Full Issue, April 15, 2021

Bulletin the

Thursday, April 15, 2021

The voice of the students since 1901

Community garden brings food to students

Editor-in-Chief

Mellott | The Bulletin

What’s in a legacy Katie Donnelly

Managing Editor

When asked what made Ron Slaymaker, the winningest men’s basketball coach in Emporia State history, he also questioned his success, wondering how and why he was given so many opportunities to succeed.

“I’m a common guy, but I’ve been fortunate enough to do a lot of uncommon things,” Slaymaker said. “One year, I don’t know why, I had so many good things that were happening to me and people would say, ‘Why are you getting to do that? Why are you such a big cheese?...And I’d never thought about it. Why have I gotten to do all these things?”

Regular guy or not, he’s been to Europe 23 summers in a row, served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic Festival and World University Games and also served on an Olympic Basketball Selection Committee. Slaymaker had found the answer to his question—he did the jobs no one else wanted to do.

“Why did I get to do all that stuff?” Slaymaker said. “Cuz I’m such hot stuff? No. Because I’m smart? No. Because I’m a better coach? No. But because I held up my hand and became secretary at the Lyon County League, that led to this, to this, to this...You don’t have to be

Mr. Hotshot to get to do a lot of things, but because sometimes you’ve got to do things that other people won’t do.”

After 44 years coaching at ESU, Slaymaker ended his career with a record of 452 wins and 348 loses, four district championships, five conference titles, six Head Coach of the Year for District 10 awards and a NAIA National Coach of the Year award.

“I’ve done a lot of things that no one else wanted to do or would do and I got to thinking, ‘Where did that start?’

Bingo—I know where it started—when I was at Roosevelt High School, a rookie coach,” Slaymaker said. “I was a football coach, there were about eight teams in the league and we had a meeting to elect officers for the year… ‘Who wants to be president?’ They’d hold up their hands. ‘Who wants to be vice president?’ They’d hold up their hands, and ‘Who wants to be secretary?’ Nobody says anything. You know how uncomfortable it is when they’re asking for a volunteer and nobody volunteers and it gets deathly silent? That’s what it was. The longer it got silent, the more nervous I got. You didn’t want to move because if you moved, you were it. ‘I’ll do it,’ so I became secretary of the see LEGACY page 8

Aquatic Center Pg. 6

Volume 120 - No. 3

Newly elected ASG President, VP prepare for fall Margaret Mellott

John Perkins (bottom left), sophomore engraving major, and others work the soil in preparation of planting carrots, peas, and other produce for campus students on Sunday, April 11. Many of the new members are veteran community service workers and expressed eagerness to begin the community garden. Margaret

Community Garden Pg. 3

As the Spring semester comes to an end, the Associated Student Government elections cemented next year’s president, Lucy Steyer, and vice-president, Lauren Moon.

While they ran unopposed, the official voting ended on March 18.

“I really enjoy being on ASG,” said Steyer, junior political science major. “And getting to connect with students across campus. As president, you get to do that on a larger scale, as well as connect to faculty and administrators and advocate at the state level for what students need, not just on our campus.”

Both Steyer and Moon have now been on ASG for two years now, allotting them unique experiences in different committees and RSO’s.

Familiarity with the different branches of ASG as well as other campus organizations increases their ability to make the changes they see most necessary on campus, said Moon.

“We’re really both passionate about food insecurity,” Moon said. “I’m currently president of Hornet’s Against

Hunger, a new on campus RSO...We are actually getting ready to plant our community garden, and we’ve really been able to get more students involved with that. And hopefully, with our connections, Lucy and I’s connection with ASG, we can partner with them, we can partner with the EAT Initiative. I think with both of our backgrounds as well, we’ll really be able to make a lot of difference in the community regarding food insecurity.”

Steyer and Moon hope that with their participation across campus, they will not only have an easier time understanding student needs but that students will also feel more comfortable voicing what they believe is most important.

“We also want to have students be more proactive on campus and activities and things they’re passionate about,” Steyer said. “The point of student government is to represent what the students need. So giving them that support that they need to speak on certain issues, or come to us with things that they think would be beneficial for Emporia State.”

One objective Steyer and

Moon feel passionately about is encouraging equity and equality among students.

They believe starting with RSOs is one of the more effective ways to do that.

“We’re really focusing in on diversity and inclusion a lot, ” said Moon, sophomore biology and chemistry education major. “Lucy had this really good idea of having all RSOs participate in diversity training. Just to kind of spread that learning around and get it accessible to more students.”

Overall, Steyer and Moon want to encourage involvement and be leaders who advocate for the student body.

“I want (students) to know that I am passionate about getting their voices out there,” Moon said. “I’m passionate about helping them get involved in our community and on campus. I have so much love for our students in our school. I want them to know that I’m here for them. I’m an advocate for them. I’m going to give them a lot of opportunities to really take their learning and their educational experience and their leadership to the next level.”

Newly elected Associated Student Government President Lucy Steyer speaks about her previous experience on ASG and what she plans to accomplish in her new position for Emporia State on Thursday, April 8. She has become familiar with how ASG runs, as well as other campus organizations have given Steyer a new perspective on how to emit change. Margaret Mellott | The Bulletin

Steve Henry remembered for being an example to all “Henry started all four years as a defensive back,” according to the ESU Hornet Athletics website.

“In 1976 he was named second-team all-CSIC(Central States Intercollegiate Conference), and he returned a kickoff 96 yards against Missouri Western. | Photo courtesy of Ron Slaymaker

Katie Donnelly

Managing Editor

Steve Henry, an Emporia State alumni who recently died in a car accident, was known to many for his athletic accomplishments-- the Emporia hero who intercepted the ball from Joe Montana. To friends who knew the man behind the reputation, what was more unique than his athletic ability was his humble attitude, drive, kindness, and his exemplary actions, even as a college student in the mid 70’s.

“He was just the most the salt of the earth kind of guy, you know back when we were young and at Emporia he always had priorities that were the right kind of priorities... what was important in life--

school and learning and being kind to other people...you always looked up to him as being just a special individual,” said John Kuldacek, ESU alumni.

“The way he conducted himself and just in addition to that he was just, an outstanding athlete.”

The combination of Henry’s success and humble attitude were an absolute anomaly to those who knew him, said Russ Jenkins, ESU alumni.

“Very few people have both of them (competitiveness and kindness),” said Russ Jenkins, ESU alumni. “There’s very few people that are the best they can be and are still humble.

He would not have been one to have danced in the endzone after scoring a touchdown. He would hand the ball to the of-

ficial and then go back to the huddle.”

Henry’s success was not only a result of how well he could play the game, but also of how hard he worked and his ability to lead.

“Head lead it by example-you can be the best you can be without hurting anybody... without lying or cheating,” said Jenkins. ““I mean you can be very successful and still have a strong relationship with the Lord. You can be very successful and just do your thing.

It also helped that he had a little talent...Steve had a lot of talent, but he had to desire to be the best if he could be at no one else’s expense.” see HENRY page 5

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FROM THE WIRE

The Bulletin | APRIL 15, 2021

Pause for Johnson & Johnson vaccine extended as federal health panel wrestles with next steps Laura Olsen

Kansas Reflector

WASHINGTON — Use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot will remain paused for at least a week, after a federal vaccine advisory panel said Wednesday that it had too little data on a rare but serious blood-clotting condition reported in at least six women.

That means states and federally run vaccine sites will be relying on the other two authorized vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna until the panel meets again. The rare condition has not been reported following doses of those shots.

The Biden administration’s COVID-19 response team has said there are enough doses available of Pfizer and Moderna to continue the current pace of vaccinations nationally.

All six blood-clotting cases—which were reported to federal health officials between March 19 and April 12— have involved women between the ages of 18 and 48. One woman has died, and another woman in Nebraska remains in critical condition.

Since the J&J shot was ap-

proved, 7.2 million doses have been administered, including 1.5 million to women between 18 and 50.

As they grappled with the next steps for the vaccine, the panel of independent health experts who advise the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policies expressed concerns about how an extended pause on vaccinations could affect vaccine confidence and access, given that the one-dose J&J vaccine is being targeted to certain populations who are more difficult to reach for vaccines.

“Any extension of the pause will invariably result in the most vulnerable individuals in the United States, who are prime candidates for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, will remain vulnerable,” said Nirav Shah, director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We’re in a situation where not making a decision is tantamount to making a decision,” said Shah, who represents the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials on the panel.

Ultimately, many of the panelists said they were un-

comfortable taking action yet with so few details on the cases flagged in the federal system for tracking serious reactions to the shots.

Public health officials testified Wednesday that so far, there are no clear identifiable risk factors explaining why the rare condition has occurred in more cases than would be expected for the doses given so far.

“I continue to feel we’re in a race against time and the variants, but we need to do so in the safest possible way,” said panelist Grace Lee, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, Calif.

The panel did not set a date for when it will reconvene in the next seven to 10 days, saying only that it would aim to schedule its meeting by Friday.

The public, live-streamed meeting, and the very public federal recommendation for suspending the vaccine’s use, were intended to bolster confidence in the U.S. system for tracking adverse reactions to the shot, which has only been in use since the beginning of

Kansas Legislature passes $20 billion spending blueprint for state, with no money for public schools provider reimbursement rates for the Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Intellectual/Developmental Disability waiver for the last three months of fiscal year 2021.

Additionally, $8.0 million would go to partially restoring the evidence-based juvenile programs account funding.

“You had a chance to change the direction of this state’s spending,” said Rep. Henry Helgerson, a Democrat from Wichita. “You know, I didn’t like the Governor’s proposal about balancing the budget. I didn’t Rep. Troy Waymaster says lawmakers will address funding for public schools when they return in May. Sherman Smith | Kansas Reflector like what she was doing with KPERS. I didn’t like the tax in“I don’t think this budget is creases, but I was willing to say, Miranda Davis fiscally responsible, and it puts I’m going to cut the budgets Kansas Reflector our ability to sustainably fund and make it work.

TOPEKA — A nearly $20 education and social services at “What we have now is probbillion state budget is on its way jeopardy,” said Senate Minority ably the worst case scenario. to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk af- Leader Dinah Sykes, a Demo- We don’t have an education ter both the House and Senate crat from Lenexa. “I appreciate budget and we adjourn in a passed it Friday on the last day some of those increases, but to few hours. We haven’t made a of the regular session. give someone something and decision about how we’re going While the budget includes then immediately have to pull to deal with the funds coming funding for human services it back, because we can’t con- from the federal government and public safety, the most no- tinue to fund that for another because the governor’s been table aspect of the bill is what it year, I think we’re just putting cut out.” doesn’t include: any K-12 educa- ourselves in jeopardy.”

Sen. Tom Hawk, a Demotion funding.

The bill does not include crat from Manhattan said that The greatest challenge now Kelly’s recommendation to while he has concerns on the facing the legislative branch reamortize the Kansas Public use of federal funds filling ceris determining how they will Employees Retirement System tain holes in the budget, he fund public schools after the actuarial liability over 25 years. fears a situation where the state Senate did not pass a separate Lawmakers during negotia- returns to court for failing to adbill that addressed state educa- tions removed a 2.5% base pay equately fund public schools. tion funding before adjourning adjustments for classified and Additionally, Hawk said the until May 3. unclassified state employees, bill doesn’t touch on the possiRep. Troy Waymaster, a and will revisit the potential bility of Medicaid expansion.

Republican from Bunker Hill, raise when they return in May. “I think we’re missing an said school finance will be adThe bill adds $37.4 million incredible opportunity with dressed during the veto session. to provide a $15 increase for Medicaid expansion, and this “We’re going to address it. the daily reimbursement rate budget doesn’t talk to that,” We have to,” Waymaster said. for nursing facilities for 178 Hawk said. “I have those reser“Whether that be a cut to K-12 days in fiscal year 2021, and the vations. It’s going to make it difor not, we have to. We have to daily rate increase provided ficult for me on the vote.” fund K-12 education when we because of the COVID-19 panCorrection: An earlier version come back.” demic would remain for the of this story, including the headBeyond education, concerns rest of 2020. It would also add line, referenced a 2.5% pay raise for about the lack of a balanced $37.8 million to provide a $15 in- state employees. That raise was rebudget came from Democrats crease for the daily reimburse- moved during budget negotiations, in both the Senate and the ment rate for nursing facilities and will be reviewed when lawHouse. Those concerns stem for 120 days, starting Jan. 1 in fis- makers finalize the state spending from a fiscal profile lawmakers cal year 2021. plan next month. requested that showed a $726 The budget includes $5.5 million deficit through 2023. million for a 5% increase in the

March.

Officials with the Food and Drug Administration said pausing the vaccine’s use would in part give health care providers time to learn about the conditions they may see arise in their patients.

“Right now, we believe these events to be extremely rare, but we are also not yet certain we have heard about all possible cases, as this syndrome may not be easily recognized as one associated with the vaccine,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said during a news conference earlier on Wednesday.

The clotting condition, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, had combined with low levels of blood platelets in the six cases pending review by the FDA and CDC. The combination is unusual, and requires a different treatment than typical blood clots to avoid potentially dangerous consequences.

Of concern to the federal advisory panel are the 3.8 million shots that have been administered within the last two weeks. In the six cases of the blood-clotting condition, the symptoms occurred between

seven and 14 days after vaccination, indicating that there could be more cases yet to be identified.

During Wednesday’s meeting, officials from Johnson & Johnson offered additional details on the medical conditions of the women in those cases, including one involving an 18-year-old from Nevada who fell ill 14 days after vaccination.

One additional case also occurred during J&J’s phasethree trial testing of the vaccine. That case involved a 25-year-old male, who experienced symptoms eight days after vaccination and has since recovered.

Public health officials have emphasized that anyone who has received a J&J vaccine within the last three weeks and develops severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath should contact their health care provider.

One option when the panel reconvenes would be to recommend the J&J shot for use among only those over age 50, or just men, given who has been affected by the bloodclotting condition so far.

Up to 100 new immigration judges would be added under Biden budget request Ariana Figueroa Kansas Reflector

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Friday released a budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year that would increase the number of immigration judges and allocate millions in funding to clear backlogs of hearings and asylum requests.

The administration is grappling with an influx of asylum seekers at the Southern border after inheriting a gutted immigration system from the Trump administration.

Boosted funding for immigration programs, aid and reform in the budget request spans several agencies such as the Department of Human and Health Services, Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.

President Joe Biden’s preliminary $1.5 trillion budget request to Congress seeks to spend $891 million on nearly 1.3 million outstanding immigration court cases, which also adds up to 100 new judges — a 21% increase.

That funding, which would begin in October if passed by Congress, is part of the president’s request for $35.2 billion for the Department of Justice, a 5.3 increase from what’s now in law for fiscal 2021.

The full budget will be released later this spring, Office of Management and Budget acting director Shalanda Young said in a statement.

“This moment of crisis is also a moment of possibility,” she said. “The upcoming appropriations process is another important opportunity to continue laying a stronger foundation for the future and reversing a legacy of chronic disinvestment in crucial priorities.”

A small piece of immigration reform tucked into Biden’s budget proposal to Congress would expand the availability of Pell Grants, subsidiaries provided by the federal government for low-income students to pay for college, to undocumented people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as Dreamers.

The administration also proposed to increase the maximum Pell Grant available to each student by $400, which would be the largest one-time increase since 2009. Students can currently get a maximum $6,495 grant for the 2021-22 academic year.

There are more than 400,000 undocumented students pursuing higher education who do not qualify for federal financial aid and typically have to pay out-ofstate tuition, even if they are residents of the states where they attend colleges and universities. Only 17 states and the District of Columbia offer instate-tuition for undocumented students.

The Biden administration is also requesting $861 million next fiscal year as part of a four-year funding commitment, totaling $4 billion, to craft a strategy to address the root causes of migration from Central America to the United States.

“These resources would allow the United States to sustain effective regional partnerships and strengthen host government accountability to bolster service delivery and security by curtailing endemic corruption, preventing violence, reducing poverty, and expanding economic development,” according to the budget proposal.

The Bulletin | APRIL15, 2021

HORNET LIFE

3

From farm to table Margaret Mellott Editor-in-Chief

One of the newest Registered Student Organizations to form on campus has brought with it not only a reminder of the importance of fighting against hunger, but edible solutions as well.

With the creation of a community garden, Hornets against Hunger seek to do more than just talk about the community’s problems but address them with solutions.

“We wanted to start an RSO so that way we can engage at the student body level and really just get everyone to be kind of, the boots on the ground for EAT or Corky’s Cupboard,” said Tania Wiest, senior botany major.“It is really for anyone else that wants to help or employ us as long as it’s necessary.”

A plot for gardening was donated near the library for warm weather plants in addition to the previous plot near Grace United Method-

ist Church. The plot will give Hornets Against Hunger more room to garden and create an added awareness for students who want to volunteer or are in need of food assistance. “(The plot of land on campus) was previously managed by the Dean of the Library Sciences. I had a meeting with her and she wants to donate it to us for management and to be able to give us a little bit more visibility,” Wiest said.

Wiest said the group

sprang into action modeling after Emporia at the Table and the campus EAT initiative, which were both more policy oriented.

“Lauren, Tessa and I are all volunteers at Emporia at the Table,” Wiest said. “Dr. Lineberry has been wanting to start a club because EAT is very important but it is really focused on research and kind of policy level stuff.”

The group currently has thirteen members to maintain the plots of land but are hoping for more students to

join soon as the temperature increases and growing plants becomes more feasible.

“I’m so excited to see what our students are able to do,” said Lauren Moon, sophomore biology and chemistry education major.

“And to pass it on and kind of delegate those gardening things.”

Students needing assistance can contact Corky’s Cupboard at 620-341-5465 or visit on weekdays from noon - 5 p.m. in the student union.

(above) Students help plant seeds at the new garden plot on Sunday, April 11. Located at United Grace Methodist Church in Emporia, the student-run plot is now operational. (far left) Lauren Moon, sophomore biology major, (right) breaks ground in one of the newly established produce plots. “I want (students) to know that I am passionate about getting their voices out there (and that) I’m passionate about helping them get involved in our community.” (middle) Tania Wiest, senior botany major, works on the newly established compost bins. Open to the public, Weist said they hope the plot of land can be a source of common ground in the community.

Margaret Mellott | The Bulletin

With nine volunteers, students from the newly established Hornets Against Hunger work to develop a community garden where they hope to grow all manner of fresh produce. Margaret Mellott | The Bulletin

OPINION

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The Bulletin | APRIL 15, 2021

Staff editorial: Silence breeds fear

Following the attempted sexual assault in Schallenkamp Hall in mid-February, the university sent out an alert warning students to be careful and to send any tips they might have to campus police.

Since then? Nothing.

All students were sent was an immediate warning the morning of the attempt, which notified them there was a possible assailant on campus. While we don’t know if it was another student or an intruder, we do know they were able to enter a campus residence hall in the early morning hours.

Not only is this horrifying for the victim of the attempt, but for students as well. Students were immediately put on alert, but there was no follow-up. No real information

about the assailant. No information about the investigation. No reassurance about campus safety and security.

The university is responsible for providing the followup, and it’s alarming there hasn’t been one yet, especially when considering students who may have already been through the trauma or dealing with a sexual assault.

One in four female undergraduate students are assaulted in their time at college, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. Thirteen percent of all college students experience sexual assault at some point in their college career, according to RAINN. Unfortunately, these numbers probably don’t even scratch the surface of all sexual assaults, which are

Asian lives matter

Kyra Jumper

Opinions Editor

Ever since the Novel Coronavirus hit the United States last March, hate crimes and violent attacks on Asian Americans have increased. Why is that?

I could think of a lot of reasons, but it all comes back to education and media consumption.

Some news outlets and political officials use propaganda and create misleading titles of the co ro n av i rus alluding to Asian Americans.

Some exa m p l e s include calling the C o ro n av i rus names like “China Virus” or “ Wu h a n flu.”

I have seen and heard many justifications to why people use those two names rather than what it is, the Coronavirus, COVID-19, or specifically SARS-CoV-2.

Attaching locations or ethnicities to viruses’ deliberately creates an unconscious bias, which is more than likely the

cause of the increase in xenophobia attacks and microaggressions we’re seeing on the news.

The refusal of listening to another person of a different race’s plea for justice, equality and equity until “the request comes in a language you feel comfortable with” is another privileged way of asserting dominance over the situation.

For anyone who may not remember, the definition of unconscious bias is “Social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside of their own conscious awareness,” according to the University of California in San Francisco.

Pathogens literally do not and cannot discriminate.

It is a virus, not a person.

If you witness people mispronouncing COVID-19 or the Coronavirus, correct them.

Educate t h e m .

Go into a f r i e n d l y, informative debate and be an ally to the Asian community. Check in on your friends and donate to victim memorial funds, community restoration and enrichment organizations.

Let’s take some time to have those conversations and become better allies for one another, especially for our Asian community right now.

Attaching locations or ethnicities to viruses’ deliberately creates an unconscious bias, which is more than likely the cause of the increase in xenophobia attacks and microaggression we are seeing on the news

CONTACT US

1 Kellogg Circle, Emporia, KS 66801 Campus Box 4068 Emporia State University 3rd floor Memorial Union, Room 312 Phone: 620-341-5201

severely underreported each year.

According to the Justice Department analysis of violent crime in 2016, nearly eighty percent of rapes go unreported. No matter the reason these go unreported, it doesn’t change the fact it still happened and victims are greatly in need of support, including from their university.

Sexual assault is a prevelant issue on college campuses and is probably a greater issue in our ESU community than we can even begin to understand. When the alert

came in February, students were put on edge. Is the assailant still on our campus?

Are they living in our residential halls?

Sexual assault is a prevelant issue on college campuses and is probably a greater issue in our ESU community than we can even begin to understand Even if there is no new information, and even if the investigation is ongoing, the campus deserves to be updated. Being left in silence like this only lets fear grow.

Those needing help or

through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The SOS hotline, a community resource for victims, is also available to everyone. SOS can be reached 24 hours a day at 800-625-1295.

Legislating identity

Lucas Lord

Web Editor

Within recent months there seems to be a disconcerting trend in the Midwest of state legislatures like Kansas trying to legislate and regulate transgender bodies.

From initiatives to ban puberty blockers to medical care, the Sunflower State has joined a growing list of those attempting to ban transgender athletes from competing in girl’s K-12 and college women’s sports.

Without a veto proof majority, it is unlikely to become

law if Governor Kelly, a Democrat, disapproves.

In South Dakota, a similar sports restriction bill passed but was vetoed by the state’s Republican governor. This wave of anti-transgender legislation has been growing steadily and already this year 82 anti-transgender bills have been introduced in legislatures across the county, a new record.

This is heartbreaking.

Beyond the major economical blowback that such bills would incur, from the NCAA pulling championships to teams losing sponsorships, state legislatures are sending a clear message that such bills are drafted from a place of hatred, not out of concern for their constituents, certainly not me or queer Kansans like myself.

This desire to regulate sex and gender has always been strange to me. When I talk about Kansas I want totalk

about the rolling Flint Hills, not how the representative from my hometown thinks trans women competing in sports are doing so to have an unfair advantage.

A 2015 study done by the UCLA School of Law found that 29% of transgender respondents in Kansas reported experiencing discrimination and harassment in public. Having to juggle puberty while feeling out your identity is hard enough without octogenarians trying to tell you which bathroom to use or how to dress, let alone which sports you should be allowed to play.

Our state motto reads “Per aspera ad astra,” or “through hardships to the stars.” The journey of self-discovery and acceptance queer youth in the often-unforgiving Midwest undergo is already one rifled with challenges—we don’t need anymore.

Submit your letter to the Editor today

Letters to the editor should be no more than 450 words and can address issues, concerns, ideas or events important to you. Letters may be edited for content and length. email letters to esubulletineditor@gmail.com. Please include your name and student email so we can verify authorship EDITORIAL STAFF

Margaret Mellott Editor-in-Chief

support and reach out to the Student Wellness Center on their website, or they can call 620 341-5222 to schedule an appointment Monday

Katie Donnelly Managing Editor Kyra Jumper Opinions Editor

Lucas Lord Web Editor

ADVISER Max McCoy Professor of Journalism

esubulletineditor@gmail.com

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NEWS

The Bulletin | APRIL 15, 2021

5

ESU tennis coach looks to the future with tennis complex nearing completetion Kyra Jumper

Staff Reporter

Since the construction of the Kossover Tennis Complex/ Milton Courts began in October, head tennis coach Les Stafford has been excited to watch the foundation be built and has high hopes for the future of ESU tennis.

“Also, you are talking about just recruiting and building up our program even stronger,” Stafford said. “There are also very few division II schools that have their own indoor facility.

So, that is going to be a huge bonus - along with everybody, like the fans, can come out and watch so much easier now even if it is not perfect weather.”

Stafford is excited to bring in four new players next year, but hopes to recruit “the best and the brightest student athletes” to play on the team and build the program up.

In addition to recruiting new players, the tennis team will be

able to stretch their season.

“Instead of cramming all our matches together at one time,” said Stafford. “It basically gives us almost another month to stretch our schedule a little bit and play a more reasonable pace -- maybe than what we have had to in the past -- where it is pretty rough to schedule tennis matches in February ahead of time. We get nice days, but you cannot count on them.”

The tennis complex will be taking the tennis program to a new level, Stafford described.

Practices and tournaments will be easier to have since everything will finally be on campus.

Stafford said the building should be completed by July, but watching the building go on and the branding on the exterior has him excited.

“I have seen all sorts of drawings and schematics on it,” said Stafford. “I am getting excited to actually see it in person and see how nice it just actually is.”

Elizabeth Smart speaks about her abduction, advocacy efforts and moving forward

henry

continued from page 1 Once a leader on the field, Henry worked his way from a chemist to the Operations Manager at Wolf Creek Power Plant. Jesse Nelson, ESU alumni, believes his career success was largely due to his disciplined work ethic, but also a result of the example he led.

“If you were working with him or for him you wanted to do your best because that’s what he expected,” said Nelson. “You know he raised the level of the room when he was in it because people wanted to be better...when he was in the room or involved in an activity he raised the level of expectation because people wanted to do better.”

Steve was a hard worker, but also enjoyed the camaraderie that came with it.

“If he allowed you to help him with something it was either because he knew you’d get a good feeling from somebody and he didn’t want to deny you that or just for the fraternity of being around you,” Nelson said. “It wasn’t because he needed it. Otherwise he’d just do it himself but if you had something, if you ever asked him he’d help you out.”

As the Kossover Sports Complex approaches completion, staff and student-athletes alike are eager to utilize the space in a post-pandemic environment. “There are very few division II schools that have their own indoor facility,” said head tennis coach Les Stafford. “Instead of cramming all our matches together at one time, it basically gives us almost another month to stretch our schedule a little bit and play a more reasonable pace.” Lucas Lord | The Bulletin

Lucas Lord

Web Editor

Steve Henry

Many describe Henry as being successful one way or another but Garin Higgins, head football coach, believes he achieved his top priority by simply being kind.

“With Steve you wouldn’t know he’s a guy that had so much success in football because he never talked about it because he seemed to be the type of person that just cared about being a good person,” said Higgins. “It was never about him.”

Irreplaceable, Nelson says that Steve was a true rarity to behold.

“A random shot down that street you could have run into a lot of others that wouldn’t have been quite the human being that he was,” Nelson said.

“I thought the priest made a good point on that, that Steve was probably more prepared for it than most guys.”

Child abduction survivor Elizabeth Smart spoke to over 400 attendees via a Zoom presentation on April 7 about her past and ongoing efforts to support other survivors.

“The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time,” said Maycee Kingsley, Junior elementary education major. “Elizabeth was abducted on June 5, 2002 and her captors controlled her by threatening to kill her and her family if she tried to escape. Fortunately, the police safely returned Elizabeth back to her family on March 12, 2003 after being held prisoner for nine grueling months.”

While barely a teenager at the time, Smart began a lifetime journey of recovery and advocacy for other people who had been abused or abducted.

“I remember asking him why was he doing this to me, (my family) hadn’t hurt anyone there was no reason,” Smart said. “Sometimes he’d answer and say I was his hostage, or he was taking me for ransom. I remember begging with him and pleading with him to let me go and he wasn’t going to let me go and I got to the point where

I said, ‘If you were going to rape and kill me could you just do it her;…I wanted my family to find my body, I wanted to be buried.

Pretty morbid thoughts for a 14 years old but that’s genuinely what was going through my head. And he laughed at me and said, ‘I’m not going to rape and kill you, yet.’”

After nine months of abuse, Smart reunited with her parents and decided to live.

“I remember feeling like I didn’t want to miss out on anything ever again, I wanted to live every moment for the rest of my life,” Smart said. “I think we are all survivors of something. Hopefully its not kidnapping, hopefully its not sexual violence, but given the fact there are over four hundred people in this webinar I know that I am not the only sexual abuse survivor on here. I know statistically speaking there are quite a few of you with me tonight.”

Founded in 2011, the Elizabeth Smart Foundation has been one of the many ways in which Smart has advocated for survivors. According to Smart, having a support network in her family and her faith was what gave her strength and helped her to move on from the experience.

“Honestly it was always so

much more comforting to think that God was my Father, that I was his daughter… and that I wasn’t going through this completely alone,” said Smart. “That was a much better thought than thinking that He was cruel and didn’t care about me and didn’t exist. So I definitely think it reinforced my faith in God.” Now married and a mother, Smart said her journey of reclaiming sex and physical intimacy was a grueling one but one that was her choice.

“Physical intimacy after abuse of any kind is hard and it's scary because it's opening yourself up to be vulnerable again and being vulnerable is scary,” Smart said. “It is scary to go down that path willingly but that was what made the difference for me, that it was my choice. It was my choice to have physical intimacy in my life and it was my choice to decide who I was physically intimate with and that I could say ‘No’…

I think that it has to be a choice and it can never be forced, and if you are with someone who cannot understand that then you aren’t with the right person.”

If you or someone you know needs help contact the Emporia SOS center on 1420 C of E Drive, Suite 6 at 620-343-8799.

Faculty Senate discusses aquatic center opening amid continued budget issues Lucas Lord

Web Editor

The Emporia State Faculty Senate discussed the opening of the Prophet Aquatic Research Center during their first meeting in April, despite continued concerns about the budget and about future sources of funding.

“Brent Thomas and many other people and science faculty have been involved in fundraising literally for years to make this facility a reality and they’ve had a lot of hurdles to clear to get to this point, but it is truly a remarkable achievement for those people,” said Provost David Cordle.

The privately funded project started construction in March of 2018 and should be open to students by next semester, said Cordle.

“Occupancy for the facility will probably come towards the end of April as it is still a hardhat area. May 22nd will be the ribbon cutting, and from that point on even this summer it will be possible to have guests in there and host outreach activities. This fits in perfectly with one of our strategic resource strategies.”

One of the anonymously submitted questions Cordle answered about the budget compared ESU to the University of Phoenix, arguing ESU has lowered its standards of admission requirements, especially online students in hopes of squeezing more revenue out of students, who should not be viewed as customers.

“I don’t think ESU is trying to be the University of Phoenix at all,” Cordle said. “What we

are doing is trying to extend our reach to some students who are never going to be able to come here, live on the campus and attend courses in our classrooms for a semester at a time. This is largely graduate students we are talking about, so I would submit to you that reaching those students and engaging them is a good thing for those students and it is a good thing for the university too.”

The business side of ESU was also addressed, making addressing their wants and needs an even greater priority, said Cordle.

“We are a tuition dependent institution. That is a fact and there is no denying that and tuition is paid for by real life breathing students,” Cordle said.

“From my perspective it probably makes sense for us to make

students and their needs a priority, but I do not think it means that we do, or should, view them as revenue units or anything like that.”

Brenda Koerner, associate professor of Biology and next president of the Faculty Senate, discussed attendance requirements for senators in a post-pandemic world.

“There are two issues we need to address and the first is illness. We already have policy to deal with that since no one is expecting you to come into work when they are ill so there are provisions for finding substitutes and if you can’t find a substitute there are allotted absences and that would obviously be one,” said Koerner. “Currently attendance is in person so that is what I will expect going into next year unless if this body de-

cides to change the bylaws for those purposes we will deal with that at that time."

With the semester ending, the Music department will be holding a Jazz concert at 6p.m. on April 20 outside Beach Hall according to Ramiro Miranda, assistant professor of Music.

“The jazz band and faculty jazz band combo will be right outside the Beach Hall main doors and it will kind of be a bring your own lunch kind of thing,” said Miranda. “The wind ensemble has a concert on April 27t, also at 6p.m.. We are also working hard on putting on social media all the ensembles for you to see since we have a lot of music that we unfortunately weren’t able to share since we didn’t have live concerts this last year.”

NEWS

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The Bulletin | APRIL 15, 2021

Waiting by the

waterside

With ribbon-cutting planned for May 22, the Prophet Aquatic Center sits on the edge of King Lake, patiently waiting for faculty to begin making use of the space. “It makes me happy to see the school expand,” said Provost David Cordle. “Even aside from these large projects there are so many improvements that have been made on campus, sometimes within individual spaces within a building.” Lucas Lord | The Bulletin

Commencement to be held in-person this spring

A Spring 2019 graduate poses for her senior photos outside the Memorial Union. | Bulletin Archive Katie Donnelly

Managing Editor

Following two online commencements, Emporia State graduates will finally get to walk across the stage once again. Since March 2020, mass gatherings have been restricted by the Lyon County City Commissioners. Just recently though, this restriction has been lifted.

The Commencement Committee’s top priorities were not only to allow students an in-person graduation, but also to ensure the safety and health of the graduates and their loved ones.

“We’re trying really hard given the situation,” said Jer-

ald Spotswood, Dean of the Graduate School. “To do what we need to do to keep them both safe, and to be responsible citizens, but at the same time mark this very important event in people’s lives.”

To allow people to socially distance safely, commencement will be held in Welch Stadium and each graduating student is only allowed two guests.

“It is going to be necessary to limit the number of guests who attend the ceremony and that’s regrettable,” said David Cordle, Provost. “But, it’s necessary because we tried to do some very careful arithmetics about the number of people who could be seated and still

keep some distance. The way that arithmetic works out, we can have about two guests per graduate and we understand that’s a big limitation and I wish we didn’t have to do that, but it is necessary.”

The Commencement Committee relied heavily on student feedback to plan, focusing on a student survey sent to graduates after last year’s commencement.

“There was some negative feedback obviously of students saying, ‘If I don’t get an in-person graduation, I don’t want a graduation at all,’ and that’s fair,” said Amaya Oshel, vice president of Associated Student Government and senior sociology major. “You

work really hard to have that accomplishment, and if you don’t get to have it that’s really devastating...A lot of students were like ‘If it’s not socially distanced, I’m not going to be there…’ We want to make sure people can social distance and there’s not a lot of at risk people attending graduation.”

Oshel is graduating this semester, making her participation in the process and her ability to speak on behalf of the student body even more personal.

“I really am glad at least two of my family members get to see me graduate and walk across the stage and I get to celebrate myself,” Oshel said.

“Although the people that will be there for me are my supporters and have been my biggest fans this entire time, I am the one that went through college and I graduated and I did what I needed to do to accomplish this.”

Cordle said he believes commencement is not only a sign of growth for students graduating but also a foreshadowing of what is to come for ESU. “I just think that finishing off this academic year with an in-person commencement is not only a good thing for the students who are graduating, but I think it’s a very hopeful sign of what the university can look forward to in the fall,” said Cordle. “We’re all hoping that we’ll be able to start the new academic year in a way that feels normal or very close to normal.”

Voice of the

Hornets Lucas Lord

Web Editor

Emporia State Special Collections and Archives presented a discussion with KVOE Sports Director Greg Rahe on his over thirty-year career in broadcasting Hornet athletics.

“In addition to showcasing athletes and coaches in the exhibit, we are highlighting those kinds of people who help to create the athletics experience and certainly broadcasting is a big part of that,” said Rebekka Curry, public services supervisor. “When we are thinking about developing exhibits, one of the first things we focus on is what kind of experience do we want people to have. So we really wanted to showcase what a powerhouse ESU athletics has been especially for a school of this size.”

As the one to interview Rahe, Curry said that even as exhibits come and go they hopefully have a lasting impact.

“It’s always a little sad when you take it all down and we have this bare little exhibit hall until we install the next exhibit, but I do think that there is a sense that people have learned something from this. Maybe they’ve been moved to explore something they wouldn’t have otherwise,” Curry said. “It’s a little sad, but you also know that it had an impact.”

Kent Weiser, the athletic director at ESU said that while technology has made live game results available at our fingertips there is no replacement for hearing someone you know get excited in real-time about the game.

“There are more ways to follow games today than there was 10, 20 years ago even but there is no replacement for hearing a guy like Greg over the radio,” Weiser said. “Greg would come down several times a week to meet with the coaches and new players to be able to add that player/coach dynamic into his insight so that when there is a timeout or halftime not only can he say what’s happening but who is making it happen.”

According to Weiser it is not uncommon for schools in Division II to have to pay a lot for their own broadcasters, but through ESU’s partnership with KVOE and other sponsors Rahe has been covering Hornet athletics for decades at no charge.

“Division II schools often have to pay for broadcasters, but we are lucky enough that KVOE has always seen the value in working with our program,” Weiser said. “Greg has put on more miles than anyone I can think of in covering Hornet athletics.”

With over 30 years of history working at KVOE, Rahe said that the pandemic has really shown people the importance of staying engaged.

“I grew up listening to games on the radio always thinking it would be neat to be one of those broadcasters” Rahe said. “If people cannot be there for one reason or another, sure they can follow scores online, but you don’t get that feel of what it might really be like play to play or what’s going on overall in a game. Radio is obviously the way to go to get that intimacy of the action even if you can’t be there you can picture yourself in the stadium.”

The Bulletin | APRIL 15, 2021

FROM THE WIRE

Lawmakers finalize effort to limit mail voting in Kansas Noah Taborda

Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — A pair of election bills passed by the Legislature to limit advance voting options and restrict the authority to change election law prompted passionate debate in the Senate and House.

House Bill 2183, opposed by voting rights activists, would restrict the number of advance ballots an individual may deliver on behalf of others to a maximum of 10, loosened from five in negotiations. In addition, the measure would remove the authority of the secretary of state to extend the deadline for receiving mail ballots.

The bill also bans candidates from assisting neighbors, friends or family with their ballots.

Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka, questioned Republican efforts to target the practice of so-called ballot harvesting — gathering advanced ballots from voters and delivering them to the election office. He said he often assists those in his community who request help filling out and delivering their ballot.

Earlier this year, Secretary of State Scott Schwab reported no abnormalities in Kansas during the 2020 election. Why then is a bill criminalizing candidates and other citizens for assisting one another necessary, Miller asked.

“For decades we’ve referred to it as ‘get out the vote,’ because in my party, we believe in making it as easy as we can for every individual to cast their constitutional rights,” Miller said. “Now you want to make a criminal out of people like me because people like me don’t sit at home and send out mail asking for people to vote for us.”

Senators passed the bill 27 to 11, and within an hour, the House followed suit, 80 to 42.

These measures come amid a nationwide push by Republican-led legislatures who argue increased election security is needed — after they’ve made unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud. In Kansas, this prompted some Democratic legislators and election advocates to raise concerns about the possible voter suppression such measures could cause.

To counter GOP efforts, the Democratic majority in the U.S. House passed a voting rights package in March which expanded mail-in voting and access to the polls. Republican legislators in Kansas urged the state’s delegation in D.C. to reject these proposed changes.

While Miller has remained skeptical of some provisions included in the federal bill, HR1 or the For the People Act, he said changes to election law should be working to raise — not lower — voter registration and turnout.

Sen. Richard Hilderbrand, R-Galena, championed several of the voting bills proposed in Kansas, including limitations on candidates interacting with the voting process. He said situations like Miller’s are exactly why these measures are needed.

Hilderbrand pointed to procedure and policy regarding voting in person on Election Day. “I do not believe as a candidate, I can sit (in the voting

booth) and help people fill out their ballot or assist with the process of going through the ballot process,” Hilderbrand said. “If we are not allowed in that process that we should not be doing that outside of that arena as well.”

The penalty for violating the proposed advanced ballot delivery provisions was lowered in the conference committee from a felony offense to a class B misdemeanor.

While he praised the intent to secure future elections, Sen. Jeff Pittman, D-Leavenworth, said Kansas lawmakers were going about it the wrong way.

He pointed to partisan election officials and dark-money groups funding campaigns as larger issues needing to be addressed.

“Our focus in on these details is wrong and really restrict a vote of our people out there,” Pittman said. “I understand that desire to make sure no election is stolen, but I also want to fight those elections that are bought, and I think we’re going down the wrong direction.”

House Bill 2332, the second election bill considered late last week, passed in the House 83 to 38 and in the Senate 27 to 11. The bill would amend the law regarding advanced voting ballot applications and require every county election officer to keep the residential and mailing address for each registered voter if they differ.

Sen. Larry Alley, R-Winfield, addressed concerns regarding how this provision would work for people without housing.

“A homeless shelter would be classified as their physical address,” Alley said. “They could receive your mail at a post office box, but the physical address had to be where they spend the night. It could even be in a car, actually, parked at a location.”

Perhaps the most significant section of the bill prohibits the executive and judicial branches from creating new election laws. Rep. Blake Carpenter, RDerby, said this was in response to changes made by the governor and judicial branch last year during the pandemic.

“If we’re going to pass laws, it should be the Legislature that does so,” Carpenter said, adding the provision would not interfere with the judicial branch’s authority to strike down unconstitutional laws.

While both bills’ restrictions were softened in the conference committee, the effort to advance the legislation did not sit well with Rep. Brett Parker, DOverland Park. He noted many of the bills had few proponents and those who did testify in support were all sitting legislators.

“What is the point of our process that we go through here, where we let the public come in and testify and — as the opposition from people outside of the building is negative — we still advanced the legislation,” Parker said. “What are we doing? Who are we listening to at that point?”

Both bills will now go to Gov. Laura Kelly. The governor has not said whether she would veto them. If she does, the House vote fell shy of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.

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Kansas Senate sends bill banning transgender athletes from women’s sports to governor

Sen. Rene Erickson says it is “beyond the pale” to suggest that banning transgender girls from school sports will contribute to their emotional suffering. Sherman Smith | Kansas Reflector Miranda Davis

Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Kansas could lose hundreds of millions of tourism dollars should the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act become law. The controversial measure requires school-sponsored sports programs to designate each team based on the biological sex of team members.

The bill was at the center of a heated debate Friday morning before it passed the Senate, 26 to 11. Supporters said the legislation is necessary to prevent discrimination against young women, who they said would not have a level playing field should transgender women be allowed to compete. Opponents said the bill harms and discriminates against transgender children.

Sen. Renee Erickson, a Republican from Wichita and the carrier of the bill, said opponents, specifically companies and organizations that have threatened to cancel sporting events in the state, are corporate bullies.

“It comes down to this: No one is being denied an opportunity to participate,” she said.

“Everyone has a place to participate in this bill. It’s tragic that we lose the lives of any young

person for whatever reason. It’s tragic when it happens because a student is bullied at school whether that’s because of their sexuality, whether that’s because they look different, whether that’s because they’re a nerd, whether that’s because whatever reason, that’s tragic.

But to say that this bill and that people that are advocating for it are complicit and contributing to that is beyond the pale.”

Minority Leader Sen. Dinah Sykes, a Democrat from Lenexa who is strongly opposed to the bill, said she had a conversation with leaders from the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, who said if the bill becomes law, the city would no longer be considered by FIFA as a site for the 2026 World Cup. She said the Kansas City metro would lose out on more than $500 million in tourism revenue.

Beyond the concerns raised by sporting event organizers, Sykes and others who opposed the bill said the heart of the issue wasn’t revenue but how this bill could harm transgender children.

“I want a more just and fair society. I did talk about economic benefits, but I want to talk about a more personal

one,” Sykes said. “I want to remember the names of the transgender people whose lives have been lost to anti-transgender violence over the years partially in part by crappy legislation like this.”

The bill is virtually identical to legislation introduced in at least two dozen other states.

The legislation apparently was forged by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a group that claims a “homosexual agenda” will destroy Christianity and society. The Southern Poverty Law Center says the group has supported other anti-LGBTQ policies, including state-sanctioned sterilization of transgender people abroad.

It passed the House on Thursday and now heads to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk to be vetoed or signed into law.

Kelly, a Democrat and staunch supporter of LGBTQ rights, hasn’t publicly said whether she plans to veto the bill, and it’s unclear whether the Senate and the House have the two-thirds majority to override such a veto.

In other states, passage of the law has prompted immediate legal action. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas has promised to file a lawsuit if it passes here.

NEWS

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The Bulletin | APRIL 15, 2021

New major introduced despite significant changes amidst the pandemic Katie Donnelly

Managing Editor

The new major, Ethnic, Gender and Identity Studies, was created as a result of work from the 25-year-old Ethnic and Gender Studies program.

Though it was originally introduced in the Spring of 2020, it wasn’t at the forefront of student and faculty minds with the growing pandemic.

“There has been so much change and loss and stress because of COVID-19,” said Mallory Koci, Director of Ethnic and Gender Studies. “The program is something so near and dear to my heart, it really felt like it was disrespectful to be so thrilled or to even be able to muster up the energy to be super excited about a program in the midst of a global pandemic.”

With some classes being back in session, and the possibility of in-person classes in the fall, Koci is hopeful the new major will get the recog-

nition and popularity it deserves.

“I’m certainly hoping that as we are easing out of COVID-19 in the restrictions, that people gain some kind of sense of self again that they’re able to increase the bandwidth and their energy, and will have more excitement around the major,” Koci said.

Skye Dunnaway, junior Ethnic, Gender and Identity Studies major, said they quickly changed their route after being involved in the program and is excited for what’s in store.

“I got my associate’s degree in science because I was going to be a nurse,” Dunnaway said.

“Then I realized that the way that I wanted to help people wasn’t going to be expressed through nursing, and then I decided to make change.”

Not only is the major a result of a program that has been growing for 25 years, it also was of little to no cost to the university—no new faculty needed

Appearing in the Emporia Gazette in February of 1998, Coaches come and go, but there will never be another Slay, the photo above is captioned “Winning basketball games made Ron Slaymaker a pretty good coach. Winning the respect and admiration of everyone he touched along the way made Ron Slaymaker a great coach.” | Photo courtesy of ESU Library and Archives

legacy

continued from page 1 Lyon County league of coaches. I didn’t wanna do it, but somebody had to do it and nobody else would.

Jess Nelson, Slaymaker’s first recruit and still one of his best friends to this day, commented on Slaymaker’s generosity throughout the years.

“He always offers to help

me, but it’s always hard to accept help from an 87 year old,” Nelson said. “He’s just so genuine, and I know with me he just says whatever’s on his lips...He’s a really special kind of friend. You talk about a guy that would do anything for you, but he’s hard to get to do things for.”

Still involved in coaching and teaching even now after having retired, Slaymaker also owns an antique shop called

to be hired, and the majority of classes were the result of several classes from other departments across campus.

“Being able to demonstrate that we could make the program work based off of the model that we’ve already created and has a long success rate, which was the minor program that we could expand that out...the classes that our students get to take the majority of them actually come from different departments and disciplines across campus.”

Classes taught from several different departments is one of the components that make the major and minor applicable in more career fields, said Karen Smith, one of the contributors to the program when it was first developing.

“In order to be, for example, even a good doctor you’re going to have to understand issues having to do with gender and not just the biology of gender, but the way people feel about their gender or some-

body else’s gender,” Smith said. “So even if you went on to medical school, you still need that background and the same would certainly be true for law school because so many issues--think of how many of these cases have to do with divorce or violence for some kind that is gender-based or race based so I do think it’s a great Universal major.”

Ellen Hansen, professor of social sciences, said she believes even outside of the career field, the lessons and ideas emphasized in the major and minor are so important because they are what shape our experiences.

“This is kind of what shapes our society and everybody has ethnicity, everybody has gender, everybody has identity and we need to know more about that and we need to understand how that shapes our lives,” Hansen said.

The major and the minor aim to give students more options because it offers an en-

tire program as a whole rather than a specific field of study, making Emporia State a more viable option for some students while allowing a greater group of students to be represented in the material.

“For students of color, it was a way for them to see themselves in their own education,” said Lelsie Lewis, the creator of the program at ESU. “If you know if there was an African American student who wanted to focus on African American history and literature, she would be able to do that through the program.

If there was a student who was interested in the sociological aspects of indigenous and Native American cultures, he could do that and same with gender. It was a place to to do feminist studies. That women could understand the history of empowerment.”

Poehler Mercantile, 301 Commercial St. The shop, at eighteen years old, is home to an eclectic blend of antiques. His favorite room is still the ESU Athletic Museum, which he converted from an old meat locker.

“It was greasy, it was just a mess,” Slaymaker said. “Consequently, it took me about six months to clean this place, clean the floors and paint the walls. It was a disaster.”

Slaymaker said that The Athletic Museum, where he keeps old antiques and treasures of ESU’s athletic history, is not a way to showcase his own achievements, but rather a way to show off ESU’s athletic successes.

“I wanted to make this Emporia State, not Ron Slaymaker,” Slaymaker said. “It wasn’t my museum, although I’ve got a lot of my stuff (there), but probably 60 percent is Emporia State things that belonged to them, but I worked very hard. It’s just something to get the history of Emporia State athletics out so people can see it instead of getting thrown in a box and eventually thrown away.”

The idea for the museum began about 15 years ago, when he was cleaning out a storage room filled with old trophies, uniforms, photos and equip-

ment.

It wasn’t long after that when he received a memo from the university requesting he move his possessions. Slaymaker did his best to keep cool, but upon learning the Kansas Board of Regents was involved, he decided to write a memo of his own.

“I’m reboxing really a lot of Emporia State history, putting it in new cardboard boxes, putting them on the shelves…

I’m feeling pretty good about it and it was all organized,” Slaymaker said. “I had cleared it up and put my name on the boxes on the shelf and it wasn’t long after that I got a memo from some folks on campus that really they were telling me to get my stuff, that’s the word they used, ‘stuff,’ out of the storage room because they thought I was storring my own things, when actually, it was all their things. Emporia State history is what it was….That really upset me that I was being accused of something I didn’t do, and I was only trying to do good, not bad. I felt like that memo deserved another memo. So, I sat down in my office and wrote a 13-page memo.”

As frustrated as he was, Slaymaker still felt passionately about the memorabilia and had the idea to ask Kent Weiser, Athletic Director, if

he could showcase them in a building he and his wife had recently bought, and were intending to turn it into an antique shop.

“Kent Weiser, who at the time was the Athletic Director and still is, gave me permission to do that,” Slaymaker said. “I actually made it really nice and it does display all sports, both men and women, and goes back into the early 1900’s.

We’re really talking about a long time of history and of course the room is still there. It gets a huge amount of traffic for maybe people aren’t in there but maybe they’re pictures of people they knew in there...It has turned into a very positive thing that started out as very negative…but sometimes you make something good out of something bad.”

His appreciation for the antiques is a direct result of his love for ESU athletics. Weiser said Slaymaker’s passion for the game was just what ESU needed during the days when he was a coach.

“He could bring the talents and the things that the university and the athletics program and specifically the basketball program needed during those decades,” Weiser said. “And it’s just really incredible you don’t see many people like that anymore.”

(left) Slaymaker recalls the first team he coached. “When I think of this team (1960) I think of that guy right there--Little bitty ol’ twerp...He tried out...and I cut him. One day I was young, and cocky, and a little bit arrogant. I got a little bit pissed off, ranting and raving and he always came to practice just to watch. And I saw him there and I said ‘Patt! You wanna play?’... It didn’t take long to see what he didn’t have in skills he had in leadership. Great leader. Within a couple weeks he’s in charge. Within a week, he’s (on varsity).” (right): Slaymaker hopes that one day the memorabilia will find a home where it can be appreciated on campus. “I’d be the first one to say if there was an appropriate place on campus for that to be housed that would be the best place but right now there isn’t and maybe at sometime in the future there will be an appropriate place.” Katie Donnelly | The Bulletin