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Volume 105, Number 8

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Unequal pay

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Women’s sports

Discrepancies in salaries among coaches

By Bryan Geenen

bryan.geenen@marquette.edu

According to Marquette financial documents, Marquette men’s basketball head coach Steve Wojciechowski was paid around $2.02 million in fiscal year 2019. Meanwhile, former women’s basketball head coach Carolyn Kieger was paid roughly $485,000, which is approximately 25% of Wojciechowski’s salary.

This trend of men’s teams’ coaches receiving more payment appears to be most present when comparing men’s and women’s basketball.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity in Athletics Data Analysis, Marquette pays head coaches and assistant coaches very differently. The average institutional salary per head coach for men’s teams is just over $500,000. For the women’s teams, the average drops to around $170,000. Meanwhile, the men’s teams’ assistant coaches bring in, on average, just under $150,000 while the women’s teams assistant coaches bring in around $72,000.

There is an argument that fans

2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 SPJ Award-Winning Newspaper

Duffy, Bruno reflect on lack of WBB coverage

By Tyler Peters

and revenue are a big reason why there is a division in pay for men’s and women’s sports.

According to the NCAA’s records of men’s and women’s basketball attendance in 2019, the Marquette men’s team averaged just over 15,000 fans per game and the women’s team averaged just under 2,000 per game.

When discussing revenue, the men’s program also brought around $15 million more than the women’s program.

Wojciechowski said he disagrees with the market for men’s and women’s sports.

“It’s a very sensitive issue, obviously. When you talk about women’s

tyler.peters@marquette.edu

Women’s sports are underappreciated.

In fact, according to the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota, only 4% of the media’s sports coverage is on women’s sports, despite 40% of all sports participants being female.

“When 2 to 8% of all sports coverage is about women, … it’s flat out wrong,” DePaul women’s basketball head coach Doug Bruno said. “I’m not saying 50-50, but come on, 2 to 8%? Let’s start with 25 (percent) or 30 (percent).”

Bruno said the media industry has been ignoring women’s sports for far too long.

See PAY page 14A

“They say there’s not any interest, they’re short-staffed and that they don’t have enough space (in the newspaper) to talk about it,” Bruno said. “I’ve been fighting hard for this, and yet that’s what they end up saying.”

The lack of coverage and support also boils down to in-person attendance.

On average, the attendance for Marquette women’s basketball home games was approximately 1,700 per game last season. In comparison, the average attendance for each Marquette men’s basketball home game was around 15,000 last season. However, these numbers don’t necessarily tell the whole story.

The women play at the Al McGuire Center, which only seats a maximum of 3,700 people, while the men play at Fiserv Forum, which features a seating capacity of approximately 17,000.

Essentially this means the See WOMEN’S page 15A

University cancels mid-semester, Easter break Spring semester to contain Mental Health Days instead

By Natallie St. Onge

natallie.stonge@marquette.edu

“I have very little faith in any follow through with that,” Aidan Miano, a senior in the College of Business Administration, said about the university’s recent decision to replace Easter and midterm spring semester break with four Mental Health Days.

“In theory, they’re awesome,”

Miano said. “But I’m still fully expecting my professors to do something like, ‘Since my class is canceled, you’ve got these two extra classes to watch and a test on Thursday,’ or something like that.”

In an Oct. 16 news release, and letter from Provost Kimo Ah Yun, the university announced its Mental Health Days for Feb. 8, March 10, April 20 and May 5 rather than its usual fiveday spring semester break and Easter break.

“University leadership recognizes that it can be difficult to manage the anxieties and stress associated with this pandemic,”

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the news release said. “The Mental Health Days will provide students the opportunity to rest and recharge while reducing unnecessary travel.”

The spring semester will start one week later than usual and is set to begin Jan. 25, with the semester ending May 8. Though Easter break is canceled, the university will still acknowledge April 2, Good Friday, as a university-wide holiday.

John Su, vice provost for academic affairs , said the university has been exploring the right calendar for the Marquette community since April.

“We have modified our

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approach as the pandemic has evolved,” Su said in an email.

Su said the recent spring semester changes began with conversations and input sessions at the start of September.

“Since this affects all of us, we wanted to get a broad range of voices,” Su said in an email.

Su said the university solicited feedback at a campus town hall forum as well as the University Academic Senate executive committee, Marquette University Student Government, Graduate Student Organization, deans, department chairs, the COVID-19 academic planning group and the Response Team.

See BREAK page 3A

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University changes strategic plan in 2020 school year

“I didn’t quite expect it to be so severe and pretty drastic,” Miano said. “The Mental Health Days are nice, but I don’t trust it.”

Su said that the Mental Health Days were decided by listening to students and recognizing the importance of preserving shorter breaks even if it was important to eliminate longer ones.

“For Marquette, it was important to emphasize that we need explicitly to address mental health and well-being as part of our Catholic, Jesuit mission,” Su said in an email. “This is an extraordinary challenging time for

Meaningful activism PAGE 11A

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The Marquette Tribune

News

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Native American students hold march Some demands included changing Marquette’s seal

By Benjamin Wells

benjamin.wells@marquette.edu

The Native American Student Association held a march from the Alumni Memorial Union to Zilber Hall Oct. 12 that demanded the university respect the existence of Native American students.

The list of demands provided by the Native American Student Association were for the university’s seal to be changed, for Marquette to provide full-tuition scholarships to Indigenous students from Milwaukee Public Schools and the Wisconsin Tribal Nations, to establish a positive relationship with the Wisconsin Tribal Nations, hire staff to further promote the Race, Ethnic and Indigenous Studies Program and create a campus climate that works toward the success and retaining of Indigenous students.

The Wisconsin Tribal Nations are 11 federal recognized Native American groups that are based in Wisconsin. These nations include the Ho-Chunk, Menominee and Oneida Nations.

Alongside about 20 allied faculty and students and other members of the Native American community, a unity fire was set up in the parking lot outside the AMU, along with a teepee set up by demonstrators.

The current university seal depicts the coat of arms of the Loyola family in honor of St. Ignatius Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus, along with gold and red banners that represent the house of Onaz from the material side of the Loyola’s.

But the bottom half that depicts Father Jacques Marquette and a Native American in a canoe is where the group takes issue. The depiction is based on an 1869 painting by German-American artist Wilhelm Alfred Lamprecht named “Father Marquette and the Indians.”

A petition started in July by Amanda Harris, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, urged the Marquette board of directors to change the symbol, which Jodi Melamed, an associate English professor in the College of Arts & Sciences, said is representative of white supremacy. Plans have been made to alter the university’s seal according to a July statement from Senior Director of University Communication Lynn Griffith. But so far no change has been made.

“For all students … it represents a terrible and unknown representation that assumes only a white male Jesuit can repre-

sent our school,” Melamed said. “In the seal … (Father Marquette) is the only one with eyes, he’s the only one with leadership, he’s the only person to sympathize with.”

For the Native American depicted in the seal, Melamed said that depiction shows just a faceless and dehumanized individual taking orders.

“It’s a classic white supremacist that the colonist is the person with the brains and the person with the muscle,” Melamed said.

“It is not accurate in any way to the deep historical relation between … Father Marquette and the Nations here.”

Melamed said that a change to the seal is long overdue. A change to the seal could help Marquette learn from the Indigenous students who already attend.

However, issues for Native Americans on campus extend beyond just the problematic seal, Alex Liberato, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and president of the Native American Student Association said. “(Native Americans) have such a Photo by Zach Bukowski zachary,bukowski@marquette.edu small population (at Senior Alex Liberato led the protestors, who proceeded to Zilber Hall to meet administrators and discuss their demands.

Marquette) that it’s really hard to just sustain ourselves, people like me … don’t have to students refused to participate as Hall at 10:30 a.m. . The cold but to make a difference out- go out every single semester won- the mascot. and rain did not stop chants of ward,” Liberato said. dering whether or not they’ll be Denning said that people who “Whose land? Native land,” to Currently, Native American able to register for classes.” participated in the mascot would ring out along Wisconsin Ave. students make up less than one Liberato said himself and other face adversary from fans and stu- Upon reaching Zilber Hall, percent of Marquette’s under- Native students have had to make dents alike for their “effeminate” the group of protestors were graduate population, for a total of decisions on whether or not they movements on the court. met by members of Marquette 16 students. can re-enroll due to financial “People were mean … com- administration, including vice Liberato said that when he took hardships, family and blatant tox- ments were judgemental,” provost John Su and Vice Presiover as president for the Native icity toward Native Americans Denning said. dent for Inclusive Excellence American Student Association on campus.

Denning said being thrown into William Welburn. his sophomore year, his goal was Alumni from the past were a “carnival-like” environment to Liberato and other members to show the student body not only also present at the unity fire and represent your culture out of con- demanded a meeting in person the issues Native Americans face, march, including Mark Denning, text and receive no respect takes a with University President Mibut the beauty of their culture as who was “The First Warrior” lot of guts. chael Lovell, but administration well. So far, he’s been thankful mascot from 1980-1983. Denning “You can’t airdrop what a per- said that they would have to set for the allies that have come to also faced trials and tribulations son is into a sports atmosphere, up a meeting since the president aid the cause and use their voices. for his Native representation as it’s just wrong. But I didn’t know was not on campus at the time.

“The seal, while it’s heinous, is “The First Warrior.” that, I was 18 then, so I went Liberato and the group left Zilber still just a symbol,” Liberato said.

“The First Warrior” mascot ahead and did it,” Denning said. when they realized they would “Really at the end of the day, what was originally introduced in the “Mascotting people is not right, not be acknowledged by Lovell at we’re going for is a campus that 1980s to better represent the mascotting racism is not right.” that time. is equitable for Native students Native Tribes of Wisconsin but The protestors began their and a campus that makes sure that was abandoned in 1987 after march from the AMU to Zilber

News

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

The Marquette Tribune

BREAK: Term begins a week later Continued from page 1A us all and it’s important to signal that all of us need opportunities for mental health and wellbeing breaks.”

When assistant professor in the College of Arts & Science Brittany Pladek heard the news of spring break being canceled, she said her initial reaction was confusion. She first learned of the cancellation by reading the Oct. 16 news release.

“While I do appreciate the university’s desire to stem the spread of COVID by keeping students on campus, which I’m assuming is the rationale behind getting rid of spring break, I don’t think that the implementation of the Mental Health Days is going to be a sufficient alternative,” Pladek said.

Pladek said her students this fall semester are already stressed out from the lack of a fall break, which was a day shorter this year than it was in previous years.

“Our term is shorter than it normally was, but it is not that much shorter,” Pladek said.

“Students are already extremely burnt out, distressed. Professors are already burnt out from the stress of teaching in a new format and teaching during an unprecedented global pandemic.”

Pladek said she thinks the university could have come up with a more creative solution rather than implementing the Mental Health Days, which Pladek said she thinks they are very oddly placed.

“I can guarantee you if there are two Mental Health Days in the middle of a week that has regular work at the beginning of the week, neither students or professors are actually going to stop working,” Pladek said.

Marquette University Student Government was part of the discussion in deciding the spring semester and its breaks. Su met with several MUSG executive

board members and senators to discuss the benefits and implications of keeping a regular spring break or of shifting the spring semester.

“We recognize how difficult and abnormal it is to cancel a Spring Break. Its effects include not providing the opportunity for student to fly or visit home and taking time away from students to relax and recharge,” MUSG president and senior in the College of Nursing Evelia Guerrero said in an email.

However, Guerrero said executive board members and senators also recognized that reducing spring break could help decrease the spread of COVID-19 among students and community members.

“The health and safety of our students is a priority and while this shift if unprecedented, we are hopeful that it will contribute to reducing community spread and helping Wisconsin reduce its amount of cases,” Guerrero said in an email.

Though Miano said he was disappointed by the news of break being canceled, he said it was not a total surprise to him.

“It’s pretty on par,” he said.

“If anything, they’re trying to be safe. In my opinion, it wasn’t a matter of ‘if,’ it was a matter of when and it’s kind of nice to have some certainty.”

In trying to minimize people from traveling to and from campus, Miano said he thinks this is the “best option.”

Will Hitesman, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said he was surprised, and somewhat disappointed, by the university’s decision.

“But after I read through the letter from the Provost, I understood the reasoning behind their decision,” Hitesman said in an email.

While surprised, Hitesman said it’s best to not have breaks at the moment.

“Given the risk of travel, both

for the people at the destination and for students returning to campus after a trip, it wouldn’t be wise for students to have an extended break,” he said in an email.

Hitesman said he thinks the university decided to go with the safer choice and make a decision now regarding the spring semester and breaks with little idea of how the pandemic will change in the future.

“A decision either way would influence travel plans for many students, so it’s best to make a choice earlier rather than later,” Hitesman said.

While Hitesman said that it’s good that Marquette recognizes the mental benefits of breaks and is trying to retain some break period by implementing the Mental Health Days, he said the university should make their COVID-19 responses clearer.

“All the information can be found easily enough if one knows where to look, but I know plenty of students who are still unclear on topics, like the LIMO service,” he said.

In the news release, the university asked for continued patience and flexibility as plans in place may need to change based on government and medical official guidelines.

“If future guidance requires a different action, be assured that the safety of our students, faculty and staff will be the most important factor in our decisions,” the news release said.

Hitesman said he did not have set plans for the spring, but he would have gone home to Illinois. For Miano, this was going to be the year he would try to lead and manage a team for M.A.P., or Marquette Action Program, a service trip program dedicated specifically dedicated towards spring break. Miano has been involved with M.A.P. since his first year at Marquette.

But with the cancellation this spring, Miano said it gives them

A MU-student woke up to see unknown subjects attempting to break into his vehicle from the alleyway in the 900 block of Renee Street. Subjects were not located.

Unknown subject(s) intentionally removed a MU-student’s secured and unattended bicycle from a bicycle lock station located in the 1100

block of W. Wisconsin Avenue.

OCTOBER 16 Unknown subject(s) intentionally smashed the passenger-side window of a MU-student’s vehicle while it was legally parked on the street at the intersection of N. 20th and W. Michigan Streets.

The Marquette Tribune EDITORIAL Executive Director of Marquette Wire Natallie St. Onge (414) 288-1739 Managing Editor of Marquette Tribune Annie Mattea NEWS Executive Editor Ben Wells Assistant Editor Alexa Jurado Reporters Natalija Mileusnic, Charlie Pineda, Megan Woolard PROJECTS Projects Editor Lelah Byron Assistant Editor Amanda Parrish Reporters Grace Dawson, Maria Crenshaw, Aspen Ramos, Beck Salgado ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Arts & Entertainment Editor Skyler Chun Assistant Editors Charlotte Ives, Mason Stebnitz Reporters Ryan Lynch, Ariana Madson OPINIONS Executive Opinions Editor Alexandra Garner Assistant Opinions Editor Aminah Beg Columnists Jenna Koch, Hope Moses, Max Pickart, Lucia Ruffolo SPORTS Executive Sports Editor Zoe Comerford Assistant Editors Nick Galle, Molly Gretzlock Reporters Sam Arco ,Bryan Geenen, Jackson Gross, Kristin Parisi, Matt Yeazel, Matthew Valente COPY Copy Chief Eleanor Mccaughey Copy Editors Kendra Bell, Grace Kwapil, Emily Reinhardt, Kimberly Cook VISUAL CONTENT Design Chief Grace Pionek Photo Editor Zach Bukowski Sports Designer Kayla Nickerson Arts & Entertainment Designer Lily Werner Opinions Designer Mariam Ali Photographers Katerina Pourliakas, Claire Gallagher, Joceline Helmbrek ----

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time to rethink their service.

“It’s nice to know the certainty and plan around it,” he said.

Overall, Miano said he thinks there should be expectations for professors so the Mental Health Days can be honored.

“I really hope that professors ease up, on and around those days and really allow those students to unplug,” he said.

Though he said his final semester of senior year will be lighter than previous semesters he’s taken, he hopes that first-year students, sophomore and juniors will have the chance to unplug.

Su said no assignments for undergraduate and graduate students should be due on Mental Health Days.

“That time being away from class and just being able to, not turn your mind off, but let it cool down and let it unwind, it is just so important,” Miano said.

Pladek said she is happy that the university released their plans now so that she and other professors have this information to start planning around the Mental Health Days. Yet, she said she does not know what this will mean for her class syllabus.

“I think it will make syllabus planning a little bit more challenging for me personally,” Pladek said. “But my bigger worry is actually the fact that my students now effectively will have no real breaks next term, no university sanction(ed) break.”

Because of this, Pladek said she will try to build in some kind of longer break for her students.

“I don’t think it is reasonable to expect students to just work throughout the term,” she said.

Though Pladek said she appreciates the university trying to prevent students from traveling during the spring, she said she always comes back to the same question: “Why are we relying on the idea that we should have in person classes in the first place?”

OCTOBER 18 Non-MU subject was repeatedly warned about loitering, public drinking and indecent exposure. Subject was taken into custody by MUPD, issued citations for Loitering, Public Drinking and Indecent Exposure and released.

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CUMULATIVE CASES - MARQUETTE 461 NEW CASES - 10/5-10/19 91 CUMULATIVE CASES - MILWAUKEE 35,090 SEVEN DAY AVERAGE - WEEK OF 10/15 360.1

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News

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Two accused of killing James Foley charged ISIS fighters known as ‘Beatles’ remain in FBI custody

By Natallie St. Onge

natallie.stonge@marquette.edu

Two Islamic State of Iraq and Syria fighters who were accused of playing a role of kidnapping and murdering Western hostages, including Marquette alum James Foley, have been charged in their deaths and are in FBI custody in the United States.

The ISIS fighters, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, are two of four members of an ISIS affiliated group called the “Beatles.” They were known for their British accents and their role in torturing and killing hostages.

Kotey and Elsheikh will be prosecuted in federal court in Virginia.

They are charged with hostage-taking resulting in death, which was facilitated with ransom demands, terror and abuse.

Terwillger said Kotey and Elsheikh will be provided counsel if they cannot afford it, along with medical care and three meals a day while they are in custody, coupled with “the due process of law,” something he said the American hostages did not receive.

“I’m incredibly grateful,” Diane Foley, James’ mother, said in an interview with the Marquette Wire. “I am incredibly grateful to our government, FBI, Department of Justice, as well as our allies in the United Kingdom.”

Diane said it has been the work of many people in the government, along with many “caring individuals.”

According to a Oct. 7 statement made by The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, of which Diane is the president and founder, they have deep gratitude “to all who have worked tirelessly to bring Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, the two detainees currently in U.S. military custody in Iraq, to face trial in the U.S.” Diane said she did not know when she would start to see justice for her son who was murdered six years ago.

“There have been many blocks to this point,” Diane said. “One of the blocks was the fact that the death penalty was on the table and that was unacceptable to the justice system in the United Kingdom.”

In a recent United Kingdom Supreme Court ruling, the U.K. is expected to share evidence that “U.S. prosecutors have said they believe is vital for a trial to take place.”

The U.S. dropped the death penalty against Kotey and Elsheikh in order for the U.K. to share evidence with the United States prosecution.

“That has opened the door to this possibility,” Diane said.

Diane said she was against the use of the death penalty since the beginning of seeking justice.

“I really feel that violence begets more violence,” she said. “I feel that these young men should have a fair trial and also a chance to understand fully what the suffering and anguish they’ve inflicted on so many people as well as have time to make amends themselves.”

The Foley Foundation statement said they are grateful to Attorney General William Barr and the U.S. Justice Department for the decision to waive the death penalty in order for the U.K. to share critical evidence in prosecution of Kotey and Elsheikh in the United States.

Foley was a ’96 Marquette alum.

He was slain and beheaded in August 2014. Foley was a teacher and fiction writer before becoming a war correspondent during the Syrian civil war in 2011. During that time, he was captured and held hostage for 44 days by Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. After returning home for a brief stint, he returned to Syria in 2012, where shortly

after, he was captured by ISIS and eventually slain.

Other Western hostages include Peter Kassig, Kayla Mueller and Steven Sotloff, who were taken hostage and killed by members of the Islamic State in Syria. They were journalists or aid workers covering the Syrian civil war and humanitarian crisis.

Tom Durkin, who met Foley during their undergraduate years and remained friends with him until Foley’s death, said he is personally grateful Elsheikh and Kotey were brought to the U.S. to face the justice system.

“They will have their day in court and my hope is that justice is served,” Durkin said. “I don’t wish to see them die. I do wish to see them held accountable for what they’ve done.”

The Foley Foundation said in its statement that this will be the first step in the pursuit of justice for these Americans who saw the suffering of Syrian people and wanted to help.

“We are hopeful that the U.S. government will finally be able to send the important message that if you harm Americans, you will never escape justice. And when you are caught, you will face the full power of American law,” the statement said.

Diane said she is also hopeful the two men will have a fair trial.

“I am really grateful this is the first step and I am hoping that it will open the doors to other prosecutions into the United Nations to really address the many human rights crimes that have occurred in Syria over the last eight years,” she said.

Terwillger said the driver of the families of the American hostages is what led to the news today. He said he looks forward to continuing to work with the families toward justice.

“ISIS will not have the last word when it comes to your children, you will,” Terwillger said.

Diane said she is proud of her son who aspired to be a man of moral courage.

“I feel that our world and country is in great need of moral courage today. Not only in our journalists, but in our educators, in any walk of life,” Diane said. “It’s always a challenge to do the right thing. It’s not always the easy way at all. I’m very proud of that and I pray that through the Foley Foundation, that he will continue to inspire many young people … to continue to seek justice and truth and whatever they do in their lives.”

Benjamin Wells contributed to this report.

Virtual Community Day Monday, October 26, 2020 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m

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Join us for this fun, FREE, family-friendly virtual exploration of Milwaukee arts and culture. Create art, meet our community partners, enjoy live and pre-recorded performances, and discover new ways to engage with the Haggerty Museum of Art. Register online https://hopin.to/events/hma-community-day

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Tuesday, October 20, 2020

The Marquette Tribune

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Strategic plan no longer includes HSI initiative Provost still intends to retain and recruit marginalized groups

By Alexa Jurado

alexa.jurado@marquette.edu

At his Sept. 29 Virtual Coffee Chat, Provost Kimo Ah Yun said the Hispanic Serving Institution initiative is no longer part of the university’s strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, though the initiative was included in a document from 2019.

Beyond Boundaries maps out the university’s future intentions and goals. According to its website, the plan has six guiding values, one of which is a “culture of inclusion,” to “nurture an inclusive, diverse community that fosters new opportunities, partnerships, collaboration and vigorous yet respectful debate.”

Being a Hispanic Serving Institution would mean 25% of enrolled students would identify as Hispanic or Latinx, according to the United States Department of Education. As of 2019, there were 539 universities that received an HSI designation, according to the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities.

Alverno College in Milwaukee became the first HSI in Wisconsin in 2017.

Educational institutions that qualify as HSIs are eligible for Title V benefits and are able to apply for discretionary grants.

Title V provides assistance to schools that serve Hispanic and lowincome students, as part of the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965. Marquette is currently ineligible for Title V funding because only approximately 12.7% of students identify as Hispanic or Latinx as of the fall 2020 semester, according to the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis.

When the initiative was announced in 2016, Hispanic and Latinx students were just over 10% of all students. This was the same year schools like University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Milwaukee Area Technical College made that same announcement.

“The university has not abandoned its aspirations toward Hispanic Serving Institution status,” Ah Yun said in an email. “We will continue to identify and implement ways to recruit and retain students from underrepresented groups, including Hispanic students.”

Carlos Nunez, a sophomore in the College of Communication and cultural chair of the Latin American Student Organization, said he feels that Marquette does not care about being an HSI. “I’m not surprised that it’s no longer a priority,” Nunez said. “If you look at this campus, you hardly see people of color.”

Nunez said that being from Milwaukee, many people of color from the community see Marquette as a prestigious school they want to go to.

“Once you’re here you feel like you’re not welcomed,” he said.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that as of 2019, the City of Milwaukee’s population was 18.8% Hispanic or Latinx.

Sergio Gonzalez, an assistant professor of history and Latinx studies, is in his third year at the university.

He said one reason he chose to teach at Marquette was because of the HSI initiative. It was the promise that there would be support services put in place for Latinx studies, but also a committed effort to expand the Latinx studies program, curriculum put in place that represents the backgrounds of students.

“What I have seen here in my two plus years at the university is that there has been a lot of promise, but a lack of actual material commitment,” Gonzalez said.

He pointed to the efforts of William Welburn, vice president for inclusive excellence, Jaqueline Black, associate director for Hispanic initiatives and individual admissions counselors in recruiting Latinx students, but a lack of financial resources from the university.

“We can’t really call the HSI anything but an unfunded mandate at this point,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez, who was the one to bring up HSI at the provost’s Coffee Chat, said there seemed to have been some shift on the administrative level behind the scenes, but there hasn’t been a subsequent public conversation.

“What I want is honesty so I can understand whether or not we are actually committed to this initiative,” Gonzalez said. “If we’re not we should probably say it.”

Ah Yun said the university is facing “significant” budget shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which will impact the way the university recruits students. He said there is already a decline in students admitted to Marquette.

“The path forward and the timeline is less clear than it may have been in years past; however, we will continue to recruit and retain Hispanic and Latinx students,” Ah Yun said in an email.

Along with the drop in recruitment due to the pandemic, administration has also cited a “demographic cliff” as mentioned in Nathan Grawe’s “Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education.” The “demographic cliff” is due to the drop in birthrate following the 2008 recession and predicts lower college enrollment by 2026.

However, a critique to Grawe’s book has been that it is mostly in reference to white, upper and middleclass families in the Midwest. This is a population that many Marquette students come from. The university

is nearly 70% non-Hispanic white.

More than 85% of the Class of 2024 came from the Midwest, mostly from Illinois and Wisconsin.

Gonzalez said the Latinx student population is growing, not only in Milwaukee, but the state of Wisconsin and the Midwest.

“Why isn’t our university committed to getting those students to be Marquette students?” Gonzalez asked. “And if you ask administrators that question enough, they’ll give you a roundabout answer.”

He said the university might look at Latinx students as a financial burden.

He said some Latinx students will likely not pay full tuition, as they are from lower-income families, and because many Latinx students are allegedly first-generation college students, they may need additional services that will cost the university.

“So all of a sudden, Latino students that a few years ago were seen as a … great potential (for growth), are now seen as a problem,” Gonzalez said.

As the university is potentially moving towards becoming a smaller

Marquette, Gonzalez said there has been a “smallness of imagination” in what a future Marquette could look like.

“I think Marquette can continue to be at its size and potentially grow and to be a more diverse institution, but it has to rethink the way in which it brings students in and serves those students,” Gonzalez said. “Not just recruit them, but also retain them.

Gonzalez said that being an HSI would not only bring in more Latinx students, but also rectify some past wrongs.

Marquette has a history of under serving the Latinx community. According to a 1973 issue of La Guardia, Marquette had only 35 Latinos enrolled, out of nearly 12,000 students at the time.

Sonia Barnes, an associate professor of Spanish, said that though the initiative always felt underfunded, when former Provost Dan Myers left the university, it exacerbated that feeling.

The Spanish department, Barnes said, serves a lot of Latinx students.

She mentioned the Spanish for heritage speakers program. She said

she is concerned about how the cutting of programs will affect Latinx students and vice versa. “(Marquette is) not planning long term,” Barnes said. “And we’re not honoring the commitments that we made. … There’s no vision for the future.”

Barnes said not honoring the the commitment to become an HSI also puts into question the university’s commitment to racial equity and justice.

HSIs tend to be more diverse than other schools, according to Marquette’s Diversity and Inclusion webpage. Not only do they enroll the majority of Latinx undergraduates in the nation, but they also have higher numbers of other marginalized groups.

“There needs to be a reckoning with the community here,” Gonzalez said. “Marquette has a long history of making promises to the communities it calls its neighbors, and then (fails) to live up to those promises. … If Marquette walks back from (the HSI initiative), it’s another broken promise.”

Photo by Claire Gallagher claire.gallagher@marquette.edu

Provost Kimo Ah Yun said becoming an HSI is not part of the university’s strategic plan currently.

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News

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

SPARK 2021 plans to be decided next year Virtual meetings occurred in summer for Class of 2024

By Skyler Chun

skyler.chun@marquette.edu

This year, Marquette University’s Summer Priority Advising and Registration Kick-off program earned a new name, SPARK@Home, and looked slightly different as the entire program went online due to COVID-19. SPARK gives new students the opportunity to feel welcomed, adjust to being on campus, register for classes and meet other students, and usually occurs in six sessions over the summer and in the beginning of August.

Kelly Neumann, assistant dean for new student and family programs, helps to organize the SPARK program, Orientation and family weekend for first-year students each year.

As a result of the program being completely virtual, Neumann said they did not ask students to pay the usual $100 SPARK fee to help with program expenses this year.

“Our SPARK@Home leaders did an excellent job shifting to the virtual format and helped students navigate the technology,” Neumann said in an email. “Obviously, this wasn’t the ideal way we wanted to engage with our new students and their families, but we were able to help the students successfully enroll in courses, meet their peers and get the information about the Marquette community.”

Neumann said one benefit from having a SPARK online was allowing students to adjust to using new technology, including the Safe Colleges platform, Marquette email and other Microsoft softwares. Safe Colleges is an online training program where students learned about COVID-19 safety and regulations specific to Marquette. Microsoft Bookings also allowed students to set up individual appointments with a college representative if they needed additional advising or guidance during course registration.

She said all students were able to attend a session in June, rather than waiting until August if they lived far from campus, and students had smaller group meetings with their SPARK@Home leader, with five to seven other students compared to 15 to 25 students in previous years.

In the past, there are normally six SPARK sessions, with five in June and one in August.

This year, SPARK had six different sessions throughout the month of June.

Neumann said family programming was recorded and available online for those who were not available during their student’s session.

Honors students were also able to

“Obviously with COVID-19, attend the first SPARK@Home ses- much time they will have to prepare times as late as 1 a.m. when the for it compared to last year.

Late Night Marquette events ended, many things are in the air,” she said. sion with others in that program.

She said SPARK 2020 did not and then again for the next day from “We don’t really know any status Gabriella Marino, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and a feature any family-specific pro- about 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Jablonows- definite dates of a potential vaccine student director for family experi- gramming, which was a first for the ki said. “It was so tiring but I hon- being released or what our day-toestly would do absolutely anything day lives will even look like a year ence, was also a part of the planning program in our department.

“I am hopeful that we will be able to experience that again.” from now.” process for SPARK@Home.

Jablonowski said another upside She said she feels a hybrid opAs a student director, Marino said to include that this year, along with her role revolved around planning supporting a more interactive expe- to having SPARK online was the tion would be best because some SPARK and Orientation, along with rience for our new students,” Ma- students had to complete modules students may not be comfortbefore their SPARK session started. able coming back to campus, and overseeing a group of SPARK lead- rino said in an email.

Hannah Jablonowski, a junior “Although it was great to have others may want to have those ers. She said most of her SPARK experience was behind the scenes, in the College of Education and discussions in person, watch the in-person interactions.

Neumann said they will take some which included working with Mar- a SPARK Leader for the past two required videos all together in the quette faculty, supporting the lead- years, said her experience leading same room, it really took a lot of of what we have learned from past a virtual SPARK came with many the pressure off of the leaders,” she years of SPARK and SPARK@ ers and troubleshooting. said. “It could sometimes be stress- Home sessions to “provide the safSince SPARK leader hiring is in ups and downs.

“SPARK is such a great oppor- ful for student leaders to cover all of est way to get students and families November, Marino said SPARK leaders had a very different experi- tunity for incoming students to not the material and having the students information about the Marquette ence than what they had originally only familiarize themselves with do it on their own time was honestly community, register for fall courses campus, but to interact and create pretty nice.” and meet other new students,” resigned up for.

Jablonowski said she is also garding next year’s program.

She said a day in the life of a connections with their future class“In early 2021, we will determine SPARK leader started at 8 a.m. with mates,” Jablonowski said. “I missed thankful for the connections she what will be best for our new stuan all-staff meeting, then with new shaking everyone’s hands when I made with her fellow members.

“During SPARK in person, you dents and consider all options; both student meetings at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. first met them and eating meals with and 1 p.m. All new students then the students and their families. ... I spend three and a half straight weeks in-person and virtual,” Neumann had a college meeting at 3 p.m., think it is more impactful to see and on Marquette’s campus with one said. “We anticipate having at least which leaders had to attend, and experience social interactions like another,” Jablonowski said. “I met one virtual session to replace the some of my best friends through August SPARK session and hope to then finished off with a debriefing SPARK in person.”

Aside from the lack of making SPARK in person, and even am help our new students adjust to life at 4 p.m.

Marino said planning this in-person connections, Jablonowski now roommates with one of them. as a Marquette student. We know virtual program was a very said there were several good things ... I was nervous that I would not be that SPARK 2021 will look differthat came out of the experience able to make the same connections ent than 2020 and prior years as new experience.

“While it was most certainly an as well, including having more as I did when it was in person, but we will look for guidance from the I was so wrong. Our group chats campus COVID Response Team to unprecedented experience, I really free time.

She said students had to be were always active, and still are, what is best for the campus commuenjoyed it and felt that it went really well,” Marino said in an email. logged on and off Teams from about and we all truly bonded in a way I nity. Currently, we do not know the format for 2021.”

“We started planning (for an on- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for both days in could have only hoped.”

Although Jabonowski is also unAs of right now, these changes line SPARK) in March, and it was their session.

“It seems like a long time, but sure of what next year’s SPARK are just being made specifically for almost completely ready to go for SPARK in person you had to be will look like, she said it would 2021. in May.” She said it is hard to tell what with your students from about the probably be ideal to have a hybrid 9 a.m. for check-in time to some- experience.

SPARK will look like next year.

“We have a lot more to go off of now than we did last year, since we have a virtual SPARK under our belts and know what worked and what didn’t,” Marino said in an email.

“If we were virtual again, SPARK would probably look pretty similar to what we did last summer, with some advancements due to more time and resources to prepare. ...

I think it is likely that SPARK will be online, but I am still hopeful that a hybrid option will be available.”

Marino said they are hoping to make SPARK more holistic next summer, which she believes will be possible Photo by Joceline Helmbreck joceline.helmbreck@marquette.edu given how SPARK took place virtually over the summer for the Class of 2024, with students participating in a program called SPARK@Home.

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

News

The Marquette Tribune

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The Marquette Tribune

TUESDAY, October 20, 2020

Arts &

Entertainment

Page 8A

Professor addresses mental health, trauma in documentary “Unbroken Glass” featured in film festivals worldwide

By Skyler Chun

skyler.chun@marquette.edu

Dinesh Sabu, an assistant professor of digital media, produced a documentary film titled “Unbroken Glass,” which was featured in the Minority Health Film Festival this past Sept. 10-24. The film unleashed vulnerable parts of his past, and portrayed himself coming to terms with a family history of mental illness and trauma.

Sabu said he began working on the feature-length documentary in 2009, and it had its first premiere in 2016.

“The fact that it took seven years to make is actually kind of useful,” Sabu said. “In the first scene, I am 24 years old and I’m around 30 or so now. … You kind of see me grow up in the film just from those years accumulating.”

Throughout the documentary, we get to watch Sabu grow up. He said he became an

“

The film started out as an excuse to have these really uncomfortable conversations about some really painful issues.”

Dinesh Sabu Assistant professor of digital media

orphan at the age of six, after his father passed away from stomach cancer and his mother committed suicide after being diagnosed with schizophrenia.

“I made it to adulthood not really knowing who my parents were,” Sabu said. “My older sister raised me and my brothers. The film started out as an excuse to have these really uncomfortable

conversations about some really painful issues.”

Sabu said he is the youngest of five siblings, and his eldest sister is 16 years older than him.

Although he knew his mother had suffered from schizophrenia, and that she died by suicide, Sabu said it was hard to acknowledge at such a young age.

“The film kind of morphed into a way for me to learn about my parents, but also come to terms with this trauma, both in the general public, but particularly in the Asian American community and the South Asian community,” Sabu said. “Mental illness and generational trauma are really, really big issues and there’s a really huge stigma and silence around mental illness.”

He said the fact that this was such a personal film made it more challenging than anything else, but it was a profound act of disclosure for not only himself but his family as well.

“It was really coming out and speaking very openly and honestly about suicide, schizophrenia, depression, childhood trauma, domestic violence,” Sabu said. “All of these issues are very open in the film and I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous about this being made public.”

Sabu said that while these anxieties never really go away, there have been rewarding parts to creating this film as well, such as visiting India for his cousin’s wedding, seeing new places and having difficult conversations with people that he would not have had a chance to meet otherwise.

“In hindsight actually, there was also a kind of liberating quality to it,” Sabu said. “When I turned it into a story that I could just share with the world, I could kind of just let it go and it belongs to the world of documentary now, as cheesy as that sounds.”

Sabu said his favorite scene was his sister’s wedding. In the very last shot, he said there is a photo of his nephew, who was a newborn at the time.

Sabu said this ending was meaningful because “Just seeing the end and thinking about the perseverance of time, and how, yes, there are these very unfortunate, traumatic things that have happened in my

Photo courtesy of Dinesh Sabu

In the film, Sabu portrays himself coming to terms with growing up as an orphan after losing both of his parents.

family’s past — and everyone’s past really — yet we continue,” Sabu said. “My sister started this family even with the baggage of all of this stuff. I couldn’t have thought of a better way to end such a potentially really heavy, very depressing topic.”

The film has been screened at about 10 film festivals, broadcasted on PBS twice and was available for online streaming for tens of thousands of people. Sabu has also traveled to and shared his work with

various colleges and universities, communities, mental health organizations and Asian and South Asian groups.

Regardless of the quantity of people who have seen his film, Sabu said he really loved traveling along with his work and having meaningful conversations throughout various communities around the world.

“It’s always really wonderful when your work finds an audience, and you can see it resonate with people,” Sabu

said. “To be able to have conversations that you wanted to have by making the work, to see that through, is just an incredibly rewarding feeling.”

Sabu said he does not usually publicize his film, so he is not sure how many Marquette students or faculty have actually seen the film.

While it is no longer showing in Milwaukee at this time, the trailer can be viewed here.

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Arts & Entertainment

The Marquette Tribune

9A

Students find new ways to connect during “cuffing season” Many search for relationships during the colder months

By Ariana Madson

ariana.madson@marquette.edu

Fall encourages activities like apple picking and corn mazes along with things like flannel and hot apple cider. It also brings about the trend known as “cuffing season.”

Cuffing season typically starts in October and spans all the way to March and is a time when people begin to search for a serious relationship, however short lived, to help them get through the colder months of the year. The season involves finding someone to attach oneself to during a bleak time.

With the colder months up ahead, the term is starting to be used and people are beginning to see it in action.

“I just had two friends celebrate their one years this week, so cuffing season led to a solid relationship,”

Photo by Claire Gallagher claire.gallagher@marquette.edu

People use apps like tinder to get in touch with others during COVID-19.

Katie Clancy, a junior in the College of Business Administration, said.

“It’s definitely been a term since my freshman year of high school.”

Clancy also said this season is about finding a partner in crime for the chillier weather.

“Cuffing season to me is the time of the year where everyone wants to do cute fall things and not do it alone, so they try to find someone like a snuggle bug to do everything with,” Clancy said. “I want to watch scary movies but not do it alone.”

Katie Knizner, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, also talked about how it is a season to have someone to do fun fall activities with.

“It definitely makes people more motivated to have someone to watch scary movies with, eat thanksgiving with, or have with for the new year,” Knizner said.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, especially in Wisconsin, it raises the question if cuffing season will be affected, especially as it affected Knizner’s relationship last spring.

“In my current relationship, my boyfriend lives in Chicago and I live in Pittsburgh so dealing with long distance for the first time since we had started dating, and so abruptly, shook me up a little bit,” Knizner said. “We are still together, but it was hard to be apart for so long.”

JaVaughn Guadalupe, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, expressed that he thinks cuffing season could potentially slow down a little bit due to COVID-19.

“I think it’s going to slow down

a little bit … there aren’t as many gatherings to meet new people in,” Guadalupe said.

Guadalupe talked about how when it comes to cuffing season, he sees it as something that can happen in group gatherings with a circle of friends. It’s where people in a friend group may decide to try dating one another since in this setting, you can get to know someone better.

Though Guadalupe thinks it may be harder to meet people now for cuffing season, he thinks that the desire to do so has not gone away.

“The temptation to find someone due to social pressure isn’t going to go away, but there’s going to be less opportunities to find someone,” Guadalupe said.

Clancy mentioned how many of her friends have looked to various dating apps such as Tinder and Bumble for cuffing season.

Though it can be tough to spend time with a potential cuffing season partner, Clancy mentioned different late-night Marquette events as well as visiting pumpkin patches and apple picking could be outdoor cuffing season activities.

Face masks have become a common accessory on campus Include different colors, designs to match clothing

By Lea Peters

lea.peters@marquette.edu

Being a student during the era of COVID-19 has resulted in countless twists and turns, but one thing has remained constant: face masks. As a mandated accessory on Marquette’s campus, students have had to incorporate the constant wearing of face masks into their daily lives.

Lauren Llanes-Smith, a firstyear student in the College of Arts & Sciences, said she appreciates the health benefits of wearing her face mask.

“I feel safe when wearing a mask,” Llanes-Smith said.

According to the CDC, face masks help limit the spread of airborne viruses by preventing respiratory droplets from traveling from one person to another.

Samantha Roushia, a first-year student in the College of Nursing, has completely adapted to wearing her mask.

“I honestly feel weird if I don’t have a mask on,” Roushia said.

As the temperature grows colder in Milwaukee, Roushia also praised face masks as an accessory for extra warmth. Masks cover both the mouth and the nose, body parts which don’t receive coverage by

most other winter accessories.

Roushia believes the face mask can have a large effect on one’s warmth during colder months.

“You don’t really have to wear a scarf if you’re wearing a face mask,” Roushia said.

“During winter, it will keep your face warm,” Llanes-Smith said. “It might also make more people wear it above their nose.”

Maggie Conlan, a first-year student in the College of Health Sciences, said she is also used to wearing a mask daily now, but agrees that it can be uncomfortable to wear during warmer weather, especially for those who spend a lot of time outdoors.

“It’s definitely better wearing it now than in the middle of the summer when it’s like, ninety degrees out,” Conlan said.

Face masks have also become a fashion statement among students.

With designs ranging from vibrant patterns to solid colors, they can be used to enhance a student’s outfit in a variety of ways.

Llanes-Smith enjoys coordinating the designs of her face masks with her outfits and finds that it can be a way for her to express her individuality.

“I actually do match them to my outfits, since I have a lot of them,” Llanes-Smith said. “It can help you stand out a little bit.”

Llanes-Smith said she owns about 20 face masks.

Conlan said she appreciates a more casual look for her face masks, but still attempts to match them with her clothing.

“My masks have simple designs, but can still add something,” Conlan said. “I try to pair them with my outfits.”

Other students choose more practical face masks with solid colors. Roushia said these masks can be easier to pair with outfits and are more practical for everyday use.

“I don’t really wear face masks with designs on them,” Roushia said.

She said her collection bases itself on more classic colors such as black, gray and navy.

Despite the world’s unique circumstances, a face mask does allow the community to have something in common with one another. Since all students are wearing a mask, they are always able to relate to each other.

“It can definitely be a conversation starter,” Conlan said. She said she believes it can help students form friendships and grow closer.

Students can buy their face masks from a variety of retailers such as Old Navy, Amazon or shops on Etsy. They can also be purchased from locally-owned shops or they can even be homemade. However, some homemade masks may not be as effective as those that are professionally produced.

Photo by Joceline Helmbreck joceline.helmbreck@marquette.edu

Marquette community members share their thoughts on the new norm.

The Marquette Tribune

Opinions

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

PAGE 10A

Editorial Board

Natallie St. Onge, Executive Director Annie Mattea, Managing Editor Marquette Tribune Kelli Arseneau, Managing Editor Marquette Journal

Alexandra Garner, Executive Opinions Editor Aminah Beg, Assistant Opinions Editor

Ben Wells, News Executive Zoe Comerford, Sports Executive Skyler Chun, A&E Executive Lelah Byron, Projects Editor

Eleanor Mccaughey, Copy Chief Grace Pionek, Design Chief Zach Bukowski, Photo Editor

Julia Donofrio, Social Media Executive Aimee Galszweski, Station Manager MUTV Reese Seberg, Station Manager MURadio

STAFF EDITORIAL

Marquette must reevaluate changes to spring 2021 semester

Marquette University’s choice to replace spring and Easter break with mental health days in the spring 2021 semester does not provide students, faculty and staff with adequate time to relax.

The university has removed Easter break and the mid-semester break for spring 2021, and has replaced that time with four mental health days, according to an Oct. 14 letter from Provost Kimo Ah Yun. Marquette has designated Tuesday, Feb. 9, Wednesday, March 10, Tuesday, April 20 and Wednesday, May 5 as mental health days.

Marquette will still observe Good Friday as a university-wide holiday April 2.

Changes to the academic calendar for the spring 2021 semester were supported by the University Academic Senate, Committee on Academic Procedures, COVID-19 Academic Steering Committee, COVID-19 Academic Planning

Group, department chairs and deans as well as from members of the Provost’s Cabinet, Marquette University Student Government and Graduate Student Organization.

“University leadership recognizes that it can be difficult to manage the anxieties and stress associated with this pandemic,” Ah Yun said in the letter to campus. “The Mental Health Days will provide students the opportunity to rest and recharge while also reducing unnecessary travel.”

While the university should be commended for trying to prioritize students’ mental health, scheduling mental health days so far in advance doesn’t necessarily ensure they will be effective.

Students may be unable to relax on these days because they are in the middle of the week as opposed to the beginning or the end, and they feel pressure to continue working on schoolwork. Designating mental

health days in the middle of the week could also disrupt the flow of classes, even if faculty and staff change their curriculum to account for these days.

Although the university may want to reduce students traveling, replacing two breaks with four mental health days scattered throughout the semester is not an equitable alternative.

Students may be facing many challenges right now due to the coronavirus pandemic, such as managing in-person, online or hybrid classes, not seeing their friends in normal capacities and as well as other personal and familial issues. Additionally, they may be dealing with preexisting or pandemic-induced mental health issues.

Faculty and staff also have had to adjust to COVID-19 changes in their day-to-day lives and may also be dealing with personal and familial matters continuing during

or brought on by the pandemic.

Students, faculty and staff deserve more than four days off during the spring 2021 semester to take a break, and the university should reevaluate its decision to eliminate the spring and Easter breaks.

Moreover, while the university may discourage some students, faculty and staff from traveling during the spring 2021 semester, it is difficult to ensure there will be no travel on these mental health days or on weekends. Some students have travelled freely so far during the fall 2020 semester, and with no mandatory COVID-19 testing or reporting, the university cannot accurately contact trace potential COVID-19 spread of students returning to campus after traveling.

A way to improve contact tracing for students traveling could be to add an option on the daily COVID Cheqs for why students will not be on campus that day. Currently,

students can indicate that they will not be on campus because they are isolating or because they don’t have a reason to be on campus. If the university added an option for students leaving Milwaukee, it could improve its contact tracing for students leaving campus.

The university could also require mandatory testing and better contact tracing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 rather than go all the way to canceling spring break.

Additionally, Marquette should not be making this decision so far in advance because while the coronavirus pandemic continues to persist, the future is still uncertain.

While the university may want to decrease stress by implementing four mental health days, it must reevaluate its decision, as this is not an equitable alternative, which in turn could create unnecessary added stress to students, faculty and staff.

Wisconsin must act now against COVID-19 Max Pickart Wisconsin’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is very disappointing, as cases continue to rise exponentially and actions for the betterment of the state and its people are not occurring because of polarizing politics.

From Oct. 11 to Oct. 16, the state of Wisconsin accounted for roughly 18,650 COVID-19 cases, which, compared to other Midwestern states, is quite horrendous. For example, Illinois has roughly 19,750 cases, Minnesota has roughly 8,500 cases and Michigan has roughly 10,000 cases. Especially when looking at each state’s population, the difference is stark.

Governor Tony Evers’ administration, in an attempt to slow the massive, consistent surge of cases, decided to issue an emergency order Oct. 6 limiting indoor activities, restaurants and events across the state to a maximum capacity of 25%.

Unfortunately, and quite irresponsibly, Sawyer County Judge John Yackel decided to block the emergency order Oct. 13. Similar to the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to end Evers’ previous “Safer

at Home” order May 13, it is clear that Evers’ October 13 order would have proved to be beneficial for all of Wisconsin, as Evers consistently attempts to do whats best for all of Wisconsin.

Judge John Yackel, previously appointed to the Lincoln County Circuit Court in 2012 by Scott Walker, knocked down Evers’ order at a time of record hospitalizations, new cases and deaths.

Evers’ order was lifted Oct. 13, which was the same day that Wisconsin hospitals reported an increase in 1,000 new coronavirus hospitalizations. In fact, hospitals across the state are so overwhelmed that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services believed it essential to open a medical station at State Fair Park in West Allis. The medical station is currently open and is run by health care workers from across the state and the country, and it will provide care to COVID-19 patients who need less serious hospital care.

As of Oct. 19, the state of Wisconsin’s COVID-19 cases are increasing at an average rate of 3,052 cases per day, which is the highest average in Wisconsin for a seven-day period since the start of the pandemic in March. In fact, it is the first time that the average rate of new cases per

day has surpassed 3,000.

The Wisconsin DHS reported an increase of 3,747 cases, as well as an increase of hospitalizations, 138, and another 17 deaths. The same report from the DHS also explained that the average daily case number has more than quadrupled over the past 6 weeks, and the average number of daily deaths has tripled.

It is evident that the state of Wisconsin is at a very critical point in its battle against COVID-19.

Yackel’s ruling is a clear example of Wisconsin putting unnecessary wants ahead of the health and education of its citizens and children, as a continued influx of cases increases the likelihood of students returning to fully virtual schooling.

Evers highlighted this in an Oct. 14 video message to Wisconsinites, serving as his response to Yackel’s ruling, “Just because some folks out there want to see full bars and full hospitals doesn’t mean we have to listen.”

Yackel’s dangerous ruling ultimately will cause the whole state to suffer and struggle both today and in the near future in regards to COVID-19.

Unfortunately, Yackel’s ruling also signifies the fact that both Wisconsin and the United States have failed to

prioritize the right things amid the pandemic, turning to pleasure and luxuries rather than to the health and well-being of the citizens.

COVID-19 cannot be about politics. Instead, it is key that the Wisconsin government and DHS recognize the immense amount of damage and long-term loss that COVID-19 has brought across Wisconsin and the whole nation.

Evers is left alone in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as he continually makes decisions and attempts to take action against the pandemic while his opposition strikes down everything he tries.

The public health of Wisconsin should be the top priority among both Republican and Democratic leaders. It is essential that both sides put politics aside and fight together against the pandemic.

Public health is a bipartisan issue that affects all people, both in America and the international community.

Americans must put aside politics and stop acting like public health is a matter of political strategics.

Citizens must continue to wear masks, social distance, wash hands and limit their exposure to large areas and public spaces, especially indoor spaces.

Now more than ever Wisconsin-

ites must vow to do what is best for all people. Though Evers’ order was knocked down, it is essential that the people of Wisconsin understand the immense importance of attempting to slow the pandemic, especially due to the massive, consistent influx of COVID-19 cases within the last week.

Max Pickart is a first-year student studying accounting. He can be reached at max.pickart@marquette.edu

Statement of Opinion Policy

The opinions expressed on the Opinions page reflect the opinions of the Opinions staff. The editorials do not represent the opinions of Marquette University nor its administrators, but those of the editorial board.

The Marquette Tribune prints guest submissions at its discretion. The Tribune strives to give all sides of an issue an equal voice over the course of a reasonable time period. An author’s contribution will not be published more than once in a four-week period. Submissions with obvious relevance to the Marquette community will be given priority consideration.

Full Opinions submissions should be limited to 500 words. Letters to the editor should be between 150 to 250 words. The Tribune reserves the right to edit submissions for length and content.

Please e-mail submissions to: alexandra.garner@marquette.edu. If you are a current student, include the college in which you are enrolled and your year in school. If not, please note any affliations to Marquette or your current city of residence.

Opinions

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

The Marquette Tribune

11A

‘Girlboss’ feminism problematic, must address inequality Lucia Ruffolo The new, late third-wave idea of “girlboss” feminism is problematic and should be re-examined before it is held up as a feminist standard.

“Girlboss” feminism is a type of feminism that encourages corporate-focused individualism and was born in the 2010s. It contrasts with the mostly political oriented first-wave and the second-wave’s attempt to dismantle misogyny in the familial sphere. “Girlboss” feminism attempts to take a cosmopolitan approach to feminism and is very exclusive. It focuses on women of the corporate world, Prada-wearing millionaires and billionaires who live in mansions and most likely have people like housekeepers and drivers working for them. “Girlboss” feminism encourages women to be CEOs, Wall Street bankers and rude.

Its brand largely exists in the material world — a mug that reads “male tears” or a perhaps a pink Pussyhat and tote bag that awkwardly plasters the word “vagina” on it. “Girlboss” feminism worships two gods: hypercapitalism and status. It has also been referred to as “neo-liberal

feminism”, which underplays the role that socioeconomic and cultural differences play in people’s lives.

It aims to ditch the values of human decency and kindness, and seems to treat ruthlessness as a feminist win. When examining the world’s problematic structures of inequality, like wealth inequality and labor exploitation, it is irrational to argue that the problem is a lack of women working in these areas; the problem lies in the structures themselves.

When female bosses mistreat their staff, it’s not “girlboss” but rather a gross injustice, one more dominating member of the economic oligarchy that uses their privilege to harm others.

Women in power are capable of abusing their staff, and it cannot be ignored or praised as a something worth striving for.

Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator of Minnesota, had former staff members come out and describe the humiliation that came with working beneath her.

Staff members said that Klobuchar would berate them, ask them to perform menial tasks and have fits of explosive rage.

Klobuchar may have been Minnesota’s first female senator, but she was clearly not excluded from demonstrating an abuse in power. These instances of abuse

should not be applauded as a form of “girl power.”

“Girlboss” feminism may continue to uphold wealthy white women’s positions of power, such as Ivanka Trump and Hillary Clinton. They both symbolize the wealthy 1% of white women and do not represent the typical American woman. According the U.S. Department of Labor, the average white woman earns a median income of $46,515, the average Black woman earns a median income of $37,006 and the average Hispanic woman earns a median of $32,002.

Upper-class white women want to be considered oppressed, and while they may be in comparison to upper-class white men, not being able to live out your evil queen fantasy is not a mode of oppression. Oppressing others to get ahead is objectively wrong and should not be celebrated.

It is not to say that woman should not be or assertive nor seek their career of choice, but rather that everyone must make a commitment to ethical behavior and be mindful of structures of inequality so they do not contribute to it. “Girlboss” feminism falls short because it fails to recognize the unique experiences that women of different backgrounds face. It also upholds superficial corporate glory

as the ideal for life, and these fail to recognize this force as inherently oppressive.

Instead, feminism should aid in dismantling the structures that contribute to the maltreatment of women, such as racism, poverty and xenophobia.

“Girlboss” feminism really isn’t feminism at all. It has no concern for the poor woman, the

Graphic by Alexandra Garner

non-white woman or the immigrant woman. It is selfish, consumerist and just as toxic as the patriarchal world it claims to fight against.

Lucia Ruffolo is a first-year student and is undecided. She can be reached at lucia.ruffolo@marquette.edu

Performative activism symptom of social media Jenna Koch Performative activism is a hindrance to social justice movements and yet it is becoming increasingly popular on social media. If real social change is to occur, we must move past this type of activism and instead devote time and resources to helping oppressed groups.

According to Elle, performative activism is “the practice of words, posts and gestures that do more to promote an individual’s own virtuous moral compass than actually helping the causes that they’re intending to showcase.” It’s done purely for personal gain, and it often unintentionally silences actual activists seeking to spread information and awareness.

As the Black Lives Matter movement recently gained momentum after the injustices committed against many Black lives this year and all the years before, social media became a way for everyday citizens to spread the movement. Infographics with police brutality statistics and headlines with the latest updates on BLM news were reposted and re-shared everywhere online.

However, with helpful information also came posts and captions

with no substance, such as memes with popular culture characters with “ACAB,” which means “All Cops Are Bastards,” written above them, or a black square on someone’s feed with “#BlackLivesMatter” for Blackout Tuesday.

Blackout Tuesday was originally meant to be a day to uplift Black creators and show solidarity with BLM. Unfortunately, the perhaps well-intentioned nature of Blackout Tuesday backfired, as posts with helpful information in BLM tags got silenced in favor of black squares with millions of likes. Because black squares were getting the most likes, posts with information about petitions or donation links were pushed down in users’ algorithms as well.

While people who post a black square or “Hello Kitty says ACAB” meme might have good intentions, the extent of their activism seems to start and end with social media.

While this phenomenon may seem harmless, it actually devalues social justice movements in a number of ways.

Occurrences such as Blackout Tuesday can turn activism into a trend rather than a movement. It was the least someone could do during that time to fight against racial injustice. Although it spread

awareness of the movement, it did not provide people with information to further their understanding of the movement.

It shifted the conversation from how we can uplift Black voices and eliminate oppressive systems to a competition in “wokeness.”

It became more important to be known as not racist rather than be actively anti-racist.

When activism became a trend and a competition, people eventually got bored of it. I’ve even begun to equate the amount of activism-related posts on my feed to how many people care about the movement.

In many cases, instances of deadly police brutality against Black lives have not been met with justice. The officers who killed Breonna Taylor in her Louisville apartment have not been charged with her murder, yet every day I see fewer and fewer people demanding justice for her online.

In very recent news, Indigenous People’s Day was Oct. 12. Many Indigenous creators called for a blackout that day as well, asking for nonIndigenous people to refrain from posting to uplift their voices. Yet, I barely saw anyone do so. The way it differed from Blackout Tuesday

was that it called for non-Indigenous people to not post anything — no performative virtue signaling and no black squares hogging up hashtag space.

The issue is that self-proclaimed allies know how to do everything besides listen. When engaging in activism as an ally, one must actually understand what that group is asking of them and follow through with it.

According to Black Lives Matter’s website, the organization is asking people to donate, sign petitions, vote and protest if possible. These are all things allies can do without logging onto Instagram or Twitter.

What people do outside of social media has the biggest impact.

Spreading information and news is incredibly important, but posts without substance do absolutely nothing but water down movements. Donating to organizations or calling out oppression in real life is far more effective than putting “ACAB” in one’s bio.

Another way to help movements is not only to externally fight injustice, but to confront one’s internal biases. Journaling about one’s experiences or reading important texts from activists are great ways to begin unlearning racism and other biases. Harvard even offers

many implicit bias tests which can help people take the first important step of becoming aware. Although implicit bias tests may have their flaws, they can be a good place to start.

Doing your part humbly, without need for recognition, allows for oppressed voices to be heard. The information, emotion and calls to action these voices share can only be effective if allies are willing to step aside and listen.

A few BLM organizations to get involved with are Color of Change, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Black Alliance for Just Immigration.

A few other social justice organizations include Native American Rights Fund, which provides legal assistance to indigenous tribes, the Okra Project, which brings food and other resources to Black trans people in need, and the LGBTQ Freedom Fund, which raises money for the bail of LGBTQ people, who are three times more likely to be jailed compared to non LGBTQ people.

Jenna Koch is a first-year student studying journalism. She can be reached at jenna.koch@marquette.edu

Sports The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, October 20, 2020 PAGE 12A

Voices heard through protests Professional, collegiate basketball players participate in marches for social justice

Photo by Joceline Helmbrek joceline.helmbrek@marquette.edu

Marquette athletes (left to right: Symir Torrence, Chloe Marotta, Maddie Monticello, Jacob Hallam and Theo John) stand behind Father Laurance and Father Mathie Sept. 4.

By Nick Galle

nicholas.galle@marquette.edu

It is no secret that athletes at the collegiate and professional level are looked up to by those in the community. With instances of social injustice plaguing the country, athletes from across the nation have helped lead the charge for change. Among those athletes, some call Marquette University home.

Players across multiple athletic programs at Marquette have participated in protests, both in Milwaukee and their hometown communities.

Marquette athletes organized a march Sept. 4 that started on campus and went down to Valley Fields. Students, faculty and other members of the Milwaukee community walked alongside to combat social inequality and injustice.

Men’s basketball sophomore guard Symir Torrence was one of the many athletes who attended the march. At the end of the route, he gave a speech to the crowd at Valley Fields, sharing his own personal experiences and thoughts on the social injustice in the United States.

“It meant a lot,” Torrence said.

“Me being able to go up and go speak in front of some of the students, it just meant a lot. Knowing that they listened and knowing that I have got some feedback that it was a good speech, it definitely brought happiness to my heart.”

Torrence’s teammate, senior forward Theo John, also spoke at the conclusion of the march.

While he was appreciative of the hundreds of people who came to support the cause, he realizes that the journey to

achieve equality is far from over.

“Yes, I was happy with the turnout, but I wouldn’t say that I felt that that whole thing is finished,” John said. “It’s an ongoing process. We’re living, we’re learning it, and I just take that into my notes for the next thing I try to put together.”

John, a native of Minneapolis, was a part of a sit-in in front of the mayor’s mansion and he attended the protest on the 35W Bridge, in which a truck driver drove through the crowd of protestors. The events came in response to the killing of George Floyd May 25.

College athletes were not the only ones who took to the streets, as numerous NBA players also made their voices heard this past summer.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo joined

his teammates in a Milwaukee protest, wearing a shirt that said, “I Can’t Breathe.” Golden State Warriors guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson attended a protest in the Bay Area. Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown drove 15 hours from Boston to his hometown of Marietta, Georgia to lead a peaceful protest as well.

Multiple coaches have shown support for their players and the movements that have sparked across the nation. Men’s basketball head coach Steve Wojciechowski, women’s basketball head coach Megan Duffy and women’s soccer head coach Frank Pelaez were among some of the coaches to attend the athlete’s march and post on social media showing support for their players and their participation in the event.

Wojciechowski said that his players are leaving a positive impact on the Marquette community by sticking up for what they believe in.

“I believe Marquette’s a place that is always trying to get better and it’s a place when we as a community know better, we try to do better, and I think our guys reflect that,” Wojciechowski said during the march Sept. 4.

“They want to leave Marquette a better place than they found it, and that just doesn’t occur on the basketball court, it occurs off the court as well.”

The social justice work athletes are doing now will hopefully pave the way for the future.

“At the end of the day, it’s just doing what’s right,” John said.

“It’s one step at a time, one generation at a time.”

Sports

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Coaches provoke change

The Marquette Tribune

Wojciechowski, Stimmel among those using position to educate athletes on injustices

By Matt Yeazel

matthew.yeazel@marquette.edu

As sports, politics and human rights issues become more intertwined this year, the focus has shifted to how athletes and coaches are using their voices to advocate for change on their social media platforms.

At Marquette, coaches across different sports have gotten involved by marching with athletes and staff in the recent march across campus. Many have also stepped up to help their athletes become more educated about social issues.

“You can’t completely shed the emotional element, but I want any opinions they have to be coming from a thoughtful space,” men’s basketball head coach Steve Wojciechowski said.

“Our guys have been using their platform well and they have been leaders in both the Marquette and Milwaukee community.”

Wojciechowski said he believes having open and honest dialogue with his players is the best way to make his players feel comfortable and informed about these situations.

“These conversations give all our guys the opportunity to express how they feel, and our reactions to their true feelings creates a space where they can feel safe,” Wojciechowski said. “I stand with my guys, and I learn as much from my players as they learn from me.”

Men’s lacrosse head coach Andrew Stimmel said his program worked with the Black Lacrosse Alliance, a group formed by professional Black lacrosse players in the Premier Lacrosse League, to help educate his team on the issues they believe are important.

“It’s super important in a predominantly white sport like lacrosse to have deep, meaningful

discussions and to provide education,” Stimmel said.

“We’re always learning, trying to provide an open door and an environment that’s comfortable for everyone.”

One of the main roles of a coach is to make their athletes feel comfortable in their program. This includes both on and off the court. Ryan Theis, head coach of the women’s volleyball team, said this role has become even more important during this global pandemic and times of racial injustice.

“If athletes ever have feelings of discomfort, I want them to let me know, and we will do anything in our power to prevent that for them,” Theis said. “We’re a group that tries to make everyone feel welcome, and we are welcoming of all different groups so long as they are a good teammate.”

Marquette Athletics brings in athletes from all over the country, but also from many different parts of the world, and this is especially true of the men’s soccer program, as their team is made up of nine players from outside the United States. Louis Bennett, men’s soccer head coach, said making athletes comfortable is one of the most important parts of his job.

“The number one thing for us is to promote relationships, and to appreciate and understand where someone comes from,” Bennett said.

“My job as the coach is to

promote those relationships.

Our players have to take ownership of themselves but also take ownership of the team and be a part of it together.”

Women’s basketball head coach Megan Duffy said for her team, it was very empowering to watch both the NBA and WNBA come together to advocate for change like they each did in their playoff bubbles to end their season. Each league had multiple demonstrations and even boycotts to stand against social injustice.

From that, they have learned to have deeper conversations among their team.

“We all have a commonality coming together for our sport, but we have to take time to get to know each other and hear each other’s stories,” Duffy said. “Just in talking to each other different outside of basketball, trying to dig deeper, it’s only going to move forward with creating a better atmosphere for our team.”

Coaches lead the way for their

athletes on the court or the field, but outside of the game coaches have been placed in a very important role to be role models and use their platform against social injustice, whether it’s them doing the talking, or their student-athletes.

“We have a common goal, and that goal is to make our communities better and our country better,” Wojciechowski said. “I want my players to know that human rights issues that speak directly to them also speak to me, and that it i s

something very easy for us to all get behind.”

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Sports

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

PAY: Wojciechowski gets $2.02 mil PAY

Continued from from page 1A

sports, there’s tremendous value in that,” Wojciechowski said. “When it comes to what the market says, it’s what the market says. I don’t agree with it necessarily but if advertisers or TV and what not are willing to pay a certain premium for one product versus another, that’s what the market says. I truly wish that there would be equal pay.”

With the discrepancy between men’s and women’s basketball salaries being bluntly noticeable, in fiscal year 2019 Kieger was among the university’s highest compensated employees. After all benefits and base compensation were calculated out, Wojciechowski and Marquette University President Michael Lovell were the highest compensated, respectively. Kieger was fifth-highest, after the university’s former provost Dan Myers and the director of athletics, Bill Scholl.

Head women’s basketball coach Megan Duffy brought up the history of men’s and women’s pay that has played a large part in the situation.

“There’s history that comes into play of how long, just talking specific to sports, certain professional leagues and the history of their revenue and how they’ve been created,” Duffy said. “There’s still a lot of room to grow with women’s sports.

I’d like to make the statement of ‘yeah, we want equal pay,’ but we also have made some big strides by using our voices.”

Duffy also mentioned that even though there is a difference in pay, her relationship with Wojciechowski has not been affected.

“The market value is different in both sports. If we look at that, it’s

not as simple as comparing numbers across the board,” Duffy said. “By no means does that tear us apart … and what we’re doing to try and build our programs here. As you can see when you just look at the numbers, there definitely is a discrepancy. I know that all parties, whether that’s Marquette or across the country, are trying to bridge that gap in some form.”

Head men’s soccer coach Louis Bennett said that he thinks good coaches should be rewarded, regardless of if they are male or female.

“Coaches that have respect and do things right should get respect and they should get rewarded, irrespective of gender,” Bennett said.

“The business of sports is different.

When you represent your country, I think you should get equal pay, all the time.”

Head women’s soccer coach Frank Pelaez spoke about his belief of what the pay should look like.

“I think it should be fair everywhere. I try not to compare or look at other coaches and what they’re doing or what they’re salaries are,” Pelaez said. “To me, it’s about being able to be fair all around the board.

You have to look at what they do outside of just coaching as well.”

When looking back, the

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Former head coach Carolyn Kieger cheers on her team in MU’s 84-65 win against Dayton March 16, 2018.

FISCAL YEAR 2019

Steve Wojciechowski

Carolyn Kieger

$2,023,245

$485,069

Kieger was paid roughly 25% of Wojciechowski’s salary.

Source: Marquette financial documents

Graphic by Kayla Nickerson

Marquette Wire stock photo

MUBB’s Steve Wojciechowski coaches his players Dec. 28 when they played Central Arkansas at Fiserv.

gender gap in coach salaries has been brought up and studied before.

In 2012, the Marquette Wire’s Jennifer Zahn reported that “additionally, in 2010-2011, Marquette contributed more funding to women’s teams for athletically related student aid. Men’s teams received $1,753,051, while women’s teams received $2,454,167. Recruiting expenses, however, weren’t close, with $1,289,560 spent on men’s teams and $171,813 on women’s teams — about 13% of the men’s expenses.”

This trend still holds true today as women’s teams received more funding from Marquette related to student aid and men’s teams spend more in recruiting expenses.

In the 2018-19 year, Marquette’s women’s teams received just over $4 million in athletically-related student aid, whereas men’s teams received around $3.2 million. Looking at that information from the Department of Education, the men’s teams had roughly $980,000 in recruiting expenses. The women’s team spent close to 28% of recruiting expenses spent by the men’s team, according to the U.S Department of Education Equity in Athletics Data Analysis.

Marquette men’s lacrosse coach

Andrew Stimmel spoke out on what the men’s teams can do in the future to promote and support the women’s teams.

“At the end of the day, it’s us having a great partnership with, for instance, women’s lacrosse (and) really making sure we’re doing everything we can to get out and support their games,” Stimmel said. “We look at it as a partnership and just trying to be as supportive as we can.”

Wojciechowski similarity addressed the relationship between the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

“Both teams understand the level of commitment it takes to be a part of a basketball program that is part of the fabric of the university and all the responsibilities that come with that,” Wojciechowski said.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still happening, both men’s and women’s basketball head coaches chose to take a 5% pay cut.

“There’s a shared responsibility when it comes to adversity that affects the entire university whether you’re talking about faculty, staff, administration or students,” Wojciechowski said. “I’m a part of the university team and so, being a team player, it’s only natural to pay my fair share and again, I was happy to do that because it’s the right thing to do and the best thing for the university.”

Duffy reiterated Wojciechowski’s comments.

“I wanted to do everything I can to be a great team player and help, kind of ease in any way I can with the community, with the bigger picture,” Duffy said.

Sports

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

The Marquette Tribune

WOMEN’S: Less fans than at MUBB

Continued from from page 1A

women are playing in front of about 43% capacity and the men are playing in front of about 88% capacity. Marquette women’s basketball head coach Megan Duffy said she has been proactive in garnering more fans by “selling” them the product they put out on the court.

“I’ll keep pitching and trying to sell like I do with recruiting,” Duffy said. “And you know, that’s using the sense of humor or giving them something maybe they don’t know maybe about myself or our team that gives others that connection with them.”

Even with her efforts, Duffy said she knows not everyone will jump on board.

“There’s always going to be people that don’t want to support certain things, and it’s not just women’s basketball, it could be anything,” Duffy said. “We’re all about focusing our attention on those that appreciate the game and appreciate what these student-athletes are doing on a daily basis.”

Bruno praised the leadership from the top brass of the BIG

EAST conference, as they continue to push for more coverage of women’s sports.

“Val Ackerman is sitting here, former commissioner of the WNBA, fighting to answer the question. Genelia (Santanelli, Executive Assistant to the BIG EAST Commissioner) is fighting to answer the question,” Bruno said.

“It really comes down to a media that really don’t want to cover women’s basketball.”

Being weighed up against the NBA is one of the many challenges women’s basketball has to face.

“It’s hard for women because our game is compared to the greatest players in the NBA,” Bruno said. “It’s hard to juxtapose your game to that, but at the same time having no coverage or very little coverage … it’s a shame.”

While there is a contrast in style between the men’s and women’s game, Duffy said that shouldn’t determine superiority.

“We have a great game. It’s a little bit different than the men’s game, but that doesn’t mean it’s better or worse,” Duffy said. “We’ve been fighting this battle for a while and it’s maybe at

the forefront a little bit more now as you see stuff with the WNBA and some of the injustice that is going on.”

Duffy alluded to last season’s marquee matchups at home against Mississippi State and Northwestern as prime examples of how entertaining women’s basketball can be.

“If you know or ask anybody who has a sense about basketball, if they were in the (Al McGuire Center) during those games, they would tell you, ‘wow, that was just a quality two hours of my life and I want to come back and support (women’s basketball) more,’” Duffy said.

Despite what the numbers may say, Marquette sophomore guard Jordan King said she believes the support for women’s basketball is heading in the right direction.

“The attention around women’s sports is something that’s struggled over the years, and it’s definitely improved,” King said.

“There’s been a steady increase in attention to women’s sports, and it can only keep going up from here.

It’s been an uphill battle, but I’m just very excited to see where it

continues to go.”

King said there’s still a long way to go regarding the coverage of women’s sports.

“Men’s sports have been so popular for so long and have had such a big following for so long,” King said. “It’s just going to take a while (for women’s sports) to get there.”

Redshirt senior forward Lauren Van Kluenen said she believes women’s basketball has always deserved more attention.

“That’s with any type of sport, too,” Van Kluenen said. “I think about all the (women) athletes that put in the time, the hard work, the dedication and everything. …

They deserve to be seen.”

Matchups between Marquette and DePaul have received national recognition over the last several seasons thanks to the abundance of talent on display from both squads.

“Obviously, with those types of games, they’re amplified even greater, which is awesome for women’s basketball,” Van Kluenen said. “Those games are always a must-see, and maybe viewership needs to be better, but at the end of the day, we’re just going

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to keep grinding and keep getting better, and whoever wants to watch they’re going to watch.”

Over the years Marquette has seen the likes of Allazia Blockton, Erika Davenport, Amani Wilborn, Danielle King and most notably Natisha Hiedeman, who currently plays for Connecticut Sun in the WNBA. All five players scored at least 1,000 points during their time at MU. “The support that we have from Marquette people all around the world ... it’s great to see,” Van Kluenen said. “And obviously, would you always want more people? Yes, but it’s huge to have the support that we do have.”

As to what she would say to the casual fan who may not support women’s basketball, Van Kluenen said she would suggest they dive deeper into the meaning of the game.

“You see the camaraderie, you see the teamwork, you see that it’s more than just about basketball,” Van Kluenen said. “It’s about how much fun we’re having and the game has taken us places that no one would have ever thought we would have been.”

Photo by Zach Bukowski zachary.bukowski@marquette.edu

Head coach Megan Duffy and her team watch from the sidelines as Marquette takes on DePaul in the BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship March 9, 2020.

16A The Marquette Tribune

Sports

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

GOLDEN EAGLE EDITION Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Athletes use platforms to speak out

1B

Theo John, Lauren Van Kleunen among those to describe role as leaders in MU community

By Zoe Comerford

isabel.comerford@marquette.edu

Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the national anthem. The Milwaukee Bucks boycotting Game 5 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic Aug. 26 following the Aug. 23 Jacob Blake shooting. The WNBA, MLB, NHL and other professional leagues canceling games and tournaments to stand in solidarity with the NBA. The BIG EAST adding Black Lives Matter patches to basketball jerseys. Marquette’s athletes hosting a one-mile march for social justice. These are just a few ways athletics can be used as a platform to incite change.

“It’s been extremely empowering to watch different pro leagues across the country, whether it’s the NBA, WNBA, (or) the NFL come together to bring about change,” women’s basketball head coach Megan Duffy said. “We all have a responsibility, as the younger generation, in some form, to learn how to use our voices in a way that’s going to bring people together. …

That’s the greatest example of finding peace and unity.”

From professional athletes like LeBron James speaking out about racial injustices to Marquette athletes posting on social media, it is clear athletes are no different than anyone else when it comes to advocating for what they believe in.

“Athletes are people and when there are human rights issues out there that speak to their heart, they should be able to stand for what they believe in,” men’s basketball head coach Steve Wojciechowski

said. “They want to be agents of change for the better. The one difference is that our guys have a bigger platform. … They can give a voice to people that maybe don’t have the platform that they have.”

Men’s lacrosse head coach Andrew Stimmel commended Marquette athletes for the way they have utilized their voices.

“Our athletes have done an incredible job using their platform to just be able to make their voice heard on how they feel about these social justice issues,” Stimmel said. “I’ve been inspired by our guys and their leadership, and really by all of our student-athletes to stand up when they witness an injustice.”

Though athletes are the ones expected to perform on the field or court, the number on their jersey is not all they want to be recognized for.

“As an athlete, we don’t want to be just known as an athlete,” men’s basketball sophomore guard Symir Torrence said. “We want to be known for other things, such as (raising awareness about social injustices), so that’s why we’re using our platform to speak up.”

Given athletes’ standing and following in the community, they are often looked at as role models.

“Athletes get put in this leadership role whether we like it or not,” women’s basketball redshirt senior forward Lauren Van Kleunen said.

“You want to do as much as you can, on and off the court. … We know now at the college level we can do the same thing (as the pros) and most likely have the same impact, if not more.”

Torrence said the impact starts from the younger generations. Since Marquette athletes can reach younger followers, they can show the power of voicing their opinions.

“We do have privilege and with that privilege comes power to speak up for things that aren’t OK,” women’s volleyball senior middle blocker Elizabeth Orf said. “Four or five years ago, if you supported those (issues), people were more likely to frown upon you. … Now supporting (the) Black Lives Matter movement and kneeling for the anthem are more acceptable.”

Due to collegiate athletes becoming more vocal, there is a possibility that boycotting games — like how the Bucks refused to come out of the locker room for Game 5 against the Magic following the Blake shooting — could funnel down to the NCAA. Duffy said she cannot predict the future, Stimmel said only time will tell if boycotting trickles down to the collegiate level and Wojciechowski believes it is in the realm of possibility.

“We all lived through the Jacob Blake incident in Kenosha and it hit particularly close to home for everybody in the state of Wisconsin,” Wojciechowski said. “Whether you’re a professional athlete or a college athlete, it’s no different. It impacts you. … If an incident happens, you could see (boycotting) at the college level.”

Instigating change should not only come from having to boycott college games, though.

“With all the chaos that 2020’s brought us, I hope that’s not needed,” men’s basketball senior forward

Theo John said. “But I know a large group of us are ready to do what we see necessary to, if we need to, spark another progressive movement.”

However, fighting social injustices is greater than sports.

“At times basketball seems so big, but it’s a small part of things going on in the real world,” Van Kleunen said. “If (boycotting) is what we need to do to continue to make change, then that’s what we’re going to do.”

Part of that change includes educating people about these injustices.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has been doing a lot to inform the athletic department about social justice and equity, which includes creating educational initiatives. “(We want to make) sure that our student athletes feel supported and respected by not only our peers and other student-athletes, but also by our staff,” women’s soccer senior forward Maggie Lena said.

Nowadays, social media is extremely powerful. Duffy said the conversations among her team include how to use social media in a positive light. She said studentathletes’ use of social media always used to be how student-athletes and coaches can brand themselves and the university, but now it’s more about understanding how your opinions help or hurt a situation.

“It’s always been athletes seeing (speaking out) as a duty of theirs because they do have the platform and they do have the following,” women’s basketball sophomore guard Jordan King said. “Especially with professional athletes and the following that they have, it’s been

great for them to use their voice via social media. A lot of us college athletes have been able to follow along in their footsteps.”

Not only have Marquette athletes been active on social media, but Sept. 4 every team stood in unity by walking in the athletes march.

“Our role as student-athletes at Marquette is to try and positively affect change in our circle, whether that’s our family or our fan base,” men’s lacrosse redshirt sophomore midfielder Jordan Schmid said. “It is your role and responsibility to try to push the conversation forward.”

Wojciechowski said the claim some make about sports becoming more political is an overblown concept because in today’s society it is easier to politicize issues. The way he looks at it is that each player has individual life experiences that have created strong internal thoughts and feelings they want to stand up for.

“All the social injustice stuff that’s going on, it’s not necessarily a political issue. It’s a human rights issue,” Schmid said. “We put politics aside and we’re like, ‘This is something bigger than whether you’re a Democrat or Republican.’”

Van Kleunen said she hopes athletes speaking out for injustices and serving as role models will continue in the future.

“One of the greatest quotes is ‘This is not a moment, this is a movement,” Van Kleunen said.

“I don’t want this just to end after this year. Especially once I leave, I want to continue to have these conversations, continue to fight for what’s right.”

Photos courtesy of Marquette Athletics

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The Marquette Tribune

Golden Eagle

Black Lives Matter

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

BSC gives history of movement, Bailey illustrates how it’s bigger than sports

By Andrew Amouzou

“I talk to (my players and with feelings and emotions.

Men’s basketball senior for- love just as much as anybody in ward Theo John said the pan- this world. You want the best for say that) we can post on social Them being able to finally speak demic has played a role in your child and to think that just media and say all the things we up and to have a voice is more With the COVID-19 pan- spreading awareness to the real- because of the color of their skin want people to hear or perceive empowering for them.” demic, along with a number of ity of police brutality, systemic that they are at a disadvantage … us as, but it also comes down to Flowers said the athletes were other tragedies this year, many racism and other social not doing would conclude that 2020 is a injustices throughout the march year to forget. However, 2020 the country. because of has also been a year of monutheir stat“(COVID-19 and mental change due to the growth quarantine) ure on camwoke of the Black Lives Matter people up and took pus, they movement that stemmed from them out of their daily were doing civil unrest after the world wit- habits,” John said. “It it because nessed the murders of Ahmaud made them look at the of the realArbury, Breonna Taylor and world a little differity of beGeorge Floyd. ing a Black ently in my opinion.

Founded back in 2013, the A lot of people are person in Black Lives Matter movement more aware of what is the United was created as a result of the ac- going on.”

States. quittal of George Zimmerman, “When Head men’s golf who tracked down and killed coach Steve Bailey talking with Trayvon Martin after viewing said the postpone(Cameron him as a threat while he walked ment of sports earlier Taylor) home with a bottle of Arizona this year and the Jacob from the and Skittles from a nearby con- Blake shooting led to women’s venience store. Martin was only people reverting their (basketball) 17 years old. team, she attention to situations According to BlackLivesMat- that are simply bigger kept saying, ter.com, the movement “serves than sports.

‘I want this. as an ideological and political I am fight“It has gotten to Photo by Claire Gallagher claire.gallagher@marquette.edu intervention in a world where a point where folks ing for us,’” Marquette students march alongside athletes on a one-mile route Sept. 4 to combat social injustices. F l o w e r s Black lives are systematically have had enough, and and intentionally targeted for justifiably so,” Bailey said. “Basdemise.” The movement affirms said. “We put sports on a ped- It breaks my heart,” Bailey said. our heart and our actions,” Bai- ketball does not last forever. At the Black community’s “human- estal and I think it has opened “(I will) try to do everything I ley said. “I do not need to post the end of the day, they are still ity”, “contributions to society”, all of our eyes to know that this can to prepare him to be a man of something to let someone know going to be Black. They are goand “resilience in the face of is big enough to stop what we God and be the best man he can (about what I stand for). I want ing to be Black men and Black deadly oppression”. women, so they are fighting for think is at the highest level in be … A lot of that comes from my actions to speak.”

Men’s basketball sophomore our world.” the example I set for him and Ever since last summer, ath- themselves and their lives.” guard, Symir Torrence, spoke letes, students and organizations With athletes being a part of For Bailey, he is not only a those that are around us.” about how he initially had a successful coach at Marquette, With everything that Bai- have taken the necessary actions the Black Student Council’s sitsense of fear after hearing about but also the father of a Black ley has learned about creating to promote change on campus. ins and negotiations, Flowers the Trayvon A day after the Black understands how the Black Lives Martin case.

Student Council and Matter movement has brought “As a university adminis- more unity on and off campus. young, black tration signed a con“When we had our first sit-in, athlete, I was tract for improved the men’s and women’s (basscared to step policies and programs ketball) teams were there. They outside or for Black students, were standing behind us and even to be the athletes march next to us and we were like, pulled over took place.

‘Look at them. They are here, by the police S t u d e n t - a t h l e t e s , everyone here is hurt and brobecause I did students, faculty ken,’” Flowers said. “(John) was not want the and staff marched in our meeting with the adminsame thing through campus to istration working through what to happen to Valley Fields Sept. Marquette would agree on and me,” Torrence 4 to spread aware- he was very active during the said. “Knowness about the social meeting. That alone showed that ing that we injustices occur- he cared a lot.” are having ring throughout the As athletes, students, facBlack Lives country. Senior and ulty and staff come together in Matter movepresident of the Black solidarity, Flowers wants the ments around Student Council Bre- demonstrations and activism on the world (toanna Flowers said campus to not only be bigger day) … it is the athletes march than sports but to be bigger than a happy mois more of an indi- Marquette as well. ment seeing vidual event than a “It is not just that we did this people come Marquette event. for Marquette or we did this for together.”

“It means more to the students, no, we did this for Photo by Joceline Helmbreck joceline.helmbreck@marquette.edu A l t h o u g h MUBB players walk in the athletes march Sept. 4. It started at the AHPRC and ended at Valley Fields. the people who did the city. We wanted it to be for the moveit. When speaking with the city of Milwaukee,” Flowers ment has been (John) and Koby (McE- said. “These are kids that have around almost a decade, 2020 child. As a white man, Bai- change and being a role model wen) and seeing where their been overlooked and underfundhas been the movement’s most ley said the Black Lives Mat- for his son at home, he also em- hearts were, I knew it was for ed … If all lives matter, then prominent year since coronavi- ter movement has impacted phasizes to his team the impor- them and not for the university,” why do people feel the need to rus put sports, entertainment and him personally. tance of how one’s actions are Flowers said. “They get looked say Black Lives Matter?” other distractions on hold. at as just talent and not people “(My son) is somebody who I louder than their words. andrew.amouzou@marquette.edu

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Golden Eagle

Athletics promotes voting

The Marquette Tribune

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Student-Athlete Advisory Council helps register all MU teams

By John Leuzzi

john.leuzzi@marquette.edu

For many Marquette studentathletes, the 2020 presidential election will be the first time they can partake in voting for the next commander-in-chief.

However, for some older athletes like men’s basketball senior forward Theo John, it will be their second election that they are eligible to vote in, but the first one they will participate in.

“Last election I could have voted but at the time, I didn’t feel (it) was important. I look back at that (and) I’m like, ‘that was a selfish decision,’” John said. “I feel as an American citizen, especially as an African American, you look back through our history and people literally have given their lives for me to be able to go and do that.”

John said educating himself on why he should vote changed his mind.

“Our right to vote is kind of like our way to instill the change we feel (is) necessary. I know it’s difficult picking one good person to vote for but there’s a whole lot more on the ballot,” John said. “So much of that will influence how your day-to-day life is. Your voice matters and your voice needs to be heard.”

Kylie Sprecher, a senior forward on the women’s soccer team, seconded John’s thoughts on the importance of voting.

“I had just turned 18 at the end of October right before the last election,” Sprecher said. “I told myself that I was going to now become an active citizen and take part in such an important part of our democracy.

It was pretty empowering just to know that my voice was being heard.”

One of the main ways Marquette Athletics is trying to encourage voting registration is through the platforms of men’s and women’s basketball.

“It’s amazing how we’ve kind of partnered with men’s basketball on and off the court,” redshirt senior forward Lauren Van Kleunen said.

Van Kleunen said she started from “ground zero” in regards to voting, but has gotten involved to spread the message through talking with teammates, friends and family.

Redshirt senior guard Koby McEwen, who is unable to vote in the United States due to his Canadian

citizenship, said the men’s basketball team has been utilizing their social media presence to spread the message.

“I had a couple of people direct message me,” McEwen said. “If you keep putting it out there for people to see, they’ll eventually either want to gain more information, or they’re going to be like, ‘it’s time for me to go register to vote.’”

Another way studentathletes are spreading the message is through the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, including getting all of Marquette’s teams fully registered.

“We just want to make sure that we are doing everything in our power in order to encourage people to vote and show them how easy it is because there is a big misconception that it’s a lot more difficult,” women’s soccer junior defender and team SAAC representative Madison Burrier said. “We are trying to make it as easy as possible.”

Women’s soccer head coach Frank Pelaez said he has been

VOTE

encouraging his team to spread the message to students to get educated, rather than relying on peers.

Pelaez said having seniors Maggie Lena and Maddie Monticello in leadership roles on SAAC is a great asset to the team for conversations like this.

“We have so many of our players that want to be in different committees to educate themselves and educate the rest of the team,” Pelaez said. “I’ve been pretty blessed that all these young women are just so driven to make a difference when it comes to the social world.”

In addition to educating on the social world, men’s basketball associate head coach Dwayne Killings said it is a coach’s job to mentor athletes both on and off the playing surface.

“We’re here to mentor young men as basketball players but also as men, as students and hopefully as leaders in the world as they get outside of the Marquette walls,” Killings said.

“We’re having a lot of different conversations. So it is deep conversations, and then something as simple as wearing a T-shirt during practice that says ‘vote.’”

Killings said wearing a T-shirt encouraging people to vote is not about convincing a million people to go to the polls, but more so about inspiring

one or two.

“That’s also a huge win for our program,” Killings said. “We want to win games, but we also want to try to impact the community that we’re living in, that we’re competing in and the community that supports us in so many ways.”

Sprecher said it is great seeing her teammates and coaches step up and get involved in the hopes of making an impact on both the Milwaukee and Marquette community, as well as their home communities.

“Our team has done a really good job of keeping an open line of communication and feeling comfortable talking to one another about some things that might be controversial,” Sprecher said.

Lena, who is the vice president of Diversity and Inclusion of SAAC, said registering to vote is just the first step to making concrete change, but is a good start.

“It’s only the beginning,” Lena said. “It’s about time that people are kind of seeing this issue and making pushing actions and facilitating these initiatives to get people registered, to educate people, to push this movement of quality and justice. I’m very happy and grateful that I got to be a part of this.”

Coaches for Action Killings, Gainey part of new BIG EAST organization

By Sam Arco

samuel.arco@marquette.edu

Marquette men’s basketball associate head coaches Dwayne Killings and Justin Gainey became part of a new BIG EAST organization, Coaches For Action.

Coaches For Action is an organization founded by 21 Black assistant coaches throughout the BIG EAST. Their mission is to educate and bring awareness to social injustices by using their social media platform to advocate for change.

Due to the ongoing acts of social injustice around the country, such as the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, many organizations like CFA are calling for change in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Killings and Gainey represent Marquette University and the Milwaukee community as members of the organization. Their roles include helping eliminate discrimination against people of color by spreading their message along.

“Our group got started and motivated by what was going on in

the country and we all had extra time digesting and seeing what’s going on around the world, so we just wanted to do more,” Killings said. “We got all the Black assistant coaches in our league together because we felt our conference is unique, but I believe our group is different when it comes to working together instead of competing against each other.”

The organization was founded this past summer, but CFA has already generated change in the BIG EAST Conference. Every BIG EAST basketball team will wear Black Lives Matter patches

on both home and away jerseys this upcoming season. CFA also has announced other goals they

plan on accomplishing, such as generating voting awareness and a scholarship fund. This scholarship fund plans on sending one Black male or female student the chance to attend one of the 11 BIG EAST institutions and expand their education.

“Our players have an unbelievable opportunity to compete in one of the best conferences in the country, but they also have an opportunity to get an education at these institutions,” Killings said. “It’s really important to give these same opportunities to others who typically wouldn’t get the chance.”

With school out of session and many coaches spending their days preparing for the upcoming season, many coaches believed it was the right time to make change.

“The timing to (join CFA) was just perfect, it couldn’t have happened at a better time to step in the action and do something,” Gainey said. “The George Floyd situation kind of brought the initiative ahead.

When Coach Killings called me that day and asked what my interest would be, I was completely on board.”

Even though CFA is run

by assistant coaches in the conference, many teams and players are also using their own platforms to spread a message of change. Men’s basketball players

such as senior forward Theo John, sophomore guard Symir Torrence and redshirt senior guard Koby McEwen have all shown support for the Black Lives Matter movement through social media.

“Everyone is different and has their own individual way when it comes to speaking up about things like this,” Gainey said.

“The only wrong way is to not do anything at all or (to) not speak up when you see any injustice of any type, whether it’s of gender, of race, or religion.”

In a society that has many issues that will likely continue in the future, CFA was created on the belief that communities can be improved for current and future generations by building off the experiences people are going through today.

“We owe it to those kids because for me, I have two young kids, and I don’t want them to look back and say, ‘hey Dad, what did you do back at that time in the world?’ and I say nothing,” Killings said. “In terms of our players, we owe it to them in our commitment to help them as young men, students and athletes.”

As for what is next, the organization is looking to keep spreading their message, bring awareness to social injustices and fighting for what they believe in.

“We have to just keep pushing and keep going,” Gainey said.

“A lot has been accomplished already, such as taking down statues and the reteaching of history classes in elementary and middle schools. Overall, a lot of great things have come out of it so far, but it’s got to be a movement, and not a moment.”

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The Marquette Tribune

Golden Eagle

Reactions to Jacob Blake

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Maddie Monticello discusses impact of Kenosha shooting

By Jackson Gross

jackson.gross@marquette.edu

While it has almost been two months since the shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the emotional response to the incident is still lingering.

Police were called about a domestic situation and according to multiple official sources, the female caller referred to Blake as her “boyfriend”, said he was not permitted to be on the premises and that he’d taken her car keys and was refusing to give them back. Blake was shot seven times by Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey while trying to enter the vehicle. Protests erupted in Kenosha, with some turning violent, in one instance where two protesters were killed

by Kyle Rittenhouse.

The shooting has impacted many people around Marquette University’s campus, including those involved with Marquette Athletics, so much so that Sept. 4 Marquette athletes organized a protest in response to

the shooting.

Marquette men’s basketball senior forward Theo John and Marquette women’s soccer senior defender Maddie Monticello spoke at the march and gave their reactions to the shooting in interviews following the march.

“I can’t speak for the whole team, but me personally, I was shocked, but not surprised, and as much as that hurts to say, it’s the truth,” John said.

For Monticello, she had to put her phone down due to the shock of the shooting when she heard about it.

“I was speechless that night that it happened,” Monticello said. “I was actually driving through Kenosha, coming back from Chicago to school, and I got back to my apartment and my friends asked, ‘did you hear?’ and we started talking about it, (and) I had to put my phone down because I was just appalled by it.”

This police shooting and the protest in early September inspired John to do what he could

to help change the world he lives in.

“It’s just a constant reminder that no matter where you go, you live in America, and you live through it,” John said. “It’s something that motivates me personally … to do what I can to change it while I can.” John said.

This also has motivated Monticello to learn and understand what her Black peers go through on a daily basis.

“I’ve actually reached out to a lot of people who are Black and I said, ‘I don’t know (what it’s like), I just want to listen and learn from you, but I also don’t want to put this on you to teach me,’” Monticello said.

Monticello found that for teammates and herself, educating themselves is the most important thing to do in order to understand the social justice dilemmas throughout the United States.

“We are a predominantly white team, so we have to take the approach of what can we learn about the situation that’s been

happening in the world over all these years and educate ourselves to better ourselves for the future,” Monticello said.

Monticello also said reading articles, watching documentaries and reading books are helpful to learn more about the topic. She even suggests reading “White Fragility,” a 2018 novel

by Robin DiAngelo. The book discusses why it is difficult for white people to talk about racism, which makes it very informational to readers.

Monticello said that when you read those books and watch documentaries you need to ‘make sure you back it up,’ when acting on that information.

Marquette men’s basketball sophomore guard Symir Torrence said he also thinks there need to be a conversation about the issue of race in America.

Torrence himself has had this conversation with people ranging from old friends in his hometown to the administration at Marquette.

“I had a lot of older friends and

Moving forward

younger friends that I haven’t spoken to in a while and they just want to have the conversation ... (about) what is going on in the world,” Torrence said. “Just having that conversation around the campus, just talking to different people, talking with our administrators, talking with our president, and just finding ways (of) how we can create change.”

Monticello herself has taken action on what she has learned, pushing her teammates to register to vote by Oct. 30 and for them to vote.

“That’s your duty as an American citizen. So, following through with that is also crucial,” Monticello said. “I’ve been reaching out to my team weekly to say, ‘hey, we are at 90% voting registration.’ I challenge us to get to 100 (percent) and ... then I can text someone and say ‘do you want help figuring out how to vote? Let me sit down and talk you through this,’ so it’s like I have that advantage ... being able to reach out and make this change.”

Lena, Torrence explain where to go from here

By Nick Galle

nicholas.galle@marquette.edu

“If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl, but by all means, keep moving.”

After protests, sit-ins and movements across the nation to fight social injustice and inequality, these words, once spoken by Martin Luther King Jr., still ring true today.

For coaches and athletes at Marquette, they realize the fight for equality still has a long way to go.

Athletes and coaches have been extremely vocal on campus and social media about social injustices in today’s society. A march was organized by athletes Sept.

4, which started on campus and went down to Valley Fields, protesting these social inequalities.

While a lot of work has already been done to bring these issues to light, the question that still remains is: Where does the community go from here?

Marquette women’s soccer senior forward Maggie Lena said becoming more informed is the first step of continuing an upward trend in the right direction.

“It starts with educating yourself,” Lena said. “Actively

searching for information … is the first one (step to improving), and that’s for everyone across the board.”

Lena said people should become educated about current legislation going through the political system, current social injustice situations, racial terms like code-switching (alternating between two or more forms of language during a conversation) and the history of social injustice in the United States.

Men’s basketball sophomore guard Symir Torrence said in addition to being educated, having the hard conversations is an

important part of spurring change.

“The biggest thing is just keep having a conversation,” Torrence said. “We want change to happen and for change to happen we have to keep remembering what happened in the past, so we have to keep having the conversations, keep trying to involve people, keep trying to educate members about the movement and we go from there.”

Men’s basketball associate head coach Dwayne Killings said it was easier to have these types of conversations in the summer because players did not have to worry about competition. Now

that the season is right around the corner, Killings said there is a duty to continue to make an impact, because society is going to keep going, and as young Black men, players will still face challenges.

“In terms of the Milwaukee community and the Marquette community, we have to have try to impact people the best we can every single day,” Killings said.

Killings, along with fellow associate head coach Justin Gainey, is a member of Coaches for Action, an organization composed of 21 BIG EAST assistant coaches.

Coaches for Action uses their

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Both Marquette men’s and women’s basketball players stand in unity on the Al McGuire court Aug. 27.

platform to educate and bring awareness to social injustices.

Marquette men’s basketball head coach Steve Wojciechowski showed his support for the organization in an Instagram post. He has used his platform to speak out against examples of inequality. In order to improve society for the better, Wojciechowski had a simple, yet strong message to move the community forward.

“It starts with kindness and understanding,” Wojciechowski said. “Things are hard, and we have to give one another grace, and kindness and support, and I think it starts there. … We have to look for ways to be kind to one another.”

Incorporating that idea of kindness, men’s basketball senior forward Theo John said there needs to be a constructive dialogue between everyone in society, even those who might not see eye to eye.

“People just need to sit down and talk with people who they disagree with, not just yell and hate,” John said. “Yell(ing) and hate (is) just gonna boil over. If you actually sit down and talk to somebody and at the end of that conversation you still hate them, then at least you can both have that mutual understanding.”