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LMU to host presidential debate
November 13, 2019
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| ISSUE 12
Veteran's Day Celebration
Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and more scheduled to participate. Molly Jean Box Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan
The University will host the sixth Democratic debate, welcoming presidential hopefuls to the Bluff. The debate will be held in Gersten Pavilion on Dec. 19. “We welcome the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates to campus, continuing LMU’s long-standing tradition of rigorous inquiry, debate, and civic engagement,” said President Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D. in a statement to the LMU community. The opportunity to host the event arose when UCLA, the original host of the debate, stepped down as host due to controversy in regards to the local organized labor community, according to Politico. See Debate | Page 3
Photo: Annie Kapila | Loyolan
LMU's annual Veteran's Appreciation Week kicked off on Monday, Nov. 11 with an exhibit on display in University Hall that featured student, faculty and staff veterans and their stories. The week will continue with a presentation on LMU's Veteran Programs and a student veterans tailgate at the volleyball game.
Water for Awareness Students in competetion with Pepperdine and SCU to fill the most water bottles. Haley LaHa News Intern @LALoyolan
Hyundai has launched the Fill it Forward Challenge in partnership with LMU, Santa Clara and Pepperdine as part of their "Drive Towards a More Sustainable Future" campaign. Hyundai has partnered with the universities to launch the Fill it Forward Challenge, an environmental campaign to spread awareness about water sustainability. Last week, Hyundai representatives set up campusspecific exhibits in front of the Burns Recreation Center and on Palm Walk to spread the word about Hyundai and LMU’s partnered environmental efforts. These stations also featured student waste art exhibits and the opportunity to ride and drive one of Hyundai’s alternative fuel powered vehicles. “The purpose [of this campaign] is about connecting our brand and what we stand for to future drivers,” said Erik Thomas, senior group
manager of Hyundai’s Experiential Marketing branch. “We all have to start thinking about what we are doing that contributes to a healthier society and world.” Students, faculty and staff of all three schools have been given branded water bottles and university-specific tags which are linked to the Cupanion Fill it Forward app. Each time that a participant scans their tag, Cupanion gives funding to water-based projects around the world, providing those in need with clean water. “This campaign encourages students to think about their individual ecological impacts, whether it be through reflecting on their interactions with single use plastics or realizing that they take access to clean water for granted,” said Sierra Barsten, ASLMU’s director of sustainability. The Cupanion app has tracked the number of scans by participants for each of the three schools since Nov. 4, and will continue to do so until Nov. 22. The school with the greatest number of scanned refills will receive a $100,000 grant to their sustainability programs. See Fill It Forward | Page 3
NEWS
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BURNING QUESTIONS
This week, News Intern Kennedi Hewitt sat down with with Chris, Julianne and Katie North, the three founders of De Colores, a service program in Mexico for LMU students.
Kennedi Hewitt News Intern @LALoyolan
via LMU
Chris North (C.N.): [The inspiration was] a particular home in Northern Mexico, in Tecate, that was for boys from 9 to 18 years old. There are hundreds of orphanages or children’s homes that are for little kids and we as a group of LMU students went and visited this place in probably 1982 and just fell in love with it. So, I personally wanted to stay involved ... between [Julianne and I] we started inviting other people and almost every weekend they would go to Tecate with other students. That wasn’t even formally part of Campus Ministry at that point, but it became more and more a part of Campus Ministry and now it’s a formal thing that’s been going on for 30 years.
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What does the future of the De Colores program look like to you? Katie North: Well the cool thing is, when my parents first started [Build a Miracle], they had the idea of building one home a year and raising money to help one family. This past year, we built like 45 homes. At this point we would’ve been on home 20, but instead it’s almost 400 homes. So I think the cool thing was that was never predicted and it totally snowballed into this whole thing because the community in Mexico completely stepped up and have their ideas and are running things. We just built this community center that I couldn’t have even imagined a few years ago. I feel like anything can happen.
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C.N.: One thing I noticed is the Campus Ministry leaders have been in charge of it for probably six or seven years. Every one of them, because it’s a student led organization, they bring in a certain aspect to it ... So every year there’s a combination of these students influencing it. So it really is, in a way, this cool blank slate. Unless some external force comes in like a University policy that makes it hard to do what the students want to do or something happens outside. I think it’s a fun question not to answer because there could be a freshman starting next year who adds some really cool aspect to it. I noticed we’ve had waves of groups that have a more spiritual aspect to it and get into the more prayerful part of it, and others really connect. There are groups where there’s a lot more bilingual students involved.
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Students simulate Congress in political science class The six to seven week simulation allows students to write, propose and vote on their own bills.
What influenced you to found De Colores while at LMU?
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Every fall, a political science course draws interest from students. The course focuses on the U.S. Congress, and is mostly taught as a congressional simulation. The class is meant to give students an in-depth and personalized understanding of the process. Professor Richard Fox teaches one section of the course, of which students speak very highly. For the first few weeks, students are given a crash course on the United States Congress, according to Fox. After that, he gives the students a preference sheet of roles where they rank the governmental figures they would like to play, so Fox may then assign roles. Students must complete a biographical essay on their chosen person with information from personal web pages, funding, past bills and voting patterns, according to Fox. Fox discussed the process of students choosing their governmental figure. “Students pick their roles, but I have to mirror it after reality … we have a president, we have the Congress, we have a journalist, we have a lobbyist from the previous class,” Fox said. Now in his 12th year teaching the course, Fox explained why he loves to teach this class and give this experience to students. “My favorite part of the class is usually seeing ... [students] feeling like they really understand how Congress works in ways you wouldn’t by just reading about it. So lots of students, you hear from them three years later, and they’re like ‘Oh, that’s the class I remember the most,’ because they remember the experience.” The simulation kicks off with a “Washington cocktail party” where students get to dress up as their member of Congress and officially run for positions in Congress. Such positions include the speaker of the house, chair of various committee and more. Ian Ayres, a junior political science major, explained his elaborate and extensive process of getting into character. Ayres said, “I scrolled through his Wikipedia page, looked at his voting patterns and even read parts of his book. I wanted to be able to really play the character because at the end of the day, that’s all the class is about.” Ayres, who is assuming the role of Representative Mark Green from Tennessee,
talked about how real and energetic the course simulation feels. “People are passionate about the bills they write or the speeches they make and I think that contributes to the overall mood of the course. It gets people excited and motivates you to put your best foot forward when it’s your moment,” he said. The class meets Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and occasionally on Tuesdays for the students who are available. On Mondays, the class separates into three committees: the budget, judiciary and foreign affairs committees. On Tuesdays, the Rules Committee meets and on Wednesdays, the class splits into their two political parties. Finally, Fridays are the floor sessions, where students begin the session with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, similar to the actual Congress. On Fridays, students go through an agenda, which is when they propose the bills they wrote. Some student-written bills include information related to LGBTQ+ rights and environmentalism — many of the same topics we hear government officials discuss today. Azalea Banegas, a junior political science major chose to play Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York. Banegas was also elected chairwoman of the Rules Committee, so she helps run the meetings on Tuesdays. Banegas talked about the process of stepping into her role and watching her classmates get very passionate about the roles they play as well. “A lot of students get very much into their role during class time or anything pertaining to class, but when it is out of that setting, most of the time they are a different person,” said Banegas. According to Banegas, even though students get very passionate about their roles and the work they do, as a class they ensure the climate remains respectful. At the end of the course, students are given a final where they have to discern between the Congress they read about in books or in the news, versus the Congress they experienced firsthand. Fox said that, “The philosophy is, you learn best about what it’s like to be a member of Congress and how the political system works if you sort of reenact that in an elaborate fashion for six or seven weeks.” Students are given the opportunity to fulfill the roles of the same members of Congress we hear about so often and understand their trials and challenges on a more personal level. “The class is really fun and I recommend every student at LMU ... take it because you learn so much about the congressional procedure and the way in which our government operates,” said Banegas.
Photo: Kennedi Hewitt | Loyolan
Students partcipating in the simulation class. Throughout the semester, the students work to emulate a certain member of Congress and try to get the bills they have written passed.
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NEWS
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LMU to host DNC Debate Students compete in Fill Debate from Page 1
The candidates that have qualified to participate in the debate include Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, California Sen. Kamala Harris, former Vice President Joe Biden and South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg. The Democratic National Committee has heightened the qualifications to participate, according to the Los Angeles Times. The minimum amount of unique donors necessary to take the stage has increased to 200,000. Other intensified requirements include reaching at least the 4% mark in four national or early state polls or 6% in two single state polls in the early states. Cristobal Spielmann, a sophomore environmental science major, asst. opinion editor and reporter for the Loyolan’s Election 2020 coverage, stated that he hopes the candidates will take the opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to students in Westchester and LA. “[I would like them to cover issues] like student debt, the homelessness crisis, water access and environmental
problems. Even if we don’t live in Iowa or New Hampshire and are a solid blue state, our voices should matter just as much to the next potential president,” said Spielmann. In the September Democratic debate, topics that were covered included health care, foreign trade, reproductive rights and a brief discussion on climate change, according to Time Magazine. Chloe Gorman, a sophomore English major, hopes to see the candidates tackle some feminist issues during the debate. “I always love to hear about issues revolving [around] women’s rights and women’s health and what everyone’s plans are considering we are in a very volatile time right now,” said Gorman. In the LMU This Week Student Express email, Snyder referred to LMU as a “destination for world leaders whose ideas confront humankind’s most challenging issues. Together, we seek to create the world we want to live in.”
it Forward campaign Fill It Forward from Page 1
“[Environmental sustainability] is a collective effort,” said Thomas. “This platform that we are doing in particular enables students to start their contribution to the effort right away.” In addition to the $100,000 grant, prizes will be awarded to individuals with the most scanned refills, weekly scan leaders and daily scan leaders. Participants are encouraged to spread awareness about the effort by posting on social media with the hashtag #FillItForwardLMU. “I think that LMU definitely takes pride in its on-campus sustainability, but we still have a long way to go if we want to be truly sustainable,” said Barsten. “I hope that our participation in a sustainability contest of this size can set a precedent [for] LMU’s willingness to let students take the lead on sustainability efforts.” The Fill it Forward Challenge is part of the “Drive the Future: A Hyundai Experience” marketing activation, which encourages participants to consider simple contributions to
bettering the environment. The program not only promotes water sustainability, but also offers a look at Hyundai’s alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles as a promotion of the importance of sustainable energy. “I’m glad that LMU has partnered with companies such as Hyundai in order to achieve environmental sustainability, and to educate students on the importance of water conservation and environmental protection,” said Hugo McMillan, a sophomore urban studies major. The winning school of the Fill it Forward Challenge will be announced by early December. Remember to keep scanning your water bottles — they can be scanned up to four times a day!
Make sure to follow the Loyolan for more news stories. You can find us @LALoyolan on Instagram and Twitter or at laloyolan.com.
OPINION
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e at the Loyolan have made our fair share of mistakes. Everyone has. It’s part of being human. We will not apologize, however, for journalism that is accurate, relevant and responsible — even if it makes people uncomfortable. The Daily Northwestern newspaper reported on Jeff Sessions’ speech on Northwestern’s campus last week, as well as the protests that students held outside the event. Students who participated in the protest then attacked the newspaper and its article for unethical journalism and an invasion of privacy. The Daily Northwestern issued an apology editorial, took down all the photos from the protests and granted anonymity to the student they quoted. The editorial discussed “the mistakes” that the reporters had committed and how the paper would “move forward” after this experience. Immediately, many journalists took to Twitter to air their concerns as to how The Daily handled the ordeal. Most criticized them for apologizing for practicing proper journalism. “The student newspaper at Northwestern, home to one of the most prestigious journalism schools in the country, has issued a groveling apology for... doing journalism, during & after Jeff Sessions’ speech on campus. As a proud alum, I’m embarrassed by this,” tweeted Guy Benson, the political editor of Town Hall and a Fox News contributor. Another professional journalist, Katie Herzog, a writer at The Stranger, tweeted, “This is the best satire of an obscenely woke college newspaper I’ve ever seen. Kudos Daily Northwestern! You all deserve jobs at the Onion.”
The amount of hate that the Daily Northwestern’s staff is receiving on all social media platforms is truly terrible. These professional journalists have forgotten what it is like to make a mistake and what it means to still be learning and growing. While we do not believe the Daily Northwestern had any reason to apologize, we will not tear them down for their mistakes. Instead, we stand with them as fellow student journalists who have made our own mistakes and continue to learn from them. Part of the apology editorial discussed how the reporters went about obtaining phone numbers for interviews through the Northwestern directory, which the students involved felt was an invasion of privacy. While it can be uncomfortable for both students and journalists to seek interviews this way, it is a part of being an accurate and responsible journalist. Additionally, being pictured in a public space at a protest (which is designed to draw attention) is not an invasion of privacy. There is no ethical problem with posting a picture taken in public in relation to a story, whether or not the person in the picture gave their consent. The actual problem is not The Daily’s story, but rather the lack of accountability from the students who participated in the protest. We stand for journalistic integrity and the ability to accurately portray events happening that affect our community. If we start tearing down our newspapers because of discomfort, then we are validating the claims of the people in power who want to discredit the media. Journalism is vital in recording history accurately and from all angles.
“We do not believe that the Daily Northwestern had any reason to apologize.”
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The internet is not a public sphere Story Time with Alyssa Alyssa Story
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Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan
ecently, a lot of internet companies have come under legal scrutiny. Twitter just banned political advertising in October, and in the same month, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified to Congress about Facebook creating its own cryptocurrency. With recent changes and questions about what and who deserves to be on the internet, it is important for us to know who is actually shaping our social media feeds. While some of the policies that control content on the internet are governmental (like the California ban on political deepfakes) the majority come from the internet companies themselves through algorithmic feeds. While at first these policies seem insignificant and mundane, they control what we see and have access to, and therefore what we care about. We need transparency in the way our internet experience is being shaped by the companies that control it. In the same way we call for news organizations and the government to be clear about the information they release and restrict, it is imperative we do the same for internet giants. According to Newsweek, since 2017, over 70% of all internet traffic happens under the jurisdiction of either Google or Facebook, and their
reach is on the rise. In addition, Facebook has more users than any single country has population. As the de facto gatekeepers of the internet, Google and Facebook have the power to shape public opinion without us even realizing it. Simple acts, like tweaking an algorithm or prioritizing a hashtag, can make or break important news stories.
Currently, we use the internet as a public sphere for discussion and discourse, but we are not recognizing the limitations of social platforms on the internet. Our internet experience is controlled by giant privatized companies that make up the majority of everyday interactions on the web. See Internet | Page 5
Cartoon: Jacob Johanson | Loyolan
We often can’t see the control that companies like Instagram have on our social media feed. We need to recognize how their algorithms shape our content.
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Food justice is necessary for social justice V for Vendetta Veronica Backer-Peral Opinion Intern @LALoyolan
- Go to farmers markets and take the opportunity to talk to farmers about where your food comes from. - Reduce the food that you buy and compost what you don’t use.
lthough rarely included in discussions of social justice, food and food justice are fundamental to almost every other political issue, as well as progress as a whole. LMU’s Food Justice Week (Nov. 4-8), hosted by Sursum Corda, a service organization which I am a member of. The meeting was an essential first step in creating a school-wide discussion about where our food comes from and the impact it has on the environment. For the first time, Sursum Corda changed the focus of its awareness week from hunger awareness to food justice. This change is one that was much anticipated by Sursum Corda members, since many agreed that most students are ‘aware’ of hunger and that hunger awareness does not cover the complexity of food-oriented social justice. Instead, food justice is an overarching term that conveys the importance of creating tangible change in the institutions that shape our food system. To highlight this shift in focus, Sursum organized “Eat it Up: A Panel Discussion on Food Waste,” which featured multiple prominent food
information compiled by Veronica backer-Peral, opinion intern
- Reduce red meat consumption. - Plant or grow something. - Ask questions and speak up.
- Stop buying fruit in plastic containers. Many fruits like oranges and bananas come with their own natural container, and others can be washed.
graphic: Michaela Galeski | Loyolan
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How How can can students students PRomote promote food food justice justice?
justice advocates from the L.A. area and introduced students to the multifaceted issue of food waste. Among the most discussed themes and likely the most pressing in today’s society was the connection between food waste and climate change. The fact that 40% of food in the U.S. and 33% globally goes to waste is tragic in terms of resource efficiency, and it becomes even more concerning when we realize that the methane gas released from rotting food in landfills is 21 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, according to Forbes. One strategy to address this issue is
to create awareness about it. Panelist and documentary filmmaker Oliver English candidly said, “It took me 26 years of my life to start asking where my food came from.” English grew up in the restaurant industry and was still unaware of just how convoluted and problematic the current food system is. This demonstrates the need to fundamentally transform public awareness of the food that keeps all of us alive. The panel offered a different perspective on the same issue by bringing in chef Michelle Lainez and Sherry Mandell, a local farmer in L.A., who both provided
insight on the food system from the producers’ point of view. Although these sustainable practices often result in slightly more expensive products, it is important for us as consumers to make an effort to support these types of practices since it is the only way to encourage the agriculture industry shift from a profit-driven scheme to one that is focused on sustainability and progress. Another key component of the panel was dedicated to discussing what we as college students can do to help. This was particularly important because it highlighted the fact that student voices have a huge potential to raise awareness for an issue, and in turn, influence the policy change that is needed for the food system to be reformed on a national level. All of these issues and more served as the motivation for Food Justice Week and will hopefully result in tangible change both on campus and on a national scale. As Sursum Corda President Ryan Burke explained, “I think food justice week is a very important opportunity for the LMU community to stop and think about the food we are eating and everything that went into getting it to our plate.”
To read Veronica’s full article, go to www.LALoyolan.com/opinion. This is the opinion of Veronica Backer-Peral, sophomore film production and history double major from Pasadena, California. Tweet comments @ LALoyolan or email editor@theloyolan.com.
Recognize the limits of the internet Internet from Page 5
By recognizing the privatization of the internet access we have, we realize how our view and access is stunted. By looking into the policies and corporations that control internet access, we can begin to understand how our view is shaped. According to Business Insider, 90% of internet searches take place through Google, making them “the knowledge company of the internet.” Furthermore, Business Insider reports that over 70% of U.S. adults are on either Facebook or Instagram (owned by Facebook), making the company majority controllers of the social media sphere. If these companies decide to bury or delete certain content, the public should know about it. These companies have a great deal of control over what the public cares about. Facebook has a history of avoiding outright policies that control content. SFTV professor Robert Simmons noted Facebook’s lack of any official policy to censor content, and commented that, “the idea that [Facebook isn’t] controlling the content is disingenuous because they have algorithms controlling the content.” Simmons brought up an important point in recognizing that whether we like it or not, certain content is being prioritized. Popular social platform TikTok is another example.
The videos posted on TikTok have real-world impact, namely in popular memes and music charts. However, what most users fail to consider is that the company is owned by ByteDance, a tech company based in China. Recently, the Washington Post reported on complaints made by American TikTok employees about having to abide by Chinese censorship policies. Again, people may assume that popular apps are free and fairly filtered, but in actuality, they are carefully limited by the algorithmic way they promote certain content. Social platforms can be ways to explore ideas and communicate with people from around the world, but to get the most out of the internet, we must know what goes into shaping it. By recognizing the limitations of the content we access easily, we can more accurately understand what factors work to create our perspectives. With the upcoming election and the constant events and protests around the world, understanding how our perspectives are shaped is essential to fighting our ignorance and becoming better citizens. This is the opinion of Alyssa Story, a freshman film, television and media studies major from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tweet comments @LALoyolan or email editor@theloyolan.com.
Student Debt. Universal Healthcare. Jobs for the Future. Climate Change. Gun Control. Immigration. Taxes.
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CAMPAIGNS 2020: Primaries
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GALLOWS
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Isn’t it Ironic
By Sarah Cheung, cartoonist
UNNECESSARY JAPES
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Controversial pro football team changes name The NFL has been losing steam steadily over the past decade. One team’s effort to stay woke has not gone unnoticed Andrew Dazé
Hates Football and D.C.
After years of protest, boycott and scrutiny, the National Football League’s (NFL) most problematic team has finally caved and changed its name. The Washington Redskins will now simply be called “The Redskins.” This public relations change was announced last night and is to take place at the beginning of the 2020 season, unless The Redskins make it to the playoffs by some stroke of luck. The reason for the new name was given in a statement from the team, who said, “We are so ashamed of our hometown and the antics of the people who run it, so we are abandoning Washington and will lean into our logo—making it bigger and changing the type underneath it to ‘The Redskins.’” The public has mixed feelings about the name change. Red Skeen, a D.C. mailman told the Bluff,
“This is finally MY team. All I need to do is get a proper sunburn and I will be a living, breathing version of my local NFL team. It does feel weird to cheer ‘Go The Redskins,’ though. The ‘the’ seems redundant. It makes it feel like a pretentious college football team.” The president tweeted, disagreeing with the decision, saying, “This is the greatest disrespect a sports team has shown the White House, EVER. The ‘The Redskins’ was America’s team, now it’s just the Native Americans’ team. Sad!” Twitter is polarized about the news. The masses are torn between their deep-seated hatred of Washington and their deep-seated hatred of cultural appropriation. Twitter user @Pigskin_ head tweeted, “I’m very torn between my deepseated hatred of Washington and my deep-seated hatred of cultural representation.” Another Twitter user who goes by the handle @DCnutz tweeted, “While this isn’t the change we were hoping for, it’s not a complete loss.” The name isn’t the only thing that’s changing. There will be an embracement of the Native
Cartoon: Ellen Na | Loyolan
With minimal changes, the The Redskins will debut their new logo. Dropping the weight of Washington will help get some wins.
American culture of lacrosse by the team. Next season, if the former Washington Redskins lose, the whole team will be executed. Good luck next year, “The Redskins!”
School fight song changed to ‘Jesus is King’ Everyone has been “vibing” with Ye’s new album. Now, our campus wants to fight with it. Connor Rose
More of a Jay-Z Guy
The release of Kanye West’s “Jesus is King” has been embraced by the Jesuit community. Many Jesuit schools full of Kanye West’s supporters now have the opportunity to blend pop culture with Christian teachings. Out of the schools following this movement, our own campus has taken a unique approach: replacing our fight song with an entire Kanye album. LMU’s decision to replace our timehonored, long-established fight song with the “Jesus is King” album came from a mixture of student and administrative reactions. “Honestly, it’s a pretty dope album, dude,” says Chad McRapp, a sophomore and self-proclaimed “frat-god.” “Like, that fight song we
have zero bars, so this is a total step up.” Chad was spotted with a group he calls “the Squad” booing the song at the latest basketball game. “From a musical standpoint, I think this is a win,” says Khan Yaybest, an administrator for the athletics department. “More students are going to know the fight songs we play now. That’s a major step up from no one knowing the fight song.” Yaybest went on to talk about the other staff opinions on the change, vocalizing their nearly-universal approval of the “Jesus is King” album. “On my way out of my office, I could hear the album playing on the speakers in President Snyder’s office. The next day, he kept referring to it as an ‘absolute slap.’” The implementation of Kanye West’s new album into the Jesuit college system is going to greatly affect the future of our very own campus. It’s been rumored that oncampus masses will soon include
Cartoon: Camille Bautista | Loyolan
Kanye wore his fancy sweater to his meeting with President Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D. The two men embraced each other, dicussing the possibility of a future album collab.
tracks from the one and only Louis Vuitton Don’s discography.
Kaput! banned from college campuses due to violence Students nearly killed during a Kaput! game that went competitive. Jordan Boaz Epic Gamer
It was 8 a.m. on a Monday morning. Students trudged sleepily into class, eyes half open and brains half dead. Nothing— nothing—seemed like it would be able to wake them up that day. But wait. A song in the background started playing slowly, quietly. It rapidly caught the students’ attention, though it was almost impossible to hear. It didn’t matter. After two muted notes played, they knew what it meant. The first student to log into Kaput!, a popular trivia game often used by professors, chose the name “Da Winner.” Then, nine different versions of the professor’s name popped up in succession. “Chad” and “The Better Chad” made it up as
well, following a person who used the trophy emoji — 14 times. And the games began. The Better Chad found himself behind Chad after the first round — he still blames unlucky timing. One student complained that their Kaput! was buffering, and everyone else reportedly found themselves relieved — it was one less person to compete with. The students were alert, tense and ready for battle. The first tear was shed after the third question, when Da Winner was pushed off the winning screen and into sixth place —a mere 20 points behind 14 trophy emojis. In fact, none of the students were that far off from each other. The scores were so tight that after question number seven, it was still anyone’s game. Throughout the room, knees jerked rapidly under desks. Hearts pounded. And at a moments notice, friendships began to break apart No friendship can survive Kaput!
A student nicknamed “Dr. Professor” threw the first punch after the student at the desk in front of him stood up during question number nine and blocked his vision. Quickly after, The Better Chad stole Chad’s phone and answered a question wrong on purpose, pushing him off the charts. Within minutes, students were locked in a brawl, battling for each other’s phones in an effort to sabotage their classmates and claim the Kaput! crown for themselves. When Da Winner chucked a random Android across the room in the hopes it would break and disqualify the student playing on it, the professor of the class knew the game had gotten out of hand. She made a frantic call to the Department of Public Safety (whose Kaput! name is uptonogood), but nobody picked up. Bluff reporters later discovered that the office’s staff was too busy playing Cards Against Humanity to bother themselves with such Kaput!-ish
Cartoon: Camille Bautista | Loyolan
Classroom policies for earthquakes have been adopted by classrooms that use Kaput! Hide under your desk and cover your neck until it stops.
shenanigans. It happens nearly every day, after all. The professor realized that no one was coming to save them. But she had an idea. 12 knocked-out teeth and six cracked iPhone 11s later, the students emerged breathlessly from the fight. No one, it turned out, would be claiming the Kaput! crown today. The professor had shut off the projector and ended all chances
of a future winner. When student health services had to deal with the 100 broken fingers later in the day, they realized that Kaput! might be becoming too much of a problem. The game has now been deemed illegal by the University, and there is a bill in the California Senate that is looking to criminalize the game in all schools. It just gets too competitive.
The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional.
editor’s pick Construction begins to take shape EDQ
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Photos: Gloria Ndilula | Loyolan
The living space for thousands of future Lions is finally coming together. After months of hearing Huesman and Sullivan Halls being torn down in preparation for construction, students can now catch a glimpse of what’s going on behind those large grey barriers. The currently unnamed dormitories will be done by August 2020, according to LMU.
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䐀漀 琀栀攀 䴀愀最椀猀⸀ 䜀伀 䰀䤀伀一匀匀
ጠ 䰀䴀唀 䨀攀猀甀椀琀 䌀漀洀洀甀渀椀琀礀
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The Den brews new drinks The Drink of the Week brought a taste of "The Bachelor" to campus. Francesca Bermudez Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan
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beloved space for LMU students, the Lion’s Den is the only student-run coffee shop on campus. It has successfully created a relaxed environment for students to meet their friends, study for classes or take a coffee break. The popular café has cultivated a chill vibe unmatched by other eateries on campus. Not only is the Den treasured for its scrumptious pastries and friendly staff, but it is also known for its Drink of the Week. The Den features a new drink every week, usually inspired by an event happening on campus or a seasonal theme. Past drinks of the semester have included “Tea-Pain,” a peach tea to promote Fallapalooza, and “Halloween Candy Latte,” a Snickers-flavored drink available hot, iced or as a freeze. Last week, the Lion's Den collaborated with Mane Entertainment to feature “The Final Rose,” a vanilla roobios tea. This drink came just in time to celebrate Mane
Entertainment’s event with Jason Tartick from ABC’s "The Bachelor." On Thursday, Tartick posted an Instagram story, saying he had a “surreal time speaking at Loyola Marymount [University].” Christian Tiong-Smith, who is a senior mechanical engineering major and an employee at The Lion's Den, explained the creative process behind the Drink of the Week. “It can either be something that [our marketing manager] comes up with beforehand or something that we employees kind of experiment with here behind the bar. A lot of them try to point out events [happening] on campus, so that’s how we theme them.” Asked what types of drinks the Den staff want to feature next, they listed film-themed drinks and cappuccinos as some of their favorites. You can count on the Den to provide imaginative drinks and a warm atmosphere. Stop by for your go-to coffee order or try the latest Drink of the Week.
For more life+arts stories, head to laloyolan.com, or find us on social media @LALoyolan.
Instagram via @lmulionsden
The Lion's Den serves iced coffee and tea on their daily menu. They also have the "Drink of the Week," sometimes themed to school events.
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Peking opera master speaks at LMU 79-year old Peking opera master records the ancient art of Peking opera onto film to share with the next generation. Michael Carandang Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan
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cclaimed director Teng Junjie and Peking opera master Shang Changrong appeared on campus to discuss the film and the cultural relevance of Peking opera. The screening was held in University Hall at the McIntosh Center on Nov. 4. "The Height of the Early Tang” shows an event from about 1,400 years ago during the Tang Dynasty through a Peking opera performance. One of the main characters, the loyal official and minister Wei Zheng, portrayed by Shang Changrong, reports on the decadent lifestyle found in the dynasty. A few problems Wei Zheng cites are the large number of palace girls in the courtyard of the emperor and the lavish residences of court officials. He pleads with the current Emperor Li to set a good example for the people and to address these problems. The emperor, egged on by his brother Zhang Ju Ji and other court ministers, becomes angered by Wei Zheng’s insolence and expels him from the court. After reflecting on their long friendship and persuasion by the court ladies, eventually Emperor Li and Wei Zheng work together to create the prosperous Tang dynasty. At the reception, Ethan Olsen, a sophomore Asian and Pacific Studies major, said he was interested in attending the event to “learn more about Chinese culture.” He also talked about how the Chinese department always “puts on really good events," which he said are always relaxed and usually include a reception with great Chinese food. Teng and Shang discussed how the film drew upon the ancient Chinese philosophy found in Peking opera. Teng pointed out that Peking opera includes plenty of lessons both from Chinese history and culture that still apply today. He mentioned a few pieces of advice that one should learn from the film, such as “When you are successful, it’s best to stay clear-headed and don’t be over indulgent
... it will prevent one from making more enemies.” Teng also said, “A leader should be humble and be a team player. The previous emperor’s dynasty was destroyed because he lost all his support and was defeated by his enemies.” Brian Lim, a sophomore marketing major, said that he was drawn to Peking opera since watching “Dance of the War God,” featuring the character Guang Gong. Lim said that “Peking opera is more interesting than Western opera.” Two topics Teng and Shang discussed were the influences of Peking opera and the direction Peking opera will take in the future. When asked about his outlook on the future of the opera, Shang said, “One of the reasons Peking opera has lasted so long is due to the fact that Chinese opera gets to the core of human nature and puts it on display with the particular flair and nuance found in the singing and movements of the art form." Recalling the words of Mei Lanfang, another world-class Peking opera artist, Shang discussed how film is transforming the way Peking opera is being spread. He said that it’s very tiring for a Peking opera performer to travel around the world and perform on stage, but with the hard work of directors like Teng Junjie, anyone can watch them at the cinema. In this way, Shang described Peking opera as "a gift you can give to the whole world, displaying the proud history of 4,000 years of Chinese culture." Director Teng Junjie agreed, stating one of the reasons that he chose to film movies in the Peking opera style and work with acclaimed master Shang Changrong is because Teng was “paying tribute to the quintessence of Chinese culture." He added that "to record this art form in cinema will allow it to last longer and trigger more interest,” both domestically and abroad. Samatha Chiu, a junior psychology major, said the event was a “great opportunity to meet a Peking opera artist” with over 70 years of experience. At the end of the event, Shang, representing the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company, extended an invitation to the students of LMU to visit Shanghai, watch Peking opera and try on the costumes and makeup that the performers wear.
Peking opera is "a gift you can give to the whole world, displaying the proud history of 4,000 years of Chinese culture."
via iCityNews.com
Shang Changrong (top left) and Teng Junjie (top right) share their experiences. At the end of the event, Shang invited the students to visit the Shanghai Jingju Theatre.
SPORTS Cross country prepares for regionals EDQ
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The men and women finished sixth and seventh at the conference meet. Jameson O’Neil
Asst. Sports Editor @LALoyolan
Coming off sixth and seventh place performances at the Nov. 1 West Coast Conference (WCC) Championships, the men’s and women’s cross country teams are looking to place highly in what will most likely be their final meet this fall, the NCAA West Regional Meet, in Colfax, Wash. At the WCC Championships, the men scored a total of 181 points to earn themselves a sixth place performance out of the nine competing programs in the conference. Last year, the Lions finished in sixth as well, and this season, were slated to finish in the six-spot in the WCC preseason coaches’ poll back in September. Leading the charge for the Lions this meet was junior Simeon Paul, who tackled the 8-kilometer course in Van Nuys, California in 25 minutes and 17.2 seconds. His performance earned himself 38th place out of 80 total competitors. Not far behind was teammate and sophomore Zach Arias, who notched
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himself 40th place with a time of 25:20.5. Junior Joseph Garcia (25:30.7, 45th place) and sophomore Max Smith (25:39.8, 48th place) came next for the Lions, and redshirt senior Roc Johnson (25:45.5, 50th place) rounded out the team’s top five. “We ended up doing as well as we have the last couple of years in the conference,” said Paul. “I think everybody knows that’s not [our] ceiling.” On the women’s side, the Lions scored 165 points for seventh out of the 10 conference programs. Redshirt senior Kyla Danforth led the Lions on the 6-kilometer long course with a 15th place individual performance, earning her AllWCC second team honors. The Canyon County native has led the team in every competition she’s competed in this fall. Following Danforth’s 21:18.3 performance, redshirt sophomore Dani Rowlinson (22:01.7) and senior Hannah Wohlenberg (22:03.2) finished back-to-back for the Lions in 36th and 37th place, respectively. Redshirt senior Ann Kelly (22:21.8, 48th place) and freshman Gabriela Hernandez (22:24.5, 50th) finished fourth and fifth for the squad. “As a team, it was kind of a tough day for all of us,” said
via LMU Athletics
Junior Simeon Paul (77) and sophomore Zach Arias (69) lead the way for the men’s cross country team. The squad finished seventh in the WCC.
Danforth, whose team was predicted to finish fourth at the beginning of the year, according to the conference preseason coaches’ poll. “Collectively, we were all a little disappointed with how we felt and the race itself. It just wasn’t most of our best days.” And while Danforth was happy with her individual allconference honors, she said she was looking to finish even higher than she did.
“Some of the girls that finished above me I know I’m capable of beating, and I’ve beaten in the past,” she said. “For me, I was happy because I made it on stage, but also a little disappointed because I know I could’ve been farther up on the stage.” Looking toward the NCAA West Regional Meet this Friday, both the men’s and women’s team will look to improve upon their 13th and 17th place finishes from 2018.
For the men, Paul said that head coach Scott Guerrero is aiming for a top-15 finish. “I think that that is a very doable goal,” Paul said. “I think for a lot of the season, we’ve been racing well, so this is just about showcasing how good we are.” But it has not been all steady for the Lions this fall. Paul pointed out the inconsistency in the team’s order of finishers, an order which has changed from meet to meet. “We’ve had a lot of different scoring fives,” said the junior. “People have just rotated a lot. Now that we’ve been consistent in training and have guys on the line that are ready to race, we’re in a good spot.” On the women’s side, the team will try their best to perform at the highest level. This task will be difficult, however, as Hernandez will not be racing at the regional meet. Despite this, Danforth is excited for what may possibly be her final race as a Lion. “We’re just going to try to go out there and have the best race for each and every one of us,” said Danforth. “And personally, I’m going to go out and try to stick at the back of the front pack and then just see what happens. Since it is my last cross country race, I’m just going to let it go.”
SCORES UPDATE 8-1 L
W. Soccer
@ BYU
72-67 L
M. Basketball M. Water Polo W. Basketball
W W W. L A L O Y O L A N . C O M
@ Nevada
20-10 W
LION SPORTS
SPORTS
vs. Occidental 74-52 L @ UCLA
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Clark making a name for herself in athletics The student journalist is host of a new weekly digital media show promoting LMU sports. Ellie Kinney Sports Intern @LALoyolan
If you follow sports at LMU, Chloe Clark is a name you’ll quickly become very familiar with. As the student host of "The Pride," a new weekly digital media show that promotes LMU sports, she is rapidly making a name for herself on campus as the face of the athletics program. Clark, a sophomore communication studies and journalism double major from Orange County, California, is as passionate and driven as they come. LMU Athletics has never had a student sideline reporter or a path for anyone interested in digital broadcast journalism, but Clark refused to let that stop her; if it didn’t exist already, she was more than prepared to be the first to create it. “At the end of last year [I noticed] LMU didn’t have anything like [The Pride], and I know a lot of other schools do, so I pitched the idea to the athletics department and they were completely on board,” said Clark. This semester, Clark has become the first official sideline reporter and digital media host of LMU Athletics. She was a member of the Spirit Squad
via LMU Athletics
Sophomore communication studies major Chloe Clark speaks at Gersten Pavilion while covering LMU athletics. She is the first official sideline reporter and digital media host of LMU Athletics.
last year, but decided she wanted to try out a different role that would support her career aspirations in sports broadcast journalism. “[I asked myself] how I can be involved, how I can start getting that experience and exposure [in the industry],” said Clark. “I definitely look up to a lot of people in the field already, and I follow a lot of other college students that are digital media reporters for their colleges, and that inspired me to do something [similar] for LMU.” As the host of "The Pride," Clark updates the LMU community on what’s going on in athletics, covers major
athletic events on social media and interviews athletes and coaches. She particularly enjoys her interviews with the student athletes, many of whom she’s grown closer to through reporting. “I’d say [my favorite segment] is the very first one I did with women’s volleyball ... it was super fun. [Freshman outside hitter] Rose Booth did Irish dancing so that was super funny,” Clark noted. “The whole purpose of "The Pride" is to [personalize the student athletes] and show everyone that they’re more than just athletes.” Part of the appeal of "The Pride" is its bold and engaging editing style. Each segment seems professionally
produced, but Clark assured that the show is entirely student-created. “I’ll write the script myself, and we’ll coordinate times with coaches at practice to film it,” said Clark. “I have a really great videographer, [freshman marketing major] Will Hanmer. He puts out super great content ... It’s completely student built so he films it [and] edits it, he’s great.” Looking forward in the semester, Clark has big plans for the upcoming episodes of "The Pride." “For future videos, I’m definitely working towards aspects aside from interviews like challenges, carpool karaoke, a day in an athlete’s life and also highlighting more athletics staff and those involved in behind-the-scenes work.” In addition to preparing for her future career, Clark sees "The Pride" as an opportunity to allow more students to get involved in broadcast journalism and sideline reporting at LMU. “I know it’s a small start, [especially] compared to other schools, but I hope by the end of this more people will be drawn to apply to LMU and come to LMU to get that experience to sideline report or digitally report,” said Clark. “It wasn’t an immediate opportunity for me, so to be able to create that pathway for other students in the future will be really cool.” Episodes of "The Pride" can be found on LMU Athletics' Instagram TV.
Jones fueled by competitive drive on the court Family atmosphere helped the junior forward choose to play on the Bluff. Alex Hutton
Asst. Sports Editor @LALoyolan
As a child, junior forward Jasmine Jones’ primary sport was not basketball, but rather cheerleading. Eventually, her competitive nature drew her away from cheer and to the hardwood. In her mind, this change was inevitable. “In cheer, I just didn’t feel [the competition],” she said. “But I loved the energy in basketball. I loved competing every day [and] working hard.” It’s clear that Jones’ competitiveness runs in her family. Her father was a college football player and she followed suit in pursuing sports. “We’re just an athletic family,” she said. “I was meant to do something with sports.” Her father was directly involved in her early athletic career, practicing and watching game film with her. He has continued his support throughout her career, including her time at two different high schools, West High School in Torrance and
Long Beach Polytechnic. At the end of her first season with Long Beach in 2016, she earned a variety of accolades. Doing so after transferring to a new school was a feat she was particularly proud of. “Coming from one league to another and then impacting that school … that’s probably the biggest [accomplishment],” she said. “Being able to play with new people, being able to take on another role.” Jones performed well at both high schools and soon was being recruited by a number of colleges. The majority of the schools attempting to woo her were larger California public schools, but she appreciated the smaller size of LMU and the dedication of the coaching staff. “The coaching staff here, when they [recruited] me, they were always calling,” she said. “They were always checking in on me [and] my family. You felt the family atmosphere of them wanting you and you want to feel wanted as a player.” Once she arrived at LMU, Jones got comfortable within the basketball program by connecting with various teammates she had already played with, including her
former high school teammate, senior guard Cierra Belvin. Those bonds helped Jones adjust to the college style of play. “The game is a lot faster from high school to college, so just getting used to that was hard,” she said. “Freshman year is the hardest year, because you’re learning a new system. You’re learning how to play with new people … I was 18 playing against 22-year-olds, so of course that’s hard.” Her freshman year served as an adjustment period both on and off the court. Jones’ numbers vastly improved the following season, as she averaged 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while consistently starting and emerging as one of the most reliable players for the Lions. The team as a whole also had a strong year, reaching the WNIT for their first postseason tournament appearance since 2004. Jones believes that the team’s success was driven by their desire to win. Now that two years have passed in her college career, she is used to the competition of Division I basketball and realizes that she has to bring out her competitive side whenever she plays.
Graphic: Alena Copeland | Loyolan
Junior forward Jasmine Jones faces up to make a play. Jones is expected to be one of the top players for the women's basketball team this year.
“You have to work for every single game,” she said. “Every game is a dogfight. Every game is a different battle. Every game you have to come ready to play. You can’t expect to win.” Jones spent the past offseason working primarily on her shooting, both from the freethrow line and from the field. Prior to the season opener against UCLA, when discussing keys to the season, Jones once again went back to the message of competitiveness.
“We just have to compete,” she said. “Just play hard [and] play as a team.” Jones led the way against UCLA with a team-high 12 points, but the Lions fell 74-52. However, the season is just getting started and Jones is optimistic about the team’s capabilities. “We have a lot of potential, but we also have to fight and I think that we can do that,” she said. “And we’ve just got to have fun playing.”