September 23, 2021 by MSU Reporter

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

By ASHLEY OPINA Staff Writer As protests erupt at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Kansas regarding sexual assault cases and accusations surrounding the fraternities Phi Gamma Delta and Phi Kappa Psi, Greek life is once again in the spotlight, and not in a good way. Protesters from both universities are calling for a change in the Greek system, and some are even

Got complaints? There’s a way to send them in

pleading for total abolishment as more and more victims of sexual assault done by fraternity members are coming forward. The cases and accusations sound like a broken record, waiting for their sorrowful sound to be heard, acknowledged, and fixed. The real question is: Are the cries being ignored? Or is there something being done about the issues that continue to give Greek life a bad rep? The short answer is: Yes, there

are things being done. The complicated answer is: Not enough. Adam Koltz, a senior member of Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Phi Kappa Psi chapter, explains the short answer in greater detail. As a vice president of risk management for the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils, Koltz says the council alone does a lot to help make and keep Greek life and CONCERN on page 2 u

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

Amidst national protest, MNSU Greek life advocates safety

FSL members Adam Koltz, left, and Morgan Rusler advocate for a safe campus for everyone.

HEADS UP

By JENNA PETERSON News Director

Picture this: you have a professor who doesn’t meet the expectations set for themselves. They continuously forget to grade homework, show up to class late, or don’t show up at all. Students hold the power to ensure professors do the best job they can, but most don’t know it. Minnesota State University, Mankato senior Gannon Jordahl has never sent in a complaint about a professor before, mostly because he never felt like he needed to. “I haven’t sent in a complaint, besides the end of year thing they put out,” Jordal commented. Around the time of mind-terms and final exams, professors release a course evaluation form where students rank the professor on a variety of topics concerning the class and bring up any problems they may have experienced. Similarly, senior Jakob Rusten hasn’t had an issue with a professor to the point of reporting them, as he also doesn’t know how to do so. Rusten does, however, keep a track record throughout the semester in order to accurately fill out the course evaluations. “Normally I save up a bunch of choice words for those course evaluations at the end of the semester,” Rusten stated. “If it [the COMPLAIN on page 5 u

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter The Minnesota State Mavericks volleyball team put up a fight against the No. 11-ranked Winona State Warriors Tuesday night at the Taylor Center but fell short in three sets.

Greek life event a smashing success By CLAIRE BRUNEAU • Staff Writer When you’re angry, stressed out or frustrated, many people will tell you to take a deep breath and relax. Phi Delta Theta has a better idea: Grab a sledge hammer and start whaling

on a beat up, old junkie car. For just a dollar a hit, it’s an easy way for students to let off some steam. This car smack down has been taking place for over a decade and has only grown in popularity since. “It was honestly so nice to have that as a stress reliever,” said MNSU freshman Dayton Frost. “Sometimes you don’t want to talk things out. Sometimes you just want to hit something!” This memorable event started when

full story on page 10

some alumni from the Phi Delta Theta fraternity reached out and gave their advice and opinions on how to make the fraternity even better. What started out as an idea quickly became reality as Phi Delta Theta stitched all the pieces together to make this fundraiser happen. Since then it has turned into a flourishing fundraiser, helping raise money for charity and giving stressed students an outlet to release tension and frustraSMASH on page 2 u

2 • MSU Reporter

News

CONCERN Continued from page 1 campus safe for all. “A lot of what we [the council] do is just making sure that Greek life is safe for ourselves and for new members coming in,” he says. “We want to give everyone the best experience possible, whether that be making sure that chapters follow our rules and bylaws for each chapter and nationally or spreading awareness about things such as mental illness, alcohol consumption, anti-hazing week, stuff like that.” When it comes to bringing awareness to sexual assault, the council spends a whole month campaigning about the matter, making sure everyone involved in Greek life and on campus know how to stay safe and where to find help if they need it. The council essentially works on educating each other and those around them while also providing resources to aid in whatever matter they’re campaigning about. “There’s a lot of people that don’t know what to do or who to talk to when things happen so it’s an opportunity for us [the council] to let students know about their options,” Koltz says about the campaigns. Aside from the work the council does, Koltz mentions that his fraternity chapter hosts a New Member Education Workshop every year for the sole purpose of informing new members on ways to stay safe and out of trouble. “We talk about preventive actions and what not to do,” he says. “We’re a tight-knit community so we hold each other accountable. We always have people monitoring situations to make sure nothing bad happens.” Despite all efforts made, however, bad things still happen. That’s where the complicated answer comes in, which Morgan Rusler, junior member of MNSU’s Alpha Sigma Alpha chapter and one of the Vice Presidents of Risk Management for the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Council, explains. “Just because it doesn’t make the headlines doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen,” she says. “No matter what college statistics you’re looking at, the numbers won’t be accurate because not everything gets reported.” According to Rusler, when sexual assault occurs within the Greek community at MNSU, it’s handled internally and rarely gets heard by the general campus community because, most often, the incidents occur off-campus and the University isn’t obligated to report on them.

“Privacy gets to be a big issue as well,” she says. “But regardless, I think more needs to be done by the University and Greek life everywhere to prevent this issue because, in my mind, there’s no legitimate excuse for it. It’s a big problem and there should be more done to solve it.” Rusler doesn’t claim to have any “magical answers” up her sleeve, but she does propose a solution she suspects would be an unpopular one among her peers but could add an extra incentive to do more to prevent sexual assault within Greek life. “Maybe chapters should be held reliable,” she says. “But at the same time, the action of one person does not reflect the actions of an entire group or organization and I think that’s where Greek life gets such a bad rep, because we see it happen at one place and then all of a sudden, we’re all to blame.” To offer another perspective, Rusler adds that when students at MNSU receive alerts on their phones about sexual assault happening in one of the dorms, students don’t automatically assume that everyone in the dorms is capable of the same actions. However, when it comes to Greek life, those assumptions are made almost instantly. “The stereotypes that come with Greek life make it so much harder to handle situations that do happen because we have to handle them delicately in order preserve our image while also making sure the problem gets taken care of the way it deserves,” she says. Rusler also believes that Greek life at MNSU should not be the only organization held responsible for advocating against sexual assault and educating others on the matter in order to prevent it from happening. She strongly advocates for a mutual understanding between the University and organizations that everyone plays a role in the prevention of sexual assault. “I think that if we see more done by the University, the efforts will flow into Greek life and other organizations as well,” Rusler says. As the old saying goes, lead by example. “If the University takes a stricter stance on sexual assault, then the organizations on campus will as well,” she says. “Just because we don’t hear about it happening here as much doesn’t mean they don’t or never will, and I think the school needs to be better equipped to handle CONCERN on page 4 u

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Senate resolution to help off-campus students By MAX MAYLEBEN Editor in Chief

At yesterday’s Student Government meeting, a motion was brought forward by President Reauna Stiff and Vice President Kara Svercl that would seek to improve accountability for off-campus housing complexes. The resolution was voted on and passed with 22 votes and one abstention. Now, the University will form a task force that will work with a third-party website developer to create a site to serve as the University’s “hub” for off-campus housing. The University currently has off-campus living information located on its website. This tab on the website includes different listings as well as information on various apartment complexes in the community. The goal of the motion is to create incentive for the off-campus locations to increase living conditions for students living off campus. The proposed resolution includes verbiage that notes off-campus student plights such as lack of transparency when looking for a place to live, subpar management and a “history of substandard treatment from off campus housing properties toward student renters.” The motion also refers to “reports of racism, slow responsiveness, unsafe living conditions and unfair with-

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN • The Reporter

holding of security of deposits” made against various off-campus housing properties. During the meeting, there was extended back and forth on the phrasing, some senators insisting that the resolution needed to have more “teeth.” Graduate Studies Senator Douglas Roberts pushed for additional repercussions for complaints made by students. “My greatest fear of us not including something along the lines of encouraging some sort of acting being taken is that no action will be taken,” he said. Off-campus senator Alysha Kruger said she is in firm support of the motion, hoping to see more effort from the apartment complexes. “I want to see the landlords be a lot more responsive, and take a lot more initiative to create safe and affordable housing for our

students,” said Kruger. “I think it is a really important issue on campus.” Vice-President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management David Jones would be in charge of finding a staff member to co-run the process of investigation. “I think having a tool where they can provide feedback about their experience is a great move for all of our students,” said Jones, who voiced support for the motion from the administration’s perspective. “The student senate has really focused their energy on the needs of our students.” With the passing of the resolution, a task force will be created with a faculty member and no less than three students to run a “Request for Proposal” process to vet various third party sites that can build the envisioned website.

Thursday, September 23, 2021

News

MSU Reporter • 3

FDA backs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for seniors, high-risk ASSOCIATED PRESS The U.S. moved a step closer Wednesday to offering booster doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens and others at high risk from the virus as the Food and Drug Administration signed off on the targeted use of extra shots. The FDA authorized booster doses for Americans who are 65 and older, younger adults with underlying health conditions and those in jobs that put them at high risk for COVID-19. The ruling represents a drastically scaled back version of the Biden administration’s sweeping plan to give third doses to nearly all American adults to shore up their protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant. However, more regulatory hurdles lie ahead before the dispensing of boosters can begin. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention opened a two-day meeting Wednesday to make their own, more specific recommendations about who should get the extra shots and when. And in their first day of discussions, some experts were so perplexed by the questions surrounding the rationale for boosters that they suggested putting off a decision for a month in hopes of more evidence. The uncertainties were yet another reminder that the

MATT ROURKE • Associated Press In this Sept. 14, 2021, file photo, a syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic at the Reading Area Community College in Reading, Pa.

science surrounding boosters is more complicated than the Biden administration suggested when the president and his top aides rolled out their plan at the White House last month. The FDA decision Wednesday was expected after the agency’s own panel of advisers last week overwhelmingly rejected the Biden plan. The panel instead recommended boosters only for those most vulnerable to severe cases of COVID-19. FDA acting commissioner

Dr. Janet Woodcock said in a statement that the FDA authorization would allow for boosters in health care workers, teachers, grocery workers and those in homeless shelters or prisons. “As we learn more about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, including the use of a booster dose, we will continue to evaluate the rapidly changing science and keep the public informed,” Woodcock said. Under the FDA authorization, vaccinated Americans

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are eligible for a third dose six months after receiving their second Pfizer shot. That’s different than the Biden proposal announced in August, which called for boosters after eight months. “Today’s FDA decision is a major step forward in our effort to provide Americans with additional protection from COVID-19,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted Wednesday night. “We have been preparing for weeks to administer booster shots to eligible Americans

and are ready to do so following CDC’s final recommendation later this week.” The timing of the FDA decision was highly unusual given that the agency typically takes action before the CDC convenes its own experts. The CDC panelists heard a series of presentations Wednesday outlining the knotty state of science on boosters. On one hand, the COVID-19 vaccines continue to offer strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death. On the other hand, there are signs of more low-grade infections among the vaccinated as immunity wanes. Ultimately the committee must decide who is considered at high enough risk for an extra dose. Data provided by Pfizer and the Israeli government suggests a strong case for boosters in people 65 and older, but there is less evidence that extra shots provide much benefit for younger people with underlying health conditions. Several CDC advisers agreed boosters are also important for keeping health care workers on the job. “We don’t have enough health care workers to take care of the unvaccinated,” said Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University. “They just keep coming.” The CDC has already said it is considering boosters for older people, nursing home residents and front-line health care workers.

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4 • MSU Reporter

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CONCERN Continued from page 2 the situations and help the victims in a proper manner.” In hopes of limiting the number of victims down to zero, Rusler advises students to keep their phones fully charged when going out, to never leave their drinks unattended, use the buddy system, and always have at least one person they can call or text if anything goes wrong. Koltz offers similar advice but emphasizes the importance of being aware of your surroundings. “If you see or hear anything that makes you uncomfortable, leave immediately,” he says. In the event that someone does find themselves a victim of sexual assault, on-campus resources such as the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX, Women’s Center, University Security, and counseling opportunities are available. More information and ways to contact these resources can be found on mnsu.edu/eotitleix/titleix. The most important resource you have is your voice, so use it to speak out

against sexual assault, harassment, or any form of abuse you see done to others or yourself. Aside from it all, neither Rusler nor Koltz believe Greek life deserves the reputation that precedes it but do acknowledge the flaws in the system. “Certain individuals give Greek life a bad rep and so then of course it reflects badly on all of us,” Rusler says. “But if you compare the stereotypes to our Greek life here, it’s so different.” Koltz agrees with his counterpart that the stereotypes that surround Greek life don’t align with the reality of the one here at MNSU. However, he also doesn’t shy away from the reality of Greek life elsewhere. “It’s a terrible thing that happened,” Koltz says about the on-going sexual assault cases and accusations at NU and KU. “These things really shouldn’t happen and it’s extremely unacceptable. I think it’s a good thing for students to speak out because they need to be heard.”

SMASH Continued from page 1 tion. Joel Mowrey, a senior of Phi Delta Theta, pointed out that this is no normal fundraiser. “I love being a part of such a well-known tradition. Our fraternity has been doing this for as long as I can remember, which would put it around 2008,” Mowrey explained. “Our goal is to do it every semester but it’s not very often that we find a car beat down enough to actually smash a hammer on, that a car salvage lot is willing to just simply hand over.” For the last few years the

fraternity has put all of its fundraisings toward ALS research, a rare and so far incurable disease where one’s muscles weaken and wither away. In the three days the event took place this semester, $900 has been raised and donated to this research, Freshman Paige Peterson said she was excited for the opportunity. “I wish they had this as an option all year round,” she said. “I would waste so much money hitting that car.”

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Thursday, September 23, 2021

Ukraine’s leader takes UN to task as ‘retired superhero’ ASSOCIATED PRESS Leaders who are “playing” at unity and stuffing pressing problems into an overflowing bag of woe. A world that’s in the same boat, but first-class passengers get the lifeboats. A United Nations that resembles ”a retired superhero” that has lost sight of what it used to be. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy certainly wasn’t the only world leader at this week’s U.N. General Assembly meeting to paint a dire picture of international relations. But the former actor and comedian may well have painted the most colorful one. In a speech Wednesday, he called out failures in areas from sharing coronavirus vaccines to halting climate change to turning back Russia’s annexation of part of his country. He floated a proposal for the U.N. to head to global hotspots to hold its meetings — and offered to host one. “I’m not being ironic. I’m not trolling anyone,” he said. “It’s time to wake up.” A political novice when elected in 2019, the 43-yearold president was addressing global diplomacy’s biggest annual gathering for the third time. His first appearance, in 2019, was fraught with a U.S. political firestorm over a phone call between him and then-U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump was eventually impeached over the call, in which he prodded Zelenskyy

EDUARDO MUNOZ • Associated Press Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, at UN headquarters.

to investigate now-President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. When the 2020 assembly meeting went virtual because of the pandemic, Zelenskyy expressed hope that the gathering would usher in a return “to effective multilateralism and effective international solidarity.” A year later, a frustrated Zelenskyy concluded that the pandemic had shown the world had been “playing unity — where one thing is to share objectives and quite another is to share vaccines.” Professions of unity seem to have a footnote, said the president of a country where about 12% of people are vaccinated: “We are all in one boat, but access to lifeboats is given first to first-class passengers.” As he has in the past, Zelenskyy exhorted the world to mount a more effective chal-

lenge to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula, a move that Moscow portrayed as protecting Russian-speaking people there. Subsequent fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-supported separatists has killed more than 14,000 people, and efforts to negotiate a political settlement have stalled. “Maybe somewhere in Central Park or Madison Square Garden, those gunshots are not heard as loudly,” Zelenskyy said, referring to landmarks near the U.N. headquarters in New York. The powerful U.N. Security Council, where Russia has veto power, has never been able to take action on Ukraine. “No one feels secure anymore in this world,” Zelenskyy said.

Thursday, September 23, 2021

News

COMPLAIN Continued from page 1

MSU Reporter • 5

Migrants staying in US even as expulsion flights rise

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

ASSOCIATED PRESS

problem] kept happening over and over and I went to their office hours and asked them about it and they danced around the question, I would report it I guess.” Eventually, however, things may rise to the level of lodging a formal complaint. But what does that process entail? “The goal is to facilitate a solution,” said Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Brian Martensen, noting that each complaint will have a different process depending on its nature. The first step is trying to informally resolve the issue, where students come forward with an oral or written complaint to the professor or department. If needed, the dean of the college in question will get involved as well. If this doesn’t solve the issue, a formal process is suggested where students fill out an official grievance form (which can be found through the MNSU Student Government). Once the complaint is received, the department head or dean will determine how the complaint will be handled. “We figure out A) is the complaint supported, and B) what’s the right remedy,” Martensen explained. After this determination, the department head or dean may gather the student and professor to go over the complaint as well as the different ways the problem could be resolved. “The goal of the process is to be fair and have avenues where we can hear what’s

happening. The ultimate goal, of course, is to come up with some resolution,” Martensen stated. In the case of multiple students coming forward with concerns about a professor, the University has a plan to handle it. This would involve setting expectations, scheduling check-in dates with the faculty to see if the problem has been fixed, and determining whether additional training or workshops are needed. “The dean would acknowledge what the problem was with the faculty and they would figure out a path forward so that behavior would not continue in the future,” he said. One important question surrounding these types of complaints is whether tenure will affect a student’s complaint. Martensen said that, while tenure may seem like it completely defends the faculty, this isn’t the case. “They [the faculty] do have a lot of protection, but that’s not to say that if problems continue to exist — and in particular if we don’t see that faculty member commit to improvement — there are disciplinary steps that can be taken. “Whether they’re tenured or untenured, there’s no line there that says discipline looks any different,” he added. “Here’s the expectations, here’s a warning, it’s not improving, it can go to suspension or even termination if the problems are serious enough and persistent.”

Three hours after being freed from a giant migrant camp under an international bridge, Mackenson Veillard stood outside a gas station and took stock of his sudden good fortune as he and his pregnant wife waited for a Greyhound bus to take them to a cousin in San Antonio. The couple camped with thousands for a week under the bridge in Del Rio, Texas, sleeping on concrete and getting by on bread and bottled water. “I felt so stressed,” Veillard, 25, said this week. “But now, I feel better. It’s like I’m starting a new life.” Many Haitian migrants in Del Rio are being released in the United States, according to two U.S. officials, undercutting the Biden administration’s public statements that the thousands in the camp faced immediate expulsion to Haiti. Haitians have been freed on a “very, very large scale” in recent days, one official said Tuesday. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter and thus spoke on condition of anonymity, put the figure in the thousands. Many have been released with notices to appear at an immigration office within 60 days, an outcome that requires less processing time from Border Patrol agents than ordering an appearance in immigration court and points to the speed at which

JULIO CORTEZ • Associated Press Migrants are released from United States Border Patrol custody at a humanitarian center, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas.

authorities are moving. The releases come despite a massive effort to expel Haitians on flights under pandemic-related authority that denies migrants a chance to seek asylum. A third U.S. official not authorized to discuss operations said there were seven daily flights to Haiti planned starting Wednesday. Ten flights arrived in Haiti from Sunday to Tuesday in planes designed for 135 passengers, according to Haitian officials, who didn’t provide a complete count but said six of those flights carried 713 migrants combined. The camp held more than 14,000 people over the weekend, according to some estimates. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, during a visit Tuesday to Del Rio, said the county’s top official told him the most recent tally was about 8,600 migrants. U.S. authorities

CORRECTION: Apologies - The Reporter regrets having the wrong expiration date on the River Ridge Chiropractic ad on page 14 of the 2021-2022 Gold Mine couon book. The correct expiration date is July 31, 2022. The coupon is still valid, and will be accepted.

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have declined to say how many have been released in the U.S. in recent days. The Homeland Security Department has been busing Haitians from Del Rio, a town of 35,000 people, to El Paso, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley along the Texas border, and this week added flights to Tucson, Arizona, the official said. They are processed by the Border Patrol at those locations. Criteria for deciding who is flown to Haiti and who is released in the U.S. are a mystery, but two officials said single adults were a priority. If previous handling of asylum-seekers is any guide, the administration is more likely to release those deemed vulnerable, including pregnant women, families with young children and those with medical issues.

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6 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, September 23, 2021

FALL 2021 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

Take your education into your own hands

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Editorial So, you’ve got beef with a professor. They won’t answer your emails, they avoid your questions, show up late to class or are just mean in general. At this point, most students just withdraw or take the F, take the loss in stride and move on. But you don’t have to do that. You have an entire avenue that you can take to actually address these issues that happen with your professor, and it is your duty as a student to do so. In the event that you are having significant issues with a professor, the chances are that other students are having these same issues at the same time as you. You are all in the same class after all. More importantly, you will not be the last people to have that professor in a class very similar to the one you are in right now. If these issues persist throughout your time in the professor’s classroom, then they will most likely continue after you are out of it. After all, the single greatest indicator of behavior is previous behavior. The University has avenues for students to make these complaints so that there is a meaningful conclusion and hopefully that professor learns from it so that other students do not go through a similar experience to yours. The odds are, the complaints

NEWS DIRECTOR: Jenna Peterson jenna.peterson-3@mnsu.edu MEDIA/DESIGN DIRECTOR: Mansoor Ahmad mansoor.ahmad@mnsu.edu SPORTS EDITOR: Daniel McElroy daniel.mcelroy@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING SALES: Baylee Sorensen 507-389-5097 baylee.sorensen@mnsu.edu

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

you have about a professor are things that having administration like their dean step in to monitor would easily fix. For example, if your professor is not putting out grades or staying up on emails, a meeting with their boss may quickly solve this problem. Or let’s say your professor, after a year and half of Zoom university, still spends half the class asking if those working remotely can hear them. That sort of technology knowledge can often be addressed in a work-

shop to teach said professor the new way of things. These basic complaints most likely persist simply because no one has ever sent it up the chain of command to have them addressed properly. It is so easy for a student to avoid the responsibility of going the extra step and demand the education experience that they deserve, because they believe either someone else will say something, or take the blame on themselves. The fact of the matter is, the faculty is here

facilitate our learning. We are spending a lot of money as the student body to be here and get a proper education, and if a faculty member is not meeting our expectations, they should be held accountable. So instead of going back to your dorm and complaining to your roommate every night until you eventually drop the class, address the problem head on. Follow the right channels and take your education into your own hands. Because if you don’t, then no one will.

“Do you have any professor horror stories?” Compiled by Dylan Engel

ABDULLAH ALATTAS, JUNIOR “Took a public speaking class, during COVID, and she didn’t go through emails.”

HAYDEN KROHNKE, SOPHOMORE

ELLA SCHULTZ, FRESHMAN

ADAM CHANG, SOPHOMORE

TOMMY FREEMAN, SOPHOMORE

“Criticizing work without actual feedback or constructive.”

“Went to talk about retaking a quiz, they said to learn the material better.”

“Rushing through topics, speed is for more intermediate level we are not at.”

“Left a Zoom call wtihout saying goodbye and he called me out on it.”

BUSINESS MANAGER: Jane Tastad 507-389-1926 jane.tastad@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING DESIGN/ PRODUCTION MGR.: Dana Clark 507-389-2793 dana.clark@mnsu.edu

• If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, contact Editor in Chief Maxwell Mayleben at maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu. The Reporter will correct any errors of fact or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are handled by the Newspaper Board. • The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a studentrun newspaper published twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Reporter generates 78 percent of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription, please call us at 507-389-1776. Subscriptions for the academic school year are $55.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing. • Letters exceeding 400 words may not be accepted. The Reporter reserves the right to edit letters to fit space or correct punctuation. The Reporter reserves the right to publish, or not publish, at its discretion. Letters must contain year, major or affiliation with the university, or lack thereof. All letters must contain phone numbers for verification purposes.

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE MSU REPORTER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR STUDENT BODY.

Thursday, September 23, 2021

News

MSU Reporter • 7

Former US defense secretary testifies in Holmes fraud trial ASSOCIATED PRESS Former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis testified Wednesday in the trial of fallen tech star Elizabeth Holmes, saying the entrepreneur misled him into believing she was on the verge of rolling out a blood-testing breakthrough that he hoped would help save lives of troops in battle. Mattis’ appearance came during the sixth day of a high-profile trial in San Jose, California. The U.S. government alleges that Holmes duped sophisticated investors, patients and customers into believing that her startup, Theranos, had developed a technology that could scan for an array of potential health problems with just a few drops of blood. Existing tests generally each require a vial of blood. During more than three hours of maskless testimony delivered behind plexiglass, Mattis recalled how impressed he was with Holmes when he first met her in 2011 while still serving a four-star general in the Marine Corps, where he oversaw U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A few months after retir-

BRYNN ANDERSON • Associated Press U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis speaks during a change of command ceremony at the n U.S. Southern Command headquarters on Monday, Nov. 26, 2018, in Doral, Fla.

ing from the military in 2013, Mattis joined the Theranos board and also invested some of his own savings in the startup. In 2017, Mattis joined the cabinet of President Donald Trump. Mattis, nicknamed “Mad Dog,” while he was in the mil-

itary, testified that Holmes initially struck him as a “sharp, articulate, committed” CEO who drew his interest when she described the compact blood-testing machine called Edison that Theranos was developing. Holmes assured him that

the Edison would be able to scan for health problems with just a finger prick — a concept that Mattis testified he found “pretty breathtaking’” for its potential applications in the field of battle. “I’m strong believer in what you have designed/built

and hope we can get it in the theater soon to test it,” Mattis wrote in a March 2013 email shortly before he retired from the military. In other emails, Mattis affectionately addressed Holmes as “young Elizabeth.” While cross-examining Mattis, a lawyer for Holmes showed a July 2013 email from the retired general that suggested he had muted expectations for Theranos’ impact on the military. “U.S. military may be a customer but likely not immediately, or in a big way,” Mattis wrote. In another email presented by government prosecutors during Mattis’ testimony, Holmes encouraged his belief in what Theranos could do for the military. “This initiative is a small way of being able to serve and we will do whatever it takes to make it successful,” Holmes assured him in her email. As Mattis testified, Holmes watched him intently without displaying much emotion. Holmes maintains her innocence, arguing she poured her life into an invention that she sincerely believed would revolutionize medicine yet failed in her quest.

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Thursday, September 23, 2021

Mavericks aim to keep Minot State winless By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer A historically dominant performance is on the horizon for the No. 20 Minnesota State football team this weekend against Minot State. The Mavericks are 4-0 against the Beavers since 2012, and are travelling to Minot this weekend in the hopes of staying undefeated in the Mavericks-Beavers series. The Mavs have historically stomped the Beavers, averaging nearly 50 points a game while only allowing just over seven points per game. Minnesota State will surely not overlook Minot State in this one, but are poised to come out of this weekend with a 3-1 record. In their previous contest, the Mavericks came out on top with a 62-13 win at Blakeslee stadium. This will be the first contest between the teams since 2018. The Mavericks have settled into a dual quarterback offense in recent weeks, using quarterbacks senior JD Ekowa and redshirt freshman Hayden Ekern nearly equally. Ekowa brings scrambling upside to the table, leading the two quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns with four. Ekern supplies an efficient air attack, supporting a 156.51 QB rating and a team-leading two passing touchdowns on 30 attempts. Look for the Mavs to con-

By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter The last time the Mavericks and Beavers met was in October of 2018, when MSU won 62-13.

tinue using their dual-headed quarterback approach this weekend. As far as skill positions go, the Mavericks have amazing talent at the running back and wide receiver position. Sophomore Kaleb Sleezer leads the Mavs backfield in yards and touchdowns, while junior Jalen Sample leads the Mavs wide receiver corps in yards, catches, and is tied for first in touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball Minnesota State is led by seniors Eli Thomas and Ty’Shonan Brooks. The two lead the Mavericks in total

tackles for their respective positions with 14 and 11. They also have each recorded an interception on the season, both coming in their previous contest against Bemidji State. Thomas caught and returned his interception for only a yard, but Brooks returned his pick 50 yards for a touchdown to give the Mavs the lead in the first quarter. The two will look to continue their dominance this weekend against Minot State. The Beavers come into this game using a very similar two-quarterback attack, with senior Ben Bolinske, currently

leading Minot State in nearly every quarterback category. The Beavers strength in offense comes behind sophomores Ali Mohammed and Cory Carignan. Mohammed leads the Beaver rushing attack while Carignan is the clear cut number one wide receiver for the team. On the defensive side for Minot State stands redshirt freshman Kyle VanBerkom and sophomore Isaiah Bigby. The two Beaver cornerbacks lead the team defense in total tackles with 21 and 20 respectively.

The Maverick volleyball squad got off to a dominant start over the weekend with two sweeps over UMary and Minot, and looked to continue that streak against one of the top teams in the nation, No. 11 Winona State. Over the course of the teams history since 1992, the Mavericks have gotten the best of the Warriors 21 of the 28 contests. Although in recent history, MSU has not been quite as successful. The Mavericks lost three of the last four meetings, looking to get back on top with this home matchup. Winona got off to a very

aggressive start, tallying the first four of five points in the contest, although MSU kept it close getting back three in a row. The Mavericks take a timeout after falling behind by five points, and it’s what they needed to get back into it. That, and the help of the Maverick Machine with their “M-S-U” chants throughout the longest rally of the night. The Warriors keep fighting away and maintain their lead with phenomenal positioning on the court, forcing the Mavericks to make some difficult kills to their opponent. As competitive of a set as it was, the Warriors were able to take away the first set of the match, 25-17.

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

Volleyball falls to Warriors, prepares for road trip By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor

Mavs look to bounce back against BSU

The Mavericks suffered a 3-0 loss to Winona State Tuesday.

Set number two comes in hot with both teams trading points back and forth, but Winona State gets some fire in them following what was

seen as a controversial call in favor of the Mavericks. When the Warriors went up 8-4, the Mavericks were forced to take FIGHTING on page 13 u

The Minnesota State soccer team will play at home for the first time since the first weekend in Sept. when they host No. 15 Bemidji Friday, and Minnesota Crookston Sunday. The Mavericks (3-2, 1-1 NSIC) come off a weekend splitting games against Wayne State and Augustana, winning 2-1 against WSC, and getting shutout 1-0 against AU. The Mavericks have a successful history against the Beavers, going 13-2-2 since 1996. The Beavers are 5-0 (2-0 NSIC) going into this weekend, holding the first spot in the NSIC rankings. Bemidji State, being the top goal scoring team in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, rosters two players in the top three in shots on goal in the NSIC. Allyson Smith has recorded 23 shots in five games, averaging 4.6 shots per game, while Sara Wendt has recorded 21 shots on goal in five games, averaging 4.2 shots per game, at the No. 2 and 3 spots respectively. Wendt leads the NSIC in goals with eight goals in five games, twice the amount of goals than anyone else in the conference. Wendt has scored two goals in every game played this season, with the exception of the contest against Michigan Tech, where she only tallied one shot on goal. Crookston has not had as successful of a season, starting out 1-4 (1-1 NSIC), including an 8-0 loss to Michigan Tech. In the Mavericks’ 13 games since 1999 against the Eagles, MSU is 13-0, outscoring their opponent 66-4 in that span. Jenny Vetter and Allie Williams lead the scoring for the Mavericks with two goals in five games each, while Vetter has the most shots taken at 13.

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Women’s hockey travels to play Merrimack College

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer This weekend marks the start of the 21-22 women’s college hockey season. The Minnesota State women’s hockey team is set to play their first two-game series this Friday and Saturday Sept. 24-25 against Merrimack College. Last season was not the greatest of seasons for the Mavericks as they finished the season 7-12-1, falling several games under .500 and never gaining momentum throughout the season. However, the Mavs have high hopes in starting off the season with two wins for the first time since 2019. Last season was tough for all college hockey teams, as they were one of the few sports who were able to have a season, but it came with its highs and lows. COVID-19 cases still ran through college teams throughout the country, and it was hard to focus on improving as a team week to week when there were so many distractions. Teams never knew if they would be competing in their next game, or if they would be competing with all their teammates at once week to week. Although it was a tough year, the Minnesota State women’s hockey team is ready to put their 2020-21 season in their past and move on to bigger and better accomplishments this season. Women’s hockey coach John Harrington spoke on the difficulties of last season, and what he hopes his team will accomplish this season. “We need to try and generate more offense… I believe we have players that can do that. If you’re doing that and controlling the game, you’re helping your defense and relieving pressure on that group,” Harrington said. The Minnesota State

women’s hockey team also returns two of their team captains Brittyn Flemming and Jess Kondas, as well as WCHA Rookie of the Year forward, Jamie Nelson. Coach Harrington had high praise for his returning senior captains saying, “They give us skill and experience at their positions. They also bring great leadership vocally and by example.” Returning some of the team’s important pieces from the previous season will help this Mavericks team compete in what Harrington proclaims to be, “the best conference in the country by a mile” in the WCHA. “Our girls come and play in the WCHA because they know they are going to play against the top competition in the country… As coaches, we expect our team to play with effort,” Harrington said. “We go into each game with the same preparation as we do against any other team in the league.” Coach Harrington was quick to explain the challenge it is to play in the WCHA, but it is something he likes his team to tackle head on and not back down from. The Minnesota State Mavericks first two games of the season come against a non-conference opponent in Merrimack College, a team the Mavericks have not played since 2019. As a non-conference opponent and a team that Minnesota State has not played in a few years, Merrimack brings unfamiliar challenges to this Mavericks team. “When not playing a team for an extended period of time,” coach Harrington explained, “we are working on a lot as a team… As a team we are going to go into the game looking at what they are doing and we are going to attack using the things we do to the best of our ability.”

Sports

MSU Reporter • 11

Senior Spotlight: Setter Dana Schindler By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer An interview conducted on Wednesday with Dana Schindler, a senior on the volleyball team. Kole: Tell us a bit about yourself. Dana: My name is Dana Schindler. I graduated with my undergraduate degree in management, I’m currently in the Masters of Business Administration program, and I’m from Chaska, Minnesota. K: What are three words to describe yourself D: Outgoing, friendly and organized. K: What are some of the most important things to you in life? D: My family is the most important thing in my life. I spend a lot of time with them. My faith and my friends and volleyball are also extremely important. K: Who inspires you to be the best version of yourself? D: My mom. She’s very giving and caring, but she’s also very independent and motivated, so she makes me want to be a better person. K: What kind of sports were you involved in growing up? D: I was involved in volleyball, basketball and softball. But once I got to high school, my focus shifted to volleyball. K: What is your favorite part about playing volleyball and your favorite part about being on the team at MSU?

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

D: My favorite part about playing volleyball is the team aspect. You definitely can’t be successful on your own. It takes everybody in the program to be successful. And that’s my favorite part about MSU specifically is the girls and the coaches and staff we have. We have great relationships and we care about each other on and off the court, which makes it a lot of fun. K: What made you stick with volleyball over other sports? D: I gravitated towards volleyball because of the competitive nature. You can’t win a match in one point. You kind of always have the opportunity to battle and come back, so it’s really competitive. K: Is that what made you pick it over other sports? D: My older sister played volleyball, and she actually also played in the NSIC con-

ference as well. So growing up, I always looked up to her. I wanted to do everything she did, so that was probably what pushed me towards volleyball more than anything. K: Has volleyball always been your number one choice or were there more sports? D: Looking back, I wish I would have stuck with basketball a little longer. I only played for a year or so in high school, so I miss basketball, but volleyball was always my number one, and I don’t have any regrets about it. K: What are your goals for this upcoming season as a person and as a team as a whole. D: As a team, we’re really looking to finish in the top of the conference. We have not finished as high in the past as we are definitely capable of. And with the two new classes coming in, the freshmen and DANA on page 13 u

12 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Looking into week 3 of fantasy football in the NFL By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer As we head into week three of the NFL season, standings are starting to take shape and players are starting to find their roles as everything starts clicking again. Week two saw some growing pains from teams who were dominant last season, as well as hot starts from some teams who would be new to the playoffs this year. A lot of these results have an impact on fantasy outlook, so it is important to pay attention to game scripts when choosing which players to play week to week. It is also important to hold on to players who are due for a breakout week and sustainable future and not drop or trade them early. The two biggest hold candidates: Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Titans wide receiver AJ Brown. Barkley has had two very lackluster weeks in fantasy so far, but he has not had a chance to regain full health after his ACL surgery last season. Barkley is now due for a 10 day rest period after playing in Thursday night football this past week against Washington. Barkley is gaining touches week to week as his health rises, and he gets a juicy matchup against Atlanta this week. He might be a sneaky start and a buy low candidate as his health continues to im-

ADAM HUNGER • Associated Press New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs away from Denver’s Von Miller (58).

prove. Brown has had two back to back weeks of disappointing fantasy performances in comparison to his absolutely dominant last year. Brown is averaging just over 11 fantasy points per game in PPR formats this season, but is doing it in games where he’s caught the ball four and three times respectively. In both of these games, Brown has seen wide receiver one target volume while getting targeted eight times in game one and nine times in game two. It is only a matter of time when Brown is able to

start hauling in more footballs and the Titan offense starts rolling. As far as sell high candidates goes, there are several that jump off the page. One in particular is Tampa Bay tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski is currently the TE2 in PPR formats after putting up two monstrous performances to start the season. The problem though; volume. Other top tight ends like Darren Waller and TJ Hockenson are their teams’ favorite target through the air, while Gronkowski fights for targets in a crowded Tampa Bay pass

catchers’ room. Gronkowski averages just over six targets while Waller and Hockenson both average ten or more. Gronk is also very touchdown dependent, hauling in four already this season, which is generally not sustainable for a whole season. I’d recommend selling high. Week two did not produce many valuable waiver wire pickups, but there are many players who are worth looking at to make sure you start or sit correctly. At the running back position, Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley both

have started off slow but are worth starting this weekend versus two defenses that have struggled against the run. Two valuable sit ‘em candidates include DJ Chark and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Chark is quickly becoming the wide receiver three on his team behind Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault, which does not spell for future targets against a very good Arizona Cardinals team. Edwards-Helaire just has not had his number called yet. The Chiefs need him most when they are up big in games, but when the team is constantly battling in close shootouts, it is tough to turn to your running back for big plays. The Chiefs get another anticipated shootout this week against a good Chargers team, and since Edwards-Halaire has been struggling to see red zone touches, he is a must sit even in a high scoring game. One of the top strategies when picking a weekly defense is looking at their matchup. A top fantasy defense is not always the best option week to week. Some teams you want to target when picking a defense include the Jets, Jaguars, and Dolphins. These teams have struggled mightily to start the season on offense, so picking a defense against them will surely help you gain extra points from your defense.

REPORTER PICK ‘EM • WEEK #3 PANTHERS @ TEXANS

COLTS @ TITANS

FALCONS @ GIANTS

CHARGERS @ CHIEFS

BENGALS @ STEELERS

BEARS @ BROWNS

RAVENS @ LIONS

SAINTS @ PATRIOTS

CARDINALS @ JAGUARS

WASHINGTON @ BILLS

JETS @ BRONCOS

DOLPHINS @ RAIDERS

SEAHAWKS @ VIKINGS

BUCCANEERS @ RAMS

PACKERS @ 49ERS

EAGLES @ COWBOYS

DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor KOLE BUELOW Sports Writer MAXWELL MAYLEBEN Editor in Chief JENNA PETERSON News Director MANSOOR AHMAD Media Director DANA CLARK Ad Design Mgr. BAYLEE SORENSEN Ad Sales Rep. ROBB MURRAY Editorial Consultant

STANDINGS After Week #2

1ST PLACE Kole Buelow

Overall (20-12) Last Week (12-4)

2ND PLACE Dana Clark

Overall (19-13) Last Week (10-6)

3RD PLACE Daniel McElroy

Overall (18-14) Last Week (10-6)

3RD PLACE Robb Murray*

Overall (17-15) Last Week (8-8)

4TH PLACE Jenna Peterson

Overall (16-16) Last Week (7-9)

5TH PLACE Mansoor Ahmad

Overall (15-17) Last Week (6-10)

LAST PLACE (TIE) Baylee Sorensen* Overall (14-18) Last Week (6-10)

LAST PLACE (TIE) Maxwell Mayleben Overall (14-18) Last Week (8-8)

Sports

Cook shows toughness in physical game in Arizona

ROSS D. FRANKLIN • Associated Press Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) runs the ball against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. Cook ran for 131 yards in the loss against the Cardinals.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Late in the second quarter on Sunday, Dalvin Cook was stood up at the line of scrimmage by Arizona’s 335-pound defensive tackle Corey Peters. All of Cook’s momentum was stopped in an instant and he was pushed back by a group of Cardinals defenders. Cook said he suffered the first stinger of his career and didn’t know how to react. The Vikings star running back went to the sideline medical tent to be examined. With no treatment necessary and feeling better, Cook later returned to the game. “Nah, it goes away, and you play football,” Cook said Wednesday when asked if the stinger needed any treatment. Minnesota is used to Cook returning from injury, and the team’s offensive focal point demonstrated his toughness again in another physically punishing effort on Sunday. Cook also left the game in the fourth quarter, the second time with an ankle injury after Arizona defensive end J.J. Watt landed on his legs during a tackle. Again, Cook returned as the Vikings lost 34-33 on a last-second, fieldgoal miss. “There are moments where you don’t know if you have him for the rest of the game and then he’s back in,” quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “Just did a great job coming back and

DANA Continued from page 11 the sophomores, they bring a lot of new athletic ability as well as motivation and drive. Individually, with this being my last year, I want to leave with no regrets knowing that every day, every game we played our best, we gave it our all like we stuck together as a team. I just want to look back and be proud and thankful for the time here. K: Coming out of college, what is your dream? D: I’m hoping to finish my MBA after next fall. From there, I really enjoyed the human re-

being tough and playing hard, running hard. We ask a lot of him. He’s a warrior.” Cook confirmed the two separate injuries on Wednesday, shortly before he was held out of practice with the ankle injury. The stinger might have caused him the most alarm. He said it’s the first time he’s dealt with a stinger. “I didn’t know whether I should get up,” Cook said. “I don’t know where it was coming from. ... But it was just something different for me that I never felt, so I was just taking precautions and had the trainers take care of what they’re gonna take care of.” When he was on the field, Cook was his usual productive self. He finished with 131 yards rushing on 22 carries. “He’s out there hurting, and he’s still out there getting 5 (yards) a pop and making big plays,” receiver K.J. Osborn said. For Cook, responding to pain is nothing new, particularly against this week’s opponent. Minnesota hosts the Seattle Seahawks for its first home game of the season. After an 0-2 start, there’s no holding back or taking it easy on their top rusher for the Vikings. “You know, at this stage, it’s time to get some wins,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “Dalvin’s a tough guy. If he can’t play, there’s a reason why he’s not playing. But he makes us go, so we’re going to continue to play him.”

source side of things. So looking for a position potentially as an HR generalist, I want to get my kind of get a feel for the different areas of HR, whether it’s like compensation, benefits, recruiting, talent acquisition. K: Do you want to continue your future with volleyball at some point, or are you just looking to move on? D: I would definitely pursue coaching in the future. I’ve coached a little bit in the past, and I definitely love volleyball enough to step into a coaching position. I don’t have plans to, though.

MSU Reporter • 13 FIGHTING Continued from page 10 another timeout. The Mavericks make a valiant attempt to make a comeback, but the Warriors close out the set, 25-14. The Mavericks came into set three with a last fighting chance, but got down 3-0 to start the set. Winona State stayed on top of their game while playing amazing defensive volleyball, bringing them to an 11-5 lead. The Mavs start to find their groove, cutting the deficit down to just two points at a 12-10 game. Or so they had thought. The Mavericks get called for playing an illegal libero, making the two points that they scored invalid, bringing it down to a 12-8 game. The Warriors went up 1710 following the change in points, forcing another timeout from the Mavericks. MSU took two points back right away, before the Warriors made a block at the net and regained possession. The teams trade points, remaining at about a five point difference. The Mavericks cut it down to four when Kiya Durant made a very confident block, forcing WSU to take their first timeout to break up the momentum. The Warriors make good use of the timeout and score the final two points to go back home with the 3-0 win over the Mavericks. Coming out of the shutout, head coach Corey Phelps is feeling optimistic about what

the future holds for the Mavericks. “I’m feeling pretty good. That’s the first time we’ve played a legit team and they’re 11th in the country and they deserve that ranking,” Phelps said. “The fact that we gained that experience and learned from this, it’s going to set us up for the future, including three days from now.” The Mavericks go on the road this weekend for their first away NSIC matchups against Northern State and MSU Moorhead. Northern State (8-3, 3-0 NSIC) is on a hot streak right now, winning their last five straight matches, including a 3-0 win over the Warriors last weekend. The Mavs and Wolves have a tight history with each other, with the Mavericks having an edge in the lead at 16-13. Despite that, the Wolves are on track to even out that score. Northern State has won the last six straight matches against MSU, and won eight of the last 10. “They’re a great team, they started out the season in the top 25, and they’re getting close now, so they’re legit as well,” Phelps said, looking forward to their road matchup. “It’s going to be a challenge, but I think that that’s the best part about this conference, everything’s a challenge.” The Mavericks will also take on MSU Moorhead (110, 1-2 NSIC) at the Dragons’ home court Saturday, a matchup that Phelps isn’t as concerned about.

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14 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, September 23, 2021

“H.M.S. Pinafore” sets sail at MNSU this fall Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Department of Theater and Dance this week kicks off its main stage season with the musical “H.M.S Pinafore: How a Lass Loved a Sailor.” The play is a British operetta written by Gilbert and Sullivan, poking fun at the Victorian-era sensibilities. The story follows Josephine, the captain’s daughter who falls in love with Rafe, a lowly sailor. Drawing in satirical aspects and light opera music, it includes tendencies similar to Monty Python. While live performances are back on stage, the presence of COVID-19 still looms large. Director Heather Hamilton made sure the cast and crew were not only following the state guidelines, but University guidelines as well. “Since the [social distancing] mandate has been lifted, we are following the same parameters as athletics,” said Hamilton. “Everybody in the cast has to be vaccinated or take weekly tests and then we wear masks any time we are not on stage.” Senior Jace Gray plays Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B, the admiral of the English Navy who is supposed to be wed to Josephine, completely unbeknownst that she’s head over heels for Rafe. Gray said he is excited to see the reaction of their hard work pay off in front of a live audience. After the pandemic, he’s glad to be back to performing the way theater is supposed to be. “Last year we did a lot of shows where we performed live, but we were in masks and had a lot lower capacity audiences,” said Gray. “It is so much better to know that there will be more people out there and to not have a

EMILY LANSMAN • The Reporter

By EMMA JOHNSON • Staff Writer

The cast of “H.M.S Pinafore” performing in the Ted Paul Theatre. This comic opera takes place onboard a Royal Navy Ship.

piece of cloth on my face which is great for safety, but bad for singing.” Being able to have live shows again is something not just the cast has been yearning for, but also the crew. Director Nick Wayne is excited for everyone to come together to share stories with the public again. “I know for the cast, musicians and all the artistic folk involved, you have

to get [those feelings] out,” said Wayne. “It’s been very edifying and fulfilling to do this.” With plenty of laughs, detailed costumes and a story of star-crossed lovers, “H.M.S Pinafore’’ is sure to give audiences a good time. Sophomore Sydney Belonge, who plays Josephine, said she hopes audiences have fun with the magic of live voices and music.

“It’s a fun show that’s exciting and not too hard to digest,” said Belonge. “I want people to have their imagination run wild.” “H.M.S. Pinafore” runs in the Ted Paul Theatre Sept. 23-25 and again Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 for MNSU students and $24 for the general public.

By SYDNEY BERGGREN Staff Writer Living with a roommate is an entirely new concept for a lot of college freshmen — whether you grew up an only child or never having to share a room with siblings, or you did and this is just a new environment — living with a roommate can be a whole new experience. While it is nice to believe you and your roommate will get along swimmingly, it doesn’t always work out. It’s important to have strategies to employ to prevent and solve issues that arise. My best personal advice as both a person who has had a roommate in the past and as someone who is now a Community Advisor is to get to know your roommate as best you can before you move in together. Whether you went

to high school together and know each other from there, or you reach out over the summer through email or phone, knowing who you are moving in with, what they are like, what they want the room to look like, can be super crucial to creating an inviting space right off the bat. “Finding some common ground is super helpful,” said Mikayla Witter, a Community Advisor. Something that is often recommended by Community Advisors, myself included, is to use us as resources. We are here to give advice, to mediate, or just chat. We are always willing to help you, and if we aren’t able to, we can find someone who can. Writing stuff down can also be helpful. “Utilize your roommate agreements,” said Witter.

EMILY LANSMAN • The Reporter

Living with a stranger and learning to establish boundaries

This could be you and your roommate if you eat their food.

Hard boundaries are important, like your sleep and study schedules. It is important that you respect your roommate’s and they respect you, so writing that information down at the beginning of the year, especially on the room-

mate agreement your Community Advisor gives you, can be crucial if an argument on the subject comes up later on. “Set clear boundaries at the beginning of the semester,” said Community Advisor, Chase Belka.

On the flip side of that coin, flexibility is equally as important. “Be flexible, go with the flow. Things will not always be how you want them but that’s OK,” said Community Advisor Caitlyn Loya. Understanding that your room may not look exactly how you envisioned it, or your roommate’s friends may be loud, is sometimes crucial to keeping the peace. Boundary setting is important. So is compromising. Lastly, in the words of Community Advisor Kaleb Howze, “Open communication is important for success.” Asking questions, telling your roommate when you want to have guests, and telling your roommate when you have an issue, are all things to keep a line of communication about with your roommate.

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Variety

Old Town Fair brings the music

MSU Reporter • 15

SNL hosts announced

By LILLY SCHMIDT Staff Writer

This past weekend The Coffee Hag, a local coffee shop on North Riverfront Drive, hosted an event outside the establishment inviting musicians and artists to share their work in a community setting. Jenn Melby-Kelley, owner of the Coffee Hag since 2007, shared her inspiration for the event. “Years ago, The Coffee Hag did something called ‘Standing Artist Street Fair’ and I just kept thinking about it after I bought the Hag. And we came up with this idea for an Old Town Art Fair about 10 to 12 years ago. We weren’t doing stuff like this then, and so decided we wanted to do it and the first year was a smashing success and we’ve been doing it every year since.” However, this year the event was unique. Considering the threat of COVID-19, the event was downsized. The Coffee Hag employee and music organizer for the event, Kaleb Braunschulz, pointed out the differences in comparison to previous years. “This year we’re going a little bit smaller on the event because there was uncertainty about whether or not we were going to be having the event this year. So we decided to do something a little smaller, a little more intimate,”

Courtesy photo The Old Town Fair was held outside of the Coffee Hag Saturday.

Braunschulz stated. All of the artisans at the event were local, including some Minnesota State University, Mankato alumnus. Angela Korte, who graduated with an art degree and eventually started her own business Love Fuzz Handmade, was one of the many involved with the event. This year was Korte’s second time selling at the fair. Her involvement started via networking with a previous MNSU classmate. She expressed her excitement, “I just like being able to meet all sorts of people. It’s always a really good vibe with music and so many different talented artists. A lot of these people are my friends,” said Korte. Similarly, Braunschulz appreciated the sense of the

community. Not only did he and a friend perform some of their music under the band name “Super Bastards,” but he played bass for Ben Scrugg’s in the morning. Braunschulz has been performing at the Old Town Art Fair since 2014 and shared, “Songwriting has always been a powerful source of self-therapy for me. That might be a little bit of a cliche, but it’s a way for me to get feelings out that I don’t know what to do with or might not even be able to recognize.” The Old Town Art Fair is an annual event usually scheduled mid-September, and Braunschulz, as well as various other performers and vendors, are looking forward to a full-scale version of the event again soon.

CHRIS PIZZELLO • The Reporter Jason Sudeikis poses for a photo with the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for “Ted Lasso” at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, at L.A. Live.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Owen Wilson, Kim Kardashian West, Rami Malek and Jason Sudeikis are lined up to host the first four episodes of “Saturday Night Live” this fall. NBC announced Wednesday that Wilson, who is starring in the upcoming film “The French Dispatch,” will host the show for the first time to open its 47th season on Oct. 2. Kacey Musgraves will be the musical guest. While NBC announced the lineup of hosts and musical guests for the first four episodes, “Saturday Night Live” still hasn’t revealed who will be the cast members this season. Halsey is the musical guest

on Oct. 9, when Kardashian West makes her debut as host. Malek will host on Oct. 16, with Young Thug as the musician. Sudeikis was a cast member and writer on “SNL” from 2003 to 2013, and on Oct. 23 will host the show for the first time. The actor just won an Emmy as best actor for his starring role in “Ted Lasso.” The series, which Sudeikis also co-created, won the Emmy for best comedy. Brandi Carlile, with a much-anticipated new album due out next week, will make her first appearance as musical guest on Sudeikis’ show. “SNL” will be shown live on NBC from coast to coast.

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