October 15, 2020

S T U DE N T RU N N E WS SI NC E 1926

THURSDAY • OCTOBER 15, 2020

Do Students Report Their Positive COVID Cases?

JENNA PETERSON NEWS EDITOR Minnesota State University, Mankato has been able to keep its positive COVID-19 cases fairly low for a university, and the question of “How?” comes to mind. Despite a high spike in numbers the first couple of weeks of classes, aspects of social distancing, mask mandates, and online classes have been helpful.

In a survey created by The Reporter staff about whether or not students will report to the university, there were 80 people who responded. Of this group, 23% were extremely unlikely to fill out a COVID survey before coming to campus and 63% said they do not know how to report their COVID case to the university.

MNSU Interim Coordinator of Alcohol & Drug Sanction Education Natalie Schuette was able to discuss how the Student Health Services is able to help students who are infected with COVID and how the university has

A tour group and students wearing masks walk near the Centennial Student Union on campus, Monday, Sept. 28, 2020 in Mankato. (Muhammad Ibrahim/The Reporter)

made changes to better serve students.

Schuette first explained how the university is informed about positive cases. She noted how students are typically

willing to report themselves if they get sick. “I think students are pretty good at reporting.

They want to keep themselves and others safe,” Schuette stated.

Faculty Sound Off on Synchronous Vs. Asynchronous Classes ASHLEY OPINA STAFF WRITER Since the start of COVID-19 and the alternative delivery methods of teaching that followed, students of all grade levels have vocalized their thoughts about each one.

Now, two renowned professors at Minnesota State University, Mankato have been given the mic to discuss the topic.

Pete Stevens, a professor in the Department of English, has had the opportunity to teach both synchronous (in person) and asynchronous (online) classes. Although Stevens has only held his first-ever asynchronous class over the summer, he still has much to say regarding both styles of teaching.

“I prefer teaching a synchronous class over an asynchronous class,” says Stevens.

Stevens said he understands students learn best when

IN THIS ISSUE:

The Minnesota Department of Health will also send in a list of students’ names who test positive for the virus.

From here, Student Health Services and Residential Life

school coincides with their life outside of a classroom. If a student is particularly busy outside of school, they might prefer asynchronous classes due to the flexibility they offer.

“From a teacher’s perspective,” he says, “I believe that synchronous classes are more effective.”

Stevens backed his claim

STUDENT GOVT

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by saying, “with an asynchronous class, it is difficult to see where a student is in terms of progress within the course and with the material that is being taught.”

He also argues that, with the lack of face-to-face inter-

CLASSES page 3

NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

COVID page 3

Virtual Career Fair Held Amidst Pandemic COLIN HANKE STAFF WRITER

A student takes notes during an online class in the Centennial Student Union, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020 in Mankato.

(Dearest Welwolie/The Reporter)

work together to take care of those students.

MNSU sophomore Ben Fairchild was one of the many who had to quarantine and took the responsibility to report his case to the university.

To report, Fairchild went to the MNSU website and saw the bar on the top showing where to report.

“It was easy to tell, there was big text right on the homepage.”

Throughout the dorm buildings, there are 97 designated rooms for students who have to quarantine or isolate for the minimum two weeks.

As Schuette pointed out, “Even though students are in isolation, we don’t want them to feel isolated.”

To help students feel taken care of, there are a variety of services that are available to them. MNSU Director of Residential Life Cindy Janney said students can shop for gro-

Even though a global pandemic forced the annual Career and Internship Expo Fair to a virtual format, students said the Oct. 3 event was effective.

“It was great, I had a great time talking to some prospective employers that helped me learn more about my career opportunities,” said MNSU student Sari Rimawi, an International Business major.

“They gave me their input and recommendations for when I have to start applying for jobs and internships when I graduate this spring. One of the nice things about it being virtual this year was that I didn’t feel pressured to talk to employers that just didn’t sound interesting to me. I got to just pick what employer’s sessions I wanted to attend.”

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The expo provided an opportunity for students to connect with potential employers and internships. The job fair took place via Handshake, a free university website for students to find jobs and internships, register for events, schedule appointments, and more.

Prior to the career fair, students were asked to complete and update their Handshake profile. Handshake also allowed for students to upload a public resume, as well as browse to find potential employers to attend informational sessions.

During the fair, students could join various video, audio, and chat sessions with employers. They could ask questions and learn more about employment opportuni-

CAREER page 3

THEATRE: HAIR OPENS

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2 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Student Govt: Equity, Vacancies, and Spring Break MAXWELL MAYLEBEN EDITOR IN CHIEF The Student Government discussed Equity 2030, IT Solutions, vacancy elections and Spring Break at its weekly meeting Wednesday.

Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Henry Morris presented to the Student Government about a new initiative for the entire Minnesota State system called “Equity 2030.”

This new program aims to eliminate the educational equity gaps for first-generation, low-income and indigenous students as well as students of color at every college and university in the Minnesota State system.

“The goal is to ensure that, by 2030, there is no gap between majority students and those listed,” said Morris.

One main goal is enhanced access. Morris said MNSU has 18% domestic people of color that attend the university, while domestic people of color make up 20% of the state’s population.

One main component of the program is using “data-based decision making” to find the main problems needing to be addressed.

Student Government Vice President Arnavee Maltare, Speaker Kara Svercl and President Andrew Trenne lead a meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2020 in Mankato (Maxwell Mayleben/The Reporter)

While the original goal of the program was to create equity, it also benefits people across the board. For example, the data showed students from low performing inner city high schools are less likely to graduate.

Tech report Vice President for Technology and Chief Informa-

tion Officer Mark Johnson told the Student Government about the increased number of Adobe Creative Suite licenses available for students.

IT Solutions also spoke to the promising nature of open education resources that will lower the cost of textbooks for students. In the last three years, the use of

open education resources has saved MNSU students over $300,000.

Filling vacancies During the Student Government President Andrew Trenne’s officer report, he named Afnan Husain, a senator for the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, the senator of the month. She

was honored for her use of the MavLife app to distribute a survey.

Two new Senators were elected to fill vacancies in the Student Government. Audrey Hopwood was elected as an off-campus senator, and Zoey Macklanburg was elected as the new Residential Life senator.

Finally, the senate opened the floor for a discussion on the student perspective on how spring break should be handled during next semester.

There are currently four options on the table for how spring break will look, the first of which being having no change in the schedule and having spring break as is. Another option is to start one week later. The inverse is also an option, ending the semester one week early. The final option is the removal of spring break but adding extra-long weekends throughout the semester.

Senator Husain spoke out with an idea for making spring break later in the semester, and after the break, having the students stay at home.

This would be similar to how the university is handling the Thanksgiving break.

Earth Breaks September Heat Record, May Reach Warmest Year Earth sweltered to a record hot September last month, with U.S. climate officials saying there’s nearly a two-to-one chance that 2020 will end up as the globe’s hottest year on record.

Boosted by human-caused climate change, global temperatures averaged 60.75 degrees (15.97 Celsius) last month, edging out 2015 and 2016 for the hottest September in 141 years of recordkeeping, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday. That’s 1.75 degrees (0.97 degrees Celsius) above the 20th century average.

This record was driven by

high heat in Europe, Northern Asia, Russia and much of the Southern Hemisphere, said NOAA climatologist Ahira Sanchez-Lugo. California and Oregon had their hottest Septembers on record.

Earth has had 44 straight Septembers where it has been warmer than the 20th century average and 429 straight months without a cooler than normal month, according to NOAA. The hottest seven Septembers on record have been the last seven.

That means “that no millennial or even parts of Gen-X has lived through a cooler than normal September,” said North Carolina state climatol-

ogist Kathie Dello, herself a millennial.

What’s happening is a combination of global warming from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas and natural variability, Sanchez-Lugo

said. But the biggest factor is the human-caused warming, she and Dello said.

The globe set this record despite a La Nina, which is a cooling of parts of the central Pacific that changes weather

patterns and usually slightly lowers temperatures.

“A La Nina is no match for how much we’re warming the planet,” Dello said.

ELECTION DAY 2020: WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT? SPEAKERS: Dr. Kevin Parsneau and Dr. Fred Slocum

OCTOBER 27, 2020 6:00-7:00 P.M. Online Zoom Program

https://minnstate.zoom.us/j/91873622191 Sponsors: Campus Election Engagement Project; Community Engagement; Library Services; Maverick Involvement Team; Maverick Speech and Debate; MSU College Democrats; MSU College Republicans; St. Peter League of Women Voters; Student Government; Student Events Team.

In this Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 file photo, people crowd the beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., as the state swelters under a heat wave.

On Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the Earth reached a record hot September, saying that there’s nearly a two-to-one chance that 2020 will end up as the globe’s hottest year on record (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

library.mnsu.edu/

Thursday, October 15, 2020

News

MSU Reporter • 3

COVID Continued from page 1 ceries through Instacart and a faculty member will pick it up for them, laundry can be picked up and cleaned, as well as meals being delivered throughout the day to ensure students are eating full meals.

“Residential Life wants to make the experience as comfortable as possible,” commented Schuette.

When it came to inform his professors about his situation, Fairchild pointed out how much support he received.

“I had a professor ask me if

I needed any medications, which was nice to know that they really cared. My other professors also wanted me to worry about my health first, so they gave me extensions for my school work.”

Another great feature the campus has available for students now is COVID testing in the upper clinic, with the entrance being right by Chet’s in the Carkoski Commons. This testing isn’t free to students, but most insurances will cover the costs.

If there is a vaccine created to help with COVID, it will be available to students. Schuette noted that it has not yet been determined if this will be free or not to students and faculty.

Both Schuette and Janney emphasized which phone numbers students and faculty must call for anything related to COVID. If you want some general questions asked, the hotline number is 507-3895591. If you are reporting a positive case, the hotline number is 507-389-2030.

CLASSES Continued from page 1 actions, a strong disconnect is created not only between the professor and the student, but between the other students as well.

“We sometimes forget how valuable that experience can be for a student,” Stevens says.

“There’s a personal touch with synchronous classes that is difficult to achieve with an asynchronous one.”

Michael Torres, an assistant professor in the English Department, agrees with Stevens.

“I’m preferring synchronous so far,” says Torres, “I

A medical staffer takes swabs as she tests for COVID-19 at a drivethrough at the San Paolo hospital, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

CAREER Continued from page 1

think it has to do with the fact that, as a creative writing professor, building class community and trust is best done when I’m able to meet with all, or at least half of the class, at once, in real time.”

His experience with teaching synchronous classes is vast in comparison to the alternative. However, he is currently teaching an asynchronous class this semester.

“There are weekly assignments and discussion boards,” Torres says about his asynchronous class. “I’ve also made Loom videos for them to

watch and react to but it’s not the same.”

Torres also says that asynchronous classes miss out on the unexpected conversations that arise in a classroom setting—whether virtually or in person—that often lead to a better understanding of the material.

Despite his preference, Torres remains positive.

“I’m taking this semester as a learning opportunity to better serve those asynchronous classes in the future.”

ties with dozens and dozens of employers that come from across the state of Minnesota, as well as neighboring states.

Angela Hanson, Metropolitan Council representative noted on her role in the fair and why her organization (company) was in attendance.

“We emphasize regional administrative roles in the Twin Cities, metropolitan transportation services, community development,

metro transit, and environmental services. We offer a wide variety of opportunities for students as they prepare to enter the workforce.”

For students looking to connect with the Center of Career Development, Jaqui Menke was in charge of this event and is available to be reached at jaqui.menke@ mnsu.edu. The Center of Career Development is also located on the second floor of the Centennial Student Union near the ballroom.

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4 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, October 15, 2020

FALL 2020 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN

Do Students Know How to Report?

Editorial

The few safeguards that the Minnesota State University, Mankato has put into place to keep us safe from the COVID-19 pandemic are strong in encouraging social distancing. But they lack public guidance for students who test positive for the virus.

The university claims there are currently only seven students with active cases within MNSU. However, one of the few ways the university knows if there is a case is if the student chooses to report it themselves.

There is a lack of prioritization by the university to encourage reporting a positive test. The current way to report is by calling a hotline listed on the campus website, which is noted as the second bullet point on the “Contact Information” column.

In our basic poll that was sent out to roughly 80 students, roughly 60% had no idea how to even report a positive test to the university.

If the reported number of cases on campus is the basis of the university’s response to COVID-19, these numbers need to be as accurate as possible.

If the university aims to keep their numbers accurate and up to date, they need to be transparent in it’s means of contact tracing as well as put self reporting on the forefront of the student mind.

Other institutions, including Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, enforce reporting and social distanc-

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

WEB/PHOTO EDITOR: Mansoor Ahmad mansoor.ahmad@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING SALES: Anna Lillie 507-389-1063 anna.lillie@mnsu.edu Yasir Wedatalla 507-389-5097 yasir.wedatalla@mnsu.edu Logan Larock 507-389-5453 logan.larock@mnsu.edu Stacy Leesch gets tested for COVID-19 at the free testing event held in the Myers Field House, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 in Mankato. (Mansoor Ahmad/The Reporter)

ing by using a “mandated reporter” system, where anyone who works for the institution

gram may not be the perfect solution for MNSU, the university owes it to the students

“Students are entitled to not only feel safe, but to actually be safe...” is obligated to report on violations of social distancing and COVID transmissions.

While this “snitch” pro-

to be basing its judgments on accurate numbers. If students are unaware of how to report their case, then that means

that the current means of gathering information is flawed, and there needs to be an increased effort from the university to encourage the student body to make those reports.

Students are entitled to not only feel safe, but to actually be safe as they get their education at MNSU. If the majority of students who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not know that they should, or do not know how to, report their case, then the university is failing at their job of keeping students informed during these nerve-wracking times.

Compiled by Julia Barton

“I’d email all my professors.”

MADISON DIEMERT

NEWS EDITOR: Jenna Peterson jenna.peterson-3@mnsu.edu

“How do you report a positive COVID case to the University?”

SOFIA MARTINEZ, SENIOR

maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

TAVA WRANG, FRESHMAN

EMMA WEATHERLY, JUNIOR

MANDY GRUIS, FRESHMAN

KALEIGH SCHUCK, SOPHOMORE

“Since I live in the dorms I’d tell my CA first.”

“I’d probably tell my track coach first and then he’d report it to the university.”

“I’m assuming I’d just email my professors.”

“I reported my case online on the university’s website, I also told my professors.”

BUSINESS MANAGER: Jane Tastad 507-389-1926 jane.tastad@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING DESIGN/ PRODUCTION MANAGER: 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, October 15, 2020

News

MSU Reporter • 5

Barrett keeps Democrats, Trump at bay in Senate hearing WASHINGTON (AP) — Over and over, Amy Coney Barrett said she’d be her own judge if confirmed to the Supreme Court. But she was careful in two long days of Senate testimony not to take on the president who nominated her, and she sought to create distance between herself and past positions, writings on controversial subjects and even her late mentor.

Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court to take the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg seems inevitable, as even some Senate Democrats acknowledged in Senate hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday. The shift would cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the court and would be the most pronounced ideological change in 30 years, from the liberal icon to the conservative appeals court judge.

The 48-year-old judge skipped past Democrats’ pressing questions about ensuring the date of next month’s election or preventing voter intimidation, both set in federal law, and the peaceful transfer of presidential power. She also refused to express her view on whether the president can pardon himself. “It’s not one that I can offer a view,” she

said in response to a question Wednesday from Sen. Pat Leahy of Vermont.

Democrats raised those questions because President Donald Trump has done so himself.

When it came to major issues that are likely to come before the court, including abortion and health care, she repeatedly promised to keep an open mind and said neither Trump nor anyone else in the White House had tried to influence her views.

“No one has elicited from me any commitment in a case,” she said.

Nominees typically resist offering any more information than they have to, especially when the president’s party controls the Senate, as it does now. But Barrett wouldn’t engage on topics that seemed easy to swat away, including that only Congress can change the date that the election takes place.

She said she is not on a “mission to destroy the Affordable Care Act,” though she has been critical of the two Supreme Court decisions that preserved key parts of the Obama-era health care law. She could be on the court when it hears the latest, Republican-led challenge on

Nov. 10.

Barrett is the most open opponent of abortion nominated to the Supreme Court in decades, and Democrats fear that her ascension could be a tipping point that threatens abortion rights.

There was no hiding her views in at least three letters and ads she signed over 15 years and her membership in Notre Dame’s Faculty for Life. So Republican senators embraced her stance, proudly stating that she was, in Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham’s words, an “unashamedly pro-life” conservative who is making history as a role model for other women.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said there “is nothing wrong with confirming a devout prolife Christian.”

Barrett refused to say whether the 1973 landmark

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett speaks during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Anna Moneymaker/ The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights was correctly decided, though she signed an open letter seven years ago that called the decision “infamous.”

Democrats pressed repeatedly on the judge’s approach to health care, abortion, racial equity and voting rights, but conceded they were unlikely to stop her confirmation.

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Extra Safety Scrutiny Planned as Virus Vaccine Worries Grow Facing public skepticism about rushed COVID-19 vaccines, U.S. health officials are planning extra scrutiny of the first people vaccinated when shots become available — an added safety layer experts call vital.

A new poll suggests those vaccine fears are growing.

With this week’s pause of a second major vaccine study because of an unexplained illness — and repeated tweets from President Donald Trump that raise the specter of politics overriding science — a quarter of Americans say they won’t get vaccinated. That’s a slight increase from 1 in 5 in May. The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found only 46% of Americans want a COVID-19 vaccine and another 29% are unsure.

More striking, while Black Americans have been especially hard-hit by COVID-19, just 22% say they plan to get vaccinated compared with 48% of white Americans, the APNORC poll found.

“I am very concerned about hesitancy regarding COVID vaccine,” said Dr. William

Schaffner, a vaccine specialist at Vanderbilt University who says even the primary care doctors who’ll need to recommend vaccinations have questions.

“If the politicians would stand back and let the scientific process work, I think we’d all be better off,” he added.

The stakes are high: Shunning a COVID-19 shot could derail efforts to end the pandemic — while any surprise safety problems after one hits the market could reverberate into distrust of other routine vaccines.

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6 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, October 15, 2020

The World in Photos: Editor’s Picks

People release scores of white balloons bearing the names of victims killed in the Aug. 4 blast to mark the two-month anniversary, next to the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

An Israeli soldier points his weapon towards a Palestinian demonstrator after a demonstration against Israeli settlements in a West Bank village near the city of Nablus, Friday, Oct. 2, 2020.(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

Ramananda Sarkar smokes marijuana as he takes shelter at a Hindu temple during rainfall after a trip to meet his family in Diprang village, in the Indian state of Assam, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

President Donald Trump waves to his supporters before boarding Air Force One after his ‘Make America Great Again’ rally at the Duluth International Airport, Sept. 30, 2020 in Duluth, Minn. (Mansoor Ahmad/The Reporter)

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MSU Reporter • 7

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Digital Inspection provides a special way for customers at TGK Automotive to understand what the problem is with your vehicle, what needs to be done to fix it, and why that problem is important to fix.

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8 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Postal Service Agrees to Reverse Service Changes HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service agreed Wednesday to reverse changes that slowed mail service nationwide, settling a lawsuit filed by Montana Gov. Steve Bullock during a pandemic that is expected to force many more people to vote by mail.

The lawsuit filed against Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and the U.S. Postal Service on Sept. 9 argued changes implemented in June harmed access to mail services in Montana, resulting in delayed delivery of medical prescriptions, payments, and job applications, and impeding the ability of Montana residents to vote by mail.

The postal service agreed to reverse all changes, which included reduced retail hours, removal of collection boxes and mail sorting machines, closure or consolidation of mail processing facilities, restriction of late or extra trips for timely mail delivery, and banning or restricting overtime.

The agreement also requires the Postal Service to prioritize election mail.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is sworn in before testifying during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on the Postal Service on Capitol Hill, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020 in Washington. (Tom Williams/Pool Photo via AP, File)

The settlement agreement was reached a day ahead of a hearing in the U.S. District Court in Great Falls. It applies to all states.

“Montanans never gave up this fight and as a result, we are ensuring stability through

and beyond the election by immediately restoring the mail services folks rely on, whether it’s receiving vital medication or ensuring they can pay their bills on time,” Bullock said in a statement.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service did not immedi-

Trump Looks to Boost Iowa Support DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday sought to shore up support from constituencies that not so long ago he thought he had in the bag: big business and voters in the red state of Iowa.

In a morning address to business leaders, he expressed puzzlement that they would even consider supporting his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, arguing that his own leadership was a better bet for a strong economy. Later, the president held his third campaign rally in three nights, this time in Iowa, a state he won handily in 2016 but where Biden is making a late push.

Trump claimed to be leading in the most recent poll he saw. “For me to only be up six, I’m a little bit concerned,” he asserted. Multiple polls have shown a much closer race.

Biden, for his part, held a virtual fundraiser from Wilmington, Delaware, and delivered pretaped remarks to American Muslims. He did not have any public campaign events, unusual for just 20 days out from Election Day. The Democratic nominee used his appearance at the fundraiser to say that Trump was trying to rush through Amy Coney Barrett, his nominee for the Supreme Court, to help his efforts to repeal the Obama health care law, calling that “an abuse of power.”

Biden was expected to spend much of the day prepar-

President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Des Moines International Airport, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

ing for a town-hall-style TV appearance in battleground Pennsylvania on Thursday, which was to have been the night of the second presidential debate.

Instead, the candidates will have dueling town halls on network television — Trump’s in Miami and sponsored by NBC News, Biden’s in Philadelphia and on ABC. Trump backed out of plans for the originally scheduled presidential faceoff after debate organizers shifted the format to a virtual event following Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis.

Trump used his economic address Wednesday to play up his administration’s commitment to lowering taxes and deregulation of industry, and he didn’t hide his frustration with signs that some in the business community are tilting to Biden.

“I know I’m speaking to some Democrats, and some

of you are friends of mine,” Trump said in a virtual address to the Economic Clubs of New York, Florida, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Pittsburgh and Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Should Biden be elected, he continued, “You will see things happen that will not make you happy. I don’t understand your thinking.”

The former vice president has collected more than $50 million in campaign contributions from donors in the securities and investment sectors, according to the private nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. During his decades in the Senate representing Delaware, a center for the credit card and banking industries, Biden built relationships and a voting record in the business sector that has raised suspicion on the left but provides Wall Street with a measure of ease at the prospect of a Biden administration.

ately respond to an email seeking comment.

Many more voters are expected to vote by mail this November to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of Montana counties are holding elections by mail, after a directive by Bullock

permitted them to do so to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Bullock is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate.

The agreement comes after a federal judge temporarily blocked the controversial Postal Service changes on Sept. 17, calling the changes “a politically motivated attack on the efficiency of the Postal Service” before the November election.

Judge Stanley Bastian in Yakima, Washington, issued the nationwide preliminary injunction sought by 14 states that brought forward a separate suit against the Trump administration and the U.S. Postal Service. The 14 states, led by Democratic attorneys general, expressed concern that delays might result in voters not receiving ballots or registration forms in time.

Following a national uproar last month, DeJoy, a major donor to President Donald Trump and the GOP, announced he was suspending some of the changes, including the removal of mail collection boxes, but other changes remained in place.

Nude Photos and Death Threats: Scandal Topples Alaska Mayor ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A stunning tale of inappropriate behavior between a politician and a television anchor, death threats and nude photos culminated in a joint police and FBI investigation, the arrest of the journalist and the resignation of the mayor of Anchorage.

Ethan Berkowitz, the top elected Democrat in Alaska, submitted his resignation to the Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday night, just days after he vehemently denied allegations by YourAlaskaLink anchor Maria Athens that he had posted nude photos of himself on an underage website.

The mayor’s resignation followed Berkowitz’s jaw-dropping admission Monday that he was involved in an inappropriate sexting — he called it “messaging” — relationship with Athens, the anchor of a combined Fox/ABC station in Anchorage. She says their relationship started in 2016, and declined to say whether it ever became sexual in nature.

“My resignation results from unacceptable personal conduct that has compromised my ability to perform my duties with the focus and trust that is required,” Berkowitz wrote.

“I apologize to the people of Anchorage for a major lapse in judgment I made several years ago when I had

a consensual, inappropriate messaging relationship with reporter Maria Athens. I’m embarrassed and ashamed for the hurt I’ve caused my family and our community. I take responsibility for my actions,” Berkowitz added.

The five days that roiled Alaska’s largest city began Friday morning, when Athens allegedly placed a profanityand racist-laden phone call to Berkowitz. The voicemail, a copy of which was obtained

by The Alaska Landmine online blog, started with the caller announcing herself as Athens and rattling off her various network affiliations.

Mayor Ethan Berkowitz addresses the Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

Berkowitz admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a female reporter days after she made online allegations against the married official.

(Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News via AP)

Thursday, October 15, 2020

MSU Reporter • 9

ART, MUSIC, FOOD, MOVIES, SPORTS, GAMING, & ALL THE REST

The Naked Truth: Theater Hiatus Ends with ‘Hair’ SYDNEY BERGGREN STAFF WRITER Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Theater Department returned to the stage after a two-week break with the American tribal love-rock musical, “Hair.”

The show, originally set during the “hippie” movement of the 1960’s, attacks many social issues still faced today, including women’s rights, LGBT+ rights, militarism, Black Lives Matter, and marijuana legalization.

“During these times of both political and medical uncertainty, the world needs more hope and love,” says director David Loudermilk. “This production of ‘Hair’ includes this message, as the characters are trying to find love and acceptance.”

As audience members trickled in before the start of the show, cast members were seated on stage with blankets, guitars and signs as if at a protest. Some actors began chants to have the audience members participate, including “Black

Photo courtesy of the MNSU Theater Department

Lives Matter,” “L-G-B-T, we demand equality!” and “My body, my choice!”

MNSU freshman Faith Peterson said the experience made her tear up.

And audience member

and MNSU student Mikayla Waskul said, “One thing I kept seeing was that the same fights going on decades ago are still going on today, and we see so many parallels we can relate to.”

The show officially began with a small demonstration on police brutality, specifically highlighting the death of George Floyd through reenactment. It then moved very quickly into the next scene, be-

ing a common theme throughout the musical: the story is told mostly through song, with little dialogue and smooth transitions from one song to the next.

At the end of Act I, right before intermission, the cast performed the song “Where Do I Go?” and many actors briefly got nude. This scene has been controversial since the musical originally came out, but is also seen as an integral part of the show. Nudity was a large part of hippie culture, and in the song in which it occurs, they are baring themselves to the world, both emotionally and physically.

Before the second act began, the cast spoke to the audience about police brutality. They held a minute of silence with hands over their mouths to honor victims of police brutality and for Indigenous peoples.

Many of the audience members participated in this act, producing a moment of unity.

HAIR page 11

Mankato Playhouse Springing Back to Life DESTINY KEMPF STAFF WRITER The Mankato Playhouse is open again and ready to bring productions to life.

The theater is located in downtown Mankato at 12 East Hickory Street. It houses all musical theater performances and Broadway Teen Workshops done by Davori Productions Co. Because of COVID, they had to make multiple modifications to their daily routines.

Every Thursday before a weekend performance the theater has Fresh Start Cleaning come in and deep clean the entire theater. Additionally, ushers and volunteers also sanitize every area an audience member comes into contact with.

This includes tables, chairs, railings, etc.

Other safety measures taken by the theater include reducing the number of seats in the theater, the addition of multiple hand-sanitizing stations, non-recycled programs, and a ticket-less check in. Masks are also worn by all Mankato Playhouse staff and guests.

The theater is now selling tables of two, four or six instead of seats. Multiple parties do not share the same table;

Photo courtesy of the Mankato Playhouse website

each table is listed at different prices based on the number of seats. There is also the option of adding a four-course plated dinner.

David Holmes, Mankato Playhouse’s executive and artistic director, said one of the positive things arising from the pandemic is the ability to try this new form of seating.

“We were forced into doing what we already had planned,” he said, “but just

making it happen sooner.”

Other modifications made include a change to the performance season.

“We were supposed to do ‘Addams Family,’ but because of the large cast and the way we intended to block the show and use the space of our entire theater, we were unable to do it. Instead, we flipped it with our performances of ‘The Last Five Years’ that was supposed to be performed in February,”

Holmes said.

Holmes said he wants to remind the public, “We are open for business. We are continuing with our season, and our season will probably have modifications in the future.

We are a nonprofit theater and we are doing our best to make sure we are still providing quality entertainment for our community. If people come back, I think they are going to be pleasantly surprised with

how safe and sanitary our precautions are.”

The theater is currently hosting performances for the show “The Last Five Years” through Oct. 25 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Their other shows for the year include “Godspell Jr.,” showing from Nov. 13-15 and “Scrooge the Musical” Dec. 4-Dec. 20.

Tickets can be purchased at mankatoplayhouse.com.

10 • MSU Reporter

Variety

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Crossword Puzzle: Zoom Classes!

ACROSS 3. “I would like to have a ____” 6. We need this to access the internet 8. Click on this to get to the meeting 9. Meeting participants 11. To create a video, you need to _____ it 12. Start virtual meeting 15. Uninvited guest disruption 18. The crucial tool for online classes 20. Classes via the internet DOWN 1. “Everyone encounters some ____ difficulties” 2. The scheduler of a Zoom meeting 4. You see this when you sign in to D2L 5. Diagram of related ideas/concepts 7. A tool that provides the visuals 10. The software you need to schedule online meetings 13. “Talk into the ___________” 14. “Stop when the _______ goes off” 16. The MNSU email client 17. Stop audio 19. The founder of Zoom

BY AMANDA FILREIS | STAFF WRITER

Looking for Fall Fun? There’s Plenty Around ‘Kato HELLEN AKINYI STAFF WRITER

Fallen leaves cover the campus with fall colors during the early weeks of autumn in Mankato. (Kjerstin Hall/The Reporter)

If you’re from Minnesota, you might take for granted the glory and wonder of autumn.

But if you’re not ...

“Before moving to the United States, I wouldn’t really have been able to answer this question,” Yassin Saho, a second-year pre-nursing student said.

According to Saho, her home country doesn’t really experience the different seasons, much like most countries in Africa. “I think my favorite activity during fall is sitting on my bed and drinking hot apple cider,” she added. (She’s not alone. Eight out of nine students asked said they like the tasty fall beverage.)

Another activity students seem to enjoy in the fall is going to pumpkin patches and taking fun pictures.

“Pumpkin patches are really pretty, and during fall, it’s like everything just kind of comes together with the colors and everything looks cute,” MNSU student Kellonie Brisette said.

With the temperatures still at a comfortable level, there are students who also enjoy hiking during this time of the year.

“A good hike is also one of my to go activities during fall,” added Brisette. “I love going hiking and being able to

find new hiking trails, and they always look prettier during fall too.”

Whether you like to spend some time relaxing inside or going out for an adventure, there is something for everyone to enjoy during the fall season.

“We actually went to the apple orchard farm in Belle Plaine,” MNSU student Nyamal Jang said. “My best friend and I have never been there and we went there over the weekend, it was actually fun.”

If you are new to Mankato, and don’t know what to do during fall, and just a homebody but would love to do

some sightseeing, here are a few things you can do and enjoy: Emma Krumbees apple orchard in Belle Plaine: A little over a 40-minute drive away, Emma Krumbee’s is a place where you can pick apples, ride trucks and get a tour of the place, taste raspberries and also buy a pumpkin if you still need one.

Jim’s Apple Farm: Need a pumpkin? Head north to Jim’s Apple Farm.

FALL page 11

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Thursday, October 15, 2020

Variety

MSU Reporter • 11

Cristiano Ronaldo tests The NBA Offseason Begins, with positive for COVID-19 1 Major Question: Now What?

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the latest international soccer star to test positive for the coronavirus.

The Portuguese soccer federation said Tuesday that Ronaldo was doing well and had no symptoms after he tested positive while with his country’s national team.

He was in isolation and was dropped from the country’s Nations League match against Sweden on Wednesday in Lisbon.

“Ronaldo is doing great.

He is dealing very well with this,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. “He is asymptomatic, he has no problems.

He doesn’t even know how this happened to him.”

Ronaldo, one of the most prolific goal scorers in the sport’s history, played in the 0-0 draw at France in the Nations League on Sunday and in the 0-0 draw against Spain in a friendly last week.

On Monday, the Juventus forward posted a photo on Twitter and Instagram showing him and the rest of the Portugal squad having a meal together. The players were all close to each other at a table, with a smiling Ronaldo apparently taking the photo himself at the front end.

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) celebrates with his teammates after the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of basketball’s NBA Finals Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo sticks out his tongue during the Portugal against Sweden UEFA Nations League soccer match at Friends Arena Sept. 8, 2020 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Janerik Henriksson/TT via AP)

HAIR Continued from page 9 “The overall mood with the preshow and the fact that it existed gave me a lot of hope, as I am a theater major and it tends to be very polarized,” MNSU student Andy Johnson said. “Either you do contemporary or you do traditional, and this show demonstrated, I don’t have to do one thing for the rest of my life. Instead, I can express my opinions through my future work.”

As for rehearsals and performances regarding COVID-19 restrictions, Loudermilk said, “The production and rehearsal process has been incredibly wonderful and difficult both at the same time.”

Loudermilk also noted, “When you can’t see your fellow classmates and other people you’re used to seeing all

the time, it starts to take a toll both mentally and physically,” as these artists are used to sharing their work with each other and an audience.

The department has made adaptations, with all actors wearing clear masks and social distancing whenever possible.

“This has posed problems for a musical because of singing with masks, and with the themes of this show because so much of it is about connection, physical touch and sharing love,” Loudermilk said. “But we as the creative team have had to think outside the box and find other ways around the obstacles presented on stage.”

“Hair” runs Oct. 14-18 and Oct. 21-25.

FALL Continued from page 10 A scenic drive to a “big yellow barn” where every pumpkin is $4. Also, they have the largest selection of candy as Minnesota’s largest candy store is located there.

Leaf-gazing at Minneopa: Gaze at the last gasp of a fall-color season for the

ages, and oh yeah, there are bison there. And baby bison. You might need to pay a few bucks for access, but it’s worth it.

Apples at Welsh Heritage Fame: They’ve got apples, cider, and most importantly, apple cider doughnuts to die for.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The season’s first big development came with the Los Angeles Lakers on a long road trip, in a place with very restrictive rules. The season’s last big development came with the Lakers on a longer road trip, in a place with very restrictive rules.

From China to Disney, this was an NBA season like none other — and quite probably like none ever again.

The NBA offseason has officially started, the bubble at Walt Disney World is closed and the Lakers have their 17th championship. Nobody knows everything that will happen over the coming weeks as far as how rosters and coaching staffs will be reshaped. As a bonus this year, nobody knows when anything will happen, either.

But while a difficult season is over, the difficulties the league and players face are not. The coronavirus pandemic is still raging. The players fight against racial inequality and their quest for social justice, which were top priorities of this NBA restart, continue. And while nobody knows

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when the next NBA game is, the Lakers’ LeBron James began looking forward during the trophy ceremony celebrating his fourth title.

“Everybody from the NBA, the NBPA, putting this thing together and us using our voices, us being together ... we know we all want to see better days,” James said.

The priority, for the last seven months, was getting through the pandemic safely and salvaging the season. That happened; a champion was crowned, a bubble was built and nobody tested positive for three months inside that NBA campus in large part because of extremely tight regulations surrounding conduct and safety. Now comes a quick pivot toward figuring out all things related to money for next season such as the salary cap and luxury tax lines, as well as when teams can resume play — and where.

“These issues are a bit complicated and difficult in many cases,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “But there’s no reason to believe that with our counterparts at the (National Basketball) Players As-

sociation that we won’t be able to work through them.”

Not everything was unexpected this season: The Lakers were not a surprise champion, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo was not a surprise to win his second consecutive MVP award, Houston’s James Harden was not a surprise to be the scoring champion for the third year in a row.

That’s not to say there were no surprises: Miami became the first No. 5 seed to reach the NBA Finals, Golden State lost practically everyone to injury and plummeted to the bottom of the league in what basically was a reset year, the San Antonio Spurs weren’t in the playoffs for the first time in 23 years and Doc Rivers — long considered one of the league’s best coaches — got fired by the Los Angeles Clippers, then quickly hired by the Philadelphia 76ers.

But this year will be remembered for the shocking developments. “It has been an emotional roller coaster for our players and for me, for the entire community, for that matter,” NBPA executive director Michele Roberts said.

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12 • MSU Reporter

Where to Worship

Thursday, October 15, 2020

WHERE TO WORSHIP THE REPORTER’S MONTHLY RELIGIOUS DIRECTORY

Join us Tuesday nights!

Free Supper @ 6PM Bible Study @ 6:30PM 1232 Highland Ave. Call/Text Pastor Ryan: (507) 363-9476 Instagram: @cbfmankato Facebook: @cbfmankato * A ministry of Grace Baptist Church through Baptist Mid-Missions.* www.gbcmankato.org 600 Lind St. Mankato, MN

WORSHIP SERVICE AT 10:00 A.M. ** IN-PERSON OR ONLINE **

354 Carol Court North Mankato, MN

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