kentuckykernel
Monday, August 31, 2020 est. 1892 | Independent since 1971 www.kykernel.com @kykernel @kentuckykernel
PUBLIC TRANSMIT 4
Sex, protection and coronavirus
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SAB adapts, and events go on
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COVID concerns for campus buses
Monday, August 31, 2020
opinions
What I wish I’d known as a UK freshman By Jade Grisham opinions@kykernel.com
“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” I have always loved this quote and believe it’s 100 percent true. I posted this quote on Instagram the night before I left my hometown to start my freshman year in August 2017. First and foremost, welcome to campus, fresh-
meat! I kid, I kid… but really, congratulations and welcome! This is a huge success and you should be so incredibly proud of yourself. I am currently a senior who is in absolute disbelief of how fast these past three years have flown by. It feels like yesterday my family and I were moving me into Haggin Hall, room 234 (random sidenote: I picked room 234 because I thought it would
be easy to remember and it just numerically made sense. And yes, I don’t have friends). Like many of you (I’m sure), I come from a very small town in Kentucky. And goodness, I could not wait until move-in day, when I could get out of that place that seemingly smothered me for quite some time. I was extremely thrilled because I got to move away to a bigger city, meet new people, gain new experi-
ences and reinvent myself. However, I made mistakes and learned things about myself and the world throughout the process. With that being said, these are a few random things I wish I would have known, realized or things I am glad I did my freshman year (in no particular order): 1) You are not too cool for your hometown friends. 2) You are not too cool to call and check in with your parents, siblings or
family. 3) It’s okay to go home for a weekend. 4) Study for your Friday exam. That Thursday fraternity party can wait. 5) All fraternity parties are the same. 6) Fraternity parties are fun until they aren’t. 7) Don’t neglect those who really care about you. 8) Grades matter — every single one of them. 9) Get up and go to class; a lack of participation points is often what
makes your grade drop drastically. 10) Drinking a lot is not good for you, mentally and physically. 11) If you do decide to drink, make sure you are safe and smart and pace yourself. 12) A night in your dorm or apartment eating junk food and watching YouTube videos or movies with friends is by far more fun, rewarding and memorable than any party. See WISH on page 7
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BESHEAR CALLS RISING COVID-19 CASES AT UK A “REAL CAUSE FOR CONCERN” At his daily COVID-19 presser on Wednesday Gov. Andy Beshear was asked about rising case numbers at the University of Kentucky. That morning, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department reported 507 total cases in UK’s student body. “That is a lot of cases, and it should raise concerns” Beshear said. He said he knew more testing is being conducted, but that he would like more information and analysis from UK. “Part of that could be explanation by the university where they’re seeing it and why it might not require these steps,” Beshear said. The university administration has previously said there is no specific threshold of case numbers of positivity rate that would trigger a shutdown or move to remote learning, but rather a variety of factors. “I would like to hear from the university at what point do things become such a high level that you consider making major changes,” Beshear said of a threshold.
“But once you have 500+ cases, and at least 300 of those … 276 since the first day of classes, that’s a real concern,” Beshear said. Since Wednesday, Aug. 26, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has reported an additional 147 positive cases among UK students. LFCHD numbers include students who test positive for COVID-19 through testing services outside of UK’s testing, but does not include students who are not residents of Fayette County or non-residents who choose to quarantine outside of Fayette County.
KENTUCKY FOOTBALL MAKES POWERFUL STATEMENT AGAINST RACIAL INJUSTICE Kentucky football players made a big statement on Thursday, Aug. 27, deciding not to practice in protest of ongoing racial injustice in the United States. The Kentucky protest came in the wake of protests by NBA teams. NBA playoff games on Wednesday and Thursday were postponed after a strike by Milwaukee Bucks’ strike during their game-five contest with the Orlando Magic. The Bucks and other NBA teams were striking after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis. Josh Paschal and Luke Fortner, two members of the team’s unity council, addressed the media on Thursday afternoon. “In the recent events involving police brutality, the team stands together knowing that there is a problem in this country,” Paschal said. “This isn’t an issue for just our black teammates. It’s an issue that involves all of our players, and should involve all of our friends and community. We realize that as athletes we have a platform, and we’ve decided, as a team, that we’ll use this platform for positive change,” Fortner said. This is the team’s second major protest of the year. In early June, the Wildcats marched from the Hilton Hotel to Courthouse Plaza donning Black Lives Matter
shirts following the death of George Floyd.
STUDENT ACTIVIST FACING CONDUCT INVESTIGATION Khari Gardner, founder of the Movement for Black Lives at UK, announced on Twitter on Aug. 29 that UK has initiated a student conduct investigation against him following an on-campus banner display a few weeks ago. The banners displayed student testimonials about racism experienced on campus and in Lexington. According to the letter served to Gardner, the banner display allegedly violates the University Event Signage policy because Gardner did not receive prior approval to hang the banners. According to Section S of the University Signage Policy, banners that are to be displayed on campus should be approved by the Primary Administrator of the building/facility where the banner will hang and then approved by the University Architect. Gardner said he was not aware of this policy and approval process. Gardner said he has previously met with administration and UKPD since the display and has heard no mention of the possibility of disciplinary action. “I’ve spoken with so many people between then and now, I’ve spoken to UKPD even, and no one has spoken to me saying that I was going to have a conduct violation or that this is something they were going to pursue,” Gardner said. Gardner said that the action comes so long after the display that it feels like a retaliatory attack. “This is after the story has left the media, so they clearly knew it would be bad optics and they would clearly show retaliation if they did it right when the story was in the media,” Gardner said. Gardner said the investigation feels like an attempt to limit freedom of expression on campus.
Managing editor: Michael Clubb editor@kykernel.com News/features editor: Lauren Campbell news@kykernel.com Asst. news editors: Haley Blackburn Emily Girard Sports editor: Braden Ramsey sports@kykernel.com Opinions editor: Sarah Michels opinions@kykernel.com Asst. Opinions editor: Gillian Stawiszynski Photo editor: Tori Rogers Designers: Mya LaCLair Ryder Noah From Social media manager: Sarah Simon-Patches KENTUCKY KERNEL OFFICES 340 McVey Hall University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506
On the cover: UK students ride the Blue Route bus on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.
MICHAEL CLUBB I STAFF
— STAFF REPORT
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Monday, August 31, 2020
COVID-19 and sex: How to protect yourself By Lauren Campbell news@kykernel.com
Editor’s note: This story contains language and terms that some readers may find graphic. College is traditionally a time for students to have the freedom to explore sex and relationships in an environment with a large pool of single people. But complying with UK social-distancing guidelines during the most intimate of activities has its difficulties. “Everything comes with some degree of risk. So do your best to mitigate those risks with the resources you have available to you,” said Kristen Mark, director of the sexual health promotion lab at UK. COVID-19 has been detected in semen, stool, saliva, and urine samples, according to the FDA and CDC, so the likelihood the virus will spread through unprotected sex is high. The risk lowers when par-
still getting sociosexual needs met. This might mean that you masturbate a little more often than you used to. It might mean that you find someone you like to buddy up with so that you can be in a pod together for the duration of the virus. Or it might mean engaging in sexual activity a little differently than usual, minimizing things like kissing or close proximity face-to-face positions,” said Mark. Throughout the pandemic, cities and universities across the country have released guidelines on sex and dating to lower students’ risk of contracting COVID-19 and educate them on COVID safe sex practices. Neither UK nor Fayette County has issued guidelines on the subject. However, UK Sexperts, a student organization sponsored by UK Health Ser-
ticipants wear masks, dental dams, and/or condoms, said Mark. “Focus on how to mitigate risk of COVID while
vices that promotes sexual health education on campus, shared UC Berkeley’s sex and relationship guidelines to their Twitter.
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According to UCB’s guidelines, there is no risk of transmission to self-pleasure, sext, or participate in virtual sex. Risk increases when physically with another partner and participating in activities such as mutual masturbation, protected oral/anal sex, fisting a vagina or sharing toys for vaginal sex. The transmission rate is high when open mouth kissing an infected person, having sex with an infected person with no face mask, or rimming with an infected person. “Kissing will exchange saliva and we know that droplets in close proximity in the air can transmit the virus, so certainly kissing will be higher risk and engaging in any sexual behavior where you’re breathing heavily in close proximity will be higher risk. However, positions that are not face-to-face, which can be achieved with oral sex and several other sexual behaviors,
might not offer the same opportunity for droplet exchange,” said Mark. For students looking to have non-intimate dates, UCB recommends students meet up with face masks at a non-restricted outdoor location, maintain a 6-foot distance and blow kisses goodnight. Despite sharing UCB’s guidelines, UK will not be releasing COVID sex guidelines of its own. “UHS has information as part of their overall discussions/programming about safer sex practices for students. In addition, students should be aware of how any behavior or activities that don’t include physical distancing and wearing masks put them at risk for becoming infected or spreading COVID-19,” said Kristi Willett, Director of Medical Campus Public Relations. Students can pick up free face masks when completing their required COVID-19 test and free condoms at UHS in the
bathrooms. UK Sexperts will also be hosting both virtual and in-person events throughout the semester, which will be announced through their Twitter page. Students who entered the COVID-19 pandemic single, or who have broken ties with a sexual partner during the last few months, should look to someone they are already exposed to for sex. “Regardless of monogamous or consensually non-monogamous, it all depends on exposure to COVID-19. If it is someone who you aren’t already exposed to, you’re increasing your risk of exposure,” said Mark. “If a student is with a partner and has podded up with that partner, having sex is perfectly okay. However, it is much more risky to engage in sex with a new partner that isn’t someone the student is already exposed to for risks of COVID-19,” said Mark.
And while students focus on COVID-19 safe sex practices, focusing on general safe sex is also important. “If unintended pregnancy is a concern, I suggest getting on an IUD or similar contraceptive. If STIs are a concern, make sure you’re using barrier methods during all sexual activity, including oral sex. Managing both of those things within the context of COVID can be difficult, but just try your best to get your sexual needs met by someone who can be in your pod or circle of exposure so that you are minimizing risk,” said Mark. However, students are their own safest sex partners. “If you’re masturbating by yourself, there is no risk of contracting COVID, nor is there a risk of unintended pregnancy of STIs, while masturbating. Therefore, masturbation is a wonderful option all around,” said Mark.
Monday, August 31, 2020
‘Precautionary, but inviting and fun’: SAB events adapt to social distancing By Haley Blackburn news@kykernel.com
The Student Activities Board hosts some of the most popular events on UK’s campus. This year is no different, even with social distancing guidelines in place. “[SAB is] working closely with the Emergency Operations Center and the Office of University Events to ensure we are in consistent compliance with the event and safety guidelines put in place by the University,” said Matthew Luce, SAB’S SAB Vice President of Promotions. Luce said some of the precautions SAB is taking include required masks, physical distancing, staggered arrival times, contactless attendance tracking and regular sanitation of event spaces. Luce also said SAB is looking for ways to creatively enforce and help attendees understand physical distancing, beyond the usual signage that they will have posted. “At a recent SAB event, Movie on the Lawn, attendees were provided physically distanced, pre-placed blankets in which only one attendee was permitted to sit on each blanket and were not allowed to move the blanket,” Luce said. Luce said one of SAB’s biggest events of the year, Campus Ruckus, served as a successful example of how SAB plans to operate under these guidelines. With the entire freshman class invited to participate, Campus Ruckus usually has at least a few thousand participants, and the same applied to this year but with extra precautions, Luce said. “At Campus Ruckus, approximately 2800 students attended within the 5-hour event window. Students attended during assigned appointment times with their K Teams. Once arriving with K Teams, students had a 30-minute appointment window to engage with the registered student
“Depending on the venue and location, we may have to cap attendees at some of our in-person events to ensure physical distancing, but we hope to offer plenty of alternate opportunities for people to engage both in-person and virtually.” - Matthew Luce
VICTORIA ROGERS I STAFF Students attend the SAB Stuff a plush event and pick out from a wide variety of stuffed animals on Aug. 21, 2020 in Lexington, KY.
organizations and get a Ruckus t-shirt,” Luce said. Campus Ruckus was held in Kroger Field concourse with lots of space available for attendees to physically distance and a virtual option for those who weren’t comfortable attending. However, large attendance capacity may not always be the case with future events, Luce said. “Depending on the venue and location, we may have to cap attendees at some of our in-person events to ensure physical distancing, but we hope to offer plenty of alternate opportunities for people to engage both in-person and virtually,” Luce said. Most previous and upcoming in-person SAB events show outside locations such as Memorial Hall amphitheater or Barker Hall by the Student Center. Olivia Caldwell, a senior elementary education major, attended an in-person SAB event where participants tiedyed masks and t-shirts to take home. Caldwell said there was a long line for the event, but SAB had placed numerous physical distancing markers on the ground and SAB workers monitored the lines to keep students properly distanced. Caldwell also said masks were required, as well as gloves, but she was unsure if that was for sanitation purposes or just to protect the hands from dye. “Overall, I felt very safe throughout the event, and I would attend another event in person,” Caldwell said. “The atmosphere was slightly different than at events prior to the pandemic but not in a negative way. The atmosphere
felt precautionary but still inviting and fun.” The only in-person event currently listed for SAB on BBNvolved is a plate smash scheduled for Sept. 4. SAB is also known for hosting large events with celebrity speakers. Luce said this is still a possibility for this fall, but of course in a virtual setting. “We are working on a potential virtual speaker for this fall. We do not have any details we can release at this time, but we’re excited to keep working on it,” Luce said. Luce said SAB understands some students may not be comfortable with attending in-person events in the midst of the pandemic, so they are also offering other hybrid and virtual events in addition to in-person ones. Virtual events will take place completely online through a program like Zoom whereas hybrid events will involve participants physically picking up supplies at the SAB office or a designated pickup located to later use during a remote event, Luce said. Virtual BINGO, one of SAB’s most regular virtual events, takes place every Wednesday on Zoom. Students can request BINGO cards using their UKY email and participate to win prizes each week. Amber Garrison, junior elementary education major, attended SAB’s weekly virtual BINGO event. Garrison said she heard about the event from some friends and decided to check it out for herself. Garrison also said the possibility of winning a prize such as blankets, UK gear and board games was an added bonus on top of her already positive experience. While Garrison did attend a virtual event, she said she is open to attending SAB’s in-person events as well. “I know the extent that the university has gone through to protect their students, and I know any in-person event would follow the correct guidelines to keep everyone safe,” Garrison said. Garrison said she respects and appreciates SAB’s decision to adhere to these safety guidelines for in-person events but also appreciates the fact that SAB is offering virtual options. “They could have easily canceled every event, but I’m so glad that they have chosen to provide students with fun and safe events to attend,” Garrison said. “I absolutely plan on attending future SAB events, andI can’t wait to attend virtual Bingo again! Hopefully this time I’ll actually win something!” Luce said students who attend any SAB event either virtual or in-person can provide feedback on their experience by rating the event on BBNvolved and replying to a post-event email sent to their linkblue email address. To find a list of upcoming SAB events, check out @ ukysab on social media, visit uksab.org and check BBNvolved.
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Monday, August 31, 2020
Bus drivers cite lack of sanitization, overcrowding in COVID-19 concerns By Lauren Campbell news@kykernel.com
Lextran employees who operate the buses on and around UK’s campus say the buses are not being properly sanitized to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and that campus buses are not cleaned as often as city buses. But University of Kentucky Transportation Services says campus and city buses are being sanitized the same way and at the same frequency. Lextran suspended many of its routes in Lexington when COVID-19 first hit Kentucky and many Lextran employees who were once bus operators became bus sanitizers instead. “We had extra drivers because Lextran wasn’t running the service anymore while COVID-19 was going on, so instead of laying the drivers off, the union got together with management and decided to let them sanitize the buses during the daytime. Every time the buses pull into the transit center, they would go in, spray them and wipe certain areas down,” said Steven Richardson, a Lextran mechanic and the president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 639. But since school started and Lextran has gone back to full service, the drivers had to go back to their bus routes, and there are fewer people at the transit center cleaning buses, according
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An electronic sign on front of a UK Blue Route bus makes riders aware of the mask requirement on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Michael Clubb | Staff
to Richardson. “They said they were in the process of hiring some people. They knew two months in advance how they are going to schedule the runs; that was just an excuse for them not to pay someone to do it,” Richardson said. Buses that have routes
on UK’s campus do not go through the transit center throughout the day like the regular city buses. Richardson said. This means that campus buses are not getting cleaned until the end of the day. “They don’t get sprayed down like they do downtown,” Richardson said.
“The way it works downtown, every time they come in from a round trip, there’s supposed to be someone down there wiping the bus down and spraying it down, but UK doesn’t get that.” “I haven’t had sanitizing done to my bus yet,” Kim Abdullah, a UK bus operator who has been
with Lextran for 14 years, told the Kernel on Aug. 21. “Sometimes we don’t have but one person [to clean], but he can’t clean 15 buses that go different routes.” Lisa Cleveland, communications officer for UK Transportation Services, said told the Kernel that all buses are being cleaned
regularly. “Bus sanitation is handled in the same manner on all buses, including city and campus transit. Each night, the buses undergo electrostatic disinfection. High touch areas are also periodically wiped down during the day,” Cleveland said.
Monday, August 31, 2020
BUSES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
Richardson said the campus buses do get cleaned at end of the day, but not throughout the day like city buses. “All the buses get sprayed at nighttime when they come in at the end of the day, but the stuff they got is not a miracle, it’s not going to cure COVID-19,” Richardson said. Some drivers also say there are too many passengers riding on buses. “It gets crowded and packed on there. Sometimes we have up to 50 to
80 to 90-something students… I can’t afford to get sick,” Abdullah said. “It’s a safety issue. With all of those people, we can’t limit.” Cleveland said drivers are responsible for managing passenger loads, but Abdullah says there is no way to control high numbers without coming into contact with bus riders. Campus and city buses are operating at half of maximum capacity, Cleveland said. “On the large transit style buses operating on UK’s Blue and Yellow routes, the designed maximum capacity is 75 passengers and these buses are
designed to accommodate standing riders,” Cleveland said. “To achieve reduced capacity, the total occupancy is now limited to 37 and all passengers are asked to have a seat.” Like anywhere on campus or in Kentucky, drivers and passengers are required to wear face masks while waiting or on the bus, according to Lextran. “Both campus and city bus drivers are required to wear face masks, as are all passengers on the buses. Face coverings are also required when waiting for, loading, riding and unloading both city and campus transit,” Cleveland said. “Drivers have also been
“I can’t afford
to get sick. It’s a safety issue. With all of those people, we can’t limit.”
- Kim Abdullah provided with hand sanitiers for their own individual use.” Passengers are also being asked to board and exit through the rear doors only, said Cleveland, “in an effort to limit the driver’s exposure to every passenger.” Similar to the daily
health screenings UK students must complete, Lextran drivers are required to complete daily health screenings every day. Cleveland said Lextran drivers who drive a UK route are eligible to receive a free COVID-19 test. But Richardson said what UK is offering isn’t enough. “When the driver’s report to the garage in the morning to start their shift or their run, they go through a screening process,” Richardson said. “They point a thermostat gun at you, and ask you if anything has changed, or have you been out of town. And if you answer no to those two ques-
WISH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
Signs about COVID-19 are posted inside a UK bus on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Michael Clubb | Staff
13) Introduce yourself to people in your hallway, in class, around campus — wherever really —you never know what friendship could form out of a simple introduction and smile. 14) Be nice to your professors, show them respect and introduce yourself to them. 15) Do not overwhelm yourself. 16) Don’t feel like you have to join 12,000 organizations, take 20 hours and run for President just to make your LinkedIn sexy — quality over quantity. 17) Don’t lose yourself. 18) Don’t fall into peer pressure. 19) Enjoy yourself. 20) Go on that random Dairy Queen run with a new friend. 21) Take a deep breath. 22) Walk around campus more.
tions, they slap you with a wristband and send you through the door. It’s one of those things where they just have someone sitting there so they can say that they’re following procedures.”
23) Take advantage of the resources on campus (especially PresentationU and The Study) 24) Explore local places. 25) Listen in class. 26) Take notes. 27) Be serious, but not too serious. 28) Be nice to UK faculty. 29) Go to events, on and off campus. 30) Try new things! 31) Be safe. 32) Take it all in. Every bit of it. Make mistakes and learn from them, create memories, form friendships and realize how fortunate you are to be a student. All in all, have fun and be smart. The University of Kentucky is a wonderful place, and I am so fortunate that I have attended this university for the past three years. Time flies, so just enjoy it and be safe. Once again, congratulations and welcome Wildcat!
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Monday, August 31, 2020
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