Thursday
/NorthernIowan
November 30, 2017
@NorthernIowan
Volume 114, Issue 25
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Opinion 3 Campus Life 4 Sports 6 Games 7 Classifieds 8
INSIDE THIS ISSUE NISG clarifies policy 2 Sexual misconduct 3 ‘Coco’ film review 5
MBB falls after five-game win streak 6
UNI Football advances in the playoffs
JOHN DUNLOP/Northern Iowan
WILLIAM RIEPE Sports Writer
The Panthers’ first game in this season’s playoffs featured a home game against Monmouth College. Prior to their 46-7 victory over the Fighting Scots, the Panthers possessed a three game win streak against Indiana State,
Missouri State and South Dakota. The Panthers scored early in the first quarter with touchdowns from quarterback Eli Dunne. UNI increased their lead to 46-0 before they were finally scored on late into the fourth quarter. A highlight of this first quarter was a one-hand-
ed catch by linebacker Jared Farley. Farley is known for his top-notch defensive performances but found himself on the other side of the ball last weekend, earning himself a touchdown on his only target of the game. This turned into a game of turnovers. Dunne did not get picked off once, dominat-
Gray said that second-year students will be permitted to live in Panther Village. This was made possible as “a result of the newly modernized and recently reopened Lawther Hall,” according to Gray. In addition to sophomores being able to live there, PV will also provide all-gender housing along with other residence halls on campus. Allgender housing allows students living on campus to room with whomever they choose, despite the gender identity or legal sex of the other person. All-gender housing will be available in Lawther Hall, which offers suites with both private and semi-private bathrooms, as well as PV, ROTH
Apartments and Jennings Apartments, which all offer apartment-style living with private bathrooms and bedrooms in each unit, according to Gray. Gray has no serious concerns for the integration of all-gender housing into more residence halls. “UNI has been providing open-gender housing for a couple of years now,” Gray said. “To date we have not experienced any problems.” According to UNI’s residence hall page on the UNI website, any student living on campus is eligible for all-inclusive housing. However, the student must opt-into the all-gender housing within the housing and dining contract online.
ing through the air with four touchdowns. Daurice Fountain has easily been Dunne’s most popular target this season, and last week was no difference. Dunne connected with Fountain 10 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The Panther run game was also strong against Monmouth. Senior running
back J’Veyon Browning carried the ball 14 times for 136 yards but failed to find the end zone. Marcus Weymiller still led the carry count last weekend, netting 74 yards on 17 carries. The Panther offense put up a season-high 249 yards on the ground.
Changes coming soon to campus living AMELIA DUAX Staff Writer
For students living on campus, the on-campus residence halls may start to look a little different next year thanks to some changes being implemented by the Department of Residence (DOR). Starting in the fall of 2018, second-year students will be able to live in Panther Village (PV). This is in addition to expanding all-gender housing and an increase in the cost of some residence halls. Glenn Gray, assistant vice president and executive director of residence, was able to give more information on the changes that students can expect to see next academic year.
See FOOTBALL, page 6
MADISON BENZING/Northern Iowan
Next school year, the Department of Residence will implement changes to the residence halls.
“All-gender housing is also available within the traditional halls,” Gray said. “But the bathrooms within these com-
munities remain gendered as male and female.” See DOR CHANGES, page 2
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NOVEMBER 30, 2017
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NEWS
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JACOB MADDEN News Editor
VOLUME 114, ISSUE 25
NISG clarifies policy on candidates KELSEY CHIDLEY
“Where do we draw the line of what a university representative is?” Miller stated that NISG worked closely with the Office of University Council, which provides legal advice for UNI, to clarify regulations on inviting political candidates to speak on campus. The group decided that students and student organizations do not represent the entire university, so it is within their rights to invite candidates of any political affiliation. The NI Democrats stated that NISG members had recently confronted themin regards to their activities regarding inviting political candidates to campus. The NI Democrats explained that upper cabinet directors and senators had told them that inviting only specific candidates to campus would violate university and federal policies, and that the organization would legally have to invite all candidates running for the office in question. The NI Democrats said that they were not told exactly which policies they were violating. “It’s just important to us to give students an opportunity to dig in, ask hard questions of candidates, hold candidates accountable and just do all
of those things that have to do with being an active and educated voter,” said Danielle Templeton, recruitment director of the NI Democrats. Later, Miller stated that the initial information given to the organization had been passed down from university administrators. “It was never intended to be malicious, or anything like that,” Miller said. “Truly, sometimes things get miscommunicated; people are people.” The NI Democrats stated that bringing candidates to campus is important to their organization and to the entire community because it makes students more likely to vote and participate in politics. “These candidates could very well be the next House member, the next Senate member, and so we bring those members onto campus all the time,” said Natalie Dean, president of the NI Democrats. “We want people to be informed about who could be representing them in two years.” Another student organization greatly affected by these policies are the UNI College Republicans, who stressed the importance of bringing a broad spectrum of viewpoints to cam-
pus. “It definitely is super important that everyone has an equal opportunity to do so, just so everybody has an equal opportunity to have their voice and their opinions,” said Regan Stevens, president of UNI College Republicans. Unlike members of other student organizations, NISG members are considered university representatives, so they cannot invite candidates of any political party to campus. “It is in Northern Iowa Student Government’s mission to remain nonpartisan and unbiased,” Miller said. “Senators are not allowed to bring candidates to campus, as part of their NISG role.” Miller also indicated that due to the nonpartisan nature of NISG, candidates still have to follow certain regulations, no matter how they were brought to campus. “You can’t be bringing them into spaces like [the NISG office] — it’s a nonpartisan space — we have to follow the Hatch Act,” Miller said. “We are paid by the university; we have to follow state and federal regulations as they apply to us.” Such regulations have affected student organizations
in other ways too. Since the NI Democrats are a partisan organization, the organization could not legally send a mass email to the student body regarding the satellite voting location that they secured this semester in Maucker Union, where students could vote early for Cedar Falls city candidates. According to Miller, no policies were changed by the discussion between University Council, NISG and other representatives; it was simply a clarification of existing regulations. “I’d encourage anybody wanting to bring a political candidate to campus to make sure that they go through the proper channels of communicating with the president’s office, making sure that everything’s set with them,” Miller said.
According to Gray, the reasoning behind the expansion of all-gender housing is because it may help students who feel more comfortable with a friend, sibling or someone of the opposite sex or gender. Gray also said that all-gender housing is a good option for students who are still discovering their gender identity or are an ally of the LGBT* community. “Although we have not had many students request all-gender housing, students may optin to this type of housing via our online room and roommate selection process,” Gray said. “Allowing students to select their own roommates and rooms online has reduced roommate conf licts and
increased student satisfaction.” Emily Harsch, the LGBT* student services coordinator, was able to give her insight on the subject of inclusive housing for the 2018-19 school year. “The goal here is to really expand the options for students,” Harsch said. “Not just for transgender and LQBT* students, but for all students who are really trying to make decisions for themselves.” Harsch says that she believes all-gender housing is a good move for UNI because it allows for more inclusive spaces, as well as allows students to make decisions that are best for them. “Noehren Hall is the traditional residence hall that will allow for students to live with students regardless of gender,” Harsch said. “That’s the first time we’ve offered, within the
contracting system, that option for students to self-select into inclusive spaces; that’s a huge step in the right direction.” Baylee Milam, a sophomore family services major, also shared his perspective on inclusive housing and the changes the DOR will be making. “I think it’s going to give students a lot more options to be who they are and to be willing to open up,” Milam said. “As it is right now, there are very little options for students of the LGBT* community to have housing and feel comfortable where they live.” Milam said that he interacts daily with students who want and need inclusive housing. Both Harsch and Milam said that they see no real concerns with having more inclusive housing on campus. “Right now, we have the
Quads and Lawther that has been operating just fine with co-ed housing,” Milam said. “It’s worked for many years, so there’s no real difference now than there was before.” Harsch addressed the concern that sexual assault would increase due to inclusive housing. “There hasn’t been a case, that I’ve heard of at least, where a transgender person committed assault against a cis-gendered person due to their identities,” Harsch said. Harsch also said that the DOR is providing more training to resident assistants in order to create a safer environment for those living on campus. As for housing and dining rates, Gray says that there is an expected increase in price of 1.8 percent for the 2018-
19 school year. According to Gray, the increase is below the consumer price index and is the lowest increase in a decade. PV has not had a rate increase for the past two years. According to Gray, the top priority continues to be keeping housing and dining rates low for students. Although living on campus can be expensive for many students, Gray says that living in the residence halls includes benefits exclusive to on-campus residents, such as creating a strong social network on campus and being involved in campus activities. Gray said that the changes expected for the 2018-19 school year at UNI have been made to enhance student education and success and that the DOR is continuing to consider changes in order to meet the evolving needs of students.
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JACOB MADDEN News Editor maddenj@uni.edu
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The Northern Iowan is published semi-weekly on Monday and Thursday during the academic year, except for holidays and examination periods, by the University of Northern Iowa, L011 Maucker Union, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0166 under the auspices of the Board of Student Publications. Advertising errors that are the fault of the Northern Iowan will be corrected at no cost to the advertiser only if the Northern Iowan office is notified within seven days of the original publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at any time. The Northern Iowan is funded in part with student activity fees. A copy of the Northern Iowan grievance procedure is available at the Northern Iowan office, located at L011 Maucker Union. All material is © 2017 by the Northern Iowan and may not be used without permission.
Staff Writer
College campuses attract a variety of speakers each year. At public universities, there are specific regulations in place regarding inviting and hosting political candidates. Recently, there was some confusion at UNI over the implementation of these regulations. “Student organizations outside of Northern Iowa Student Government are allowed to host political candidates,” said Maggie Miller, Northern Iowa Student Government (NISG) director of governmental relations. “We do have policies that are in accordance with state and federal laws at the university about the place and manner that those are hosted, and those are very broad policies. So, there was a little bit of miscommunication on that.” According to Miller, some of the misinformation arose from difficulties in determining who qualified as a university representative. “Is that a faculty member, is that a student, is that someone who’s saying on behalf of the Northern Iowa Democrats (NI Democrats) of the University of Northern Iowa?” Miller said.
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OPINION |
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Speaking up amidst allegations NOVEMBER 30, 2017
As many of you have noticed, there has been an incredible amount of sexual misconduct allegations leveled against members of Hollywood, which is also now seeping into the U.S. government. I have been hearing a lot of criticism about the honesty of the accusers. Both the accusations and the backlash speak to our rape culture. Wikipedia has a pretty good definition of rape culture, which is “a sociological concept used to describe a setting in which rape is pervasive and normalized due to societal attitudes about gender and sexuality.” Our society, up until this year, has allowed sexual violence to continue by believing the perpetrators and not the victims. This is rape culture. There has always been sexual harassment and assault in workplaces. This is in no way a new issue.
In the United States, women have been speaking to this problem since about the early 20th century. The term “sexual harassment” was coined in the 1960s, and women began making claims that this is a type of discrimination. Before the 60s, it was a part of life and was not considered criminal at all. The first win was with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the act, Title VII addressed a lot of women’s issues and labeled sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination. It was now illegal for sexual violence to occur in workplaces. However, just because policy changed, does not mean that experiences changed. Women and members of the LGBTQ+ community have continued to be sexually harassed and assaulted in workplaces. What is great about this year of accusations is that our experiences are coming to light and the perpetrators are facing consequences. Before this year, a woman could accuse a powerful man of sexual violence, and mostly likely the woman would
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not be believed and the man would continue to be successful. One has to look no further than the office of the presidency to see that a man can have physical evidence of sexual violence and still be successful. 2017 is different because these men are having to face their actions and are receiving consequences. We are seeing change. This is history. But why are allegations finally being believed? I think that with the election of Trump, many people were appalled about rape culture being given power in the Oval Office. Combined with the “Me, too” campaign, the time was right for the Harvey Weinstein victims. To the people who don’t believe in the victims, where do you think the statistic of one in three women have been sexually harassed at work came from (Huffington Post)? When these women come forward, their current job is threatened and their career is at risk. It is hard for victims to come forward, and
VOLUME 114, ISSUE 25
you ask why they waited 20 years? Would you say anything about a widely-respected man if you knew that people would not believe you? No, you want to have job security and be successful. It is a huge risk to speak about sexual violence. I don’t know a single woman or LGBTQ+ person that hasn’t been sexually harassed. That is how prevalent our rape culture is. The first time I was catcalled, I was 11 years old. I was scared. When I was 16 years old, a man in his 60s made repeated advances on me at my work. Right now, I have a coworker who is constantly hitting on me and even grabbed my butt in the workplace. This is the reality for women. What does this look like at UNI? My experience is that there is prevalent, intrusive sexual harassment by cat-calling, hollering and whistling. During my freshman year, I had a Wednesday night class both semesters. After every class, I felt uncomfortable and scared on campus
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
Opinion columnist Brenna Wolfe discusses the recent outpouring of sexual misconduct allegations in the media, such as against film producer Harvey Weinstein.
because men had repeatedly yelled sexual things to me from their car. I didn’t know if they would get out of the car or if they would follow me home. I believe that a lot of UNI students feel unsafe because they have had similar incidents of sexual harassment. I think UNI students should follow in the footsteps of the brave women across the country: we need to speak about the injustices happening on this campus in order to make change.
LTE: talking politics in the age of Trump I replied to Tanner Schrad’s article, “Why is everything politicized?” in a snarky way, and I apologize for that. I then sent a friend request to Schrad and asked him to sit down and have coffee with me. He did, and we had a good conversation. I ’ d encourage anyone who has political disagreeTRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE UNI alumnus Aaron Friel submits a letter to the editor ments to do same. that explores how best to engage in political discourse the under the Trump administration. We found we
Editor’s note: the following letter to the editor was submitted in response to the opinion column “Why is everything politicized?” that appeared in the Nov. 13, 2017 edition of the Northern Iowan.
had a lot of common ground by sitting down and having a conversation, and it was a lot more fruitful than a back and forth online. A recurring theme during our conversation was, “How do we talk about politics respectfully?” Here are a few ideas we discussed, which may serve as useful ground rules for any political conversation in this divided era. First, the opinion of the “person on the street” is easy to get and easy to use to divide us. Not all of us have skin in the game when it comes to every political issue. Let’s instead talk about how people vote: in polls, in elections and with their time
and money. Elected officials and cable news hosts with tens of millions of viewers are more representative of a party than the average person. Second, the past is past; nothing good comes from discussing topics for which voters have no skin in the game. Political failings from before someone started to participate politically aren’t helpful for a conversation. I was 12 years old when Bill Clinton left office. Most students at UNI weren’t of voting age during George W. Bush’s presidency. For that reason, don’t dwell on the moral or political failures of the past. Instead, look
forward by asking how politicians are handling themselves now and what voters are agreeing to do about it. Third, “what about” almost never makes a good point in a political discussion. Not every scandal is the same, and each should be judged on its own merits. Resorting to “what about” statements, by contrast, equivocates and suggests both sides are just as bad as the other. By dragging everyone into the mud, it’s hard to see clearly. Let’s hold politicians, and our political discourse, to a higher standard. — Aaron Friel
LTE: tax bill spells disaster for grad students The tax reform bill being put forward in the House of Representatives spells disaster for those pursuing postgraduate degrees. Previously, students seeking master’s and doctorate degrees did not have to count any tuition waivers from universities as taxable income. Only the stipend provided to them was taxed. The proposed changes to
our tax code would end this arrangement. Graduate students living on a $20,000 stipend could end up paying taxes on incomes as high as 50 or $60,000 and higher yet for some. Graduate students are already struggling to get by as it is. These reforms condemn their future and the future of higher education
in this country. Sixty percent of tuition reductions are given to those working in fields such as science, technology and engineering. The lack of support for education at all levels of government is alarming and harming our prosperity. The United States is starting to lag behind the rest of the world, and it’s
time to invest in our stud e n t s so that we may invest in our future. TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
— Cade UNI student Cade Olmstead pens a letter to the editor Olmstead examining the tax reform bill in the House of Representatives.
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NOVEMBER 30, 2017
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CAMPUS LIFE NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
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LEZIGA BARIKOR Campus Life Editor
VOLUME 114, ISSUE 25
Uprising to publish in fall and spring SARAH RITONDALE Staff Writer
Uprising Magazine released their fourth issue on Monday, Nov. 27, on UNI’s campus and throughout the Cedar Falls area. “I really want people to grasp the whole social issue concept [when reading the magazine]. Last issue we covered Black Lives Matter and this issue we covered LGBTQ,” said Diana Hernandez, editor in chief of Uprising. “I really like talking about things that people don’t necessarily talk about a whole lot, so it’s like starting a conversation beyond the fashion and all of that. Obviously, that’s fun to look at and fun to know, but I think it’s more important to actually talk about things that are happening in the world and on campus” As Hernandez stated, all of the issues are based on different social issues. This semester’s issues focused on the LGBTQ community and mental health. They covered stories on sexual freedom and created a section called “Speak Up,” which featured members of the LGBTQ
community sharing their thoughts, feelings and experience. “People should take the time not only to see the amazing talent of UNI students and artists, but to open themselves up to current fashions and social happenings,” said Kennedy Elliott, Uprising creative director and a junior textile and apparel and marketing management double major. “We’re titled Uprising because we talk about the things that aren’t easy to talk about; we create discourse. We ultimately want people to have a conversation about what’s going on in our culture today.” With regards to mental health, the story covering Jordan Burgett, an aspiring rapper from Cedar Rapids, discussed the messages behind each one of his songs, allowing him to express himself through music. Other stories, such as “Technicalities with Dance Teacher Mandy Masmar,” specifically discuss how activities like dance can help with mental health issues. There is also an article covering mental health and how people can improve
their mental health and help the campus community. “In being the creative director, I help with the overall image of the magazine,” Elliott said. “Each issue can be a little bit different, but they all center around accessible fashion, beauty and social issues. We also like to feature local art and talent. We want readers to not only connect with the stories but to be exposed to new ideas they may have not known otherwise.” “It’s really good,” said Katelyn Criner, junior public relations and Spanish double major. “I’ve done a shoot with Jordan Allen who was one of the photographers, and she’s really talented. Tyler the Creator saw some of the pics featured in the magazine and favorited her tweet of the pictures on Twitter!” Founded in October of 2014, the publication is still growing. “We’ve distributed 850 copies across campus for anyone to snag on their way to class or work,” Elliott said. “I would like to gain a bigger following, which is starting
COURTESY PHOTO/Uprising Magazine
The studen-run magazine Uprising released their fourth issue this fall on Monday, Nov. 27. They plan on also releasing a spring issue in 2018.
to already happen,” Hernandez said. “I really think it’s grown outside of just the UNI population; it’s kind of all over the place!” In the past they have only printed one magazine per school year; however, this year they plan on printing their fifth issue in the spring. “We are constantly recruiting for new talent to join our team,” Elliott said. “There are many graduating seniors, and we will need fresh faces to fill those positions. Right now, we are in need of models, photog-
raphers, writers and creative people.” Elliott said students can email her at elliokae@uni.edu if they’re interested in joining. Otherwise, students are also able to email jointheuprisingmagazine@gmail.com to get involved. “For right now we are done meeting since we already [printed], but next semester, the first Tuesday of that week we come back, we’ll start meeting again and start up stuff on issue number five!” Hernandez said.
TheatreUNI ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ “The main character is Mother Staff Writer Courage, a woman who just follows the armies around TheatreUNI will be pre- and just sells things to people senting “Mother Courage and in the army,” Weedman said. Her Daughters,” an adaptation “She doesn’t care about sides; of Bertolt Brecht’s “Mother all she cares about is makCourage and Her Children” ing money, and she believes at Strayer-Wood Theatre on that she can sort of weather Wednesday, Nov. 29, through the storm and survive these Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. wars intact by not having a and Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. side, and ultimately figures The production is an adap- out that that’s not possible.” tation by Matthew Weedman, The play will feature director of the play and an Cynthia Goatley, a professor assistant professor in the the- of theatre who is retiring atre department, of the origi- after this semester, as Mother nal play. Courage in her final performance with the department. “Cynthia has been here for a really long time, and this is her chance to play this big role and kind of say goodbye to this community,” Weedman said. “Mother Courage and her Children” is an anti-war play, written by Brecht after he fled Nazi Germany. The original play is set during the 30 Years War of the 17th century. Brecht was most interested in the intellectual response to theater than the emotional, COURTESY PHOTO/TheatreUNI and he structures his plays to The TheatreUNI production of “Mother Courage and Her Children” invoke that kind of response. is an adaptation by Matthew He was also interested in Weedman of Bertolt Brecht’s play. reminding his audience that SYDNEY HAUER
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they are watching a play, not allowing his audience to become too immersed. “He didn’t want people to come and see a play and feel something[...] He wanted people to respond to it by thinking about what is happening,” Weedman said. “He was interested in what is called ‘distancing,’ sort of taking people away from an emotional occasion.” The adaptation of the play by Weedman was written from a translation and is set in an undefined era. He said that as a cast, they looked through the Wikipedia page of how many wars there have been since the time that Bertolt set his play, and there were eight or nine pages listed. “It’s the reality that in the past few hundred years, war has been more constant than peace,” Weedman said. Weedman decided to change the play’s title to “Mother Courage and Her Daughters” for his adaptation because they wanted to explore the ways that war affects women specifically and the violence they may face as a result. His adaptation features rawer dialogue and a more
stripped down set. The production will feature lightning designed by Scott Olinger a guest lighting designer from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. The show will feature 16 cast members, and 10 of them are an ensemble that plays all of the other parts, such as soldiers and victims of the war. When they aren’t acting, those cast members remain on the stage watching the play. According to Weedman, this is part of Brecht’s idea that you should be reminded that you are watching a play. “One of the things that I feel like we’re having a big conversation about nationally […] right now is: What do we do with refugees from wars? We live in a community that has a large population [of] Muslim refugees from a war in the 90s — the Bosnian-American population in Waterloo,” Weedman said. “One of our students actually interviewed a veteran of the Bosnian war, and we incorporated [...] his experiences of what it was like to fight there into this production.” Weedman said that even though it is an older play,
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it maintains its relevancy because it asks the questions: How does war affect us and why does it keep happening? Callie Baack is a senior theatre performance major playing the role of one of Mother Courage’s daughters. She said that this play has had the longest rehearsal period of any other play that the department has done during her time at UNI. “These kids have been working on this since we cast the show in the second week of the semester,” Weedman said. “They’ve been working on it for 12 weeks almost. They’ve really poured themselves into it. They’ve been having a good time, and they’ve really taken ownership of it.” “If you like movies, you will like the theater, so come!” Baack said. “It’s interesting for students to come and have the opportunity to see what their peers have been working on because often times theater is something that is really foreign to other people. You can sort of get a glimpse of how it all comes together when you see something live, and it’s easy for students to be cultured in this way.”
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LEZIGA BARIKOR Campus Life Editor
NOVEMBER 30, 2017
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VOLUME 114, ISSUE 25
FILM REVIEW
‘Coco’ expertly plucks heartstrings CLINTON OLSASKY
Executive Editor
Inspired by the Mexican holiday the Day of the Dead (more commonly referred to by its Spanish name of “El Dia de los Muertos”), the new Pixar animated film “Coco” may be one of the heralded studio’s most visually resplendent and emotionally affecting movies to date. The film centers on the story of Miguel, a young boy with musical aspirations who finds himself in the Land of the Dead, where he must seek the assistance of his ancestors to return to the living. Thanks to some eye-popping animation, a heartwarming story and a refreshing take on a cinematically underrepresented culture, “Coco” is truly one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. Directing: 5/5 “Coco” is directed by longtime Pixar member Lee Unkrich (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story 3”), and Unkrich’s extensive experience in the director’s chair is evident from the beautiful animation and meticulously crafted compositions that characterize the film. From the outset, “Coco” strives to differentiate itself from the 18 other Pixar fea-
ture films churned out by the animation titan. The opening scene itself features a series of paper cut-outs recounting a visually simplified but emotionally stirring history of Miguel’s family. As for the rest of the film, “Coco” benefits from a bright and warm color palette, with a heavy emphasis on oranges and blues. The Land of the Dead is particularly impressive, as the brightly-lit and sprawling cityscape ironically makes the screen come to life with vivacity and verve. Lastly, special attention should be given to the music featured in the film, which ranges from catchy and upbeat to somber and moving. All the while, the songs and dances depicted in “Coco” consistently feel authentic to Mexican culture and, as a result, pay proper respect to the cultural heritage that served as inspiration. Writing: 4/5 Speaking of cultural representation, the familial storyline at the center of “Coco” also comes across as genuine and respectful. Without a doubt, the film’s strongest asset is its heart, which seems to swell more and more as the film progresses. There will come a point in the movie in which you might find yourself crying unexpectedly and even uncontrollably. To be sure, much of the
film’s emotional strength stems from an emphasis on family, as well as on youth, innocence, loss, mourning and acceptance. I n d e e d , “Coco” succeeds in delivering an incredibly touching message of TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE familial love that The new Pixar film “Coco” has received critical acclaim and currently carries a 96 percent can be universal- approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. ly felt, regardless of culture. nist. Although young and musical scenes that highlight With that being said, inexperienced, Gonzalez’s the actress’s impressive vocal “Coco” does suffer from some performance comes across range. minor pacing issues, mainly as completely natural, as the Overall: 4.5/5 during the first half of the fledgling voice actor injects Once again, Pixar hits it film. In fact, the entire first real vulnerability and empa- out of a park, with its latest act all too often falls into thy into his portrayal of the release offering an incredibly genre conventions and pre- aspiring musician. touching story of familial dictable narrative beats. Gael Garcia Bernal also love that also shines a neces However, the often rushed deserves particular praise as sary spotlight on an admitand formulaic nature of the Hector, a deceptive and mys- tedly overlooked cultural trafilm’s first half is more than terious skeleton in the Land dition. worth it for what turns out of the Dead. Bernal, who Although “Coco” does to be one of the most per- has been previously featured benefit from dazzling visuals, fectly executed finales Pixar in such critically acclaimed stirring music and a strong has ever produced. films as “Y Tu Mama ensemble cast of talented Acting: 5/5 Tambien,” “The Motorcycle voice actors, the film’s great Another one of the film’s Diaries” and “Babel,” makes est triumph is undoubtedly many assets is its ensemble his prior acting experience its emotional core. cast of extremely talented evident through a deft blend And appropriately enough, voice actors, all of whom of charm and warmth. this inspiring tale of a young lend considerable emotionAlanna Ubach is also musician struggling to find al depth and complexity to excellent as Mama Imelda success succeeds on nearly their respective roles. Rivera, the deceased matri- every level, especially when Among the many stand- arch of Miguel’s family that it comes to plucking at your outs in the cast is newcomer now resides in the Land of heartstrings. Anthony Gonzalez, the child the Dead. Ubach brings an actor who voices Miguel, undeniable charisma to her the film’s central protago- character, especially in the
NASA opportunities discussed on campus ALLISON MAZZARELLA Staff Writer
This past Tuesday, Nov. 28, a group of about 15 students and faculty heard from former Space Station Flight Director Tomas Gonzolaz -Torres. Torres is an Iowa State University (ISU) graduate with a BA in aerospace engineering. As assistant director for the Iowa Space
Grant Consortium (ISGC), Torres discussed research and internship opportunities with NASA, as well as research funding that the ISGC can provide. “This is not just for engineering,” Torres said. “It is to see if your projects are related to the NASA mission.” The ISGC has had participants from ISU and the
LEZIGA BARIKOR/Northern Iowan
Tomas Gonzolaz-Torres is a former NASA employee and current Iowa State University professor and assistant director for the ISGC (Iowa Space Grant Consortium). He spoke on Nov. 28 about NASA internship opportunities.
University of Iowa (UI), as well as other schools, but are seeking more from UNI. Torres himself interned with NASA six times during his time at ISU. He worked with NASA for two years, training astronauts for spacewalks and working on the Hubble Space Telescope. Torres also worked at Johnson Space Center but has returned to ISU to teach. Since being back, he has worked with the ISGC as assistant director. Torres is active in helping spread the word of how ISGC can help with funding for both undergraduates, graduates and faculty. “I’ve had lots of experiences, and hopefully my background can help some of you get some more funding through ISGC or other things related to NASA,” Torres said. Jessica Wayson, a senior majoring in all science teaching, also shared her experience with ISGC. During
her sophomore year, Wayson was involved with education research, which focused on how to be a better science teacher. “The biggest finding [of the research] was science teachers who are involved with education research, and science research tend to have the best outcomes in terms of practices related to teaching,” Wayson said. As a result of these findings, Wayson realized she needed to get involved in both. After receiving an email about the ISGC, then called the Beta Project, Wayson found a way to get involved in science research. Wayson applied for a scholarship that allowed applicants to be research assistants for a year. This opportunity provided Wayson with multiple field experiences. “There is that idea that science teachers teach science; they don’t necessarily do science. That’s not something that I wanted to fall
into. Working with the astro chem lab I had the opportunity to not only participate in field and lab work, but to present research. That’s something that I think was really amazing,” Wayson said. “The biggest reasons for students to be involved or spread the word is that it has provided so many opportunities. It is definitely something I think other students should look into as well.” As a representative for the ISGC, Torres is touring ISU, UI, Drake and UNI. Earlier on Tuesday, as part of his time at UNI, Torres visited some of the labs in UNI’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) department. “STEM is about teaching those careers in a more integrated way,” said STEM Coordinator Marcy Seavey. STEM at UNI works with future teachers about how to authentically teach science and integrate technology into courses.
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NOVEMBER 30, 2017
BASKETBALL
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SPORTS
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
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DYLAN PADY Sports Editor
VOLUME 114, ISSUE 25
Villanova ends Panthers’ five game win streak JERRIUS CAMPBELL Sports Writer
The UNI men’s basketball team went on a five game win streak, including two big games at the Battle of Atlantis tournament over Thanksgiving break. After their 73-45 victory over Alcorn state on Nov. 13, the Panthers found their groove on the court as they took on the Wartburg Knights on Nov. 15. The division three Knights could not keep up with the Panthers’ offense. The Panthers shot 60 percent from the three point line, going 15 for 23 as a team. Bennett Koch had an outstanding game and scored a career high 25 points on top of going eight for eight from the field. Freshman Tywon Pickford had a great night, almost reaching a double with nine points and 13 rebounds. At the end
of the contest, UNI would outscore Wartburg 72-43. After their victory against Wartburg, the Panthers looked to continue their streak in their next game against Chicago State. UNI has been showing an outstanding defense this year, holding their last three opponents to under 45 points. The Panthers offense has also found recent success. From the start of this game, UNI jumped out to a 15-1 run in the first half and never looked back. At halftime the Panthers led 46-21. Koch had another great game, scoring 21 points, going seven for nine from the field. Pickford reached a career high of 14 rebounds, just one rebound short of tying the UNI Men’s basketball record of 15 rebounds. Pickford ended the game with nine points, 14 rebounds, two steals, two blocks and two assists.
Juwan Mccloud also had a career high scoring night with 18 points. Transfer Miles Wentzein scored his first division one, double digit game with 11 points. The Panthers would knock off Chicago State by a large margin 82-44. After their three-game win streak at home, the Panthers took a road trip to the Bahamas for the “Bad Boy Mowers” Battle of Atlantis Tournament. In the first round, the Panthers faced off against Southern Methodist University (SMU). The Panthers came out hot from the three point range, making the first six of 10 three pointers. Off the bench, Spencer Haldeman would score four three-pointers to spark a 21- 2 run in the first half. At the end of the first, the Panthers led 31-23 over SMU. After a big first half by the Panthers, the Mustangs would
only slim the lead to single digits before the end of the contest. Four Panthers finished with double digits in the first round game. Haldeman ended with 15 points, Koch had 12 points, Pickford had 11 and McCloud had 10. The final score was 61-58. The Panthers moved on to play North Carolina state in the second round. Tywon Pickford carried the Panthers on offense in the second round matchup against North Carolina State. Pickford would record 18 points and 18 rebounds in 37 minutes of play. Koch and McCloud ended with 16 points from the field. Sophomore Isaiah Brown would add 10 points and a pair of key free throws to put the Wolf Pack away. The Panthers would win a close one, 64-60, and move on to the championship game versus top ranked Villanova.
Villanova is arguably the best team in the tournament, ranking fourth in the AP top 10. In the championship game, Villanova took control and maintained the lead the whole game. UNI could not find their rhythm from the three-point range, only scoring six of 21 from deep. The Panthers did not go to the free throw line at all versus Villanova. Offense was absent for the Panthers, only shooting 41 percent from field goal range but did lead both teams in rebound totals. At the end of contest, Villanova would run away with the lead 64-50. The Panthers did well in the tournament overall and look ahead to host the Missouri Valley Mountain West Challenge before heading to Des Moines in the Hy-Vee Classic where they will take on in-state rival Iowa State on Dec. 16.
JOHN DUNLOP/Northern Iowan
OPINION
Will sub-.500 teams make the AFC playoffs? JOSHUA DAUSENER Copy Editor
It is no secret in NFL circles that the American Football Conference (AFC) is rather weak this season. Outside of the 9-2 Steelers and Patriots and the significantly improved 7-4 Titans and Jaguars, no AFC team has impressed this season. With the conference in this state, could a team rocking a losing record squeak into the playoffs? There are two scenarios in which this happens. Either a sub .500 team snags the sixth seed or a losing team wins the
FOOTBALL
continued from page 1
The defense has seemed to find their groove, only allowing 10 points in the last two games combined. Part of this is the Panther’s secondary, which managed to pick off Monmouth quarterback, Kenji Bahar four times. All in all, the Panthers have
weak AFC West. The no. 6 seed is currently held by the mediocre Baltimore Ravens. However, seven teams are right on their heels. Along with the 6-5 Bills, the 5-6 Bengals, Chargers and Raiders are breathing down Baltimore’s neck. Even the 4-7 Jets, Dolphins and Texans are just two games behind with five more to play — far from dead. The declining 6-5 Kansas City Chiefs would also be vying for the sixth seed if they lose their lead in the AFC West. The 3-8 Colts and Broncos haven’t been mathematically
eliminated, but it is extremely unlikely they climb back into contention. The Cleveland Browns remain in contention to win a game. Could a 7-9 team snag the sixth seed? Possibly, but it’s unlikely. Between all of the teams in contention, it is likely that at least one of them finishes 9-7. The more likely scenario is that a team with a losing record wins the AFC West. Winning a weak division is how previous teams made the playoffs with a losing record. The 2014 Panthers
won the NFC South with a 7-8-1 record, and the 2010 Seahawks won the NFC West with a 7-9 record. The AFC West has three teams in play to win the division. Currently leading are the fading 6-5 Chiefs, who have gone 1-5 since starting the year 5-0. Kansas City could finish the year with a losing record given the direction the team has been going in. Behind them are the 5-6 Los Angeles Chargers and the Oakland Raiders. The Chargers started the season 0-4 but have since gone 5-2. The disappointing Raiders were expected to
compete for a Lombardi trophy this year but find themselves struggling to stay in the playoff race. Due to their weak division, however, the Raiders have a decent shot at winning the division. The AFC is notably weak this year, with the AFC West being the weakest division in the conference. The division presents the best chance for a sub-.500 team to make the playoffs; there is a decent chance a team wins the division with a 7-9 record and becomes the third team with a losing record to make the playoffs since 2010.
been dominant. After some early confusion in the season, the Panthers have gotten it together, winning six of their last seven games, including wins over conference rival South Dakota State. South Dakota State will be looking to take revenge after the Panthers dominated them in week seven, 38-18. The Panthers were one of South Dakota State’s only losses this season. They
started out with a dominant 9-3 record, only taking loses to top teams like TCU. All-MVFC first team star, quarterback Taryn Christion, is taking the snap for the Jackrabbits and has looked dominant as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. Christion will be up against a challenge, as the Panther secondary has looked like a no-fly zone for opposing quarterbacks as of late, drawing
large pick numbers and shutting down the short pass. The Jackrabbits run game has been recently lacking, as many of their running backs have failed to crack 100 yards over the last few weeks. When it comes to running the ball, the Panthers look like the stronger team at the moment. When asked for his prediction for the playoff game, junior physical education major
Luke Kisker said, “Eli Dunne has been hot, the defense has been solid and will roll past the Jack Rabbits on Saturday [….] My score prediction: 24-14 Panthers.” With such recent dominance, the Panthers are in a great position to keep their playoff record untouched. The game against the Jackrabbits will be played in Brookings, South Dakota at 2 p.m.
PAGE 7 SIERRA STEEN Managing Editor
FUN & GAMES
NOVEMBER 30, 2017 |
SUDOKU ONE
That’s so punny!
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM |
VOLUME 114, ISSUE 25
SUDOKU two
What do you call a snake that is exactly 3.14 feet long? a π-thon!
Crossword
ANSWERS ON PAGE 8
Across 1 “House” actor Epps 5 Plant-sucking insect 10 Gala affair 14 Went by bus 15 Wear away 16 __ Day VitaCraves Multivitamins 17 Sunbather’s spread 19 Spelling contests 20 Intended 21 Lend support to 23 Wrestling surface 24 “In case you weren’t listening ... “ 26 Like lambs 28 Pat-on-the-baby’s-back intended result 29 Cards to bet on 32 Cut and pasted, say 35 New York Harbor’s __ Island 36 Penpoint 37 Tough problem 39 Evergreen tree 42 Jelly beans, e.g. 43 Waiting for customer support, often 45 Brunch dish 49 Singer Fitzgerald 50 Speak from the soapbox 51 “Help!”-ful pot scrubbers? 54 Texter’s “I’m shocked!” 55 Down in the dumps 58 Glee 59 Movie “Citizen” 61 Coupe-back contraption 65 Yet again 66 “Ditto” 67 Try to persuade 68 “Women and Love” writer Shere 69 What Buffy does 70 Lowly worker Down 1 Poet’s planet 2 Stooge with Larry and Curly 3 Tracy/Hepburn battle-ofthe-sexes comedy 4 Proof of purchase
5 Insurance giant 6 Bit of expert advice 7 “__ about that!” 8 It’s in your head 9 Cold-cuts seller 10 Songwriter Dylan 11 Iron-poor blood condition 12 Womack of country 13 Withstood wear and tear 18 Consumes 22 Wilde’s “The Picture of __ Gray” 24 German automaker 25 Large, innocent-looking peepers 27 VCR format 28 Batman player Affleck 30 Dutch airline 31 Red Muppet 33 “My Cup Runneth Over” singer 34 Eat in style 38 Cholesterol letters 39 Instructions next to a perforated line ... or a hint to 17-, 29-, 45- and 61-Across 40 Afflictions 41 Nutritionist’s fig. 42 Camp bed 44 Warms, as canned soup 45 Pipe smoked in trendy bars 46 Fashion designer Giorgio 47 Fridge sticker 48 Peppermint Patty, for one 52 Farm facilities 53 Opposite of post56 Hugging limbs 57 Paces-and-pistols encounter 60 Meadow mom 62 LIRR overseer 63 In the past 64 Boxing count
PAGE 8
NOVEMBER 30, 2017
FOR RENT
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CLASSIFIEDS
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
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SIERRA STEEN Managing Editor
VOLUME 114, ISSUE 25
WORRY ABOUT THE COST OF TURNING UP THE HEAT
WOULD YOU
RATHER
ENJOY THE COMFORT OF UTILITIES INCLUDED
BE INFORMED!
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DOR.UNI.EDU | 319-273-2333 | RESIDENCE@UNI.EDU
Puzzle answers SUDOKU one
Crossword
SUDOKU TWO