The Daily Egyptian - March 20, 2024

Egyptian

AD on Mullins: “We haven’t seen that trajectory” towards tournament-worthy play

Brandyn Wilcoxen @BrandynWilcoxen

When SIU athletic director Tim Leonard informed men’s basketball head coach Bryan Mullins that he would not be returning after five years on the job, the decision was not taken lightly.

“I haven’t slept in a week because I knew it was coming and I was dreading it,” Leonard said.

Leonard said Mullins had requested a meeting on the morning of Friday, March 8, less than 24 hours after the Salukis’ upset loss to UIC in double-overtime to end their season in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, to inform him of his future with the program, and whether his contract would be extended or not.

Mullins had one year left on his original contract after this season, but was essentially working on a “contract year,” meaning the school would choose between extending or moving on after this season.

“We knew that this was a contract year, and Bryan knew that,” Leonard said. “We had to have a good year from him, and show progress.”

While the Salukis had a winning record for the fourth time in five years under Mullins, the late-season results fell short of overall program expectations. The team finished 1913, adding to Mullins’ overall record of 86-68.

Among the factors going into the decision was SIU’s lack of NCAA Tournament appearances. Although the school touts a rich history of postseason success, it has experienced a 17-year drought of missing the big dance dating back to Mullins’ playing days.

“I think what our expectations are is that we will go to the [NCAA] Tournament every couple of years, and in the off years, we’re still gonna be competitive, we’re gonna still be fighting for a top-four seed, and be in

Survey: Large numbers of students using AI without professors’ knowledge

Katie KWasnesKi KWasnesKi@dailyegyptian com

With assistive AI tools making their way into every facet of our daily lives, it’s no wonder that students and faculty are becoming increasingly aware of how they can affect education.

The Daily Egyptian did an informal online survey at SIU to ask students, faculty and staff about their take on the use of AI on assignments.

There were 105 respondents, 96 of them students. Of those, 51 percent said they use AI for assignments, and 49 percent said they do not.

For the students who do use the tool, 74 percent said their instructors do not know about their use of it, while 26 percent said their instructors do know.

More than half, 58 percent of students who responded to the

AI 4

New Mexico State confirms SIU Chancellor Lane will not be its next president

Joei younKer | @younKer Joei

In early February, New Mexico State announced five finalists for its open presidential position at the university; SIU Chancellor Austin Lane was listed among the top candidates.

On Monday, March 11, New Mexico State University released a statement which clarified they will not be selecting any of the finalists that were previously listed. Lane will no longer be considered for the position according to NMSU.

“After careful consideration, I do not believe any of the current finalists fully meet the needs of New Mexico State University at this critical juncture,” board Chairwoman Ammu Devasthali stated during the March 11 meeting announcing the school’s decision.

After Lane’s hiring at Southern Illinois University in 2020, he oversaw the launch and implementation of the university’s strategic plan, Imagine 2030. The plan includes five important pillars; student success and engagement; diversity, equity and inclusion; branding and partnerships; research and innovation, and sustainability.

Lane also initiated the Saluki Commitment and Saluki Transfer Commitment, a pledge to close the gap between financial aid and tuition and fees for qualified students from Illinois. Another mission included Saluki Step Ahead, which allows place-bound community college graduates to more easily earn their bachelor’s degrees remotely.

For now, the expectation for Lane is he will remain Chancellor at Southern Illinois University for the foreseeable future.

News editor Joei Younker can be reached at jyounker@dailyegyptian.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) @younker_joei

Head Coach Bryan Mullins speaks with Saluki basketball in a media timeout as the Salukis face the Flames of UIC March 7, 2024 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Lylee Gibbs | @LyleeGibbsphoto

Subterfuge: Nothing deceptive about the band’s love of punk

Sub•ter•fuge (noun): deceit used in order to achieve one’s goal. It is also the name of a young band stepping onto the Carbondale music scene and making its voice known. For the last few months, Subterfuge has been making music and playing their original songs in punk house basement shows across town.

The band members include: vocalist Keen Simpson, 21; guitarist Sumair Ahluwalia, 22; bassist Johnston Jacob Green Jr, 19; and drummer Jackson Yeager, 18. Yeager says that although he’s been casually playing for years, he only recently started taking music seriously. “I love music more every day,” he said.

Three of the members – Simpson, Green, and Yeager – are current SIU undergraduate students. Ahluwalia completed his undergraduate degree at SIU and plans to return next semester as a graduate student. At this point, the band is spending more of their time on songwriting and practicing than they are on their schoolwork. But, they say, that’s just what it takes to succeed.

Their lyrics discuss topics such as failed relationships, social constructions and government control. And while the entire band plays a role in creating and perfecting their songs, the other members claim that most of their ideas come from Ahluwalia.

“I’m not your machine

Won’t listen to you man

I’m just a human

But I am my own being”

Above is an excerpt from Subterfuge’s recently released song, “Freedom to Starve,” which contains strong tones of rebellion and disobedience.

Both Simpson and Ahluwalia are history students, and Simpson says that studying history actually pushed him towards this style of music. “When you learn about history you learn about all the s*** the government does that you

This year’s National LGBTQ Health Awareness Week’s theme, “Vital Vibrant Voices”, speaks to the VITAL need for VIBRANT and diverse VOICES to address LGBTQ+ Health issues. SIU’s Student Health Services is joining the cause to advance and improve LGBTQ+ and transgender health issues through awareness, education, and advocacy.

should be mad about.”

This same sentiment is shared by the operators of Commune, the venue of a recent Subterfuge’s show. With huge banners strung behind the performance area reading “Queer Liberation Now” and “Abolish the Police” the political leanings of the house are not a secret. “It’s probably our favorite basement,” Ahluwalia said.

The group will also be playing in the Blackout Festival, occurring the weekend before the April 8 total solar eclipse. The festival will take place over four locations around Carbondale: Commune, two other punk houses — Lost Cross and Birdhouse — and PK’s bar.

The band also recently recorded a video version of “Freedom to Starve,” which can be viewed on their Instagram: @subterfuge_cdale.

Student Health Services is celebrating National LGBTQ Health Awareness Week!

At the Student Health Center, you will find an LGBTQ+ inclusive patient policy and gender-neutral restrooms. Our equitable and inclusive healthcare facilities, policies, and practices have earned us the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Index High Performer award for knowledgeable, sensitive, and welcoming healthcare free from discrimination.

Our staff are passionate about addressing the unique health needs and concerns of marginalized, underserved, and atrisk populations. We promote LGBTQ+ and transgender health education and resources, and advocate for social justice and health equity through collaboration with campus and community partners, liaison programming, LGBTQ+ Staff Council membership, and our Inclusivity Taskforce committee.

Jackson Yeager, Sumair Ahluwalia, Johnston Jacob Green Jr, and Keen Simpson practice one of their original songs on Jan. 25, 2024, the night before their performance in Carbondale, Illinois. Nicole Fox | @fox.flicks

A Day in the Life: Navigating the Skies and Tacking Engines

mechanic shop too,” Dunn said.

In the vast number of professions, two seem to hold a common thread - the dynamic lives of a pilot and an automotive mechanic. While they seem to differ vastly from each other, both contribute significantly to the machines that keep our worlds moving. They even share common pages on the SIU website.

The life of Elliot Dunn, an automotive technology student, begins at 6 a.m.

“I go down to the dining hall and get breakfast and then go out to the airport,” Dunn said.

Dunn is a freshman pursuing a degree in automotive engineering. He is determined to become a skilled automotive professional and make significant contributions to the industry.

“For the first 10 weeks I did have one class. It was automotive technology engines. So, I learned how to rip apart an engine and do all the measurements on it and that was one class. I got to work on my engine in that class. I got to fix it up,” Dunn said.

Dunn now works with manual drive trains, specifically by disassembling transmissions and differentials for use in drive trains.

“When I get there, I start at eight o’clock and then I go to 11:50 am and then my whole day is pretty much done from there. And then I go over to my work, I work at the SIU airplane

A day of work for Dunn consists of ripping apart panels and getting into the spark plugs on the planes. Then he goes out and test drives them.

“I run them up, turn the engine on, get them on the full throttle or half throttle,” Dunn said, “So, it’s running them up, going to 1800 RPMs and then checking all the systems, checking the vacuum, the batteries and that’s pretty much it, I end at three, and that’s my whole day.”

He said that he hasn’t taken many classes for his degree as a freshman. He mainly works his job that relates to his degree.

“Automotive credits work a little different. I have a 10-week course and then a 5-week course and that’s 10 to 9 credits. So it’s a lot of credit. Then

I have one history class and Saluki Success, it fills in my schedule. I have 14 credits and on Wednesdays I have no classes, on Monday and Friday I only have one, and on Tuesday and Thursday I have two,” Dunn said.

Dunn shares numerous stories about his experience as an automotive mechanic.

“My favorite story was when I wasn’t out there, but it was doing a wheel bearing. I went to the Harbor Freight Parking Lot. It was supposed to be a three-hour job, and it turned into an eight-hour job,” Dunn said, “The wheel bearing didn’t want to move, so I had to drill out my wheel speed sensor and it still didn’t want to

come out, so I had to drill it halfway out.”

Dunn works closely with his friend, an aviation student at SIU, Donovan Pierce.

“I’ll be on the ramp and I have my hand radio whenever I go onto the ramp. Sometimes I’ll hear him saying all his pilot stuff, his fancy stuff. I have zero idea what he’s saying, but it’s neat to hear,” Dunn said.

Pierce is aspiring to become a pilot. The movie “Sully,” which was based on the plane that landed in the Hudson River, is one of his biggest inspirations.

“That was interesting, and that is possible to do; that was deemed, most people deemed it impossible to do that, but a pilot managed to make it happen. It just shows how much dedication and skill some of the people in this profession have towards their job, and I want to reach that level someday.” Pierce said.

In the field of aeronautics, Donovon Pierce wakes up to a world where the sky is not a limit but a canvas.

“Originally, I would follow my dad’s footsteps in law enforcement. But, new laws started changing how that kind of profession worked and how it was. So, I ended up taking a discovery flight out at Poplar Grove Airport, near Rockford, Illinois, and that’s what got me into aviation and thinking about taking this pathway,” Pierce said.

Pierce begins his day at 8 every morning with his first class starting at

9 a.m. and lasting an hour.

“Then I’ll have a break for lunch, and then I must be at the airport at 1 p.m. At the airport is where I have my math class, so that’s nice,” Pierce said.

He mentions that he has his flight theory class and the Aviation version of Saluki Success at the airport. His primary flight course is also located there, where he gains his flight hours and learns how to maneuver. As a result, the majority of his classes take place near or at the airport, which is convenient for him.

“How the flight courses are laid out are planned out to be like a semester each. But it depends on how fast or slow you want to take it because it’s not a set timeline. You can take your flights as quickly or as slowly as you want within reason,” Pierce said.

Balancing schoolwork and piloting can be challenging due to the different demands of each. While the school has a set schedule and clear expectations, piloting requires quick thinking and adaptability to changing conditions.

Additionally, the physical demands of piloting require a different kind of stamina. Both require discipline and hard work.

“That’s about it for classes of the day, and then I usually save any homework or studying for the nighttime...I usually get back to my dorm about 5 to 5:30 p.m. Usually, when I get back, I’ll go to the dining hall for dinner and then I’ll go back in

my room,” Pierce said.

Pierce discusses his flight routine as a student pilot.

“Usually each flight block you’ll have two students, and depending on which plane you choose to fly, you’ll each fly on different days. It also depends on the weather, weather is a very big key in it,” Pierce said.

Pierce says a common challenge he has is learning the specifics of aviation where it’s not full on flying the plane itself but learning the ground tactics, like aerodynamics and critical rules like FAA regulations. Pierce hopes to learn how to be a pilot with his eyes closed and without the actual skill part.

He has the most fun flying planes.

“It was a nice day up today, so great views around the town. You get to see all the surrounding areas, especially the big, nice lakes are cool to look at when you’re flying over them,” Pierce said.

Both the automotive mechanic and the pilot are united by a simple theme – the pursuit of excellence in their respective careers. Whether soaring through the skies or navigating the labyrinth of engines, both roles demand unwavering commitment, constant learning and a passion for the intricate machinery that propels our modern world forward.

Staff reporter Jasmine Thompson can be reached at jasmine.thompson@dailyegyptian.com.

Two Saluki swimmers invited to NCAA Championships

The Southern Illinois Swimming and Diving team will have a swimmer compete at both the men’s and women’s NCAA Championships.

Celia Pulido and Alex Santiago were both invited to compete for the Salukis.

Southern Illinois is one of only two mid-major programs to have a swimmer compete at both the NCAA men’s and women’s championships.

This will also be the first time for Southern Illinois to have a swimmer at both championships since 1992.

“Celia and Alex will represent the Salukis very well on the national stage” head coach Geoff Hanson said.

The NCAA Women’s Championship will be hosted in Athens, Georgia, and begins Weds. March 20th through Sat. March 23rd.

Celia Pulido was invited after her multi-record-breaking performance at the Missouri-Valley Conference Championship in the 100 and 200yard backstroke and the 100-yard butterfly. Pulido set the conference record in the 200-yard backstroke and the 100-yard butterfly. Pulido was named the MVC Swimmer of

the Year.

“For Celia, in her second trip to the Championships she will look to move up from her seeding and potentially score points for SIU. After barely missing the cut last year I’m certain she is excited and motivated” said Hanson

The NCAA Men’s Championship will be hosted in Indianapolis, Indiana, and begins Weds. March 27th through Sat. March 30th. Alex Santiago was a show out during the Mid-American Conference Championship where Santiago was named the Outstanding Swimmer of the Year. Santiago also set the conference record in the 50 and 100yard freestyle.

“The dramatic improvement that Alex has achieved since coming as an unrecruited walk-on three years ago has gotten him to the highest level of college swimming, but he’s not just happy to be there! He also has the potential to move up from his seeding for sure” Hanson said.

To follow Celia Pulido along this week visit the Championship Central Page. More information about the Men’s Championship to come.

Celia Pulido is one of two swimmers invited to participate in the NCAA Championships. Photo provided by Saluki Athletics

Alex Santiago swims laps in the warmup lanes Oct. 6, 2023 at Dr. Edward Shae Natatorium in Carbondale Illinois. Lylee Gibbs |

anonymous survey said they use ChatGPT for research.

One person who has found the tool helpful for researching purposes is a graduate student studying clinical mental health counseling.

“We have to take a comprehensive exam in order to graduate,” they said. “I was given a study guide, and with all the things that I didn’t know, I would just type into ChatGPT ‘give me more information about this topic,’ and then it would just give me all the information I needed. It gave me one spot to go to instead of if I Google it.”

One of the more responsible ways to use ChatGPT could be to utilize it like this, decreasing the time spent clicking through Google links, but people need to keep in mind, AI tools are not always accurate.

Anas AlSobeh, assistant professor in the IT college at SIU said, “Most of the students don’t have the patience when looking for information. For example, I would like to find information about Mark Lothar. I don’t want to go to Google right now and get ten or hundreds of links and visit these links. It takes too much time. Now, I can suggest AI tools to help summarize where students can find this information. You like a summary, okay. Now that Gemini, ChatGPT and Copilot give you the citation where this is coming from directly, with one click you will be there.”

This survey was conducted after the Daily Egyptian was presented with data from a national survey from Intelligent.com on 588 college students, finding that 37 percent are currently using ChatGPT. The students were asked how they were utilizing the tool, and the survey found that 96 percent were using it for schoolwork, while 80 percent were using it for other tasks including communication and job searching. The full results of that study can be found through their website, intelligent.com.

One student in the SIU survey cautions that it is important not to rely on AI fully, that there may be conflicting opinions between what you want and what ChatGPT recommends.

“For example, my son has some behavioral issues, and so one of the things I do with ChatGPT is try to look at different outside resources for how to handle it because I don’t like behavioral therapy,” they said. “It focuses more on the behavior rather than what’s behind the behavior.”

The respondent said ChatGPT strongly supports behavioral therapy:

“I’ve got this other guy that I’ve been studying, and he’s really reliable too but he doesn’t use behavioral therapy and I can search him in ChatGPT, but then ChatGPT went back to saying ‘if you want something reliable, you need to go to behavioral therapy’ and to me, that’s not reliable. So that’s where it’s kind of limited because it doesn’t think outside the box. It’s just like, no, behavioral therapy, that’s where the answer is. And I disagree.”

There is also the matter of privacy.

How much information is too much to give to this AI tool while performing searches?

“It will write an entire case conception paper. You just give it a little information. You just say, this is the client, age, what they’re dealing with, what their background is, and it’ll write an entire case conception paper for you,” a student said, “but I wouldn’t put someone’s specific information in it, like where you would break confidentiality.”

Privacy is a big issue with AI because it’s a black box, and the level of personal information within it is a mystery to its users.

AlSobeh said, “So far, this is the big issue in the large models, the ethical issues. It’s not recommended to use AI tools to expose personal information because some AI tools are selflearning. Maybe they take this data and keep it in their records. Especially healthcare. Maybe someone can take this data and use it somewhere else.”

60.3% of students using ChatGPT for writing, showing that this is what the tool is most utilized for.”

This has sparked concerns in students and faculty.

“I think it’s a very disingenuous tool to be using in an academic setting. To me, it feels like another form of plagiarism, almost. You’re doing work that isn’t really your own,” SIU student Liam Groves said.

This idea seems to be a common issue among

Educators are responsible for addressing the use of AI like ChatGPT in their coursework, but faculty like Kreher hope the university will employ training on AI for professors and teaching assistants, and create policies on how to incorporate ChatGPT in the classroom.

Of the 105 respondents, 90 percent were students, nearly 8 percent were faculty, and the

“People think it’s not plagiarism because it’s not borrowing from someone else’s work or someone else’s ideas, but that’s exactly what ChatGPT does.”

- Vicki Kreher Senior Lecturer in the school of Journalism and Advertising

students and educators.

“People think it’s not plagiarism because it’s not borrowing from someone else’s work or someone else’s ideas, but that’s exactly what ChatGPT does. It borrows from everything it sees. From everything it reads,” Vicki Kreher, senior lecturer in the school of journalism and advertising said.

“So it’s picking from here and there and then if you need a bibliography in a class and you ask it to make the bibliography, it’s just going to make shit up, right? I mean, you can ask ChatGPT ‘is using ChatGPT plagiarism?’ and you can get it to argue for it and against it.”

AlSobeh said a big issue in ethics with AI is its lack of regulations addressing what constitutes plagiarism.

But there are students who find other, more responsible ways of going about using the tool for writing assistance.

“Sometimes I have something I want to write, but I don’t have the smoothness. So, I will have it rewrite it for me. It comes across more, like, using the transitions and finesse that I want,” one student said.

“I’ll mainly use it for fluff,” another said. “AI in general is not really great at creative work, but it’s great for filling.”

AlSobeh said, “Large language models are mathematical, and when you ask it a question, your question will be converted to the mathematical model. They try to translate this mathematical model to the English text. So basically, a mathematical model in computer science is logical. It still can write a whole essay for the student and it’s going to sound logical, but it’s just not correct.”

Ultimately, ChatGPT writing has its flaws, and users need to be vigilant with its responses.

In other areas, 26 percent of students responded saying they use it for quizzes and/or tests.

“I would use Chat GPT for things like quizzes mainly for core curriculum classes that I have no interest in,” a student said.

Inside the classroom, using ChatGPT for quizzes and tests is likely less common, but for remote students, the tool is easier to use.

Kreher said there are ways to avoid this problem, like proctoring exams for remote students.

Other students have also been required to purchase external webcams for their remote quizzes and tests and use lock down browsers so they cannot open other windows during their exams.

If AI use is suspected, Kreher said, “I’ll write a few prompts that they probably would have stuck in ChatGPT. I’ll run those and if they come out sounding exactly like – which they will sound darn close – to what the students did, I’ll give them two weeks to resubmit the assignment. No AI this time.”

rest were staff.

Out of the students surveyed, 49 percent were seniors, 24 percent were juniors, 17 percent were sophomores, and 8 percent were freshmen. Respondents were encouraged to answer each of the questions but were not required to, explaining any gaps in the data.

Whether students agreed or disagreed with the use of AI like ChatGPT in education, for the most part, they weren’t hearing much about the topic from their instructors.

“Our program director was like, ‘I don’t know what to say about that,’ it was so new and like, they didn’t know how to handle it either,” one student said.

Another said, “I’m taking a web development class this semester, and there’s a notice that says ‘do not use AI’ and personally I’ve never used AI in the class because problem solving is one of the most fun parts of computer science. That teacher acknowledges that it’s real, but in my more advanced classes my instructors realize that ChatGPT can’t really be used, so they’re kind of like ‘whatever.’”

Groves said, “I know this has been a big discussion point for years, but for the past couple of years with just how big it’s gotten and how quickly it’s developing, I think we’re kind of at the stages where we’re still trying to see where it’s going to go ultimately. I honestly haven’t really heard a lot of conversation about it.”

In Kreher’s opinion, “Educators are hopeful that their students are building their own critical thinking skills and are becoming people that can go out into the working force and not have to rely on their phone to answer a question because that shouldn’t be, you shouldn’t have to pick up your phone for it to answer a question for you when you’re at work.”

But at the same time, she has observed that AI experience is becoming a requirement of those entering the advertising industry, and believes faculty need to address this with students’ education.

So, it’s easy to understand the conflict of integrating AI tools and discouraging reliance on them.

“We certainly can’t have our heads in the sand, which seems to be happening in some places. ChatGPT is a tool we need to learn how to manage,” Kreher said.

“I have relatives in the Bay Area, and friends and relatives who work at Meta, Google and Microsoft, and I’m hearing the same thing from all of them, that students need to understand how to use AI because AI writers is a job now,” she added.

Kreher said other universities have policies in place.

“The university [SIU] needs to have training on this for professors and for teaching assistants.

Like, ‘here’s what it is, here’s what to do with it,’ there are ways,” she said.

AlSobeh thinks students and educators can benefit by an integration approach. Some options include awareness workshops, including IT or general computer science in core curriculum, and collaboration between colleges.

“I would recommend students involving AI in all studies, a plan in all departments, not just here in the engineering or information technology or computer science departments, but in human science, in animal science, and others to know how we can employ these technologies to improve students’ skills,” he said, “and a collaboration between areas like computer science, engineering, and IT with the other colleges to maybe customize or adapt or create a material that addresses this.”

Students are hopeful that we can find a way to integrate AI into education, benefitting us when it’s time to enter the workforce.

“My girlfriend is in a creative writing class right now, and one of her assignments was to use AI to create a story. So I think that the tide is changing,” one student said.

“I mean, things are evolving. So, instead of fighting it and saying ‘no, let’s not use it,’ it’s better to figure out how best to use it and let people learn about it,” another student added. “These are the pitfalls. These are the negative sides of it. So you kind of educate students about it. So they know what they’re getting into. Instead of just trying to be like, no, we’re not going to do it at all.”

In terms of pitfalls, deepfakes are an example both Kreher and AlSobeh agree students must be aware of.

Deepfakes are digitally manipulated media that can replace or alter a person’s face or body, even surroundings, typically used to spread false information.

Kreher teaches her students about the topic within one of her courses, and AlSobeh’s department is working on a survey that will be distributed to more than 500 students at SIU to test their ability to spot deepfakes.

At the end of the day, these technological advancements are part of our lives.

“I’d say a lot of the fears that people had of those new technologies was that they would just completely remove the human part of the equation from the workforce as a whole, and it didn’t happen,” Groves said, “So I’m starting to wonder if maybe we will get to a point where we see AI being used in ways to help guide people instead of just relying on it to do everything for us.”

AlSobeh and Kreher agree.

“AI tools are things you would have to learn to be equipped to the employment or labor market. If you go to an interview, I think now most of the interviews will be having questions about the AI tools and how we can use them,” AlSobeh said. “Many people are scared that AI tools will replace or take their jobs, right? Small jobs, but not that many jobs. But AI can open new jobs too.”

So what can SIU students do to advance alongside this technological disruptor?

“Talk with your colleges and your educators that aren’t really proactive about using it, or don’t really have set rules,” Kreher suggested, “Discuss with them your concerns and try and make it more talked about.”

With a proper grasp on the knowledge of AI tools, students can be sure they are prepared after graduation and use them to benefit their lives.

Staff reporter Katie Kwasneski can be reached at kkwasneski@dailyegyptian.com

Head Coach Bryan Mullins speaks to Saluki Basketball in a media timeout as the Salukis face the Flames of UIC in the first round of Arch Madness March 7, 2024 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

SIU later parted ways with Coach Mullins following SIU’s first-round exit with a loss to UIC.

Clarence Rupert (4) yells in celebration as the Salukis come back from a double-digit deficit against the Flames of UIC.

Xavier Johnson (10) goes up towards the basket for a layup as the Salukis face the UIC Flames.

Kennard Davis Jr. (30) goes up towards the basket for a layup as he is blocked by Ethan Pickett (4) of UIC.

Kennard Davis Jr. (30) and Troy D’Amico (0) help up Trent Brown (24) moments after attempting to shoot a half-court shot to save the Salukis from overtime.

AJ Ferguson (14) ties his shoe after getting his ankle wrapped in the middle of the conference tournament matchup against UIC.

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Women’s Basketball wraps up after first-round loss to Indiana State

dropping to 23% in the second quarter.

the trail to three ending the quarter with 48-45.

Southern Illinois Women’s basketball (11-20) couldn’t pass the first round in the Missouri Valley Conference on Thursday stomaching a hard loss from Indiana State (11-20) with a score of 66-54.

The Salukis put up a good fight with Quierra Love leading the game with 15 points. The team totaled 24 rebounds all game 15 defensive and 9 offensive.

They led the first quarter with 12-13 having 42.9% shots from the field, but couldn’t keep the same momentum with the field shots

The Sycamores’ momentum picked up in the second quarter with them having 61.5% shots from the field going on an 8-0 run for two minutes near the end of the quarter taking the lead going into halftime with 33-23.

Indiana State continues its trail going into the second quarter with the Salukis cutting it off a few minutes in after a good jumper by Mason starting their 7-0 run near the end of the quarter. With both teams giving its all till the last second Southern was able to cut

Both teams played an aggressive fourth quarter but not enough for the Salukis to catch up in time with the Sycamore’s lead player of the game Mya Glaton who scored 30 points the entire game and Ella Sawyer’s consistent shots.

“All of the adversity we faced all year, our kids have stuck together,” head coach Kelly Bond-White said. “That’s what I’m proud of.”

Sports editor Jamliah Lewis can be reached on X @jamilahlewis or at jlewis@dailyegyptian.com

‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ adds another dumpling to Po’s story

After an eight-year hiatus from the big screen, it seemed as if our goofy and beloved dragon warrior’s journey had come full circle after reuniting with his birth father in Kung Fu Panda 3 and becoming grand master of the Valley of Peace.

However, Kung Fu Panda 4 quickly shows there is still much work for Po to finish in the Valley of Peace as its new leader.

The plot of Kung Fu Panda 4 is quite recognizable from that of previous Kung Fu Panda movies. He sets off on a mission with a companion to fight a foe with a skillset he hasn’t quite seen before and ultimately learns something new about what it means to be a master of kung fu. However, this entry’s version of a supporting cast doesn’t contain any members of the beloved Furious Five and instead opts to move Po’s story along with Zhen, a fox from a nearby big city, voiced by Awkwafina.

But this new character aids Po’s story in a way that hasn’t necessarily been explored yet in a Kung Fu Panda movie. As a thief who blurs the line between good and evil in certain moments. However, that’s all it ends up being, moments because by the end of the film, it is still a clear battle of good vs evil, which can be a bit confusing to the audience in some aspects.

Simply put, a lot of the plot has to do with the newness in Po’s life that he has to get used to a new position of authority and wisdom to try to transition to, a new friend he has to integrate into his life, and a new foe that gives Po a new challenge to overcome.

The choice to not include the Furious Five is an intriguing one, to say the least, but makes a clear statement that the series is attempting to embrace change, just like its main character. However, the Furious Five’s screen time and dialogue were

always done in good taste in the past, without any real interruption to the plot, tone, and pacing of the previous Kung Fu Panda. The same can’t be said for Zhen’s role in the film, as a comedic undertone that doesn’t really hit early on along with some of the key plot moments. Ultimately, the film doesn’t necessarily gain anything from leaving the Furious Five out and makes the film a bit more predictable by the end result.

Po’s main antagonist, whom they call the Chameleon, presents itself as an intimidating new problem. The Chameleon is a menacing villain that benefits a lot from the animation style of any scene that she shape-shifts in. Viola Davis voices the Chameleon and gives the character a real sense of scariness, although perhaps not on the same level as Kung Fu Panda 2’s “Lord Shen” might in other viewers.

The adventure of Kung Fu Panda is fun and fast, sitting pretty at a 94-minute run-time, which is perfect for a kid’s adventure like what Kung Fu Panda should be. The pacing seems to go fine and moves along great for a film of this nature that doesn’t need to drag on any longer.

The animation is in no way anything less than we would expect from previous Kung Fu Panda films, with high-flying, over-the-top, wacky fight scenes with animals jumping all over the place, as would be expected from a Kung Fu Panda film, so rest assured the action is all the more satisfying and will certainly bring a chuckle out of viewers.

Kung Fu Panda 4 brings viewers much of the same Po we knew from the previous entries and Jack Black’s performance is witty and fluent and proves yet again that he is one of only a few that could pull off voicing a character like Po. There’s a great balance of moments of pure humor and pure heart that not many actors can bring out of an animated character.

An aspect of the franchise Kung

Fu Panda that many may overlook due to the hilarious comedy bits and action sequences is the wisdom and life lessons that each entry contains as a hidden message. In the previous entries, the life lessons that were contained seemed to be very open and easy to understand. This entry also contains some valuable lessons for kids to understand, but they don’t hit the same degree of emotion that previous entries have been able to do.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Ultimately, the adventure of Kung Fu Panda 4 pays off as a fun rendition of the franchise, albeit guilty of a confusing decision to leave the Furious Five out of the picture. Po is once again magnificent and intriguing in this new role as Grand Master. Zheng weighs down the picture early on, but her development gets better as the film progresses. The mixture of comedy, action, and wholesomeness keeps it as a worthy entry to the beloved series.

It seems as if Kung Fu Panda will be moving in a different direction with Po moving forward, with one more similar to that of his former mentor, Grand Master Oogway. It’s a risky move for the franchise and one that seems to imply more films revolving around his relationship with Zheng to protect the Valley of Peace. However, as long as future films continue the Kung Fu Panda formula of comedy mixed with over-the-top action, the series is in good hands.

Graduate Assistant Joseph Bernard can be reached at joseph.l.bernard@ siu.edu or on Twitter @Jojobernard2001.

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Column: Mullins decision one SIU will live to regret

Ryan GRieseR RGRieseR@dailyeGyptian com

After five seasons as the head coach of the men’s basketball program, SIU and Saluki Hall of Famer Bryan Mullins have parted ways.

Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 was the first to report the news, which broke on the afternoon of March 8, less than 24 hours after a massively disappointing loss to the UIC Flames in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

Point blank: I don’t like this decision for the Salukis, but if they were going to let him go, this was the time. Mullins’ contract had yet to be extended past his original deal, and with only one year left on his contract, SIU is not left in too bad of a financial position. They thankfully don’t owe him millions to not coach the team.

This raises a question though; why wasn’t Mullins extended? His resume as a coach certainly doesn’t indicate he should have been fired . He owned an 86-68 record during his five seasons as head coach, good for a 55.8% win percentage. His worst year came during the 2020-21 season, when the Dawgs went 12-14. His best came in 2022-23, when future Big10 basketball stars Lance Jones (Purdue) and Marcus Domask (Illinois) were at the height of their powers.

Recently, SIU coaches haven’t had to do that well to earn an extension, with Football coach Nick Hill being a prime example. Hill,

who is well into his second contract with the Salukis and entering his ninth season as head coach, still has a career record of 45-47, even after going 22-15 in the past three years. Like Mullins, Hill also has never finished above third in the MVC.

But Hill has a job at SIU. He signed a five year extension prior to the 2022 season despite at the time having a 31-36, and will be with SIU through at least 2026.

This is not meant to disparage Hill and the job he has done with Saluki football, and it brings up a key point; there is a direction for the gridiron program, something that Mullins and the basketball program lacked.

This lack of direction is likely a big part of what cost Mullins his job; losing first-team all-MVC guard Xavier Johnson to graduation and veteran presence Trent Brown leaves the team noticeably shallow, even more so than they were this season. It’s difficult to see what the future for the Salukis is. And while pundits may be correct in saying that SIU is in a bad place, may I remind you that they said the same thing heading into this season.

In the preseason poll, SIU was picked to finish ninth in the MVC. Most fans were expecting a down season too; losing Domask and Jones would hurt any team, anywhere.

These expectations quickly changed to win-it-all-or-bust when the Salukis rampaged through their non-conference schedule, led by the emergence of Johnson as an elite scorer who also played standout defense. This success

recalibrated expectations for this season, and they really shouldn’t have changed. While Johnson was significantly outplaying expectations, the rest of the team was still average to below average. There’s a reason that Mullins ran with a seven man rotation most of the season; there simply weren’t enough MVC-quality players to put on the floor.

You may say that this is Mullins’ fault, and that he can’t recruit. I’d tell you that’s completely false. Mullins and his staff brought in Marcus Domask, who was Wisconsin Mr. Basketball in 2019. Troy D’Amico and Scottie Ebube ranked within the top 10 players in Illinois in their class. Foster Wonders was the Michigan Mr. Basketball runner-up in his class.

You also can’t say Mullins couldn’t recruit the transfer portal. Players like Ben Coupet, Clarence Rupert, and AJ Ferguson (who quietly had a stellar second year at SIU) and Johnson, were all transfer students.

Mullins, who recognized the importance of recruiting and how SIU could be left behind if it didn’t continue to do a good job, even brought in Jerrance Howard, who is widely regarded as one of the top recruiters in the country, to help bolster his recruiting prowess.

Ferguson and Kennard Davis were the main players on the court from this year’s recruiting class, while Sheridan Sharp, also expected to be an impact player before a preseason injury essentially ended his season, was in the class.

Critics would say that it was a bad class, but there haven’t been many players who come in and have a major impact in their first year, especially at the mid-major level; they’ve needed time to develop. If you want proof of this, just look at the MVC’s All-Conference teams; only five of the 15 players on the first, second and third teams, are underclassmen, and none are freshman. Even three of the five players on the All-Newcomer team are upperclassmen.

I also don’t want to hear the argument that Mullins can’t develop players. Mullins has finished in the top three of voting for MVC coach of the year multiple times, including this season. And If you want three great examples of player development, look at Jones, Domask and Johnson.

Jones was an unranked recruit who blossomed into one of the best defenders in the MVC and a highly effective scorer before transferring and becoming one of the top players on the number one team in the country, Purdue.

Domask, though highly touted before coming to SIU, exceeded expectations and developed into a highly sought-after player in last year’s transfer portal before landing at the University of Illinois, where he has been one of the best players in the Big 10.

Johnson’s development has happened before SIU fans’ eyes. While he was an MVC AllDefensive team selection in his first season,

Johnson averaged only 7 points per game. This season, he averaged 22 and was named the most improved player in the MVC.

With the departure of Mullins, SIU is in a rough place; it’s not suprising that several players entered the transfer portal, as the coach they committed to play for is gone. Even on the slight chance that all of them stay, the cupboard still isn’t exactly chock full of exciting talent. D’Amico, Rupert, Ferguson and Davis are the only players who’ve proved their worth as major-minute players in the MVC, though they are far from stars. Hensley and Ebube still have major question marks as to what kind of players they will be. The same goes for Sharp and Cade Hornecker, who have been hurt for the majority of their SIU careers.

SIU is unlikely to attract a proven head coach, and understandably so. The roster is pretty bare, and while I love southern Illinois, it isn’t the most exciting place to move to. The new coach will probably have strong backing from administration, as they want as badly as anyone to build a winner, but who is to say the next coach will be better than Mullins?

This time, there is one crucial factor that must be kept in mind with the hiring of any coach; NIL money, and how they will leverage it. Recruiting players has never been more difficult, as they rightfully want to be paid, and if they aren’t being paid, they can easily leave. Unfortunately, southern Illinois doesn’t have a plethora of NIL opportunities, making it more difficult for players to want to come here and even more difficult for them to stay here. I don’t know how Mullins would have continued to approach this challenge, but now we have to find out if a new coach can do any better, which doesn’t seem like a risk worth taking at this point in time.

I also don’t know if SIU will be able to find someone who fits southern Illinois better than Mullins did. He was a hall of famer who loved the area and has deep personal ties to the school. If we’re going to give someone a year too long, Mullins is the type of guy you give it to.

While the ceiling with Mullins may have seemed limited, I don’t see how it gets any better with another coach in place. The same limitations are likely to be a factor, and now we have to find a coach who can maybe reach the heights that Mullins has. There’s far from a guarantee that the next coach will be better.

In 20 years, maybe SIU won’t regret the decision to part ways with Mullins. But in the next five years, when the program has sunk to levels reminiscent of the end of Chris Lowery’s tenure, fans will be longing for the days of Bryan Mullins on the sidelines. Buckle up, Saluki fans. We’re in for a rough ride ahead.

Sports reporter Ryan Grieser can be reached at rgrieser@dailyegyptian.com.

those top four, and able to beat the top teams in the league,” Leonard said. “We haven’t seen that trajectory.”

Recent trends have made it difficult for mid-major schools to make the tournament on merit alone, as evidenced by Indiana State becoming the highestever NET-ranked team to miss the tournament. Being in the Missouri Valley Conference essentially requires a conference tournament win to obtain an automatic bid into March Madness, which Southern has not come close to during most of its drought.

Leonard said that Southern’s upset loss to 11 seed UIC in the opening round of Arch Madness was not a “defining factor” in the decision to move on from Mullins, but it “certainly emphasized the decision.”

“One of the things that we had looked at was performance in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament in St. Louis,” Leonard said. “That’s when coaches earn their salary. And in five years, in five tournament, we’ve had two wins. That’s it, we’ve only won two games, and never more than one game in a tournament. And that was a pretty eye-opening stat right there.”

Another area that was scrutinized was Southern’s record against the top three teams in the Valley in each year. In Mullins’ five years, the team had a record of 5-27 cumulatively against teams that placed in the top three in the MVC standings each season.

“And I get it, because those are the best teams in the league. But we want to be one of the best teams in the league, and we haven’t seen that ability to beat the best teams on a more consistent basis,” Leonard said.

Against particular teams, the numbers continue to be lopsided against the Salukis, going 1-7 against Drake and 1-5 against Bradley and Northern Iowa each across the past three years.

“We were beating the teams that are in the lower part of the Valley, but our record against the top part of the Valley was not very good,” Leonard said.

Player development and recruiting was touched upon as well. The program produced future Big Ten stars Marcus Domask and Lance Jones, as well as one of the nation’s top scorers in Xavier Johnson, but never saw more than a third place finish during their Saluki runs as it leaned heavily on their contributions.

“I feel like we had good pieces, but we didn’t have all the pieces,” Leonard said. “And again, everybody’s trying to do that, right? If it were easy, everybody would have it. But we were never able to get a team that had all of the pieces together.”

Despite the end results not matching lofty expectations for the program, Leonard still recognized what Mullins undoubtedly did right while leading the program. The Saluki Hall of Famer expressed passion for his alma mater and established a positive culture in the locker room and the community.

“You look at the type of kids he’s bringing in here, quality kids, great kids that graduate, they were never problems,” Leonard said. “Bryan was unbelievable to work with. He’s a legend around the area. And just as quality of a human being as you can find. But I think we expect a little bit more than that at SIU.”

In terms of what comes next, Leonard almost immediately began a search for the next head coach. It seems that Saluki nation can expect a decision relatively soon, especially in the fast-moving world of college athletics as the landscape shifts almost daily.

When asked what he was looking for, Leonard summarized it in two words: “a winner.”

“Somebody who has been around winning a lot, who’s had experience winning a lot,” Leonard continued. “I think, ideally, I’d like to get somebody that’s got a lot of skins on the wall, somebody who’s either currently a head coach or has been a head coach…I want somebody who knows how to win and sustain it.”

Many popular picks among the fanbase include former Salukis. Mullins already had a Hall of Fame career as the team’s point guard before becoming head coach of the program in 2019.

But Leonard said Saluki ties will not be a factor in the decision, but more of a bonus if applicable to whoever the top candidate ends up being.

More importantly, Carbondale’s rural setting, the university’s limited resources compared to Power Five schools, and the fanbase’s high expectations will all be considered in terms of how the next head coach would handle them. While a former Saluki would likely find that transition easier, it does not also guarantee success.

“It’s a unique place, and they’re gonna have to understand… it’s a challenge to get to, and somebody has to enjoy living that type of lifestyle, but with a very passionate and knowledgeable fanbase,” Leonard said. “If all you’ve experienced is competing at the Power Five level where you have unlimited resources all the time, chances are, you’re not going to be successful at this level.”

In the wake of Mullins’ departure, most of the Saluki players with remaining eligibility entered the transfer portal in recent days, as is typical when a coaching change happens in modern college basketball. While it’s possible not all of those players leave the program, it will likely look dramatically different when the Dawgs take the court in November 2024.

Leonard drew comparisons to Indiana State, this season’s MVC regular season champion, which saw much roster turnover en route to back-to-back 20win seasons in years two and three of head coach Josh Schertz’s tenure.

“That’s the environment we’re in now,” Leonard said. “You lose players, but you can build quickly as well.”

Southern Illinois could face a down year or two in men’s basketball as it looks to rebuild the program, but Leonard expects the Salukis to be competitive again sooner rather than later. He once again took inspiration from the Indiana State model, citing the 2026-27 season as a soft target.

“I definitely think by year three, we should be seeing signs [that] we’re headed in the right direction,” Leonard said.

Saluki men’s basketball is at an inflection point now as it looks to pick up the pieces and move forward. Several have voiced their opinions both for and against moving on from Mullins, but more than anything, that passionate Saluki fanbase agrees on wanting a winning program.

“I mean, that’s what I love about this place is the people care about it,” Leonard said. “I’ve been in places where nobody cares about it, and that’s really bad. But here, people are passionate, and that’s why I get it, that some people were excited we made the change, some people are upset we made the change. The most important thing is people care.”

Managing editor Brandyn Wilcoxen can be reached at bwilcoxen@dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter at @BrandynWilcoxen.