06.29.20

K A N S A S

S TAT E

vol. 125, issue 66

monday, june 29, 2020

kstatecollegian.com

‘ENOUGH’

Students call attention to on-campus racism with #BlackAtKState video Page 6

Students react to ‘hateful rhetoric’ from America First Students president with petition, planned protest Page 8

K-State athletes, coaches stand up for change amid Black Lives Matter protests Page 11

Altered fall schedule, COVID-19 spell uncertainty for international students Page 4

FAR FROM OVER

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wednesday, january 22, 2020 monday, june 29,

ON THE COVER

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 The number will not be published.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.

SUMMER EDITORIAL BOARD

Illustration by Abigail Compton | Collegian Media Group

Kaylie McLaughlin Editor-in-Chief

Olivia Rogers Community Editor

Madison Daniel Staff Writer

Dene Dryden Managing Editor

Gabby Farris Design Chief

Paige Eichkorn Staff Writer

Julie Freijat News Editor

Sarah Unruh Designer

Lexi Garcia Staff Writer

Rebecca Vrbas Culture Editor

Angie Moss Social Media Editor

Emma Witter Staff Writer

Andrew Lind Sports Editor Cameron Bradley Assistant Sports Editor Dalton Wainscott Multimedia Editor

Sean Schaper Staff Writer Hallie Everett Staff Writer Lexi Garcia Staff Writer

CORRECTIONS

If you see something that should be corrected, call editor-in-chief Kaylie McLaughlin at 785-370-6356 or email collegian@kstatecollegian.com

Bailey Britton Staff Writer Abigail Compton photographer Dylan Connell photographer

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 665067167. First copy free, additional copies 25 cents.

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Photo by Bailey Britton | Collegian Media Group

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN editor-in-chief

These are trying times for everyone and college students are not immune. Life, it seems, has been put on hold while we wait for the threat of an invisible adversary to pass.

The university’s limited operations and online-only format planned for through the summer has forced everyone to scramble to find solutions to serve the student body during this time of uncertainty.

The Collegian staff — though unable to create a regular print paper for the foreseeable future and unable

to access our newsroom on campus while practicing social distancing — is still dedicated to doing our duty to the students of Kansas State.

As promised at the beginning of the March, the Collegian is committed to providing accurate and timely updates as information becomes available regarding the local impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other important issues related to student life. This will not change.

Again, the decision to suspend print papers was not made lightly, but at this time it does not seem feasible nor appropriate to continue print production. When the fall semester begins, I hope you

will happily pick up our annual Back To School Guide.

As I noted in January when the spring semester was beginning, social media and technology, at its finest, connect us to each other in ways that were unthinkable less than 20 years ago. As a staff, the Collegian will continue to search for ways to best serve our mission as the independent voice of the student body, albeit remotely.

In addition to our Monday, Wednesday and Friday emailed newsletter, the Collegian plans to publish online regularly throughout the next couple of months. This virtual paper you are reading right now is an interactive PDF. Clicking on the headlines,

An update on Collegian coverage going forward, a promise

photos or body copy of each story will take you to an easier-to-read version of the article published to kstatecollegian.com.

If you do not already, follow the Collegian on Twitter @ kstatecollegian for regular updates. The Collegian will continue to accept news tips through news@kstatecollegian. com and letters to the editor via letters@kstatecollegian.com.

This period of time is difficult, and it’s only the beginning of what is certain to be a tough road to recovery. At this time, I wish you all health and safety.

Please, take care of yourselves and take care of each other.

Olivia Bergmeier | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP

Kaylie McLaughlin is the editor-in-chief of the Collegian. For the second half of the spring semester, the Collegian was unable to make a print paper because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

monday, june 29, 2020

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITORIAL

In one weekend, Riley County added nearly 30 positives to its COVID-19 case totals — the single largest increase documented locally since the start of the pandemic.

This is alarming, and we, as a community, should be paying attention.

But, we aren’t.

More than 40 percent of Riley County’s positive cases are in people between the ages of 18 and 24 — college-aged individuals — and it’s no mystery why. Bars, restaurants and clubs in Aggieville have started to fill back up as people start to resume pre-pandemic activities like the crisis has been averted.

But it hasn’t. Not even close.

In fact, this careless disregard for

science and other peoples’ lives has likely only exacerbated a problem local health officials and the community have done a pretty good job of keeping at bay.

For weeks, Riley County boasted lower-than-anticipated case numbers and a low degree of severe infections. The county didn’t document its first death until midMay. All of that progress might have been wiped away in a matter of days.

As cases rise, the possibilities of tailgating, face-to-face activities and even in-person classes become more and more out of reach.

Even if the health department doesn’t issue a more restrictive order, we have to take personal responsibility for our actions and the impact they have on the well-being of those around us.

So stop it.

The COVID-19 crisis is far from over — stop acting like it is

Stop acting like the worst is behind us. If we stay on this course, the worst is yet to come.

As local health officer Julie Gibbs said, “adjust to this new normal” — accept the fact that you might have to change your plans.

These sacrifices we are making now might feel unfair and like huge burdens, but they are steps we can take now to ensure a future that is closer to the lives we wish to get back to.

You know the drill — wear your mask, stay physically distanced and please, for the love of all that is good in the world, wash your hands.

The views and opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the Collegian editorial board. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.

Archive Photo by Kate Torline | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP Participants walk around Aggieville during the 17th annual Chili Crawl on Oct. 20, 2018. COVID-19 cases have risen in Riley County as younger Manhattanites return to bars and other businesses where social distancing can be tough.

Recent spike caused lax social distancing, health officer says EMMA WITTER staff writer

Nearly 50 positives were added to the Riley County COVID-19 case total in one week — the largest documented increase in cases since the beginning of the pandemic at the time.

On June 19, the county passed the triple-digit case threshold.

The following weekend, nearly 30 more new positive cases were added.

A total of 320 individuals were tested in one week, yielding a 14 percent positive rate, local health officer Julie Gibbs said. Three weeks ago, the positive rate was about 2 percent.

Furthermore, the majority of new positive patients fall into the 18 to 24-year-old age range.

Gibbs said some of these new cases can be attributed to indi-

viduals returning to the Riley County area.

“Through our contact tracing, we’re finding that some patients came back with [COVID-19], and with others, it had to do with them being out and about,” she said.

Gibbs said she believes the area was doing “really well in the beginning” of the pandemic to limit the spread. At the time, Riley County was social distancing so well it maintained an A to B average on the score scale.

“I think Manhattan did an awesome job of taking social distancing and mask-wearing seriously back in March and April,” Jordan Cook, Manhattan resident and K-State alumna, said. “It’s obvious that people have gone stir crazy and decided to take their chances and go back to ‘normal’ lives.”

Riley County now has an F rating for social distancing practices,

according to Unacast’s County by County Grade for Social Distancing. This means there has been a less than 10 percent decrease in distance traveled by residents.

Since many cases in the area seem to originate in restaurants and bars, Gibbs said, further restrictions on these kinds of establishments may be disappointing for both owners and customers.

“I feel like we’re in elementary school, and a few kids keep talking and are making us lose our recess time,” Cook said. “As soon as the green light was given to go back to restaurants and bars, I think the message that we still need to be wearing masks and social distancing was lost entirely to the people choosing to go out.”

Last Wednesday, Local Order No. 13 lowered the limit for mass gatherings from 100 back down to 50 people, instead of raising it to 250 as originally intended.

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COVID-19

Gibbs said while the county hopes to avoid reinstating stay-athome orders, it may be necessary.

“We know [the stay-at-home order] took a big hit on our economy, and people are tired of restrictions, but we also want to reduce any risk of our health care systems being overwhelmed,” she said.

Jaymes Patterson, junior in management information systems, said the state of the Manhattan economy during the initial stay-at-home order made finding a job difficult.

“Not being able to work or go out for even longer would be rough,” Patterson said. “I just want to go back to regular classes and see my friends this fall.”

While a large portion of those testing positive have been asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, Gibbs said it’s important to remember that these individuals are still carriers.

Moving forward, Gibbs said it’s important for Riley County residents to ensure that the information they consume regarding the pandemic is from a valid source.

“I hate that [COVID-19] has been politicized to the degree that it has because rather than trusting our doctors and medical officials, we’re believing rhetoric from all sides,” Cook said.

With so much information out there, Gibbs said, “lots of people seem to be getting their news from Facebook or other unreliable sources, which is scary.”

Gibbs said the most important thing to understand is that COVID-19 is still out there and is still a danger to the community if not taken seriously.

“This is a time in history where we need to work together and truly care about one another,” Cook said, “Masks and social distancing are the best way to do that.”

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wednesday, january 22, 2020 monday, june 29,

cause for concern

Altered fall schedule, COVID-19 spell uncertainty for international students ABBY LACY staff writer

Archive Photo by George Walker | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP

As K-State has started to release information regarding the modified fall semester, international students are facing even more challenges and uncertainty.

Although Vedant Kulkarni, senior in management information systems and journalism and mass communications, is still in Manhattan and won’t face travel restrictions himself, he voiced concerns for other international students in returning to campus this fall.

“I do know quite a few students who got to travel back either through repatriation flights or for spring break and they just didn’t have to come back,” Kulkarni said.

Kulkarni says the global travel restrictions have prevented many students from booking their flights. Moreover, he says the flight rates can be as high as $2,000 to $2,500 for some students, leaving many unable to afford those options.

With many international students not having the ability to travel back to Manhattan this fall, some might suggest online classes, but this option poses challenges for international students as well.

“Some international students actually have extremely poor internet connections, so doing online classes is quite a bit of a pain for them,” Kulkarni said.

Along with poor internet connection, the timezones in international students home countries also need to be taken into consideration.

“Being in another time zone, some students are 12 or 14 hours away, so if their classes are in the afternoon in Manhattan, some of them have to be in class at 3:00 in the morning in their home countries,” he said. “That kind of time difference caused them a lot of chaos in the last eight weeks of their spring semester, and that’s what they are worried about for the fall semester if they are unable to do in person classes.”

Cecilia Pick, senior in elementary education, also expressed her concerns about international students travelling back to K-State during the pandemic.

“In a way, I am thankful I stayed because that makes things easier for me to start the next semester,” she said via email. “However, as a student leader, I can’t help but be concerned about other international stu-

dents that went home because of the pandemic. I have a lot of concerns at the moment because the situation for international students is a lot more complicated than just the distance that separates us from K-State.”

Among these concerns, Pick emphasized the difficulties international students could encounter in obtaining their I-20s and visas as a result of the start date of classes being moved up a week. Along with this, Pick said she is worried about international students having to travel to Manhattan in July in order to complete the mandatory 14-day quarantine before classes begin. This is not only difficult because of the travel advisories, Pick said, but also potentially dangerous since international students’ health insurance coverage doesn’t start until August.

“That means students will travel during a dangerous global pandemic without health insurance,” she said. “There are so many challenges that need to be considered when it comes to international students.”

Kulkarni said he wants to reiterate how big of an impact the modified fall semester and the pandemic will have on international students.

“This is a unique circumstance that international students face and I think that’s one of the things that is generally not looked upon as important, but then when it actually becomes important, then it becomes a panicky situation where the administration panics, the students are panicking, and it’s just difficult to come to a solution,” Kulkarni said.

Pick agreed.

“I understand that K-State has been heavily affected by COVID-19 and that everyone is doing their best to navigate these unprecedented times,” Pick said. “I recognize the hard work that the university has put towards successfully helping K-State survive this. However, I do feel concerned about the lack of communication from K-State to international students. Traveling internationally is already complicated, and with these changes in the K-State Fall semester plan and the global pandemic, things are even worse. Time is crucial right now for students to plan and prepare accordingly, and K-State remains silent. I just feel like something needs to be said as soon as possible in order for students to have a chance to successfully and safely return.”

Leadership in the Office of Student Life and International Student and Scholar Services were unavailable for comment on this story at the time of publication.

monday, june 29, 2020

THE CRISIS CONTINUES

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KDHE declares COVID-19 outbreaks associated with K-State football, Aggieville KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN editor-in-chief

JULIE FREIJAT news editor

Local health officer Julie Gibbs said there are four known outbreaks in the county right now: one related to the Kansas State football team, Aggieville bussiness district, Rock A Belly Deli and Bar and 7even8ight5ive Bar in Aggieville.

“We have been in contact with all involved, and those bars have actually closed on their own, to help prevent the potential spread and for thorough cleaning,” Gibbs said.

Emergency preparedness coordinator for public health Andrew Adams said some of the football players who tested positive likely became infected out of town, but some have also become infected after arriving.

Two weeks ago, K-State Athletics suspended voluntary workouts after 14 athletes tested positive for COVID-19.

As for the general Aggieville outbreak, at least 30 cases can be traced back to activities in the business district, Adams said.

Adams said contact tracing played a role in identifying and distinguishing certain hot spots in Aggieville from the general outbreak in the business district.

“When we track back with the cases, where they’ve been, we saw those two places come up a lot, with several people, whether it’s patrons whether it’s staff,

whether it’s other people like that,” Adams said. “And so, in talking with KDHE and the state health department, we came to that conclusion to say ‘Yes, these are two distinct pockets within the larger outbreak that’s been identified’ and established an angle.”

Last Tuesday, the Riley County Health Department issued a new “restrictive activities” order.

In the new order, Gibbs said these measures are essential to slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Riley County.

“With full community cooperation, this proactive public health Order No. 13 may minimize the impact of COVID-19 on our Riley County community,” Gibbs said.

Among other things, the new order limits gathering size to 50 people, requires employees at restaurants to be screened at the start of each shift and limits occupancy in food service establishments to 75 percent.

Social distancing and face-coverings are strongly recommended, but aren’t mandated. Throughout most of the pandemic, Riley County has relied heavily on voluntary compliance with orders, but local law enforcement does have the authority to issue citations to those who fail to fall in line.

“It’s very hard to enforce that,” Gibbs said. “We want individuals to make that good decision on their own.”

Individual city commissions have the authority to pass legislative action that would mandate mask wearing, but Gibbs said she isn’t aware of any townships or cities in Kansas that have taken that step.

Even without stay-at-home orders, Gibbs said people should remain “proactive” as the pandemic continues — avoid crowded businesses, wear a mask and stay home.

“The minute you get around other people, you’re already putting yourself at risk,” Gibbs said.

As the fall semester draws closer, questions were raised about how the situation would be handled as the population in Riley county grows. Gibbs said the universities have been doing a great job of trying to get ahead.

“We’ve been involved in several of those conversations and we’re actually meeting with them next week to talk further about that,” Gibbs said.

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 8 p.m. through the end of June.

People with non-emergent questions about COVID-19 in Riley County should send an email to rileycountycovid19@ gmail.com.

To be tested in Riley County, individuals must present at least two symptoms of COVID-19. The complete list of known symptoms is available on the health department website.

Illustration by Abigail Compton | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP

“With full community cooperation, this ... may

minimize the impact of COVID-19 on our Riley County community.”

- Julie Gibbs

local health officer

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monday, june 29, 2020

‘People know it’s a problem’ Students call attention to on-campus racism with #BlackAtKState video

BAILEY BRITTON staff writer

On June 16, Kansas State’s Multicultural Coalition released a video calling for action from K-State administration, including for student group America First Students to be “abolished.”

As of Monday, the video had over 15,600 views on Twitter.

“To be Black at K-State means...” Amaya Molinar, sophomore in biological systems engineering, says at the beginning of the video. “...having to sit in class by the Kansas Kool Kids...” Ravionne Pullum, junior in kinesiology, says next. “...also known as the KKK...” follows Brenda Heard, junior in political science.

The collaborative video comes after students in Kansas State’s Black Student Union and Multicultural Coalition created the Twitter hashtag #BlackAtKState to show what life is like for Black students at K-State. Students and alumni shared their experiences of discrimination at K-State through this method and called for change.

Michaela Ross, freshman in mechanical engineering, said the #BlackAtMizzou hashtag inspired the K-State iteration.

“These hashtags inspired other Black students from all over, high schools and universities, to address their issues experienced at their institutions as well,” Ross said via email. “The reason these hashtags are being created is to bring to light the reality Black students face within education institutions. This social media movement is exposing how there are absolutely no actions taken to

adequately address the issue of systematic racism that is heavily present in our society.”

Former Multicultural Coalition president and senior in psychology and American ethnic studies Tori Swanson said the NFL Black Lives Matter video inspired the #BlackAtKState video.

“As former President, I felt that it was the right time to utilize this opportunity to hopefully bring out significant awareness to the problems that have for so long been swept under the rug,” Swanson said via email. “I wrote this script from a combination of the top tweets of the hashtag #BlackAtKState so those that have been watching can see and hear us as we bring life into what President Myers thinks are easily [dismissed] tweets.”

Swanson said Black students from all walks of life go through the same thing, and it shouldn’t be ignored.

“When you are forced to see the face of someone and hear the pain in their voices, it humanizes the situation and makes it more real,” Swanson said. “Forty-eight hours after our hashtag went viral, our campus president released a statement — I won’t call it an apology because nowhere in his video did he say the word ‘sorry.’ Our video was an attempt to get a more sincere apology that isn’t read off of a teleprompter, coupled with a list of concrete action steps to make our campus better.”

Yolanda Broyles-González, distinguished professor of American ethnic studies and department head, said when she has brought racist experiences students and faculty have faced to the administration, nothing changes. She said there is dismay or head shaking, but that is it.

“The video and all the com-

mentary in #BlackAtKState is invaluable testimony from students concerning the spectrum of anti-Black, racist experiences at K-State,” Broyles-González said via email. “These racist experiences tend to be dismissed by the institution, not even perceived by many, and they are not understood for what they are: part of the American social fabric.”

The goal of the video, BroylesGonzález said, is to “expose racism and to end racism on campus and in society at large.”

“I think students for so long have played the the role of being the trend-setter, the change agent and bringing these issues to the forefront so administration and universities such as K-State can understand them and receive them and respond accordingly,” Bryan Samuel, chief diversity and inclusion officer, said.

Samuel said he had not seen the video at the time of this interview, but had seen many of the tweets with the #BlackAtKState hashtag.

Swanson said she received lots of backlash and some death threats after the release of the video.

“I’ve also received an immense amount of support for having the courage to speak out, so the good most definitely outweighs the bad,” Swanson said. “That just goes to show you that people know it’s a problem and [are] willing to support a movement that fixes that problem.”

MOVING FORWARD Samuel said universities across the country will need to find solutions to the issues brought to light in way that is “appropriate for the educational environment.”

Adrian Rodriguez, associate vice president of student life in

diversity and multicultural student affairs, said one of the greatest challenges is advocating for students of color.

“We have lots of work to do as a university and we remain committed and steadfast in creating even greater space and community at Kansas State University,” Rodriguez said.

KSUnite, Community Action Talks and diversity advisory groups are a few ways Samuel hopes to create dialogue around diversity and race on campus.

Samuel said many things have been in the works before the hashtag took over social media, but students don’t always get to know what’s going on behind the scenes.

Swanson, however, doesn’t see KSUnite as a solution.

“As far as changes goes, the first thing KSU can do is get rid of the [performative] antics of KSUnite, because the majority of campus uses it as a day off instead of its true purpose,” Swanson said. “Kansas State can amend their honor code to have a zero-tolerance [for] hate speech and crime for those that are targeted and made in general.”

Ross said she also wants K-State to change. She said K-State needs to “realize the reality” students of color live in, make diversity a priority, implement a zero-tolerance policy and keep people in positions of power accountable.

“I hope this video demands no other options but change,” Ross said. “There are no excuses. The voices of the students of color on K-State’s campus need to be completely heard and acted upon.”

Broyles-González said education is important and calls racism a learned behavior. However, she said it can be unlearned through education.

“Black students describe an encompassing racist environment,” Broyles-González said. “We are an educational institution, and K-State has not prioritized teachings on race and racism. The American ethnic studies department is K-State’s flagship unit on race and racism. Why is this the smallest, most underfunded unit on campus? Why does this unit have no Black studies professors? Or Mexican American studies professors? K-State must invest resources here. That’s one way K-State can address racism: Through sustained anti-racist education.”

Broyles-González invites students to take AMETH 300: Intercultural Competence in Institutions.

“We created this course in response to a BSU demand,” Broyles-González said. “This course requires of students that they re-examine their race thinking and that they learn the histories of U.S. peoples of color. Every K-State student should strive to become culturally competent; that means acquiring an education that builds your ability to embrace a respectful multiculturalism. With that knowledge, we can begin to dismantle systemic racism that pervades education, work environments, families, economics, politics, policing, government.”

Samuel said another way to ensure education is available to all is to remove some policies and procedures, such as GRE requirements for graduate programs admission.

“We’re also going to be doing a number of things like trying to better understand the impact of policies and procedures on marginalized communities,” Samuel said.

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monday, june 29, 2020

File Photo by Bailey Britton | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP Protesters gather at Triangle Park on June 2 to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Since the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minnesota on Memorial Day, protests have popped up around that take a stance against police brutality — Manhattan and the surrounding area are no exception.

STUDENT ORG ISSUES The video called for a “white nationalist group on campus” be abolished. Swanson said that group is America First Students.

“Kansas State cannot pride themselves on being a diverse campus while America First is running [rampant] all around campus,” Swanson said.

In the video, DJ Sanders, freshman in business administration, spoke for the group and said, “we don’t want to hear it’s protected by freedom of speech.”

While students across campus have called for the removal of America First Students, as an independent student organization, the university can’t dissolve the group.

Rodriguez said the organization applied to be a group on campus and met all the criteria to be recognized as a student organization.

“It’s important that viewpoint neutrality is incumbent upon us

and making sure that our student groups, regardless of their viewpoints, have the opportunity to be represented on campus,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the First Amendment is critical to university function. Samuel said no one understands this more than administration.

“We certainly understand that the thoughts and ideas of a particular group may not have met very, very well with our principles of unity, if at all, or may not represent who we are and where we are headed as an institute,” Samuel said. “But I’ve had some experiences ... and I’ve known about other institutions throughout the nation, where any effort to curtail the right of student organizations or the rights of certain speakers who want to come to your university to speak on any number of different kind of things are met with unintended consequences.”

Ross acknowledges the First Amendment protects organizations on campus, however she doesn’t believe this extends to “derogatory actions.”

“There is an understanding of students’ rights to freedom of speech and that the university cannot legally dictate anyone’s viewpoint,” Ross said. “Yet, derogatory actions that target students of color should not be tolerated at all. We don’t care if people justify that statements were meant as a ‘joke.’ There should be no ‘beating around the bush’ for behavior that makes specific groups of students feel uncomfortable, unsupported and unsafe.”

Samuel and Rodriguez both said programs addressing diversity are always in the works, and the #BlackAtKState movement shows it is important these programs exist.

“I’ve also received an

immense amount of support for having the

courage to speak out, so the good most

definitely outweighs the bad.”

- Tori Swanson

former multicultural coalition president

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monday, june 29, 2020

‘BIGOTRY, PREJUDICE & RACISM’ Students react to ‘hateful rhetoric’ from America First Students president with petition, planned protest

DENE DRYDEN

managing editor

Kansas State students are reacting online to Jaden McNeil, junior in political science and president of America First Students at K-State, following a series of posts on Twitter he made that were deemed racist and insensitive by members of the community.

On Thursday, McNeil tweeted, “Congratulations to George Floyd on being drug free for an entire month!”

Floyd died in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, sparking protests against police brutality and racism in all 50 states and around the world.

Multiple students reacted to McNeil’s recent tweet, including members of the K-State football team. Two players said they might not return to the program because of McNeil’s comment — freshman defensive back Tee Denson and sophomore wide receiver Joshua Youngblood. Floyd died in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, sparking protests against police brutality and racism in all 50 states and around the world. “[I] refuse to play for a program that tolerates ignorance such as this,” Denson said, quote-tweeting McNeil.

Youngblood responded similarly, saying, “I’m not coming back until he kicked

out @KState,” in a now-deleted tweet.

A petition for the university to remove McNeil’s student organization from campus has gained several thousand signatures, and a protest against America First Students is planned for August. These actions were taken by K-State students before McNeil’s Thursday tweet regarding Floyd.

At the time of publication, McNeil had not responded to the Collegian’s request for comment on the matter.

McNeil first caught the internet’s attention in August 2019, when he said in a now-unavailable tweet that K-State was “forcing” him to take a “diversity class.”

“I can’t decide which anti-white male class to take,” McNeil wrote, listing Queer Studies, Politics of Women of Color and African American Perspectives as class options.

“Not too fond of the idea of being lectured by some Satanic Professor about why it’s totally okay and normal for men to want to chop off their d*cks or why every problem facing our society is because of the ‘white man,’” McNeil added in the now archived tweet thread.

McNeil is the former president of Turning Point USA’s K-State chapter, and he founded America First Students, an independent student organization.

AFS does not currently show up in K-State’s directory of student organizations on OrgCentral, though it appears in the Center for Student Involvement’s 2020-2021 registration progress document.

The group appears to be miss-

ing an advisor acknowledgement form, barring them from officially being recognized as a student organization.

Created at the start of the spring 2020 semester, AFS has not existed without contention.

In February, the Kansas City Star reported on the new organization and its links to white nationalism, citing a report from the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights.

In the report, IREHR lists Nick Fuentes, a YouTuber and podcaster, and Patrick Casey, who is associated with the American Identity Movement formerly named Identity Evropa, as the two mobilizers behind an attempt “to rebrand white nationalists under a new banner of ‘groypers.’”

Later on, IREHR detailed McNeil’s ties to white nationalism. In a Feb. 27 report, IREHR writers Chuck Tanner and Devin Burghart reported that “Jaden McNeil has been involved with, not two, but four different participants in the murderous white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“White nationalists provided even more guidance to McNeil in the formation of America First Students at Kansas State University than IREHR originally reported,” Tanner and Burghart continued. “McNeil was warned by conservative peers about aligning with a ‘Nazi’ like Nick Fuentes, but chose to ignore the warnings. … McNeil made crude homophobic comments, calling the LGBTQ+ community ‘degenerates’ and using an anti-LGBTQ+ slur during an in-

terview. He has also expressed hostility towards diversity and immigrants.”

In addition to Denson and Youngblood, other K-Staters have responded to McNeil’s social media. On June 5, the person behind the Twitter account “America Worst Students” (@StudentsWorst) created a Change.org petition that asks the university to remove the group. At the time of publication, the petition had more than 2,800 signatures.

“Jaden McNeil and his group America First Students have been allowed to spread their hateful rhetoric on campus, and online,” the petition reads, in part, “using McNeil’s virality among known white nationalist group the Groypers to at-

tack several organizations and events on campus, including The Collegian, KSU Democrats, K-State College Republicans, The Annual K-State Drag Show, and others.”

The @StudentsWorst account holder is a K-State student who expressed to the Collegian that they wish to remain anonymous due to personal safety concerns.

The petition “Ban America First Students from Kansas State University” was created in the same day university President Richard Myers responded to the stories of on-campus racism shared through the #BlackAtKState hashtag.

“[I] refuse to play for a program that

tolerates ignorance such as this.”

- Tee Denson

freshman defensive back via Twitter

monday, june 29, 2020

“If President Myers is serious about ending racism at K-State, or even just taking K-States Principles of Community (which America First consistently violates) than Jaden McNeil and America First have got to go,” the petition reads.

When the Multicultural Commission expanded upon the #BlackAtKState discussion with a video, its members called for abolishing a “white nationalist group on campus,” which Tori Swanson, senior in psychology and American ethnic studies, later identified as America First Students.

“Kansas State cannot pride themselves on being a diverse campus while America First is running [rampant] all around

campus,” Swanson said previously.

In addition, McNeil’s tweets prompted a pending protest.

Originally slated for Friday, a “Protest Against America First Students” is planned for Aug. 12, according to the Facebook event page.

“Their leader and their ideals are basically centered in white nationalism,” Miranda Urban, organizer and senior in social work, said of America First Students.

Urban said she organized the future protest because she saw the #BlackAtKState video and the petition.

“K-State basically hasn’t really taken any action in general with the Black Lives Matter movement,” Urban

said.

Because of a spike in local COVID-19 cases and the fact that many students are away from Manhattan this summer, Urban delayed the protest.

“I would hate for any rises or spikes to be blamed on any kind of protesting,” Urban said.

For the August protest — most likely held in Triangle Park, as originally planned — Urban said she wants “speakers sharing their stories,” and she is interested in finding more ways to amplify and advocate for Black voices on campus.

“It should not be the job of Black students to tell the student body to not be racist,

but it is the job of the university to take every means necessary to make sure racism isn’t tolerated,” Urban said.

“They just keep talking, but they’re not really showing any kind of action on that.”

Vice president for student life and dean of students Thomas Lane responded to students’ online outrage concerning McNeil.

“I’m aware of the Twitter posting by a K-State student,” Lane’s tweet reads. “The lack of basic decency and care for how this post would impact others, especially our Black students, faculty, & staff already emotionally hurting from recent incidents of anti-Black violence is shameful and appalling.

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“K-State condemns the post in the strongest of terms,” Lane continued. “It does not reflect who we are as confirmed by the outrage expressed by so many campus community members. Bigotry, prejudice & racism have no place here.”

Lane added that students impacted by the tweet can contact student resources such as Counseling Services and the Office of Student Life.

“We condemn racism and bigotry in all its forms,” President Myers said in a tweet.

“We are launching an immediate review of the university’s options. Black Lives Matter at Kansas State University and we will continue to fight for social justice.”

File Photo by Abigail Compton | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP Jaden McNeil (in the suit), student in political science and former president of Turning Point USA, stands in a crowd of protesters on Bosco Plaza on April 4, 2019. Students were protesting the “Fighting for the First” speaker event, which was organized by the K-State TPUSA chapter, that evening. Now, McNeil has attracted the attention of thousands of K-State students who are petitioning for America First Students to be removed from campus.

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The Black Lives Matter movement is a culmination of centuries of injustice, panelist says

‘A CRY FOR HELP’

KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN editor-in-chief

File Photo by Sarah Unruh | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP Protesters gather at City Park on June 3 to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

June’s Community Action Talk covered hot topics related to the Black Lives Matter.

The movement was recently catapulted back to national attention following the police-involved killing of George Floyd nearly a month ago in Minneapolis. Since his death, protests have spread across the United States calling for the end of police brutality and overarching police reform.

“It’s not a new issue,” chief diversity officer and panel moderator Bryan Samuel said.

Trumanue Lindsey, director of diversity and multicultural student life, characterized the movement as a “cry for help.” It’s not that all lives don’t matter, it’s that the sanctity of black lives has been devalued.

“We have been dehumanized,” Lindsey said. “We’re not seen as a whole person.”

Brenda Heard, junior in political science and student panelist, seconded that idea.

“This isn’t new to me,” Heard said.

“I recognize racism on campus.”

She said she’s received a number of apologies from white peers following the outcry on social media and protests for systemic change, but she said she hasn’t felt “moved” by them.

“I appreciate that they’re announcing their solidarity, but that fact that a black person had to lose their life makes their solidarity questionable,” Heard said. “I’m annoyed.”

Additionally, Shireen Roshanravan, associate professor of American ethnic studies, said she’s seen a lot of performative solidarity recently.

“Put your money where your mouth is,” Roshanravan said.

Allyship is more than just asking students of color to educate you on their hardships, Lindsey and Beard said.

“This is not something that should

be shouldered by our black colleagues and our other colleagues of color,” Kevin Steinmetz, associate professor of sociology, said.

In the last few years, Kansas State has hit the news for a number of racially charged incidents on campus. In 2017, tensions reached a tipping point and eventually led to the creation of KSUnite.

Recently, the Black Student Union launched a social media campaign called #BlackAtKState that allowed black students and alumni to share their stories of discrimination, microaggressions and other barriers they’ve faced on campus. More than a hundred tweets were sent using the hashtag.

Words mean nothing until there are actions, Heard said. Even then, she’s still concerned to return to campus in the fall because of a lack of support for students of color.

One specific issue she mentioned was the university’s desire to balance freedom of speech and the principles of community at the expense of the safety of students of color.

A NATIONAL MOVEMENT Nationally, as the video that kicked off the panel showed, several black men and women have been killed at the hands of police and community law enforcement officers in the last decade or so. “[The Black Lives Matter] is the manifestation of work for centuries,” Roshanravan said.

Roshanravan said to see how law enforcement in the U.S. became discriminatory, you have to look at the history of law and order. For much of the nation’s history, the penal code was a way to control black lives, she said, whether that’s through slavery or Jim Crow laws.

The mindset of “systemic oppression” has been carried in policing — maybe unconsciously — through the history of the U.S., Lindsey agreed.

“When we think about what constitutes crime ... we think about how institutions ... have actively been

abandoning particular communities,” Roshanravan said. “At the end of the day, we have to grapple with internalized anti-blackness.”

One of the key requests of protesters has been the defunding of police. Steinmetz said that request isn’t equivalent to disbanding police, but instead means not treating police departments as the end all, be all solution to any social issue that arises. Instead, Steinmetz said, mental health care professionals and social workers might be involved more.

In the past, police reforms haven’t stuck because they didn’t get to the roots of the problem, Steinmetz said, and nothing will until “police culture” is addressed.

“It absolutely starts from the beginning, from the ground up,” Steinmetz said.

CAMPUS POLICING At the K-State Police Department, chief Ronnie Grice, assistant vice president for public safety, said diversity and education-based training are vital to serving the student body.

“I’m proud of what we have accomplished in recruiting and getting the right individuals in the department,” Grice said. “If you’ve got the right individual in your department ... they know how to handle it ... with respect.”

Grice said officers must also complete bias training and log a certain number of hours of general training.

A few years ago, a black student accused a campus police officer of dismissing his claims of harassment. That officer retired later that academic year following an internal investigation.

The next CATs panel will be about COVID-19 and the impacts of the pandemic on different communities.

The moderator, panelists and date for this virtual event are uncertain, Samuel said, but it should take place some time in July.

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monday, june 29, 2020

‘I’M MORE THAN JUST AN ATHLETE’ Student athletes stand up for change amid Black Lives Matter protests CAMERON BRADLEY

assistant sports editor

Like generations of athletes before them, some Kansas State athletes are using their positions of prominence to take a stance for social change.

Beyond Manhattan, they have their sights set on taking part in the growing Black Lives Matter movement.

“I love to feel like I’m more than just an athlete,” women’s basketball junior guard Christianna Carr said. “When I step on the court, I’m more than just somebody that plays for K-State, I’m more than just a person behind a number, I’m more than just a black student athlete.”

After George Floyd was killed by ex-Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day, protests sprung up across the United States. Now halfway through June, these protests continue as people ask for police reform.

Growing up in the Minneapolis area, Carr was heartbroken when she saw the video of Floyd’s death just outside of Cup Foods, a store Carr frequented while living in the area.

“That could have been me, that could have been my brother, that could have been my dad, anybody,” Carr said.

“That’s what hurt me the most, that could’ve been somebody that I knew.”

Days later Carr was protesting outside the statehouse in Topeka. While reluctant to speak out at first, Carr soon found herself in the middle of the protest, leading chants.

“I decided since I can yell

loud on a basketball court I might as well use it for something else too,” Carr said. “So I started chanting and people started following along and that’s where I really felt like I found my voice.”

Carr was not the only K-State athlete using their platform to speak out. Senior running back Harry Trotter, alongside senior defensive backs AJ Parker and Jonathan Alexander, joined the protests in Manhattan on June 2.

“I’ve had so many African American friends and I’ve been so tied in with them, it really made me feel for them,” Trotter said. “I thought that it was important to go and support them and just let them know that no matter what, I am on their side and I am fighting for them.”

As student athletes have used their platforms to speak out, some coaches have done the same.

Football head coach Chris Klieman and women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie have made statements on Twitter regarding the situation.

Mittie said he has been “proud and strengthened by our student athletes at K-State.”

Klieman said he wants “all of our players, and our black athletes in particular, to know we are here for them and we are here to listen and help.” “[The coaching staff] said that they support us in everything that we do and say, and I think that was important for us to hear,” Trotter said. “We have such a supportive coaching staff, guys that are always behind us 100%.”

Athletes have used social media to speak out on the issue, with one particular post going

viral. Carr wanted to make sure her voice was truly heard.

On June 4, Carr stated on Twitter, “If you don’t support me with this ... then don’t support me with that ... simple,” along with two pictures, one of her protesting in Topeka, while the one next to it is an action shot of Carr during a women’s basketball game.

The tweet garnered national attention, currently sitting at over 7,000 likes and over 1,000 retweets, as well as getting support from the NCAA Women’s Basketball Twitter account.

With the attention, Carr received both positive and negative reactions to the tweet.

“I felt supported by so many people here at K-State that I didn’t even know I had their support,” Carr said. “It also kind of hurt me a little bit just to see how many people are just very small-minded about things. I got threats in my DM’s, I got threats on Instagram, and there were people saying that they don’t even know who I am.”

Her response to the hate?

Simple, those that viewed the tweet know who she is now, and hopefully, she said, she might help them change their mind on the subject matter.

“The biggest thing to take away from this is having people understand that there are problems outside of just basketball in this small little world in manhattan, that things are going on and things are getting real,” Carr said. “You need to focus on things outside of sports, you need to care outside of sports too.”

File Photo by Sarah Unruh | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP Participants display a handmade “Black Lives Matter” banner during the Juneteenth march through Aggieville and around Triangle Park on June 19, 2020.

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monday, june 29, 2020

ACCESSIBILITY

Budget cuts end 30-year program that transported disabled, injured students to class KAYLIE MCLAUGHLIN editor-in-chief

File Photo by Julie Freijat | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP There are accessible parking spots outside of Holton Hall, which houses the Student Access Center. Students with specific mobility needs can be accommodated through the center.

After three decades of offering the service, the Student Access Center will no longer operate its individual shuttle service for students who need special transportation accommodations because of budget cuts.

“Fiscal changes [and] budget reductions, in the past few years have impacted the funds available for the shuttle. This year’s financial impact was more than we can make up for and we can no longer support the service,” Jason Maseberg-Tomlinson, Student Access Center director, said via email.

The program was started to help accommodate students navigate a campus that had more vehicle traffic. At the time, K-State also “lacked curb-cuts,” which was a navigation barrier for students in wheelchairs, Maseberg-Tomlinson said.

It’s looked different over the years. Recently, the service has operated using golf cart transportation. Before the Kansas State campus was pedestrian-centered, Maseberg-Tomlinson said the center used a van.

Going forward, students who have need of special transportation accommodations will be asked to use the aTa Bus that runs routes on and off campus.

Through the Demand Response program, individuals can request off-route “origin to destination” transportation between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on most weekdays.

“It is a way for individuals with disabilities and injuries to access transportation services when they cannot get to regular routes,” Maseberg-Tomlinson said. “They can also take students around town and provide more service than we could.”

In the last few years, Maseberg-Tomlinson said, aTa has worked to increase their reliability. For instance, the organization has added GPS into their vehicles to allow for route tracking and timing for riders.

All K-State students can ride aTa Bus free of charge with a student ID, but Demand Response has an added fare when riding within Manhattan city limits. Additionally, aTa buses are wheelchair accessible.

Students with specific concerns about the changing program can reach out to the Student Access Center.

Emergenc y campus safety app Rave Guardian will replace LiveSafe ANNA SCHMIDT staff writer

Starting on July 6, the campus police will be launching the Rave Guardian app to replace the LiveSafe app.

Students can download the Rave Guardian app and use it to assist them in emergency situations.

Features on the app include one-click emergency dial, campus alerts and updates, a “Safe Walk” virtual campus safety escort, twoway text communication

with campus police, optional anonymous mode for texts with police, and a call directory with campus resources.

Public information officer of the K-State Police Department Bradli Millington said that the switch from LiveSafe to Rave Guardian should bring minor changes.

“There’s a few notable differences, but it’s basically right in line with the LiveSafe app,” Millington said.

The biggest difference between the apps was the Guardian app’s compatibility with the K-State Police Department email alert sys-

tem. “[Rave Guardian] is linked to the same company that runs our alerts for the campus, the ones that we send out our mass notifications on,” Millington said.

“So this is that company, so it’ll be a lot easier to get, say for instance we send out a tornado warning on campus, this will automatically pick that up and send it out through the app too. It combines it into one system so we’re able to get a lot more out.”

The switch was made primarily for budgetary rea-

sons.

“One of the big motivating factors behind the switch was the price of LiveSafe,” Millington said. “We were on the ground floor when it first came out and it was a fairly reasonable cost. We got a one year extension on it and then it was going up considerably. So much that it wasn’t feasible in these times to keep funding that.

The Guardian side was a lot more cost-effective and we got some good benefits from it.”

Millington said that usage of the safety apps by

students is low, and they are hoping that more students will get more on board. He emphasized that the app can be very useful for students in several ways.

“It’s monitored 24/7 by us down at dispatch just like a phone call,” Millington said. “It’s a good source if you can’t make a phone call, there’s an app and no one knows what you’re doing.”

He advises people to download the app when they come back in the fall, look it over, look at the options and use it.