March 17, 2022

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OPENING MINDS Mankato officers came to MSU to answer questions from diverse student leaders.

By MAXWELL MAYLEBEN Editor In Chief

By JULIA BARTON News Director

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion presented, “Diverse Students Meeting with Greater Mankato Public Safety,” on Wednesday to have a Q&Abased discussion with Minnesota State University, Mankato Student leaders.

During the event officers from the Mankato Public Safety Center, St Peter area, and Blue Earth County sat with MSU students where they were encouraged to ask any questions to the officers regarding the law of what to do in certain situations.

Topics discussed ranged from tips on how to interact with police safely, to how officers cope with a fairly high stress job.

Amy Vokal, director of Mankato’s Public Safety Center, voiced what people always ask her in regards to what she looks for in a good officer.

“The number one thing is empathy, and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes and understanding we don’t all see the same. That is why these events are so crucial because this is where you develop relationships and share backgrounds and hear other people’s concerns,” Vokal said.

“The relationship building is the most important thing,

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

North Mankato Police Chief Ross Gullickson speaks with an MSU student at the event in the CSU.

training gives us the foundation but what matters is putting it into action.”

One of the questions asked was how officers deal with the negative stigma or stereotype against them.

“What we look for is opportunities to talk about it. I do think that we have to watch out for an ‘us versus them’ mentality. If you think that everyone is against law enforcement, and get in that mentality, it builds a bigger wall up. We try to make sure our staff are getting educational opportuni-

ties and awareness so we don’t feed into that mentality,” Ross Gullickson, North Mankato Police Chief, said.

Kornelius Klah, graduate assistant and track athlete at MSU, shared what he got out of the event.

“This was a great opportunity to ask my questions and I really liked that one-on-one time being able to speak with the officer,” Klah said. “But I definitely wanted to hear more personal statements from the officers.”After the Q&A session MSU Student Govern-

ment President Reauna Stiff and Vice President Kara Svercl proposed a mobile app that will assist users during routine traffic stops.

The app TurnSignl allows users to connect virtually with an attorney in real time during stops with law enforcement.

This app aims to protect driver’s rights, ensure police and drivers safety, and de-escalate roadside situations.

If implemented, this app is intended to be free for all MSU students to use and will be SAFETY on page 3 

TEDx comes to MSU hoping to inspire students

By JULIA BARTON

Courtesy of Today Magazine

News Director

This Friday a TEDx event will be at Minnesota State University, Mankato and will feature 11 speakers who will share a variety of messages themed around MSU’s slogan, “Big ideas real-world thinking”.

TEDx is an independently organized event that aims to inspire others by sharing ideas and sparking discussions. This locally organized event will take place in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom.

Gabby Aw, the audience experience liaison a part of the Masters Program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, said they anticipate about 300 to 500 attendees.

“With everything going on with COVID not a lot of events

Student Government hears three fee presentations

Poorna Malavath, pictured here on Mt. Vinson will be one of the featured speakers at the TEDxMNSU event.

have been done in person.

TEDx is a big name event and we just want people to come out.”

Some of the speakers in-

clude MSU faculty and alumni that are set to share their successes post-college, as well as their personal life experiences.

“I think for myself it will

be really cool to attend a TED event in person and feel that atmosphere. It’s kinda like watching movies on Netflix, it’s a totally different experience when you go to the theaters and watch it right when it comes out,” shared Aw. During the event there will also be on-going workshops taking place in the nearby CSU rooms as well as sponsors of the event.

“There’s that aspect of networking as well. You can see these professionals, talk to them, and ask them questions in person,” said Aw. “I think it will be a great opportunity for students to get their foot in the door.”

One of the featured speakers is Poorna Malavath, a MSU alumna, who climbed TED on page 4 

Three departments that are partially funded by student fees presented their recommendation to the Minnesota State University, Mankato Student Government yesterday.

These fees included the Intercollegiate Athletics Fee, which asked for a 5.25% increase, the Student Union Fee, which asked for a 3.8% decrease, and the Technology Fee, which asked for no increase or decrease.

The Intercollegiate Athletics Fee partially funds athletic programming and is capped at $4.58 per credit hour, or $55 per semester. Currently, the fee is $4 per credit hour.

Jackson Hauge and Anna Cihak, both student athletes at MSU, presented a recommendation of a 5.25% increase, resulting in a $0.21 STUGOV on page 5 

BISA strives for equity in education

By ALEXANDRA TOSTRUD Staff Writer

The Bias Incident Support and Advisory Team (BISA) is dedicated to educating about and addressing discrimination at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The team, formed after multiple MSU students expressed concern over biased incidents, consists of faculty from numerous offices and departments across campus.

Kenneth Reid is the cochair and co-convenor of the team, as well as the director of African American Affairs. A full list of members to contact can be found on the university’s website under Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

“A couple of years ago, our campus had experienced a number of biased incidents from a vehicle that was driving on our premises saying racial slurs to our campus community members. Around the same time, I was personally receiving informal concerns from some of our students PROGRAM on page 4 

2 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Jussie Smollett released from county jail

By DON BABWIN and SARA BURNETT Associated Press

Jussie Smollett was released from jail Wednesday after an appeals court agreed with his lawyers that he should be free pending the appeal of his conviction for lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack.

Smollett walked out of the Cook County Jail Wednesday evening after spending six nights behind bars, surrounded by security, and did not comment as he got into an awaiting SUV. Smollett defense attorney Nenye Uche, speaking to reporters outside the jail after Smollett left, said the Smollett family is “very very happy with today’s developments.”

He criticized the special prosecutor’s decision to charge Smollett again after the initial charges were dropped by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and he paid a fine.

“Let me make something clear: There is no room for politics in our court system and our appellate courts in this great state do not play politics,” Uche said.

The appeals court ruling came after a Cook County judge sentenced Smollett last week to immediately begin serving 150 days in jail for his conviction on

BRIAN CASSSELLA • Chicago Tribune via AP

Actor Jussie Smollett is led out of the courtroom after being sentenced at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, Thursday, March 10, 2022, in Chicago.

five felony counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police.

The appeals court said Smollett could be released after posting a personal recognizance bond of $150,000, meaning he doesn’t have to put down money but agrees to come to court as re-

quired. Smollett’s attorneys had argued that he would have completed the sentence by the time the appeal process was completed and that Smollett could be in danger of physical harm if he remained locked up in Cook County Jail.

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The office of the special prosecutor called the claim that Smollett’s health and safety were at risk “factually incorrect,” in a response to his motion, noting that Smollett was being held in protective custody at the jail.

The court’s decision marks

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the latest chapter in a strange story that began in January 2019 when Smollett, who is Black and gay, reported to Chicago police that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack by two men wearing ski masks. The manhunt for the attackers soon turned into an investigation of Smollett himself and his arrest on charges that he’d orchestrated the attack and lied to police about it.

The investigation revealed Smollett paid two men he knew from work on the TV show “Empire” to stage the attack.

A jury convicted Smollett in December on five felony counts of disorderly conduct — the charge filed when a person lies to police. He was acquitted on a sixth count. Judge James Linn sentenced Smollett last week to 150 days in jail — with good behavior he could have been released in as little as 75 days.

Smollett maintained his innocence during the trial. During sentencing he shouted at the judge that he was innocent, warning the judge that he was not suicidal and if he died in custody it was somebody else, and not him, who would have taken his life.

Uche said the first thing Jussie did when learning the news was push his hands on the glass between them.

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Thursday, March 17, 2022

News

Violence on spa shootings anniversary

By KATE BRUMBACK

MSU Reporter • 3

Fly away to new worlds with education abroad program

Associated Press

A year after the fatal shootings at three Georgia massage businesses, crowds gathered at rallies across the country Wednesday to remember the victims and denounce anti-Asian violence that has risen sharply in recent years.

Six women of Asian descent were among the eight people killed in and near Atlanta on March 16, 2021. The slayings contributed to fear and anger among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and motivated many to join the fight against the rising hostility.

At the Atlanta Asian Justice rally, which drew some 100 people to a former railroad depot near the state Capitol, speakers railed against the stereotypes of Asian women as either docile or exotic and said those harmful perceptions contribute to the violence.

“Being an Asian woman, you are hypersensitive to the fetishization that occurs. It just reminds me that there’s so much work to be done,” said Jennifer Fero, a school administrator of Korean descent who attended the rally.

Fero lamented that “it is up to us to educate the general public on the AAPI experience and what microaggressions and hate crimes look like.”

Georgia Rep. Bee Nguyen, the first Vietnamese American SAFETY from page 1 available 24/7.

Currently, Mankato officers undergo numerous training courses, one of them regarding 

RON HARRIS • Associated Press

A child holds a sign at the beginning of a rally on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Atlanta.

to serve in the state House, told the crowd the killings hit home for people like her, the child of Asian immigrants.

Those who died, she said, were victims of “racism, xenophobia, gender-based violence.” “It should not take a tragedy such as this one for us to wake up,” she said. “This has been ongoing in the history of our country.”

Stop AAPI Hate has been tracking incidents nationwide based on victims self-reporting. In the rampage a year ago, Robert Aaron Long killed four people — Xiaojie “Emily” Tan, 49; Daoyou Feng, 44; Delaina Yaun, 33; and Paul Michels, 54 — and seriously injured a fifth person at Youngs Asian

Massage in Cherokee County.

Authorities say he then drove about 30 miles (48 kilometers) to Atlanta, where he killed three women — Suncha Kim, 69; Soon Chung Park, 74; and Hyun Jung Grant, 51 — at Gold Spa, crossed the street and killed Yong Ae Yue, 63, at Aromatherapy Spa. President Joe Biden released a statement remembering the victims.

“These horrific murders shook communities across America and underscored how far we have to go in this country to fight racism, misogyny, and all forms of hate — and the epidemic of gun violence that enables these extremists,” he said.

how to deal with those with mental disabilities and crisis training.

In addition, officers also are required to undergo an em-

ployee wellness program that has them talk to a therapist and are allowed up to six follow up visits covered by the city.

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By JENNA PETERSON Copy Editor

After being put under a travel ban due to COVID-19, the education abroad program at Minnesota State University, Mankato is getting ready for a normal semester by sending students to a new country.

Director of Center for Global Engagement Erica Johnson discussed what the abroad program offers MSU students.

“One of the biggest benefits of an education abroad program is the opportunity for students to not only earn college credit while experiencing a different culture, but also to learn a lot of the soft skills or social capital,” she stated. “They’re great opportunities for experiential learning and for having the world as your classroom versus just being outside of the traditional classroom.”

When the pandemic first hit, a travel ban on all inter-

national travel for Minnesota state system schools was put in place to protect students and faculty. Throughout the past two years, the school has been able to send students on national abroad trips, as there were fewer restrictions. With this being the only abroad option, there was an increase in students who took advantage of this.

“We’ve had a huge increase in the number of our students participating in an exchange program called The National Student Exchange. Our students have the ability to go to over 250 schools that are located around the U.S., including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. They can study for up to two semesters,” Johnson explained. “It’s also been a great program for our international students who might have restrictions to go to other countries. In a normal year we might have had four ABROAD on page 4 

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4 • MSU Reporter TED from page 1 the tallest peak in Antarctica, including Mount Everest and Kilimanjaro. Another is MSU Assistant Professor Thad Shunkwiler, who will share about “Fostering Resilience by

News Delaying Gratification”.

The door will open at 9 a.m. and the event will go until 3:30 p.m. Tickets will be $5 for MSU students, $20 for faculty and the general public, which can be purchased online.

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Americans react to Zelenskyy plea

By JOSEPH FREDERICK, MIKE HOUSEHOLDER and AMY BETH HANSON Associated Press

 PROGRAM from page 1 about things that were happening in different parts of the campus related to bias,” Reid explained. “From there, we entertained the conversation with the director of Title IX and the director of campus safety. Together, we developed a policy as well as procedural steps to handle and address issues of bias in our campus community.”

The BISA Team assists with multiple ways bias can manifest, including roommate incidents, issues with peers, or discrimination from faculty.

“We are working proactively in the upcoming year to ensure that there is more awareness of the team, so that people know where they can go if they are experiencing forms of bias,” he noted.

Reid then went on to discuss how someone can report an incident to the BISA Team.

“There are a number of ways to report an incident.

Meeting with one of BISA Team members, contacting our BISA email, or submitting to our BISA form. The person can submit anonymously through the form or through a third-party individual,” Reid stated. “We collect that infor-

mation and meet back with the individual to find out what they want, what is happening, and what trends we are seeing in that area. We work directly with that individual, on a caseby-case basis with what we know, what we need to do, and how we best support the needs of the individual. We want to make sure that they are heard, they are valued, and they understand that we take the situation seriously.”

The MSU Student Government is another source for students to report incidents, as the organization will assist in finding the right person to ensure the situation is acknowledged.

“Student Government works hard to ensure that bias or discrimination of any kind isn’t tolerated on this campus and is quickly addressed. We support students who have experienced bias and use our platform to call out systemic bias and advocate for change,” says Student Body Vice President Kara Svercl. “The best way to get in contact with us is to stop by the office or to send us an email.”

Both the office location and contact information can be found on the university’s website.

 ABROAD from page 3 students participate, but right now we’re up to about 25. It’s really taken off over the last year and a half.”

Now that more people have received their COVID-19 vaccinations and transmission numbers are beginning to shrink, the center is able to send students on international trips once again.

MSU fifth year senior Colin Moore, who is a student programming coordinator at the Center for Global Engagement, took a year to study abroad in France during the 2019-2020 academic year.

“It started off as just wandering in the office and asking ‘How can I study abroad?

Where can I go?’ I’m a French major, so France was one that I was looking at for sure and luckily they have a business program in France,” Moore explained. “It was pretty easy for me to narrow down my choices.”

Signing up for an abroad program is easier than one might think. With various different abroad programs available, the staff at the Center for Global Engagement are there to help students find the program for them. “We start planning a year in advance and we’ll work really closely with students to find the right fit of a program for them. By right fit, it’s a combination of

the student’s major, their goals that they’re looking to get out of an abroad program, affordability, and location,” Johnson stated. “We’ll also work very closely with financial aid, so all of our students are encouraged to meet with financial aid even if they don’t receive it in order to help plan for budgeting and costs.”

During his time in France, Moore quickly learned how different life is in France compared to the United States.

“I had been to France for a month a couple years before I went, so I kind of had an idea of what it was life [there] was going to look like. Still, the last time I was in France I lived with a host family and this time I got an apartment by myself and I was kind of on my own,” Moore stated.

He also learned how students can make the most out of their studying abroad trip.

“Be as spontaneous as you can, don’t plan things. The best trips are the ones that I was told of two days before,” Moore commented.

There are various programs available for students wanting to study abroad. They can last anywhere from a week to a year, either in the country or overseas. Students who are interested in a program that works best for them are encouraged to visit the center in the basement of Morris Hall.

Americans reacted with empathy, pain, frustration and in some cases anger Wednesday to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s impassioned speech to the U.S. Congress pleading for more aid for a nation and a people under bloody siege.

Across the country, thousands shared video of Zelenskyy’s speech on social media, many especially pained by a clip he shared of bloodied children in hospitals, bodies in neighborhood streets, crumbling facades of apartment buildings and a ditch where the dead of war were being buried.

Many were struck by Zelenskyy’s comment that “I see no sense in life if it cannot stop the death.”

Eric Bottoms, a day trader from North Little Rock, Arkansas, said after watching the speech that America has an obligation to protect the citizens of Ukraine because Russian President Putin is “purposely targeting” them.

“It’s morally the right thing to do,” Bottoms said, comparing relative inaction to failing to stop Nazi Germany’s early aggressions in the last century.

“If we’d done something earlier, how many more lives could have been saved?”

At Streecha, a tiny New York City restaurant that offers Ukrainian comfort food, a small group of workers watched Zelenskyy’s remarks live on TV. The canteen’s manager, Dmytro Kovalenko, moved to the U.S.

CARLOS OSORIO • Associated Press

Jim Fouts, the mayor of Warren, Mich., addresses dozens of Ukrainian Americans at City Hall Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Warren, Mich.

from Ukraine in 2014 after the Russian invasion of Crimea.

Kovalenko said he still believed his home country could win the war if America offered more help, like anti-aircraft weapons or the enforcement of a no-fly zone. The latter option has been ruled out, for now, by the U.S. for fear of escalating the war.

“United States proved to be our friends and allies supporting us,” Kovalenko said.

“Maybe they can do more. We will expect from them to do more. But at least you already proved you are our friends.”

Zelenskyy cited Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 terror attacks as he appealed to Congress to do more to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

He also appealed for intensified U.S. financial sanctions against Russia. It was appropriate for Zelenskyy to draw on the horrors of 9/11 and Pearl Harbor in his appeal to Americans,

said Taisa Kulyk, a 22-year-old Harvard University senior and Cleveland, Ohio, native whose parents immigrated from Ukraine in 1996. “Ukraine is experiencing this every day, every night for three weeks now,” Kulyk said. “The world cannot just stand by and bear witness to terrorism on this scale.”

Zelenskyy “appealed to the American experience of terror, thus speaking directly to American voters,” said Oleh Kotsyuba, a 41-year-old scholar at Harvard’s Ukrainian Research Institute who is originally from Ukraine.

President Joe Biden announced after Zelenskyy’s speech that the U.S. will be sending an additional $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, including more anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons and drones. That makes a total of $2 billion in such aid sent to Kyiv since Biden took office more than a year ago.

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Thursday, March 17, 2022

News

MSU Reporter • 5

Zelenskyy pleades in impassioned speech

By LISA MASCARO and AAMER MADHANI

land as risking wider war with nuclear-armed Putin. Instead, Zelenskyy pleaded for other military aid and more drastic

economic sanctions to stop the Russian assault with the fate of his country at stake. Wearing his now-trademark army green

T-shirt, Zelinskyy began his remarks to “Americans, friends” by invoking the destruction the U.S. suffered in 1941 when Ja-

pan bombed the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, and the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by militants who commandeered passenger airplanes to crash into the symbols of Western democracy and economy.

“Remember Pearl Harbor? ...

Remember September 11?”

Zelenskyy asked. “Our country experiences the same every day right now.” To end the invasion, Zelenskyy told the American lawmakers: ““I call on you to do more.”Nearing the threeweek mark in an ever-escalating war, Zelenskyy has used the global stage to implore allied leaders to help stop the Russian invasion of his country. The young actor-turned-president has emerged as a heroic figure at the center of what many view as the biggest security threat to Europe since World War II. Almost 3 million refugees have fled Ukraine as the violence has spread, the fastest exodus in modern times.

Biden, who said he listened to Zelenskyy’s speech at the White House, did not directly respond to the the criticism that the U.S. should be doing more for the Ukrainians.

as from the wrestling program.

This increase would require the student body to go to referendum, which would be voted on during the Student Government general election.

The next up was the Student Union Fee, which was presented

by MSU students Zahara Osman and Emma Gabbert.

Due to a large, 20 year bond being paid off this year, there

was a significant decrease in need when it comes to fee funding from the student body.

Despite a significant increase in student payroll, with student hourly wages increasing on campus due to the debt, the Student Union presented to have their fee decreased by 3.8%.

Lastly, Mark Schneider represented IT Solutions during the Technology Fee presentation.

Similar to the aforementioned fees, IT Solutions is funded partially by a fee paid by students, as well as other revenue sources, including the general fund, computer store revenue, and infrastructure funding from the MinnState system.

Schnieder recommended no increase or decrease to the fee, leaving the cost at $11.50 per credit hour. Although remain-

ing flat this year, IT Solutions stated they will most likely ask for an increase next year, citing FlexSync upgrades, ESports facility expansions, and network updates.

The Student Government will be voting to recommend or amend these fees in the coming weeks. Should they pass a recommendation, it will be passed to administration for approval.

Associated Press

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy summoned memories of Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 terror attacks Wednesday in an impassioned live-video plea to Congress to send more help for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Lawmakers stood and cheered, and President Joe Biden later announced the U.S. is sending more anti-aircraft, anti-armor weapons and drones.

Biden also declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal — his strongest condemnation yet — the day after the Senate unanimously asked for international investigations of Putin for war crimes in Ukraine. In a moment of high drama at the Capitol, Zelenskyy livestreamed his speech to a rapt audience of lawmakers on a giant screen, acknowledging from the start that the no-fly zone he has repeatedly sought to “close the sky” to airstrikes on his country may not happen. Biden has resisted that, as well as approval for the U.S. or NATO to send MiG fighter jets from Po-

STUGOV from page 1 increase per credit hour. This increase was requested, citing the importance of athletics at MSU, as well as a decrease in enrollment and subsequent loss of income from fees.

“Athletics serve as the window to the University,” said Hauge, noting national championships won recently from women’s track and field as well 

SARAH SILBIGER • Pool via AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a virtual address to Congress by video at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

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6 • MSU Reporter

Editorial

Perspectives

Editorials represent the opinions of The Reporter editorial board.

The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the college, university or student body.

Maxwell Mayleben Editor In Chief

Julia Barton News Director

Mansoor Ahmad Media Director

Kole Buelow Sports Editor

Emma Johnson Variety Editor

Jenna Peterson Copy Editor

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Say Y.E.S. to Gay Lib

Spring is here, time to defrost With daylight savings allowing us to spring forward, the sun is out and the snow is melting and so is the feeling of the winter blues.

When it gets higher than 50 degrees outside, you know it’s time for the coats to come off and the sandals to be put on.

After months walking cautiously on ice in frigid temperatures, the first nice day is a sign that the sweet iconic Minnesota summer season we all savor is right around the corner.

The days are starting to get longer with the sun setting after 5 p.m. The longer the sun is in the air it allows students to get out on campus and enjoy a bit of the fresh air before getting back to their schooling. Light sweatshirts are worn, a perfect tell-tale sign that endless bonfire nights are soon upon us.

The ice starts thinning out on lakes, promising days spent on the lake with friends.

Just because days of rest and relaxation are upon us doesn’t mean that we have to get ready to chill.

If you don’t like the idea of spring cleaning, when you go to clean out your cluttered car and messy junk drawers full of objects you’ve collected throughout the winter season, consider it to be a fresh start to the new season.

It may seem like a hassle to dust every piece of furniture when you can open your windows once again, but remember about how much you missed being able to have the windows open flooding without freezing to death in the middle of winter.

When spring arrives, people look for more ways to get outside.

The sidewalks are filled with people running or walking, making the outdoors their gym.

There’s something about exercising outside that feels more meaningful than continuously walking in the same spot on a squeaking treadmill.

On the weekends, they gravitate towards farmer’s markets to get fresh fruit and vegetables, ready to prepare the sweet taste of light yet tasty dishes. People break out the outdoor furniture, enjoying talks of their summer plans.

Most can’t help but feel happy when spring gets closer due to all the happy tell-tale signs.

Flowers start peaking out of the ground and filling up yards with bright pastels. Easter brings the arrival of cute baby animals and Easter baskets filled with chocolates.

Overall spring is a season of new beginnings and we as students should take full advantage of the weather, at least until the last unexpected snowfall comes once more.

File photo

J E R E M Y R E DL I E N On Nov. 17, 1972, a small ad appeared in The Reporter stating, “Mankato Area Gay Group. Gay Discussion Group Mon. Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m. For further information call Y.E.S.” With apologies to Neil Armstrong, one might say this was one small ad for The Reporter and one giant leap for Mankato’s LGBTQ community. As a community, we were no longer closeted.

The Mankato Gay Consciousness Group grew out of small, privately held pizza parties which were organized by gay men. The only way to know about the early pizza parties was by word of mouth.

In a later interview that Jim Chalgren, the founder of the LGBT Center on campus, gave before his passing, he described the first meeting

that followed the placement of the ad as having only the three people, who organized the meeting, in attendance.

In Jan. 1973, an article describing the first publicly advertised meeting for the Gay Consciousness Group was published in The Reporter. It describes the group as a gay liberation group and quotes two individuals, neither of whom use their real name.

“Randy [a fictitious name] is confused about his sexuality. He told some members of his family he is gay, but now wishes he hadn’t. The group felt his problem is no longer being gay, but having the guilt bury his identity,” was included in an issue from The Reporter on Jan. 24, 1973.

Another ad was placed in the newspaper and another meeting was held that month, with more people in attendance. Within a few months, the group was able to apply for, and successfully receive, recognition from the college senate.

A few years later the Gay Consciousness Group hosted events that drew in individuals not just from Minnesota, but from states across the midwest.

In addition to holding social events, the group advocated for LGBTQ rights throughout the 70s, including a push for the Mankato City Council to pass an ordinance banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

The Gay Consciousness Group formed the basis of the Jim Chalgren Center LGBT Center at MSU, which is the second oldest college COLUMN on page 8 

“What is your favorite thing about spring?”

Compiled by Maddie Behrens

AIDEN BUENDORF, FRESHMAN

ZOE GORAH, SOPHOMORE

JAKUB WEST, FRESHMAN

NITESH KC, FRESHMAN

ERIN PRZHBILLA, FRESHMAN

ADIAN TOLLEFSON, FRESHMAN

“The birds.”

“The flowers.”

“Rain.”

“Everything turning green.”

“The smells.”

“College hockey playoffs.”

Thursday, March 17, 2022

News

MSU Reporter • 7

Talking to kids about nukes: experts suggest truth

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press

Jillian Amodio went with the truth when her 10-yearold daughter had some pointed questions about the war in Ukraine.

“When she asked what nuclear weapons were, I explained in simple terms that they’re explosive devices used in warfare that are capable of releasing tremendous amounts of energy and causing widespread harm and damage,” said the Annapolis, Maryland, founder of a support group called Moms for Mental Health.

But her daughter wasn’t finished there.

“She asked if we were in danger of being hit with nuclear weapons,” said Amodio. “And I explained that leaders around the world are responsible for ensuring that nuclear warfare doesn’t occur, and that we have learned from past instances just how devastating the effects of nuclear warfare can be.”

She did what many parents and experts recommend: She led with the truth, though she chose her details based on what she knew her child could handle emotionally.

The day Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear forces placed on high alert late last month was a big one for

PETER DEJONG • Associated Press

A child holds a drawing as she and others demonstrate in support of the Ukraine outside the United Nations’ top court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

some parents with inquisitive kids. On social media, in classrooms and at the playground, children who hear about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are wondering where the war could lead. It’s a moment that can feel similar to growing up during the Cold War, when there was talk

of nuclear winter, radiation and the atomic bomb.

Unlike in the past, however, today’s kids have greater unchecked access to both accurate images, video and information but loads of disinformation, too.

What some also have are loved ones with personal experiences

of tense nuclear times.

“With younger kids, speak simply and avoid discussing scary topics in detail. With adolescents, honesty is the best policy. Always be transparent,” said Dr. Beth Oller, a family physician in Stockton, Kansas, and mom of four kids, ages 2 to 9.

“Speak to what’s actionable to help put their minds at ease.”

Fear of nuclear devastation can have a lifelong impact on children, said Nathaniel N. Ivers, an associate professor of counseling at Wake Forest University. During the Cold War, studies showed that vulnerable populations, including children and caregivers, experienced greater fear and anxiety over the nuclear threat than others, he said.

And parents who expressed more anxiety about a nuclear threat, he said, “tended to have children who were more anxious about nuclear bombs.”

A threat of nuclear detonation — something like the Cuban Missile Crisis, for instance — may create in children a profound awareness of their mortality and vulnerability. “Children know there is very little they can do to protect themselves if a nuclear bomb were to hit their area, which can create feelings of helplessness and hopelessness,” Ivers said. ”It also can create a sense of nihilism, especially in older children and adolescents.”

Henry Williams, a digital designer in Brooklyn, reached for film when his 11-year-old son came to him with questions about nuclear weapons and the war. Not the nuclear submarine spy thriller “The Hunt for Red October.”

8 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, March 17, 2022

How higher interest will affect Americans

By CHISTOPHER RUGABER Americans who have long enjoyed the benefits of historically low interest rates will have to adapt to a very different environment as the Federal Reserve embarks on what’s likely to be a prolonged period of rate hikes to fight inflation.

Record-low mortgage rates below 3%, reached last year, are already gone. Credit card interest rates and the costs of an auto loan will also likely move up. Savers may receive somewhat better returns, depending on their bank, while returns on long-term bond funds will likely suffer. The Fed’s initial quarter-point rate hike Wednesday in its benchmark short-term rate won’t have much immediate impact on most Americans’ financ-

es. But with inflation raging at four-decade highs, economists and investors expect the central bank to enact the fastest pace of rate hikes since 2005. That would mean higher borrowing rates well into the future.

On Wednesday, the Fed’s policymakers collectively signaled that they expect to boost their key rate up to seven times this year, raising its benchmark rate to between 1.75% and 2% by year’s end. The officials expect four additional hikes in 2023.

Chair Jerome Powell hopes that by making borrowing gradually more expensive, the Fed will succeed in cooling demand for homes, cars and other goods and services, thereby slowing inflation.

Yet the risks are high. With inflation likely to stay elevated, in part because of Russia’s

 COLUMN from page 6 LGBTQ center in the United States.

Later documents would state that the founders of the Gay Counsciosness Group were Lane Patterson, Fred Alden, and Jim Chalgren. Lane Patterson was a professor at MSU who taught classes in the home economics department. He left Mankato for Arizona, where he found-

ed an antique business before passing away from cancer relatively recently. Jim Chalgren, of course, would later go on to found what is now known as the Jim Chalgren LGBT Center here on campus.

While significant, the founding of the Mankato Gay Consciousness Group was not the only examples of early local queer activism in the Mankato

Associated Press

invasion of Ukraine, the Fed may have to drive borrowing costs even higher than it now

expects. Doing so potentially could tip the U.S. economy into recession. “The impact of

a single quarter-point interest rate hike is inconsequential on the household budget,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com. “But there is a cumulative effect that can be quite significant, both on the household budget as well as the broader economy.” Here are some questions and answers about what the rate hikes could mean for consumers and businesses: They already have in the past few months, partly in anticipation of the Fed’s moves, and will probably keep doing so.

Still, mortgage rates don’t necessarily rise in tandem with the Fed’s rate increases. Sometimes, they even move in the opposite direction. Long-term mortgages tend to track the rate on the 10-year Treasury note, which, in turn, is influenced by a variety of factors.

area. In 1969 Frank Kameny, who was the president of The Mattachine Society, one of the first national gay rights organizations, gave a presentation on campus called “The Homosexual Dilemma: What every Heterosexual Should Know.”

This would be followed by presentations and workshops over the next few years on gay and lesbian issues by Minneso-

ta-based organizations. In 1971, a letter to the editor by an anonymous MSU student advocated for greater acceptance of gays and lesbians and was signed “A MSC Homosexual”.

This letter represents one of the earliest examples found of a queer Mankatoen publicly advocating for the queer community. “I know of several prominent people from the area who

are gay. They are good people and respected. Above all, they are human beings who simply want to be accepted as they are,” wrote A MSC Homoesexual in an issue of The Reporter on May 4, 1971.

Hopefully one day, we’ll all be able to be accepted for who we are. Until then, we’ll have to continue to ask, “Why not today?”

ROGELIO V. SOLIS • Associated Press

A customer uses the contactless payment chip in their Visa card to purchase gasoline at a station in Ridgeland, Miss., Thursday, July 1, 2021.

Thursday, March 17, 2022

MSU Reporter • 9

SPORTS

EYEING THE MASON CUP

MSU softball onto Fairfield Classic games

By KARSON BUELOW Staff Writer

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

Senior goaltender Dryden McKay (29) holds an NCAA-leading 34-4-0 record, has earned a .933 save percentage in the net, and has collected nine shutouts this season. McKay is a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker award and was most recently named the CCHA goaltender of the year.

The Mavericks will face Bemidji State in the final home game.

By KOLE BUELOW Sports Editor

Since its discontinuation after the 2012-13 season, the Mason Cup is now up for grabs. The Minnesota State men’s hockey team is now onto the Central Collegiate Hockey Assotion’s tournament finals, where they could become the first team since Notre Dame to claim the CCHA title.

With an 8-1 semifinal win

over Northern Michigan this past Saturday, the Mavericks now move onto the finals game against the Bemidji State Beavers. The Beavers took down the two-seeded Michigan Tech Huskies in their semifinal matchup, defeating Tech 5-2 on the Huskies’ home ice.

Bemidji is no stranger to facing teams who are destined to receive a bid to the NCAA tournament later this month, which includes matchups against North Dakota, St. Cloud State, and Minnesota Duluth on top of the Michigan Tech Huskies.

The Beavers have taken down North Dakota and Michigan Tech in several of those bouts,

and have proven recently they still have what it takes to do it again after reaching the CCHA finals after their semifinal win over MTU. “I don’t think the scores are indicative of the games we have played against Bemidji. Look at the history of our battles year in and year out. It’s usually 2-2 or 3-1,” said Mavericks head coach Mike Hastings on Wednesday. “They’re playing really good hockey right now.

For them to do what they did, winning back to back hockey games in elimination at home against Bowling Green, and then go up to a very difficult place in Houghton and win

5-2… They’re battle tested.”

Coach Hastings later explained, “We’ve got to be disciplined, stay out of the box, manage the puck, and make sure we are defending first.

When we defend first, we are a better hockey team,” on what the team needs to do to be successful this weekend. Bemidji should make it a great contest on Saturday, but the Mavericks are more than ready to claim their first Mason Cup under the CCHA. This week marked the week of awarding the end-of-season CCHA awards, with several Mavericks claiming team of FINAL on page 10 

By KARSON BUELOW Staff Writer

The Minnesota State University, Mankato baseball team is set to take on the Minot State University Beavers this weekend at Bowyer Field in Mankato. MSU comes into this weekend’s series with a convincing 7-2 overall record. This weekend’s series against the Beavers will be the Maverick’s first action in NSIC conference play this season.

The Mavs are just coming off a successful trip to the Russmatt Central Florida Invitational and carry a fivegame win streak heading into the weekend. Across the nine games played so far, the Mav-

ericks average a dominant 10.2 runs per game and allow 4.3.

The Mavericks are coached by Matt Magers, who is in his 13 season with the club and holds a 505-161 record through the 2021 season.

MSU edges the all-time record between the two clubs at 9-8, with their last win coming in April of 2021. The Mavs also own a slight lead over the Beavers playing in Mankato with a 2-1 record.

Minnesota State is led by junior infielder Nick Altermatt, who was recently titled NSIC Player of the Week. Altermatt owns a .400 batting average (BA) through 25 at-bats (AB) and two home runs on the season.

DAVID FAULKNER • Via Maverick Athletics

Mavs baseball returns home to Bowyer Field

Senior Ross Indlecoffer (34) leads MSU in catches this season with 51 while also leading in putouts at 46 with zero errors.

Additionally, Altermatt is second on the team with 13 runs batted in (RBI) on the

season and has a .444 on-base percentage.

RETURN on page 12 

This weekend, the Minnesota State University, Mankato softball team is set to compete in their final non-conference tournament of the season at the Fairfield Classic in St. Joseph, Mo. The No. 21 Mavericks come into the tournament with a 13-4 overall record and have yet to see any NSIC conference action. MSU is on a seven-game win streak, which started at the NTC Spring Games in Florida this past week. During the Spring Games, Minnesota State dominated their opponents, outscoring them 39-9.

The Mavericks are coached by Lori Meyer, who is in season 38 with the team. Over her long, accomplished history with the Mavs, Meyer holds a record of 1,300-704-3. Meyer entered 2022 as the winningest coach in NCAA Division II. She is also the second coach in NCAA Division II softball history to win at least 1,300 games behind Gary Bryce of Wayne State who had 1,340.

On the offensive side of things, sophomore outfielder Kylie Sullivan leads the Mavericks with a .383 batting average through 47 at-bats.

Sullivan also leads the Mavs in hits this season with 18, two of which went the distance for home runs.

As for pitching, senior Mackenzie Ward leads the team with a 0.86 earned run average (ERA) and boasts an 8-2 record on the season.

Sophomore pitcher/infielder Katie Bracken has also proven herself to be successful with a 1.88 ERA and a 4-1 record on the season.

Minnesota State will open their trip to Missouri on Friday with a pair of games against Missouri Southern and UW-Parkside at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively. Missouri comes into the tournament sporting a 14-8 overall record. The last meeting between these two teams was Mar. 21, 2021, with the Mavericks taking that game 4-0. UW-Parkside currently owns a 3-13 overall record.

This will be the matchup number 10 between the two teams, with the Mavericks winning the last game 10-6.

The Mavericks will continue tournament play the next day as they take on University of Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State University at 12 and 2 p.m., respectively. Central OklaSOFTBALL on page 12 

10 • MSU Reporter

FINAL from page 9 the year and individual honors.

Junior center Nathan Smith, senior winger Julian Napravnik, sophomore defenseman Jake Livingstone, and senior goaltender Dryden McKay all landed spots on the All-CCHA First Team for their respective positions. Freshman defenseman Bennett Zmolek also landed a spot on the AllCCHA Freshman Team. As far as individual honors go, Smith, Livingstone, and McKay all earned CCHA player of the year for their work on the ice for their respective positions, with Smith and McKay also reaching the top-10 in the Hobey Baker finalist voting.

All three players have been undeniably great for the Mavs this season. Smith has totaled 18 goals and 30 assists this season while playing in 33 games.

Smith also made his Olympic debut this past month at the 2022 Winter Olympics where he finished with one goal, one assist, and an average time on ice of 10:21 over a four game span. Livingstone has been a great defender for the team this season, not only defensively but also by getting points on the board. The sophomore is sixth on the team in total points, where he has eclipsed nine goals and 20 assists.

“He’s put a lot of effort into his diet, his training, and you’re seeing a lot of that come out this year. He is a guy that we rely on in all situations, power play, penalty kill, top four minutes as a defenseman,” said Hastings. “If you’ve had a chance to get to know Jake [Livingstone], you appreciate him one as a hockey player, but even more so as a young man. He’s put an awful lot of work into getting to where he is at right now, and I am happy that he is having the success that he is.”

McKay has been an unbelievable backbone in the Mavericks’ success this season, playing in 38 games for the team while holding an NCAA-leading 34-4-0 record.

McKay holds a .933 save percentage in the net, while also collecting nine shutouts in those games.

The Minnesota State players are ready for the game this weekend, and even went out of their way to hand out student tickets at the MSU campus’ Centennial Student Union on Wednesday. Seniors Reggie Lutz and Wyatt Aamodt represented the team on campus, and fellow senior Jack McNeely commented on the importance of the team not only welcoming the general public to their games but also the student population.

“The whole season we have had unbelievable support from both the community and the students here. I think the student section has been very loud this year and very supportive of our group. They make the atmosphere more fun for us.

The crowd has been unbelievable this whole season. A big credit to that goes to our student section.” 

Sports

Thursday, March 17, 2022

T-wolves celebrate Towns’ 60 points

By DAVE CAMPBELL Associated Press

This is Karl-Anthony Towns’ seventh season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, his status well established as the franchise player for this long-languishing organization.

For the first time in his NBA career, Towns has said often, he’s feeling fully appreciated.

His latest feat was quite the showstopper: a franchise-record 60 points in a 149-139 win at San Antonio on Monday night. Towns did it in just 36 minutes, too.

“He’s just that talented.

He’s just that type of player,” teammate D’Angelo Russell said. “You look up and see 60 and the whole team happy.

That’s everybody being selfless about it. I think that was more of what I appreciated. The performance was amazing, but everybody wanted to see it, too.”

As Towns conducted a postgame television interview on the court, multiple teammates snuck up behind him and mischievously doused his head with water to mark the occasion of the most points scored by a NBA player this season.

The Timberwolves, from the bench to the locker room, have cheered each other on with childlike enthusiasm and a selflessness like no other in team history.

“I appreciate it so much, because I ain’t never been celebrated,” said Towns, whose previous career best was a 56-point game against Atlanta on March 28, 2018. “They make these moments special.”

Affable and emotional, Towns has been known to speak in hyperbole like this.

The difference in chemistry with this team compared to the others he’s played on in

DARREN ABATE • Associated Press

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns is doused by teammate D’Angelo Russell, rear, after an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, March 14, 2022, in San Antonio.

Minnesota is clear. Towns also has emerged from a grueling couple of seasons dealing with injuries and, of course, COVID-19. His mother died of complications from the virus in 2020.

As Towns poignantly noted on Twitter on Tuesday morning, his 60-point game was two years to the day that his mother, Jackie Cruz-Towns, was hospitalized in New Jersey with COVID-19.

“I’ve just got a stronger guardian angel than I’ve ever had,” Towns said.

“I feel that I was set up for success by God. I really can’t explain it. I just feel like I was set up for success this year after everything I’ve been through, just having these group of guys

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around. I’ve never had that kind of camaraderie and unity and chemistry since college.

To kind of have everyone, one through 15, buy into everything we’re doing, it makes years like this possible.”

Towns, who became the rare post player to win the NBA’s 3-point contest at AllStar weekend last month, has helped the Timberwolves (4030) strengthen their grip on seventh place in the Western Conference. It would keep them at home for the play-in tournament if they don’t catch sixth-place Denver (41-28).

The Timberwolves have won two of three games against the Nuggets this season, with a April 1 visit to Denver looming large. At 10 games above .500,

it’s their best in four years, finishing the 2017-18 season at 47-35. That’s the only time they’ve been to the playoffs since 2004, when Towns was 8 years old.

“People clearly see how incredibly talented KAT is and what he’s able to do, and they also see that there will be nights where he takes maybe eight or 10 shots and does whatever else the game needs, whether it be rebounding, defensive presence in there,” coach Chris Finch said.

“He’s really responding well to his teammates. He’s a guy like all of us: We need the confidence of our teammates to be our best version of ourselves.”

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Thursday, March 17, 2022

NCAA’s March Madness Live app to improve

By JOE REEDY Associated Press

The developers of the NCAA March Madness Live app frequently hear two complaints — the inability to watch multiple games at once and lag times between television broadcasts and streaming.

They have fixed one of those issues and are hoping they made improvements on the other.

This year’s update to the app will allow multigame viewing for the first time on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Xbox One. There is also a picture-in-picture option for those accessing it on mobile, a desktop or a tablet.

As for latency issues, Turner says there will be a 20% improvement over last year. Even with that, the common stream has a 10- to 15-second lag time.

Hania Poole, the senior vice president for digital at Turner Sports, said the biggest focus has been on engaging fans more, whether it is through pools, stats or on-demand highlights.

“It’s always been fan-centric and fan first and really trying to push the envelope on new technologies and new interactive experiences. Sometimes, they’ve been amazing and continued,” she said. “We’re not a streaming platform that kind of spans the entire year. We’re really up for three weeks, more or less, and we have to continue to differentiate our experiences.”

Poole said the biggest inroads they’ve made is that more people are watching on connected devices instead of mobile. The app will be available across 18 platforms this year, including select LG televisions for the first time.

March Madness Live is available throughout the tournament for those who have a pay television subscription. Those with YouTube TV, Hulu with live TV, DirecTV Stream or Sling TV subscription can also access it.

Some other things to know about this year’s tournament: How does the schedule break down?

CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV will have first- and second-round games.CBS and TBS also have the regional semifinals and finals.

Sports

MSU Reporter • 11

Wilson aims to play 12 more years

By ARNIE STAPLETON Associated Press

Russell Wilson flashed that mile-wide smile and embraced the prospect of playing in the loaded AFC and in the shadows of John Elway and Peyton Manning.

“I want to win three to four more Super Bowls. That’s the plan, that’s the goal, that’s the mission, that’s the vision,” Wilson declared Wednesday after the NFL signed off on the biggest blockbuster trade of the offseason.

“So, let’s do it. Why not?” the former Seahawks QB added as he scanned the auditorium where Elway himself, now a consultant to general manager George Paton, stood smiling in the back.

The deal agreed to last week sent the star 33-year-old quarterback from Seattle to the Rocky Mountains for a massive package of picks and players.

Wilson said he picked Manning’s brain about making a mid-career transition, about schools in Denver, and about the organization once it became apparent he’d get his wish and move to Colorado for the second — and he hopes, final — chapter of his stellar career.

Although the trade couldn’t be finalized until the start of the new league year Wednesday, Wilson and his wife, R&B singer-songwriter Ciara, already have visited sick children in Denver just like the couple used to do in Seattle.

Wilson said he aims to play 10 to 12 more seasons and finish his career in Denver after a

fruitful decade in Seattle, where the Seahawks made it clear in congratulatory Twitter posts Wednesday that Wilson was the one who had asked for the breakup.

“Yeah, I didn’t initiate it,” Wilson retorted. “It was definitely mutual.”

He also insisted he harbors no ill will toward his former team.

“Hard feelings? No. I had 10 incredible years” there, Wilson said. “... And what I do know is that some of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, from Manning to Tom Brady, Drew Brees, have gone from one place to another, guys I’ve always known and admired.

So, in this moment, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to continue to grow and learn.”

Wilson said he believes he’s not even halfway through his NFL career because of his work ethic and focus on health and nutrition. He didn’t miss a game until last year, when a fractured right middle finger sidelined him for a month after he’d started his first 165 games, including 16 in the playoffs.

Wilson becomes the first QB to join the team he beat in the Super Bowl, having vanquished the Broncos 43-8 after the 2013 season. Now he wants to follow Manning and Brady in winning a Super Bowl with his second team.

“Their best years are 30- to 40-plus range,” Wilson said.

“You see Tom coming back, Drew as long as he played, you know. So, to me, I ain’t even got started yet.”

Wilson isn’t just playing in

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DAVID ZALUBOWSKI • Associated Press

Denver Broncos new starting quarterback Russell Wilson speaks during a news conference Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at the team’s headquarters in Englewood, Colo.

the shadow of great quarterbacks in a QB-crazed city, he’s joining an AFC that’s loaded with the likes of Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. He’s also now part of the division’s Mount Rushmore of Quarterbacks in the AFC West that also features Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr.

“Well, first of all, why would you want it any other way?”

Wilson said. “I want to compete at the highest level. So, I think first of all, we need to talk about John Elway, about Peyton Manning.”

He recounted going to the Manning passing camp as a high schooler and meeting Manning in Denver on a visit before the Seahawks drafted him out of Wisconsin in 2012 — after he decided to quit baseball (he was once in the Colo-

rado Rockies’ minor league system) and focus on football.

“So, those kind of memories, it’s an honor, it’s a tradition, it’s a place of excellence,” Wilson said. “And that’s the standard that I have to bring every day.

That’s the only thing I know.”

And as far as the AFC West goes, Wilson said, “I want to play with the best. I don’t fear anything.”

Wilson has two years left on his contract that will pay him $24 million in 2022, although the Broncos might give him a new megadeal before the season even begins, one that could double his annual salary.

In Seattle, GM John Schneider said it had become apparent to the Seahawks it would be difficult to sign Wilson to an extension beyond his current contract that is set to expire after 2023.

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Sports

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Zags relish presence of mid-majors

BASEBALL RETURNS TO BOWYER FIELD

By ANNE PETERSON Associated Press

While Gonzaga is the king of the mid-majors come tournament time, the Bulldogs are happy to spread some of that attention around.

The top-seeded Zags (263) are one of three West Coast Conference teams in the NCAA Tournament, along with Saint Mary’s, the only team to beat Gonzaga in conference play this season, and upstart San Francisco.

It’s just the third time the WCC has sent three teams to the tourney.

The Mountain West has four teams in this year’s tournament, most since 2013 and most of any mid-major conference this year. They include Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Wyoming, which lost to Indiana in the First Four on Tuesday night.

“So all this Power Five stuff, you know, it’s getting pretty old now,” Gonzaga’s Drew Timme said with a laugh.

Gonzaga has had so much success both in the regular season and the tournament that the Bulldogs long ago graduated from plucky mid-major to established powerhouse — a major-mid-major. Still missing for Gonzaga is that elusive national championship. They lost to Baylor in the title game last season and fell to North Carolina in the 2017 championship game.

Gonzaga’s quest to finally add that championship banner opens with the Bulldogs facing No. 16 seed Georgia State on Thursday in Portland.

Joining the top-ranked Bulldogs in Portland is No. 8 seed Boise State, which will face ninth-seeded Memphis.

Other West Region games Thursday include fourth-seeded Arkansas against No. 13

JOHN LOCHER • Associated Press

Maverick Athletics

Gonzaga’s Drew Timme (2) celebrates after cutting a piece of the net after Gonzaga defeated Saint Mary’s in an NCAA college basketball championship game at the West Coast Conference tournament.

Vermont, and fifth-seeded UConn versus No. 12 seed New Mexico State. Both games are in Buffalo, New York.

If Gonzaga and Boise State both win, the two will meet in a second-round game Saturday.

If that happens, Gonzaga will push aside its mid-major pride and focus on the game, which would pit Gonzaga coach Mark Few against former longtime assistant Leon Rice.

“You want to root for them every game but at this point, it’s the NCAA Tournament, it’s just about who you’re going to play next and getting the wins,” Few said.

Since the tournament expanded in 1985, UNLV is the only team considered a mid-major to have won an NCAA title, toppling Duke in 1990.

For now, Gonzaga’s sole focus is on Georgia State (18-10), a fellow mid-major from the Sun Belt Conference. The Panthers are making their fourth NCAA appearance in eight years.

Georgia State heads into the tournament on a 10-game win-

ning streak, capped by an 8071 win over Louisiana in the Sun Belt championship.

Only once has a No. 16 seed knocked off a No. 1 seed: UMBC’s shocking take down of Virginia in 2018. Virginia was the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament that year, just as the Zags are this year.

The Broncos (27-7 ) won their first Mountain West regular-season title then claimed the team’s first conference tournament title with a victory over San Diego State. Along the way, Boise State ran up a 14-game winning streak and collected the most wins in program history.

“We have confidence in ourselves. We made history but there’s still more we want to accomplish,” guard Emmanuel Akot said. “We’re going in and taking it moment by moment.”

They’ll face Memphis (2110), which is back in the tournament for the first time since 2014. Jalen Duren was the American freshman of the year, but the Tigers have been without Emoni Bates since late January due to a back injury.

Junior infielder Nick Altermatt owns a .400 batting average through 25 at bats, hitting two home runs and batting in 13 RBIs at the plate.

RETURN from page 9 MSU’s fielding has also proven to be strong, forcing 219 putouts with only 18 errors. Senior infielder Ross Indlecoffer leads the Mavericks in catches this season with 51. Indlecoffer also leads the team in putouts with 46 and has zero errors. The Mavs’ pitching squad is led by junior right-hander Brendan Knoll, who is off to a 2-0 start on the season. Knoll owns the lowest earned run average (ERA) on the team at 1.93 and is tied for third on the team allowing a .200 BA to opposing hitters.

On the other side of the field, Minot State owns a 6-9 overall record and have yet to play any conference games as well. The Beavers are coming off a tough series sweep at the hands of Purdue University Northwest this past week.

The Beavers’ offense is led by junior infielder Kaid

DRIVERS

Welcome to SOFTBALL from page 9 homa currently owns a 21-3 overall record and are ranked eighth in the nation. This will be the eighth meeting between these two programs with MSU winning the last game 2-0.

Northeastern State comes into the tournament with a 12-11 overall record. This will be the fifth meeting all-time between the two programs with MSU taking the last game by a score of 2-0.

The Mavs will then conclude their tournament action on Sunday taking on Pittsburg State University and University of Nebraska-Kearney at 12 and 2 p.m. Pittsburg carries a solid 17-8 overall record heading into the tournament. This will be the 16 meeting between the programs, with MSU winning the most recent one 2-0. Nebraska-Kearney currently owns an 8-12 overall record heading into the tournament. Sunday’s game will be the 19 matchup between both programs.



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en Cardoso, who owns the highest batting average on the team at .357 through 56 AB. Cardoso also has 15 RBIs on the season and one home run.

Minot State’s pitching squad is led by senior lefthander R.J. Martinez who boasts the second lowest ERA on the team at 1.06. Martinez also owns a 2-0 record on the season in 17 innings pitched (IP).

As a team, the Beavers average 7.6 runs per game and allow 6.8. The Beavers are coached by Scott Eul, who is in his sixth season with the program, and holds a 131-79 record through 2021.

Minnesota State will take on Minot State this weekend in a set of games with a seven-inning doubleheader on Saturday at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. They will conclude the weekend series with the finale at 12 p.m. on Sunday.

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Thursday, March 17, 2022

VARIETY

Rhonda Dass creates cloud-like art

By LILLY SCHMIDT Staff Writer

Rhonda Dass’ featured exhibition “Tangible Transformation: Change in Interchangeable Times” is now on display in the Central Student Union art gallery at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

The gallery includes oil painting, classic pen and pencil drawings, and a growing artwork in the middle of it all that students, staff, and visitors can add too.

Dass explained the pieces that are in the gallery have been in progress since the start of the pandemic.

“All of the pieces that are in the display are from what I call my COVID period. They were created over the last two years, during the pandemic, and were things that brought me joy during that time,” shared Dass. “[The pieces] were something to distract me.”

In order to turn the everyday into precious artworks, Dass drew inspiration from a couple of art styles in Asia.

They explained how they took an art class on Islamic arts helped inspire their pieces. Another piece in the collection was inspired came from looking at how far eastern art from China traveled along the Silk Road.

“I saw this beautiful morning sky where the clouds looked

MSU Reporter • 13

What’s the deal with St. Patrick’s Day?

By EMMA JOHNSON Variety Editor

DYLAN LONG • The Reporter

One of Rhonda Dass’ interactive pieces includes shredded student papers that have been transformed into clouds.

bruised. It sparks something in me, and I can’t get over it until I get it out and down either on paper or on canvas,” said Dass.

“This stylized kind of image of clouds came out of China, and I took that technique and kind of morphed it into a tattooing kind of style.”

Of the pieces they created for

this gallery, Dass loved so many of them. However, their favorites include the largest drawing they’ve ever done, which is displayed on one wall, and an interactive cloud art piece.

“Even though it was a struggle to get it out there, it made that piece more precious to me.

I think the Cloudscape that I

created out of student papers is probably my favorite,” Dass stated.

Dass took student papers, shredded them, and repurposed them into new material that is available for the interactive part of the gallery.

The recycled paper was then GALLERY on page 15 

GOOD NIGHT GOLD DUST

The Good Night Gold Dust Duo, Laura Schultz and Colin Scharf, performed in the Centennial Student Union Hearth Lounge March 16. They performed a variety of original songs that fell under the pop-punk and folk genres. The band is also performing at the Blue Boat on Friday March 18 if viewers want to see more.

Photo by AJAY KASAUDHAN • The Reporter

This is a satire. Don’t take this seriously.

I’ve never understood the big deal about St. Patrick’s Day. It’s just another holiday to add to the celebratory train, starting with Halloween and ending with Easter.

Yet, people start talking about how they’re going to celebrate this holiday the week after Valentine’s chocolates go on sale.

If I wanted to watch a bunch of adults day drink and indulge in a variety of potato dishes, I’d just go to another family reunion.

To the United States, it’s another reason to party, no matter the day of the week.

In Ireland, it’s always been considered a more serious holiday.

The holiday has been around since 1631 when Irish people celebrated the death of the missionary St. Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland.

When Irish people immigrated to America when the potato crops grew poor, they joined the fun of St. Patrick’s Day parades that initially mocked Irish Catholics by taping whiskey to their hands while wearing potato necklaces.

Now, Ireland is starting to adopt the “American” methods of their holiday.

First off, don’t get me wrong, green is a gorgeous color. Whether it’s a light mint or a deep emerald, it’s versatile. However, the trend of dyeing everything green for a one day event seems to be a bit extreme.

Chicago dyes their river green, making the fish think they woke up in a toxic waste dump. Any and every food is injected with green food dye. Even my grandma dyed her hair green one year for St. Patrick’s Day. To make matters worse, if you don’t wear something green on St. Patrick’s Day you become a walking target to be pinched. Green isn’t a color for everybody, don’t subject them to meaningless torture.

Besides the all-out green wardrobe, people wear ginormous buttons or t-shirts that read, “Kiss me, I’m Irish.” This is just a lazy pickup line for people to wear when they’re too busy SHAMROCK on page 15 

14 • MSU Reporter

Variety

H.E.R. does juggling act with concert tours, Grammy

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Disney Workers plan walkout

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press

JORDAN STRAUSS • Associated Press

The four-time Grammy winner will embark on her 19-city Back of My Mind tour in early April. H.E.R will also be separately joining Coldplay for their world tour as a supporting act later this month.

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Associated Press

H.E.R. won top Oscar and Grammy music honors last year, but those supreme accolades were just a precursor for the singer-songwriter’s next moves.

The R&B star enters the Grammy Awards as one of the leading nominees again, she’s the new global ambassador for L’Oreal Paris, she was recently honored at Billboard’s Women in Music event and she will start filming “The Color Purple” musical this month in Georgia. She’ll embark on her 19-city Back of My Mind tour in early April while separately joining Coldplay for their world tour as a supporting act later this month.

Plus, H.E.R. is still fitting in

studio time to record new music. It might seem like a super heavy workload, but the singer says she’s willing to carry the weight.

“I do take up a lot of space.

I do carry a lot with me. I’m supposed to,” said H.E.R., whose protest anthem “I Can’t Breathe” won a Grammy for song of the year in 2021.

In the same year, she took home best original song for the soulful “Fight for You” from the “Judas and the Black Messiah” soundtrack at the Academy Awards. She co-wrote both songs.

“In the beginning, I wanted to be about the music and not necessarily who I am and what I look like,” she continued. “I want people to feel my presence — whether it’s in the music industry or the world.”

Disney workers are planning walkouts during their breaks every day this week to protest CEO Bob Chapek’s slow response in publicly criticizing Florida legislation that critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

The act of protest will culminate next Tuesday with a general walkout by LGBTQ workers and their supporters at Disney worksites in California, Florida and elsewhere, the group of Disney employees said this week on their website.

Organizers asked Disney workers to check in online with their plans to participate in the full-scale walkout for next week. “We must make sure we have large enough numbers to be successful,” they said.

Statements by Disney leadership over the Florida legislation “have utterly failed to match the magnitude of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety represented by this legislation,” the group said.

The bill bars instruction on “sexual orientation or gender identity” in kindergarten through grade 3. Republican lawmakers pushing the legislation had argued that parents, not teachers, should be the ones talking to their children about gender issues during their early formative years.

The legislation has attracted scrutiny from President Joe Biden, who called it “hateful,” as well as other Democrats who argue it demonizes LGBTQ people.

The legislation has been sent to Republican Florida Gov.

MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE • Associated Press

Marchers wave U.S. and rainbow flags and signs as they walk at the St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Saturday, March 12, 2022 during a rally and march to protest the controversial “Don’t say gay” bill.

Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it.

As the state’s largest private-sector employer — Walt Disney World outside Orlando had more than 75,000 workers before the coronavirus pandemic — Disney has contributed huge amounts of money to Florida’s political parties and politicians and has wielded incredible influence on the state’s government.

At the beginning of last week, Chapek sent a message to Disney workers affirming the company’s support for LGBTQ rights but also saying that corporate statements often don’t do much to change minds and can be “weaponized” by either side.

Rather than make an early public statement against the legislation, company officials had been working behind the scenes with Florida lawmakers “to achieve a better outcome,”

but they hadn’t been successful, despite “our longstanding relationships with those lawmakers,” Chapek told Disney shareholders a few days later.

With his public responses being panned by some Disney workers and supporters, Chapek last Friday apologized and said the company was pausing all political donations in Florida.

“I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community,” Chapek said in a message to Disney workers. “I missed the mark in this case but am an ally you can count on — and I will be an outspoken champion for the protections, visibility, and opportunity you deserve.”

Disney on Wednesday didn’t respond to an email inquiry about whether the walkouts during breaks were having any impact on operations this week.

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Thursday, March 17, 2022

Variety

St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah, GA revived after virus hiatus

MSU Reporter • 15 GALLERY from page 13 cut into cloud shapes that gallery visitors can write or doodle on. The papers will be part of the piece hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room.

Art is an eternal passion of Dass’, and they said that it keeps them sane.

“It is the part of my brain that functions no matter what is going on with the rest of me,” said Dass. “It’s always there. It’s my best friend.”

Dass also compared showcasing their art as, ‘sending a child out into the world.’

“You hope people will be

kind to it, but you also expect them to teach it something to mold it in its own way,” said Dass.

Dass hopes people gain from the gallery is to appreciate the artwork which depicts the gorgeous side of nature.

“Especially with these pieces, it’s about finding beauty in the everyday. Things that we may not think are precious can turn out to be very precious and very beautiful.”

The gallery in the CSU is open to the public during building hours and will be displayed until March 25.

SHAMROCK from page 13 drinking to hit on someone.

I want to clear something up, as a fellow redhead, not all of us are Irish. The amount of people who ask redheads about their heritage on St. Patrick’s Day is astounding. Just because the Lucky Charms Leprechaun has the vibrant hair color doesn’t mean that every redhead you pass is Irish. There’s a good chance we’re European, but not from Ireland.

Finally, ever since you learn about St. Patrick’s Day for the first time, there’s the promise of finding luck through a four-leaf clover or a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I guess I’ve always been unlucky. However,

the need to find one of these lucky treasures is pressed upon everyone like those Tiktoks saying you’ll be cursed if you pass on the “lucky” sound. I don’t have time in my busy day to frolic in a field, so I guess I’ll just hope nothing bad happens to me.

I can’t complain and say that all aspects of the holiday are terrible.

Corned beef can actually be pretty good, as I can pass on the horrid smell of cabbage. Retail workers don’t have to listen to “St. Patrick’s Day” music for two whole months, like they have to do for Christmas. So, maybe St. Patrick’s Day isn’t that bad after all.





STEPHEN B. MORTON • Associated Press

Savannah, GA is gearing up for a big comeback of its most profitable holiday Thursday, March 17, 2022, as its beloved St. Patrick’s Day parade returns since before the pandemic. Several businesses hired workers for the day.

By RUSS BYNUM Associated Press

Fountains in city parks and squares are gushing water dyed emerald green and hotel rooms are filling up as restaurants and bars make sure they stock extra beer and hire extra staff to serve it. The St. Patrick’s Day parade that’s a 198-year-old tradition in Savannah will commence Thursday for the first time since 2019.

Parade organizers and business owners expect a huge turnout after the coronavirus pandemic forced the parade to be canceled during the past two years, putting a huge damper on what’s typically the most profitable holiday in Georgia’s oldest city.

“Every event we go to, the excitement is there and you kind of feel that buzz,” said John P. Fogarty, chairman of the private committee that organizes the parade.

“We’re going to see a lot of smiles. We’re going to see people with their arms around each other saying, `Man, I haven’t seen you in two years!’”

Started in 1824 by Irish immigrants to Savannah, the St. Patrick’s Day parade has ballooned into a sprawling celebration that’s one of the South’s largest street parties after Mardi Gras. Hundreds of thousands of gaudy green revelers typically pack the sidewalks and manicured squares of Savannah’s downtown historic district for the Irish holiday every March 17.

Patrons start lining up for drinks at local bars as early as 7 a.m., and the party keeps going until after midnight.

City hall pulled the plug on the 2020 parade as COVID-19 infections were just starting to spread in Georgia, and again

denied the parade a permit last year as the pandemic persisted and vaccines weren’t yet available to all age groups. This year, the celebration will for the most part return to normal.

A mask mandate for public buildings, one of Savannah’s last remaining restrictions, was allowed to expire March 1. Coronavirus infections are at their lowest point since November, and about half their rate a year ago.

“There’s a lot of people out on the streets already, and all signs point in a good direction,” said Joe Marinelli, president of Visit Savannah, the city’s tourism bureau.

He said hotels in down Savannah are filling up, and bookings are looking strong in the rest of the city and surrounding Chatham County.

Many visitors are planning a long weekend, arriving Wednesday and leaving Sunday. And high gas prices don’t appear to be discouraging visitors from hitting the road, Marinelli said.

“The reality of it is, there’s a lot of money sitting out there and people have not been able to do what they typically do,” Marinelli said. “And they want to travel again.”

Officials aren’t completely ignoring the virus, which has still averaged about 500 new daily infections in Chatham County for the past week.

Organizers agreed to limit the number of parade floats, marching bands and other participating groups to 270, excluding dozens more to make the procession shorter than in past years.

And city officials withheld permits for a multi-day festival with beer tents and outdoor concerts on Savannah’s riverfront.

The event has drawn some of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day crowds in the past.

Mayor Van Johnson said the change was made mostly to curb public drunkenness and to boost business at bars and restaurants.

“I think we’re going to be slammed. I’m really excited,” said Melissa Swanson, owner of The Rail Pub in Savannah’s bustling City Market entertainment district.

Swanson plans to open at 8 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day and serve a breakfast of eggs, sausage and green grits to early bird customers. She’s hired 14 extra staff to work the holiday.

While business has largely rebounded over the past year, she said, a busy St. Patrick’s Day is still needed to help offset an extended pandemic shutdown in 2020.

“We’re still trying to make up for the 82 days that we were closed,” Swanson said.

The pandemic caused the Savannah parade to be canceled for the first time in nearly a century.

Previously, the city had gone without a St. Patrick’s Day parade for several years during the Civil War, World War I and finally in 1921 during the Irish Revolution.

For Frank Rossiter Jr., the parade’s return means roughly 30 family members — he and his siblings, their children and grandchildren — will be back marching in the procession.

And they will make their annual detour to Rossiter Place, a street near the riverfront, while singing a special song about their family’s deep Irish roots in Savannah.

“Everything will be back to normal and we’ll get to once again sing our song,” Rossiter said. “It’ll be a great day.”

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16 • MSU Reporter

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Thursday, March 17, 2022

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UT ABO EE FR THE T O L

??

ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING

??

??

ABOUT GREEN FEES

??

Parking & Transportation Policies, Budget, and Capital Improvements

Thursday, March 17, 2022 CSU 203 • Noon -1:15 P.M.

ABO ELEC UT T VEH RIC ICLE S

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Face-to-Face Meeting

Please email your comments or concerns to: david.cowan@mnsu.edu by 10 a.m., March 17, 2022.

Hearing Docket 1) Review of Proposed Income ($1,496,000) and Spending Plans ($1,635,375) for 2022-23.

• Includes a 3% increase in Permit prices for Gold (From $340 to $350) and Purple (From $216 to $222), an 8% increase for Residence Hall Light Green (From $280 to $302) and Dark Green (from $216 to $234) permits.

• Assumes $1 Million commitment to resurface this summer Lot 1 (Residence Hall Dark Green area of 471 stalls) – payback of internal loan in four to five years.

2) Lot 22 Orange Space & Free Lot Update: • “Free” overflow for Lot 23 (a.k.a. “Free Lot”) users – first 4 weeks of Fall Semester.

• Reduce the Orange semester charge of $76 to $35.

• No ban on employee use of Lot 23 (a.k.a. Free Lot).

• Registration still in place for users of Free Lot.

3) Electric Parking Vehicle Users: • Charge $3 per hour for “idle time” for electric vehicles which have fully charged.

• Include 30 minute “grace period” to allow owner to transfer vehicle out of lot 11A. • They can either buy a parking permit to park elsewhere, use Flowbird curbside stalls, or park in the Visitors Paylot.

4) Green Transportation Fees Proposal: • Fee of $438,310 requested to keep current bus routes active for 2022-23. Hourly rate @ $103 estimated vs. $102 this year.

• Proposal before SAC (Student Allocations Committee and Student Senate). SAC recommended $400,000 on March 2, 2022. In 2018-19, $403, 081 was tapped in activity fees and parking funds for the busing program.

An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University. Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact David Cowanr at 507-389-6931 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTY) at least 5 days prior to the event. This document is available in alternative format to individuals with disabilities by calling the above numbers. SHOP75OT 3-21

Constituency

Parking and Transportation Advisory Committee

Parking Citation Appeals Board

Administration or Excluded or MAPE (Minnesota Association of Professional Employees)

David Cowan, Advisory Committee Chair

Casey Boone, MAPE

Classified Employees

Katie Roeder

Not Applicable

IFO (Inter Faculty Association)

Seong Jin “Tommy” Kim

Vacant

Student Governemnt

On-Campus Res. Community

Bennett Hanson

Jacob Glogowski

Student Government

Off-Campus Res. Community

Zachary Nichman

Vacant

MSUAASF (Minnesota State University Association of Administrative & Service Faculty)

Greg Wilkins

Jeremy Riesenberg

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Student Financial Services Representative

Jodi Orchard

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Parking & Traffic Services Coordinator; Parking Citation Appeals Board Liason

Adam Kruger

Appeals Board Liason

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Planning & Construction Department Liason

Nathan Huettl

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Office of Residential Life

Matt Burns

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Residence Comm. Assoc. President

Patrick Flynn

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Grounds Maintenance Department

Mike Hulscher & Adam Morris

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees)

Vacant

Deb Sanford

Ex-officio Nonvoting - University Scheduling

Jane Kolars

Not Applicable

Ex-officio Nonvoting - Student Government President

Reauna Stiff

Not Applicable

www.mnsu.edu/parking/hearing A member of the Minnesota State Colleges system and an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University.