Full Issue September 2, 2021

Bulletin

The Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021

The voice of the students since 1901

Disk Golf Pg. 6

Sunken Garden Pg. 8

Volume 121 - No. 1

Textbooks or food:

A decision no student should have to make Margaret Mellott Editor-in-Chief

At the beginning of each semester, every student has a checklist of things they need: Pens, pencils, notebooks and probably the most expensive item—Textbooks. But, what happens when back to school expenses cost more than students can afford?

Students are faced with the hard decision of textbooks versus their basic needs, and unfortunately, this is growing issues colleges students have to face.

“In spring of 2019, I had a student in my office and she broke down crying because she had literally had to make the choice to buy her textbooks instead of food,” said Jasmine Linabary, chair and faculty representative of the Basic Needs Coalition and assistant professor of communication.

This was the event that really spurred Linabary to create the Emporia At the Table initiative, which is focused on ending food insecurity in the campus and greater Emporia communities.

“When you’re in a crisis, like when you’re experiencing basic

needs concerns, you’re not in a good place to have to search out that information,” Linabary said.

“Our goal was to create this like one website where you could go to get all the information you needed about resources that exist.”

Nearly 3 out of 5 ESU students have experienced some form of a basic need insecurity, according to a 2020 study of 478 students

by The Hope Center.

“We want them to know that we have resources for them,” said Lauren Moon, vice president of Associated Student Government.

“We want to talk to them and hear their stories and help them however we can.”

To help destigmatize the topic and encourage others to reach out for help, Linabary said that having first-hand accounts goes a long way.

“If you’re someone who has experienced basic needs insecurity, speaking out can be huge,” Linabary said. “We’re always looking for students who are willing to share their stories, or even be a public advocate or ambassador because it’s ​​ the stories of real

Source: Basic Needs Coalition Website

student experiences that often move people to action, but also inspire others, and empower other students to tell their stories.”

This is not an ESU only issue, college students across the country are faced with basic needs issues. Though, some campuses are less open to talking about the problem at hand.

“Other campuses aren’t as open

to this conversation,” Linabary said. “I feel extremely fortunate to be at a place where the vast majority of our administrators get it and recognize that this is an issue.”

For students and community members who are looking to help, Linabary said it’s best to get familiar with the resources listed on their page.

“There’s a support students page on our website,” Linabary said. “It’s just a great way to find somebody. We always encourage people to start by getting to know our existing resources, because you can’t share them if you don’t know what they are.”

Drawing in vaccinations Sam Bailey Design Editor

The first semester at Emporia State University is underway and face-to-face classes are back in session.

With the prospect of a new year post-COVID, ESU was faced with decisions on how to continue providing an education for its students in the safest way possible.

To encourage students, faculty

and staff to get vaccinated, the university is offering cash and gift-card prizes to Starbucks and Memorial Union Bookstore through their VaxToNormal campaign.

This program was originally created to encourage students to get vaccinated and help them win prizes, but was extended on Aug. 20 to include faculty and staff.

Along with extending who the program was aimed towards, the

VaxToNormal Drawing Prizes Scholarships:

!

es z i r

P

source: www.emporia.edu/student-life

·$3,500 (10 each) ·$500 (two each) ·$250 (two each) ·$100 (two each)

·Ten $20 Starbucks gift cards ·Five $25 gift certificates to Memorial Union Bookstore

student prize drawing was also split into two halves.

“When we started the first one in July, I had a list of prizes that we could award and made a decision to do a prize drawing...but with only half of the prizes,” said Lynn Hobson, Dean of Students. “Then we were going to do another prize drawing with the other half later so students who weren’t vaccinated when they got here, that chose to get vaccinated, would still have an opportunity to win some prizes.”

While being in classrooms has the potential to expose people to each other more than remote learning, living in the dorms creates a whole community of students living in the same building.

While the dorms don’t require students to be vaccinated to move in, students are required to either submit their vaccination record or show a negative COVID test result

within 72 hours of moving in, according to Cass Coughlin Director of Residential Life Administration.

Ten names were drawn in the first round of prizes, and 10 more names will be drawn Oct. 8 along with an additional 10 names who will be awarded the grand prize of a $3,500 scholarship.

In addition to splitting the drawing into two parts, the program was further expanded, and every student fully vaccinated before Oct. 4 will receive a $250 scholarship.

On Sep 1, Student Affairs announced that, by request from students, the $250 scholarship would instead be awarded for the current fall semester and will go directly to students’ accounts in late October.

The program is federally funded through COVID-19 funding, allowing the university to help its students.

Diana Kuhlmann, Vice Presi-

ESU rocks out to local bands for back-to-school

dent for Finance and Administration said, “For the entire program, (the cost) is very dependent on participation. We did calculations on 100 percent participation, 75 percent participation (and) 60 percent participation. We won’t get to 100, we know that, so what we think the program will cost us will be between $1 million and $1.3 million and that’s that 60-75 percent participation rate.”

For many students, being awarded a scholarship or receiving a gift card can make a big impact in their lives.

“I know it’s going to be so impactful and helpful for whoever wins those (prizes) that that’s the part that excites me,” Hobson said.

“Just the joy that that will bring and what it’s doing to help that person pursue their education.”

Former professor charged with rape Margaret Mellott Editor-in-Chief

A former Emporia State professor was charged with rape, stalking and other charges in connection with an off-campus incident in July, according to records at Lyon County District Court in Emporia.

Brice Obermeyer was a professor of Sociology from Fall 2004 to Spring 2019. He also served as the tribal historic preservation officer for the Delaware Tribe of Indians on campus.

Obermeyer is represented

by Wichita attorney Sal Intagliata. Obermeyer’s attorney was contacted, but declined comment before publication.

The complete list of charges include rape, aggrivated sexual battery, aggrivated robbery, lewd and lascivious behavior and stalking.

Margaret Mellott | The Bulle tin Headliner Travis Marvin, Ottawa native and independent country artist, performs songs off his new album, “Maybe,” on Aug. 27. The “Friday Nights” events are a university initiative to welcome back students from campus and will be held the first six Friday nights of the semester from Aug. 27 to Oct. 1

SEE PROFESSOR PAGE 2

NEWS

2

The Bulletin | SEPT. 2, 2021

Police Reports Faculty faces confusion on new state legislation about remote learning Bella Eppens Managing Editor

As COVID policies are continually changing, professors are left confused and uncertain about the semester. They are the first people to field questions about new COVID policies, but it’s hard when the policies aren’t clear.

“We feel responsible for making sure that our classrooms are safe places for (students) to be when the world isn’t,” said Mallory Koci, director and professor of Ethnic and Gender Studies.

A new proviso, a condition attached to an agreement, in the state legislature’s budget added to the confusion. The initial interpretations of the proviso led professors to believe that they did not have the option to go online or Emporia State would lose its funding, according to Koci.

Additionally, they were told that they would be responsible for finding substitute teachers for their classes if they had to quarantine.

A Town Hall meeting was held on Wednesday as a joint effort between the Social Science, So-

PROFESSOR

continued from page 1

Gwen Larson, director of marketing and media relations, said she didn’t have any new information.

“I honestly don’t know anything about the case except what I’ve read in the media,” Larson

ciology, and Criminology and the English, Journalism, and Modern Languages departments to address these concerns. In the meeting, members of administration explained that this initial interpretation of the proviso was incorrect.

The intent of the proviso was not to restrict professors, according to a source in the legislature that Greg Schneider, Professor of Social Sciences, Sociology and Criminology, declined to name.

It was instead designed to keep students in the classroom and avoid the completely online class delivery that occurred during the Spring 2020 semester from happening again.

The new interpretation of the proviso is one that lines up with policies already in place in the University Policy Manual, according to Brent Thomas, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The manual states, “The scheduling of class meetings as specified in the university Class Schedule as published through Registration cannot be arbitrarily changed after the official enrollment has closed.”

said.

The victim is a woman in her 50s.

“When (the victim) told Obermeyer to stop, he pushed her onto his bed, laid on top of her, started to kiss her, and wouldn’t let her get or leave,” according to the affidavit on which the charges were brought.

In other words, there can be no permanent changes to the way the class is delivered. An in-person class cannot be changed to a remote class or vice versa after enrollment has closed without express approval.

Professors will still be able to deliver class remotely if they need to quarantine as long as it is not a permanent change.

“I feel like I’ve been playing catch-up with something that has been shifting,” said Rachel Spaulding, chair of the EMLJ department, during the Town Hall. “I feel uncertain, but today’s meeting definitely has helped with that.”

However, this is still an interpretation of the proviso. The interpretation is that of the provost, George Arasimowicz, and the provost council. The only guidance from the state legislature the administration has received comes from Schneider’s unnamed source.

Despite this, Thomas and Schneider are confident in their interpretations. However, some professors still have their concerns.

“The interpretation of the pro-

viso has been such a moving target for the past few weeks,” said Cynthia Patton, associate professor of EMLJ, during the Town Hall. “As a faculty member, I feel a little uneasy that what began as an extremely intrusive set of controls on our pedagogical decisions on our academic freedom, frankly.

Now, everything seems far more sensible and reasonable and measured, but can we really be confident that the interpretation governing us as ESU faculty will not change and go back in the other direction?”

Thomas responded that he does not anticipate any changes and is comfortable with the current interpretation.

Currently, there is no plan in place if the interpretation is incorrect, Thomas said. If it is, it would become President Alison Garrett’s battle to fight with the Kansas Board of Regents and the state legislature, Schneider said.

“I think we’re going to be able to adapt appropriately as we always have,” Thomas said.

There were multiple instances in which Obermeyer allegedly initiated unwanted sexual contact and was also reported to be drunk, according to the affidavit.

Obermeyer is currently free on a $150,000 bond pending trial.

Editor’s Note: Here are resources for victims of sexual

assault. SOS, 1420 C of E Dr. Suite 6, or you can reach them at 800-825-1295. You can also reach out to the Student Wellness Center from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday-Friday at 620-3415222, or go to the patient portal on Hornet365.

Administration reinstates mask mandate Margaret Mellott Editor-in-Chief

Emporia State now requires all students, staff and faculty to wear a mask in all campus buildings. This change came August 16 in an email sent to campus from the Future Planning Group.

There are currently 143 active cases in Lyon County, according to Lyon County Public Health. With this rise in cases, and the Delta Variant’s high transmission rates, concern continues to grow in the ESU community.

“We looked at the numbers, and the numbers kept rising locally,” said Gwen Larson, director of Marketing and Media. “We started watching even what other universities were doing, and the most cautious (option) we could take, that we believe will keep us face-toface this fall, is to add the requirement of masks inside buildings.”

The Future Planning Group is a continuation of the Fall Planning Group that was assembled in Spring 2020 to address the issues COVID-19 presented to campus.

Administration is also encouraging the campus community to continue getting vaccinated to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Being vaccinated also means less disruption to your daily routine if you are exposed to COVID,” said the Future Planning Group in their email on August 16. “Unvaccinated people who are exposed to COVID must quarantine for 14 days, which means staying home

Logs from ESU Police and Safety Aug. 23 Officer responded to Plumb Hall for a report of a bat by the business offices.

Officer removed bat and released it outside.

Officer responded to the Library for the report of a bat on the 4th floor.

Aug. 24 Officer engaged in community contact at Cremer.

Aug. 26 Officer took a call by phone about someone who wanted to report a bright pink wallet they lost on campus.

Officer took a call from someone who thought they left their keys at Police and Safety when getting their parking permits.

Officer responded to Cram Science Hall, for a cat stuck in a window well.

Officer spoke with the custodians at HPER. They requested we finish locking up the building due to too many late activities and maintenance needing to leave.

Aug. 27 Officer spoke with an individual who was upset due to getting a parking ticket in front of HPER. Stated the meters is not working. On a silver 2005 Chevy Cobalt.

Officer took a call by phone, wanting to know if they can pitch a tent on ESU property until Monday morning.

Officer admitted two into King Hall, Rm#008. They both had late passes.

Aug. 28 Officer admitted someone into Science Hall Officer admitted someone into the Union at Union Square. They were with the Diversity Program.

Officer made a citizen contact in Kellog Circle Aug. 29 Officers responded to Abigail for a general fire alarm.

Someone burned some food.

System reset.

Officer responded to Schallenkamp Hall on the north 2nd floor, for the odor of marijuana. Student reported the odor of marijuana coming from a couple dorm rooms. Officer was unable to locate anything that smelled like marijuana.

Margaret Mellott | The Bulle tin Emporia State announced on Monday, Aug. 16 that masks will be required in all buildings on campus this Fall.

This comes after the continued rise in Lyon County cases, and the increased danger caused by the Delta Variant.

and avoiding contact with others.

No classes, no practices, no work.

Vaccinated people do not need to quarantine unless they develop symptoms.”

ESU still hopes to return to some sense of normalcy on campus this Fall, continuing with planned events and in-person classes.

“The goal for Fall 2021 is to

be as close to what we think of as normal as possible,” Larson said.

“That’s face-to-face classes, tabling on main street again, activities, clubs can meet, athletic events, all of those things that people think of with an on-campus college experience.”

If you are not feeling well and are experiencing either COVID-19

or flu symptoms, call (instead of visiting) the Student Wellness Center at 620-341-5222 or Newman Regional Health at 620-343-6800, or visit them at 1201 W 12th Street.

You can also reach out to Newman Regional Health if you’re looking to schedule an appointment for the vaccine.

Aug. 30 Officer provided lockout assistance in Sector 3.

Officer provided lockout assistance at 1330 Industrial Rd., a 2 year old child was locked inside the vehicle.

Officer provided lockout assistance in GR parking south of Schallenkamp Hall.

Aug. 31 Officer responded to HPER for a 911 hang up. RP stated it was a misdial Officer provided jump start services in Violet parking at Visser on a grey Honda Accord bearing Ks. Plates 444EFV Officer responded to the HPER parking area to remove a boot from a vehicle.

The Bulletin | SEPT. 2, 2021

Sam Bailey Design Editor

For thousands of students around the world the idea of the ultimate “college experience” was uprooted when the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic changed the world.

Students were sent home during the initial shut-down, then colleges faced an entire year of change, figuring out how to give students an education while keeping them safe and healthy for the 2021-2022 school year.

Now, 18 months later, Emporia State is welcoming students back

HORNET LIFE Mask-up and set out

into its doors and is working to provide them with the experiences they weren’t able to have during the pandemic.

The Union Activities Council, a student-led event planning organization, is set to host a variety of different back to school events to help students have the most “normal” year possible.

“Now that we are heading into the new year at ESU, we are truly looking forward to hosting inperson events,” said Blythe Eddy, UAC adviser. “I think many of us have realized how incredibly powerful a live event can be. You

just can’t get the same feeling via Zoom that you can get in an auditorium full of cheering fans.”

Last school year, the UAC hosted multiple Zoom events where students could experience more of the world from their homes, but this year the committee is doing everything they can to remain inperson “We no longer take for granted the incredible gift of watching a live concert or getting the autograph of a performer right after a show,” Eddy said. “We have learned to value every moment and every exchange.”

While the outside world is beginning to experience more inperson events, many students in college are also looking forward to being about to participate in such activities.

“The work that we do is more important now than ever as there are so many students that deserve to experience what college is all about that have yet to be able to do that,” said Maycee Kingsley, UAC president. “Our hope for this year is to bring students together — safely, of course — and show that there are still experiences to be had during their time at ESU.”

3 Along with back-to-school events throughout the week, there will also be “Friday Nights”— events at 7 p.m. every Friday through Oct. 1. These will include concerts, Late Night Tailgate, Kellogg Circle Carnival and a Hypnotist.

“I’m super excited about all of our events,” said Becca Smith, senior marketing major and first year member of UAC. “Welcome week is very busy for us with activities almost every night, but it’s great to see students enjoy them.”

Country concert kicks-off fall festivities

(above) Headliner Travis Marvin, Ottawa native and independent country artist, performs songs off his new album, “Maybe,” on Aug. 27. The “Friday Nights” events are a university initiative to welcome back students from campus and will be held the first six Friday nights of the semester from Aug. 27 to Oct. 1. Tomorrow will be the Emporia First Friday Art Walk, a Late-Night Tailgate on Sept. 10, a hypnotist on Sept. 17, a carnival on Sept. 24 and “Glow ESU” on Oct. 1. (bottom left) Lucas Parker, Lawrence native and lead singer of the Lucas Parker Band, thanks the audience for attending during the opening act of the first “Friday Nights” event held by ESU.

OPINION

4

The Bulletin | SEPT. 2, 2021

Staff Editorial:

Healing the community is a group effort

Just four semesters ago, we were on campus as normal without a clue of how drastically life was about to change.

Then in March of 2020, students walked out of their classrooms for Spring Break and never truly returned. Now, 17 months into that extended Spring Break our medical resources have advanced and we can better protect ourselves and the community.

In the last 30 days, there have been a total of over 39 million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. When talking about the death total, way more than one life too many has been taken.

But there’s some good news: 74.4 percent of adults in the U.S. have had at least one vaccination done by the CDC. Why is this good news? Well, there are multiple reasons.

All the vaccines work in relatively the same. They leave your body with a memory of how to fight off the virus in the future. It typically takes only a few weeks for the body to reproduce the lymphocytes that can fight off the virus, according to the CDC. Even if you’ve already had COVID, you should still get the vaccine if you can. Studies show

that unvaccinated people who have already had COVID-19 are still more than two times as likely to get the virus again compared to those who are full vaccinated, according to the CDC. The vaccine not only benefits you, but it benefits those around you. Getting the vaccine helps slow the spread of the virus, according to the CDC. Studies showed substantial reductions in the number of symptomatic and asymptomatic because of the vaccine. This will lead to lower transmission numbers in the U.S. The most evident benefit of getting the vaccine is that two weeks after your final shot you can go back to doing most of the things that you could do before the pandemic.

If you can get the vaccine, you should, not only to keep the death rate down, but most importantly, to protect yourself and the people around you.

In the age of technology and instant knowledge we are in now, there are several false claims, as well as misinformation, circulating. It is because of these factors that some people are not fully on board with getting the vaccine.

To find more reliable information

than a screenshot on social media, you can go to the CDC, Kansas Department of Health and Education, Lyon County Public Health and the Student Wellness Center.

Some may be concerned that the vaccine is unsafe because of how quickly it was developed.

Yes, it was ready to go quickly but that’s because we didn’t have time to waste. The pharmaceutical companies that made the vaccine invested a significant amount of resources into the vaccines. For example, the Pfizer vaccine was studied in about 43,000 people, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Not only was a safety review done by the FDA, the Advisory Committee on Immunization also created a panel of vaccine safety experts to evaluate the data.

So, the vaccine was created quickly, but also went through the necessary screening to make sure it’s safe.

Another concern people may have is about the side effects.

Only 15 percent of people who received the Pfizer vaccine had short-lived symptoms, according to the CDC. 50 percent developed headaches, chills, fatigue, muscle pain or fevers. Keep in mind, though, that this is your body

learning how to fight the virus for the future. These are also common responses to vaccines and are normal, according to the Mayo Clinic.

In addition to worrying about the symptoms in general, some think that more people die from the side effects of the vaccine than would the virus itself. The numbers are actually being skewed here. COVID-19 is almost 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu, according to the Mayo Clinic; the flu kills 12,00061,000 people per year in the U.S., according to the CDC. The math is unsettling and shows how important getting the vaccine is.

People need real information and real statistics to help them fully understand how they can benefit from the vaccine. Getting the vaccine will help better protect ourselves and the community.

The vaxxtonormal campaign is one way that the university is reaching out to its students, faculty, and staff to encourage them to get vaccinated.

Ten names were drawn in the first round of prizes, and then ten more names will be drawn Oct. 8 along with an additional

Our Education Matters

Taking care and prioritizing yourself:

A personal story Margaret Mellott Editor-in-Chief

As I enter my last year at Emporia State, there are a lot of things I’ll be leaving unfinished—Stories I haven’t told, people I haven’t met, opportunities I’ve missed, photos I haven’t taken and so much more.

It is my hope though, that to at least some, I’ve made a positive impact.

This is my fifth semester as Editor-inChief, and my fourth semester as EIC during a pandemic. I feel like I’ve been here so long, and it’s such an odd thought thinking I only had a single “normal” semester as EIC. It’s not been easy. In fact, it’s been the hardest long-term challenge I’ve had to deal with in my 22 years of life. And, I’ll be honest, I’ve been severely depressed for about three years now.

I’ve had to deal with people telling me my depression was a “motivation issue” when, clearly, it was not. I even had to change my major because I was not receiving the support I needed, and I was in a place where I could not advocate for myself.

This was in Spring 2020, right when we went into lock-

down. That point was probably my lowest. I failed two classes that semester and dropped one. I felt so inadequate, and I couldn’t even explain everything I was feeling to my own family.

At this point, I knew there was absolutely no way I could continue in my position at The Bulletin or even finish college without making some changes. So, I did.

Not only did I change my major, I also started utilizing ESU’s counseling services and eventually found a therapist in Kansas City to meet with. Both were necessary steps, but I also felt that I needed medication, so I started seeing a psychiatrist as well. Medication is not for everyone, but it has helped me

individual.

Unfortunately, I’m not the only one significantly struggling during this time. The rates of depression for college students were up to 63% in 2020, according to a survey of nearly 200 U.S. colleges done by The Jed Foundation.

As we approach Suicide Prevention Week, I urge you to check on your loved ones and even those in your community.

College is already a difficult thing, and when you factor in the COVID-19 pandemic, students need as much support as possible.

Especially during the pandemic, finding self-care and support is so important. Since we started nearly two weeks ago, this semester has looked vastly different from past ones: We’re finally all back on campus, events are happening as normal and face-toface classes are back a full capacity, despite the looming presence of the Delta Variant.

I know there are students, faculty and staff across campus feeling the same anxiety I am about our return to campus. But we there are so many resources on our campus and in our community, so take care of yourself first and foremost, but check-in with your friends and family if you can.

To schedule an appointment with the Student Wellness Center, you can call them from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 620341-5222, or go to the patient portal on Hornet365. You can also call Crosswinds Counseling and Wellness at 620-3432211, or visit their website at crosswindsks.org.

I’m not the only one significantly struggling during this time. The rates of depression for college students were up to 63% in 2020, according to a survey of nearly 200 U.S. colleges done

by The Jed Foundation. immensely in conjunction with therapy.

Since then, I’m feeling much better, and I’m able to take joy in my schooling and work once again. There are things that I’ve missed this last year, but if I remember that I’m just doing everything in my power that I can, I feel a little more at peace.

I’m still just 22, and I will never stop learning and growing as an

CONTACT US

Hanna Murphy Opinion Editor

This past summer, my family recently found out that my grandpa has cancer. For this reason, I have moved online this semester.

Something that has done everyone’s health wonders is staying home while the whole world is hurting, but this factor maybe weakening our education without us knowing.

After last year, something that I am sure we are all too familiar with is having to learn from a distance. Having to learn from behind screens or behind the walls of our own homes. I feel like this is doing us all more harm than good.

While staying home is keeping us safe, our educations cannot reach their full potentials. Who’s to say that while you’re working on an assignment, or listening to a lecture over zoom, that you won’t get distracted.

EDITORIAL STAFF

1 Kellogg Circle, Emporia, KS 66801 Campus Box 4068 Emporia State University 3rd floor Memorial Union, Room 312

Margaret Mellott

Hanna Murphy

Phone: 620-341-5201

Bella Eppens

Managing Editor

Sam Bailey

esubulletineditor@gmail.com www.esubulletin.com

Editor-in-Chief

Opinion Editor Design Editor

ten names for those who will be rewarded the grand prize of a $3,500 scholarship. Additionally, there is a guaranteed $250 scholarship for every student who submits their vaccine card before Oct. 4.

Along with students getting scholarships, employees can get their own fair share of money.

Employees get $300 added to their paychecks for being vaccinated. It will be paid out in November.

The program is federally funded through the COVID-19 funding, which allows ESU to further help its students.

Most of us want to return to life as it was before. We want to be able to attend concerts, go on vacations and enter a university building without having to put on a mask. Masks obscure smiles, remind us of our bad breath and can be stuffy. The solution to this is one or two quick sticks in the arm, depending on the vaccine.

It’s simple and brings us one step closer to a life free from this pandemic.

Being at your own home, while it may be comfortable, can be more distracting than anything else. Surrounded by things in your room that you love the most, things that tear your attention away from the things that at that time, are important.

While you’re on a zoom, all it takes is a click of a button and you can turn off your camera, then you pull out your phone, fall asleep or just leave the room altogether. While teachers may notice the sudden darkening of your screen, they don’t have the time to tell you to turn it back on, and, if you aren’t in the room, then you don’t respond so they waste time trying to get your attention, rather than teaching class. This takes away learning time from both the kids in the classroom, but as well as other kids in the zoom.

Schools need to be stricter with online class times. Rules need to be put in place and consequences need to be laid. If teachers were to lay down rules, then students would have a stronger structure, thus potentially having a stronger education.

We should also take into consideration the fact that because they are home, because they are where they are most comfortable, students are more likely to skip class. Either because they forget, or because they just don’t feel like clicking the link to open the zoom class.

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Professor of Journalism

The Bulletin | SEPT. 2, 2021

FROM THE WIRE

5

Kansas medical experts warn against rising self-use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 Noah Taborda Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — More people are calling a Kansas poison control hotline after self-medicating for COVID-19 with a drug intended to fight parasitic infections in animals.

Ivermectin can cause severe health problems in humans, and medical experts warn against using the drug to treat or prevent COVID-19. Interest in the drug is being driven by disinformation on social media platforms and claims from lawmakers, including a Kansas state senator.

Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention for University of Kansas Health System, said the organization’s poison control hotline receives one to three calls per month regarding ivermectin. That number is increasing, he said.

Under certain medical conditions, ivermectin can be beneficial for humans, but self-dosing is a higher risk than the COVID-19 vaccine, Hawkinson said.

“There are much more and worse side effects with ivermectin. It’s amazing to me people still would like to do this,” Hawkinson said. “If you take ivermectin in the wrong way or you take too much you can certainly get toxicity from it, including central nervous toxicity.”

Throughout the pandemic, alternative treatments to the COVID-19 virus — including the use

of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin — have become popular despite universal warnings from medical experts. The recent surge in those seeking out the antiparasitic has Kansas and national medical experts uneasy.

Both the Infectious Disease Society of America and the World Health Organization recommend against ivermectin use to treat or prevent COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration also recommended against this use, and said it received multiple reports of patients who have required medical attention and hospitalization after self-medicating with ivermectin.

“You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y’all. Stop it,” the agency said in a tweet.

The FDA noted use of the drug in doses intended for animals could prove fatal — and even smaller doses could interact dangerously with other medications if not reviewed by a doctor. Overdosing on ivermectin can cause nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, seizures, coma and even death.

Ivermectin is sold at several chain pharmacies, including CVS, Walgreens and Walmart.

The product also is readily available at retailers such as Tractor Supply Co. for as little as $6.

Earlier this year, Sen. Mark Steffen, R-Hutchinson, said it was a mistake not to prescribe ivermectin to decrease hospitalizations and deaths from

Kansas governor directs state employees to work from home

COVID-19.

“As a physician who’s battled this thing from the start, I never felt like our leadership … has learned lessons from this virus and adapted its strategies,” Steffen said during a joint House and Senate hearing on COVID-19 attended by KDHE secretary Lee Norman. “We’ve been starved for early outpatient treatments.

We’ve been starved, and they’ve been there and we’ve denied their use through the CDC, through the NIH, through our administration.”

In June, Steffen referenced the drug in a post on his Facebook page. Alongside a Fox News video clip, Steffen claimed several federal government agencies, Anthony Fauci, big tech and doctors were blocking access to alternative treatments, resulting in many unnecessary deaths.

“This conspiracy killed tens to hundreds of thousands of innocent people. Manslaughter or premeditated murder? The Courts will decide,” Steffen wrote.

Matt Lara, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health Environment, repeated warnings made by medical experts against the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19.

“Ivermectin is not an antiviral drug,” Lara said. “It has been approved in humans for use in some parasitic worms, head lice and certain skin conditions. Taking large doses of this drug is dangerous and can cause serious harm.”

A sign at a Tractor Supply Co. store in Topeka warns against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19. Medical experts are concerned by the rising misuse of the antiparasitic drug, which can cause serious health problems in humans.

Four Kansas hospitals fail to meet new federal standard for cost transparency Lucie Krisman Kansas Reflector

Sherman Smith | Kansas Reflector

Gov. Laura Kelly is directing all state employees under the purview of the executive branch to resume remote work due to quickly rising COVID-19 case numbers.

Noah Taborda Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Executive branch employees will return to working remotely amid a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday.

The governor’s new guidance is a speedy change of direction after state employees began returning to state office buildings in June.

Remote work will remain in place through Oct. 4, when infection rates will be reassessed to determine if employees can return to in-person operations.

“The decision to return to remote work was not made lightly — but we know that this is a necessary step to prevent COVID-19 infections,” Kelly said. “I am confident that our state employees will continue to provide quality services to all Kansans who need them.”

Kelly said a shift to remote work

should help protect employees and mitigate rapidly rising infection rates. Employees may transition to remote work as soon as possible and no later than Sept. 3, said Department of Administration secretary DeAngela Burns Wallace in a memo.

Onsite staff will be limited to only those needed to conduct agency operations. Other mitigation measures — including masks and social distancing — will remain in effect for those working in-person and for all public offices.

“If an employee was previously able to effectively work remotely, at any point during the pandemic, they should do so again,” Burns-Wallace said. “If an employee is unable to work remotely due to the nature of their job, all necessary precautions and COVID-mitigation measures should be utilized to keep them safe and State of Kansas offices open to the public.”

Noah Taborda | Kansas Reflector

Four medical providers in Kansas have yet to fully disclose their costs for services, violating a federal order that went into effect this year, according to a new report from a national advocacy group.

Hundreds of hospitals across the United States have yet to comply with the rule, which requires online posting of costs for easy access. The Kansas locations are Shawnee Mission Medical Center, now known as AdventHealth; Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, which operates hospitals in both Kansas and Missouri; Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka; and the University of Kansas Health System.

The rule, established by the Affordable Care Act, requires that hospitals disclose prices and negotiated rates with health insurers beginning in January of this year. A recent report studied whether providers were complying and found a majority of local hospitals are still missing information about standard charges in their files.

The report was conducted by the nonprofit Patients Rights Advocate.

It took a look at the standard charges files of a random sample of 500 hospitals across the country. Of those hospitals, 471 of them were missing aspects of pricing information as of July. The Biden administration proposed raising the penalty against these hospitals to $2 million last month. Among those 471 hospitals were the four in Kansas.

Without full access to hospital cost information, Patients Rights Advocate founder Cynthia Fisher said, patients lose the ability to weigh options and run the risk of encountering unnecessary financial burdens. Fisher started the organization in hopes of preventing that.

The rule is intended to give patients the opportunity to shop for the health care experience they are looking for — especially with non-

emergency care — and compare not only prices but quality metrics.

“They’re oftentimes blindsided by outrageous medical bills and expected to pay with a blank check,” Fisher said. “The only way we can lower the cost of health care is to put consumers in charge of their choices.”

Fisher said each of the four Kansas hospitals in the report posted some information, but all of them lacked details, such as negotiated rates or specific plan names. Since the release of this report, Fisher said, hospitals across the country have already followed up saying they plan to make changes and want to be observed again in coming months.

“It has moved the needle — let’s put it that way,” Fisher said. “Once you deploy the consumer to be empowered, it’s going to eliminate a lot of the errors and even fraud and overcharging that’s been conducted every day by patients being kept in the dark.”

Cindy Samuelson, senior vice president of the Kansas Hospital Association, said the organization began working with Kansas hospitals to educate them about compliance with the federal rule before it went into effect. Handling the COVID-19 pandemic has been a priority for Kansas hospitals, Samuelson said, and it took precedence over tasks such as updating price information.

“It was something everybody had to do an about-face and really focus on, to even be in the place that we are today,” Samuelson said. “We have staff that are burnt out, that are retiring early or leaving or are sick.

We have worked to send letters and share testimonial stories about the challenges hospitals have had with price transparency to make sure that legislators and others that may not see this as a burden understand that it’s not because hospitals aren’t wanting to do what we think the intent was.”

Creating a machine-readable

format for all pricing and a list of 300 shoppable services is a daunting task, even for big hospital systems that specifically have staff for such tasks, Samuelson said. But in Kansas, meeting this criteria with limited staff and allocating space for it in hospital budgets has been even more challenging.

“We have 82 critical access hospitals in our state, which means these are hospitals that are less than 25 beds and in many cases, a very small facility in rural parts of our state,” Samuelson said. “We as an association have been working really hard to help find other sources of support to help even our smallest hospitals be able to meet the rules.”

The specificity of health care can make it difficult to simplify pricing, Samuelson said. With differences in each procedure and the ways procedures are tailored for different patients, predicting a cost can sometimes be complicated. That’s why financial counseling at hospitals can be important, she said, and the personalized resources those offices provide aren’t necessarily part of a machine-readable list.

“Every patient is so unique,” Samuelson said. “Making sure that we are meaningful in regards to providing upfront pricing can be a challenge because it’s a big range with so many variables.”

These same hospitals will be evaluated again, alongside an additional 500 hospitals across the country, in a January 2022PRA report, one year after this rule went into effect.

A lot has changed since KHA members were introduced to this legislation in the fall of 2019, Samuelson said, and she anticipates that more of them will comply.

“Patient care is the priority,” Samuelson said. “But they have rules and regulations out there for a reason, and our members and hospitals want to do all we can to meet all those needs.”

ENTERTAINMENT

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The Bulletin | SEPT. 2, 2021

Emporia Symphony Orchestra is back at full blast Bella Eppens Managing Editor

The Emporia Symphony Orchestra is welcoming back students, faculty, staff and community members in their live concerts this year now that COVID-19 restrictions are loosening.

Last year, ESO only had 18 student members. This year, they are hoping to return to their normal 45 to 60 members. This should make ESO a more fun and comfortable environment as well as give the orchestra a more full sound, according to Pablo Campos, graduate student of sociol-

ogy and second year member.

ESO is a large ensemble of students, faculty, staff and community members. It includes typical instruments found in an orchestra such as strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. The orchestra also includes non-traditional instruments such as pianos, electric guitars or saxophones, depending on the concert’s theme.

During the 2020-2021 school year, the orchestra was a studentonly ensemble and the number of students that could join was limited. This was due to the lack of rehearsal space large enough to accommodate social distancing

guidelines, according to Dr. Allan Comstock, professor of music at Emporia State University and member of ESO since 1994.

In addition, they were unable to hold live concerts and had to live stream, instead.

Now that social distancing guidelines have been lifted, ESO is excited to welcome back faculty and community members, as well as perform live again. However, they are hoping to continue to include the live streaming component for their concerts, according to Comstock.

Masks will be required at rehearsals and concerts, unless the

member is playing a woodwind instrument at the time.

If students wish to join ESO this semester, they can email the director, Dr. Ramiro Miranda, at rmiranda@emporia.edu. To join, perspective members have an interview to discuss previous orchestra experience and an audition. However, the audition is not something to stress about, according to Miranda.

“We want people to participate and we want people to grow,” Miranda said. “It’s not a cutthroat environment. It’s a very welcoming place.”

ESO’s first concert will be

held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Granada Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at the music office in Beach Hall 105 or at the Granada Theatre.

“Making live music and working like this is an incredible experience,” said Miranda, “and especially after a year like this when you come back to something like this, you tend to have a much higher appreciation for it, for the ability to do music live with other people.”

Disk golf course grand opening at Wilson Park Sam Bailey | The Bulle tin

(below) Matthew Screnock, member and Graduate Programs Coordinator, throws his disk during a round of disk golf before the grand opening of the Emporia State University course on Aug. 26 at Wilson Park. (left) Kendra Hacker, Vice President of the Emporia State University’s disk golf club and sophomore elementary education major, plays a hole on the new course. (above) Andy McHenry, Disk Golf Club Advisor, Jenni Denton, Foundation Vice President-Stewardship and Administration and Associate Vice President for University Advancement and Tate McRell, President of the disk golf club and senior rehabilitation disability studies major, talk before they commence with the opening ceremony. (right) Hacker practices at another hole on the course.

The Bulletin | SEPT. 2, 2021

FROM THE WIRE

7

House leader warned of ‘mask madness’ in Kansas schools, downplayed risk of COVID-19 to kids Sherman Smith Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins told his newsletter subscribers he was “heartened” to see so many school districts reject the governor’s advice that students wear face coverings to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

And he found it “troubling” that some schools were willing to embrace “mask madness.”

“Nothing about these recommendations makes sense,” Hawkins wrote in the Aug. 6 newsletter.

“Mask mandates have not been shown to be effective and healthy children have had few issues with COVID.” Now, the number of Kansas children who are getting sick — especially in districts where masks are not required — is forcing school officials to rethink their approach.

On Friday, the Wellington school district announced it was closing its doors until Sept. 7 because of three separate outbreaks of infections in schools where students didn’t have to wear face coverings.

Wellington superintendent Adam Hatfield said the Sumner County Health Department recommended closing school buildings because of outbreaks that produced at least 40 cases of COVID-19 in the first eight days of school. Those numbers were rising with increased testing, he said, and contract tracing indicated “it was only a matter of time before numbers went up in all of our schools to official outbreak levels.”

Hatfield said the district would review policy, consult with medical staff and work diligently to make adjustments for the rest of the

school year in regard to learning, athletics and activities.

“This is a challenging time for our entire district,” Hatfield said.

“Everybody wants our kids in school. We are hoping it is only a minor setback.”

Scientific research consistently shows mask mandates are effective, in schools and beyond, despite claims by Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita, and Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a physician.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly required state employees to wear a face mask at work and urged others to follow the advice of medical experts who recommend wearing a mask and social distancing in response to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 delta variant. Hospitalizations and deaths in Kansas have skyrocketed over the past two months, a result of unvaccinated residents and a refusal to follow basic safety precautions.

“Gov. Kelly wants to see students safe and learning in the classroom,” said Reeves Oyster, a spokeswoman for the governor.

“The way we make that happen is by wearing masks in schools and getting vaccinated.”

The Kansas Department for Health and Environment on Friday announced 12 more deaths from COVID-19 had been reported since Wednesday, along with 3,452 new infections and 97 more hospitalizations. Statewide, 31% of ICU beds were available.

From the start of the pandemic, nearly 50,000 Kansans younger than 18 have tested positive for the virus. KDHE has reported two deaths from COVID-19 among children younger than 10.

The number of children who are

Sherman Smith | Kansas Reflector

Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins criticized mask mandates for school children on Aug. 6. hospitalized in Kansas for COVID-19 declined from 27 on Tuesday to 16 on Thursday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend social distancing and universal indoor masking by students, staff, teachers and visitors regardless of vaccination status. Those protections are especially important for children younger than 12, who are not eligible for the vaccines. Children can get sick from COVID-19 and spread the disease to others just as easily as adults. The estimated rate of infection in children ages 5-17 is comparable to infection rates in

adults ages 18-49 and higher than rates in adults ages 50 and older.

Initial reports that children were less likely to get sick may have been due to children having less exposure to the virus because of the closure of schools, day care and activities, according to a CDC report on transmission in K-12 schools.

Children are less likely than adults to develop severe illness, but “the extent to which children suffer long-term consequences of COVID-19 is still unknown,” the CDC report said.

In his newsletter, Hawkins complained about the governor’s ef-

forts to encourage school children to wear a mask, and he encouraged supporters to contact local school board members and “let them know how you feel.”

“I agree with our Senator, Dr. Marshall, that these recommendations are not backed by the data or science,” Hawkins said. “What they do is curry favor with elite coastal Democrat donors.”

A spokesman for Hawkins didn’t return a phone call asking if the majority leader’s views on the value of masks in schools have changed since his Aug. 6 newsletter.

Feds expand Pell Grant program for prisoners working on college degrees Daniel C. Vock Kansas Reflector

WASHINGTON — Prison inmates around the United States are getting the chance to do something that was almost unheard of a generation ago: pursue a college degree while behind bars and with financial support from the federal government.

Inmates in 42 states and Washington, D.C., can now get federal grants to work with colleges and universities to earn trade certifications, associate’s degrees and even bachelor’s degrees.

And the programs are expected to become even more popular, thanks to a bipartisan effort to let prisoners use federal Pell Grants to help pay for higher education classes while incarcerated. A grant expansion announced by the Biden administration — following another by the Trump administration — will bring the number of participating colleges and universities up to 200.

Todd Butler, the dean of arts and sciences at Jackson College in Michigan, said many prison officials, from wardens to guards, were skeptical when he first started teaching prisoners in 2012.

“Corrections departments are set up for one thing, and that’s safety. That’s what they’re designed to do. (College classes) are not what they’re designed to do,” he said.

“But the longer you work at a facility, the staff starts to see a change in the inmates.”

“Once you start a higher education program in a prison, the students in that program become scholars,” Butler added. “They begin behaving differently. They see a future for themselves that they’ve never imagined before. It changes things. We watch folks slowly be-

come believers in the system.”

Pell Grants are awarded to college students on the basis of need and, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. The maximum award for Pell Grants for all college students is $6,495 for the 2021-2022 award year.

Shift in crime policy That Second Chance Pell grants are now growing under President Joe Biden is a remarkable turnaround, considering that in 1994 it was Biden’s signature crime bill that blocked prisoners from getting Pell Grants in the first place.

But it reflects a major shift in criminal justice policy over the past decade, as both liberals and conservatives have questioned get-tough policies on crime and have instead pushed measures to help inmates get ready for productive lives once they leave prison.

The issue resonates with policymakers from all political backgrounds, said Margaret diZerega, the director of the Center on Sentencing and Corrections at the Vera Institute, which is providing technical assistance to help with the rollout of Second Chance Pell programs.

“Access to post-secondary education in prison reduces recidivism rates, and people who participate in these programs are 48% less likely to return to prison,” she said.

“Most jobs require post-secondary education. Given that 95% of people are going to be returning to our community from prison, these kinds of programs set them up to be able to pursue employment and be able to provide for themselves and their families,” diZerega added.

More than 22,000 inmates have participated in Second Chance Pell programs since 2016, and some 7,000 of them have earned a pro-

fessional certificate or academic degree. It’s not known how many of the participants continued their studies after they left prison.

The program also attracts support from people concerned about racial inequities, because more than a third of students in Second Chance Pell Programs are Black, compared to just 13% on college campuses.

Overall, 59% of Second Chance Pell students say they are not white, compared to 48% of higher education students overall.

At the same time, though, only 11% of Second Chance Pell students say they are Hispanic, compared to 20% on traditional campuses. And white students still make up a higher percentage of students taking Pell-supported classes (41%) than their overall prison population (31%) would suggest.

A Michigan success story Jackson College is a long-time community college that recently expanded its mission to include four-year programs. Before the 1994 ban on Pell Grants for prisoners, it had a sizable prison-based program.

It started offering classes in state prisons again a decade ago at the request of the state’s corrections department.

Those first classes, though, had to be paid for by prisoners and their families, a major barrier to enrollment. Butler and his team talked to 450 potential students, but only enrolled 17 in their first class.

Still, the program attracted money from philanthropies that paid for inmates’ tuition, and the program began to grow.

When the Obama administration mulled an experimental program to extend Pell Grants to prisoners, getting around the 1994 ban, people involved in the program at

Jackson College met with thenEducation Secretary Arne Duncan and other Obama administration officials.

Eventually, Jackson College became one of the first to participate in the experiment, in 2016.

The Trump administration doubled the number of institutions that could participate in the program under then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. And President Donald Trump signed a law that included an overhaul of the federal aid application process and the removal of the 1994 ban.

The Biden administration is now in charge of writing rules for the Pell Grants once the ban is lifted. Those rules are expected to go into effect in July 2023.

COVID-19 hits prisons Enrollment in Jackson College’s prison-based programs reached as high as 800 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Classes were taught at eight Michigan prisons, including a federal prison.

The pandemic hit prisons hard, and inevitably that led to disruptions in the college instruction programs too. Many of Jackson College’s students were paroled early to reduce crowding in the facilities.

Meanwhile, visitors were severely curtailed, and college instructors could no longer meet with their students in person. Instead, teachers had to prepare video recordings or lecture via closed-circuit TV, because students were not allowed to take the classes online.

The lack of in-person meetings also meant that the college couldn’t recruit new students, and enrollment has since dipped to around 500 students, Butler said.

But prison officials helped keep the program running even with the difficulties.

“Our corrections partners were

saying: ‘It is extremely important that we keep this education program, because (the prisoners) needed it. They need some hope.

They need to keep busy. They need to keep progressing.’ We heard that, and we agreed with that,” Butler recalled.

Remote learning The pandemic forced Jackson College and Michigan prisons to increase their reliance on technology, which has become a source of some controversy in other locations.

Ashland University, a Christian college in Ohio, in particular, has drawn scrutiny for offering courses almost exclusively on tablets, raising questions about the quality of its instruction.

It has become one of the biggest providers of courses under Second Chance Pell, with operations in 13 states, according to the Marshall Project. A spokesperson from Ashland University did not return a request for comment.

But for Jackson College, Butler said, technology can be as much a barrier to students learning as a tool, especially when there are no college staff to help inmates use their computers and programs.

Ideally, Butler added, inmates would be able to get in-person instruction but also be able to use online resources for research with their projects.

Still, Butler said he’s encouraged by the prison-based courses.

“For many of us, this is the most rewarding work of our lives. It is completely unlike any other place you will teach,” he said. “Anyone who has ever watched or taken part in a prison graduation ceremony will leave rethinking what is possible for the incarcerated population.”

Hornet Life

8

The Bulletin | SEPT. 2, 2021

From fire to flowers: The history of ESU’s sunken garden

Bella Eppens | The Bulle tin

ESU’s Sunken Garden sits between downtown Emporia and Plumb Hall. It has a rich history beginning with the founding of the university and was the site of the first two administration buildings on campus.

Bella Eppens Managing Editor

One of the first things passersby will see on a sunny summer day when driving down Commercial Street toward Emporia State is a charming fountain circled by luscious plants and three flags waving in the wind: the American flag, the Kansas flag and the ESU flag.

This area is known as the Sunken Garden and was the site of the first two administration buildings for ESU, then known as Kansas State Normal.

KSN held the first day of class in February of 1865 with only 18 students. Six years later, enrollment had surpassed the original building’s capacity and plans were set in motion to raise funding for a new building on campus.

Beginnings Then KSN President George W. Hoss, and other school officials, encouraged the Kansas House of Representatives to visit Emporia.

When word reached the Emporia City Council about the visit, they made plans for “elaborate entertainment,” according to a 1934 history of the Kansas State Teacher’s College by Everett D. Fish.

Those plans included a special train to bring the visitors into Emporia, a welcoming party of “prominent citizens,” and a complete tour of the school and classes before a final ride around the city in donated carriages. The plan was successful and the school was granted $50,000 with the expectation that the city of Emporia contributed $10,000 to the construction of the new building, according to Fish’s book.

The new administration building had four floors, according to an article published by Emporia News, now the Emporia Gazette.

The first floor had a gymnasium (which was never completed) and two science labs. Classrooms, lecture rooms and the reception room were located on the main floor. The third floor had an assembly room that could seat 250 students. A library, museum and several rooms available for literary societies were on the fourth floor. The building opened on March 27, 1873, and the official dedication was held on June 19 of that same year.

A series of disasters Just five years after the dedication, a tornado ripped through Emporia and destroyed two-thirds of the roof of the new building. The three hours of rain that followed ruined desks, floors and walls, according to Fish. The building was repaired, but would be met with another disaster a few months later.

Around 3 a.m. Oct. 27, 1878, the building caught fire. An Emporia police officer saw the flames coming from the basement, according to Fish. By the time firefighters reached the scene, the fire was “beyond control.” “(Cinders) set fire to grass, wooden walks, and roofs, in at

Bella Eppens | The Bulle tin The inscription on the sundial reads ‘Grow old along with me the best is yet to come’ with an engraving of the Grim Reaper. It was donated by the class of 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic.

least fifty places, while some of them flew across the Cottonwood (River), a distance of two miles,” according to Fish.

The flames could be seen for 16 miles and the trees around the building were killed by the intense heat.

By the time the fire was extinguished, most of the interior of the building was gone. A few doors and windows and some furniture survived, but the total damages were estimated to be just under $1 million, which is equivalent to roughly $24 million today, according to the inflation calculator on officialdata. org. The building was not insured, according to Fish. In addition to the loss of the building, all of the student records were destroyed.

“Sleet and snow added to the despondency of the scene,” Fish notes in the history.

The origin of the fire was never fully determined, but the consensus was “spontaneous combustion.” Emporia News ran President Charles Rhodes Pomeroy’s statement on the fire in their Nov. 1 edition, exactly four years after the publication of the original description of the building. Pomeroy said there had been problems with coals heating but there had been extensive inspections the week leading up to the fire. The coals had been checked four times the night of the fire before the firefighter appointed to do the inspections left at 11 p.m.

By May 1880, a new building was constructed in the old building’s place. It was built “nearly the same as the one destroyed by the fire,” according to Fish. It too, had its own brush with disaster. At 3 a.m. Monday in September 1910, lightning struck the building. However, the damages were minimal and the building was still standing the next morning.

In 1913, the building was condemned and the school had to decide whether to renovate or build a new structure. It had been constructed when the school only had 200 to 300 students and before anything was known about “building sanitation, light or other conveniences.” It was a fire trap and “the danger there is now is so great that no local community would tolerate it at all,” according to the June 30, 1914, biennial report to the governor and state legislature, as reproduced in Fish’s book.

After consulting numerous contractors and architects, it was decided that renovating the building would cost more than building a new one. So, an entirely new, and fireproof, building was built in a different spot, according to Fish.

The new building, Plumb Hall, was dedicated in 1918 and is still used as ESU’s administration building.

Through the years The area where the two older administrative buildings once stood, is now known as the Sunken Garden. The basement excavation of those buildings was transformed into a garden with a bronze sundial donated by the class of 1918.

“Here, four entrances, flanked on either side by cedars and weeping mulberry, led downward past neatly trimmed hedges and plots of vari-colored roses,” according to a 1945 Bulletin article.

The classes of 1930, 1934 and 1935, replaced the sundial with the fountain that is still there today.

The sundial was moved closer to the William Allen White Library and is still on campus.

In 1978, underwater lights, four benches, and the flag poles that represent the nation, state and school were added, according to the Bulletin.

Photos courtesy of ESU Archives

A photograph from ESU’s archives shows the extensive damage the fire caused. In the image, the building is a skeleton of what it had been the day before and most of the structure is either gone or charred.

A photo from ESU’s archives shows the second administrative building on campus. This building was almost an exact replica of the first which burned down in 1878.