest of the country, adjusted to the lack of faceto-face communication. “It’s really hurt me in the fact that the best thing that I do, and the best thing that we do, is having kids physically visit here,” Braet said. He said it is hard to sell recruits on K-State if they cannot come visit, even if it’s the greatest place in the world to him. “Would you rather walk out on that field or would you rather see it on Zoom?” Braet asked. Braet prides himself on his energy and enthusiasm about K-State football. He runs around the facility yelling “Go Cats,” he uses “Holy Cats” instead of
more explicit exclamations, he wears custom K-State themed shoes and he even drives a purple Jeep around Manhattan. “It’s hard to show over the Zoom your enthusiasm, the excitement, what Kansas State means,” Braet said. “I can’t … do all the crazy, fun stuff that we do when they visit. I can’t yell at them in the parking lot when I see them pull in and all the stuff, I feel like, that energy that makes us different from everybody else.” One way they are showing off the facilities, campus and the community is by spacing out the content over multiple calls. “During the beginning of the pandemic, I had it scheduled where me and Coach Klieman would get FaceTimes from kids every Tuesday night,” Braet said. “Then I would come in on a Wednesday night and get FaceTimes with an offensive coach, then on Thursday nights I would do it with a defensive coach. We would almost be FaceTiming 10 kids per night.” All totaled, Braet had been on 197 FaceTimes with different recruits just from April to May. “Most of them said we were one of the first [schools] they did that with, or had a FaceTime with the head coach under the stadium lights,” Braet said. “[Klieman] would be making fun of me all the time — which he loves to do — and I love it. I’ve only been around him for a year, but it feels like he’s known me for ten … [they] get a good feeling for [us]. I’d say that helps too.” During those calls, Coach Braet tries to show off as much as he can. He will show the weight room one week, the gear the next, then the stadium un-
K-State football shifts to online recruitment amid COVID-19 pandemic
Dylan Connell | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP
Head Coach Chris Klieman leads the Wildcats onto the field. K-State faced off against West Virginia at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Nov. 16, 2019. The Mountaineers defeated the Wildcats 20-24. der lights, or the academic center, or anything else the recruit is interested in. The strategy: keep them calling back and keep them excited about K-State. “I had one guy call me almost every Thursday just to see the gear or to see [the] Jeep. ‘Hey Coach, are you by the jeep? Let me see the Jeep,’” Braet said. Still, it is hard to evaluate players when they are not able to visit campus and coaches cannot travel out to see them practice or play.
“It’s kind of minimized what we can see,” Braet said. “We used to be able to get guys to camp, now we gotta get them to send heights and weights via film or something like that, instead of them stepping in the building and doing a height and weight on them.” Beyond the trouble evaluating physical characteristics, the coaches are missing out on the opportunity to build a relationship and really judge a player’s character.
“Judging a guy’s character over a Zoom call or FaceTime or Snapchat is a lot tougher than doing it in person,” Braet said. “Seeing how he interacts with you, how he shakes your hand, some of those principal things [former head] Coach [Bill] Snyder would have talked about too.” It’s still unclear how the NCAA will deal with roster management, scholarship numbers and the number of new freshmen a football team can bring in
due to the shortened season and the potential to offer an extra year of eligibility to fall athletes. Braet says that he hopes that the pandemic ends before this crop of recruits makes it to campus and that he feels bad for athletes who have lost their seasons. “Obviously, there’s a lot more people struggling during this than football and recruiting, and I feel worse for them than I do for this,” Braet said.