The Marquette Tribune | February 2, 2021

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Cases reach 1,000 Community speaks out COVID-19 surges through early fall, holiday season

By Claire Driscol

claire.driscol@marquette.edu

Photo by Isabel Bonebrake isabel.bonebrake@marquette.edu

After 39 positions were eliminated Jan. 22, faculty, staff and students protested in front of Zilber Hall Jan. 27.

Marquette University, staff members stood outside Zilber Hall in freezing cold temperatures in solidarity with the 39 positions that were eliminated Jan. 21.

The group of 50 staff members was led by graduate student of

By Benjamin Wells philosophy Sarah Kizuk, who has benjamin.wells@marquette.edu been a vocal part of the movements on campus to ensure that Following the looming threat no staff member has to get fired as of positions being eliminated by a result of the financial shortfalls

Layoffs leave protestors frustrated with priorities

the university faces due to the pandemic.

“Many of these (laid off members) have been here for a decade, or more,” Kizuk said. “We demand that Marquette reinstate these employees, commit to firing no one else … and Marquette commits to a fair budgeting See COMMUNITY page 2

COVID-19 has now infected 1,028 individuals on Marquette’s campus since August.

Students reflect on the past semester with the hope that this number will not be going up this spring semester.

Mackenzie Lundin, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, said that Halloween was a catalyst for the surge in cases in early November.

“Everyone paid the price for that night,” Lundin said.

“It’s a common time for college students to go out, get dressed up, have fun with their friends and ultimately forget about COVID.” Brette Browne, a sophomore in the College of Education, agreed with Lundin. She was one of the many students who tested positive a fews days after the holiday.

“I think Halloween was a big factor in how I got so sick,” Brown said. “No one was socially distancing, and when you’re in a small space with twenty other people, the likelihood of you getting COVID goes up.”

Lundin also discussed the surge in cases in September.

This led to the quarantine of both Schroeder Hall Sept. 14 and Cobeen Hall Sept. 25.

Instead of quarantining in Schroeder, Lundin decided to go back to her home in Michigan for two weeks. She said the lockdown would have put her and others’ mental health at risk.

“A majority of the people I know in Schroeder — including myself — went home during lockdown because of mental health reasons,” Lundin said.

“Although it was an important step to contain the virus, limited exercise and fresh air can be detrimental for people.”

Patrick Cooney, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration and resident of Schroeder Hall, didn’t have the option of going home amid the lockdown in September, and fears it will happen again this semester.

“I went crazy being in my room for that long,” Cooney said. “I hope it never happens again, as exercising is a big part of my daily routine. We were only allowed to go outside for a short period of time, and that really got to me.”

Despite Cooney’s fear that cases will continue to rise like See CASES page 3

Marquette to receive financial stimulus money University to get more than $9 million in aid

By Megan Woolard

megan.woolard@marquette.edu

Marquette is set to receive $9.7 million in federal relief as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, university lead-

ership has struggled to be transparent about a number of issues, including recent layoffs, the Office of International Education and the university’s overall fiscal standing. Many faculty members and the greater Marquette community are concerned with how this stimulus money will be used and if faculty input will be taken into consideration.

Of the $9.7 million, apINDEX

MUU TV

COVID-19 TRACKER........................................3 MUPD REPORTS.............................................3 A&E..................................................................8 OPINIONS......................................................10 SPORTS..........................................................12

proximately $3.3 million is designated to go directly to students. But the other $6.4 million can be used for institutional relief. The initial Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act limited exactly what the institutional portion of the relief could be used for. Since then, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act has been passed.

NEWS

“I think the most important thing going forward is, how are faculty going to be included in decisions about how the university uses that institutional portion of the relief fund,” Philip Rocco, an assistant professor of political science, said.

The new act greatly increases the flexibility for the use of funding. Institutions can now use it to make up for expenses related

See MONEY page 4

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OPINIONS

Marquette plans virtual events throughout month of February

University eliminations leave staff, faculty, students behind

“COVID cheq list”

Black History Month

PAGE 5

PAGE 9

Faculty can now see if a student has done COVID cheq

to the COVID-19 pandemic, “including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff training and payroll.”

Many faculty are concerned that the administration has not been in proper consultation with faculty and faculty workgroups

Layoffs impact PAGE 10

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The Marquette Tribune

News

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

COMMUNITY: Group disappointed in MU Continued from page 1

among the demands the group of protesters had.

“One thing that we are all united here for … is the shared fight for the dignity of our work,” Kizuk said.

Brooke McArdle, a recent graduate who received two student conduct violations last semester, was also present at the protest in solidarity.

“It’s very frustrating because part of a Jesuit education is learning to discern and to listen,” McArdle said.

McArdle expressed her frustration that these layoffs directly affect a student’s experience by devaluing it, with bigger class sizes, meaningless personal connections with professors and a downgrade in education overall.

“We’re supposed to be valuing labor and the dignity of work over capital and that is not how the administration is going about this,” McArdle said.

Tony Peressini, assistant chair of the philosophy department, was also present at the protest.

The faculty member of 26 years expressed his frustrations with the situation.

“I was very close to one of the 39 (faculty) fired recently. (This) Photos by Isabel Bonebrake isabel.bonebrake@marquette.edu Community members expressed their concerns with the elimination of 39 positions. Some said it goes against the university’s mission. person had been at Marquette for 21 years,” Peressini said.

However, Peressini was not allowed to give a name or any other information due to the university’s nondisclosure agreement faculty and staff has to sign in order to keep certain benefits. He spoke extremely highly of the staff member, saying that their dedication to the philosophy department was extremely beneficial.

“This is the exact thing, Marquette, as an institution, should be against,” Peressini said.

In the past, Peressini received an award from the Center for Peacemaking for building into his introductory course the idea that labor always has to take place over capital, according to the Catholic social teachings.

“We’ve seen time and time again how (the layoffs) cannot be a principle of philosophy,” he said.

University President Michael Lovell wrote about the 39 positions being eliminated in an email and stated that the past year has been one of the most difficult years in Marquette’s history. But he still has hopes for an optimistic future.

“These difficult decisions were made with great care and discernment, and I thank each of our colleagues affected by this news for the contributions they’ve made to Marquette,” Lovell’s letter said.

“The provost will continue to work with deans and department process that is open and transpar- proved by members of the Mar- would be eliminated. personal protective equipment, chairs to align course demand with ent and includes all faculty and quette Board of Trustees every Besides ensuring no staff mem- hazard pay due to the pandemic non-tenure-track faculty levels.” all staff.”

December. This year, the approved ber’s position is eliminated, and keeping course loads to manThe fiscal year budget is ap- budget stated that 225 positions demands for better access to ageable amounts for teachers were

News

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

The Marquette Tribune

CASES: Dark landmark reached Continued from from page 1 last semester, he also realizes part of this process is inevitable.

“I hope a dorm lockdown never happens again, but we are also with hundreds of kids we can’t control,” Cooney said. “The shutdown in Schroeder might have changed students’ behavior right after it, but after a few weeks passed things went back to the way they were before.”

Browne also remains fearful that cases will continue to

surge this semester, as National Marquette Day could potentially lead to another shutdown.

“It’s clear holidays are a large factor in the increase of cases on campus, and National Marquette Day is no exception to this rule,” Brown said. “I want to say students have learned their lesson, but in the moment, many forget about the consequences their actions could bring.”

Looking back on last semester, Lundin agreed with Brown in regard to students’ lack of caution.

“Despite the inconvenience

it is to check your temperature every day, clean your mask and socially distance, these are crucial things that I know a majority of students weren’t doing last semester.” Lundin said.

However, Lundin is optimistic that this upcoming semester will be different due to the university’s enactment of surveillance testing.

“I’m confident mandatory COVID testing will be a big factor in driving cases down,” Lundin said. “I knew people who suspected that they might be sick

but didn’t want to get sent into quarantine, so this will do a good job at mitigating that.”

Lundin is also confident that with the vaccine rolling out, cases will begin to drop.

“A lot of the older nursing students I know are able to get the vaccine who are working in clinicals,” Lundin said. “When you think about it, nursing students are a large group on campus, so getting us vaccinated will limit exposure and ultimately benefit the Marquette community at large.”

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The Marquette Tribune EDITORIAL Executive Director of Marquette Wire Natallie St. Onge (414) 288-1739 Managing Editor of Marquette Tribune Annie Mattea NEWS News Editor Benjamin Wells Assistant Editors Alexa Jurado, Megan Woolard Reporters Natalija Mileusnic, Charlie Pineda, Julia Abuzzahab, Claire Driscol, Karsyn Hartfield 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 Quinn Faeth, Ryan Lynch, Ariana Madson, Tommy Shaffer 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, Matt Yeazel, Matthew Valente, Jack Lewandowski 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 Helmbreck, Isabel Bonebrake ----

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The cumulative total of COVID-19 cases has reached 1,028. Cases rose last semester throughout September and after Halloween.

COVID-19 TRACKER

MUPD REPORTS JANUARY 27 A subject unaffiliated with MU had their secured and unattended vehicle damaged in the 900 block of N. 15th Street.

An MU student admitted to smoking marijuana in Cobeen Hall. MUPD confiscated other drug paraphernalia that the student was in possession of.

JANUARY 29

FEBRUARY 1

A subject not affiliated with MU was cited for loitering in front of a business on the 1600 block of W. Wisconsin Ave.

Four underage MU students were cited after attending a party in the 2000 block of W. Wisconsin Avenue. The

party was in violation of alcohol laws and capacity limits due to COVID-19.

A subject unaffiliated with MU implied that he had a weapon in a business on the 2300 block of W. Wisconsin Ave. The subject left before MUPD arrived.

CUMULATIVE CASES - MARQUETTE 1,028 NEW CASES - 1/24 - 1/31 28 CUMULATIVE CASES - MILWAUKEE 94,743 SEVEN DAY AVERAGE - WEEK OF 1/27 291

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News

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

MONEY: Federal funds provide cushion Continued from from page 1 in the past about university decisions. An example of this is the recent elimination of 39 employees as a result of budget issues within the university.

“The faculty workgroups that were supposed to have some kind of say in the way Marquette responded financially to this budget shortfall were not consulted about, and did not recommend, Marquette’s most significant action to-date to address that shortfall: firing 39 people,” Brittany Pladek, an assistant professor of English, said in an email.

Doug Smith, an assistant professor of practice and president of the university’s chapter of the Association of American University Professors, said he believes there was not sufficient communication from the university leadership.

“From AAUP’s perspective there really wasn’t notice to the Academic Senate or the broader faculty community about those layoffs that involved the academic programs,” Smith said.

Another example of the university’s lack of consultation with faculty comes from the the Office of International Education. The Office of International Education has gone through significant downsizing. Yet, in a Jan. 27 news release the university reaffirmed their commitment to international education.

“They were at 16 (employees) last summer, they’re at eight today. That would suggest perhaps there’s not a commitment, which is why the university leadership felt the need to come out and say we affirm our commitment,” Smith said.

Just like the faculty layoffs,

AAUP believes that there was not enough consultation with faculty members about the changes within the Office of International Education.

“AAUP suggests or wants consultation in the process of downsizing, or rightsizing those kinds of offices. Because the Office of International Education is definitely tied to a lot of academic programs, AAUP, or shared governance, suggests that we should have a role or a voice, or at least consultation before they cut an office like that in half,” Kirsten Foster, an associate professor of history, said.

While the faculty workgroups

been a disconnect between them and the university leadership.

“Typically, in the best case scenario, there is a process in place where there is a designated group of faculty who are consulted about the final decisions that are made by the executive leadership team and there is some accountability there when your recommendations depart from those of the faculty,” Sameena Mulla, an associate professor of social and cultural sciences, said.

When it comes to the stimulus funds, faculty are concerned with how the university will take faculty input and recommendations into account.

AAUP recognizes as constituting meaningful shared governance,” Mulla said.

The university hasn’t been in proper contact or consultation with faculty or the greater Marquette community about the faculty layoffs, the Office of International Education or the university’s overall fiscal standing.

With the recent fiscal year 2022 budget there wasn’t much or any consultation with faculty about the university’s financial shortfalls.

“There are lots of aspects of this process that we believe should have been disclosed to the Academic Senate for their

includes how much of the budget reductions should be taken from academic programs and how much should be taken from nonacademic programs,” Smith said.

There has also been a lot of miscommunication about the $40 million shortfall that the budget shows and what exactly the university is attributing that shortfall to. In the Jan. 25 Academic Senate meeting, Provost Kimo Ah Yun declined to say that the budget shortfall was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But in a Jan. 28 news release, the university said that “Marquette has experienced over $40 million of pandemic-driven financial losses from lower enrollment, increased financial aid, health and safety costs, de-densification of residence halls and lost athletics revenues.”

Smith said shared governance can help faculty and the greater Marquette community understand the university’s standing and how to adjust for the future.

“It’s really hard to know what the actual numbers are because we don’t always get the full information,” Smith said. “Giving the opportunity for input or feedback and telling us what they’re doing which sometimes lets people avoid having to answer tough questions, like exactly what they are attributing the cause to, which helps to decide whether this is a short-term or long-term problem.”

The university has not been in proper consultation with faculty in the past. There’s still a lot of Photo by Claire Gallagher claire.gallagher@marquette.edu Marquette is receiving $9.7 million in aid. Of that aid, approximately $3.3 million is designated for students. questions surrounding if and how the university will take into account faculty recommendations and the university Academic “There’s been kind of a tradi- consultation and advice. That on how to use the stimulus funds.

Senate make recommendations, tion of one-way communication includes the timeline for making not final decisions, there has still and not true consultation that the decisions about the budget, that

Shared governance remains a concern Professors publish op-ed urging for transparency

By Natalija Muensnic

natalija.muensnic@marquette.edu

An op-ed was published in Urban Milwaukee Jan. 5 in regard to Marquette’s American Association of University Professors calling for a shared alliance within the Marquette Academic Senate, which deals with budget cuts for COVID-19.

“Put simply, shared governance is the principle that, at an institution of higher learning where the ”products” generated are new knowledge and credentialed students, the responsibility of governance is shared between the administrators and the

individuals who generate the “products,” i.e. the faculty,” The op-ed stated. “Shared governance is crucial to a university’s ability to credential its students.”

Lynn Griffith, senior director of university communication, explained what shared governance is since Marquette has been a part of it since 2007.

“It provides opportunities for participation and input from faculty, staff, students and administrators,” Griffith said in an email. “It takes place throughout various levels – department, college, school and university-wide – through boards, committees, councils, workstreams and other bodies that help inform decisions and directions that affect the mission of the university.”

Gerry Canavan, associate professor of English, said that without shared governance university ad-

ministration can impose conditions for research and teaching on faculty that do not support the “pursuit and transmission of knowledge.” “(These conditions) make the multipronged work of being a professor difficult or impossible, which would ultimately hurt Marquette and its reputation as a university and diminish the student experience,” Canavan said in an email.

Canavan explained that the op-ed in Urban Milwaukee was to inform others about Marquette’s budget cuts and how it might hinder the university experience.

“Our op-ed was intended to explain what shared governance means, and explain why it is important,” Canavan said in an email. “The AAUP sees what is happening at Marquette as a disagreement among people of good intentions working in good faith to solve a shared problem; we

believe the best solution will be the one we develop together, rather than one pushed from the top down.”

The op-ed was originally published in Urban Milwaukee to propose a shared governance resolution of AAUP to the Academic Senate.

“Marquette has been going through an economic planning process that addresses a number of issues, but primarily addresses budget reductions,” Doug Smith, director of International Business Studies Program and president of AAUP, said.

Many of these issues have been brought up at a multitude of facultyrun protests on Marquette’s campus, in opposition of budget cuts and in the favor of shared governance.

Griffith mentioned the impact that the shared governance has had on Marquette’s campus.

“We mobilized an unprecedented collaboration across campus that

included nearly 100 faculty and staff across eight key workstreams,” Griffith said in an email. “These faculty and staff worked together to identify opportunities for addressing long-term economic challenges at Marquette, with a view of upholding and advancing our mission.”

Additionally, the op-ed mentions its goal in regard to final decisions being made at Marquette.

“We and other colleagues have called for a real process of shared governance at Marquette University because university leadership, in their haste to address what they describe as an unprecedented budget crisis, have bypassed widelyaccepted principles of shared governance and attempted to place control of Marquette’s academic program offerings in the hands of just a few administrators,” the op-ed said.

News

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

COVID Cheq changes Faculty able to see if students fill out daily symptom tracker

By Benjamin Wells

benjamin.wells@marquette.edu

In order to help students with testing, symptoms and contact tracing, Marquette introduced COVID Cheq to the student body last semester. This system allows students to enter their symptoms into a web browser that will then allow them access to campus buildings, or information to go get tested on campus.

Since the university started the 2020-2021 school year, over 1,000 total COVID-19 cases have been reported at Marquette University.

“I feel like the COVID Cheq system had good intentions but I don’t think it was utilized appropriately,” Komal Khatari, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences, said. “At first I would make sure to take my temperature every morning, but eventually I found myself quickly doing it in the dining hall for breakfast. It became muscle memory.”

But this semester, a new feature has been rolled in for staff: A class list feature that allows faculty to check who has and has not done their COVID Cheq.

“The class lists report allows

an instructor to verify quickly whether students have completed COVID Cheq,” John Su, vice provost for academic affairs, said. “All of the same information in the report was available to instructors last semester but it was more cumbersome and timeconsuming to access.”

The reporting function does not allow faculty to see certain students’ results of their COVID Cheq, but only whether or not they have completed it, according to Marquette’s information site on the new feature. The report also refreshes every 20 minutes, to ensure all results are up to date.

Su said last semester, faculty were asking for a “less cumbersome way” to verify that a student had done their mandatory screening. At the time, the only way was to show the actual results in person.

“It provides one more way to remind everyone of the importance of completing COVID Cheq daily as part of our institutional risk mitigation efforts,” Su said.

Although this new feature doesn’t systematically change anything for students, Su said there is still a large emphasis to continue the daily screening and that the Marquette community is in this together as “we navigate through this next stage of the pandemic.”

Another change that COVID

Cheq will have is that it will now notify students who have been selected for weekly surveillance testing and whether or not the university is on a high alert level.

“It serves as that sort of communication tool,” Laurie Panella, chief officer of information, said.

As of now, the university remains at a moderate alert level, as compared to last year when the university was put on a high alert level going into the end of the semester. The university changed to a moderate alert level when the spring semester started.

“The original intent (for the class list) was to take something that could be time-consuming for staff and faculty members ... and really simplify it and give them something else that is quick and easy so they can check it before class,” Panella said.

The checklist feature is available for staff members and faculty through a hyperlink on D2L for access to viewing.

Overall, COVID Cheq will still serve the same purpose as last year, allowing students to get more information about COVID-19 on campus, testing options and a transparent relationship with the university about symptoms and contacts in order to help mitigate the spread.

Photo by Joceline Helmbreck joceline.helmbreck@marquette.edu

Marquette professors are now able to see if students have completed their COVID Cheq survey.

The Marquette Tribune

5

Class of 2021 commencement moves online Seniors disappointed in lack of ceremony

By Alexa Jurado

alexa.jurado@marquette.edu

After consulting with local and national medical experts, Provost Kimo Ah Yun announced that all 2021 commencement events will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A large virtual commencement will take place May 23, 2021.

“We wanted to let you and your families know as early as possible so you can plan accordingly,” Ah Yun said in a Jan. 28 news release.

“We will continue to monitor public health orders and consult health experts to determine if there is an opportunity to safely stage a hybrid event and will share more details this spring if that becomes a possibility.”

Ah Yun said that each college and school is also working to adapt its own ceremonies and traditions.

More details will be shared in early spring.

“Please accept our best wishes for a healthy and memorable final semester at Marquette,” Ah Yun said. “We recognize and share the pride that you and your families rightfully feel, as well as the hard work and the sacrifices that each of you continue to make in the pursuit of your education and professional goals.”

A virtual commencement is far from what seniors were expecting to celebrate the culmination of their time at Marquette.

Sarah Collins, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said her dad never graduated from college. When she heard that the ceremony would be virtual, she said she immediately felt bad for her dad. He never got

“

to see her brother, a 2020 graduate, walk the stage last year.

Now, he won’t be able to see her walk either.

“I know he was super excited to see me and my brother graduate,” Collins said. “Just seeing my dad’s pride ... I really, really hope they change it.”

Seniors expressed their dismay for the university’s decision.

“When I first heard, I was sad because obviously they had virtual commencement last year,” Bailey Birenbaum, a senior in the College of Nursing, said.

“We thought that Marquette would have had enough time to figure out a way to celebrate our graduation and our accomplishments in person. ... I was upset.”

Collins said she knew there would be an option for a virtual graduation for those who might not be comfortable with an actual event, but hoped there would be a socially-distanced option as well. She mentioned the vaccines being released.

“I figured maybe they would’ve talked ... to figure out how to make it safe,” KIMO AH YUN Collins said.

Birenbaum Provost said that while students are socially distanced in class, it is not always possible when walking to and from campus, but everyone still wears masks.

“I don’t know how there would be a difference if we were socially distanced (and wearing) masks at graduation,” Birenbaum said.

Despite the potential for a hybrid experience, Collins said she believes they will just give up on the idea, especially since the virtual ceremony is likely saving the university money.

We wanted to let you and your families know as early as possible so you can plan accordingly. We will continue to monitor public health orders and consult health experts,”

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News

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Prayer held for Martin Luther King day Themes focus on racial justice, inclusion on campus

By Rashad Alexander

rashad.alexander@marquette.edu

Despite the day that honors the life and legacy of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. being several days prior to spring semester, Marquette still showed respect to the late activist by having a virtual prayer Jan. 28. According to the university, participants were allowed to reflect on the words of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders.

With the topic of race becoming more prevalent in our country than ever before, the five-year tradition of the Martin Luther King

Jr. prayer has a different feel to it than in previous years. William Welburn, vice president of inclusive excellence at Marquette, said the focus for this year’s prayer service is different than normal.

“This year the script really focuses in on racial justice,” Welburn said. “We hope that the script, which has been meticulously curated, will inspire those who read and those who listen. This is a critical year for understanding.”

Welburn’s role on campus is to help with diversity and inclusion within the Marquette community. And while he said he tries his hardest to promote change on campus, he knows it is not the easiest process.

“I work with anyone in the university community who has a commitment to change. Some-

times things work out. Sometimes they don’t. But at least we try,” Welburn said.

However, Welburn said he has goals for this semester as far as having more inclusion on the Marquette campus.

“We will roll out the muchawaited results of last year’s climate survey, solicit input from across the community and propose a set of recommendations to the university community.

This is the strategy used in 2015 and we accomplished much of what we hoped to see happen,” Welburn said.

Myles Buchanan, event coordinator for Marquette’s Black Student Council, has seen some of the changes the university has made in regard to making students of color more comfortable on campus.

“I have seen a change within the campus community when it comes to the way Black students are treated,” Buchanan said. “I now feel like we are being noticed and acknowledged more than before I left.”

Last semester, the Black Student Council led a sit-in at Zilber Hall in protest of the employment cuts at Marquette and to fight against the racism that has occurred on campus. While the university is trying to make a change on the campus, Buchanan believes students can help make a difference as well.

“What the students can do is just treat everyone the way they want to be treated. That’s honestly the most simplest thing but makes the biggest impact. As well as being an advocate for (Black Lives Matter), which is just more than

posting it on your social media, it’s showing up to BSC events that advocate for it, and learning how they can be a part of the change that we are trying to make here at Marquette,” Buchanan said.

Change is something that we are all rooting for on the Marquette campus. Louis Jackson, a junior in the College of Communication, said he hopes the protests last summer calling for racial equality all over the world can educate students on campus.

“I hope the people on campus realize the racism that is going on within our world,” Jackson said.

“We all, of course, need to respect one another during times like this, but also educate one another.

Make others realize why certain things are happening and how we can try and make a difference.”

Individuals share thoughts on coming back to campus Some express uncertainity over pandemic learning

By Karsyn Hartfield

karsyn.hartfield@marquette.edu

Last semester Marquette’s campus was full of masked students and staff. But the university remained open and busy despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Many were unsure how long the first semester would last as schools across the nation racked up cases of COVID-19. It felt as though being sent home was a matter of “when,” not “if.”

Despite the growing case numbers, the school remained open and the Marquette community survived the first semester. Then students headed home for break. The question lingered: Would students be coming back?

Now that second semester has arrived. Masks and social distancing are still in place, but the university is working to welcome everyone back. Many students have mixed emotions.

“I’m not thrilled to have COVID around still, but I’m thankful Marquette is taking measures to keep us safe and allowing us on campus,” Francesca Young, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences, said. Young said the online class experience has been a little disappointing.

However, despite the frustration, she knows she’s making the best of her experience.

“I’ve still been able to see friends and go to work and

school,” Young said.

Returning staff and students are still getting used to online learning and COVID-19 protocols.

Mya Coene, a junior in the College of Education, returned to campus for another semester, but still misses normal college life.

“It has been a challenge to learn to study in my room often.

I’ve loved studying in coffee shops and the library with my classmates and friends, but with social distancing measures, there is much less seating in public study areas, and it is difficult to have more discussions,” Coene

said. “Also, being virtual allows people the chance to be almost completely anonymous to their classmates and professors for the entire semester. This causes less connections between students and teachers.”

Even without these experiences, Coene said she is happy to return to campus this semester and feels Marquette has been working to follow proper precautions.

“I feel that Marquette believes that they handled the COVID protocols in the best way they can. With the introduction of randomized testing and continuation of social distancing

and masks, Marquette has hope that these measures will keep COVID cases to a minimum,” Coene said.

Mark Wisniewski, assistant professor of English, taught from his home last semester and said he will continue to stay off campus during the second semester. Wisniewski said he recognizes the difficulties of learning and teaching with COVID-19. He is choosing to stay home until he is vaccinated but said he is glad the second semester is continuing in person, as it allows students the “face-toface” interactions they want.

“I’m prepared as I can be right

now,” Wisniewski said, of the second semester.

Even with the difficulties of online teaching, Wisniewski said he is getting used to the new formatting and has adjusted to online teaching. There are even some things he says he will keep doing once he begins teaching in person again, including online office hours and checking in on students’ mental health, to name a couple. Overall, Wisniewski said he hopes this semester can feel “more normal for students.”

“We’re going to get through this. We’re going to get through this together,” Wisniewski said.

Photo by Joceline Helmbreck joceline.helmbreck@marquette.edu

Students are still adjusting to classes being primarily or partially online, even as the spring semester begins. Some said it is still difficult.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Professor uses TikTok in class environment

assistance with learning the content and creating our own Tik Toks because he gave various real world examples of the concepts covered in the class and even made a Tik Tok of his own in order to help students be more innovative, creative and specific with the assignment,”

By Natalija Mileusnic Rockett said in an email. natalija.mileusnic@marquette.edu Howard explained why he made the students create their Millions of users worldwide own TikToks.

“This gives students an opportuhave the app TikTok downloaded, which has content from all genres. nity to be producers of knowledge Relatable videos with, or without themselves, unlike taking an exam text can be made that are three sec- which can be very passive sometimes,” Howard said. “Using someonds to a minute long.

Simon Howard, professor of thing like TikTok when you have psychology, has used TikTok in his students create, or produce their classroom previously and admitted own content, it can lead to a much that the first lockdown in Wiscon- deeper level of learning.”

Soltes explained how the feedsin inspired him to do so.

“During the lockdown, I thought back from students was positive.

“The students’ Tik Toks made the about what assignments I would like to do if I was a student tak- concepts easier to remember and ing my class,” Howard said. “Ad- helped foster collaboration withditionally, if I had assigned a Tik- in the groups,” Soltes said in an Tok assignment for class, I would email. “I think a lot of the students feel justified downloading TikToK preferred this method of learning, app for the quarantine rap I wanted as we were given creative freedom with minor guideto post” lines to follow.”

Additionally, Howard said he Howard wantnoticed a differed a new way ence in the stuto present condents’ ability to tent to students be more engaged since classes with the content were online. presented in class.

“Now that “A majority of we are on this the students reonline forally enjoyed the mat, I thought assignment and ‘what could they had fun doing I do to keep it,” Howard said. people tied “They were much in,’” Howard more engaged and said. “Also, I took a more acwanted to find DANI ROCKETT tive role in their a way in which Junior in the College of learning compeople are goHealth Sciences pared to other asing to be able signments.” to interact with Rockett explained how she thinks one another.”

Charlene Soltes, a junior in the more professors should include the College of Health Sciences, said app in their classroom.

“It allows students to be creative that the assignment given to the students placed in groups was to and use a very popular social media create content for one another, in platform for educational purposes. which each group would demon- Tik Tok could offer more opporstrate their knowledge of social tunity for students to remember information from the class, rather theories discussed in class.

“The videos were humorous, than the traditional learning/teachcreative, and relatable,” Soltes ing approaches,” Rockett said in said in an email. “I think the re- an email.

Howard said that the feedback latability of the videos effectively demonstrated just how common- from Marquette faculty has been place social psychology is in our all positive. “The people that have contacted me have only given me everyday lives.”

Dani Rockett, a junior in the Col- positive feedback,” Howard said. lege of Health Sciences, said that “They have talked about how innothe TikToks that the students cre- vative the assignment is and have asked me for permission if they can ated enhanced her learning.

“Dr. Howard’s powerpoints use the assignment in the classes and discussions served as great that they teach.

Students make videos to explain psychology concepts

“

It allows students to be creative and use a very popular social media platform for educational purposes,”

News

The Marquette Tribune

7

Film fellowships return Aspiring filmmakers will be chosen in spring 2021

By Julia Abuzzahab

julia.abuzzahab@marquette.edu

For the past two years Marquette has offered film fellowships to the Milwaukee community. But due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the spring of 2020, the film fellowships could not be offered. This year, the fellowships are scheduled to continue.

Marquette has previously offered two fellowships, the Social Justice Fellowship and the New Voices Fellowship. These fellowships are meant for those wanting to advance their filmmaking career.

Although Professor Kris Holodak, assistant professor of digital media and performing arts is in charge of these fellowships, she does not have a formal title.

Fellowships are chosen in the spring of 2021, and the committee picks two fellows, one from each category.

The projects for submission should be short, so the idea is that the fellows will make a short film in the calendar year of 2021.

“By creating these films, (we) will have an impact on the fellow’s professional filmmaking career,” Kris Holodak said.

The Social Justice Fellowship is meant to support a film based around a current social issue.

“The Social Justice Fellowship fits in really well with the

kind of Jesuit values of the university. Social issue filmmaking/ documentary is such a vibrant media right now, and it’s a way to support that work and really to advance and celebrate the these Jesuit values we have at Marquette,” Dinesh Sabu, assistant professor of digital media and performing arts, said.

The New Voices Fellowship is offered to those in underrepresented communities, and they are able to make their film tell whatever story they want.

“It can be any type of film because I am not in the position to tell a filmmaker what kind of film they have to make,” Holodak said. “For example, I am not going to tell a filmmaker of color what makes their film. They can make whatever film they want.”

Sabu also articulates how important the New Voices Fellowship is by expressing the lack of films produced by underrepresented communities.

“Often times, in at least documentaries, you’ll see films about certain communities — typically about colored communities, and the people behind the camera aren’t necessarily a part of those communities. It is a very exciting push to kind of correct this,” Sabu said.

Both Sabu and Holodak understand that these fellowships are an extremely important way to connect with our community, for Marquette is helping the Milwaukee community tell their stories through filmmaking.

“To find and support folks from communities telling stories, and telling stories with that perspective,” Sabu said. “It’s not

like we want stories about these communities. We want voices from these communities to tell us stories they think are relevant and are excited about.”

Not only do the professors involved with the fellows understand how important these fellowships are for Marquette, but so do Marquette students.

“People see Milwaukee as having a lot of potential for being a film city. We have never had a decent film scene, but with this studio, funds and some big names backing this venture, I can definitely see this turning into something that brings a lot more art/artists into our community,” Tino Dentino, a junior in the College of Communication, said.

Holodak also brought up how these fellowships are one of the ways that Marquette does more than just talk about social justice and being the difference in the community.

She said these fellowships are a very big deal from a community sense because there are so many stories to be told, and it can be very difficult to find the resources to tell them.

“It can be very tempting for the people who have the resources to say, ‘well I own the camera/ editing equipment; Therefore, I will tell your story for you,’ and I think that’s a terrible idea, and I don’t want to tell people their stories. I’ll tell my own. I think it matters in the community to say that they have the ability to tell their own stories and to provide the support and encouragement to do it without a gatekeeper in between,” Holodak said.

Photo by Zach Bukowski zachary.bukowski@marquette.edu

There are two different fellowships, the Social Justice fellowship and the New Voices fellowship.

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Arts &

Entertainment

Page 8

SHAFFER:: Breaking boredom during mental health days SHAFFER Binge Netflix, relax, exercise, enjoy extra time off from school

By Tommy Shaffer

d.shaffer@marquette.edu

In wake of travel concerns and the potential spread of COVID-19, Marquette University decided to cancel the traditional spring break this semester, and instead place four mental health days throughout the semester: Tuesday, Feb. 9; Wednesday, March 10; Tuesday, April 20 and Wednesday, May 5.

While the news of not having a traditional spring break is, metaphorically speaking, a real kick to the kidney, this decision will likely do the best job of giving students some much-needed time off, while also mitigating the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The question remains, though:

what will students do on their days off?

One idea that I recently thought of is mainly centered around bringing the tropical beach theme to campus.

If everyone bought one of those small inflatable pools and we strategically placed them six feet apart around campus, no one would be able to tell the difference between campus and Cancún.

The only problem is that spring break normally takes place in March, and the weather in Milwaukee during that time is known to be quite brisk.

I will, however, be in my inflatable pool either way, so feel free to mask up and join me on the Schroeder quad for some backstrokes.

Additional thought: the mental health day we have off in May might be a good time to go to the actual beach because of the warm weather and Lake Michigan, but where is the fun in that?

Spoiler alert: There is no fun

in that.

All jokes aside, some good activities to take part in during quarantine might be going for a run alongside the lake on the April and May mental health days when things get warmer. Also, going outside to have a catch during the final two mental health days would probably be a great way to pass the time. It is, in fact, America’s pastime. Don’t forget your mitt!

For those that do not want to spend money on inflatable pools, investing in some hot chocolate packets and curling up next to a toasty dorm room radiator to watch a seasonal movie may be a good idea for the first mental health day.

Just keep in mind that this is one of four days off, though, so there is no point in wasting it away inside a dorm room, but that is probably exactly what many will decide to do. Watching Netflix until my eyes are so strained that I don’t even

recognize my roommate from three feet away sounds like a great way to spend that first mental health day.

It’s all about making the most of our precious days off.

Some movies that folks might want to look out for on Netflix to watch on their mental health days include “Struggle Alley,” which is scheduled to release March 15 and is a drama set in Istanbul centered around a man who works in a waste warehouse, and “Malcolm & Marie,” a drama from “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson starring Zendaya, Levinson’s collaborator. It is a movie set during quarantine and will likely provide some tremendous insight into the pandemic, just as Zendaya and Levinson did with the high school experience in “Euphoria.”

In the grand scheme of things, not having a regular spring break is not that big of a deal. The mental health days will do a good job of giving

students some much-needed time off to contemplate the uselessness of the traditional spring break while in the comfort of their own dorm rooms, apartments and houses. Many Marquette students may actually have a newfound antipathy for the traditional spring break; I know that I do. Either way, I am going to make the most of my days off, and if we go back to the regularly scheduled 2022 spring break, I hope all will join me in boycotting it.

Photo by Katerina Pourliakas katerina.pourliakas@marquette.edu

Marquette’s Mental Health Days are on Feb. 9, March 10, April 20 and May 5. Students can make the most of their free time by practicing self care and catching up on school work.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Arts & Entertainment

The Marquette Tribune

9

Marquette hosts virtual events for Black History Month This year’s theme is representation, Black families, diversity

By Quinn Faeth

quinlan.faeth@marquette.edu

The 45th annual Black History Month in the United States begins Monday, Feb. 1. Former President Gerald Ford first dedicated the entire month to recognize Black history, Black accomplishments and Black culture in February 1976. But that was an extension of what was first a week-long celebration.

Author, journalist, editor, historian and sometimes named “the Father of Black History,” Dr. Carter G. Woodson, first began celebrating “Negro History Week” back in 1926. According to the NAACP website, Woodson believed that “Black history – which others have tried so diligently to erase – is a firm foundation for young Black Americans to build on in order to become productive citizens of our society.”

The theme for this year is Black families, specifically

their representation, identity and diversity in American culture.

Last year’s was about being Black and voting.

Marquette University’s Center for Cultural Engagement has partnered with several on-campus organizations, including the Black Student Council, to create several events for students to take part in over the month of February.

Breanna Flowers, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and President of the Black Student Council, said the planning for this upcoming month has been going on since November. The schedule is comprised of things like keynote speakers, talent showcases, open mic nights, film showings and much more.

Flowers said she hopes students will go into March and the rest of 2021 with a new perspective.

“There is going to be so much history, art and information expressed through these events,” Flowers said.

“I hope students of all races can learn something new. This year also has such a local focus so it’s important to everyone.”

Photo by Zach Bukowski zachary.bukowski@marquette.edu

The Center for Cultural Engagement has partnered with MU organizations.

Bobby Seale, a co-founder of the Black Panther Party, will kick off the celebration with a virtual address Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. His party was founded back in 1967 and originally aimed to protect Black people from things like police brutality. He will be talking about the party and its role in Black families across the country in combating racism.

There will also be some studentled discussions throughout the month about various issues

including why Black history is not taught in schools Feb. 9, and why policing in Black America continues to be an ongoing issue Feb. 16.

Both of these events will be held through Zoom.

Feb. 12, the Black Student Council is putting on a virtual art show at 7 p.m. It will showcase artwork from local artists in the Marquette and Milwaukee communities.

On the following day, there will be a Black book show at 2 p.m. that

students can take part in, where they might even have the chance to win a free book or two. It will take place in the Alumni Memorial Union, and students can register for it online.

To wrap things up, the Black Student Council will be hosting their annual fashion show Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. This event will feature work from local designers and will incorporate themes that are tied to Black history.

These are just a few of the celebrations taking place. The full schedule of events can be found online.

Since the focus for Black History Month this year is families, Flowers also said that it’s important for people to remember where they came from when looking down the road.

“This month is a celebration of our culture and our ancestors,” Flowers said. “The inspiration we get for future generations is inspired through the path our people have taken to get where they are today.”

MADSON: ‘Drivers License’ breaks records, sparks drama MADSON Fans speculate Olivia Rodrigo’s lyrics refer to Joshua Bassett

By Ariana Madson

ariana.madson@marquette.edu

Olivia Rodrigo’s song “drivers license” has taken the United States by storm. It was released Jan. 8, and

by Jan. 19 it was No. 1 on both the U.S. Billboard 100 and Billboard Global 200. The song is about a girl who just got her license and remembers how she and the one she loves talked about her driving with it for the first time.

Rodrigo’s debut single set the record on Spotify for most streams of a non-holiday song in a single day with 15.17 million plays, only to beat that record the following day with 17.01 million streams within 24 hours. The song tells a tale of heartbreak, sadness and lost love. The relationship mentioned in the song ended but she still loves them and is reminded of her

pain, especially after receiving her license.

The opening of the song starts with the sound of a car starting, with a beep that transitions into the beat of the song. The opening lines are with “I got my driver’s license last week / Just like we always talked about / ‘Cause you were so excited for me / To finally drive up to your house.”

It sets the scene, and later in the chorus, Rodrigo sings “How you could be so okay now that I’m gone … ‘Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street.” These lyrics emphasize the heartbreak Rodrigo is experiencing and remembering as she begins her new driving adventures.

Rodrigo’s voice is silky, smooth and emphasizes the passion put into the lyrics. As the chorus builds, so does her emotion. Her voice gains a sort of power as it builds. It makes the listener feel as Rodrigo does.

It is the perfect song to blast and sing along while driving around the suburbs or down a small street.

Not only has the song received praise from acclaimed artists like Taylor Swift, but it has also received attention for the conspiracy surrounding the love triangle presented in the lyrics.

Many speculators believe the song is about Joshua Bassett, Rodrigo’s colleague on the Disney show “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” The two were rumored to be an item, but judging by the

song, it seems Bassett moved on. Based on the lyrics “And you’re probably with that blonde girl / Who always made me doubt / She’s so much older than me / She’s everything I’m insecure about,” it is rumored that Sabrina Carpenter, a 21-year-old previous Disney star, is the blonde girl mentioned.

Both Bassett and Carpenter released their own songs, with Carpenter’s “Skin” rumored to be a clapback at Rodrigo. Her lyrics “There’s no gravity in the words we write / Maybe you didn’t mean it / Maybe blonde was the only rhyme” gave many invested in the drama more reason to speculate. However, Carpenter responded to the rumors about her song, saying on Instagram “I wasn’t bothered by a few lines in a (magnificent) song and wrote a diss track about it.” Bassett’s song “Lie, Lie, Lie” contains lyrics like “And you’re acting, oh, so innocent / Like I’m the only one to blame” which have added fuel to the conspiracy. Bassett originally shared a clip of this song in 2019 with the original title being “I Know.” He explained that the song was written about a friend who had been lying to him for a while.

Not only has the song taken off in the music world but it also brought about a new TikTok trend in which people sing “drivers license” but from a different perspective. A few include the perspective of the other girl or the literal driver’s license.

Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

The song was released Jan. 8 and hit No. 1 globally by Jan. 19.

Another point of view is from the perspective of the ex-lover. TikTok users have the track playing in the background and create their own lyrics to the song from that specific point of view. Another TikTok done was one where the user posted the reaction to the song after becoming

invested in the rumored drama.

Some of the memes included photos of people or cartoons representing reactions to the song. One of the memes includes someone laying in the rain in a flooded street with the caption “I can’t take right now, I’m listening to drivers license.”

The Marquette Tribune

Opinions

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

PAGE 10

Jen Ko

Editorial Board

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

Marquette University faculty and staff deserve more respect, acknowledgement and support than they have been given in the past few years. Faculty and staff are the main reason that students have a positive, enriching experience at Marquette, whether it is through classroom dialogue or campus interactions.

Despite the fact that faculty and staff are at the heart of an institution, University President Michael Lovell announced Jan. 21 that 39 faculty and staff positions would be eliminated at the start of the spring 2021 semester due to financial shortfalls.

Although everyone is experiencing financial struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the university could have taken action to avoid laying off 39 university employees.

Marquette has a nearly $700 million endowment, which could have been used to maintain the positions and ensure that no faculty or staff members were laid off. The

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

Kate Hyland, Social Media Executive Aimee Galszweski, Station Manager MUTV Reese Seberg, Station Manager MURadio

STAFF EDITORIAL

Marquette failed faculty, staff

university is also expected to receive $9.7 million in federal relief funds from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, according to a Jan. 28 university news release. While $3.3 million of those funds must go toward supporting students, the university has not specified where it will allocate the remaining $6.4 million. The university should use a portion of these funds to maintain faculty and staff positions.

Additionally, the university is still getting a steady flow of tuition money because students and families are still paying for the 2020-2021 academic year. Unlike the spring 2020 semester, in which Marquette issued 50% credits to students for living expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic sending students home, the university did not decrease tuition or issue any refunds for the 2020-2021 academic year, even though students’ experience is less than normal.

Marquette also announced that it

will not be changing tuition costs for the 2021-2022 academic year — the first year since 2016 in which the university has not increased tuition.

Despite tuition costs staying the same, the university announced that housing costs will increase for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Overall, the university has lacked transparency about where tuition money is being used and why the endowment hasn’t been touched. This has led to confusion and frustration about job eliminations and the consolidation of several university offices and departments.

Marquette students’ college experiences are still dramatically different this year and many are not receiving the learning experiences they wanted. Students may have more online classes than in-person ones, live at home or face personal and familial struggles.

Considering these changes can lower the quality of education students receive and present

challenges, it is not fair to faculty and staff, or students, to continue eliminating positions.

Now more than ever, faculty and staff roles in the classroom are essential to students’ learning experience.

The university should have made a stronger effort to maintain laid off faculty and staff members’ positions.

Professors are choosing to make the most out of these unprecedented circumstances with the resources they have, in order to ensure students have a positive learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marquette should have made the same efforts.

The university should be more transparent about where and how it allocates incoming money, which could provide some explanation for its decisions. Moreover, the university should ensure these resources support students and faculty and staff currently at Marquette.

Faculty, staff, students and families deserve more respect.

According to the university budget for the 2022 fiscal year, Marquette plans to eliminate 225 faculty and staff positions, even though it is expected to operate on a $121.1 million surplus, which is about a 3% budget increase. Marquette should allocate these funds to ensuring no more faculty and staff are laid off, and the university should work to reinstate the 39 faculty and staff that were recently laid off.

The university should also have given faculty and staff who were being laid off more notice, as they were notified only days prior to the start of the semester. Marquette was not transparent and did not respect those being laid off. Faculty and staff deserve better.

For a university that prides and establishes itself on Jesuit principles — one of them being “cura personalis” — it should ensure that it exhausts all efforts to prioritize faculty, staff and students.

inserted into the person’s body, one to induce unconsciousness, one meant to paralyze all muscles and one to induce irreversible cardiac arrest.

Some argue that capital punishment is necessary in order to uphold justice. They often point to ancient forms of fairness like “an eye for an eye,” and aim to dehumanize those on death row so their deaths are not seen as tragic, but as a societal good.

There is emotional validity to pro-capital punishment arguments. There is no arguing that the crimes that those on death row have committed are incredibly twisted and wicked. When we hear of people who kill or horrifically torture innocent people, it is natural to be disheartened. Lisa Montgomery, who was executed Jan. 13 in Terre Haute, Indiana at the United States Penitentiary, where most federal executions are carried out, was sentenced due to strangling a pregnant woman, Bobbie Jo Stinnett, and cutting her unborn baby from her womb.

Alfred Bourgeois was convicted of physically, emotionally and sexually torturing his

two-year-old daughter.

However, many times those on death row suffer from either an intellectual disability or severe brain damage. Lisa Montgomery had childhood trauma so severe it left her with multiple mental disorders and comprised neurological functioning. It was also strongly suspected that Alfred Bourgeois and Corey Johnson had intellectual disabilities, evident through their IQ scores and professional examination. Dustin Higgs, who also reportedly suffered from an intellectual disability, did not kill any of the three victims he was accused of kidnapping and murdering. His innocence was maintained through the witness and the confessed and convicted shooter. Yet, he was executed Jan. 16.

It is unconstitutional to impose the death penalty upon those with mental disabilities.

Yet, many times, poor legal representation and failure to meet requirements to show evidence of a disability leave the intellectually disabled helpless to fight against execution.

No justice is served when a victim is executed on death row.

It does not undo the damage or

alleviate the hurt of the victims’ families. In contrast with the popular notion that capital punishment is cheaper than life incarceration, it is more expensive due to longer trials and appeals.

Due to the justice system’s imperfect nature, it is probable that someone will be wrongfully executed on death row. Sometimes evidence is not substantial enough or false testimonies are given, such as in the cases of Larry Swearingen and Domineque Ray, who were executed in 2019. In both cases, evidence that showed innocence was suppressed before execution.

Capital punishment awards the state with a god-like sense of authority. It puts the question of who deserves to live or die in the hands of the government.

President Joe Biden is the first U.S. president to openly oppose the death penalty. In lieu of recent killings at the end of Trump’s term, it is time to take action to commute the sentences the 49 people on federal death row and abolish the death penalty.

Proponents of capital punishment are most often conservative, and they tend to view justice

in a more rigid, defined manner.

Yet, the right to life movement, which is associated with modern conservatism, had originally included the death penalty on the list of things that devalue human life, alongside euthanasia and abortion.

A society’s morality is often judged on how it views human life. If we view it so cheaply that it can be easily disposed of, even despite cases of wrongful conviction or proven signs of disability, there is no reason to pretend to value it all. We cannot continue to promote the idea that certain rights come with being human if we do not come to the basic agreement that death under any circumstances is wrong.

Biden has admitted that his Catholic faith, which upholds that the death penalty is “an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” will shape his policy. It is now up to him to use this morality as a way to show mercy for those we have condemned to die.

President Biden should abolish death penalty

Lucia Ruffolo The Biden administration must work to abolish the federal death penalty and take action to end the sentences for prisoners on death row.

Currently, capital punishment is allowed in 28 states by the federal government and the U.S. military. Former President Donald Trump oversaw the executions of 13 death row prisoners since July 2020. Traditionally, executions are withheld during transitions of power. Among some of the people executed were Alfred Bourgeois, Lisa Montgomery, Corey Johnson and Dustin John Higgs.

The executions were carried out by the method of lethal injection, the practice of injecting drugs in someone for the purpose of causing death. The practice of lethal injection was first used in 1977, as it was considered more humane than other methods such as electrocution or gas chamber.

However, lethal injection has resulted in painful executions, as the drugs used are not always well-tested or well-regulated.

Most of the time three drugs are

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

Opinions

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

The Marquette Tribune

11

Transphobia within LGBTQ+ community creates harm Recently, a myriad of transgender and queer people have spoken out against trans creators Blaire White and Kalvin Garrah, leading for a call to de-platform their channels. Their criticisms often boil down to things such as spreading harmful ideas, bullying other LGBTQ+ people and not taking accountability for past actions.

These creators and those who adhere to their rhetoric create a slim definition of LGBTQ+ and ostracize those who do not fit into it. This not only creates tensions between LGBTQ+ people but can have detrimental effects on individuals targeted by their rhetoric.

White is a conservative trans woman whose YouTube videos range from political commentary to exposing abusers in the trans community.

Garrah’s content is slightly different; he is a trans man who makes commentary videos on trans and queer issues. However, they both have one thing in common: They bully other queer people.

A prime example of this is a video from six months ago titled “Reacting to Cringey Trans TikToks,” in which they relentlessly criticize other trans

people’s content. Their channels are filled with videos just like it.

Garrah’s reaction videos to cringey LGBTQ+ people often went viral, which motivated him to continue.

One of the first videos he made involved a nonbinary person named Brennen, who has since spoken out about the trauma Garrah has caused them.

The extent of harm both creators have caused has been covered extensively by Brennen and plenty of other creators, some of whom were attacked directly by Garrah or White and others who used to be fans of theirs.

However, the real root of the issue comes down to what their ideology implies. It is often known as transmedicalism, although it is not seen as an academic or widely used term.

However, for the sake of giving this mindset a name, I’ll be using it to refer to the general belief that transness is an innate neurological condition, like a mental disorder.

Transmedicalists believe that male and female brains are different, and in the case of trans people, their brains do not match their bodies. While at first this may seem like an easy way to explain transness, not only is the science behind it flawed, but it actually brings more implications that do more harm than good.

It allowed White, Garrah and

many other similar creators to spread transphobia under the guise of science and logic. Their videos and rhetoric created a new way for outsiders to see our community. It created the split between the normal, acceptable LGBTQ+ people and the crazy, attention-seeking ones. In their eyes, the crazy ones are those who are gender-nonconforming or even just those who are proud of their identity.

Transmedicalism puts into question the validity of gender-nonconforming queer people, trans people who choose not to medically transition and nonbinary identities.

However, trans and queer people throughout history have never had very concrete genders or sexualities.

We have never had nice and neat categories easily understandable for the outside world, not until recently.

For example, Marsha P. Johnson, a famous figure from the 1969 Stonewall riots and a life-long LGBTQ+ activist, is often referred to as a trans woman. However, the word transgender was not in popular use in her time. She often referred to herself as a drag queen, transvestite (a term now considered offensive) or a gay man. Her identity was her own; It was personal, as most queer identities are.

Transness is not always innate, but that does not invalidate those who

experience gender in that way.

This in between place is as old as gender roles themselves. Now, through the internet and wider visibility of LGBTQ+ people, those beyond the gender binary have been exposed to the public eye. The public eye is ruthless to what it does not try to understand.

What makes transmedicalism a particularly strange form of transphobia is that it was made by queer people. It is a butchering of queer history and a betrayal of one’s community. Instead of breaking down the gender roles that harm LGBTQ+ people, it only seeks to include gender-conforming and binary trans people into those roles.

It is the type of ideology cisgender and heterosexual people enjoy because it fits into their world, so it has unfortunately gained popularity.

Even if non-LGBTQ+ people don’t know the exact terminology or history, they know enough to make fun of those who don’t “fit in” and know how to praise those who do.

However, not all hope is lost. Garrah recently put out a video stating he will be leaving the internet for a while. He stated he wanted to distance himself from transmedicalism, stating, “it’s important to actively think about what you believe and restructure your beliefs in a way that is scientifically up to date.”

His video was not perfect by any means, and he has a long way to go in terms of accountability. Though many are asking him to deplatform entirely, it’s still a start.

The recent influx of criticism to his content and to transmedicalism in general has a lot of queer people reconsidering who and what they support as well as the community as a whole, wondering how we can do better in the future. To do better we need to combat behavior like White’s and Garrah’s before it seriously harms people.

For non-LGBTQ+ people: Listen to all queer people, even those with ideas or identities that are difficult to understand or challenge the norm.

See the community as more than a political opinion or gay T.V. show couple. Most importantly, recognize that our experiences are varied and vast, and our queer identities are just one part of that.

Transmedicalism is a new idea, and it does not have to stick around forever. Queer people deserve to not have our identities examined or explained by anyone other than ourselves.

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

American Rescue Plan necessary for nation Max Pickart President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan is key for the revival of the United States’ economy, as well as the livelihood of the people of in the U.S. The American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion relief package, is estimated to lift roughly 12 million individuals out of poverty and aims to cut child poverty in half. Not only is this plan efforted to uplift underprivileged individuals and communities across the nation, Biden also explained that the plan is set to reduce poverty by roughly 30% in the Black community and by roughly 40% in the Hispanic community.

As Biden explains, America is in a once-in-a-century health crisis that has only strengthened the most unequal job and economic crisis in America’s modern history, highlighting both the economic crisis that America finds itself in and the social inequity and injustice emphasized since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

Biden further emphasizes that, as Americans, though the effort to build the economy is key, there is an obligation of morality that Americans must treat each other with constant support and dignity.

Biden’s plan to execute this is absolutely critical in order to build up

Photo via Flickr

President Joe Biden proposed the ARP to support the United States.

the U.S.’s employment, and permits individuals to receive unemployment benefits due to COVID-19 and pre-existing conditions.

Furthermore, Biden emphasized that this plan is projected to lift about eight million individuals in communities of color out of poverty, while also providing relief to families of color that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

Biden hopes to extend relief in food and financial security, as well as education, child care and access to health care.

The American Rescue Plan is an affirmative step to promoting the common good. Social justice and equity are ultimately connected to economic policy, which is highlighted here by Biden. Steps must be taken in legislation to provide economic and financial relief to communities of color, which have been affected at

a higher rate. As promised by Biden’s administration, equity, equality and justice for communities of color and underserved communities would be at the forefront of their agenda.

Another part of the American Rescue Plan focuses on the protections and well-being of frontline workers, 40% of whom are people of color.

Biden explained in his inauguaral address that America is hurting as COVID-19 continues to spread and has left nearly 450,000 Americans dead. The individuals actively fighting and working to help save lives amid this pandemic are individuals who must be protected and cared for.

The American Rescue Plan would also majorly assist people with disabilities and their families, as they are at a significantly higher risk for contracting COVID-19 and, on average, are typically less financially

secure. Adult dependents have been added to stimulus bills, which is an encouraging sign and an important step towards advocating for the coverage of adult dependents.

Biden’s effort to not only protect health care workers, but also protect the whole nation, is most profoundly highlighted as he urged: “We’re in a national emergency, and we need to act like we’re in a national emergency … we’ve got to do it together.

I don’t believe Democrats or Republicans are going hungry and losing jobs; I believe Americans are growing hungry and losing their jobs.”

Biden, as he promised, continually shows that he is not only the president of the Democratic Party, but the President of the United States. He genuinely cares for the well-being of all people and is clearly determined to unite this nation that has been so harshly divided in recent times. His administration is committed to helping individuals and communities get back on their feet amid this brutal pandemic, as well as getting the economy back on track.

The American Rescue Plan is a step in the right direction for doing this; however, the Biden administration is nowhere near finished.

The United States is still extremely divided. Thus, we, as the American people, must demand that Biden works toward an America that is just and equitable for all individuals.

Biden is on the right track, however, Americans must continue

to hold Biden accountable in his economic policies, plans for equity in the workplace and further social justice initiatives on Biden’s agenda.

Americans must demand that Biden follows through on his mission to promote a united, equitable America.

It is essential that Biden and his administration take bold and confident steps to fight the inequities in America that have plagued our health care system, economy and the livelihood of underserved and underprivileged communities.

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

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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.

Sports The Marquette Tribune

“BUMBLEBEE” AMONG TOP 10 BEST WOMEN’S SOCCER UNIFORMS SPORTS, 15

Tuesday, February 2, 2021 PAGE 12

Carton grows as leader in first season at MU

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Carton (21) warms up ahead of Marquette’s loss to DePaul Jan. 23. He’s the third-best scorer on the team with 12.2 points per game, as well as 3.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds per contest.

Former Ohio State guard among top scorers in program

By Matt Yeazel

matthew.yeazel@marquette.edu

After just one season playing for Ohio State, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard D.J. Carton announced that he was transferring to Marquette April 15, 2020.

Nine months later, he is now the Golden Eagles’ starting point guard, and has grown into one of the team’s leaders in situations where they have needed it most.

In the 16 games this season, Carton is currently averaging 12.2 points per game at a 42.3% shooting percentage. He is also averaging 3.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.

He did not start in the first three games, as sophomore guard Symir Torrence started in his place. Head coach Steve Wojciechowski inserted him

into the lineup for the big win against Wisconsin.

Since then, Carton has played more than 30 minutes in all but three games and has scored more than 10 points in all but three games.

Coming in as a four-star recruit, Carton started at Ohio State three times and played in 20 games before leaving due to personal mental health reasons.

He averaged 23.9 minutes per game, scoring 10.4 points with three assists and 2.8 rebounds.

After the Wisconsin win, Carton said his first start was a step in the right direction for him and his ability to play with his new teammates.

“I’m learning how to control this team and be a leader amongst my teammates,” Carton said. “It’s a role that I can fulfill if I put the work into it.”

Prior to this season, Carton had not played basketball since he took his leave of absence at Ohio State in January 2020. Wojciechowski said

in a press conference after the Wisconsin game that he liked the progress he had seen from Carton.

“He’s been away for a long time, so he’s still getting his legs underneath him,” Wojciechowski said.

Shortly after the Wisconsin game, Carton had a two-game run where he stepped up as a leader in the absence of Torrence, who was out due to a toe injury.

He scored 18 points on 7-for13 shooting in a tough road loss against UCLA, and he scored 20 points while going 5-for7 from three in the win over then-No. 9 Creighton.

He led the Golden Eagles in scoring in both of those games, but points were not the only thing he contributed. In that twogame stretch he had a combined 10 rebounds, nine assists and two steals. He was the leader of the offense.

However, to be a leader, one has to go beyond the stat sheet.

A leader is also defined by the trust his head coach has in him.

In the Wisconsin game, Carton was given the ball in the final possession when the Golden Eagles were down. He drew the foul and split a pair of free throws at the line before first-year Justin Lewis won them the game on a put-back buzzer-beater.

That was not the only time Carton has been the go-to guy in a clutch situation. Almost all of Marquette’s games have been within single-digits, and Carton, along with redshirt senior Koby McEwen, have typically been the ones who take the big shots.

After the win at St. John’s, Carton said that taking shots late in the game is part of his mindset going into the contest.

“That’s my mentality, I let the game come to me,” Carton said. “I like to turn it up later in the game and things start to open up, and I have the trust from Coach to have the ball in clutch situations.”

Since the absence of

former guard Markus Howard, the Golden Eagles’ offense has changed a great deal and become more balanced. That is still the case with Carton, but when Marquette needs a guy to give the ball to and let him get his shot, more often than not, that guy has been Carton.

The team will need more consistency from Carton in terms of shooting the ball. Since the Creighton game, Carton is 12for-46 from deep, a 26% clip.

He has shown the ability to make big threes, but he has more consistently shown the ability to be a leader at the point guard position.

Carton has had more than four assists in all but five games this season, including the games he did not start in.

“D.J. is a really good player, and he’s shown great improvement,” Wojciechowski said. “He gives us a dimension where he can break down the defense.”

Sports

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

The Marquette Tribune

13

VOLLEYBALL

Taylor Wolf brings versatility to Ryan Theis’ squad Two-time Horizon League Player of the Year comes to MUVB

By Jackson Gross

jackson.gross@marquette.edu

For many, family can be one of the biggest influences on the trajectory of someone’s life. In the case of senior Taylor Wolf, that could not be more true.

Wolf said her family’s background and involvement with sports, and specifically her older sister Jessica Wolf’s influence with volleyball, are to credit for her interest on the court.

“It started with my family background, I was initially involved with basketball a lot at a young age and then my family kind of moved out to California where we didn’t really play basketball, and it was just all volleyball, and that’s when my older sister (Jessica) started club volleyball, and my younger sister and I were always the two girls with a ball on the sideline messing around … and it just grew from there,” Wolf said.

The 6-foot-2 senior grew up in Waconia, a small town in Minnesota which has a population of around 10,000 residents.

Wolf said the community was supportive of her volleyball career and allowed her to make many memories.

“I love going home (to Waconia), it’s a great community, we have a Main Street, and there’s the traditional ice cream shop, coffee shop … it was really fun growing up in Waconia,” Wolf said.

Wolf had a decorated career at Waconia High School. She was a four-year varsity athlete and was on the junior varsity squad as an eighth grader. She racked up multiple awards during her 2016 campaign including the 2016 Minnesota Player of the Week Award, a 2016 Old Dutch Player of the Week Award and she was named to an all-conference team. Not only a great player, she was also academically talented, as she was named an AllAcademic Player.

However, one of the most unique experiences Wolf has had in her career was with her club volleyball team, the Northern Lights Volleyball Club. They took a trip to Amsterdam for a week, and Wolf not only had fun on the court, as she was named the tournament MVP, but she also enjoyed her time off the court with teammates.

Wolf had the opportunity to play volleyball in high school

with both her sisters and eventually followed Jessica to play for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Wolf said playing with her sisters could be annoying with all the time they spent at practice together and then at home, but she would not change it for the world.

“In practices, sometimes they can annoy you just like at home, but I will never give up the experiences I had with my sisters on the court, especially my older one at Green Bay,” Wolf said. “One of my favorite memories is going to the NCAA tournament and winning the Horizon League (conference tournament) with her, we gave each other a hug at the end of the match and I will never forget that.”

The Wolf sisters had a celebrated career while at UWGB together. Jessica finished eighth of all time in total points with the Phoenix and was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament team in 2018. Taylor added to her sister’s success, finishing her time in Green Bay with two Horizon League Player of the Year awards, two Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year awards, being named an All-American and Horizon League Freshman of the Year.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA gave all fall

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Wolf is a right-side hitter and setter.

and winter athletes an extra year of eligibility, and as Wolf was finishing up classes at UWGB, she decided to use her one extra year of eligibility in volleyball to enter the transfer portal. Wolf chose Marquette University to take the next step academically and to get more time on the court. Transfers were required to stay in quarantine in a hotel until they could get tested. Head coach Ryan Theis recalled the story of when he and Wolf drove to get her tested.

“It was the first time I had met her in person and when we got there, we were pulling up and Caroline Dragani, our transfer from Portland State, was getting out of her car and... I had never seen her face and so we pull up in the car and I tell Taylor, ‘hey I think that’s Caroline, but I’ve never seen her,’ …and so Taylor

gets out the car and says, ‘are you Caroline?’ … To me it was hilarious.” Theis said.

Wolf has been strong right out of the gate for the Golden Eagles.

She is leading the team with 21 kills and is second in digs with 27. Theis said that Wolf’s “physicality” is something new to his team, and that she has used it to benefit the team’s play already.

Beyond the court, Wolf wants to become a physical therapist.

She will be starting her studies in the doctoral program this upcoming fall.

Wolf’s decision to become a physical therapist was sparked due to internship opportunities she had while in Green Bay. “I’ve always been interested in the medical field and going into college I didn’t really know what route I wanted to do,” Wolf said.

“I had some internship opportunities and that’s how I chose physical therapy.”

Wolf has even considered the idea of going back to her hometown of Waconia to be the main physical therapist in town after her education is completed.

“They just put a new sports medicine (and) PT facility (in Waconia) and I could do that and I would think that would be the dream job.” Wolf said.

ESPORTS

Call of Duty team plays despite coronavirus pandemic Melchor, Burmeister look for new gaming members, tournament

By Jack Lewandowski

jack.lewandowski@marquette.edu

Call of Duty, the immensely popular war game series, has established itself as a pillar of video gaming within worldwide popular culture.

Since the initial 2003 release of the popular war game that released on Microsoft Windows, Activision Studios has made an additional 23 Call of Duty games in the past 18 years, captivating the attention of multiple age groups.

One of the major reasons that the game has kept its popularity over the last few decades is the amount of platforms the game has been released on. Call of Duty has been released on nearly every generation of Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo consoles while also including mobile releases such as Apple, Android and Blackberry.

The game has constantly recreated the notable wars that have

Photo courtesy of Miguel Melchor and the Marquette Gaming and Esports team

The Marquette Gaming and Esports team played online during COVID-19.

happened throughout history such as World War I, World War II and others.

The series’ newest release, Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, that was distributed for the Xbox One, Xbox One X, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 has gotten mixed reviews from players and critics. This has prompted many to be indecisive about buying the newest addition in the Call of Duty series.

However, the Marquette Gaming and Esports competitive Call of Duty players said they enjoy the newest features found in this release. Some of

the Call of Duty players shared a lot of positive reviews when asked about the new first-person shooter game.

“In terms of how the game plays competitively, it feels a lot like ‘Black Ops 2’ (a previous title that was popular among people in the Call of Duty community) which is something I really like,” Dennis Burmeister, a junior in the College of Engineering and captain of the Call of Duty team, said.

Since the competitive Call of Duty team’s conception last year, the team “found a lot of success (as they) were around .500 (in terms

of winning percentage),” Miguel Melchor, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, said. Melchor, who is the captain of the Marquette Counter Strike team, a first-person shooter game similar to Call of Duty, said that the Call of Duty team “is looking to improve and expand on their new success.”

Burmeister said that the idea behind Marquette’s Call of Duty team came from the common idea of “playing a game (the team) enjoy(s) competitively and to meet other people who felt the same.”

The Marquette Gaming and Esports competitive Call of Duty team is just one of many teams across the club’s myriad of different competitive games.

However, the Call of Duty team’s achievements were halted due to COVID-19 sending students home during spring semester 2020.

Despite COVID-19 threatening the continuation of collegiate sports across the country, the Marquette Gaming and Esports team seemed to have been virtually unaffected during the spring and summer months of the pandemic.

“The coronavirus didn’t do much to our dynamic which I’m very

thankful for,” Burmeister said.

To ensure that the team maintains good chemistry, the entire gaming and esports team play games together during free time that they may have. “We put together a couple of community nights where a bunch of our teams would come together and just have fun, take a break from grinding their games ... it’s done a lot of good for our club,” Melchor said, and also mentioned he has seen a big rise in club and community participation since he first joined the gaming and esports team three years ago.

Currently, the Call of Duty team is looking for a new player, as one of its previous team members, Aaron Benson, transferred out of Marquette over the summer. This brings the roster count down to just three players.

As tournaments are still questionable, Melchor and Burmeister are optimistic about the prospect of finding a new player and good competition for the spring season.

“We’ll be looking around, there’s obviously little in-house tournaments that we could always do with some of the other local schools,” Melchor said.

edu

14

Sports

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

GOLF

Bailey, Brown eager to start spring competition Nutrition training, meditation part of healthy routine

By Matthew Valente

matthew.valente@marquette.edu

With the start of the second semester of the 2020-21 school year, the Marquette men’s golf team’s spring season is also getting set to begin, after an offseason that has been very different from years past.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was unable to play in tournaments or outings in the fall. Although it may seem as if there would be no benefits to the fall season being canceled, there have been learning takeaways and positive experiences from that time that will help them this spring season.

Some players have said that the cancellation has helped teammates focus on more on little fixes to help their game as a whole.

“Our team has focused on the lowhanging fruit that you can pick up on to get better,” redshirt sophomore Connor Brown said. “These include meditation, getting proper nutrition, the right amount of sleep, having a consistent schedule and being more

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Marquette’s golf team stands next to head coach Steve Bailey (far right). The pandemic has allowed them to bond.

ambitious with your time.”

“Incorporating these into our lifestyle has made us be more efficient and get more out of practice and our free time,” head coach Steve Bailey said.

The team has also been able to grow more together. Prior to the pandemic, the players would usually work out or meditate alone, but now players have come together as a group. If one player wants to work out he will ask others if they want to join him.

“We are all now open to trying new things, we do what we can to improve,” Brown said.

For instance, if Brown or a

teammate plans to go do yoga, they will ask other players if they want to join.

Bailey has seen Brown as a leader when it comes to developing these everyday habits, which are now becoming contagious among his teammates. These habits include running half-marathons and getting more sleep. Players have emphasized how they are sleeping more this year than any other.

“The players have these ‘WHOOP’ bands that measure your sleep score and they have made that a competition, which leads them to having more energy the next day,” Bailey said. The sleep score tells you

the amount of sleep you get every week and the more sleep you get, the higher the score is.

Not only do players enjoy doing activities with each other, they have also maintained a positive attitude despite the circumstances.

“The biggest thing we have in our program is our culture,” Bailey said.

“When that positive energy is at the forefront, good things are going to happen.”

All this positive energy on the team helps bond the players together.

“Doing these things is making our culture grow stronger,” redshirt junior Hunter Eichhorn said.

With the positive energy, the team

has been able to work better together and has improved their game.

Redshirt sophomore Nicolás Evangelio has taken a different approach to prepare for the spring season. Despite not knowing if upcoming tournaments are going to be held, his positive attitude has not changed.

“We have the competitive mentality that we are going to play in everything,” Evangelio said.

While preparing for the spring season, the team has played matches against one another. Evangelio enjoys playing against his teammates.

“I like competing against my teammates because you learn a lot watching them,” Evangelio said.

“We are going to work hard every week and be ready in case we do have a tournament we have to go to.”

The team has also been doing activities outside of golf.

“We have been occupying our time well and not wasting time,” Eichhorn said. “We are doing a lot more reading.”

Even though the pandemic can be seen as a negative, the men’s golf team has seen it through a different perspective.

“While most people will use COVID as an excuse, we kept our positive mindsets and that made us stronger as individuals.” Eichhorn said.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Karlen adapts to first-year challenges on, off court Forward makes impact, helps team in crucial moments

By Molly Gretzlock

molly.gretzlock@marquette.edu

Every year a new group of firstyear players enter campus, ready to enhance their athletic career at the college level. Many might have been dreaming about the moment for years. Others are exploring their new chapter of life with all the amenities of the college environment, along with their sports team.

“I feel for my freshmen every day and freshmen around the country,” women’s basketball head coach Megan Duffy said. “This is not how college is supposed to look, this is not how college basketball is supposed to look.”

Those first-years may have pictured they would be entering a time where they are able to roam freely around, meet new people and enjoy the campus. However, it is safe to say that the Marquette women’s basketball program has not had the most usual start to their basketball season.

With adjustments that first-year players have had to accommodate to on top of extra safety precautions due

COVID-19, their time on campus nationally ranked prospect. While at- the more game reps she gets you are has been anything but usual. tending Stillwater Area High School going to start seeing more numbers “I am just really proud of how in Minnesota she raked up 2,098 off the bench.” tough they are,” Duffy said. “They career points and 1,248 rebounds.

In a matchup against St. John’s have kept a positive attitude whether Since she has been in a Marquette Dec. 16, Karlen helped her team to it’s been the quarantines or changes uniform, she has not backed down a comeback win. She scored nine in schedule. You are trying to get from her aggressive gameplay. points during a game that all came your own life together as a freshThe first-year forward has been in the second half to compliment her man (student) and a routine, but a key asset coming off the bench five rebounds and two assists. then throwing this and the pres- for Marquette. She is averaging 5.4 “The St. John’s game was a close sures of college basketball in can points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists game,” Karlen said. “We didn’t rebe stressful.” through eight games of play. ally play the best we could in the first The Marquette women’s basket“Liza works extremely hard,” half, so just seeing our team have the ball team added four first-year play- Duffy said. “A big thing she works ability to switch in the second half ers to their roster this season. Among on everyday is her confidence, and shows huge potential for our team as those four players is 6-foot-2 for- the more confident she becomes and a whole.” ward Liza Karlen.

With the season now in full swing, the Golden Eagles are standing at second in the BIG EAST Conference as of Feb. 1, only trailing UConn by two games in BIG EAST play. Karlen and the other first-year players have found their place on the team despite the challenges that they have faced.

“It has been tough, especially because we got that preseason stolen from us a little bit,” Karlen said.

“During the fall (we were) in and out of situations with COVID. So it has been kind of tricky, but I think it has definitely helped us, as freshmen, mature and to be ready all the time no matter what situation we are in.”

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics Karlen entered Marquette as a Forward Liza Karlen (32) shoots a jumper in a game against Belmont Dec. 16.

Coach Duffy said that Karlen has shown that she can come in clutch to help the team in big-game situations, which the rest of the team can then feed off of.

“One thing she has proven for us is making big timely shots in her young career, end of shot clock or when we are struggling to score at times. She is starting to show us that, which is pretty cool looking ahead to what she can accomplish in her career.”

Karlen has been gradually and comfortably improving her play every time she steps onto the court. In a Dec. 22 game against Xavier, she posted a career-high 10 points with five rebounds.

She most recently had one point and three rebounds against Georgetown Jan. 20 after roughly a monthlong break for competition play due to winter break and COVID-19 protocol canceling early January games.

“A big part of that (success on the court) is (from) the upperclassmen and coach Duffy,” Karlen said.

“The confidence that they have for me is huge for me to keep my composure on the court, so just the fact that coach Duffy trusts me in putting me out there and the upperclassmen trust me in any situation ... it is huge for me mentally because it gives me the confidence to step up whenever I can.”

Sports

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

The Marquette Tribune

15

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Top 10 jersey rankings throughout history of WSOC McGuire, Fountain weigh in on pros, cons of uniforms

By Bryan Geenen

bryan.geenen@marquette.edu

style and color combination.

The only negative came from the shorts. Sophomore defender Madeline Warren said that the shorts and the font took away from the jersey.

“I really like the jersey. I like the color and it’s modern, but ruined with the shorts. We just got new shorts that everybody really likes better,” Warren said.

“I would also say if you’re going to put a number on the shorts, make it small. I don’t think, on the shorts, a number is needed unless it’s for identification, so if you have to, make it smaller.”

While it’s not a scientific fact that if you look good, you play good, jerseys are a massive part of a team’s identity. Some teams take massive pride in certain jerseys but every team tends to have a unique look that makes them different. For Marquette women’s soccer, the jerseys have been unique and have changed Positives: Color, Style, Modwith the times. Here are their ern top 10 jerseys over the years, as Negatives: Shorts ranked by members of the team Score: 9.0 and media: 3. Newest “All-Whites” 1. “Fight Against Breast Cancer” Pink Jerseys “These are ideal,” Warren said.

With the newer font, hinting Although they’re only taken back to an older jersey, the new out once a year, this unique uni- all-whites are a favorite among form is a player favorite. Red- the players. The jersey has a shirt junior midfielder/forward minimalistic feel with a font that Meredith McGuire said these is reminiscent of professional jerseys have a special mean- jerseys. ing along with one of the best “These are the newer shorts color schemes. and they fit so well. Everything “Anything to support some- fits everyone,” McGuire said. thing like this, I’ll love no matter Sophomore forward Shelby what,” McGuire said.

Fountain said the jerseys might be on her wishlist with the other Positives: Color, Style, Fit, Marquette colors.

Cause “These are definitely ideal. I Negatives: Need White Shorts, want it in every color,” Fountain Newer Font said.

Score: 9.6 Positives: Color, Style, Mod2. “Championship Blue” with ern, Shorts, Fit White Stripe Jerseys Negatives: N/A Score: 8.8 The light blue jerseys ranked among the best for the unique

4. “Yellow/White Split” Jerseys Diverting away from the allwhite home jerseys, these yellow and white split jerseys offer a unique look. The design has an all-yellow back but splits to white on the front. The shorts, again, are the one part of the jersey that does not quite fit.

“I like the top, but the font is different on the shorts,” Fountain said.

McGuire echoed the same feelings as Fountain.

“The only thing that kind of irks me is the shorts. With this one and the championship blue, I really like the top,” McGuire said. “The shorts are just kind of off.”

Positives: Style, Modern, Coloration Negatives: Shorts Score: 7.6 5. “All-Whites” (Older Version) These jerseys seem to be the blueprint for the newest allwhite jerseys. The retro font along with the interesting style make these jerseys a player favorite.

“I love this jersey; I think it looks cool, timeless,” Warren said. “I like the long sleeves because they’re not tight and you can move in them.”

McGuire said the jersey has a little bit of everything which adds to the look.

“This one is very appealing to the eye. You have everything: Nike with the sponsorship, Marquette on your side, and having white at home, I think that’s a statement,” McGuire said. “I

Graphic by Bryan Geenen

love this jersey; this was one of 8. “All-White my favorites.”

Jerseys

Marquette”

Positives: Minimalist, Style, These jerseys used the oldColor, Fit, Sleeves school Marquette lettering Negatives: N/A across the front of the jerseys.

Score: 7.5 The matching fonts on the tops and bottoms gave this jersey a 6. Yellow with Blue Shorts and very complete look.

Socks “I think this looks like an actual jersey. I like the short sleeves, Part of the current regiment of it looks like it fits nice and I’m a uniforms, these yellow jerseys big fan of the all-white jerseys,” became much more appealing Warren said. with the blue shorts and socks.

Fountain agreed, pointing The primary colors together is out how the older white jerseys prime Marquette. Although yel- pieced it all together. low jerseys are seen less often, “I like the whole white outthe pairing of the yellow and fit and the font is really nice, blue gives this newer style of the Marquette logo, just everyjersey an old-school feel. thing,” Fountain said.

Previously, Marquette had paired the yellow jerseys with Positives: Color, Logo, Font, white shorts and socks.

BIG EAST Logo “I like the jersey much better Negatives: N/A in this than with the white shorts Score: 6.5 and socks because the color on the shorts matches the number of 9. “Bumblebee” Style Jerseys the jersey,” Warren said.

Marquette also added the The navy blue design with conference logo on the side yellow stripes was not quite as of the jersey, which McGuire popular among players. The horpointed out. izontal stripes, often found at the “I also really like the BIG professional level, appear a little EAST logo on the shoulder. It too small on this jersey. The jerkind of makes it more of like sey seems to be a shoutout to a unit with Marquette and BIG Marquette’s 1969-72 men’s basEAST,” McGuire said. ketball jerseys, but just misses the mark.

Positives: Color Pairing, Fonts “The font makes it look so old Match, BIG EAST Logo, Fit and gives me more of a rugby Negatives: N/A vibe,” Warren said.

Score: 7 McGuire said the jerseys could look good for a different time 7. “Blue Splitting Yellow” but they weren’t meant for them.

Jerseys “It’s just not really our style. We might’ve worn these These intriguing jerseys see a my freshman year. It’s more design featuring a large blue col- of a men’s soccer-style,” umn down the middle with yel- McGuire said. low sleeves and sides. Although the colors represent Marquette, Positives: Matching the jerseys leave the Marquette Negatives: Style, Font, Colors logo off, and it instead appears Score: 5.4 on the shorts.

The more modern concept 10. Yellow Jerseys with Blue made the jerseys rank highly Shorts and Yellow Socks among players, although the tight fit of the tops and bottoms Although it has the same top dropped the overall score. as used previously, the shorts “I love the shorts, they’re and socks combination landed a little more square. I just re- this uniform at the bottom of the member the jerseys were tight,” rankings for the team. The same McGuire said. jerseys with blue shorts and blue Warren also appreciated the socks give off a much more aesdesign but reiterated McGuire’s thetic look, while the yellowfeelings about the fit. blue-yellow makes this uniform “I think it looks like a nice much less appealing. outfit but when everybody was “The lines are just not right. putting them on, everybody’s It just feels a little broken,” shirts were too small and the Fountain said. shorts were way too small,” Warren said.

Positives: Colors, Fit, Style Negatives: Color Matching, Positives: Coloration, Match- Shorts ing, Style Score: 3.8 Negatives: Fit Score: 6.8

16

Sports

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

MEN’S SOCCER

Tasker Wheeler joins Louis Bennett’s 2021 roster Defenseman spent time with Alabama FC, IMG Academy

By Nick Galle

nicholas.galle@marquette.edu

“Long car rides with my dad,” Tasker Wheeler said. “Traveling a lot with my dad, just enjoying the time that I had with my dad.”

For many people, the thought of spending time with their father on the open road might bring back a variety of memories. It could spark the thought of an annual family road trip, the trek to a weird uncle’s house for the holidays or even the day where one wrong turn made a trip to the grocery store an all-day event. For Marquette men’s soccer’s newest addition, those car rides with Dad were a brick in the foundation of a soccer career spanning across two decades.

The men’s soccer program announced Wheeler’s officially signing with the team Jan. 5. He became the eighth first-year player on the roster and the third firstyear player on the defensive side of the ball.

Wheeler grew up playing soccer in New York City, but truly discovered his passion for the game after moving to London, England. He made the move at seven years old and embraced the sports culture that his new environment gifted him with.

Photo courtesy of Tasker Wheeler

Wheeler is adjusting to Marquette.

“It’s a big culture there, everyone loves playing soccer,” Wheeler said. “It’s the big sport, it’s the American football … and I just fell in love with it the second I started playing in England.”

Since then, soccer has taken him all around the world. Ever since he was young, he would spend a lot of time on the road with his dad — it’s one of his earliest memories.

During his time in the United States, the 6-foot-1 defender has played for IMG Academy, the D.C. United Development Academy and Alabama FC. Wheeler said his experiences prior to Marquette taught him a lot that prepared him for the college game.

“The competition was fantastic,” Wheeler said. “You’re fighting for your spot every day. You’re proving that you can be the starting player in your position. It was great, the coaching staff was great … D.C. United transformed the way I play, on and off the ball.”

Wheeler took those skills with him to Milwaukee and head coach Louis Bennett said the first-year is continuously trying to improve his game at the collegiate level.

“He’s a very intense guy, very positive guy, and he is like a sponge — he wants to learn, he wants to get better all the time,” Bennett said. “He’s never satisfied with where he’s at.”

Coach Bennett said that there is always an acclimation period

with new players on the team, and that this period can be especially difficult due to the pandemic. Although COVID-19 has presented first-year players and the team with obstacles, Bennett said Wheeler is on the right track when it comes to his development.

Veterans on the squad have been able to guide the younger players through these tough times. The first-years that were on the roster in the fall have also been helping Wheeler adjust to the team. Fellow first-year defender Joey Fitzgerald said the addition of Wheeler to the roster has been beneficial for team chemistry.

“Chemistry is going great for us so far, especially with Tasker coming in in the spring,” Fitzgerald said. “I feel like it’s been really good for him (Wheeler) to have the group of freshmen we have with him to get him used to everything.”

In his time with the Golden Eagles thus far, Wheeler has embraced the challenge that is BIG EAST soccer.

“The college game is definitely very different than anything I’ve ever been in, it’s a new environment for me,” Wheeler said. “All the guys have been great and

they’ve definitely added me to the team and I couldn’t be more thankful, but it’s definitely a new environment. I’m still learning every day, with an open mind, and I’ve loved every second of college.”

As Wheeler enters this next stage of his career, it is no surprise that he is not backing down from the challenge.

“As a young boy, and an older boy, and then a young man, he’s been all over the place seeking … challenges with soccer,” Bennett said. “So he’s a very ambitious guy, and we’re seeing that for sure.”

Now that the long road trips with his father have turned into a Division I soccer career, Wheeler said he is excited to finally get back out onto the pitch after an extended break away from the game that he fell in love with in England.

“I’m just excited for all of us to be able to play again. It’s been a long time and we’ve worked very hard in a lot of different aspects of the game,” Wheeler said. “On a personal standpoint, I just look forward to seeing what I can bring to the team and how I can help the team out in every scenario.”