November 9, 2021

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021

OUT WITH THE OLD Planning begins for destruction and rebuilding of Armstrong Hall

By MAX MAYLEBEN Editor in Chief

By JENNA PETERSON News Director

Armstrong Hall, home to various general education classes for students at Minnesota State University, Mankato, is set to be demolished and rebuilt in the upcoming year.

But instead of rebuilding at its current location, plans call for Armstrong to be relocated next to the Performing Arts Building, leaving its current site open for a new Centennial Plaza and green space.

The building, built in 1964, comes with various maintenance issues that are costing the University more money than what it’s worth, including problems with the boiler and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

MNSU President Edward Inch said there are several reasons the building is being torn down.

“Part of it has to do with the exterior facing and the

MNSU faces discrimination lawsuit

File photo The University is making plans to demolish the nearly 60 year old Armstrong Hall and relocate it.

use of the stone in the front that’s not supported, it’s deteriorating,” he said. “There’s a part of the building that has sunken bed and had to be raised back up. The biggest issues, though, were the annual maintenance related to the boiler and the HVAC

systems that are past their usability time. So, keeping it in any way would require us to invest quite a bit into the infrastructure of the building each year.”

Once the current building is torn down the space will be turned into a centennial plaza

for students to enjoy through studying, lounging, or relaxing.

“The plan is that once the new building is built, the existing structure will be raised and that’s going to mean it will open the center of camARMSTRONG on page 4 u

Fulbright award takes librarian to Qatar

By MAXWELL MAYLEBEN • Editor in Chief

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

Jenny Turner, the department chair for Library Services at Minnesota State University, Mankato, received the Fulbright Specialist Award to Qatar at Qatar National Library.

Her one problem? She needed approval.

That approval wouldn’t come until last Tuesday, just days before her scheduled departure for the foreign country.

Turner was last-minute approved, meaning she had to pack her bags and leave by last Saturday afternoon.

“I think it really hasn’t set in yet,” said Turner in an interview last Friday, a day before her departure. “I imagine I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

The Fulbright Program is an international educational exchange program that is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

The purpose of the program is to build connections between the U.S. and people of other countries.

According to a Fulbright press release, since HONOR on page 3 u

Former assistant professor Ka Wah Wong is suing Minnesota State University, Mankato claiming discrimination of race and nation of origin.

Wong, being of Chinese descent, asserts he was denied a tenure-track position due to his accent.

The University denies any wrongdoing.

The lawsuit seeks financial damages, accusing MNSU and the Minnesota State System of violating the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on protected classes such as race and nation of origin.

The lawsuit also accuses the professors in charge of the hiring process of aiding and abetting discrimination. Wong started at MNSU as an adjunct professor of astronomy in 2014, and taught as a non-tenure track assistant professor of astronomy during 2017. During the beginning of 2018, Wong was also employed as a reLAWSUIT on page 9 u

IBE program excels business students’ experiential learning

By JULIA BARTON Staff Writer

The United Prairie Bank Integrated Business Experience at Minnesota State University, Mankato is a large asset for students no matter their majors to further excel their college learning experience.

Especially students who are majoring in business, the IBE program is a way students are able to receive college credit while experiencing a hands-on learning style with creating their own companies and marketing their own products.

The three companies this fall semester include Eco Insights, Chilled Com-

fort and Minnesota Milers.

Eco Insights products consist of a Minnesota shaped bamboo cutting and serving board as well as a savory bamboo lunch box along with reusable utensils. All proceeds from their company are going to Habitat for Humanity.

Chilled Comfort’s products consist of the Everest Tumblr and Polar Parcel with proceeds being donated to the Mankato Area Foundation.

Karla Gonzalez, a junior at MNSU majoring in marketing with a minor in international business shared why she chose to join the IBE program.

LEARNING on page 3 u

2 • MSU Reporter

News

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Houston concert deaths spur calls for independent review ASSOCIATED PRESS The Houston police and fire departments were deeply involved in safety measures for the music festival where a surging crowd killed eight people, playing key roles in crowd control measures, onsite security staffing and the emergency response. The police chief even met with the headlining performer before the show.

Now the city’s police department is leading the criminal investigation into how the deadly chaos erupted during Friday night’s performance by rapper Travis Scott. While a prominent local official is calling for a separate, independent review of the tragedy, experts in crowd safety say an investigation by neutral outsiders could help the city avoid potential conflicts of interest and promote transparency.

Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva declined to comment on questions about whether its close involvement in the event created a conflict or if it considered handing the probe off to an outside agency. Such decisions are often made in investigations like police shootings.

“All of the information we have available to put out at this time has been placed out on Twitter,” Silva said.

The police department’s probe would be separate from any independent investigation ordered by County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris County’s top elected official, according to Rafael Maitre, a spokesman for the judge’s office. Hidalgo hasn’t decided who would conduct such an independent review or how it would be done, Maitre said Monday.

“She wants to know if this could have been prevented in any way,” Maitre said. “It’s also entirely possible that it was not preventable for whatever reason, and that’s something we would like to know, as well.”

Key questions remained unanswered after the Astroworld festival at county-owned NRG Park. Some of the lingering questions involve what the Houston police and fire departments did before, during and after a crowd surged toward the stage, killing eight people and injuring dozens of others. Others center on the actions of event organizers. Officials with the Houston police and fire de-

MICHAEL WYKE • Associated Press Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, right, speaks next to Mayor Sylvester Turner, left, during a news conference, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Houston, after several people died and scores were injured during a music festival the night before.

partments have said that part of their investigation will include reviewing whether the concert promoter and others behind the festival adhered to the plans that were submitted for the event.

Astroworld’s organizers

laid out security and emergency medical response protocols for the festival in plans filed with Harris County.

The 56-page operations plan, obtained by The Associated Press, says that a decision to evacuate the event would be

made by the festival director after consultation with other individuals, including the security director. Such plans were filed with Harris County and Houston and have to be reviewed by Houston police officials.

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

News

College students share their experience

By CLAIRE BRUNEAU Staff Writer Four days before she started her freshman year, Reauna Stiff got some of the worst news of her life. Her father was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer.

“My father passed away in the second semester. Through all the hardship I pushed on, knowing that he would want me to succeed. I changed my major many times, had trouble reaching out to make friends and continued to have the normal daily college student struggles on top of everything else.”

Stiff started off college in a way that most students never have to. Here she is four years later at the Storytelling About College event telling the audience how she survived.

Stiff along with several others told their stories about surviving life-changing events along with the daily hassles of college on Monday in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom.

Stiff, now a senior, is Minnesota State University’s Student Government President.

While that may seem very successful, Stiff described her journey as a humble beginning. She also came from a small town and was the first in her family to go to college, and she had no idea what she was doing.

Stiff learned about her father’s illness the day before moving to college. She told

EMILY LANSMAN • The Reporter Daniel Stark gives a speech at the Storytelling About College event in the Centennial Student Union on Monday, Nov. 8.

the story of her struggles and how she got through it.

“If you think about all the times that you’ve thought about transferring or dropping out of school,” Stiff said, “just imagine how much more the temptation was for me to drop out and be with my dad.”

Stiff said that when she first thought about becoming a senator, many of the people she once called her friends had told her that she wouldn’t be able to succeed.

“At that point I needed to prove it to myself and to them that I could,” Stiff stated.

In the end all her hard work paid off.

“I eventually did become a senator and then later got asked to be the student body president. I did that by learning how to silence other people’s voices that put me down

and even my own voice that discouraged me,” Stiff explained.

“After everything I realized I was stronger than I ever thought I could be. I never thought I could pick myself up after what happened, much less continue going to college and become successful by chasing my dreams.”

Freshman Georgia Blair said she was impressed by Stiff and the other speakers at the event.

“Coming from a very small town it was really cool to hear these stories of people who are going through the same issues as me. A lot of people don’t talk about the big struggles of college,” Blair commented.

“These people came out about their struggles in front of all these people but it was STORY on page 9 u

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MSU Reporter • 3 HONOR Continued from page 1 the establishment of the program in 1946 more than 400,000 students and scholars have been sent across the world to study, teach and conduct research.

Typically, the Fulbright program sends recipients on trips lasting one academic year.

“It’s exciting for me, but it’s just harder to plan for that,” said Turner, referring to the difficult time commitment, especially as a faculty member. “You have to hope to get one during your sabbatical year, which the chances of that happening are very small.”

For the Fulbright Specialist Award, the time commitment is much less, only ranging from 14 to 42 days abroad.

While this is a high honor, it is not Turner’s first foray with the international program. In 2019, she was sent to India.

“I lived and worked with this group of librarians and administrators in India,” said Turner, “I went around and did presentations and chats with library school students.”

LEARNING Continued from page 1 “I chose to be a part of the IBE because I wanted a more hands-on learning experience. Our products are a cooler backpack and tumbler. We wanted to sell some-

This time around, Turner will be working with the Qatar National Library.

“I am going to do a series of workshops with them,” said Turner, “working with them to develop their skills in being librarians.”

Although she wasn’t fully set up for the trip until early last week, Turner knew there was going to be the opportunity of a last minute approval, giving her some time for preparation, but not much.

While some wouldn’t care for the last-minute notice, Turner chose to see the bright side.

“Part of me is glad that that’s how it happened,” she said, “because this will give me the opportunity to really work with the people there to learn about them and make sure that I’m not imposing my viewpoints.”

Turner will return to the U.S. Dec. 2, and said she’s excited to see what experience she brings to Qatar — as well as what she can bring back to MNSU. “I’m just really excited that I have the support of MSU for me to go,” said Turner. “I also hope that I can bring back ideas and new things for us to think about here.” thing that people can use almost everyday and have with them when they are on their next adventure outdoors,” Gonzalez said.

As the marketing executive for Chilled Comfort, Gonzalez has learned how LEARNING on page 8 u

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A member of the Minnesota State system and an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University. This document is available in alternative format to individuals with disabilities by calling Upward Bound at 507-389-1211 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTY).

Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Upward Bound at 507-389-1211 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTY) at least 7 days prior to the event.

4 • MSU Reporter

News

Tension in Iraq after failed PM assassinate ASSOCIATED PRESS The failed assassination attempt against Iraq’s prime minister at his residence on Sunday has ratcheted up tensions following last month’s parliamentary elections, in which the Iran-backed militias were the biggest losers.

Helicopters circled in the Baghdad skies throughout the day, while troops and patrols deployed around Baghdad and near the capital’s fortified Green Zone, where the overnight attack occurred.

Supporters of the Iranbacked militias held their ground in a protest camp outside the Green Zone to demand a vote recount. Leaders of the Iran-backed factions converged for the second day on a funeral tent to mourn a protester killed Friday in clashes with security. Many of the faction leaders blame the prime minister for the violence.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi suffered a light cut and appeared in a televised speech soon after the attack by armed drones on his residence. He appeared calm and composed, seated behind a desk in a white shirt and what appeared to be a bandage around his left wrist.

Seven of his security guards were wounded in the attack by at least two armed drones, according to two Iraqi officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give official statements.

Al-Khadimi called for calm dialogue. “Cowardly rocket and drone attacks don’t build homelands and don’t build a future,” he said in the televised speech.

Condemnation of the at-

ARMSTRONG Continued from page 1 pus. The plan right now is to have green spaces in the center of campus and we will do a centennial plaza,” Inch commented.

As for the new and redesigned Armstrong Hall, it will be moved across campus to where the #MavFam sign currently sits.

Another key issue with the current building is its layout and design, which follows the linear learning aspect used when it was built almost 60 years ago. This concept has since been outdated and doesn’t benefit students in the classroom.

“In 1964 education was a linear process. You sit in the

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Bangladesh ruling party set to win vote boycotted by rivals

HADI MIZBAN • Associated Press Iraqi Security forces close the heavily fortified Green Zone as they tightened security measures hours after an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021.

tack poured in from world leaders, with several calling Al-Khadimi with words of support. They included French President Emmanuel Macron, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Saudi Arabia called the attack an apparent act of “terrorism.” Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi on Facebook urged all sides in Iraq to “join forces to preserve the country’s stability.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked with alKadhimi on Sunday to relay U.S. condemnation of the attack and to underscore that the U.S. partnership with the Iraqi government “is steadfast,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

Also on Sunday, al-Khadimi met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and headed security and Cabinet meetings.

A security video showed the damage to his residence: a van parked outside the residence badly mangled, a shallow crater near the stairs, cracks in the ceiling and walls of a balcony and broken parts

of the building’s roof. Two unexploded rockets were filmed at the scene.

There was no claim of responsibility, but suspicion immediately fell on Iranbacked militias. They had been blamed for previous attacks on the Green Zone, which also houses foreign embassies.

The militia leaders condemned the attack, but most sought to downplay it. It was a dramatic escalation in the already tense situation following the Oct. 10 vote and the surprising results in which Iran-backed militias lost about two-thirds of their seats.

Despite a low turnout, the results confirmed a rising wave of discontent against the militias that had been praised years before as heroes for fighting Islamic State militants. But the militias lost popularity since 2018, when they made big election gains.

Many hold them responsible for suppressing the 2019 youth-led anti-government protests, and for undermining state authority.

seat, you look at the professor, the professor lectures at you, and it’s very much kind of linear, but that’s no longer what happens,” he said.

“What happens now is that students work in collaborative environments and work together.”

Armstrong Hall right now doesn’t fit the updated learning expectations, Inch said, causing issues for both students and professors.

“The reason this is an issue with Armstrong is that it’s designed to be linear.

That means our lecture halls still have seats bolted to floors and that the stage is the place you look for information as opposed to having a highly flexible and adaptable space that works to meet the needs

of a particular class with a particular set of students.”

He also pointed out that some classrooms are already equipped with the items necessary to follow the modern learning system, but are still not meeting its fullest potential.

“Now, some of the classrooms we have are gutted and have flexible desks in them, but doing that limited the amount of space that was available to educate students.”

The project’s price tag is over $100 million, with other phases including the completion of the Health Sciences Center basement and the reconfiguration of the library.

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU • Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS Bangladesh’s ruling party is set to win a series of local elections to choose representatives at the village level amid a boycott by the country’s largest opposition party.

This follows a widespread allegations of misconduct in the last national vote.

The ruling Awami League party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is all but certain to win Thursday’s election for 848 rural councils.

A total of 4,571 local councils, known as union parishads and responsible for community development and public welfare services at the village level, are being contested in phases.

In the first phase of elections for 204 councils in

June, 148 candidates from the ruling party won and the rest went to independents.

Analysts say it’s an opportunity for the ruling party to consolidate its position ahead of the next general elections slated for 2023.

It follows the trend in the last two general elections in 2014 and 2018, which Hasina’s party won in a landslide despite allegations of vote rigging and manipulation.

“The way political and institutional structure has been designed and rendered into, I think it’s difficult to imagine that the truly free and fair election will take place in Bangladesh in the next round,” said Iftekharuzzaman, who heads the Bangladesh chapter of the Berlin-based Transparency International.

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Tuesday, November 9, 2021

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MSU Reporter • 5

45 faults Russia, China for ‘lack of urgency’ on climate ASSOCIATED PRESS Barack Obama expressed confidence at U.N. climate talks Monday that the Biden administration will ultimately get its $555 billion climate package through Congress, and faulted U.S. rivals China and Russia for what he called a “dangerous lack of urgency” in cutting their own climate-wrecking emissions.

As nations complained of lagging trust and progress in the climate talks, Obama, one of the leaders who paved the way for the historic 2015 Paris climate deal, threw in a touch of his trademark hope but admitted that “images of dystopia” were creeping into his dreams.

“There are times where the future seems somewhat bleak.

There are times where I am doubtful that humanity can get its act together before it’s too late,” Obama said at the two-week-long negotiations. “(But) we can’t afford hopelessness.”

His comments came as conference leaders acknowledged Monday that many key sticking points exist after a week of talks. A trust gap between rich and poor nations has once again emerged and developing countries used the word “disappointing” when leaders talked Monday about the progress to date in the talks.

The U.N. climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland,

is the former American president’s first since he helped deliver the triumph of the 2015 Paris climate accord, when nations committed to cutting fossil fuel and agricultural emissions fast enough to keep the Earth’s warming below catastrophic levels of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

That celebration has been replaced by worry. Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris accord. And while President Joe Biden put America back in the climate deal the Trump move set back U.S. efforts. Other top polluters — including China, India and Russia — are moving far more slowly on fighting climate change than scientists say is needed.

“1.5 C is on life support now, it’s in ICU,” said Alden Meyer of E3G, an environmental think tank.

Obama’s appearance sought to remind governments of the elation that surrounded the Paris accord and urge them to announce more immediate, concrete steps to put the 2015 deal into action. Optimism and unity is required to save the planet, he said.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican or a Democrat if your Florida house is flooded by rising seas, or your crops fail in the Dakotas, or your California house is burning.

Nature, physics, science – they don’t care about party affiliation,” Obama said. “We

JANE BARLOW • Associated Press Former U.S. President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks during the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.

need everybody – even if we disagree on other things.”

Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate wrote Monday on Twitter that she was 13 when Obama was part of rich nations who promised $100 billion a year to poor countries to help them fight global warming, but said those nations broke the promise. Nakate told The Associated Press that she wasn’t attacking the former president “but that is me speaking the truth.”

“This money was promised, but it hasn’t been deliv-

ered,” she said, adding that the $100 billion a year was the “bare minimum” for climate finance.

Despite opposition within Biden’s own Democratic party that has blocked the president’s climate-fighting legislation, Obama was confident that some version of Biden’s ambitious climate bill will pass and be “historic.”

“It will set the United States on course to meet its new climate targets,” he said.

And while the rapport between U.S. and Chinese ne-

gotiators paved the way to the Paris accord, Obama on Monday criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for not joining other leaders at the climate talks in Glasgow.

“It was particularly discouraging to see the leaders of two of the world’s largest emitters, China and Russia, decline to even attend the proceedings, and their national plans reflect what appears to be a dangerous lack of urgency,” Obama said.

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6 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

FALL 2021 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

Rebuilding of Armstrong: good or bad?

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Editorial Out with the old and in with the new. The Armstrong Hall project and construction set to start in 2022 will benefit students and save the University money in the long run.

We as students are either in classrooms or doing homework for the majority of our week, so having a space that allows us to maximize our learning is a must.

With the planned renovations coming in 2022, Armstrong Hall is set to be demolished and moved near the #MavFam sign next to the Performing Arts Center.

By doing this it will open up a ton of space near the center of campus for us students as well as become an inviting space for working on homework, collaborating with peers, or enjoying the outdoors to relax.

Taking its place is scheduled to be centennial plaza along with a green space.

This can be beneficial for students as it will give them an additional study space as the CSU mall study tables are quite popular during the summer and fall seasons.

Offering a green space will also be another asset visually and physically to the heart of campus.

But besides the outside, more importantly is how the inside will look, regarding the planned renovations.

The inside of the classrooms is what most students will be curious about especial-

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

Reporter Archives

ly when methods of learning have been evolving each year.

Linear learning has been the traditional style in schools and colleges across the country. But most can agree there have been additional ways of teaching that have integrated its way into a regular basis in the classroom.

We as students have seen first hand a lot of classes prioritizing peer to peer collaboration as well as small groups.

If you’ve taken classes in Armstrong Hall you can agree that the lecture style

classes where all the desks face forward are a tad outdated as most of the desks are bolted to the ground and unable to move around.

Armstrong Hall being rebuilt will hopefully promote classrooms with a greater chance for collaboration as this is a key concept in modern learning.

However, with all new remodels there and pros and cons. One of them being the location of the new Armstrong Hall as it will not be connected to other buildings

on campus. As a result this would also make Nelson Hall a sole building unconnected from the rest of the campus.

This is an issue since most of the campus buildings connect and act as tunnels for students so they do not have to bear the unpredictable Minnesota weather.

Also to note with all remodels it is going to cost the University money.

Although, the current Armstrong Hall is costing more money in maintenance than it would be to rebuild.

“What do you think about the Armstrong project?”

Compiled by Dylan Engel

ANDREA NETT, GRAD STUDENT “It’ll be excessive. Good improvement, making campus seem larger.”

SAM KLINGER, SOPHOMORE

ELLIE BUNGUM, SENIOR

SAMBHAV BHATTARAI, FRESHMAN

MOHAMED ADAM, SENIOR

“Suprised. I don’t mind the new renovation, but I don’t oppose it.”

“Feel weird to walk that far.

That will make the campus look a lot bigger.”

“I think it’s a good idea, it makes the campus more open.”

“Commute to classes will be longer, but it’ll be more spacious for activities.”

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.

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Tuesday, November 9, 2021

NSO spyware found on six Palestinian activists’ phones

SEBASTIAN SCHEINER • Associated Press A logo adorns a wall on a branch of the Israeli NSO Group company, near the southern Israeli town of Sapir, Aug. 24, 2021.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Security researchers disclosed Monday that spyware from the notorious Israeli hacker-for-hire company NSO Group was detected on the cellphones of six Palestinian human rights activists, half affiliated with groups that Israel’s defense minister controversially claimed were involved in terrorism.

The revelation marks the first known instance of Palestinian activists being targeted by the military-grade Pegasus spyware.

Its use against journalists, rights activists and political dissidents from Mexico to Saudi Arabia has been documented since 2015.

A successful Pegasus infection surreptitiously gives intruders access to everything a person stores and does on their phone, including real-time communications.

It’s not clear who placed the NSO spyware on the activists’ phones, said the researcher who first detected it, Mohammed al-Maskati of

the nonprofit Frontline Defenders.

The hacking began in July 2020, according to researchers.

Shortly after the first two intrusions were identified in mid-October, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz declared six Palestinian civil society groups to be terrorist organizations.

Ireland-based Frontline Defenders and at least two of the victims say they consider Israel the main suspect and believe the designation may have been timed to try to overshadow the hacks’ discovery, though they have provided no evidence to substantiate those assertions.

Israel has provided little evidence publicly to support the terrorism designation, which the Palestinian groups say aims to dry up their funding and muzzle opposition to Israeli military rule.

Three of the hacked Palestinians work for the civil society groups.

The others do not, and wish to remain anonymous, Frontline Defenders says.

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News

MSU Reporter • 7

Letter: Students leaders need compensation Midterms are one of the worst parts of fall.

School has ramped up, it’s getting colder, and there are no breaks in sight until Thanksgiving.

But the worst part for a lot of students is when your summer savings start to run out.

For “student leaders” this problem is exasperated by higher workloads and little to no pay. All across campus students are doing unpaid labor to recruit and retain students and to keep the University functioning.

This problem breaks down into a few parts: lack of support, lack of pay, and lack of consideration.

The first issue is a lack of support. The majority of employees under Student Affairs and administration have multiple roles which ensure they are pulled in multiple directions never being able to fully dedicate their time to one responsibility.

This results in advisors who oversee these groups of students not being accessible to students in the way they need leading to more work on students and burnout.

The next issue is a lack of pay. There are few stipend “leadership” positions on campus, meaning the majority of these students doing this labor are working for free.

The students getting paid make far below minimum wage.

Never would the University ask a staff member to work

for a subminimum wage.

Why? Because they are unionized, but students don’t have those protections.

They are instead forced to receive their compensation in the form of “leadership experience” and the potential of a letter of recommendation that might help them get scholarships in the future.

Many, if not most, of “student leaders” work second jobs and still struggle to get by, relying on loans, the Maverick food pantry, and SNAP benefits. It’s true that many of these organizations can request more money in their budgets at the end of the year, but the issue is deeper than that.

The University can step up and support leaders through shared parking passes, tuition assistance, excused absences for large events and meetings, like the protections other groups of students on campus have, and full-time staff members.

When these concerns are brought up students are often met with sympathy instead of solutions.

The University is already struggling to get students involved in organizations back to pre-pandemic levels and without serious changes to the way we treat student leaders the problem will likely get worse.

At the core of this issue is a lack of consideration for the labor students are doing.

Students are giving tours

that recruit students, throwing large-scale events to stay engaged with the community, and talking with donors and legislators to help secure funding among a million other things.

Obviously these jobs are important, but why is all of this work largely unpaid when, if students weren’t doing it, these jobs would come with salaries and benefits?

This is not to say that students should be paid anytime they want to volunteer or give back to the community, but these roles aren’t getting volunteer hours either.

This University has a higher rate of food insecurity than the national average and a 10-month-old food pantry that is already maxed out and has outgrown its space. It is not surprising considering a constant rise in costs without a raise in pay.

It is time we start to reject the label of “leader” and ask instead to be respected as necessary contributors to the school.

At a time when tuition is on the rise, the country is recovering from economic collapse, and a worker shortage results in less support and higher workloads, the University needs to make a commitment to pay their students and support them as learners and as workers.

Kara Svercl Vice President, Student Government

8 • MSU Reporter

News

Migrants try to storm border into Poland ASSOCIATED PRESS Hundreds if not thousands of migrants sought to storm the border from Belarus into Poland on Monday, cutting razor wire fences and using branches to try and climb over them. The siege escalated a crisis along the European Union’s eastern border that has been simmering for months.

Poland’s interior ministry said it had rebuffed the illegal invasion and claimed the situation was under control. The Defense Ministry posted a video showing an armed Polish officer using a chemical spray through a fence at men who were trying to cut the razor wire. Some migrants threw objects at police. Video footage from Belarusian media showed people using long wooden poles or branches to try to get past a border fence as police helicopters circled overhead.

Defense Ministry video taken later Monday showed the migrants settling in for the night by the border, having put up scores of tents and cooking meals.

“A coordinated attempt to massively enter the territory of the Republic of Poland by migrants used by Belarus for the hybrid attacks against Poland has just begun,” a spokesman for Poland’s security forces, Stanislaw Zaryn, said in a statement.

Noting that it’s also NATO’s eastern border, Zaryn stressed that the “large groups of migrants ... are fully controlled by the Belarusian security services and army.” He accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of acting to destabilize Poland and other EU countries to pressure the bloc into dropping its sanctions on Minsk. Those sanctions were put into place after Belarus

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Biden team defends worker vaccine rule, wants cases combined ASSOCIATED PRESS

LEONID SHSCEGLOV • BeITA via AP Polish border guards stand near the barbed wire as migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere gather at the Belarus-Poland border near Grodno, Belarus, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.

cracked down brutally on democracy protests.

Piotr Mueller, Poland’s government spokesperson, said 3,000 to 4,000 migrants were next to the Polish border on the Belarusian side.

Polish border officials said the border crossing in Kuznica, in the northeast, will be closed early Tuesday.

There was no way to independently verify what was happening. Journalists have limited ability to operate in Belarus and a state of emergency in Poland is keeping reporters and human rights workers out of the border area.

The massing of people at the border appeared to rev up the crisis that has being going on for months in which the autocratic regime of Belarus has encouraged migrants from the Mideast and elsewhere to illegally enter the European Union, at first through Lithuania and Latvia and now primarily through Poland.

Anton Bychkovsky, spokesman for Belarus’ State Border Guard Committee, told The Associated Press that the migrants at the border are seeking to “exercise

their right to apply for refugee status in the EU.” Bychkovsky insisted they “are not a security threat.”

But the massive group was viewed as a threat by Poland and other European countries, including Germany — the main destination for many. Steffen Seibert, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, told reporters Monday that “the Belarusian regime is acting as a human trafficker.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on the bloc’s 27 nations to approve extended sanctions on the Belarusian authorities “responsible for this hybrid attack.”

She said two top EU officials — EU Commission vice president Margaritis Schinas and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell — will travel to the main countries of origin for the migrants to “ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities.”

The EU said it hoped that Poland would accept help from Frontex, the bloc’s border agency.

Its private employer vaccine mandate on hold, the Biden administration wants the multiple challenges to its workplace rule consolidated in a single federal court and has asked for a decision by early next week.

The U.S. Department of Justice said in court filings Monday one of the federal circuit courts should be chosen at random on Nov. 16 to hear the cases.

At least 27 states plus several businesses and associations filed legal challenges in at least 6 federal appeals courts after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration released its rules last week. All the states have a Republican governor or attorney general. Over the weekend, judges on the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals paused the rule from taking effect, saying it raises “grave statutory and constitutional issues.” White House

spokeswoman Karine JeanPierre on Monday expressed confidence that the COVID vaccine mandate can withstand any legal challenges.

“This is an authority that we believe the Department of Labor has,” Jean-Pierre told reporters during a news briefing. “We are very confident about it.”

The mandate would apply to private businesses with more than 100 workers. Employees who don’t receive the shots by Jan. 4 would be required to wear a mask and be tested weekly for COVID. The OSHA rules create exemptions for workers citing religious objections and for those who don’t interact in-person with coworkers or customers, or those who work only outdoors.

Repub. state attorneys general and others sued on the grounds that the federal government does not have the right to make the regulation, partly because COVID-19 is not a workplace-specific danger.

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LEARN HOW TO GET PAID TO STUDY! LEARNING Continued from page 1 to work with others and the functions of a business.

“The most beneficial thing I have learned from this experience is how to work as a team and how much work actually goes into a business, but it’s extremely rewarding being able to see all your hard work come together and being able to sell this product you have worked on for so long on.”

Gearing students up for the real world is one of the main focuses of the program.

CEO of Chilled Comfort Olivia Spitzer, sophomore at

MNSU who is majoring in business management with an emphasis in Human Resources discussed the importance of teamwork within her company.

“My biggest takeaway from this experience was the way we learned to work as a team. This program challenged me to get outside my comfort zone and experience real world examples,” said Spitzer.

The Minnesota Milers is the third company that is hosting an event while also selling athletic wear beanies.

The event they are hosting is Krusty’s Donut Dash 5K fun run/walk taking place

this Saturday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. Participants will meet at the Myers Field House along with their Krusty’s loyalty card. Proceeds from the company’s products will be sent to Greater Mankato Area United Way. The IBE program spans over a semester in which any student who completes ACCT 200 and has declared their major can apply.

Also to note is in 2022 students in the IBE program will earn an IBE certificate that will show on their transcript, which can potentially boost them in the future when searching for a job.

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Tuesday, November 9, 2021 STORY Continued from page 3 nice to see that all of them in the end ended up exactly where they were meant to be. Knowing that my struggle will be a journey but that hopefully it will be worth it in the end. I was impacted most by Reauna Stiff.”

When Stiff was asked one thing that she wished she could have told her younger self and tell others, her answer was simple: “Just stay motivated and stay focused.

If you do that for your four years here you could become and do so much. I want everyone to know that you belong and have a place here.”

LAWSUIT Continued from page 1 search scientist in the same department.

In 2017, Wong applied for a tenure-track assistant professor of astronomy position, and it was announced in 2018 that he was one of three finalists for the job.

According to the lawsuit, the other two candidates for the position were white.

The hiring process consisted of interviews with faculty members, an example lecture, and research seminar.

After this process, the University chose to hire one of the white candidates, who then declined the offer, so the position was subsequently offered to the other white candidate.

According to Wong, the University chose to neglect his “objective qualifications” when it came to prior experience at MNSU, research experience and grant dollars brought to the University. The lawsuit claims that “Despite Wong’s superior objective qualifications for the position, MSU has asserted that it did not hire him for the position because he had the lowest scores on the evaluations of his research seminar presentation and lecture.”

The University declined to provide Wong with evaluations on the other two candidates, but did provide Wong’s own evaluation and scores. According to the lawsuit, these scores showed high marks in all areas except “clarity of speech.”

MNSU Director of Media Relations Dan Benson sent the following statement in regard to the lawsuit.

“Minnesota State University, Mankato is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in employment and education.

The University does not comment on pending litigation.”

News

MSU Reporter • 9

US reopens to international travel ASSOCIATED PRESS Parents held children born while they were stuck abroad. Long-separated couples kissed, and grandparents embraced grandchildren who had doubled in age.

The U.S. fully reopened to many vaccinated international travelers Monday, allowing families and friends to reunite for the first time since the coronavirus emerged and offering a boost to the travel industry decimated by the pandemic. The restrictions closed the U.S. to millions of people for 20 months.

Octavio Alvarez and his 14-year-old daughter zipped through a pedestrian crossing

in San Diego in less than 15 minutes on their way to visit his mother-in-law in California.

“It’s a big feeling,” said Alvarez, 43, who lives in Ensenada, Mexico, a twohour drive from San Diego.

Prior to the pandemic, his family would visit California twice a month. The emotional cost of the border restrictions were “very high,” he added.

American citizens and permanent residents were always allowed to enter the U.S., but the travel bans grounded tourists, thwarted business travelers and often keep families far apart. Travelers must have proof of vaccination and

a negative COVID-19 test.

“I think a lot of people have been waiting for this day,” said Eileen Bigelow, area port director for Vermont for Customs and Border Protection. “They look at it as a light at the end of the tunnel for some return of normalcy.”

There were lots of prolonged hugs at airports from coast to coast. At Newark International Airport in New Jersey, Nirmit Shelat repeatedly embraced his girlfriend, Jolly Dave, after she arrived from India, ending their ninemonth separation. She was on the first flight out of the country to the United States.

“I can’t even explain in

my words how happy I am,” Dave said.

Gaye Camara, who lives in France, last saw her husband in New York in January 2020, not knowing it would be 21 months before they could hold each other again.

“I’m going to jump into his arms, kiss him, touch him,” said Camara, 40, as she wheeled her luggage through Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport, where the humming crowds resembled those before the pandemic, except for the face masks.

On the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada, where traveling back and forth was a way of life before COVID-19, the reopening brought relief.

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Tuesday, November 9, 2021

No. 3 Mavs split with Ferris State

By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor Coming off a historic weekend for the Minnesota State men’s hockey team, the Mavericks slipped up and managed to split against Ferris State on the road.

In Friday’s contest, goaltender Dryden McKay was peppered with shots, facing the most shots he has all season with 30.

Despite a slow first period, the Bulldogs wasted little time in the second period, scoring just 51 seconds into the period.

The Mavericks turned the puck over in an offensive rush that led to a Ferris State odd man rush, with Bradley Marek scoring on the one-timer.

Ferris State struck again at the 8:12 marker, when Marek gobbled up a rebound for his second goal of the game.

Just a few minutes later, Nathan Smith brought the Mavericks within one with when he split the defenders following a give and go from Sam Morton for Smith’s fifth goal of the season.

That’s all that the Mavericks were able to manage against the Bulldogs, dropping their first contest to Ferris State since 2016 and snapping the 16 game winning streak.

Minnesota State wasn’t going to let that slow them down on Saturday, coming out and looking much more like the Maverick team we all know.

Although Ferris State struck first three minutes into

MATT DEWKETT • Maverick Athletics Cade Borchardt scored two goals and an assist in Saturday’s win against Ferris State. Borchardt had a combined nine shots on the weekend.

the second period, the Mavericks rallied back and fought their way back in it.

Cade Borchardt tied the game up for the Mavericks when he grabbed the rebound right in front of the crease, lifting it over the Ferris State netminder on the powerplay.

Reggie Lutz was the next to find the back of the net on the powerplay, firing from the slot and earning him the eventual game-winning goal.

Less than 20 seconds later, David Silye made a diving effort in front of the net to score his first goal of the year and first as a Maverick.

Borchardt went on to score his second goal of the game, and Ondrej Pavel sealed the game for the Mavericks with a goal at the 18:39 mark in the third period.

McKay made 19 saves throughout the night, seeing the bulk of work in the sec-

ond period facing 11 shots and 10 saves.

The bounce back game was needed for the Mavericks to keep their spot in the top five in the nation, although they have dropped down to No. 3 behind No. 2 Michigan, and No. 1 St. Cloud State in the USCHO Division I Hockey Rankings.

Now with four conference games under their belts, the Mavericks sit tight with a 3-1-

0 record in conference play (73-0 overall) and are tied with Lake Superior State, Bowling Green State and Bemidji State for first seed in the conference with nine points.

The Mavericks will take on two of those three in the next three weeks.

They will next host Bowling Green University this weekend, and then travel to Lake Superior State University in three weeks.

By KOLE BUELOW • Staff Writer After their final home game of the season being spoiled by Sioux Falls just two weekends ago, Minnesota State had two road games in front of them before their 2021 season came to an end. First on the list came Southwest Minnesota State, a bottom half conference opponent who had not won a game since Oct. 2, where they defeated Upper Iowa 20-14 on the road.

The Mustangs were definitely eager to find themselves in the win column one

last time before eventually playing an 8-2 Augustana team at home to close out their season. SMSU was unable to do so against the Mavs, as the Mavericks were able to dominate the Mustangs on the road 52-0.

It was a very unfortunate day for SMSU as they were able to get absolutely nothing going all day against the Mavs, who forced a monstrous eight turnovers from the Mustangs. The Maverick offense and defense had everything clicking on all cylinders during the lopsided DOMINATE on page 14 u

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

Mavericks dominate Mustangs on the road with a 52-0 win

Micah Cooper (21) scored a touchdown in the win, his first of the season.

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Sports

MSU Reporter • 13

Soccer ties CSP, faces UMary next

By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor The regular season has come to a close for the Minnesota State soccer team following a scoreless tie with the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears.

Going into the match, the Mavericks were riding an 11-game winning streak, but could not manage to find the back of the net in the 0-0 contest.

In the final match of the regular season, Minnesota State was outshot by their opponent 18-9, while both squads landed five shots on goal.

Fouls got the best of the Mavericks, taking 14 to Concordia-St. Paul’s seven, but goalkeeper Mackenzie Rath stood tall in the net, earning a five save shutout, her eighth of the season.

Jenny Vetter led MSU total shots and shots on goal with four and two respectively, while Kelly Friedrich had two shots attempted with one landing on target.

On the opposite side of the pitch, Katie Anderson of CSP attempted a whopping eight shots, but only managed to get two to the goalkeeper.

With the tie and Augustana winning their road contest against Wayne State College,

By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor

HANNA MUN • The Reporter Ashlyn Watt (13) played 88 minutes with one shot in Friday’s tie against Concordia-St. Paul.

the Mavericks and Vikings tied for second in the end of season standings.

Since Augustana got the best of MSU in a 1-0 match in the first weekend of conference play, AU earned the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, while MSU dropped to No. 3.

The Mavericks are now seeded against No. 6 UMary,

a team they shut out just a couple of weeks ago in a 3-0 win.

Since 2008, the Mavericks are 12-1-3 against the Marauders, but just 1-1-1 in the last three contests since 2019.

The rest of the NSIC Tournament is rounded out with No. 1 Bemidji State against No. 8 Northern State, No.

4 Minot State against No. 5 Concordia St. Paul, and No. 2 Augustana against No. 7 St. Cloud State.

The winner of the Mavericks vs. Marauders will face the winner of the Vikings and Huskies matchup Friday, with the first round of the tournament being played Wednesday, Nov. 10.

Volleyball splits with Moorhead, Northern State MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor The Minnesota State (MSU) volleyball team played their final home games of the season against MSU Moorhead (MSUM) and Northern State, going 1-1 on the weekend.

The Mavericks got the best of the Dragons in a 3-0 contest, but MSU Moorhead came out and gave the Mavericks a run for their money right away in the first set.

The Mavericks got off to a great 6-2 start, until MSUM came and tied it at 8-8 with a couple of attack errors from MSU. The entire set would be neck and neck between the two squads until the Dragons had the biggest lead of the set since the very beginning at 23-20.

Minnesota State stayed persistent and went on a 6-1 run, winning the first set 2624.

The Mavericks were not going to let that happen again, going into the next set

Women’s hockey falls in sweep to St. Cloud State

MSU will take on their fourth ranked opponent this weekend.

making a statement.

The Minnesota State Mavericks held the pace for the entirety of the set, winning set two 25-9, not letting the Dragons have any wiggle room.

In set three, the Mavericks kept their momentum going, jumping out to an 11-3 lead.

Both teams had streaky performances in the set, but the Mavericks ultimately came out on top with a 25-13 set win, and sweeping the Dragons at home 3-0.

Going into Saturday’s match against the Northern State Wolves, the Mavericks wanted to end their final home series on a high note, and were in pretty good shape to do so. Until they weren’t.

Minnesota State were able to come out on top in the first set in a close 25-22 match.

The Mavericks jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in set two, and maintained their lead for the entirety of the set.

Minnesota State kept extending their lead throughout,

and took the 2-0 lead with a 25-18 set win.

In a great position to come out of the weekend with two 3-0 sweeps, Northern had other plans.

Set three had a very close back and forth match with the Wolves leading 10-9 in the set, but jumped on a massive 7-1 run. Minnesota State brought it back within three points, but it would be as close as they could get, dropping set three 25-22.

Set four was on a similar track, with the score staying tight throughout the whole set, getting to an even 20-20 match. Northern State kicked it into gear at that point, earning five of the final six points on the board, and tying the match at two apiece with a 25-21 win.

In the shortened set five, Minnesota State had the lead at 5-4, but that would be it for the Mavericks, when Northern State continued on an 11-3 run, closing out the set 15-8 and completing the reverse sweep against the Mavericks.

The Minnesota State women’s hockey team travelled north to St. Cloud this past weekend to take on the Huskies in their sixth series of the year. The Mavericks came into this series with a 5-5 overall record with the hopes of staying afloat above .500 before a surely difficult matchup with No. 2 Ohio State the weekend following.

St. Cloud had struggled to find themselves in the win column coming into this series, only winning two games up to this point. The Huskies were undefeated at home, however, which would prove to be very crucial for the outcome of the two game matchup against the Mavs.

MSU had been having a difficult time defeating some of the more tough opponents in women’s college hockey the few weekends prior, losing twice to both No. 1 Wisconsin and No. 3 Minnesota.

The two teams would surely make this a good one, and that definitely came true in game one.

The first period of game one turned out to be a blank on the scoreboard for both teams, but both got it going after the first intermission.

Minnesota State was able to strike first only 37 seconds into the second period behind a Jessica Kondas goal.

However, it was not long, until St. Could also found the back of the net, where they were able to capitalize on an Ellen Nelson interference call to even the score at one. We coasted into the third from there, and just like the previous period the goals came early.

Only 3:56 in the third, Madison Mashuga of the Mavericks was able to get her second goal of the season on the Mavs power play due to a Huskies tripping call. And just like the previous period, the Huskies were able to respond quickly with a goal of their own at the 7:54 mark to even the game at two.

No one was able to get anything going before the final whistle so the two teams headed to overtime. It did not end how the Mavs had hoped, as St. Cloud forward Mackenzie Bourgerie called game 1:09 into overtime to claim game one.

Game one gave all the confidence in the world to the STUMBLE on page 14 u

Sports

Raiders cut first rounder Arnette over death threats

Tuesday, November 9, 2021 DOMINATE Continued from page 12

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

14 • MSU Reporter

Terrell Jennings (6) made an interception in the Mavs’ end zone.

KEITH SRAKOCIC • Associated Press The Las Vegas Raiders waived 2020 first-round pick Arnette and have now cut ties with both firstround picks from that draft before the midpoint of their second season. General manager Mike Mayock called it a “painful decision” to release Arnette on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.

ASSOCIATED PRESS The Las Vegas Raiders waived 2020 firstround pick Damon Arnette and have now cut ties with both first-round picks from that draft before the midpoint of their second season.

General manager Mike Mayock called it a “painful decision” to release Arnette on Monday but said it was necessary in response to a social media post with Arnette brandishing a gun and threatening to kill someone.

“There have been a series of bad decisions over the last year or so, but we can’t stand for the video of Damon with a gun threatening to take a life,” Mayock said.

“The content was unacceptable, contrary to our values and our owner Mark Davis has been very clear and very consistent that this is not how we will conduct ourselves in this community. The bottom line, the Raiders will not tolerate this type of behavior.”

Arnette was drafted 19th overall with a pick acquired in the Khalil Mack trade despite what Mayock called “significant concerns” about his character.

Arnette was rated lower on most draft rankings but the Raiders believed after talking to his coaches at Ohio State that they could develop him on and off the field.

“Obviously in hindsight, we weren’t able to do it. I know a lot of people, including myself, we were all concerned about this, but at the time we thought it was an acceptable risk. Obviously, it’s painful on all levels.”

The move to cut Arnette comes less than a week after No. 12 overall pick Henry Ruggs

III was released following a fatal DUI crash.

Authorities said Ruggs was driving 156 mph with a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit in Nevada. He faces multiple felonies and jail time if convicted.

Mayock defended the Raiders’ evaluation of character in the draft, saying the picks in the others years have been good character players and Arnette and Ruggs were aberrations.

“We found the risk acceptable after doing more homework on Arnette than anybody we’ve done in the years I’ve been here,” Mayock said. “Obviously, we missed. That is 100% on me.”

Arnette struggled when he played, dealing with injuries last season and then losing his starting job this year to Casey Hayward. Arnette was on injured reserve at the time of his release.

The two high-profile incidents with high draft picks raised questions about whether being in Las Vegas makes it more difficult on young players because of the temptations.

Mayock said the team does take the city into consideration when they look into acquiring players to determine how well they will fit but doesn’t believe it’s a major factor.

“We do have to be aware of Vegas. But my thing is in just about any mid- or big-sized city in the country, if you want to find trouble, you can find it,” he said.

The 2020 draft class that featured two firstround picks and three third-rounders was being counted on to be part of the foundation of a rebuilding but instead will likely go down as one of the worst in franchise history.

matchup.

On the defensive side of the ball the Mavs were able to force three fumbles and five interceptions against the SMSU offense. MSU’s five interceptions against the Mustangs were the most in a game dating back to Oct. 19, 2013 when the Mavs recorded six interceptions against SMSU in that contest.

Junior Nic Vinson was the star of the game for both teams without a doubt. Vinson was able to record one interception for an 87 yard touchdown, a fumble recovery, two tackles, and two pass breakups against the Mustangs for one of the most dominant defensive performances the Mavs have provided all season.

Senior cornerback Ty’Shonan Brooks was also able to find himself in the interception column in this one, which was his fifth interception of the season. Brooks leads the team in interceptions at five, which is good enough for second in the NSIC in total interceptions, only behind Northern State’s Chance Olsen with seven.

On the offensive side of the ball everyone shared the love with senior JD Ekowa and

redshirt freshman Hayden Ekern back splitting backfield reps. Both quarterbacks threw for two touchdowns on the day, while also both surpassing 120 passing yards.

Junior wide receiver Jalen Sample was on the receiving end of nearly every pass from the two quarterbacks, hauling in 10 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns in another monstrous performance from a Maverick player. The Mavs pretty evenly split backfield rushing attempts throughout their whole depth chart in this one, with no running back surpassing nine rushing attempts.

MSU did however end with 263 rushing yards on the day with rushing longs ranging anywhere from 12 to 30 yards. It was an absolutely dominant performance by a Mavericks team who needed to get back on track after a tough loss at home the week prior.

Up next for Minnesota State is Winona State in their final game of the season.

MSU will surely bring a new found fire in their beat down of SMSU, which should make for a good contest against the Warriors in one final brawl.

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STUMBLE Continued from page 13 Huskies heading into Saturday’s contest, and they proved that to be true with a clean win against the Mavs 4-1 to claim the series sweep.

St. Cloud found scoring from four different players in game two, one including sophomore forward Emma Gentry, who was able to collect two points on the day with a goal and

one assist.

The game one hero Bourgerie found herself in the point column once again in game two, with two assists herself to make for one heck of a series. Junior forward Kelsey King was the only Maverick to find the back of the net for MSU in the second contest, as the Mavs now have another week off before travelling to Columbus on a six game skid.

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Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Sports

Tucker’s overtime kick gives Ravens 34-31 win over Vikes

MSU Reporter • 15

NCAA is set to give power to schools under new constitution

MICHAEL CONROY • Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS

JULIO CORTEZ • Associated Press Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws under pressure from Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tavon Young (25) and outside linebacker Tyus Bowser (54) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, in Baltimore.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Justin Tucker’s job was much easier for this game-winning kick.

No need to set an NFL record — although he still felt the usual nerves with victory on the line.

“Every single time, it doesn’t matter if it’s a PAT in the first quarter or the game-winning field goal, whether it’s a 36-yarder or a 66-yarder, it’s always about managing your feelings and managing your emotions,” Tucker said. “If you’re not feeling a little bit nervous, are you really living?”

Tucker kicked a 36-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in overtime to give the Baltimore Ravens a 34-31 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. It was the 18th game-winning field goal for the star kicker, who made the longest kick in NFL history when he drilled a 66-yarder to beat Detroit in Week 3.

Once Devonta Freeman broke loose for a 19-yard run to the Minnesota 39, the Ravens were in decent shape to set up a field goal.

They ended up getting a good bit closer.

“I kind of just felt the energy, like OK well, I’m ready to go knock down a 52-, 53-, 54-yarder,” Tucker said. “But if it’s 36, that would be nice too.”

Tucker has made 53 consecutive field goals in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The AFC North-leading Ravens (6-2) rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit and survived an acrobatic interception by Minnesota’s Anthony Barr on the first possession of overtime.

Barr tipped Lamar Jackson’s pass and caught it out of the air, giving the Vikings the ball at their own 38, but Minnesota went three-and-out, and Baltimore drove into Tucker’s range again.

It was the third overtime game of the season for each team. They both had split their first two. This was another agonizing loss for the Vikings (3-5), who have not dropped a game all season by more than seven points.

Baltimore, meanwhile, has won three times this season after trailing by double digits in the second half.

“I’d rather not be playing from behind,”

Jackson said. “But our team, we’re fighters.

We believe in each other. We’ve got faith.”

The Ravens took a 31-24 lead on Le’Veon Bell’s 1-yard run with 3:29 remaining in regulation. The Vikings tied it on a 1-yard scoring pass from Kirk Cousins to Adam Thielen with 1:03 to play.

Jackson threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. He also ran for 120 yards on 21 carries.

It was his 10th career 100-yard rushing game, tying Michael Vick’s regular-season record for quarterbacks.

Baltimore trailed 24-10 after Minnesota’s Kene Nwangwu ran the second-half kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown, but the Ravens rallied thanks to three big fourth-down conversions.

Devonta Freeman ran for the necessary yardage on fourth-and-2 from the Baltimore 36, and then Jackson threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Ricard on fourth-andgoal to make it 24-17.

On the Ravens’ next possession, Jackson converted a quarterback sneak on fourthand-1 from his own 27. Baltimore later made a first down on third-and-15 when Marquise Brown gained 18 yards on a catch-and-run.

Jackson eventually threw a 5-yard TD pass to Devin Duvernay, a difficult catch that tied the game and capped an 18-play, 82-yard drive that took 10:17.

“I thought we were actually playing pretty well on defense,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “Then we got kind of worn down.”

Penalties played a significant role in the first half. Minnesota’s D.J. Wonnum was called for a horse-collar tackle — a replay appeared to show he grabbed Jackson’s jersey in the middle of the back, not the collar — and that kept a Baltimore drive going when the Vikings thought they had come up with a stop on fourth down. The Ravens eventually kicked a field goal.

Justin Jefferson ran right past defensive backs Marlon Humphrey and Chuck Clark before hauling in a 50-yard touchdown pass from Cousins. On Minnesota’s next drive, Dalvin Cook’s 66-yard run helped set up a 1-yard TD run by Cousins that made it 14-3.

The NCAA on Monday set the stage for a dramatic restructuring of college sports that will give each of its three divisions the power to govern itself.

The nation’s biggest and most influential governing body in college athletics released a draft of an 18 1/2page constitution, cut down from 43 pages over the last three months at the direction of President Mark Emmert.

The rewritten constitution focuses more on the NCAA’s broader goals of athlete welfare than the previous version, which took a more granular approach.

Most important, it would provide Division I — the highest level of college sports that includes major college football and the 351 schools eligible for the lucrative men’s basketball tournament — the autonomy to reshape every-

thing from how revenue is shared to how rules are made and enforced.

“Once we got into this, we really found out that many of the issues were the Division I level,” West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons, the chairman of the Division I Council and a member of the constitution committee, told the AP. The goal is to have changes in place in less than a year.

“The ratification of a new constitution in January is the first step in the process of transforming NCAA governance,” said Jack DiGioia, chairman of the NCAA Board of Governors and the president of Georgetown. “A new constitution will provide the divisions the flexibility they need to act.”

The proposed new constitution still needs to go to the more than 1,200 member schools for feedback.

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16 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Rough weekend for NFL teams atop the standings ASSOCIATED PRESS First-place teams had a rough Sunday.

Dak Prescott returned to the lineup for Dallas (6-2) and the Cowboys didn’t score until Denver led 30-0 in the fourth quarter on the road.

Josh Allen had three turnovers and the Buffalo Bills (53) showed no discipline in an embarrassing 9-6 loss at woeful Jacksonville.

Without Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers (7-2) couldn’t muster enough offense to upend Kansas City in rookie Jordan Love’s first start.

Coming off an emotional week, the Las Vegas Raiders (5-2) struggled in a 23-16 loss at the Giants.

Other winning teams had a tough day at home. The Saints (5-3) lost to Atlanta in their first game missing Jameis Winston. The Rams (7-2) were routed by the AFC South-leading Titans, who won their first game since losing Derrick Henry. The Bengals (5-4) were blown out by the Browns for their second straight loss after a 5-2 start.

A couple winning teams struggled to get their victories.

STEPHEN B. MORTON • Associated Press Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Damien Wilson, left, tackles Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, in Jacksonville, Fla.

Week 9 will serve as a prime example for any coach who wants to issue the “any given Sunday” warning to his players before a game. Of course, they’ve heard it before.

“It’s hard to win football games, no matter who you play,” Allen said. “We’re all

The Ravens (6-2) needed overtime to handle the Vikings.

The Chargers (5-3) beat Philadelphia on a late field goal.

Overall, division leaders were 3-4 and home teams were 5-7. Three clubs favored to win by seven or more points lost outright.

grown men. We all get paid to play this game. They came out. They wanted it more.”

The Bills are an enigma.

They were the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl but couldn’t beat a team that had lost 21 of its last 23 games.

Their high-powered offense

hasn’t been sharp in consecutive games, including last week’s victory over Miami.

Buffalo’s loss coupled with Tennessee’s win and a loss to the Titans (7-2) last month means the Bills have an uphill battle to get the No. 1 seed in the AFC. They have to hold off New England (5-4) just to win the AFC East.

The Cowboys had won six in a row before the inconsistent Broncos dominated them.

“The message is don’t take the cheese, and frankly we were outcoached, we were outplayed all the way through,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “This is the first time I’ve felt clearly our energy didn’t exceed our opponent. That’s disappointing.”

Heading into the second half, the conference races are wide open.

The Titans are the AFC’s frontrunner following their convincing win on the road against Los Angeles. But they still have to play without Henry for the long haul.

Baltimore has overcome a slew of injuries to lead the AFC North. The Ravens have a difficult schedule over the final nine after road games at Miami and Chicago.

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MSU Reporter • 17

Is dating without the Internet possible?

“Dead Mother’s

By LILLY SCHMIDT

brings awareness

Staff Writer

Dating apps are growing in popularity. But are they any match for meeting the old fashioned way? Alexandra Tostrud, Minnesota State University, Mankato sophomore, met her current partner in person. She explains, “We went to high school together. We were in band all four years.” However, not all people have the luxury of running into their special someone at school.

Tostrud shared that she didn’t think meeting in person or online would alter the relationship in any serious way and stated, “I would prefer to meet someone in person butI don’t think I would really care if I met them through a dating app.”

MNSU freshman, Savannah Mosher, saw positives to both. She explained, “I feel like it’s more personal and real if it’s in person. You get to see all the characteristics about them instead of just what they portray.”

However, she also noted that, “I feel like online is better for communicating what you feel because sometimes a person won’t tell you exactly what they’re feeling and will

By EMMA JOHNSON Staff Writer

MADDIE BEHERENS • The Reporter Dating without the use of dating apps or social media can be tricky but not impossible in today’s society.

say what they think will make you like them more when you first meet them.”

She met her current partner in person, but in the early stages of development talked a lot over social media and grew closer. She recognizes that there was a mix of in-person and online aspects, and appreciates the balance of the two.

Ethan Mlejnek, MNSU freshman, has had a different

experience though. As for dating apps, “It was really brief.

I probably used it for about a week. It was pretty shallow.

I think because it gives the person the option to objectify people a little bit. Yes or no right away and I don’t think it accurately represents how someone actually is personality wise.”

Mlejnek also acknowledges that relationships where peo-

ple meet online can work out.

“You could meet someone online and potentially hit it off,” he says. “In that case, I don’t think it would affect the relationship too much based on if they met online or not.”

Still, he explained why he would prefer meeting someone in person, “I think it allows for some chemistry to build up which makes it easier DATING on page 18 u

MNSU program connects students with elders

By SYDNEY BERGGREN Staff Writer

This past Thursday, featured the first of three virtual visits with Deanna Stands that will be happening over the next two months for Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Elder-In-Residence program.

This program is an opportunity for students to connect with elders from local communities. It can allow for stress relief, grounding, and helping students get and stay connected.

Stands is a returning elder for this program, having visited last year as well. The program is a part of a Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund grant that MNSU was awarded, which includes funding for several Indigenous focused initiatives, scholarships, emergency grants for education majors, and support for professional develop-

Underwear”

Courtesy of American Indian Affairs at MNSU Deanna Stands is a citizen of the Yankton Sioux Tribe and MNSU alumna who has served as an educator for 37 years.

ment.

The Elder-In-Residence initiative is an attempt to provide opportunities for students to connect with elders from local communities. Being able to visit with elders can be a stress reliever, help students feel grounded, and keep them feeling connected

back to home while they’re at school.

Throughout the hour-long conversation, Stands covered a multitude of topics including her Native ancestry, some basic words in Dakota, reservations, graduation rates of Native teens, and her thoughts surrounding Native American

Heritage Month.

Stands belongs to the Yankton Sioux tribe and is registered on a reservation in South Dakota. She teaches elementary school there, after having received a degree in elementary education from the University of Minnesota.

She had retired after 30 years of teaching, but has recently been asked by her school to come back part time and continue educating.

Stands was asked at one point to teach the people in attendance a couple of words in Dakota, to which she gladly obliged. “I love seeing that people want to learn,” Stands commented. The group was taught the masculine and feminine form of hello, alongside another common greeting.

“Speaking two languages kind of creates an overlap in my mind- it plays tricks on me. Dakota uses English letters but it has different sounds ELDER on page 18 u

The stages of grief are often a difficult subject to approach, moreover dealing with them on a personal level can be challenging.

Getting your story out there in a way that speaks to others is another.

Jill Hildebrandt’s short film “Dead Mother’s Underwear” premiered on Nov. 8 in Ostrander Auditorium. The show is based on Hildebrandt’s life three months after her mother passed away. Hildebrandt’s sisters asked her if she wanted their mother’s underwear and she agreed.

The title originated a few weeks later.

“I forgot that I had put them on at some point. I woke up at about 3 a.m. and walked into the kitchen and I started laughing when I realized that I was in my dead mother’s underwear,” laughed Hildebrandt. “I called my sister the next morning and she said it sounded like a punk rock song and it grew from there.”

The process to make the film started all the way back in February of 2020.

Hildebrandt received grants from Prairies Lakes Regional Arts Council and the Minnesota States Arts Board and planned to use the money to write and perform a live show for the Minnesota Fringe Festival. However, COVID-19 changed her plans.

“I wanted to do a live show, but with the logistics of being on stage with masks and mics, we could only get one in-person rehearsal in,” said Hildebrandt. “We did some Zoom rehearsals before we filmed. It was a good last-minute choice.”

While Hildebrandt tackled the writing, she was not alone in bringing the film to life. Her friends Jill Fischer and Joe Tougas did the videography and music while her friends Ronda Redmond, Emily Stark and sister Gretchen Hildebrandt did voice over work. Hildebrandt credits GRIEF on page 18 u

18 • MSU Reporter

Variety

A new ‘Trump.’ SNL’s Johnson attracts attention for mimicry

WILL HEATH and MARY ELLEN MATTHEWS • NBC via Associated Press Photos released by NBC shows cast member James Austin Johnson impersonating President Donald Trump on the Nov. 6, episode of “Saturday Night Live” in New York, left, and a portrait of Johnson.

ASSOCIATED PRESS In James Austin Johnson, “Saturday Night Live” has a new master impressionist on board whose take on Donald Trump over the weekend was a breakout performance for the rookie.

Johnson nailed a stream-of-consciousness Trump during an opening segment Saturday that discussed Republican Glenn Youngkin’s election as Virginia governor. Critics at Vulture and TheWrap said Johnson “stole the show,” or at least the cold open. “‘Saturday Night Live’ finally has a truly great Trump impersonator,” wrote Dan Spinelli of Mother Jones.

“Close your eyes and you’ll think new cast member James Austin Johnson is the real thing.”

With Youngkin, portrayed by cast member Alex Moffat, looking uncomfortable on a split screen next to him, Johnson circled through topics like “Dune,” “Star Wars,” Chris Pratt and Santa Claus as a subject “countdown” mirroring ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” appeared onscreen.

“Most people don’t like him but he’s a wonderful guy, OK? Tall, rich, like my sons. Glenn, you’re like my son,” Johnson’s “Trump” said.

“Please don’t say that,” Moffat replied.

Johnson, a 32-year-old stand-up comic from Nashville, Tennessee, has already impersonated President Joe Biden twice in the season’s five episodes, along with Adam Driver, Joe Buck, Jon Gruden, Lindsey Graham and Louis C.K. It’s an unusually fast start for a new “SNL” player, particularly now that the on-air cast has swelled to 21 people.

The show did not make Johnson available for an interview on Monday.

Even before he joined “Saturday Night

DATING Continued from page 17 to get into the relationship. I feel like if you meet someone online it’s different. Like, if you meet up with them, you both know what

Live,” he had attracted attention for his mimicry, particularly of Trump. A video of Johnson, as Trump discussing Scooby Doo, has received more than 2.4 million views on Twitter since being posted a year ago.

Of that performance, Vice’s Josh Terry wrote last year that “there’s something jaw-dropping about how accurately Johnson is able to channel the president’s cadence, speech patterns and eccentricities.”

While it’s unclear how much the news will dictate Johnson appearing as Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” he’s clearly the successor to Alec Baldwin, who made his last appearance as Trump shortly after the 2020 election.

In an interview with Vice last year, Johnson said that Baldwin brought “pure evil” to the impersonation of Trump.

“A lot of the mainstream shows miss how much love there is for Trump,” he told Vice.

“In the quest to depict him as the monster that, of course, I believe he is, they’re alienating some of the people who would otherwise laugh at their jokes. It’s really hard to laugh at a lot of depictions of Trump. It doesn’t make you feel good. I really just want my comedy to be a balm by being really silly.”

Yet not everyone was happy to see Trump make a “reappearance” on the comedy show this past weekend.

The Atlantic’s Molly Garber wrote that Johnson’s impersonation is “deeply skillful,” poking fun at Trump’s tendency to make himself inescapable.

Yet giving Johnson the platform allowed Trump to hijack its attention. “’SNL, for too long, was so interested in Trump as a joke that it ignored him as a threat,” Garber wrote.

The most recent episode “suggests that the show has looked back over the previous years — and learned precisely nothing.”

you’re there for. It makes the chemistry a little bit different as opposed to meeting someone in person where you can develop a relationship with them beforehand and I think that can lead to possibly a better relationship.”

Tuesday, November 9, 2021 GRIEF Continued from page 17 director and good friend Jennifer Tuder for helping her find the balance of discussing dark topics along with comedic tones. “[Jennifer] was great for helping me find that fine line balance since it’s very cutting and biting,” said Hildebrandt. “There’s a moment of reflection and I think that it has to be done in a delicate way.”

While the name sounds like a light-hearted film, the film has a deeper undertone to it all, covering messages of alcoholism, suicidal ideations, mental health and what we inherit from others, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Hildebrandt had to find palatable ways to show heavy content to the audience, an emotional process for Hildebrandt.

“I thought we would be

ELDER Continued from page 17 associated with the letters, along with its own characters,” noted Stands on being multilingual.

Stands shared a handful of her viewpoints on the idea of Native American Heritage Month, which is what the Elder-In-Residence program originated for.

“We are what we are 365 day of the year, and mainstream culture gives us just a little bit of time to be recognized, but it is what it is,”

able to film in four hours, but we only got three out of eleven scenes done,” said Hildebrandt. “Putting my story out there was difficult, but I want to help other people talk about these issues to start these conversations.”

Hildebrandt hopes that audiences were able to start thought-provoking transformational conversations with others. While topics such as mental health and alcoholism are considered taboo, Hildebrandt wants to shed light on them.

“It might be the first time that they’ve dealt with [these issues] or brushed them aside and they’ll realize that they want to address them,” shared Hildebrandt. “I hope people can converse more openly to break the stigma and link them to resources.”

Using humor to shed light on dark times, Hildebrandt’s film is sure to spark conversation and help others heal.

she said. “What do you mean by ‘Native America’? We are not all one person. Give us this time, yes, but use it to recognize that we are different.”

The Elder-In-Residence program has two more upcoming dates this semester, on Nov. 11 and Dec. 2.

“These events are just an opportunity to build relationships. Very lowkey, just come and chat,” said Stands. More information on the event can be found on the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences events webpage.

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Variety

MSU Reporter • 19

Houston chief says he met with Travis Scott before concert ASSOCIATED PRESS Houston’s police chief said Monday that he expressed concerns about safety to Travis Scott before the rapper performed at a sold-out music festival where eight people died and hundreds more were injured in a crush of fans as Scott took to the stage.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner did not elaborate on his specific safety concerns voiced Friday at the Astroworld festival, an event founded by Scott that was attended by some 50,000 people. His department has launched a criminal investigation into what went wrong.

“I asked Travis Scott and his team to work with HPD for all events over the weekend and to be mindful of his team’s social media messaging on any scheduled events,” Finner said in a statement tweeted by the department. “The meeting was brief and respectful, and a chance for me to share my public safety concerns as Chief of Police.”

Representatives of Scott, who has said he was “absolutely devastated by what took place,” did not respond to an email from The Associated Press on Monday.

Houston police and fire department investigators have said they would review video taken by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips from people at the show that were widely shared on social media. Investigators

ROBERT BUMSTED • Associated Press Two people who knew an unidentified victim of a fatal incident at the Houston Astroworld concert embrace at a memorial on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021.

also planned to speak with Live Nation representatives, Scott and concertgoers.

Investigators were also interviewing witnesses and planned to examine the design of safety barriers and the use of crowd control at the event.

Live Nation said in a statement Monday that it has provided authorities with all footage from surveillance cameras at the festival, and that it had paused removing equipment at the request of investigators who were walking the grounds.

The promoter said full refunds would be offered to all

attendees.

“It’s not the crowd’s fault at all, because there was no way you could even move, it was just like a mass loss of control,” said 19-year-old festivalgoer Ben Castro. He returned to the venue Monday to leave flowers at a makeshift memorial that included notes, T-shirts and and candles. He said he didn’t know anyone had died until the next day.

Houston chief says he met with Travis Scott before concert US reopens to international travel, allows happy reunions Houston concert deaths

spur calls for independent review Shooting victim says he was pointing his gun at Rittenhouse The dead were between the ages of 14 and 27 and were from Texas, Illinois and Washington, according to Harris County authorities. They included high schoolers, an aspiring Border Patrol agent and a computer science student.

Medical examiners have still not released the causes of death, which could take several weeks, said Michele Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Institute of Forensic

Sciences.

Over 300 people were treated at a field hospital on site and at least 13 people remained hospitalized on Sunday.

More than a dozen lawsuits had been filed as of Monday, and Live Nation announced it was delaying ticket sales for a Billy Joel concert at a different venue in Houston.

The promoter said it was assisting authorities so “the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve.”

Contemporary Services Corp., headquartered in Los Angeles, was responsible for security staff at the festival, according to county records in Texas.

The company describes itself online as being “recognized worldwide as the pioneer, expert and only employee owned company in the crowd management field.”

Company representatives have not responded to emails and phone messages seeking comment.

Astroworld’s organizers had laid out security and emergency medical response protocols in festival plans filed with Harris County.

A 56-page operations plan, obtained by AP, describes “the potential for multiple alcohol/ drug related incidents, possible evacuation needs, and the ever-present threat of a mass casualty situation are identified as key concerns.”

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Tuesday, November 9, 2021